I thank Mr. Parnas for his forthright interview. I was right. Mr. Parnas and his friend Igor were Republican supporters believing they earned a chip in the big game. They became lackeys for the Trump administration.
It is astounding the depth of the corruption in the leadership of the Republican Party. I knew it was bad and Moscow Mitch is an example of how bad when considering he was willing to throw the USA Constitution under the bus in relation to the Trump impeachment.
Every Republican will call Mr. Parnas a liar. He should remain steadfast, the circus will be a full three rings.
I also believe he is safer with his honesty and truth-telling. He has many people worried tonight and they aren't all in this country. When I heard the blurb of the interview in other MSNBC programs, my first impression is that he is doing this interview to remain safe. I congratulate him on his epiphany.
January 15, 2020
By Ana Radelat
The FBI (click here) is taking a closer look at Robert Hyde, a Connecticut congressional candidate and donor to President Donald Trump, and his potential role in efforts to surveil and remove former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, CNN reported Wednesday night.
An FBI spokeswoman in Washington D.C. said she could not comment about any ongoing investigation or confirm the CNN report.
Meanwhile, in an interview Wednesday night on the Sinclair show “America This Week,” Hyde denied spying on Voyanovitch and said he “barely knows” Lev Parnel, an associate of Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani who received dozens of texts from Hyde concerning Yovanovitch.
“You meet a bunch of these characters when you’re out there in the fundraising at events and supporting candidates,” Hyde told host Eric Bolling. “And you know, we just had some colorful texts, you know, had a few pops way back when I used to drink.”...
There are plenty of functional drunks in the world.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Thank you, Speaker Pelosi for a job well done.
I think Speaker Pelosi is a remarkable woman. She stood up for the truth and the strength of the US Constitution in upholding the oath of office taken by elected officials by the people. She brought brevity to the oath and we can only hope the Leader of the US Senate will be as moral and serious as she.
I am confident the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will carry his responsibility out to it's full extent.The country can thank Speaker Pelosi's leadership in not only bringing the process that resulted in the articles of impeachment but, making known to the American people the dangerous political attitude of the Majority Leader of the US Senate. The country is paying attention and those that love our democracy are grateful.
Virginia is not alone in dealing with the issue of being under siege by White Supremacists/Nationalists.
It is hard to believe at times, but, the truth is the truth. The capital of Virginia is under a state of emergency because of the massing of White Supremacists.
Virginia is taking action against gun violence at it's state legislature. One of the objections is the legislation presented by Sen. Louise Lucas.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth,heads to the podium to present her bill dealing with firearm transfers during a meeting of the Senate Judiciary committee inside the Pocahontas Building in Richmond, VA Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.January 13, 2020
By Jeff Williamson
Richmond - The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (click here for video - it contains all their talking points) and Virginia House and Senate leaders held a news conference at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond on Monday.
The news conference addressed the effects of Gov. Northam’s gun control legislation.
Speakers included:
State Sen. Mark Obenshain
Del. Todd Gilbert
Savannah Lindquist, Virginia gun owner, assault survivor, DC Project delegate
Tom Suit, Virginia gun owner, retired military, competitive shooter
Andrew Whiting, Virginia gun owner
Chris Kopacki, NRA-ILA Deputy Managing Director of State and Local Affairs
D.J. Spiker, NRA-ILA Virginia State Director
There was a heavy police prescence (click here) outside the State Capitol in Richmond, VA Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. New rules require everyone entering the building, as well as the Pocahontas building to pass through a metal detector, excepting legislators.
It strongly appears the White Supremacists/Nationalists share the same value system with the NRA. The NRA should be denouncing them, not ignoring them. Responsible gun ownership does not include those that hate. Ending hate includes gun control.
January 15, 2020
By Sky Palma
...“Law enforcement intelligence analysts (click here) have identified credible threats of violence surrounding the event, along with white nationalist rhetoric and plans by out-of-state militia groups to attend,” a statement from Northam read....
The cheers for the PARTIAL China agreement is premature. The majority of tariffs will stand until PART 2 of the agreement is completed.
January 15, 2020
By Daniel Moore
...But trade experts and industry groups (click here) representing a broad swath of the economy, made it clear they do not consider the pomp of the White House signing ceremony to mark the end of a period of deep uncertainty.
While the deal brings hope the two countries can work through their differences without tariff hikes, critics point out that it fails to address thornier issues. The deal, critics charged, does not truly address long-held demands on China involving intellectual property protections for American companies, currency manipulation, Chinese steel dumping, human rights and government subsidies.
Mr. Trump has called the agreement to be signed Wednesday a “phase one” trade deal, while acknowledging future agreements may not happen before the presidential election in November. The White House, which has not officially provided all the specifics, planned to release a fact sheet on Wednesday.
“We recognize your administration's efforts to date, but the phase one deal is completely inadequate and leaves much work to be done,” Scott Paul, president of Alliance for American Manufacturing, wrote in a letter to Mr. Trump on Tuesday. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit is led by manufacturing companies and the United Steelworkers....
December 20, 2019
By Joe Deaux
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Steel Corp. has now lost much of the ground (click here) it gained when President Donald Trump implemented his steel import tariffs less than two years ago.
Back then, Chief Executive Officer David Burritt hailed Trump’s tariffs and the company responded by restarting two blast furnaces and rehiring steel workers. Now, U.S. Steel is facing harsh scrutiny after delivering a barrage of bad news this week that included idling its giant plant outside Detroit and laying off as many as 1,545 workers.
U.S. steelmakers have faced slowing demand for their products, and U.S. Steel has been particularly hard hit because of aging plants that are less efficient than rivals’ with newer technology. That’s led to a spate of corporate operational initiatives under different names that have shifted multiple times since 2014....
The article below states Trump is moving substantial monies to the border wall. Kindly put that into context with the demand Trump made on the USA military. the mistake he made and the ultimate consequences that could have occurred.
January 13, 2020
By Justine Coleman
President Trump plans to divert $7.2 billion from the Pentagon(click here) to go toward border wall construction this year, an amount five times greater than what Congress authorized in the budget, The Washington Post reported.
This would be the second year in a row that money is redirected to the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border from military construction projects and counternarcotics funding.
The administration will take $3.5 billion from counterdrug programs and $3.7 billion from military construction funding, according to internal planning figures obtained by the Post, compared to $2.5 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively, last year....
“We recognize your administration's efforts to date, but the phase one deal is completely inadequate and leaves much work to be done,” Scott Paul, president of Alliance for American Manufacturing, wrote in a letter to Mr. Trump on Tuesday. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit is led by manufacturing companies and the United Steelworkers....
December 20, 2019
By Joe Deaux
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Steel Corp. has now lost much of the ground (click here) it gained when President Donald Trump implemented his steel import tariffs less than two years ago.
Back then, Chief Executive Officer David Burritt hailed Trump’s tariffs and the company responded by restarting two blast furnaces and rehiring steel workers. Now, U.S. Steel is facing harsh scrutiny after delivering a barrage of bad news this week that included idling its giant plant outside Detroit and laying off as many as 1,545 workers.
U.S. steelmakers have faced slowing demand for their products, and U.S. Steel has been particularly hard hit because of aging plants that are less efficient than rivals’ with newer technology. That’s led to a spate of corporate operational initiatives under different names that have shifted multiple times since 2014....
The article below states Trump is moving substantial monies to the border wall. Kindly put that into context with the demand Trump made on the USA military. the mistake he made and the ultimate consequences that could have occurred.
January 13, 2020
By Justine Coleman
President Trump plans to divert $7.2 billion from the Pentagon(click here) to go toward border wall construction this year, an amount five times greater than what Congress authorized in the budget, The Washington Post reported.
This would be the second year in a row that money is redirected to the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border from military construction projects and counternarcotics funding.
The administration will take $3.5 billion from counterdrug programs and $3.7 billion from military construction funding, according to internal planning figures obtained by the Post, compared to $2.5 billion and $3.6 billion, respectively, last year....
They finally took Nader off the street. Prisoners are witnesses, too.
January 13, 2020
Alexandria - A key witness (click here) in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation will be sentenced to at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of child sex trafficking and possessing child pornography.
Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, 60, entered a plea deal Monday in federal court in Alexandria.
Nader admitted transporting a 14-year-old boy from the Czech Republic to Washington, D.C., in 2000 to engage in sexual activity with him. He also admitted possessing child pornography depicting infants or toddlers.
The pornography charge carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Prosecutors agreed as part of the plea bargain to recommend a 10-year sentence when Nader is sentenced in April, though the judge will be free to impose a significantly longer sentence if she chooses.
Nader's name appears more than 100 times in Mueller's report. It details Nader's efforts to serve as liaison between a Russian banker with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of President Donald Trump's transition team....
Alexandria - A key witness (click here) in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation will be sentenced to at least 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of child sex trafficking and possessing child pornography.
Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, 60, entered a plea deal Monday in federal court in Alexandria.
Nader admitted transporting a 14-year-old boy from the Czech Republic to Washington, D.C., in 2000 to engage in sexual activity with him. He also admitted possessing child pornography depicting infants or toddlers.
The pornography charge carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Prosecutors agreed as part of the plea bargain to recommend a 10-year sentence when Nader is sentenced in April, though the judge will be free to impose a significantly longer sentence if she chooses.
Nader's name appears more than 100 times in Mueller's report. It details Nader's efforts to serve as liaison between a Russian banker with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of President Donald Trump's transition team....
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Trump's USMCA is a direct threat to Earth's Ozone Layer as well as the Climate Crisis.
January 14, 2020
Sen. Tom Carper (click here) gave the opening statement at the to consider H.R. 5430, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act....
Sen. Tom Carper (click here) gave the opening statement at the to consider H.R. 5430, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act....
...“It is no surprise that I, and many Democrats and a growing number of Republicans, too, think that we need to act with a sense of urgency to address climate change,” said Carper. “It’s just been reported that our planet experienced its second-hottest year on record in 2019. The last decade was the hottest decade in the history of our planet. Australia is on fire, the Arctic is melting and our seas are rising. If we were only measuring the new NAFTA by what it does to address climate change, it doesn’t work. Plain and simple.”
“The new NAFTA fails to recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement,” said Carper. “It continues to give special treatment to fossil fuel interests. It fails to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, (click here) which could bring the global community together to reduce the use of HFCs and avoid up to a half degree Celsius in global warming by the end of the century. And like so many of the Trump administration’s proposals, the new NAFTA fails to even mention the words ‘climate change.’”
“With these major deficiencies on the climate front, the new NAFTA’s environment chapter cannot be a considered a template for future trade negotiations,” said Carper....
Barrasso (click here)
This environmental assault makes no sense at all. These chemicals are 1000 X more toxic to Earth's Ozone Layer.
Barasso should never be allowed in the US Senate again. He is allowing a disaster to occur.
The Kigali Amendment is a bonus to the business sector and yet there is no government ratification of this vital amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
November 18, 2018
By David Jenkins
Although he rarely gets the credit he deserves, (click here) President Ronald Reagan is responsible for pushing through the most successful environmental treaty of all time. That 1987 treaty, the Montreal Protocol, began phasing out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were harming our life-sustaining atmosphere....
...That is great news. However, another family of substances have been found to harm the atmosphere. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have replaced CFC-based refrigerants, are potent greenhouse gases — over a thousand times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Fortunately, American manufacturers saw this coming. They have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to develop next-generation replacements that protect the ozone layer without warming our climate.
In 2016, this advance prompted the U.S. and other signatories of the protocol to draft and approve the Kigali Amendment, which will phase out HFCs over time and open the market to these improved replacements. That global market for products using these compounds is projected to surpass $1 trillion over the next decade.
By ratifying the Kigali Amendment, the U.S. can give American companies a market advantage, and enable U.S. technology to lead this global transition. Ratification is all the more critical because companies from Asia and Europe want to develop and push their own technologies....
October 6, 2019
By Alec Johnson
This may be seen as a tired subject (click here) by now but over the past few months additional counties have come forward and ratified the Kigali Amendment. So far this month New Zealand and Mauritius have both ratified the document. The month before in September we saw Vietnam and Bhutan commit to the amendment.
For those of you who do not know, the Kigali Amendment is an addendum to the original Montreal Protocol that we all know so well. While the goal of the Montreal Protocol was to phase out Ozone damaging substances such as CFC and HCFCs the Kigali Amendment focuses instead on HFC refrigerants. This would include your R-404A, R-410A, R-134a, and others. Instead of the focus being on Ozone depletion we now look at Global Warming Potential....
Barrasso (click here)
This environmental assault makes no sense at all. These chemicals are 1000 X more toxic to Earth's Ozone Layer.
Barasso should never be allowed in the US Senate again. He is allowing a disaster to occur.
The Kigali Amendment is a bonus to the business sector and yet there is no government ratification of this vital amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
November 18, 2018
By David Jenkins
Although he rarely gets the credit he deserves, (click here) President Ronald Reagan is responsible for pushing through the most successful environmental treaty of all time. That 1987 treaty, the Montreal Protocol, began phasing out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were harming our life-sustaining atmosphere....
...That is great news. However, another family of substances have been found to harm the atmosphere. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have replaced CFC-based refrigerants, are potent greenhouse gases — over a thousand times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Fortunately, American manufacturers saw this coming. They have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to develop next-generation replacements that protect the ozone layer without warming our climate.
In 2016, this advance prompted the U.S. and other signatories of the protocol to draft and approve the Kigali Amendment, which will phase out HFCs over time and open the market to these improved replacements. That global market for products using these compounds is projected to surpass $1 trillion over the next decade.
By ratifying the Kigali Amendment, the U.S. can give American companies a market advantage, and enable U.S. technology to lead this global transition. Ratification is all the more critical because companies from Asia and Europe want to develop and push their own technologies....
By Alec Johnson
This may be seen as a tired subject (click here) by now but over the past few months additional counties have come forward and ratified the Kigali Amendment. So far this month New Zealand and Mauritius have both ratified the document. The month before in September we saw Vietnam and Bhutan commit to the amendment.
For those of you who do not know, the Kigali Amendment is an addendum to the original Montreal Protocol that we all know so well. While the goal of the Montreal Protocol was to phase out Ozone damaging substances such as CFC and HCFCs the Kigali Amendment focuses instead on HFC refrigerants. This would include your R-404A, R-410A, R-134a, and others. Instead of the focus being on Ozone depletion we now look at Global Warming Potential....
Moscow Mitch lives in a "let's pretend" world.
I believe Speaker Pelosi is correct in asking the US House to release the Articles of Impeachment of Donald John Trump. There are esteemed people that want to be heard by the US Senate. I am confident the US House is just as interested in hearing from them since they were prohibited by the president to give testimony to the US House. So, let's not get the artificial idea the US House has it in for the Republican US Senate. That is not the case at all. The US House acted on Articles of Impeachment with the information they were able to accumulate.
Article II of the Impeachment proceedings is obstruction of justice. That itself indicates clearly the US House was between a rock and a hard place to attempt to find the truth.
I think the impeachment trial in the US Senate provides an opportunity to understand the US Constitution better and it's power that states no American is above the law.
Moscow Mitvch of the US Senate seems to live in a let's pretend world. He wants to believe the US House has some sort of deranged procedure to make a stab at putting together articles of impeachment of Donald J. Trump. The US House has worked very hard at coming up with these articles of impeachment following the intimidation of a foreign president to contribute to Trump's re-election by creating a 'let's pretend' Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are the most wanted criminal in the world.
These articles of impeachment are not occurring in a sterile environment. The events that have occurred since the articles were voted on by the US House only sustains and enforces them. We have witnessed a USA president assassinate to generals of a sovereign country. Is every country in the world Trump's playground for whatever purpose he chooses? There have been significant persons that love this country coming forward with a need to contribute to the understanding the lawlessness of the Trump administration. At least that is what they intend to talk about. There are more and more problems with this administration just in the short time since the Articles of Impeachment were passed. Moscow Mitch needs to realize the soil under his feet belongs to a country that exists because of the brevity of law as weighed by the truth.
The future is not set. I believe the hearing in the US Senate is very important and it has to weigh all the evidence and testimony. This will prove if Moscow Mitch actually has divided loyalties and whether or not he puts the US Constitution first. His recent grandstanding on the US Senate floor would indicate he isn't a friend or loyalist to the Rule of Law, the US Constitution or the absolute truth before the country.
This is not about politics. It is about the country. Impeachment is not about politics, it is about the Rule of Law and how it must be followed by the Executive Branch. This is about the laws of the USA. There is no room for glibness in honoring the power of the US Constitution. It is the first law of the USA. The USA Constitution is not a political document.
January 13, 2020
By Jonathan Turley
With an impeachment trial (click here) likely to start next week, the Senate (and the country) will soon be faced with what the late Yale professor Arthur Leff described as one of the law’s most “lovely, knotty problems.”
Leff was speaking of what is loosely called “the law of attempts,” a category of crimes where someone is accused of contemplating, but not actually carrying out, an unlawful act. The Trump trial could be the first time the Senate considers charges that amount to allegedly conceiving, but then abandoning, an abuse of power. While it is certainly true that there was a temporary act of “nonfeasance” in withholding the aid to Ukraine, it was ultimately released over two weeks before the deadline under federal law....
Article II of the Impeachment proceedings is obstruction of justice. That itself indicates clearly the US House was between a rock and a hard place to attempt to find the truth.
I think the impeachment trial in the US Senate provides an opportunity to understand the US Constitution better and it's power that states no American is above the law.
Moscow Mitvch of the US Senate seems to live in a let's pretend world. He wants to believe the US House has some sort of deranged procedure to make a stab at putting together articles of impeachment of Donald J. Trump. The US House has worked very hard at coming up with these articles of impeachment following the intimidation of a foreign president to contribute to Trump's re-election by creating a 'let's pretend' Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are the most wanted criminal in the world.
These articles of impeachment are not occurring in a sterile environment. The events that have occurred since the articles were voted on by the US House only sustains and enforces them. We have witnessed a USA president assassinate to generals of a sovereign country. Is every country in the world Trump's playground for whatever purpose he chooses? There have been significant persons that love this country coming forward with a need to contribute to the understanding the lawlessness of the Trump administration. At least that is what they intend to talk about. There are more and more problems with this administration just in the short time since the Articles of Impeachment were passed. Moscow Mitch needs to realize the soil under his feet belongs to a country that exists because of the brevity of law as weighed by the truth.
The future is not set. I believe the hearing in the US Senate is very important and it has to weigh all the evidence and testimony. This will prove if Moscow Mitch actually has divided loyalties and whether or not he puts the US Constitution first. His recent grandstanding on the US Senate floor would indicate he isn't a friend or loyalist to the Rule of Law, the US Constitution or the absolute truth before the country.
This is not about politics. It is about the country. Impeachment is not about politics, it is about the Rule of Law and how it must be followed by the Executive Branch. This is about the laws of the USA. There is no room for glibness in honoring the power of the US Constitution. It is the first law of the USA. The USA Constitution is not a political document.
January 13, 2020
By Jonathan Turley
With an impeachment trial (click here) likely to start next week, the Senate (and the country) will soon be faced with what the late Yale professor Arthur Leff described as one of the law’s most “lovely, knotty problems.”
Leff was speaking of what is loosely called “the law of attempts,” a category of crimes where someone is accused of contemplating, but not actually carrying out, an unlawful act. The Trump trial could be the first time the Senate considers charges that amount to allegedly conceiving, but then abandoning, an abuse of power. While it is certainly true that there was a temporary act of “nonfeasance” in withholding the aid to Ukraine, it was ultimately released over two weeks before the deadline under federal law....
Monday, January 13, 2020
Guiliani has FARA violations, but, "The Grenade" has been carrying out and planning regime change.
October 30, 2019
...More than a decade ago, (click here) shortly after withdrawing from the 2008 presidential race, Giuliani took on an advisory role with Vitali Klitschko, a former boxer who at the time was running for mayor of Kyiv. The two convened a press conference in Times Square in May 2008, according to press reports at the time, during which Giuliani told Klitschko that Ukraine needs "a leader like you who can deal with corruption, who can deal with reform of government, which is so necessary."
Klitschko lost that race, but won the job when he ran again in 2014. He remains in the post today. After becoming mayor, Klitschko hired Giuliani on a $300,000 contract to advise Kyiv’s local authorities on how to restore order in the capital after the country’s Maidan Revolution, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Klitschko told The Washington Post earlier this month that he never paid Giuliani for his consultations, but the two appear to remain close. Giuliani recently tweeted his support of Klitschko: "The former champion is very much admired and respected in the US."...
Today, Trump and Pompeo authorized the release of information regarding the Mojahedin that Guiliani has been representing. Previous to today, it was all under wraps.
This is all pure speculation on my part, but, it seems more or less very feasible. What is the chance Guiliani is attempting to pull off a "W" in securing regime change?
Ahmed Chalibi (click here) was the one Iraqi that pushed "W" to invade Iraq. He was a guest of the president at his State of the Union address. Guess what's coming up? Trump's State of the Union address.
Rudy Guiliani is the president's State Department and is why he is wielding power in some areas of the world and "The Grenade" in foreign policy. The killing of Iranian generals should have lead to war. How perfect is this? Trump has war with Iran and Giuliani has ready people for regime change.
January 7, 2020
...The former New York City mayor (click here) has had a long-standing interest in Iranian affairs. He was once paid by organizations linked to an Iranian dissident group formally designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization—until Giuliani helped get the outfit off the terror list. As recently as the summer of 2018, Giuliani appeared on stage at an event for the People’s Mojahedin of Iran, known by its Farsi acronym, MEK. He’s stayed in touch with the group’s U.S. lobbyists, meeting with representatives of its political arm as recently as last fall. And when Trump authorized the strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general, Giuliani jubilantly referred to the MEK in the first person. Soleimani was “directly responsible for killing some of my MEK people,” he told The Daily Beast in an interview on Monday afternoon. “We don't like him very much.”...
What is it with these guys already? The mayor of Kyiv is a whole world away from overthrowing governments and regime change. With the lawlessness of the Trump administration, it is not a far reach to see this cabal plotting to overthrow the USA Constitution.
This is a conspiracy. It is a heck of a lot more than FARA violations.
...More than a decade ago, (click here) shortly after withdrawing from the 2008 presidential race, Giuliani took on an advisory role with Vitali Klitschko, a former boxer who at the time was running for mayor of Kyiv. The two convened a press conference in Times Square in May 2008, according to press reports at the time, during which Giuliani told Klitschko that Ukraine needs "a leader like you who can deal with corruption, who can deal with reform of government, which is so necessary."
Klitschko lost that race, but won the job when he ran again in 2014. He remains in the post today. After becoming mayor, Klitschko hired Giuliani on a $300,000 contract to advise Kyiv’s local authorities on how to restore order in the capital after the country’s Maidan Revolution, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Klitschko told The Washington Post earlier this month that he never paid Giuliani for his consultations, but the two appear to remain close. Giuliani recently tweeted his support of Klitschko: "The former champion is very much admired and respected in the US."...
Today, Trump and Pompeo authorized the release of information regarding the Mojahedin that Guiliani has been representing. Previous to today, it was all under wraps.
This is all pure speculation on my part, but, it seems more or less very feasible. What is the chance Guiliani is attempting to pull off a "W" in securing regime change?
Rudy Guiliani is the president's State Department and is why he is wielding power in some areas of the world and "The Grenade" in foreign policy. The killing of Iranian generals should have lead to war. How perfect is this? Trump has war with Iran and Giuliani has ready people for regime change.
January 7, 2020
...The former New York City mayor (click here) has had a long-standing interest in Iranian affairs. He was once paid by organizations linked to an Iranian dissident group formally designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization—until Giuliani helped get the outfit off the terror list. As recently as the summer of 2018, Giuliani appeared on stage at an event for the People’s Mojahedin of Iran, known by its Farsi acronym, MEK. He’s stayed in touch with the group’s U.S. lobbyists, meeting with representatives of its political arm as recently as last fall. And when Trump authorized the strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general, Giuliani jubilantly referred to the MEK in the first person. Soleimani was “directly responsible for killing some of my MEK people,” he told The Daily Beast in an interview on Monday afternoon. “We don't like him very much.”...
What is it with these guys already? The mayor of Kyiv is a whole world away from overthrowing governments and regime change. With the lawlessness of the Trump administration, it is not a far reach to see this cabal plotting to overthrow the USA Constitution.
This is a conspiracy. It is a heck of a lot more than FARA violations.
Russian IRA and/or GRU. This is unfortunate.
Russian hackers are getting to be known as a real nuisance. But, Russia and Ukraine are seeking a peace process. This isn't helpful.
President Zelinskyy and his new Prosecutor General already decided to re-examine the intelligence regarding Burisma. The Russian Hackers won't find anything different than Ukraine's government. If the IRA or GRU intends to modify any information, it will be brought into question with information already secured by the Zelinskyy administration.
Russia needs to stop being an international nuisance.
January 13, 2020
By Mike Murphy
Russian hackers (click here) have successfully penetrated servers of the Ukrainian gas company at the center of President Donald Trump's impeachment, the New York Times reported late Monday. Cybersecurity officials told the Times that Russian military hackers have breached Burisma in a campaign that started in November, as impeachment hearings were in full swing. Burisma is the company where former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, was a board member, and experts said the timing and target indicate the Russians may be trying to find potentially embarrassing material against the Bidens, the Times said. The attack reportedly bears striking similarities to the 2016 Russian hack into the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. The Burisma hack was carried out by members of Russia's GRU, a military intelligence unit, the Times reported, who used phishing emails to gain access through Burisma subsidiaries. It it not clear what exactly the hackers might have been searching for, or what they discovered, the Times said....
President Zelinskyy and his new Prosecutor General already decided to re-examine the intelligence regarding Burisma. The Russian Hackers won't find anything different than Ukraine's government. If the IRA or GRU intends to modify any information, it will be brought into question with information already secured by the Zelinskyy administration.
Russia needs to stop being an international nuisance.
January 13, 2020
By Mike Murphy
Russian hackers (click here) have successfully penetrated servers of the Ukrainian gas company at the center of President Donald Trump's impeachment, the New York Times reported late Monday. Cybersecurity officials told the Times that Russian military hackers have breached Burisma in a campaign that started in November, as impeachment hearings were in full swing. Burisma is the company where former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, was a board member, and experts said the timing and target indicate the Russians may be trying to find potentially embarrassing material against the Bidens, the Times said. The attack reportedly bears striking similarities to the 2016 Russian hack into the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. The Burisma hack was carried out by members of Russia's GRU, a military intelligence unit, the Times reported, who used phishing emails to gain access through Burisma subsidiaries. It it not clear what exactly the hackers might have been searching for, or what they discovered, the Times said....
The deaths of two Iranian generals is not the same as the death of Osama bin Laden or al Baghdadi.
Trump has stated General Soleimani was a terrorist leader. He was not leading terrorists and hiding in a cave. His status as a general of a sovereign country is far different than that of the terrorist leaders hiding in caves. Trump's killing of Iranian generals was a very hostile act and a complete departure from USA policy.
Trump has stated General Soleimani was a terrorist leader. He was not leading terrorists and hiding in a cave. His status as a general of a sovereign country is far different than that of the terrorist leaders hiding in caves. Trump's killing of Iranian generals was a very hostile act and a complete departure from USA policy.
Trump is backpedaling his shameful record on health care.
Trump's statements (click here) on health care is an attempt to discredit Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
If Trump wants to begin to build his credentials in health care he can stop the hideous lawsuit to end the Affordable Care Act.
There were never any embassies targeted by Iran. FACT.
Trump is lying and lying is not semantics. Trump is trying to raise the public's anger with Iran.
FACT:
After the death of two Iranian generals, the Iranian military stated they would continue to carry the Late General Solemani''s plans. They did. They targeted USA military installations.
Iran has never attacked a foreign embassy with the exception of the American Embassy during the Iranian revolution that removed the Shaw from power. There is no embassy anyone can point to that was ever a target of the Iranian military.
As a matter of fact, Iran stated before they attacked American military instillations that Iran was not interested in killing Americans.
These are all facts and documented.
In regard to Ukraine's downed airliner, there were Ukrainian inspectors or people qualified to inspect the wreckage of the jet who stated there was evidence of parts of a missile. It was after Ukraine made that statement that Iran took ownership of the matter. It was helpful for Ukraine to have Canada also state the responsibility of Iran to be known. Having allies is a good thing.
FACT:
After the death of two Iranian generals, the Iranian military stated they would continue to carry the Late General Solemani''s plans. They did. They targeted USA military installations.
Iran has never attacked a foreign embassy with the exception of the American Embassy during the Iranian revolution that removed the Shaw from power. There is no embassy anyone can point to that was ever a target of the Iranian military.
As a matter of fact, Iran stated before they attacked American military instillations that Iran was not interested in killing Americans.
These are all facts and documented.
In regard to Ukraine's downed airliner, there were Ukrainian inspectors or people qualified to inspect the wreckage of the jet who stated there was evidence of parts of a missile. It was after Ukraine made that statement that Iran took ownership of the matter. It was helpful for Ukraine to have Canada also state the responsibility of Iran to be known. Having allies is a good thing.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
I am leaving early to a half day of travel tomorrow morning. I may move “It’s Sunday Night” to Sunday afternoon. The past two months have provided too many interruptions this late on a Sunday.
I thank you for your interest. I think Sunday afternoon will serve as a better time for these postings.
Until later.
I thank you for your interest. I think Sunday afternoon will serve as a better time for these postings.
Until later.
Give with one hand and take with the other.
I think it is appropriate that higher-income individuals pay more in taxes, but, don't increase taxes with the idea seniors will be served by it, they won't. The cost of living increases are vital to older Americans, but, don't penalize them with higher costs to Medicare.
January 7, 2020
By Cherly Winakur Munk
...For starters, (click here) higher-income workers will pay more Social Security taxes this year. As a result of an increase in the maximum taxable wage base, workers earning $137,700 or more will see their FICA taxes increase to $10,534.05 this year, up $367.20 from 2019, the publication reports. Self-employed individuals will pay double that amount, up to $21,068.10 in FICA taxes in 2020.
Social Security recipients will receive a 1.6% cost-of-living adjustment, but, alas, higher Medicare premiums will offset some of this boost....
...One bit of good news for certain recipients: Social Security beneficiaries who are under full retirement age and continue to work can earn $600 more in 2020 than they could in 2019—without forfeiting benefits. A person who reaches full retirement age in 2020 can earn an additional $1,680 without sacrificing benefits....
That is right, older Americans work besides getting benefits to MAKE ENDS MEET. In earning their additional much needed income they also pay taxes, including into Medicare. So for the "Working Elderly", they get hit with taxes both in their Social Security Check in having Part B deducted and in their paychecks. That is double taxation and there is something very wrong about it.
Very little reporting occurred about Trump's new director of SSI. There was plenty of objection by some special interest groups in opposition to him. As is the usual fashion, Trump never cares about ethical issues with his appointees, he bearly cares about legal worthiness, Andrew Saul is laughable in his self-righteous behaviors.
October 1, 2018
By Linda Benesch
(Washington, DC) — The following is a statement (click here) from Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, in anticipation of tomorrow’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on Donald Trump’s nomination of Andrew M. Saul for Commissioner Of Social Security:
“Like so many of Donald Trump’s nominees, Andrew Saul is utterly unqualified for the position to which he has been nominated. He has no background in Social Security whatsoever.
He did, however, serve on the board of the right-wing Manhattan Institute which has consistently been extremely hostile to Social Security, including publishing articles advocating for drastic cuts to benefits.
Furthermore, Saul has a track record of deeply concerning personal conduct. In November 2007, Saul was forced to drop out of the race for a New York Congressional seat due to unethical campaign contributions. In April 2012, Saul tried to lie “his way out of a trespassing rap by falsely identifying himself as a police commissioner.”
Saul graduated from The Wharton School in 1968, the same year as Donald Trump. Like Trump and many of Trump’s appointees, including Brett Kavanaugh, Saul appears to believe that his wealth and privilege should make him above the law....
Saul's appointment may outlive that of Trump in that he can hold the office until 2025. He can do a lot of damage in his remaining commission.
With the cost of living benefit this year the AVERAGE Social Security benefit will increase to $1,503 in 2020, up just $24 per month from the previous year. It is any wonder there are so many elderly working in places where they can find work that is simple and part-time. The employers know who they are and they don't pay a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.
Then realize they are paying taxes in their part-time income checks and increases in the Part B Medicare premiums. There is no justice for the "Elderly Workers."
The standard Part B premium for outpatient services, which is usually deducted directly from Social Security benefits, increased by $9.10 per month to $144.60 in 2020. That’s a 6.7% increase in the base Medicare premium.
So, the COLA was a 1.6 percent increase in SSI, BUT, the cost increase in Part B was 6.7 percent. There is something VERY wrong with this picture.
I also don't want to hear how any SSI rescue plan is going to see people living into their 90s or later. The truth is American longevity is decreasing and not increasing. I wonder why.
November 29, 2018
If life expectancy (click here) gives us “a snapshot of the nation’s overall health,” then new federal numbers released Thursday “are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable,” says Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the government’s annual mortality report, life expectancy in the U.S. overall fell in 2017 for the second time in three years.
The average American could expect to live 78.6 years, down from 78.7 years in 2016, according to the report from the National Center for Health Statistics....
Plenty of the "Working Elderly" are choosing to retire at 72 years old with an incentive that they will receive the monies per month that were promised to them a decade ago but have since been reduced. Realize life into the 80s or 90s is in the minority and those retiring at 72 are only seeing about six years of SSI retirement.
Is it any wonder why White Men in their 50s are dying prematurely due to a lifestyle that removes the word caution from the dictionary. What kind of retirement do they have to look forward to? Why not live it all now and at least know something about what they are promised if they had made it to retirement? I doubt any of those 50 somethings have pensions to look forward to because they have been talked out of them politically.
By the way, for the employers, PENSIONS (when intact) is a way of delaying some salary increases. Sometimes the promise of a healthy pension at retirement is pleasing to workers. Gee, I wonder why? Pensions are not susceptible to government legislation reducing or imposing deductions on them because Congress can't contain it's spending or tax cuts to the wealthy.
The year 2020 will be a big year for elections regarding the ENTITLEMENTS of the USA to it's elderly. It might not be discussed and even swept under the table as nothing to worry about, but, if the wrong people make it into the White House and Congress the elderly and their well being will not be on the agenda.
January 7, 2020
By Cherly Winakur Munk
...For starters, (click here) higher-income workers will pay more Social Security taxes this year. As a result of an increase in the maximum taxable wage base, workers earning $137,700 or more will see their FICA taxes increase to $10,534.05 this year, up $367.20 from 2019, the publication reports. Self-employed individuals will pay double that amount, up to $21,068.10 in FICA taxes in 2020.
Social Security recipients will receive a 1.6% cost-of-living adjustment, but, alas, higher Medicare premiums will offset some of this boost....
...One bit of good news for certain recipients: Social Security beneficiaries who are under full retirement age and continue to work can earn $600 more in 2020 than they could in 2019—without forfeiting benefits. A person who reaches full retirement age in 2020 can earn an additional $1,680 without sacrificing benefits....
That is right, older Americans work besides getting benefits to MAKE ENDS MEET. In earning their additional much needed income they also pay taxes, including into Medicare. So for the "Working Elderly", they get hit with taxes both in their Social Security Check in having Part B deducted and in their paychecks. That is double taxation and there is something very wrong about it.
Very little reporting occurred about Trump's new director of SSI. There was plenty of objection by some special interest groups in opposition to him. As is the usual fashion, Trump never cares about ethical issues with his appointees, he bearly cares about legal worthiness, Andrew Saul is laughable in his self-righteous behaviors.
October 1, 2018
By Linda Benesch
(Washington, DC) — The following is a statement (click here) from Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, in anticipation of tomorrow’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on Donald Trump’s nomination of Andrew M. Saul for Commissioner Of Social Security:
“Like so many of Donald Trump’s nominees, Andrew Saul is utterly unqualified for the position to which he has been nominated. He has no background in Social Security whatsoever.
He did, however, serve on the board of the right-wing Manhattan Institute which has consistently been extremely hostile to Social Security, including publishing articles advocating for drastic cuts to benefits.
Furthermore, Saul has a track record of deeply concerning personal conduct. In November 2007, Saul was forced to drop out of the race for a New York Congressional seat due to unethical campaign contributions. In April 2012, Saul tried to lie “his way out of a trespassing rap by falsely identifying himself as a police commissioner.”
Saul graduated from The Wharton School in 1968, the same year as Donald Trump. Like Trump and many of Trump’s appointees, including Brett Kavanaugh, Saul appears to believe that his wealth and privilege should make him above the law....
Saul's appointment may outlive that of Trump in that he can hold the office until 2025. He can do a lot of damage in his remaining commission.
With the cost of living benefit this year the AVERAGE Social Security benefit will increase to $1,503 in 2020, up just $24 per month from the previous year. It is any wonder there are so many elderly working in places where they can find work that is simple and part-time. The employers know who they are and they don't pay a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour.
Then realize they are paying taxes in their part-time income checks and increases in the Part B Medicare premiums. There is no justice for the "Elderly Workers."
The standard Part B premium for outpatient services, which is usually deducted directly from Social Security benefits, increased by $9.10 per month to $144.60 in 2020. That’s a 6.7% increase in the base Medicare premium.
So, the COLA was a 1.6 percent increase in SSI, BUT, the cost increase in Part B was 6.7 percent. There is something VERY wrong with this picture.
I also don't want to hear how any SSI rescue plan is going to see people living into their 90s or later. The truth is American longevity is decreasing and not increasing. I wonder why.
November 29, 2018
If life expectancy (click here) gives us “a snapshot of the nation’s overall health,” then new federal numbers released Thursday “are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable,” says Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the government’s annual mortality report, life expectancy in the U.S. overall fell in 2017 for the second time in three years.
The average American could expect to live 78.6 years, down from 78.7 years in 2016, according to the report from the National Center for Health Statistics....
Plenty of the "Working Elderly" are choosing to retire at 72 years old with an incentive that they will receive the monies per month that were promised to them a decade ago but have since been reduced. Realize life into the 80s or 90s is in the minority and those retiring at 72 are only seeing about six years of SSI retirement.
Is it any wonder why White Men in their 50s are dying prematurely due to a lifestyle that removes the word caution from the dictionary. What kind of retirement do they have to look forward to? Why not live it all now and at least know something about what they are promised if they had made it to retirement? I doubt any of those 50 somethings have pensions to look forward to because they have been talked out of them politically.
By the way, for the employers, PENSIONS (when intact) is a way of delaying some salary increases. Sometimes the promise of a healthy pension at retirement is pleasing to workers. Gee, I wonder why? Pensions are not susceptible to government legislation reducing or imposing deductions on them because Congress can't contain it's spending or tax cuts to the wealthy.
The year 2020 will be a big year for elections regarding the ENTITLEMENTS of the USA to it's elderly. It might not be discussed and even swept under the table as nothing to worry about, but, if the wrong people make it into the White House and Congress the elderly and their well being will not be on the agenda.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
The people of Puerto Rico should be brought to the mainland USA for an expected period of time.
US Navy and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is close to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean (second in the world). The Puerto Rico Trench, roughly parallel to the northern coast of the island of Puerto Rico and lying about 75 miles (120 km) to the north. The Puerto Rico Trench is about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) long and 60 miles (100 km) wide. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the Milwaukee Depth, lies within the Puerto Rico Trench, at a depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the western end of the trench, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Puerto Rico. The origin of the trench can be traced back to the beginning of the Tertiary period. The Puerto Rico Trench appears to be part of a complex system of sinistral strike-slip faults in the north Caribbean; the trench seems to have been opened continuously for about 70 million years. It is partially filled with sediments.
The Caribbean's greatest known depth is Cayman Trench (Bartlett Deep) between Cuba and Jamaica, at approximately 25,216 feet (7,686 meters) below sea level.
January 11, 2020
By Grace Hauck
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake (click here) shook Puerto Rico on Saturday morning, causing a landslide in the southern municipality of Peñuelas.
The quake at 8:54 a.m. local time struck 8 miles southeast of Guanica at a shallow depth of 3 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It is the most recent in a string of quakes and aftershocks that have left thousands on the island without power and water.
Preliminary reports by the USGS said the quake was a magnitude 6.0 at a depth of 6 miles.
The quake caused outages across the island, including areas of Lares, Adjuntas, Ponce and San German, according to Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority. The department was evaluating the extent of the damage.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
In Peñuelas, a landslide sent people running, Telemundo Puerto Rico reported. Video of the landslide shows dust kicking up on a hillside as people below run in different directions. Drone video published by Me...
January 10, 2020
By Doyle Rice
Following a series of earthquakes, (click here) the situation in Puerto Rico remains dire, with more than 2,000 people in shelters, nearly 1 million without power and hundreds of thousands without water as of Thursday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been more than 950 earthquakes and aftershocks recorded on Puerto Rico since Dec. 31, though many were weak and could not be felt. More than 500, however, have been of magnitude 2 or higher.
The worst quake – a magnitude 6.4 that struck early Tuesday – killed at least one person, injured at least nine and caused the power outage.
So why have there been so many earthquakes in Puerto Rico over the past few days?
"Puerto Rico has been hit by what scientists call an earthquake swarm, which is a series of earthquakes rather than the usual pattern of one dominant earthquake followed by aftershocks," John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Southern California, told USA TODAY....
There is a great deal of instability in this region with the smaller techtonic plates. There is Haiti and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system (click here) between the North American and Caribbean plates.
Mexico experienced a devastating earthquake due to the fracturing of the Cocos plate (click here). The quake was so extreme it produced "earthquake lights." (click here)
October 24, 2018
By Robin George Andrews
Tectonic evolution of the Cocos Plate
On September 7, 2017, (click here) a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck southern Mexico, killing dozens and injuring hundreds. While earthquakes are common enough in the region, this powerful event wasn’t any run-of-the-mill tremor.
That’s because part of the roughly 37-mile-thick tectonic plate responsible for the quake completely split apart, as revealed by a new study in Nature Geoscience. This event took place in a matter of tens of seconds, and it coincided with a gargantuan release of energy.
“If you think of it as a huge slab of glass, this rupture made a big, gaping crack,” says lead author Diego Melgar, an assistant professor of earthquake seismology at the University of Oregon. “All indications are that it has broken through the entire width of the thing.”...
The point to all this is to realize Puerto Rico is in danger from the climate crisis and in an ever growing frequency, earthquakes strong enough to bring about landslides and frequent electrical outages. The Puerto Rican people can't be expected to continually pull themselves up by the boot straps. They need to be provided refugee status and brought to the mainland USA.
It will be years before any further geological survey by the US Navy and/or the USGS is completed. The Puerto Rican people are our responsibility and they need a home where life can go forward rather than always falling back into paths of recovering from disaster.
Puerto Rico is close to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean (second in the world). The Puerto Rico Trench, roughly parallel to the northern coast of the island of Puerto Rico and lying about 75 miles (120 km) to the north. The Puerto Rico Trench is about 1,090 miles (1,750 km) long and 60 miles (100 km) wide. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the Milwaukee Depth, lies within the Puerto Rico Trench, at a depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 meters) in the western end of the trench, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Puerto Rico. The origin of the trench can be traced back to the beginning of the Tertiary period. The Puerto Rico Trench appears to be part of a complex system of sinistral strike-slip faults in the north Caribbean; the trench seems to have been opened continuously for about 70 million years. It is partially filled with sediments.
The Caribbean's greatest known depth is Cayman Trench (Bartlett Deep) between Cuba and Jamaica, at approximately 25,216 feet (7,686 meters) below sea level.
January 11, 2020
By Grace Hauck
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake (click here) shook Puerto Rico on Saturday morning, causing a landslide in the southern municipality of Peñuelas.
The quake at 8:54 a.m. local time struck 8 miles southeast of Guanica at a shallow depth of 3 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It is the most recent in a string of quakes and aftershocks that have left thousands on the island without power and water.
Preliminary reports by the USGS said the quake was a magnitude 6.0 at a depth of 6 miles.
The quake caused outages across the island, including areas of Lares, Adjuntas, Ponce and San German, according to Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority. The department was evaluating the extent of the damage.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
In Peñuelas, a landslide sent people running, Telemundo Puerto Rico reported. Video of the landslide shows dust kicking up on a hillside as people below run in different directions. Drone video published by Me...
By Doyle Rice
Following a series of earthquakes, (click here) the situation in Puerto Rico remains dire, with more than 2,000 people in shelters, nearly 1 million without power and hundreds of thousands without water as of Thursday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been more than 950 earthquakes and aftershocks recorded on Puerto Rico since Dec. 31, though many were weak and could not be felt. More than 500, however, have been of magnitude 2 or higher.
The worst quake – a magnitude 6.4 that struck early Tuesday – killed at least one person, injured at least nine and caused the power outage.
So why have there been so many earthquakes in Puerto Rico over the past few days?
"Puerto Rico has been hit by what scientists call an earthquake swarm, which is a series of earthquakes rather than the usual pattern of one dominant earthquake followed by aftershocks," John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Southern California, told USA TODAY....
There is a great deal of instability in this region with the smaller techtonic plates. There is Haiti and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system (click here) between the North American and Caribbean plates.
Mexico experienced a devastating earthquake due to the fracturing of the Cocos plate (click here). The quake was so extreme it produced "earthquake lights." (click here)
By Robin George Andrews
Tectonic evolution of the Cocos Plate
On September 7, 2017, (click here) a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck southern Mexico, killing dozens and injuring hundreds. While earthquakes are common enough in the region, this powerful event wasn’t any run-of-the-mill tremor.
That’s because part of the roughly 37-mile-thick tectonic plate responsible for the quake completely split apart, as revealed by a new study in Nature Geoscience. This event took place in a matter of tens of seconds, and it coincided with a gargantuan release of energy.
“If you think of it as a huge slab of glass, this rupture made a big, gaping crack,” says lead author Diego Melgar, an assistant professor of earthquake seismology at the University of Oregon. “All indications are that it has broken through the entire width of the thing.”...
The point to all this is to realize Puerto Rico is in danger from the climate crisis and in an ever growing frequency, earthquakes strong enough to bring about landslides and frequent electrical outages. The Puerto Rican people can't be expected to continually pull themselves up by the boot straps. They need to be provided refugee status and brought to the mainland USA.
It will be years before any further geological survey by the US Navy and/or the USGS is completed. The Puerto Rican people are our responsibility and they need a home where life can go forward rather than always falling back into paths of recovering from disaster.
A welcome change between The West and Iran.
January 11, 2020
By Grace Hauck
Hours after Iranian officials (click here) accepted blame for shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet, Canada's prime minister called for justice for the families of the 176 people killed.
"Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. Iran must take full responsibility," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference Saturday. He called the crash, which killed 63 Canadians, a "senseless loss of life."
"Even in a moment of heightened tensions, this should never have happened," he said. "There are going to be many conversations and reflections on consequences."
In a phone call with Trudeau on Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had committed to collaborate on the investigation, de-escalate tensions in the region, and continue a dialogue, Trudeau said....
There needs to be a change in international policy that provides for a redirection and/or suspension of air travel when any act of war is expected and/or underway. This is the second time in only a few years that airliners were destroyed because of war. It is hard to believe there aren't such standards in place already, but, evidently there isn't significant enforcement to provide for safe passage.
(1) At its 13th session (September 1952: CO-ORDINATION/R.132) (click here) CCAQ adopted certain guiding principles to secure uniformity in many conditions of travel and removal.
Where air travel is in jeopardy, other means must be available to people even if passing through other countries is necessary to provide for their safety. International cooperation in saving civilian lives should be a strong initiative. Taking civilian hostages should never be allowed and every effort should be made to return them to their homeland uninjured.
January 11, 2020
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (click here) said today that Iran’s admission that the Iranian military has dropped a Ukrainian passenger plane with a rocket is a step in the right direction, but those responsible for it need to be looked into, Reuters reported. Iran has admitted today that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by a missile by mistake.
Zelensky wrote this on Twitter after having a telephone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rohani earlier today.
“I urge that the identification of the bodies and their return to Ukraine be completed immediately,” Zelensky said in a tweet.
A message from the Ukrainian presidency about Zelensky’s telephone conversation with Rohani says that the Iranian president has promised his Ukrainian counterpart that the perpetrators of the crash with the Ukrainian plane will be tried, France reported.
Rohani also had a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today and promised him a further inquiry into the descent of the Ukrainian plane, Reuters quoted Iran as saying....
The deaths are extremely unfortunate, but, at least Iran has come forward to take responsibility. I am confident Iran will be hearing from families and their legal representatives. I would expect the same cooperation for them as well.
By Grace Hauck
Hours after Iranian officials (click here) accepted blame for shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet, Canada's prime minister called for justice for the families of the 176 people killed.
"Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific. Iran must take full responsibility," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference Saturday. He called the crash, which killed 63 Canadians, a "senseless loss of life."
"Even in a moment of heightened tensions, this should never have happened," he said. "There are going to be many conversations and reflections on consequences."
In a phone call with Trudeau on Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had committed to collaborate on the investigation, de-escalate tensions in the region, and continue a dialogue, Trudeau said....
There needs to be a change in international policy that provides for a redirection and/or suspension of air travel when any act of war is expected and/or underway. This is the second time in only a few years that airliners were destroyed because of war. It is hard to believe there aren't such standards in place already, but, evidently there isn't significant enforcement to provide for safe passage.
(1) At its 13th session (September 1952: CO-ORDINATION/R.132) (click here) CCAQ adopted certain guiding principles to secure uniformity in many conditions of travel and removal.
Where air travel is in jeopardy, other means must be available to people even if passing through other countries is necessary to provide for their safety. International cooperation in saving civilian lives should be a strong initiative. Taking civilian hostages should never be allowed and every effort should be made to return them to their homeland uninjured.
January 11, 2020
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (click here) said today that Iran’s admission that the Iranian military has dropped a Ukrainian passenger plane with a rocket is a step in the right direction, but those responsible for it need to be looked into, Reuters reported. Iran has admitted today that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by a missile by mistake.
Zelensky wrote this on Twitter after having a telephone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rohani earlier today.
“I urge that the identification of the bodies and their return to Ukraine be completed immediately,” Zelensky said in a tweet.
A message from the Ukrainian presidency about Zelensky’s telephone conversation with Rohani says that the Iranian president has promised his Ukrainian counterpart that the perpetrators of the crash with the Ukrainian plane will be tried, France reported.
Rohani also had a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today and promised him a further inquiry into the descent of the Ukrainian plane, Reuters quoted Iran as saying....
The deaths are extremely unfortunate, but, at least Iran has come forward to take responsibility. I am confident Iran will be hearing from families and their legal representatives. I would expect the same cooperation for them as well.
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