"Twas the night before Christmas" by Clement Clark Moore

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And Mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap;

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof—

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he look’d like a peddler just opening his pack

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed, when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And fill’d all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

The United States has always reached to the higher self found with inspiration.

 

Vintage colour lithograph from 1898 showing Santa Claus and his reindeer flying through the sky. The image of Christmas we know today was popularized with the help of Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem.

Christmastime (click here) in the early-1900s was mostly observed by drinking copious amounts of alcohol and going door-to-door to raucously solicit contributions of food, money, or more drink.

Refusal often resulted in vandalism or other acts of retribution. Brian Rouleau, an associate professor of history in the Texas A&M University College of Liberal Arts, said New York writer Clement Clarke Moore hoped to end some of the disorder by evoking a more peaceful celebration when he penned “A Visit from St. Nicholas” nearly 200 years ago.

“That story served a few purposes that are lost to us today. Christmas was at one time not a family-friendly holiday,” Rouleau said. “It was most often celebrated in the streets by rowdy groups of teenagers and servants. It was considered a day where the ordinarily humble and subservient lower classes of society could engage in behavior we call ‘wassailing.’”

In perhaps the most famous Christmas poem, better known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Moore sets a quiet, domestic scene in which “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

Instead of rowdy wassailers banging at the door, Moore wrote of the jolly, non-threatening St. Nicholas coming down the chimney “dressed all in fur” to quietly leave presents for good girls and boys.

First published in 1823, Rouleau said the poem succeeded in popularizing the image of Santa Claus and turning Christmas into the family-centered holiday we know today.

“All of this was meant to transform Christmas into a holiday geared toward children and families, rather than the obnoxious and drunken mobs that Moore thought had corrupted the celebration,” Rouleau said.

Children’s literature has often been designed to pass a society’s core values from one generation to the next, he said, with the messaging usually intended to steer children along paths considered proper and acceptable. In the United States, many of the first children’s books were religious in nature, the product of Puritan parents seeking to prevent their offspring from sinning.

But slowly, as children’s place in society changed and views on parenting evolved, children’s literature became kinder and gentler, and themes became less explicitly spiritual. Fairy tales, talking animals, and other fantastical settings took the place of the fire and brimstone from years past. Young people were less often threatened with punishment for their transgressions. Instead, it became more common to celebrate a child’s innocence, wonder and capacity for creativity.

Though Moore’s story successfully changed the image of Christmas, Rouleau stresses the importance in understanding the resilience of children in resisting their own indoctrination.

“Literature might attempt to teach young people certain values, but this messaging isn’t always absorbed,” he said. “The most successful children’s literature often consists of stories that offer youths the opportunity to think through some problem or dilemma on their own.”

A group of persons or concerns who combine to carry out a particular transaction or project.

Donald John Trump has been known for nothing but a transactional presidency. It took becoming president to reveal the "Trump Syndicate."  He is now branded for the rest of his life and that of all his associates. They were all under the radar because of his celebrity status. None of these members of the Trump Syndicate will have peace for the rest of their lives. They tried to overthrow the government. Trump is engaged in a scheme to continue those efforts as I write this.

The Trump Syndicate is followed by Russia and it will be tapped for top security information. There absolutely is no doubt about that fact. They all need to be followed to ensure the national security of the USA.

Michael Cohen is well out of it.

December 23, 2020
By Kristine Phillips, Kevin Johnson, and David Jackson

Former Trump (click here) campaign chairman Paul Manafort arrives to his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, on June 27, 2019 in New York City.

Washington - President Donald Trump (click here) pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on Wednesday, making the former globe-trotting political operative the latest presidential ally to receive a grant of clemency during Trump's last days in office.

The pardon once again highlighted the long shadow cast on the White House by the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, which resulted in the prosecution of six former aides to the president. The Manafort pardon was the latest in a series given to former aides caught up in that investigation – and underscored the president's desire to deal with the fallout of that probe.

On the heels of another round of clemency just a day earlier, Trump granted pardons to 26 people on Wednesday and commuted part or all of the sentences of three more people. The move followed a tradition of presidents granting pardons – often controversial – during their remaining days in the White House....

President Donald John Trump admires those that never cooperated with prosecutors.

I think a US House of Representatives member should write to Michael Cohen's court and request a commutation of his sentence. It is the right thing to do.

September 14, 2020
By Paul Waldman

...As Trump said a few weeks ago, (click here) "one of the reasons I respect Paul Manafort so much" is that unlike other Trump aides who felt the law come down on them, Manafort never offered to cooperate with prosecutors. "I know all about flipping, for 30, 40 years I've been watching flippers," Trump said. "Everything is wonderful, and then they get 10 years in jail and they flip on whoever the next highest one is or as high as you can go. It (It refers to prosecutors who are enforcing the rule of law. Given half a chance I am sure Trump would issues fines to those that did cooperate with prosecutors. Amazing to think some Americans actually believe in his belief system.) almost ought to be outlawed."...

It isn't difficult to turn to crime when no other option is open due to racism.

December 22, 2020
By Beth LeBlanc

Michael Alonzo Thompson, (click here) who has been incarcerated in state prison since 1996 on charges related to a drug and weapons incident.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (click here) granted clemency to four Michigan men Tuesday, including 69-year-old Michael Thompson, who has served 22 years of a 42-60 year sentence stemming from a marijuana sting.

Thompson's charges date back to a December 1994 incident, for which Thompson was charged with three counts of unlawful distribution of marijuana after a drug sting. He served three concurrent 10- to 15-year terms, which lasted the full 15 years, ending in March 2011, prison records show.

The state's offender tracking system lists Thompson's offenses as felony firearm and firearms possession by a felon; the latter charge carries a sentence of 40 to 60 years. But Attorney General Dana Nessel said the guns weren't at the drug deal and were "arguably antiques" stored in a locked gun safe....

Details (click here)

Thompson was sentenced on May 31, 1996, to 40-60 years in prison for felon in possession of a firearm. He’s served 22 years, and his earliest possible release date was in 2038.

Cadroy was sentenced on March 30, 1999, to life in prison for drug possession. He’s served 21 years, and his earliest possible release date was in 2030.

Garrett was sentenced on May 5, 1999, to 29-170 years in prison for selling drugs. He’s served 22 years, and his earliest possible release date was in 2027.

McGhee was sentenced on July 1, 2004, to 20-30 years in prison for selling drugs. He’s served 16 years, and his earliest possible release date was in 2024.

It started with the State Attorney General who was horrified by the case and the sentence.

August 30, 2020
By Gus Burns

...The first question regarded Thompson, (click here) who’s serving a 42- to 62-year sentence after he was convicted of selling three pounds of marijuana to an undercover informant in December 1994. His sentence was compounded by prior felony convictions, including another drug crime in 1983 and for bringing contraband into a prison in 1986 and the discovery of a gun during the investigation.

Thompson has spent 23 years behind bars and isn’t eligible for parole until he’s 87.

Nessel on Aug. 5 took the unusual action of sending a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asking her to exercise her executive power and commute Thompson’s sentence. She hopes he’ll be released on time served.

Nessel explained that she began looking into the case after a prior closed-door meeting with members of the Cannabis Caucus, which is an advocacy group comprised of marijuana entrepreneurs, patients, growers and lobbyists....

Let Congress and Trump fight.

The media needs to leave the arguments alone. 

Trump is seeking to control the country’s attention because the news in the country is very bad.

The USA has a great deal of sadness when facing Christmas. 

The USA continues to have the highest numbers of infected and deaths from COVID-19. There is significant unemployment. Children are hungry. That is what should be discussed in the media. The country is a domestic disaster and internationally it isn’t much better.

Enough of the noise. A Republican president has caused all this hardship. And now. Congressional Republicans cannot agree to override a veto. 

Enough of the noise. The Republicans are a disgrace. The people need to get used to that. No more pretending anything is going to happen to benefit the country before President Biden takes office.

Enough of the noise. It serves absolutely no purpose and Americans are suffering. Either the current government has compassion for the people or they don’t, but, the circus in the media is most probably responsible for the impasse that keeps their electronic devises on in hopes of good news. Leave the people alone.

Enough of the noise. Stringing the people along is very inappropriate. By everyone. Congress. Trump. The media. All are inappropriate and the people need to focus on masks, social distancing, hand hygiene and vaccines. Washington, DC is out of control and Trump is responsible. The country’s illnesses is out of control and Trump is why. This medical emergency in the country should have been completely resolved no later than July and Trump is why it wasn’t. Stop hurting the people.

The people are emotionally exhausted of all this, illness, death and racism. 

Enough of the noise.

Bring the embassy staff home for a period of time until it is deemed safe.

Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was assassinated on January 3, 2020.

Four Iranian and five Iraqi nationals were killed along with Soleimani, including the deputy chairman of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and commander of the Iran-backed Kata'ib Hezbollah militia, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis – a person designated as a terrorist by the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

December 20, 2020

The US embassy's (click here) missile defense system shot down three rockets

The US Embassy in the Baghdad Green Zone (click here) was targeted in a rocket attack on Sunday, according to reports.

Iraqi security officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the embassy's C-RAM defense system shot down the rockets in midair, causing minor damage to a residential complex and parked cars. There were no reports of casualties.

"The US Embassy confirms rockets targeting the International Zone (Green Zone) resulted in the engagement of embassy defensive systems," said a statement released by the embassy.

"We call on all Iraqi political and governmental leaders to take steps to prevent such attacks and hold accountable those responsible,'' the statement said....

The pardoning of the Blackwater Guards will result in greater violence. The staff needs to return home for the holidays.

There are no doubt terrorists involved, but, they are successful in firing rockets into the Green Zone. There is still a Green Zone with blast walls to prevent attacks.

This is all happening while Israel's government has collapsed for the fourth time. (click here)

Trump's knee deep corruption is well documented.

TRUMP'S PARDONS ENCOURAGE CRIME AND LOYALTY.

Page 88 of the report and Page 97 of the PDF.

e. Russia-Related Communications With The Campaign 

While he was discussing with his foreign contacts a potential meeting of campaign officials with Russian government officials, Papadopoulos kept campaign officials apprised of his efforts. On April 25, 2016, the day before Mifsud told Papadopoulos about the emails, Papadopoulos wrote to senior policy advisor Stephen Miller that “[t]he Russian government has an open invitation by Putin for Mr. Trump to meet him when he is ready,” and that “[t]he advantage of being in London is that these governments tend to speak a bit more openly in ‘neutral’ cities.”466 On April 27, 2016, after his meeting with Mifsud, Papadopoulos wrote a second message to Miller stating that “some interesting messages [were] coming in from Moscow about a trip when the time is right.”467 The same day, Papadopoulos sent a similar email to campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, telling Lewandowski that Papadopoulos had “been receiving a lot of calls over the last month about Putin wanting to host [Trump] and the team when the time is right.”468

Papadopoulos’s Russia-related communications with Campaign officials continued throughout the spring and summer of 2016. On May 4, 2016, he forwarded to Lewandowski an email from Timofeev raising the possibility of a meeting in Moscow, asking Lewandowski whether that was “something we want to move forward with.”469 The next day, Papadopoulos forwarded the same Timofeev email to Sam Clovis, adding to the top of the email “Russia update.”470 He included the same email in a May 21, 2016 message to senior Campaign official Paul Manafort, under the subject line “Request from Russia to meet Mr. Trump,” stating that “Russia has been eager to meet Mr. Trump for quite sometime and have been reaching out to me...

This is due to lack of leadership in the USA.

Pfizer and Moderna and any other companies coming online need to make a video about the preparation of the vaccine and how best to administer it. Each of the vaccines will be unique in its preparation and if this confusion has resulted it is because there is no leadership at the federal level in anticipating any problems.

The videos should address doctors, nurses, and pharmacists so they know what has gone into the vaccine they are administering.

The videos can be accessed from the company’s website under a tab where “ Instruction videos” can be found. There should be a Frequently Asked Questions webpage and as a courtesy “Professional Contact” webpage. Professionals should apply for access with their credentials.

There is nothing wrong to seek funding from the federal government for reimbursement of these web services and professionals to staff it.

See, the mixing and administration of the vaccine seems fairly straight forward to me. But, I am not on the front lines and making the decisions under a lot of pressure to make those decisions.

To me, if a vial states there are five doses in the vial then there are five doses and the administration amount is going to include the dilutant. In other words, if the vaccine is 1 milliliter and the dilutant is 1 milliliter then the administration amount is 2 milliliters. The vial defines the administration regardless of the amount of dilutant.

There can be questions as to exactly how the preparations are conducted. Does the dilutant get added to the vial while the vaccines are still in the vial in its entirety? Or. Is the vaccine first drawn up in the injection syringe and then the dilutant added to the syringe and mixed with the plunger creating an air bubble to allow mixing? Then the air bubble is ejected to allow smooth administration of the vaccine. 

This should have been worked out ahead of the administration of the vaccine to the public. This is not the fault of the company. They wrote directions and those directions were misinterpreted by professionals now administering an mRNA vaccine for the first time in their lives. It sounds as though the pharmacists were being very, very cautious with a vaccine that is supposed to vanquish a very dangerous virus. I don't blame the pharmacists. The most responsible party here is the federal government and its lack of oversight of the final distribution of the vaccine and the education of the professionals responsible for reconstituting the vaccine out of cold storage.

Pfizer and Moderna and other companies producing vaccines are going to have to bring pharmacists up to speed in working with a very frozen vaccine that is then thawed and then diluted with a warmer fluid to complete the melting of ice shards in the vial or in the injection syringe.

No one is leading this effort and it seems completely obvious to me. There are shipment amounts in question and now the pharmacists are concerned over a vaccine to create immunity to a dangerous virus. This is all a leadership problem and only one man is responsible namely Trump and his lack of knowledge of public policy.

December 16, 2020
By Olivia Goldhill

With the Covid-19 vaccine in short supply, (click here) hospital pharmacists found themselves in the unexpected position of throwing away one in every six doses of the first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines distributed this week in the United States.

The confusion came over labeling: The vaccine comes in vials labeled as containing enough for five doses. But pharmacists discovered that, after thawing and mixing the contents with a diluent, each vial contained enough vaccine for six doses. Without explicit approval from the manufacturer, that final dose had to be discarded.

“It was overtly clear early on there’s some extra volume,” said Russell Findlay, pharmacy manager at University of Utah Health. His colleagues called Pfizer on Tuesday to ask if they could use the extra dose, said Findlay, but the company wouldn’t give a definitive answer....

Long overdue help for the arts.

The empty seats hurt far more than the lack of income.

December 21, 2020
By Ben Sisario and Emily Cochrane

For the music venue owners,(click here) theater producers and cultural institutions that have suffered through the pandemic with no business, the coronavirus relief package that Congress passed on Monday night offers the prospect of aid at last: it includes $15 billion to help them weather a crisis that has closed theaters and silenced halls.

The money, part of a $900 billion coronavirus relief package, is designed to help the culture sector — from dive-bar rock clubs to Broadway theaters and museums — survive. Many small proprietors described it as their last hope for being able to remain in business after a nearly yearlong revenue drought.

“This is what our industry needs to make it through,” said Dayna Frank, the owner of First Avenue, a storied music club in Minneapolis. She is also the board president of the National Independent Venue Association, which was formed in April and has lobbied Congress aggressively for relief for its more than 3,000 members....

'We fully support his mission of safely spreading cheer'

History of the beloved reindeer:

’Operation Reindeer (click here) gets underway as motor carrier executives and animal experts set plans. Edwin L. Isenberger (left), Operations Engineer for Consolidated Freightways Inc., discusses novel move with Smithsonian National Zoological Park's Senior Keeper Charles Thomas and Assocaite Director J. Lear Grimmer. This image was taken at the Seattle Zoo where the handlers stopped to visit with ’Pepper Pot ’ at the reindeer exhibition to set plans for the trip. Operation Reindeer was the name for the transfer of 14 reindeer and 1 caribou to the National Zoological Park from Alaska in 1958. (Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 365, Box 15, Folder: 11)

The special care of Santa's reindeer in 2020:

There are no overworked reindeer at the North Pole. Everything is lining up. Nothing has been left to the last minute. It is exciting.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Santa’s reindeer are cleared for take-off! (click here) 

December 18, 2020

Salem - Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, let's go! (click here) To increase holiday cheer, the state veterinarian at the Oregon Department of Agriculture has issued an animal import permit to Santa Claus of 123 Elf Road, North Pole, and his reindeer in preparation for their upcoming visit to Oregon.

All livestock transported or moved in any manner into Oregon must obtain an import permit from the department before entry. To ensure safe entrance into the state and expedited access to good children everywhere, Dr. Ryan Scholz, state veterinarian with ODA, granted a permit to S. Claus effective through December 25, 2020. “It’s the season of generosity and a time for celebrating family and friends, and we know this is a busy time of year for everyone. We wanted to welcome Mr. Claus and guarantee smooth access for him and his reindeer during their travels later this month. We fully support his mission of safely spreading cheer,” said Scholz....

Scientific findings MUST be disclosed by the scientific community as they know the facts.

December 21, 2020
By David Gutman

Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday (click here) announced new travel restrictions for people arriving from the United Kingdom, South Africa and other nations where a new variant of the novel coronavirus has been reported.

I told you it just wasn't in the UK. It existed from September. Give me a break. If the people in government can't do better than this, how do they expect citizens to believe them?

Early estimates indicate that the new mutation of the virus, while not more deadly or vaccine resistant, spreads faster and more easily than prior strains. There is not yet evidence of this new strain of the virus in the United States, but Inslee said it was crucial to act early, “before the horse is out of the barn.”

Inslee’s new proclamation requires anyone arriving in Washington from those countries within the last 14 days to quarantine for 14 days — and the restriction applies to those who have recently arrived. It also urges those people to get tested for the virus.

The quarantine is mandatory and legally enforceable, but the state is not likely to take many enforcement measures, Inslee said....

No one can confiscate voting machines.

Voting machines are purchased by the people of the states. States Rights dictates the ownership first has to be honored. There would have to be profound reasons to confiscate property that belongs to the states.

Trump cannot write an Executive Order and confiscate any States' property. He is wacko.

He would have to take EVIDENCE before a judge to begin to examine election machines while in possession of the state.

He is a crazy bastard.

The new variant attacks children.

December 22, 2020

A new variant (click here) of the coronavirus spreading rapidly in Britain carries mutations that could mean children are as susceptible to becoming infected with it as adults - unlike previous strains, scientists said on Monday....

I have stated over and over KEEP THE KIDS AT HOME. I mean that more now than ever. We do not have a vaccine for children. The youngest that can receive it is 16 and that is the Pfizer vaccine.

This entire paradigm facing the world and especially the USA is due to really bad leadership that has no respect for human life.

There is every reason to believe this new strain of SARS-CoV-2 is already throughout the world and will begin to spread widely. This strain was found in September. Gee, the time the kids go back to school. September was three months ago and the worst has already happened.

It is unfortunate in the USA that children with disabilities and those from poor families benefit the most in returning to in-person classrooms. There is a reason for that and maybe, just maybe the time has come to examine why children do better in a school setting rather than a home environment.

Why are children hungry at all in the USA? These children can be supported better in a home environment rather than RISKING THEIR LIVES. Unfortunately, no one seems to think it is important to find out why that is the case. They just want to "get back to normal."

"There is a hint that it has a higher propensity to infect children," said Neil Ferguson, a professor and infectious disease epidemiologist at Imperial College London and also a member of NERVTAG.

The more the virus is exposed to human beings the more it adapts. 

With children? Ever hear of growth hormones. There is no reason to believe a variant of the virus actually prefers a regular diet of growth hormones. It was going to happen. 

George W. Bush ENDED SARS before it ever got started. New Zealand ENDED the SARS-CoV-2 virus before it ever got a foothold. 

END THIS VIRUS NOW!

There are powers that find Trump's rantings insignificant.

Sometimes you have to go with the power where it is found. Bill Barr at least upholds the elections of the US Constitution. As far as Trump's minions like Flynn and Powell, they are making money. They are making money in a country whereby many people are not.

Money is the driving force behind all this. The people that run the Tea Party were not great politicos before the Koch brothers. They organized a political base and gained their wealth from the Kochs for doing so.

When you look at others within the power structure, Moscow Mitch is the obstructionist he is because of wealth and protecting it along with his wife. They hold power in the very areas where their wealth exists. Elaine Chao's wealth lives with her Chinese father and his transportation ships. There is no secret about this. 

The power of the Republicans has always laid with the wealthy and pandering to them. The Tea Party is no different and Trump is a product of the Tea Party. 

AG Bill Barr has finally showed his red, white and blue stripes, by stating clearly all the rantings of Powell, Flynn and others have no basis in constitutional law. It doesn't mean the ranting will end, Dear God we have a little less than a month and the noise will not cease, HOWEVER, it doesn't belong on the front page. It belongs in the tabloids and FOX News is nothing but tabloid nonsense. The factual aspects of FOX News is a cover for it's riotous tabloid journalism and commentary.

I am hopeful every sane American will grab hold tight of the light of the truth every major news service and our magnificent newspapers have fought so hard to protect. For those Americans that are unable to live with the truth, there are tabloid news rags that can predict the Martians will be landing to turn the tide for Trump's second term.

Thank you, AG Barr. This is a rare gratitude, but, it belongs to you and I am sorry you aren't working for a man that embarrasses the truth or the US Constitution. Happy Holidays.

December 21, 2020
By Katelyn Polantz and Devan Cole

Washington - Attorney General William Barr (click here) on Monday rejected several of President Donald Trump's inflammatory and unfounded statements regarding the presidential election, saying at a news conference that he doesn't plan to appoint a special counsel to investigate President-elect Joe Biden's son Hunter or the election.

"If I thought a special counsel at this stage was a right tool and was appropriate, I would name one, but I haven't and I'm not going to," Barr said in response to a question on the presidential election. He said that widespread fraud wasn't found in this election.

Barr also roundly rejected suggestions from the President's supporters in recent days who've called for the US government to seize voting machines....

"Good Night, Moon"

Waxing crescent

6.6 days old

41.9 percent

December 17, 2020
By Dan Robitzski

NASA just struck a historic deal (click here) with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) that will entail, for the first time in history, a non-US astronaut orbiting the Moon.

The agreement says that the CSA will help NASA with its upcoming Artemis Moon missions in exchange for a seat on some of the flights, according to Space.com. Not only is the CSA’s support good news for the Artemis missions specifically, but it’s a major international development in the future of crewed space exploration....

There are a great deal of optimism about Brexit. There are plenty of opportunity for the financial sector is rock solid real opportunity.

The end of this pandemic may still lie in a variety of strategies, including shutdowns to reduce the spread. The longer the virus is exposed to human beings the more likely it will become more and more virulent. It Is important a decent man takes the helm of the USA and end this disarray and terror.

Flights to and from the UK effected by concern for a more virulent virus (click here).

A new variant (click here).

December 16, 2020
By Elliot Smith

London - Sterling broke through the long-awaited $1.35 barrier (click here) on Wednesday morning after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said progress had been made toward a post-Brexit trade deal between the U.K. and the European Union.

Addressing the European Parliament, von der Leyen said that while she could not say whether there would or would not be a deal, “there is a path to an agreement now” and the next few days will be critical.

“We have found a way forward on most issues but two issues remain outstanding: the level playing field and fisheries,” von der Leyen said.

“I am glad to report that the issues linked to governance now have largely been resolved. The next few days are going to be decisive.”...

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.”

December 17, 2020
By Emily Graffeo

“The most important words (click here) in the inauguration speech were ‘protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.’ The border-adjustment tax was the answer to corporate-tax reform; it’s trade protectionism.“ ——David Rosenberg.

Economist David Rosenberg (click here) told Bloomberg he believes bitcoin is in a bubble and investors don't understand supply dynamics of the cryptocurrency.

"You speak to most people that are asking me to put money in bitcoin, they can't even tell you who the person was that developed it or even how it's actually mined," the Rosenberg Research chief economist said. "It's just a classic, follow-the-herd, extremely crowded trade. It's in a massive bubble."

Bitcoin reached a record high of $23,777 on Thursday shortly after topping $20,000 for the first time ever on Wednesday, marking a 20% gain over the past day. The cryptocurrency is now up over 200% year-to-date, but Rosenberg said the chart looks "absolutely crazy right now."

Bitcoin's rally comes as several institutional investors and fund managers place sky-high predictions for the coin. On Wednesday, Guggenheim's global chief investment officer, Scott Minerd, said bitcoin will surge to $400,000 based on its scarcity and value relative to gold....

The new administration of President Joe Biden has a great deal of rebuilding the infrastructure that protects Americans.

There has been extensive damage done to these agencies, the scientists that support them, and the labs. It is believed the labs were destroyed and decades of files destroyed.

16 December 2020
By "Nature" Editorial Board

When former US president Richard Nixon (click here) proposed establishing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, he spoke of the need to preserve Earth as a place that is both habitable by — and hospitable to — people. Nixon, a Republican, acknowledged his own fear of creating a new federal bureaucracy. But the task of rescuing the natural environment, he argued, required a strong, independent agency that would be able to marshal “a coordinated attack on the pollutants which debase the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land that grows our food”.

The EPA’s successes are undeniable. Over the past 4 decades, US emissions of the most common pollutants, as measured by weight, have fallen by 71%, even as the country’s population grew by some 105 million people and the size of its economy nearly tripled. Most emissions from the average automobile have fallen by 98–99% over the same period, to take just one industrial sector. Petrol is cleaner — and free of toxic lead. City sewage and industrial waste no longer flow unchecked into waterways, and rivers no longer catch fire as a result of discharged oil waste. And, internationally, the EPA’s science and regulatory standards have helped other countries to protect their environments, too....

...Biden’s campaign pledges suggest that he and his team have every intention of working to restore and strengthen rules and regulations, and to rebuild the EPA’s in-house science teams. But the incoming administration must think seriously about structural reforms. In addition to the need for past damage to be repaired, the agency must be strengthened in a way that makes it harder for any future administration to even think about strangling the structures of evidence that are essential to good policy. This will not be easy, but the following actions will help.

An EPA administrator will soon be nominated. Once in the post, they must make it an urgent priority to nominate an assistant administrator for the EPA’s research division, the Office of Research and Development (ORD). This position has not been filled for eight years. Senate Republicans refused to confirm former president Barack Obama’s last nominee, and the EPA leadership appointed by Trump never nominated anybody....

Well. So much for sovereign currency. What is this ridiculous relationship between Republicans and Wall Street?

Both Senators from Georgia are notorious for putting Wall Street trading at the top of their daily calendar and now Lummis believes using the USA Treasury to back Bitcoin is the end of the national debt. Amazing.

December 15, 2020

Former cattle rancher, Cynthis Lummis

Senator-elect Cynthia Lummis (click here) plans to broaden the coversation in Congress around bitcoin when she assumes office in January.

On an episode of the What Bitcoin Did podcast on Monday, the Wyoming Republican said bitcoin is a great store of value and can help tackle one of her biggest concerns-the US national debt.

Lummis said the US needs to develop a plan to retire the debt, and also needs to develop an "alternative path" in case that fails.

"I see the alternative half as bitcoin, because you have the ability to invest in something that has stability in the store of value," Lummis said....