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Saturday, December 21, 2024
Shutdown Pushed
From AF Times:
“Government
funding bill clears Congress, averting a shutdown”
Facing a
government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early
Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations
and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt
limit increase into the new year. House Speaker Mike Johnson had insisted
Congress would “meet our obligations” and not allow federal operations to
shutter ahead of the Christmas holiday season. But the day’s outcome was
uncertain after Trump doubled down on his insistence that a debt ceiling
increase be included in any deal — if not, he said in an early morning post,
let the closures “start now.”
The House
approved Johnson's new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34. The Senate worked into the
night to pass it, 85-11, just past the deadline. At midnight, the White House
said it had ceased shutdown preparations. Government workers had previously
been told to prepare for a federal shutdown that would send millions of
employees — and members of the military — into the holiday season without
paychecks. Plans to avert a partial government shutdown starting this weekend
appeared scuttled after President-elect Donald Trump opposed the bipartisan
deal. “This is a good outcome for the country,” Johnson said after the House
vote, adding he had spoken with Trump and the president-elect “was certainly
happy about this outcome, as well.” President Joe Biden, who has played a less
public role in the process throughout a turbulent week, was expected to sign
the measure into law Saturday. “There will be no government shutdown,” Senate
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
The final
product was the third attempt from Johnson, the beleaguered House speaker, to
achieve one of the basic requirements of the federal government — keeping it
open. And it raised stark questions about whether Johnson will be able to keep
his job, in the face of angry GOP colleagues, and work alongside Trump and
billionaire ally Elon Musk, who called the legislative plays from afar.
Trump's
last-minute demand was almost an impossible ask, and Johnson had almost no
choice but to work around his pressure for a debt ceiling increase. The speaker
knew there wouldn’t be enough support within the GOP majority to pass any
funding package, since many Republican deficit hawks prefer to slash federal
government and certainly wouldn’t allow more debt. Instead, the Republicans,
who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate next year, with
big plans for tax cuts and other priorities, are showing they must routinely
rely on Democrats for the votes needed to keep up with the routine operations
of governing. “So is this a Republican bill or a Democrat bill?” scoffed Musk
on social media ahead of the vote.
The
drastically slimmed-down 118-page package would fund the government at current
levels through March 14 and add $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in
agricultural assistance to farmers. Gone is Trump’s demand to lift the debt
ceiling, which GOP leaders told lawmakers would be debated as part of their tax
and border packages in the new year. Republicans made a so-called handshake
agreement to raise the debt limit at that time while also cutting $2.5 trillion
in spending over 10 years. It’s essentially the same deal that flopped the
night before in a spectacular setback opposed by most Democrats and some of the
most conservative Republicans — minus Trump’s debt ceiling demand. But it's far
smaller than the original bipartisan accord Johnson struck with Democratic and
Republican leaders — a 1,500-page bill that Trump and Musk rejected, forcing
him to start over. It was stuffed with a long list of other bills — including
much-derided pay raises for lawmakers — but also other measures with broad
bipartisan support that now have a tougher path to becoming law.
House
Democrats were cool to the latest effort after Johnson reneged on the
hard-fought bipartisan compromise. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the
Appropriations Committee, said it looked like Musk, the wealthiest man in the
world, was calling the shots for Trump and Republicans. “Who is in charge?” she
asked during the debate. Still, the Democrats put up more votes than
Republicans for the bill’s passage. Almost three dozen conservative Republicans
voted against it. “The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA
Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting
working-class Americans all across the nation,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem
Jeffries said after the vote, referring to Trump's “Make America Great Again”
slogan. VA leaders had asked for roughly $6.6 billion in extra funding for
FY25, and said they could face problems with hiring and programs without it.
Trump, who has not yet been sworn into office, is showing the power but also the limits of his sway with Congress, as he intervenes and orchestrates affairs from Mar-a-Lago alongside Musk, who is heading up the new Department of Government Efficiency. The incoming Trump administration vows to slash the federal budget and fire thousands of employees and is counting on Republicans for a big tax package. And Trump’s not fearful of shutdowns the way lawmakers are, having sparked the longest government shutdown in history in his first term at the White House. “If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now,” Trump posted early in the morning on social media. More important for the president-elect was his demand for pushing the thorny debt ceiling debate off the table before he returns to the White House.
The federal debt limit expires Jan. 1, and Trump
doesn’t want the first months of his new administration saddled with tough
negotiations in Congress to lift the nation’s borrowing capacity. Now Johnson
will be on the hook to deliver. “Congress must get rid of, or extend out to,
perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling,” Trump posted — increasing his
demand for a new five-year debt limit increase. “Without this, we should never
make a deal.” Biden has been in discussions with Jeffries and Schumer, but
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Republicans blew up this
deal. They did, and they need to fix this.” As the day dragged on, Senate
Republican Leader Mitch McConnell stepped in to remind colleagues “how harmful
it is to shut the government down, and how foolish it is to bet your own side
won’t take the blame for it.” At one point, Johnson asked House Republicans at
a lunchtime meeting for a show of hands as they tried to choose the path
forward. It wasn’t just the shutdown, but the speaker’s job on the line. The
speaker’s election is the first vote of the new Congress, which convenes Jan.
3, and some Trump allies have floated Musk for speaker. Johnson said he spoke
to Musk ahead of the vote Friday and they talked about the “extraordinary
challenges of this job.”
The Federal Government
won’t Shutdown for now, but the drama continues on March 14, 2025. ^
CH - Chanukah
CH - Chanukah
When I was in 6th Grade in
Germany one of my Teachers assigned each of us a Winter Holiday to do a
presentation on. She gave me Chanukah. While I was giving my presentation to
the class she flipped-out and started yelling that Chanukah could not have a "CH"
in it (only an "H.) She gave me an F and told me to redo it all (Note: I
had never had an F before then.)
I went to my Mom's Office after
school to complain (about my Grade.) My Mom's Friend and Co-Worker - who
happened to be Jewish - told me she had a book at her house where Chanukah was
spelt with a "CH" on the cover. She gave it to me and I brought the
book and the same poster board I had used for my first presentation to class
and tried to redo the same presentation.
When the Teacher again complained
about the "CH" I showed her the book and told her my Jewish friend
had given it to me. The teacher went off. She threw the book across the
classroom and started yelling about how it didn't matter how Chanukah was spelt
since it was a made-up holiday and shouldn't be celebrated. She then went on
about how the Jews were evil and against God's plan and were never to be
trusted. She kept my F and threw me out of class.
I walked right to my Mom's Office
and was very upset. I told her what happened and she got right on the phone
with the Principal and when the School tried to cover things up my Mom got the
Stars and Stripes Newspaper involved as well as our members of Congress.
In the end (because of all the
attention my Mom brought to this incident) the Teacher was found to be highly
Anti-Semitic and made to go to the Dachau Concentration Camp the next school
year - not as a Chaperone, but as a Student. My F was turned into an A (after
another Teacher, the Principal, the Base Commander and my Mom heard me give my
Chanukah presentation.)
I have to admit that when I was
in 6th Grade I was more concerned with getting the F than anything else.
My Mom explained what happened
and why it was wrong to be anti-Jewish and why I needed to focus on that part
of the problem as it was the most important part and not the F part.
For several decades in a row this
year I proudly spell Chanukah with a “CH” to help me remember that there are
still many people around the world who are Anti-Jewish (Anti-Semitic) and that
whether you are Jewish or not you have to stand-up for what is right and help
when you can - - just like my Mom did.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Christmas Market Attack
From the DW:
“ Germany:
Car driven into crowd at Magdeburg Christmas market”
A car drove
into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in the central German city of
Magdeburg on Friday night. At least one person was killed, according to German
media reports. City spokesperson Michael Reif said there were "numerous
injured." A spokesperson for
Magdeburg University Hospital told dpa that the first 10-20 victims have
already arrived at the facility, adding, "We are currently gearing up [for
more]. Intensive care beds are ready." Police have taken the driver into
custody, according to local government sources cited by Germany's dpa news
agency. Authorities have closed the Christmas market and emergency services are
at the scene. "This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days
before Christmas," the premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner
Haseloff, said as he headed to Magdeburg.
Regional
government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe said he suspected the incident was an
attack. Friedrich Merz, chancellor
candidate for the conservative CDU, said he was saddened by the news from
Magdeburg. "My thoughts are with
the victims and their families. I would like to thank all the emergency
services taking care of the injured on site," he said. Vice Chancellor
Robert Habeck also expressed shock over the "terrible news from Magdeburg,
where people wanted to spend the Advent season in peace and community. My
thoughts are with the victims and their families." Chancellor Olaf Scholz
reacted to the incident on X, saying "news from Magdeburg suggests the
worst." He also and expressed his thanks to first responders. Magdeburg, a
city west of Berlin, is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt and is home to
around 240,000 people.
^ Having just
visited 10 different Christmas Markets in Germany this month this really hits
home. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-car-driven-into-crowd-at-magdeburg-christmas-market/a-71127071
The Six Triple Eight
I just watched “The Six Triple Eight” today on Netflix.
Written and
directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, Susan Sarandon, Sam
Waterson and Oprah Winfrey it is about the true story of the 6888th Central
Postal Directory Battalion, an all-Black and all-Female Battalion in the US
Military in World War II.
The 855 Women
in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion went to the United Kingdom in
February 1945 before going to France in May 1945.
They created a
system that sorted and delivered 17 million pieces of mail to and from the US
and the American Soldiers fighting at the Frontlines.
I first
learned about the 6888th when I was a Teenager living in Germany –
from an AFN “Commercial.”
119 Million
119 Million
Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from tomorrow until New Year’s
Day.
Stay warm and
safe everyone.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Shutdown Likely
It looks like the US Federal Government will Shutdown at midnight tomorrow because of Trump and his MAGAs.
If it does
Shutdown it will be a huge disgrace to every Man and Woman in the US Military
who will still have to put their lives on the line but will NOT be paid and
will still have to pay their Bills and buy Food somehow.
Nothing says
we don't care about you or your sacrifice like not paying them for putting
their lives in danger.
Also, Ordinary
Americans won't get their Social Security or other Benefits.
The fact that
this will happen over Chanukah and Christmas makes it even worse.
How can you
"Make American Great Again" when you can't even do your job of
keeping the Country running and paying Soldiers?
And how do you
plan to have an Inauguration if the US Federal Government is Shutdown?
You
can't.
It seems some
people need to start thinking and start doing their job rather than hold US
Soldiers and Ordinary Americans hostage for their own political goals.
Free Transportation
From the DW:
“Belgrade
to make public transport free from January 1”
The Serbian
capital is set to make public transport entirely free for people in a bid to
ease traffic congestion and delays. Belgrade is set to offer free public
transit for all residents beginning January 1, 2025. The offer means "no
one will have to pay for a ticket anymore," the mayor of the Serbian
capital, Aleksandar Sapic, announced on Wednesday. The city with 1.7 million
residents is one of the few major European capitals without an underground
system. But it is not the first in Europe to have made public transport free —
with others like Luxembourg and Estonia's Tallinn already having done so.
High
congestion on roads Belgrade has a high density of cars, with residents
facing hours of gridlock as they move about the city. The number of cars
has increased by 250,000 over the past decade, Sapic noted. Even though
authorities have promised a metro system by 2030, the plan has faced many
delays that have stalled the project so far. Sapic also vowed to fully
replace the city's fleet of buses, trams and trolleybuses by 2027. The
Belgrade tram system has existed since 1892 and has a total length of 127
kilometers, twisted around the city, making it one of the longest networks in
Europe.
^ Hopefully,
this will ease the congestion. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/belgrade-to-make-public-transport-free-from-january-1/a-71102418
Trial Ends
From the BBC:
“Gisèle
Pelicot's ex-husband jailed for 20 years in mass rape trial”
French rape
survivor Gisèle Pelicot's ex-husband has been jailed for 20 years after
drugging and raping her, and inviting dozens of strangers to also abuse her
over nearly a decade. Dominique Pelicot, 72, was found guilty of all charges by
a judge in Avignon, southern France, and cried in court as he was sentenced to
the maximum term. He was on trial with 50 other men, all of whom were found
guilty of at least one charge, although their jail terms were less than what
prosecutors had demanded.
Ms Pelicot and
her children looked emotionless as the verdicts were read out, occasionally
glancing at the defendants and resting their heads against the wall. The
convictions bring to an end France's largest ever rape trial, which over the
course of three months has shocked the country and the world.
On Thursday
morning, police shut the road opposite the courthouse to accommodate hundreds
of people who turned up to offer their support to Ms Pelicot. A large banner
reading "Thank you Gisèle" was spread across a wall facing the
entrance. Underneath it, several members of the public chanted "rapist, we
see you" as defendants trickled in ahead of the trial. Speaking outside of
the court following the verdicts, Ms Pelicot said the trial had been a
"very difficult ordeal". Her grandson, who is in his late teens, was
standing next to her for the first time, his arm over her shoulder as she
addressed the media. Her voice faltered only once as said she "never
regretted" her decision to make the trial public "so society could
see what was happening". The 72-year-old's decision to waive her automatic
right to anonymity was highly unusual. She attended almost every day of the
trial, appearing in the same courtroom as her husband of 50 years, who she has
now divorced.
French and
global media followed the case with growing interest and hundreds of
journalists were present in court on Thursday. As Ms Pelicot spoke, hundreds of
people chanted her name and sang feminist songs. She gave her
"profound" thanks to her supporters and said she had
"confidence" in there being a "better future" where men and
women can live in "mutual respect".
Ms Pelicot's
ex-husband Dominique Pelicot - who had already confessed to his crimes - was
found guilty of aggravated rape. He was also found guilty of the attempted
aggravated rape of the wife of one of his co-accused, Jean-Pierre Maréchal. Maréchal
- who was described as Dominique's "disciple" as he drugged and raped
his own wife for years and invited Dominque to do the same - was jailed for 12
years. Dominique Pelicot was also found guilty of taking indecent images of his
daughter, Caroline Darian, and his daughters-in-law, Aurore and Celine. Caroline
- who was in court on Thursday - previously told the trial she felt she was the
"forgotten victim" as, unlike in her mother's case, there was no
record of the abuse she is convinced was inflicted on her. Dominique denied
drugging and abusing his daughter. "I will never come see you and you will
die alone like a dog," she shouted at him in court in November. After the
verdict were delivered, Dominique Pelicot's lawyer said her client was
"somewhat dazed" by his sentence and would consider whether to
appeal. He has 10 days to decide whether to do so.
Dominique
Pelicot stood accused alongside 50 other men, 46 of whom were found guilty of
rape, two of attempted rape and two of sexual assault. Several of them have
already spent years in jail as they were arrested when police conducted their
initial investigation in 2021, and will therefore be free relatively soon. Most
of the men on trial had denied that what they did was rape. They argued they
did not realise Ms Pelicot was unconscious and therefore did not
"know" they were raping her. It is an argument that sparked a
nationwide discussion about France's legal definition of rape. The defendants'
jail terms range from between three and 15 years. In a statement to AFP news
agency, the Pelicot children said they were "disappointed" by the
"low sentences".
For almost a
decade from 2011, Dominique Pelicot drugged his now ex-wife and raped her, and
recruited dozens of men online to have sex with her while she was unconscious. His
crimes were discovered in 2020, when police arrested him over a separate charge
of filming up the skirts of women in a supermarket. Police seized his devices
and found thousands of videos on his laptop, with evidence of around 200 rapes.
Investigators used the videos to track down his co-accused, although they were
unable to identify an additional 21 men. Dominique Pelicot admitted the charges
in 2020. The trial sparked a discussion about whether the issue of consent
should be added to France's legal definition of rape, as it has been in other
European countries.
Rape in France
is currently defined as "any act of sexual penetration committed against
another person by violence, constraint, threat or surprise", meaning
prosecutors must prove intent to rape. Many of the defendants argued they did
not realise Ms Pelicot had not consented, claiming they were
"tricked" by Dominique Pelicot, and believed they were going to the
couple's house for a threesome involving a fantasy that the woman would be asleep.
The trial also shone a light on the issue of chemical submission, or
drug-induced sexual assault. Most of the 50 men came from towns and villages in
a 50km (30 mile) radius of the Pelicots' home village of Mazan. They included
firefighters, lorry drivers, soldiers, a journalist and a DJ, and were been
described by defence lawyers as being "ordinary people", earning them
the nickname Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde (Mr Everyman). The trial also brought
sexual violence against women into the spotlight in France, with many praising
Ms Pelicot for her bravery in opening up the case to the public. She previously
said she was determined to make "shame change sides" from the victim
to the rapist. It is a phrase that has been repeated by her supporters. But Ms
Pelicot has been clear that behind her facade of strength "lies a field of
ruins" and despite the widespread acclaim for what she has done, she is a
reluctant hero. "She keeps repeating, 'I am normal' - she does not want to
be considered as an icon," her lawyer Stéphane Babonneau told the BBC. "Women
generally have a strength in them that they can't even imagine and that they
have to trust themselves. That's her message."
^ This is a
really disgusting case and all 50 Rapists got extremely short sentences. ^
Holocaust Deaths
Some of the Holocaust Survivors who died in 2024:
Erwin
Schild, 103, German-born Canadian Conservative Rabbi, Holocaust Survivor
(Dachau Concentration Camp) and Author. Died on January 6, 2024.
Otto
Theodor Benfey, 98, German-born American Holocaust Survivor, Chemist and Historian.
Died on January 24, 2024.
Bat-Sheva Dagan,
98, Polish-Israeli Holocaust Survivor (Radom Ghetto, Auschwitz Death
Camp and Ravensbrück Concentration Camp), Educator and Author. Died on January
25, 2024.
Stefan Jerzy Zweig,
83, Polish-born Austrian Holocaust Survivor (Krakow Ghetto),
Author and Cameraman. Died on February 6, 2024.
Ben Stern,
102, Polish-American Writer, Activist and Holocaust Survivor (Warsaw Ghetto, Majdanek
Death Camp, the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp.) Died on February 28, 2024.
Nesse
Godin, 95, Lithuanian-born American Holocaust Survivor (Stutthof Concentration
Camp.) Died on March 5, 2024.
Elisabeth
Guttenberger, 98, German Holocaust Survivor (Auschwitz Death Camp, Ravensbrück
Concentration Camp) and Human Rights Activist, Witness at Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials.
Died on March 25, 2024.
Peter
Demetz, 101, Czechoslovak-born American Holocaust Survivor, Germanist and Author.
Dead April 29, 2024.
Tibor
Hollo, 96, Hungarian-born American Real Estate Developer and Holocaust Survivor
(Drancy Internment Camp, Auschwitz Death Camp, Mauthausen Concentration Camp.) Died
on May 1, 2024.
Avraham Harshalom,
99, Czech-Israeli Businessman and Holocaust Survivor (Auschwitz
Death Camp, Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Died in May 2024.
Róbert Cvi Bornstein,
98, Slovak Resistance Fighter and Holocaust Survivor. Died on
May 28, 2024.
Zeev Kun,
94, Hungarian-born Israeli Holocaust Survivor (Auschwitz Death Camp, Gross-Rosen
Concentration Camp, Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Flossenbürg Concentration
Camp) and Artist. Died on June 20, 2024.
Ruth Westheimer,
96, German-American Sex Therapist and Holocaust Survivor
(Kindertransport.) Died on July 12, 2024.
Olga Horak,
98, Czechoslovak-born Australian Holocaust Survivor (Auschwitz Death Camp, Bergen
Belsen Concentration Camp.) Died in August 2024.
George
Berci, 103, Hungarian-American Surgeon and Holocaust Survivor. Died on August
30, 2024.
Dan Morgenstern,
94, German-born American Holocaust Survivor, Music Journalist
(Jazz Journal, DownBeat) and Archivist, eight-time Grammy winner. Died on September
7, 2024.
Lily Ebert,
100, Hungarian-born British Holocaust Survivor (Auschwitz Death Camp) and Writer.
Died on October 9, 2024.
Betty Bausch-Polak,
105, Dutch Holocaust Survivor. Died on November 8, 2024.
Frank Auerbach,
93, German-British Painter, Holocaust Survivor (Kindertransport.)
Died on November 11, 2024
Helen
Kleinbort Krauze, 99, Polish-born Mexican Journalist (Novedades de México).
Died on November 12, 2024.
Manfred Ohrenstein,
99, German-born American Lawyer and Politician, Member
(1961–1994) and Minority Leader (1975–1994) of the New York State Senate. Died
on November 18, 2024.
Victor
Brombert, 101, German-born American Scholar, Holocaust Survivor and World
War II Veteran (Ritchie Boys). Died on November 26, 2024.
Renee
Bornstein, 90, French-born British Holocaust Survivor and Writer. Died on
November 28, 2024.
Rachel Dror,
103, German-Israeli Teacher and Holocaust Survivor. Died on December 14, 2024.
Greatest Generation Deaths
Some of the Greatest Generation - Allied (American, Canadian, New Zealander, British, Free French, Free Czechoslovak) World War 2 Soldiers who died in 2024:
André
Hissink, 104, Dutch World War II veteran (No. 320 Dutch Squadron of the
British Royal Air Force). was shot out
of the sky in December 1944 after an attack on the Germans during the Battle of
the Bulge, but he managed to survive. In total, he flew 69 sorties with this Squadron.
Hissink was awarded the Flying Cross on December 21,1944. Died on January 1,
2024.
Mike
Sadler, 103, British Army Officer, last original Member of the Special Air
Service. One of the last Survivors of the Long Range Desert Group. Died on January 4, 2024.
Jack Jennings,
104, British World War II Veteran, last Survivor of the Burma
Death Railway. He died on January 19, 2024.
Nathaniel
Fiennes, 21st Baron Saye and Sele, 103, British Army Officer (helped
liberate the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp), Businessman and Hereditary Peer,
Member of the House of Lords (1968–1999). He died on January 20, 2024.
Norman C. Gaddis,
100, American Brigadier General in the US Air Force from 1942-1945
and from 1949-1976 Shot down in Vietnam in 1967 and was a POW in the Hanoi
Hilton until 1973. Died on February 13, 2024.
Ervín Hoida,
105, Czechoslovak-born British World War II Veteran (the Czechoslovak
Independent Armoured Brigade within the British Military.) He died on February 14,
2024.
Mollie Lentaigne,
103, British Artist and Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse during
World War II. Died on April 29, 2024.
Bud Anderson,
102, American Air Force Colonel and Flying Ace (the Yoxford Boys.)
Died on May 17, 2024.
David
Teacher, 100, British World War II Veteran (RAF Regiment). Died on May 24,
2024.
Ethel Lote,
103, British World War II Nurse. Died June 11, 2024.
Romay Davis,
104, American World War II
Veteran (Congressional Gold Medal Recipient known for her service in the first All-Female,
All-Black unit - 6888th Central Postal
Directory Battalion- in the United States Army that was deployed overseas
during World War II. Died on June 21, 2024.
Richard G. Candelaria,
102, American World War II Flying Ace. Died on September 15,
2024.
Pierre
Vilars, 108, French Military Officer (Operation Dragoon.) Died on September
19, 2024.
John Kinsel
Sr., 107, American World War II Veteran (Navajo Code Talkers). Died on
October 19, 2024.
Sir Bom Gillies,
99, New Zealand Soldier, last Surviving Member of the Māori
Battalion. Died on November 7, 2024.
Robert
Dixon, 103, American World War II Veteran, last Surviving Buffalo Soldier.
Died on November 15, 2024.
Bob
Fernandez, 100, American veteran (Pearl Harbor). Died on December 11, 2024.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
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Christmas At War
Christmas in War:
Father
Christmas wearing a tin helmet walking on Regent Street in London, England,
carrying a bag of presents during the German Blitz of World War 2 – December
23, 1940.
Saint Nicholas
in War-torn Ukraine during the Russian War in Ukraine – December 5, 2023.
White House Ornament
White House Ornament
Every year from 2000 until 2014 my Mom bought
a White House Ornament and gave them as presents to everyone (Friends and
Family.)
My Mom didn’t care if it was a
Republican or a Democrat Presidential Ornament (ie each year the Ornament
represents a President.) She only cared about showing her Patriotism.
Since 2015 I have continued her
Tradition and bought a White House Christmas Ornament and given them as
presents to everyone (Friends and Family.)
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
3 Days Til Shutdown
The US Federal Government Shutdown will Partially Shutdown in 3 days - this Friday (December 20th) at Midnight.
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Here is the Effect of
Congress’ Shutdown on the American People by the Numbers:
535 = All Members of Congress will
continue to be paid.
1 = President Biden will
continue to be paid.
2 Million = Active-Duty Soldiers,
Sailors and Marines will continue to protect us across the United States
and around the World, but will not be paid.
400,000 = Civilian Defense
Employees will be furloughed and not paid
400,000 = Civilian
Defense Employees will be forced to work without pay.
20,000 = US Border Patrol
Officers will continue to work apprehending and processing over 2,000
Illegal Immigrants every day, but will not be paid.
16,000 = US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement Officers will continue to work at our country’s land
and sea borders including at airports, but will not be paid.
17,000 = Employees of NASA will be furloughed
without pay and the other
1,300 = Employees of NASA
will be forced to work without pay.
18,478 = Employees of The National Institutes of
Health will be furloughed and not paid.
18,000 = Employees of the FDA
will be forced to work without pay.
35,000 = Employees of the FBI will
be forced to work without pay.
105,778 = Employees of the USDA
will be forced to work without pay.
412,892 = Employees of the Department
of Veterans Affairs will be forced to work without pay.
4,600 = Employees of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) will either be furloughed or forced to work
without pay.
54,200 = TSA Officers will
continue to work, but without pay.
9,062 = Air Traffic
Controllers will continue to work, but without pay.
60,000 = Employees of the Social
Security Administration (SSA) will be forced to work without pay.
22,991 = Employees of The
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be forced to work without
pay.
$1 Billion US Dollars =
The Estimated amount the United States will lose every day of a Government
Shutdown.
US States and Territories
will not receive any new Federal Money – which will affect Millions of State
and Territory Employees as well as Millions of Residents receiving certain
Benefits funded by both the State/Territory and the Federal Government.
Federal Employees deemed
“Essential” and forced to work without pay will probably either call-out sick
or do a Work Slowdown as happened in other Shutdowns (especially with the TSA.)
Even though all Federal
Government Employees (including those in the Military) will eventually be paid
once a Shutdown ends that doesn’t mean much when you are living
Paycheck-to-Paycheck and can’t pay your Rent, your Bills, buy Medicines or buy
Groceries – especially over Chanukah and Christmas.
Every Member of Congress (from
every Party) needs to work to pass the Federal Budget before this Friday
otherwise they will let the American People down otherwise they will be the
Grinch Who Stole the Soldiers (and other Federal Government Employees)
Christmas.
35: The Simpsons
“The Simpsons’ aired 35 years ago today on December 17, 1989
and has had 777 episodes.
80: Malmedy Massacre
80 years ago today (December 17, 1944) the Malmedy Massacre occurred.
(American Soldiers removing the bodies of the American Prisoners of War massacred at Malmedy.)
It took place during the Battle
of the Bulge in German-Occupied Belgium.
German Soldiers of the Kampfgruppe
Peiper massacred 84 Unarmed American Prisoners of War (after they had surrendered)
in a Farmer’s Field.
54 American Prisoners of War including
the American Actor, Charles Durning, survived the Massacre.
The Malmedy Massacre was published
in Allied Newspapers (including Time, Newsweek and The Stars and Stripes) on December
20, 1944.
In total the German Soldiers of
Kampfgruppe Peiper murdered 749 U.S. POWs during the Battle of the Bulge.
The Malmedy Massacre Trial was
held in May -July 1946 at the Former German Dachau Concentration Camp.
73 of the German Soldiers were
tried.
43 were sentenced to Death (all
were later commuted to Life In Prison.)
Monday, December 16, 2024
Airline Disability Rules
From Yahoo/USA
Today:
“DOT
finalizes rule for 'dignified air travel': What wheelchair users can expect”
The Department
of Transportation announced that a new rule that aims to protect travelers who
rely on mobility devices has been finalized. According to the department, the
rule addresses many pain points for disabled travelers and has provisions
including increased penalties for mishandled mobility devices, new training
requirements for airline employees who work with disabled travelers, and
improved standards for onboard assistive devices.
In a sit-down interview with USA TODAY,
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the rule is a major step forward
for disabled travelers. "A rule that makes good on the requirement of safe
and importantly dignified air travel for wheelchair users is, I think, much
needed," Buttigieg said. "Something that may sound a little more
technical, but the vendor piece where you, the passenger, get to pick the
vendor versus being at the mercy of the airline is very important."
According to
the Transportation Department's statistics, airlines damage or destroy 10,000
to 15,000 mobility devices every year, a rate of about 1.4% in 2023.
Although
airlines have been improving in their handling of disabled travelers, travelers
and advocates told USA TODAY during a yearlong project in 2023 that even a
single incident of wheelchair damage is one too many, and serious damage is
akin to breaking a disabled passenger's legs. “I’d really like that to be
recognized, that it’s not property damage, it’s like an injury to me,” Teresa
Nguyen told USA TODAY after her wheelchair was damaged on a United Airlines
flight. “I have brittle bones as a disability, and truly it feels like I’ve
been recovering from two broken femurs.” Many advocates said it creates an
extra layer of complication when passengers have to go through an airline's
preferred vendor for repairs or replacement rather than working directly with
their own mobility device supplier. "This experience that advocates and
friends of mine have had is if an airline mangles your wheelchair, that doesn't
just ruin your trip, that ruins your every day for every day until it's
fixed," Buttigieg said. "A lot of people have a wheelchair that's not
just a generic wheelchair you can get off the shelf," so working with a
company with their specs is particularly important.
In addition to
vendor choice, the Transportation Department said the new rule will allow for
increased penalties like the $50 million fine levied against American Airlines
for wheelchair damages earlier this year. Advocates also have repeatedly told
USA TODAY that airline employee training is a major area of concern, so the
rule's requirement for better training both for employees who interact with
disabled passengers directly, including assisting in seat-to-wheelchair
transfers, and employees who handle mobility devices during loading and
unloading of baggage is likely to be a welcome development.
What does
the new wheelchair rule say? These are the major provisions of the new
rule, which takes effect Jan. 16. Some provisions have a later implementation
deadline.
Safe, dignified and prompt assistance. Airlines are required to provide people with assistance that does not put them at higher risk of injury, for example, during transfers between their wheelchair and the plane, and in a manner that respects their independence, autonomy and privacy. Airlines also are required to promptly board, deplane and facilitate connecting flights for passengers with disabilities, and the passenger's personal wheelchair must be available as close to the aircraft door as possible upon request.
Enhanced
training. Airline employees and contractors who physically assist disabled
passengers or handle their mobility devices will be required to have annual
hands-on training.
Rebuttable
presumption. The rule clarifies that airlines are assumed to be at fault
when a passenger's mobility device is returned with damage after a flight.
Passenger
notifications. Airlines are required to provide certain information before
departure, upon arrival, and after a mobility device is mishandled about what a
passenger is entitled to if their device is damaged and when their mobility
device is loaded and unloaded from the aircraft.
Aircraft
cargo hold information. Airlines are required to publish relevant
dimensions of their cargo hold doors and storage areas for all aircraft in
their fleets.
Prompt
return of delayed mobility devices. Airlines are required to deliver a
passenger's wheelchair to them within 24 hours of domestic flights and
international flights of 12 hours or less. Airlines have 30 hours to return a
mobility device to passengers on international flights of more than 12 hours.
Passengers are entitled to choose between picking their wheelchair up at the
airport or having it delivered to them.
Ground
transportation reimbursement. Airlines are required to reimburse passengers
for ground transportation costs incurred as a result of the airline delaying
their mobility device.
Prompt
repair or replacement of damaged mobility devices. Airlines are required to
provide passengers with a timeline for inspecting their devices after a flight
and filing a claim for mishandling. Airlines must also offer the option of the
company coordinating repair or replacement or the passenger working with their
preferred vendor directly at the airline's cost.
Loaner
accommodations. Airlines are required to pay for loaner mobility equipment
while a mishandled device is repaired or replaced. The loaner equipment must
fit the passenger's functional and safety needs as much as possible.
Reimbursement
of fare difference. When a passenger's wheelchair does not fit on all
aircraft flying a certain route, airlines must reimburse the fare difference
between the cheapest itinerary available and the cost a passenger paid to fly
on a workable aircraft on the same day and along the same route.
Rebooking
requirements. Airlines are required to disembark and rebook passengers at
no additional cost if their wheelchairs are not properly loaded onto their
scheduled flight or if their mobility device does not fit in the cargo area.
Airport
seating. Airlines are required to consult with disability rights
organizations and create safe waiting areas at airports for passengers when
their mobility devices are delayed.
Onboard
wheelchairs. Airlines will be required to improve their onboard wheelchairs
on various plane types in the coming years.
^ This is
long-overdue. I travelled for 8 years across the United States and around the
World with a Person in a wheelchair and know how difficult it is dealing with
both Airline Employees and Airport Employees.
They also need
to make the number of damaged or destroyed wheelchairs go from 10,000-15,000 a
year to 0 because if you are in a new location, after getting off the plane,
and have no wheelchair you are left to fend for yourself in a strange place and
you can’t always simply use a store-bought regular wheelchair. ^
Out Of ECOWAS
From the BBC:
“West
African bloc approves historic exit of military-run states”
Leaders of the
West African regional grouping, Ecowas, have approved the withdrawal of three
countries ruled by the military from the bloc, but have offered a six-month
grace period for them to reconsider. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger plan to
withdraw from Ecowas in January after refusing the bloc's demand to restore
democratic rule. This is the first time any country has left Ecowas since it
was established in 1975 to improve economic and political integration in West
Africa. The three departing countries were founding members so this is a huge
blow to what was Africa's most developed trade grouping.
Citizens of
all Ecowas countries currently have the right to live and work in all member
states, while goods can circulate freely.
Ecowas has not
yet said whether it will impose restrictions on people and goods coming from
the three departing states, who have formed a new grouping, the Alliance of
Sahel States (AES, from its French acronym). The Ecowas Commission in Abuja has
been mandated to work out such issues, and how the two blocs should work
together in future. Over the weekend, the AES announced visa-free travel and
residency rights for Ecowas citizens. Their leaders said this decision had been
taken in the spirit of friendship, and to strengthen centuries-old ties among
African people. However, the three countries are poor and landlocked, so most
migrants move from them to the richer, coastal countries in West Africa.
Ecowas leaders
meeting in Nigeria on Sunday said they respected the three Sahel countries'
decision to leave but offered a transitional period of six months. In the
period between 29 January and 29 July 2025, the trio can be readmitted to the
bloc should they decide to rejoin the community, a communique from Ecowas
noted. In the meantime negotiations led by Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye
Faye and Togo's Faure Gnassingbé will continue.
So far the
military juntas have refused to remain in the bloc despite efforts to persuade
them.
After a
ministerial-level meeting on Friday in Niger's capital, Niamey, the three
states said in a joint statement that their decision was
"irreversible". Their withdrawal would be a major blow to regional
unity and efforts to boost economic and security cooperation. At the opening of
the summit, Ecowas commission head Omar Touray said their "impending
exit" was "disheartening", but he wanted to "commend the
ongoing mediation efforts", AFP news agency reported. With their planned
departure, the bloc will lose 76 million of its 446 million people and more
than half its total geographical land area.
In a
statement, AES chairman, Mali's military ruler Assimi Goïta, said the right of
Ecowas citizens to "enter, circulate, reside, establish and leave the
territory" of the new bloc would be maintained. His statement was seen as
a signal to Ecowas leaders that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger wanted to maintain
good relations, despite quitting the bloc. The three states gave notice to
Ecowas in January 2023 that they would withdraw in a year, meeting the timeline
set by the bloc for states that decide to leave. Relations between the bloc and
the three countries have been tense after military coups took place in Niger in
July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020. Ecowas condemned the coups, and
suspended their membership, hoping they will restore civilian rule. But the
coup leaders dug in their heels, and have pivoted towards Russia. They accuse
Ecowas of being too close to Western powers, and are increasingly relying on
Russia to fight armed jihadists who are waging an insurgency in the region.
^ The Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has to do this if they want to show what
they stand-by in terms of their core principles.
ECOWAS was
established in 1975 and has 15 Member Countries (including the suspending
Countries or 11 Member Countries without the suspended Countries) with a total
population of 387 Million People.
I doubt these
suspended Countries will return to a Democracy in the time period stated. ^
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