Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Assisted Victoria

From the BBC:
"Australian state legalises assisted dying in national first"

The Australian state of Victoria has become the nation's first to legalise assisted dying. The landmark legislation was approved after more than 100 hours of gruelling debate - including two all-night sittings. The law means terminally ill patients in Australia's second-most populous state will have the right to request a lethal drug from mid-2019. They must be aged at least 18 and have less than six months to live. "I'm proud today that we have put compassion right at the centre of our parliamentary and our political process," said state Premier Daniel Andrews.  "That is politics at its best and it is Victoria doing what it does best - leading our nation."

Protecting against coercion:

The law is designed for patients who are in severe pain. It has 68 safeguards, including:
  • A patient must make three requests to specially trained doctors in order to end their life
  • A special board must review all cases
  • Coercion of patients into ending their life will be a crime
Additionally, patients must have lived in Victoria for at least 12 months and be of sound mind. Patients with some conditions - such as multiple sclerosis and ALS, also known as motor neurone disease (MND) - will become eligible when they have 12 months to live. The legislative debate included one sitting that lasted for 26 hours, and another that stretched for 28 hours. The bill was finally ratified with amendments on Wednesday.  It was fiercely opposed by some lawmakers, who had attempted to add hundreds of amendments. Last month, Mr Andrews's own deputy, James Merlino, spoke strongly against what he called a "deeply flawed" bill that was "a recipe for elder abuse". In 1995, Australia's Northern Territory - which is not a state - introduced the world's first voluntary euthanasia law, but it was overturned by federal authorities in Canberra eight months later. The federal government does not have the same power over states.  Laws allowing terminally ill patients to legally end their lives with a doctor's supervision have since been passed in countries including Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium.


^ I have read-up on this law and its protective protocols and think it is really sound. Terminal patients should have the option to end in their life in a dignified way. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-42161858

Nazi Grandma

From the BBC:
"Germany's 'Nazi Grandma' given jail term for Holocaust denial"

A German court has sentenced an 89-year-old woman to 14 months in prison for Holocaust denial.
Ursula Haverbeck, dubbed the "Nazi Grandma", has been convicted several times but is yet to spend time in jail. She was first given a jail term last year but received additional punishment for handing out pamphlets repeating her beliefs to those attending court. Under German law, Holocaust denial constitutes a crime and carries a sentence of up to five years in jail. Haverbeck and her late husband were members of the Nazi party during the Second World War.  The pair founded a now-banned education centre and she has written for a right-wing magazine where she has argued that the Holocaust never happened. Haverbeck was initially sentenced to eight months in jail in 2016 after she claimed Auschwitz was not a concentration camp, in a letter to the mayor of the German town of Detmold. But after giving the judge and prosecutors leaflets entitled "Only the truth will set you free" during the appeal session she was given ten additional months of imprisonment. Her overall sentence was reduced to 14 months.  She has been convicted on five other occasions for similar charges of incitement of racial hatred, but she has remained free as her lawyers appealed. Her lawyers plan on taking the case to a top regional court for a final appeal against the jail term.


^ Some Grandmas bake cookies while apparently others were members of the Nazi Party that never got the memo that they were defeated in 1945. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42164853

Russian Grinch

From the MT:
"Siberian Schools Plan Santa Ban to Fight Corruption"

The Russian version of Santa Claus is reportedly being banned from visiting kindergartens in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk this holiday season. Ded Moroz, or Father Frost, is a fixture of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Russia, together with his granddaughter Snegurochka, a fairy tale snow maiden. The parents of kindergarteners in Novosibirsk are now deciding whether or not to hold New Year’s Eve celebrations without Ded Moroz, the RBC business portal cited a local source as saying Tuesday.   According to parents, one of the reasons behind the proposed ban is to keep kindergarten officials from taking bribes when fundraising to pay for Ded Moroz actors, according to RBC. Bans have also been reported in Kirov, Kazan and Samara in similar anti-corruption drives. A City Hall official confirmed to RBC that there is a citywide ban on paying for the services of actors in Ded Moroz costumes, but said the ban came in part based on recommendations from child psychologists. “Experts say that small children don’t understand Ded Moroz,” the official said. “That’s why younger classes will only be able to invite Snegurochka, though psychologists advise against that too."


^  What's "Grinch" in Russian? I was never taught that. The direct translation is "Гринч." If Russians really want to fight corruption they will have to do a lot more than ban Ded Moroz (Дед Мороз or Father Frost) giving presents on New Years.  In the words taken from "The Simpsons" - "Won't someone please think of the children?" ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/Siberian-kindergartens-planning-ban-santa-claus-fight-corruption-59720

October To May Days

If it ends in "day" from October to May it must be snowing. That's true mountain living.


The Past And The Present

From the BBC:
"Trudeau apologises for Canada's discrimination against LGBT people"

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologised for historical injustices against the LGBT community. During the Cold War, hundreds of gay men and women were fired from their government jobs and the military. The government has earmarked C$100m ($78m, £58m) to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by LGBT victims. Mr Trudeau has also proposed a bill in parliament that would allow the courts to expunge the records of people criminalised for their sexuality. "It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry," he said in the House of Commons on Tuesday.  Mr Trudeau's words were greeted by a warm round of applause from all parties. The prime minister also spoke out about past discrimination against gay marriage and gay works of art, which were often banned as "obscene". "While we may regard modern Canada as a forward-thinking and progressive nation, we cannot forget our past," he said. During the Cold War, the Canadian government and military regarded gay employees as more vulnerable to blackmail by Soviet agents. They were interrogated about their sex life and forced to inform on their friends. Mr Trudeau called it "nothing short of a witch-hunt."   The Canadian military ended discriminatory policies against gay men and women in 1992 after Michelle Douglas, a former Army officer, sued the government.  Four years later, the Canadian Human Rights Act was amended to include sexual orientation. Gender identity and gender orientation were added in 2017. Mr Trudeau also said Canada must do more to end homophobia and discrimination, such as bans on gay men giving blood and the continued criminalisation of people who do not disclose their HIV status. "We are all worthy of love. Whether you discover who you are at six, 16 or 60, we are all valid," he said.  This is not Mr Trudeau's first state apology as prime minister. On Friday, he apologised to indigenous victims of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador.  In 2016, he apologised for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, when Canada turned away hundreds of Hindu, Sikh and Muslim passengers trying to emigrate from British-ruled India.


^ As an American-Canadian I know that the majority of Canadians think of themselves as "not American" and that tends to make them more moral or right  - especially around the world. Canada and the US have similar histories in terms of discrimination of minority groups. Both countries discriminated against: Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, homosexuals, women, Jews and Catholics. Canada didn't have full control over it's own laws until 1982 (before then the UK had to agree) whereas the US has had full control since 1776, but they have always had control over their own social attitudes as every person in the world does and that attitude tended to follow the international "trend" of not liking anything that wasn't an Anglo-Saxon White Heterosexual Protestant Man. While I think it is right for Canada (and every country) to openly admit the mistakes of their past the way Trudeau has recently done Canadians (and other nationalities) need to know that these are not simply "historical" problems. Sometimes they are current ones too. Canada (along with the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the other Commonwealth Realm countries) continue to officially and openly discriminate against non-Protestants at the highest level. Only a Protestant can be the Monarch of Canada (and the UK, etc.) That law basically says that there is no real freedom of religion because Protestants are deemed better at being King or Queen than a Catholic, a Jew. an atheist, etc. So while Canada has come a long way from its troubled past - the way the US has too - Canada continues to officially discriminate against minorities and until that changes Canadians may think they are more "moral" than Americans, but maybe they are the same if not worse since the United States has had Protestants and Catholics as their Head Of Government with no official law saying other religions can't also become one. ^


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42157806

Trending Questions

"Now I know what it was like to live during McCarthyism, albeit today the issue is sexual harassment and not communism. I'm simply waiting for something really outlandish like the Dalai Lama being accused, and then Buddha issuing a statement to the press that the Chosen One did not choose wisely. "

I got this from a friend on Facebook. It does seem very odd that sexual harassment claims have become the latest trend with people around the world joining the "band-wagon.

I know many men and women have suffered from sexual harassment and sexual assault (there is a very big difference between harassment and assault) and that is both wrong and illegal, but the overall timing of "Pandora's Box" is what I question - as well as some of the claims. I do personally know people who have been sexually harassed and sexually assaulted and so don't make this statement lightly. Sexual harassment and sexual assault should not be tolerated and while they are usually illegal (not in all cases or regions though) there can be loop-holes or ways around the law that prevent the victim from getting the help and justice they deserve.

With that said: There needs to be accountability for both the accused and the accusers. Those that are convicted of doing the crime (sexual harassment and/or sexual assault) should be punished as well as anyone who is found to wrongfully accuse someone. Both kinds of people are disgusting. 

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Troop Numbers

From the BBC:
"'Many more' US troops in Syria and Iraq - report"

The number of US troops in Syria and Iraq is significantly higher than acknowledged by Pentagon officials, a US defence department report shows. Officially there are 503 US troops in Syria and 5,262 in Iraq. However, the Pentagon's quarterly report puts number of troops as 1,720 in Syria and 8,892 in Iraq. US soldiers are there as part of the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS) and include trainers, advisers and special forces. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said earlier this year that the number of troops operating in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan would be reviewed. However, only the troop numbers for Afghanistan have been publicly revealed.   Pentagon spokesman Rob Manning said on Monday that security concerns and political sensitivities prohibited full disclosure for the time being, but he pledged to be "as transparent as" possible. The US has had a troop presence in Iraq since the invasion of 2003, reaching 168,000 at its peak in September 2007. In Syria, the troops are largely stationed in the Kurdish-led region in northern Syria and helped Kurdish-led militias to recently capture Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS. Last week the Pentagon said it was reviewing "adjustments" in military support it gives to partners inside Syria. These include the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey said on Friday President Donald Trump promised to stop supplying arms to the YPG, which Ankara considers a terrorist organisation, though this has neither been confirmed nor denied by Washington.


^ This information shouldn't really surprise anyone (except the majority of Americans who don't know someone in the military and think we left Iraq and Afghanistan long ago.) ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42151782

School Mobilizes

From the MT:
"Siberian Schools Issued Wartime Mobilization Guidelines"

A recently leaked document has revealed that school administrators in the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk were given instructions to be prepared to operate in wartime conditions. Fears of military conflict have increased among Russians in recent years, fueled by a deterioration of relations with the West over the annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian crisis and Russia’s intervention in Syria.  In a meeting with senior officials last week, President Vladimir Putin stated that all large Russian companies should be prepared to increase the production of military goods and services. Local officials in Krasnoyarsk have confirmed the authenticity of the document that was distributed to the region’s schools and that issued operational guidelines for mobilization, wartime conditions and martial law. Nadezhda Kvitkovskaya, the regional education ministry spokeswoman, told Govorit Moskva radio station on Monday that according to federal guidelines, all state organizations should be prepared for mobilization, including educational institutions. Schools and other organizations should know how to “act in critical situations” during mobilization efforts, she said. Kvitkovskaya added that the authorities were searching for the individual responsible for leaking the document to the public. “When the person who leaked this document online is found, they will be punished," she said.


^ This seems like a waste of time. The schools in Russia shouldn't be preparing for war, but should worry about school attacks, etc. which have occurred. Russia (then the USSR) hasn't been invaded or occupied since 1945 whereas school shootings and hostage situations within Russia have occurred in the past decade. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/Siberian-schools-issued-wartime-mobilization-guidelines-59708

Half Sandwich


Hawaii Sirens

From USA Today:
"Hawaii, eyeing North Korea, readies nuclear war sirens"

In a throwback to the days of the Cold War with Russia, Hawaii on Friday will begin testing a warning siren to prepare for the possibility of nuclear attack, state officials say. Vern Miyagi, administrator for the state emergency management agency, said the sirens blasting across the islands would notify the public to "get inside, stay inside and stay tuned" for more information. Miyagi likened the warnings to Bert the Turtle, a cartoon character from the 1950s used to warn Americans to "duck and cover" in the event of a nuclear attack. The increased threat from North Korea is the reason behind the warnings, he said. "If anybody told me four or five months ago we would be doing this I would have said you are crazy," Miyagi said. "But stuff happens." The signal test will take place Friday and the first business day of each month after that. The test will take place in conjunction with a general siren warning, a more steady tone, that already takes place each month.  The state is also broadcasting public service announcements and conducting community meetings aimed at educating the public. Miyagi said Hawaiians should have two weeks of provisions stored in their homes, just in case of an attack or a natural disaster. He acknowledged that state officials do not consider an attack likely but said all have heard the unrelenting threats from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim and President Trump have swapped insults and threats since Trump assumed the presidency. Trump has threatened "fire and fury," and during a tour of Asia this month urged U.S. troops to be prepared for conflict. “We dominate the sky, we dominate the sea, we dominate the land and space,” he said.   Kim has called Trump a "lunatic" and has threatened a pre-emptive strike aimed at annihilating the United States.  New York and Washington, D.C., are almost 7,000 miles from Pyongyang. Honolulu is about 4,600 miles. Closer quarters make Hawaii more vulnerable, but Miyagi dismissed the opinion of many Hawaiians that a nuclear attack would be so devastating that it's not worth planning for recovery. "The models as far as casualties, we're talking about 10%," Miyagi said. "It's not pretty, (but) I'm going to tell the 90% survivors that we stopped planning because you guys were all supposed to die? "There is an impact, and there is a whole bunch of stuff after," he said. "That is why we are preparing."


^ While I believe people should have emergency supplies (for natural disasters, etc.) I don't think anyone really believes they would survive a nuclear war. I had to "duck-and-cover" when I was younger and you couldn't question things back then. During the later years of the Cold War both the Russians and the Americans realized no one would survive a nuclear attack (Mutually Assured Destruction) and so worked to stabilize the threat to both countries (and the world.) Hopefully, North Korea will learn from the past and know that if they attack us we will retaliate against them and they are a lot easier to target since North Korea is small in size. ^

Mocking DS

From the BBC:
"Toronto police admit to mocking woman with Down's syndrome"

Two Canadian police officers have admitted to mocking a woman with Down's syndrome. Sasa Sljivo and Matthew Saris pleaded guilty to misconduct at a police tribunal hearing in Toronto Pamela Munoz heard them mock her 29-year-old daughter Francie when she obtained dash-camera footage to contest a traffic ticket. According to the Police Services Act, the penalty for misconduct is suspension or forfeiture of pay.  Mrs Munoz has also filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. 
They can be heard on the recording saying there were only "two and a half" people in the car because the "young girl in the back" is a "little disfigured". Mrs Munoz told the BBC that when she listened to the recording, at first she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I was livid, I was angry, mamma tiger came out," Mrs Munoz told the BBC in June when she went public with the incident. "I was just extremely upset for Francie, and everyone who is like her." The officers have since apologised and said their comments were a "lapse in judgement". Toronto police chief Mark Saunders also personally apologised to the family.


^ This is just plain wrong and sad. If the mother hadn't asked for the footage to contest a ticket then this wrong-doing probably wouldn't have come to light. I hope these officers do lose pay and have to make a public apology. That is the only way they can try to regain the public's respect after they disrespected the woman. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42157803

Schengen 1985-2017

From the DW:
"Greeks condemn controversial German airport checks"



Europe’s refugee crisis and Islamist terror are putting a strain on one of the EU’s prestige projects. But is Germany’s decision to block free travel within the Schengen zone justified? Anthee Carassava reports.  It was supposed to be another routine flight from Greece to Germany. But as the Aegean Airlines plane landed at Stuttgart airport, George Anastasopoulos sensed something was wrong. The pilot had parked at a discernible distance from other commercial aircraft, and the boarding gate — used to connect the plane to the terminal — was missing. Instead, passengers were herded onto a special bus that whisked them off to a secluded section of the sprawling airport. "It was as if we were placed in some kind of bizarre quarantine," recalled Anastasopoulos, a Greek engineer and global traveler. "For the next hour or so, we were subjected to scrutinizing passport checks and controls that defied any measure of Europe's free-travel regulations. I felt unbelievably humiliated and debased." He's not alone. Hailed by many as the greatest achievement of European integration, the Schengen agreement effectively abolished border controls between most European Union member states in 1985, allowing the area to function as a passport-free single country for all its travelers  Europe's lingering refugee crisis and Islamist terrorism, however, have highlighted the system's limitations, prompting countries like Germany to clamp down on liberal admissions policies and barring incoming travelers from Greece from using the hassle-free Schengen travel lines. Germany's Interior Ministry says the measures were enforced earlier this month after authorities there counted more than 1,000 illegal entries from Greece since the start of the year. They said security measures across the board were being beefed up amid fears of a terror attack during the holiday season.  Whatever the reason, Greeks are furious. Not only do they feel scapegoated but also humiliated by a country whose unyielding support for draconian fiscal measures has been widely blamed here for ruining the Greek economy. "Germany's security concerns may be valid," Anastasopoulos told DW. "And the Greek government, also, may be responsible for its abysmal handling of the refugee crisis. But that does not justify unilateral action. It is as if the US state of Massachusetts orders all incoming US travelers from California to go through passport controls at foreign arrivals terminals because California is teeming with migrants." Rattled by popular outrage, Greece's hard-left government of Alexis Tsipras has complained to Berlin.  The security concerns, though, are real and they are not only limited to Germany, experts insist. With 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers stranded across the country, Greece has become a major hub for human trafficking. International criminal networks are also operating with impunity, producing fake passports and identification cards for stranded illegal migrants.  Just days before Germany enforced the new travel regulations, British agents helped Greek police smash a major Athens-based smuggling gang that operated four forgery laboratories, selling fake passports and work papers to migrants bound for the UK. Other clandestine operations have been busted throughout the year for smuggling thousands of illegal migrants from the Middle East to Italy, Spain and Germany. Despite repeated crackdowns, the burgeoning trade remains ubiquitous in central Athens — so much so in fact, that illicit businesses freely circulate business cards among migrants desperately seeking passage to the heart of Europe and Germany, the preferred destination. They [fake passports and IDs] are everywhere," says Mohammed, a 27-year-old asylum seeker from Gaza. "The cheapest and most accessible ones are the French, Spanish and Italian. You [can] get them for as cheap as 250 euros and [they] are less suspicious for people like us, with dark complexions." "The problem," he tells DW, taking a deep drag on his cigarette, "is luck. It's not good these days, especially at the airport." Like three other Arab friends seated under the neon lights of a cafe in central Athens, Mohammed, is already feeling the brunt of Germany's heightened security checks. In the last month alone, he tried to sneak through passport controls in Athens, six times. His last attempt, he claims, flashing a fake French passport, was on Nov. 22. "Before [then], it was much easier. The guys at the gates weren't [paying] close attention. Now it's too tough. So, we wait."  Concern over the trade of fake travel documents has grown since 2016 when the European Union's counter-terrorism agency identified forged passports destined for alleged members of the "Islamic State" group in Greek refugee camps. Last year, France offered to dispatch a special task force to Greece to assist in the identification of fake documents found in the hands of thousands of illegal migrants. While the government in Athens acknowledged the challenge for Greece's overstretched and underfunded authorities, it refused the request, trying to instead steer EU's attention to Turkey to block the inflow of illegal refugees and migrants. Now, to placate angry travelers, Greek police officers will be deployed at German airports to assist in the contentious security checks. Many Greeks, though, aren't taking any chances. "It's the holidays," said Harry Kosmatos. "Who wants to miss their connecting flight? So, I just cancelled my flight through Munich, preferring to go to New York through Zurich."


^ For all intents and purposes the Schengen Agreement is all but dead. It seems to only really exist in name only. It's not just with Greece, but there are border checks between other Schengen countries - not to mention the border walls and fences. These have been there for several years now and don't seem to be going away anytime soon. Going for Greece to Germany is supposed to be as easy and carefree as going from New York to California, but the Europeans have border checks while Americans don't. I can understand why the checks are there, but you can't claim to have free movement of travel when you have border checks for years. The Europeans should call a spade a spade. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/greeks-condemn-controversial-german-airport-checks/a-41547470

Monday, November 27, 2017

Troubles Amnesty

From the BBC:
"Security force 'amnesty could breach human rights law'"

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has advised the government a ban on prosecuting soldiers and police officers suspected of crimes during the Troubles would amount to an amnesty. The move may also breach international human rights law, it has said. The government has decided to ask the public about the so-called statute of limitations as part of a consultation it plans for early in the New Year. Both Sinn Féin and the Irish government have objected to the move.  Some Conservative backbenchers and DUP politicians have backed the statute of limitations although the DUP leader Arlene Foster told the BBC that she was concerned it could lead to a wider amnesty.  In its advice to the government, the Human Rights Commission says that if the statute of limitations "were held to excuse acts constituting gross human rights violations and abuses (including the right to life and the prohibition on torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) this would be incompatible with human rights law". The advice was supplied to the government in June and published on the commission's website in August, but has not received wider publicity until now.   The Human Rights Commission gave its view on a number of options canvassed by Westminster's defence select committee.  It opposed a suggestion that Troubles investigations into former security force personnel could be halted.  The commission advised this approach would "put the UK government in breach of its international human rights obligations to conduct an effective official investigation under the right to life and prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment". The commission approved pressing ahead with the creation of a new Historical Investigations Unit as set out in the Stormont House Agreement.   It also backed a suggested review of the terms of the law which provided for the release of paramilitary prisoners after the Good Friday Agreement.  Under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, paramilitaries were eligible for release after serving two years. The commission says the law did not explicitly rule out this early release scheme being applied to soldiers or police officers.  However it notes that "such circumstances do not appear to have been specifically considered in the context in which the legislation was brought forward". The commission says that given the uncertainty surrounding the 1998 law, it recommends "a review, and if necessary amendment, to ensure the legislation is applied equally and fairly to all perpetrators of conflict-related offences".

^ Not sure why anyone (British, Northern Irish Catholic, Northern Irish Protestant, Irish, military or civilian) with any common sense would think an amnesty law for soldiers - or anyone - for suspected or convicted crimes committed would be a good idea. If you didn't commit the crime then you should want to voice your innocence. If you committed the crime and are sorry then you should take your sentence. It's only those people that committed the crime and aren't sorry that would want amnesty. This proposed amnesty would be the worst thing the British Government could do. It would say to the victims that they don't matter and allow for the continued cover-up of the crimes and the criminals and could lead to a new era of The Troubles. The guilty on any side should be brought to justice. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-42135039

Elf Abuse

I have received a lot of complaints about the following post from earlier today:

"Opening a door on an Advent Calendar early is as sacrilegious as kicking an elf in the teeth. The more you know...."

I deeply regret if I offended you for making light of elf abuse. I do not condone violence against an elf in any way. There is no higher crime than human-on-elf abuse. We all know from watching the news that elf-on-elf abuse has become an epidemic across the world and yet we do little to nothing to stop it. This holiday season I stand in solidarity with the victims of elf abuse and their families. I believe we need to create more awareness especially on the plight of elf children who suffer the most.

But most of all I regret that there are people in this world who are so sensitive and clearly have no life that they defend the rights of a mythical creature.


PTSD Pot

From the AP:
"Veterans are key as surge of states OK medical pot for PTSD"

 It was a telling setting for a decision on whether post-traumatic stress disorder patients could use medical marijuana. Against the backdrop of the nation's largest Veterans Day parade, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this month he'd sign legislation making New York the latest in a fast-rising tide of states to OK therapeutic pot as a PTSD treatment, though it's illegal under federal law and doesn't boast extensive, conclusive medical research. Twenty-eight states plus the District of Columbia now include PTSD in their medical marijuana programs, a tally that has more than doubled in the last two years, according to data compiled by the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project. A 29th state, Alaska, doesn't incorporate PTSD in its medical marijuana program but allows everyone over 20 to buy pot legally. The increase has come amid increasingly visible advocacy from veterans' groups . Retired Marine staff sergeant Mark DiPasquale says the drug freed him from the 17 opioids, anti-anxiety pills and other medications that were prescribed to him for migraines, post-traumatic stress and other injuries from service that included a hard helicopter landing in Iraq in 2005. "I just felt like a zombie, and I wanted to hurt somebody," says DiPasquale, a co-founder of the Rochester, New York-based Veterans Cannabis Collective Foundation. It aims to educate vets about the drug he pointedly calls by the scientific name cannabis. DiPasquale pushed to extend New York's nearly two-year-old medical marijuana program to include post-traumatic stress. He'd qualified because of other conditions but felt the drug ease his anxiety, sleeplessness and other PTSD symptoms and spur him to focus on wellness. "Do I still have PTSD? Absolutely," says DiPasquale, 42. But "I'm back to my old self. I love people again." In a sign of how much the issue has taken hold among veterans, the 2.2-million-member American Legion began pressing the federal government this summer to let Department of Veterans Affairs doctors recommend medical marijuana where it's legal . The Legion started advocating last year for easing federal constraints on medical pot research , a departure into drug policy for the nearly century-old organization. "People ask, 'Aren't you the law-and-order group?' Why, yes, we are," Executive Director Verna Jones said at a Legion-arranged news conference early this month at the U.S. Capitol. But "when veterans come to us and say a particular treatment is working for them, we owe it to them to listen and to do scientific research required." Even Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. David Shulkin recently said "there may be some evidence that this (medical marijuana) is beginning to be helpful," while noting that his agency is barred from helping patients get the illegal drug. (A few prescription drugs containing a synthetic version of a key chemical in marijuana do have federal approval to treat chemotherapy-related nausea.) Medical marijuana first became legal in 1996 in California for a wide range of conditions; New Mexico in 2009 became the first state specifically to include PTSD patients. States have signed on in growing numbers particularly since 2014. "It's quite a sea change," says Michael Krawitz, a disabled Air Force veteran who now runs Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access, an Elliston, Virginia-based group that's pursued the issue in many states. Still, there remain questions and qualms — some from veterans — about advocating for medical marijuana as a treatment for PTSD. It was stripped out of legislation that added six other diseases and syndromes to Georgia's law that allows certain medical cannabis oils. The chairman of the New York Senate veterans' affairs committee voted against adding PTSD to the state's program, suggesting the drug might just mask their symptoms. "The sooner we allow them to live and experience the kind of emotions we do, in an abstinence-based paradigm, the sooner that they are returning home," said Sen. Thomas Croci, a Republican, former Navy intelligence officer and current reservist who served in Afghanistan. The American Psychiatric Association says there's not enough evidence now to support using pot to treat PTSD. The 82,000-member Vietnam Veterans of America group agrees.  "You wouldn't have cancer treatments that aren't approved done to yourself or your family members," and marijuana should be subjected to the same scrutiny, says Dr. Thomas Berger, who heads VVA's Veterans Health Council. A federal science advisory panel's recent assessment of two decades' worth of studies found limited evidence that a synthetic chemical cousin of marijuana might help relieve PTSD, but also some data suggesting pot use could worsen symptoms. Medical marijuana advocates note it's been tough to get evidence when testing is complicated by pot's legal status in the U.S. A federally approved clinical trial of marijuana as a PTSD treatment for veterans is now underway in Phoenix, and results from the current phase could be ready to submit for publication in a couple of years, says one of the researchers, Dr. Suzanne Sisley.


^ I am curious to see the studies that show marijuana completely working for all the other medical issues and diseases that have been okayed for medical marijuana. I think if someone has a medical illness or disease then they should have the option (at the Federal level and in all the US states and territories) to use medical marijuana for their treatment. If it helps them then that's great and if it doesn't help them then they don't need to continue using it. I still do not believe that marijuana should be made legal just for recreational use though - only for medical use. ^


Sitting Fine

From the DW:
"German 85-year-old dementia patient fined for resting at bus stop: report"

An 85-year-old man has reportedly been fined for sitting at a Dusseldorf bus stop without catching the bus. Social media complaints prompted Dusseldorf to investigate the circumstances of the reported fine.   Authorities in Dusseldorf handed a €35 ($42) fine to an 85-year-old pensioner with dementia for resting at a bus stop bench, according to a letter circulating on social media networks on Monday. The man's friend who first published the letter told tabloid Bild that the alleged offender regularly walks his 15-year-old dog in the area, often pausing at the bus stop to rest. On this occasion he was reportedly issued with the fine after sitting for eight minutes. "They did not use the public transport system at the aforementioned location in accordance with its purpose and used it as a rest area," the letter said, meaning he wasn't going to catch the bus and therefore shouldn't have been sitting there. Dusseldorf's city regulations specify exactly when people can sit at a bus stop.  Although the letter was met with staunch criticism from social media users, it was unclear if it was genuine. However, the city of Dusseldorf's official Twitter account responded to questions, saying it will clarify the situation and withdraw the fine if it was issued in error.  A city spokeswoman said it was possible that the man was handed a fine for resting on the bench, in comments to the Dusseldorf-based Rheinische Post newspaper on Sunday. "If the (city) employee had associated the man with the homeless or drinking scene, then the letter could probably explain that," the spokeswoman said. "If the man just needed a break, then of course that's okay." She added that in any case, the benches should be available to people using public transport. 


^ This is just sad and pathetic. Sad because it happened to the 85 year old man. Pathetic because of the goose-stepping officials in Dusseldorf for issuing the fine. No one should get the ticket for sitting on a public bench. The only way they should is it there are signs saying it is for the disabled and a non-disabled person sits there. Hopefully, this incident will force Dusseldorf and any other place that issues these stupid fines to fix their mistakes. Many places have signs that say "No Standing" but even they mean on in a car and don't fine a person standing. No place should fine a person sitting. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/german-85-year-old-dementia-patient-fined-for-resting-at-bus-stop-report/a-41540913

Oldest Bush

From MSN.com
"Bush 41 becomes longest-living president in U.S. history"

Former President George H.W. Bush is now the longest-living president in U.S. history at the age of 93 years and 166 days. Bush on Saturday surpassed the previous record held by Gerald Ford, who lived to be 93 years and 165 days old before he died in December 2006. Jimmy Carter, the second-oldest living president, is 111 days behind Bush and 165 days behind Ronald Reagan, who currently holds the third spot for longest-living president at 93 years and 120 days. The milestone was pointed out on Twitter by Gabe Fleisher, author of the "Wake up to Politics" newsletter.  Bush has faced several health scares in recent months, including two hospitalizations for chronic pneumonia and one for bronchitis. Last month, he joined the nation's four other living former presidents for a hurricane relief concert in Texas after parts of the state were devastated by Hurricane Harvey. During the ceremony, he was honored by his son, former President George W. Bush. Bush was elected to the nation's highest office in 1989 after spending two terms as vice president under Reagan. He was defeated in the 1993 presidential election by Bill Clinton.

^ This is a good milestone to have. ^



Opening Early

Opening a door on an Advent Calendar early is as sacrilegious as kicking an elf in the teeth. The more you know....


Saturday, November 25, 2017

Fake Facebook

From the BBC:
"Facebook to expose Russian fake news pages"

Facebook plans to let people see if they had "liked" pages created by "foreign actors" to spread propaganda during the US presidential election. The social network has previously said as many as 126 million Americans may have seen content uploaded by Russia-based agents over the past two years. It is building a tool to let people see whether they had followed now-deleted pages made by the Russia-based Internet Research Agency. The tool will be launched in December. The Internet Research Agency was behind hundreds of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts and posted thousands of politically-charged messages. Many of the pages such as Heart Of Texas, Being Patriotic and Secured Borders were designed to look like they were created by US citizens.  In November 2016, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said it was a "pretty crazy idea" to suggest misinformation spread on the social network influenced the US presidential election. Since then, the company has identified thousands of posts and paid advertisements placed by Russia-based operatives. It has been criticised for allowing propaganda and fake news to spread on its platform and taking too long to address the problem. Russia has repeatedly denied allegations that it attempted to influence the last US presidential election, in which Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton. "It is important that people understand how foreign actors tried to sow division and mistrust using Facebook before and after the 2016 US election," Facebook said in a blog post. "That's why, as we have discovered information, we have continually come forward to share it publicly and have provided it to congressional investigators. "And it's also why we're building the tool we are announcing today."


^ It's clear that Russia has been using fake social and regular media stories as propaganda to influence events around the world. I'm sure they aren't the only country doing it though. Russia (as the Soviet Union) used misinformation and lies during the Cold War (1945-1991) and yet they still lost and their country still collapsed so in the end good won. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42096045

Avoiding Chaos

How do I avoid all the chaos (Black Friday, crowds, mail disruptions due to storms, lack of availability, etc.) surrounding holiday shopping? I started back in the Spring and completely finished my online shopping in September. It allows me to not deal with all the crazies and hassles of stores and I find great deals on things from around the world which means I can buy the person more presents for the same money.


PLO U-Turn

From the DW:
"US U-turns on closing Palestinian office in Washington DC"

The move came a week after President Donald Trump's administration said the PLO mission would have to shut down. An official denied that the US had been attempting to "leverage" the Palestinians in peace talks.  The Palestinian flag will continue to fly in Washington, DC after all. The US State Department announced on Friday that the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) office in the US capital can remain open in order to hold peace talks with Israel, adding that full operations could likely resume after 90 days. The department's announcement was an about-face move that reversed its warning last week that the PLO site in Washington would have to close its doors. The PLO office's permit expired last Saturday at midnight. Under US law, permission to operate must be renewed every sixth months. A State Department spokesperson said Friday that in the meantime the PLO delegation was advised "to limit its activities to those related to achieving a lasting, comprehensive peace between the Israelis and Palestinians." After 90 days, if US President Donald Trump decides that the representatives of the Palestinian people are undertaking "direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel," the office may be allowed to resume full operations. The spokesperson added on Friday that both Israel and the PLO have been "cooperative, constructive, and prepared to engage in negotiations." The department was "optimistic" that operational restrictions would be lifted in three-month's time.  The official, who spoke with AFP on condition of anonymity, denied that last week's decision to let the embassy's permit expire had been an attempt to impose pressure on Palestinians in settling the long-lasting conflict with Israel. The US administration is pushing both Israelis and Palestinians to achieve an unprecedented peace deal and risks alienating either party if it is perceived to be too close towards one or the other.  The administration announced last week that the PLO mission in Washington would have to shut its doors because the Palestinians had urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute Israelis. PLO leaders reacted with anger, suspending all meetings with the US and threatening to cut all communication. When asked how Trump could explain his decision to reverse the closure in an apparent re-interpretation of the Palestinian push before the ICC, State Department spokesperson Edgar Vasquez told AP that: "These actions are consistent with the president's authorities to conduct the foreign relations of the United States." The announcement to re-open the PLO's Washington office came one day before the 70th annviversary of the UN resolution that divided then-Palestine into a Jewish and an Arab state with an international Jerusalem.



^ The closure threat was most likely a tactic used by DC to get the Palestinians "on-board" with only focusing on making peace with the Israelis and not focus on other issues that the Palestinians may have wanted to focus on. The U-turn seems like the bluff was called. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/us-u-turns-on-closing-palestinian-office-in-washington-dc/a-41525562

Holodomor


^ Today marks the Ukrainian Holodomor (Голодомор.) A Soviet-imposed famine that killed between 7 and 10 million men, women and children from 1932 to 1933. The following countries officially recognize the man-made famine as an act of genocide: Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Ukraine, the United States and the Vatican.  ^

Thursday, November 23, 2017

White House Thanksgiving

From the White House:
"Thanksgiving at the White House, Then and Now"

November is an opportune time to reflect on America's sacred traditions. While other holidays celebrate important values – Independence Day stokes our patriotism, for example, and Memorial Day reminds us solemnly of sacrifice – perhaps no day invites as much calm, personal reflection as does Thanksgiving.   President George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation, designating Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving for the first time under the new Constitution. Thanksgiving Day became a unified national celebration under President Abraham Lincoln, who declared the last Thursday in November to be regularly commemorated as Thanksgiving Day. In his proclamation, President Lincoln implored the war-torn nation to seek peace, harmony, and tranquility in the midst of what would become America’s deadliest war. Since then, American Presidents have often used Thanksgiving proclamations to express their hopes for peace and well-being at home and abroad. "This year we have special and moving cause to be grateful and to rejoice,” President Woodrow Wilson said in 1918, mere days after the end of World War I. “God has in His good pleasure given us peace. . . . Complete victory has brought us, not peace alone, but the confident promise of a new day as well in which justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the nations." Some Presidents spend Thanksgiving at the White House; others celebrate at Camp David or private family residences. The menu includes traditional Thanksgiving foods along with regional favorites, depending on the preferences of the First Family.  Turkey, of course, is a staple – but not the National Thanksgiving Turkey, which traditionally receives a Presidential pardon. Turkeys have been sent as gifts to American Presidents from as early as the 1870s, sometimes arriving in elaborate crates and costumes. By the 1920s, the influx of these turkeys had increased so greatly that President Calvin Coolidge discouraged Americans from sending them, reported a 1923 New York Times article. Eventually, however, the tradition resumed, and President Coolidge received not only turkeys, but quail, ducks, geese, rabbits, and a deer. The most unusual gift was a raccoon, which was not served for dinner but became a Coolidge family pet. In the 1940s, farmers and manufacturers began to send birds to the White House as a means of promoting the poultry industry. Sparing the turkey from becoming dinner became a tradition under President Ronald Reagan, but President George H. W. Bush was the first to formally grant the bird a Presidential pardon, taking a cue from the animal rights activists picketing nearby. The tradition of selecting and pardoning a National Thanksgiving Turkey continues to this day. On Tuesday, November 21, President Donald J. Trump delivered the 2017 turkey pardon to a bird named “Drumstick.” Before pardoning the bird, President Trump delivered remarks in the Rose Garden, urging Americans toward greater unity and thanking the Armed Forces, police, and first responders for their service.  "As we gather together with our families on Thanksgiving and give thanks for our many blessings, we are reminded of the national family to which we all belong as citizens of this incredible country,” the President said. “This Thursday, as we give thanks for our cherished loved ones, let us also renew our bonds of trust, loyalty, and affection between our fellow citizens as members of a proud national family of Americans.” The President and First Family wish all Americans a peaceful, happy, and healthy start to this holiday season.

^ It's important to know the history of a holiday and this is a good history to know how our leaders have celebrated Thanksgiving. ^

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2017/11/21/thanksgiving-white-house-then-and-now

Black Friday Games


^  Putting now since Black Friday has started on Thursday. ^

Russian Partying

From the MT:
"Russian Labor Official Tells Russians to Stop Partying and Start Working"

Russians should spend more time at work if they want to be successful, the head of Rostrud, Russia’s Federal Labor and Employment Service, says.  Next year, Russia will have 28 official national holidays. They include 10 days in early January when Russians celebrate the Orthodox Christmas and the country traditionally grinds to a standstill.  Asked whether he thought Russia should introduce a holiday in honor of professionals in the crypto-currency industry, Rostrud head Vsevolod Bukolov told the state-run TASS news agency: “I think we already have many celebrations, and I would advise everyone to spend more time on work.”  “The more we work, the sooner we’ll achieve success."  Russia already has special days for prosecutors, veterans, professionals in cartography, tax collectors and weather forecasters, among other professions.  According to official guidelines, a profession needs to have existed for at least 15 years before it qualifies for a special day. Bukolov’s comments were criticized by those who argue Russians need to be more efficient in the workplace — rather than spend more hours behind their desk. “It is unclear what people are doing for about 20 to 30 percent of the day,” Pyotr Pushkaryov, an expert at GK Teletrade, a financial consultancy, was cited as saying by the Moskovsky Komsomolets tabloid. “The work should be organized, people should work together, there should be clear work division and a good atmosphere.”  Data compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that, with an average of 1974 hours spent at work per person per year, Russians outwork the Germans or French. Only people in Mexico, Costa Rica, South Korea and Greece work longer hours, the 2016 survey shows.

^ This was interesting, but not surprising. ^


https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russian-work-official-tells-russians-to-start-working-59658

Happy Thanksgiving!


Nemtsov Plaza

From the MT:
"U.S. Lawmakers Move to Name Russian Embassy Address After Nemtsov"

Lawmakers in Washington D.C. have introduced legislation that would change the name of a street near the Russian Embassy after the murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. Nemtsov was gunned down in February 2015 next to the Kremlin. A group of Chechen men was found guilty this summer, but critics say those responsible for planning the murder have yet to face trial. The legislation, introduced by local Democratic lawmaker Mary Cheh, would rename a block near the Russian Embassy “Boris Nemtsov Plaza,” the Washington Post reports. Cheh said the street would serve as a reminder of democratic values and that the Russian Embassy would not be able to have a say in the final decision to rename the street. “The man was assassinated, and he was someone fighting for democracy in Russia, and he is a hero,” Cheh said. “But, of course, he is not being treated as a hero in Russia.”  Senator Marco Rubio originally introduced the legislation in the U.S. Senate in February this year. Cheh told the Washington Post however that because the legislation has not budged, she was approached by senators to introduce similar legislation on a local level. Nine Democratic and Republican senators are sponsoring the bill that Cheh expects a hearing on early next year. “No matter what is going on in this country, we should still be the beacon for fighting democracy,” Cheh said. “Once this was presented to me, it seemed so right.”

^ This sounds like a good idea. I'm sure the Russian Government is against it. ^


https://themoscowtimes.com/news/us-lawmakers-may-name-russian-embassy-address-after-murdered-politician-59655

Mladic Verdict

From the BBC:
"Ratko Mladic jailed for life over Bosnia war genocide"

 Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic has been jailed for life for genocide and other atrocities in the 1990s Bosnian war. Known as the "Butcher of Bosnia", Mladic led forces during the massacre of Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) in Srebrenica and the siege of Sarajevo. The UN tribunal in The Hague convicted him on 10 of the 11 charges. Mladic, 74, was not in court when the sentence was read out. He had been removed for shouting at the judges. Mladic has denied all the charges and his lawyer said he would appeal.  Mladic was the military commander of Bosnian Serb forces against Bosnian Croat and Bosniak armies. He had been on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) since 2012. It found that Mladic "significantly contributed" to the genocide in Srebrenica in 1995, where more than 7,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered, the worst atrocity in Europe since World War Two. He was cleared of a second count of genocide in other municipalities. The other charges included war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Presiding judge Alphons Orie read out many crimes committed by troops under Mladic's command, including:
  • Mass rapes of Bosniak women and girls
  • Keeping Bosniak prisoners in appalling conditions - starving, thirsty and sick - and beating them
  • Terrorising civilians in Sarajevo by shelling and sniping at them
  • Deporting Bosniaks forcibly en masse
  • Destroying Bosniaks' homes and mosques

At the end of the war in 1995 Mladic went into hiding and lived in obscurity in Serbia, protected by family and elements of the security forces.  He was finally tracked down and arrested at a cousin's house in rural northern Serbia in 2011 after 16 years on the run.  Mladic's days in the Scheveningen prison in The Hague have been taken up with playing chess, reading history books, watching TV and exercise. His usual chess rival is former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic, who was also convicted of genocide and war crimes in the Bosnian war in 2016.  Victims and their relatives watched the verdict in a memorial centre near Srebrenica, and erupted in cheers as it was read out. The group Mothers of Srebrenica said it was partially satisfied, and some relatives said Mladic deserved a harsher sentence.  The BBC's Anna Holligan in The Hague says victims filed out of the courtroom in victorious mood into the sunshine.  Fikret Alic, the man whose skeletal image on the front cover of Time magazine shocked the world in 1992, smiled as he tucked into a cheese sandwich.  He said he hoped Mladic's behaviour would mean the Serb general would go down in history as a coward who was not brave enough to face up to his own crimes.   No cheers could be heard on the streets of the Bosnian capital ...  "The verdict won't make any changes," said Resad Trbonja, a native of Sarajevo who became a teenage soldier to defend the city during the siege, that left more than 10,000 people dead. "What we need to fight now is the legacy of the war - we're still living it."


^ Mladic should have received the death penalty for his genocide, but most of Europe believes in "lemon drops and moonbeams" rather than reality and so allows mass murderers and terrorists and stay in prison where they usually have a better life than they did on the outside. That doesn't seem like real justice for anyone - especially the victims. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42080090

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Thanksgiving Movies

Thanksgiving Movies:


Here are some movies that focus on Thanksgiving.

Animated  

Garfield's Thanksgiving (1989)

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

Free Birds (2013)

Holiday for Drumsticks (1949)

Jerky Turkey (1945)

Mouse on the Mayflower (1968)

Pilgrim Popeye (1951)

Pilgrim Porky (1940)

This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers ( 1988)

Tom Turk and Daffy (1944)

The Voice of the Turkey (1950)

Seasons of Giving (1999)

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration ( 2009)

Comedy

Awkward Thanksgiving (2014)

National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion (2003)

Thanksgiving Day, (1990)

Home for the Holidays  (1995)

Thanksgiving  (2014)

Drama

Plymouth Adventure (1952)

Thanksgiving (2004)

Family

A Family Thanksgiving (2010)

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (2008)

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994)

The Thanksgiving Promise (1986)

The Thanksgiving Visitor (1967)

Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade (2012)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Turkey Hollow (2015)

The Thanksgiving House (2013)






Working Holiday


Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Mugabe Resigns

From the BBC:
"Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe resigns, ending 37-year rule"

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has resigned, bringing an end to 37 years of rule and sparking jubilant celebrations in the nation's streets. A letter from Mr Mugabe read out by the speaker of parliament said the decision was voluntary and he had made it to allow a smooth transfer of power. The news abruptly halted an impeachment hearing that had begun against him. The ruling Zanu-PF party says former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa will succeed Mr Mugabe, in power since 1980. Mr Mnangagwa's sacking earlier this month triggered a political crisis. It had been seen by many as an attempt to clear the way for Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband as leader and riled the military leadership, who stepped in and put Mr Mugabe under house arrest.  After the resignation announcement, lawmakers roared in jubilation. Mr Mugabe, 93, was until his resignation the world's oldest leader. He had previously refused to quit despite last week's military takeover and days of protests. Speaking from an undisclosed location earlier on Tuesday, Mr Mnangagwa said he had fled abroad two weeks ago when he learned of a plot to kill him.  Most people assumed that the only way Robert Mugabe would give up being president was to die in his bed. He probably thought so too. In fact the last of the old-style 1970s and 80s liberation leaders, most untypically, resigned in writing. Perhaps that says something about the way the world has changed in the 21st Century.  No storming the presidential palace, no ugly end at the hands of a crowd like Col Gaddafi, no execution by firing squad like President Ceausescu of Romania, no hanging like Saddam Hussein. Zimbabwe, in spite of everything Robert Mugabe visited upon it, is essentially a peaceable, gentle country. And despite all the immense crimes for which he was responsible, he is in some ways an intellectual, rather than a brutal thug along the lines of, say, Idi Amin. He'll be remembered for the massacres in Matabeleland in the 1980s, for the farm invasions of the 1990s and later, and for the brutal repression of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change when it seemed on course to win the 2008 presidential election.  The man who seems about to take his place, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was deeply involved in most of those crimes, yet people in Zimbabwe, like the outside world, will be so relieved to see Mr Mugabe go that they will be tempted to forget all that. They'll also forget the few unquestionably good things Robert Mugabe did. Zimbabwe, for instance, has an extraordinarily high literacy rate, because of him. But that's certainly not what he'll be remembered for.  UK Prime Minister Theresa May said Mr Mugabe's resignation "provides Zimbabwe with an opportunity to forge a new path free of the oppression that characterised his rule". She said that former colonial power Britain, "as Zimbabwe's oldest friend", will do all it can to support free and fair elections and the rebuilding of the Zimbabwean economy.  Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai told the BBC he hoped that Zimbabwe was on a "new trajectory" that would include free and fair elections. He said Mr Mugabe should be allowed to "go and rest for his last days".
In other reaction:
  • The US Embassy in Harare, the capital, said it was a "historic moment" and congratulated Zimbabweans who "raised their voices and stated peacefully and clearly that the time for change was overdue"
  • South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance welcomed the move, saying Mr Mugabe had turned from "liberator to dictator"
  • Prominent Zimbabwean opposition politician David Coltart tweeted: "We have removed a tyrant but not yet a tyranny"
  • Civil society group the Platform for Concerned Citizens called for dialogue between all political parties, which it said should lead to the formation of a national transitional authority
Robert Mugabe won elections during his 37 years in power, but over the past 15 years these were marred by violence against political opponents. He presided over a deepening economic crisis in Zimbabwe, where people are on average 15% poorer now than they were in 1980.  However, Mr Mugabe was not forced out after decades in power by a popular mass movement but rather as a result of political splits within his Zanu-PF party. The leader of the influential liberation war veterans - former allies of Mr Mugabe - said after the army takeover that Mr Mugabe was a "dictator", who "as he became old, surrendered his court to a gang of thieves around his wife". Both he and Grace, 52, are believed to be at a mansion in Harare.  Mr Mugabe's decision to finally resign sparked joy in the streets.  "We are just so happy that things are finally going to change," Togo Ndhlalambi, a hairdresser, told the AFP news agency. "I am the happiest person under the sun right now, because I always believed that Mugabe was going to step down in my lifetime and it has happened," human rights activist Linda Masarira told the BBC. "And now going forward it's time for the opposition to reorganise and ensure that we will have a government that cares for the people. And everyone has to be included."

^ Hopefully, this will help Zimbabwe improve itself and move into the 21st Century. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42071488

Focused Stories


^  Who doesn't enjoy my numerous stories including my ..... squirrel!!!!!!!   ^

Sponsoring Terror

From the BBC:
"Trump declares North Korea 'sponsor of terror'"

President Trump has announced that the US is re-designating North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, nine years after it was removed from the list. In a cabinet meeting, he said the move would trigger "very large" additional sanctions to be announced on Tuesday. But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later admitted that "the practical effects may be limited". Mr Trump blamed the country's nuclear programme, and support for what he called international acts of terrorism. While announcing the decision at the White House, the US president said it "should have happened a long time ago".  President Trump has announced that the US is re-designating North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, nine years after it was removed from the list.  Secretary Tillerson hasn't given up on a negotiated solution to the stand-off with North Korea.  He told journalists he still hoped for diplomacy. But the decision to put Pyongyang back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism will almost certainly set back the possibility of any opening for talks, at least in the short term.  The chances of that happening were slim anyway. And it might prompt a backlash from North Korea, perhaps by way of another missile test.  The Americans have had some success in getting other countries to tighten the noose on Pyongyang, including from China.  Mr Tillerson's goal remains to eventually force the regime to back down and agree to negotiations aimed at giving up its nuclear weapons programme, something Pyongyang has refused to do. China on the other hand, is pushing for talks now, alongside the pressure. It won't be happy about anything that makes that less likely  Speaking to reporters at a White House press briefing, Mr Tillerson, the top US diplomat, said the designation was meant to hold North Korea accountable for recent actions it has taken "including assassinations outside of their country" and "using banned chemical weapons". He admitted that given existing sanctions it was "very symbolic" but also said new measures could "disrupt and dissuade some third parties from undertaking certain activities with North Korea". "The practical effects may be limited but hopefully we're closing off a few loopholes with this," he said. Mr Kim continues to pursue nuclear weapons and missile programmes in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions.   He has made no secret of Pyongyang's plans to develop a missile capable of reaching the US mainland and has claimed to have developed a hydrogen bomb. Last month, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said that the threat of nuclear attack from North Korea was increasing.  Monday's announcement comes after the president returned from an extensive tour of Asia last week.  

^ It seems that only the US, South Korea and Japan are taking the North Korean threat seriously. I guess it must be hard for countries like: the UK (who are so confused with Brexit), Germany (who are so confused with who will run their country) and Russia (who is too busy fighting in Syria and the Ukraine) to pay attention to the rest of the world when they have their own issues. The United States has had to deal with their internal problems as well as external problems since the 1940s and the current North Korean crisis is no different. I wonder what the world would be like if other countries stopped thinking only of themselves and actually took an active role like the US has. I guess we will never know. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42058686

Military Thanksgiving


German Fail

From the DW:
"What now for Germany after coalition talks fail?"

Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing perhaps the biggest challenge of her tenure after collapse of coalition talks. New elections are now considered the most likely way forward, but are there any other alternatives?

What options are there for a majority government?
The only other majority would be theoretically be provided by a coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). The "grand coalition" governed Germany from 2013 to 2017 with 504 of 631 seats in the previous legislature. However, after a poor election showing in September, the SPD committed to an opposition role and have not changed their position. On Monday, SPD leader Martin Schulz rejected forming a new coalition under Merkel and said his party wouldn't shy away from fresh elections. SPD deputy leader Thorsten Schäfer-Gumbel said on Sunday that the SPD was "not the spare wheel on Angela Merkel's careening car."

Would a minority government be an option?
No, it is not really an option. In politically troubled times, it would be difficult for Merkel to require opposition support in order to pass every piece of legislation. A possible coalition between the CDU, with Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Free Democrats (FDP) would lack 29 seats for a majority in parliament, and a coalition between the CDU/CSU and the Greens would lack 42 seats. In any case, this model, which is quite common in other countries, has not yet been tested at a federal level in Germany. Immediately after the federal elections, the chancellor announced: "I intend to bring about a stable government in Germany." The SPD, for its part, ruled out supporting Merkel's minority government.

Could there be new elections?
Article 63 of Germany's constitution, or Basic Law, provides for the following scenario: The German president must first propose someone for the office of Chancellor. This person becomes chancellor if more than half of the members of the Bundestag vote for him or her ("chancellor's majority"). If the president's proposal does not receive a majority, a second voting phase will begin. Germany's parliament will then have two weeks to reach agreement, by an absolute majority, on a chancellor. The number of ballots is not limited, nor is the number of candidates. If no chancellor's majority is obtained in these two weeks, a third voting phase begins. In this last round, achieving a relative majority is sufficient. The candidate who wins the most votes becomes the chancellor. At this stage, the president must act again. If someone is elected only by relative majority, the president can appoint her or him as chancellor of a minority government — but he or she can also dissolve parliament. In this case new elections must be held within 60 days.


^ Oy veh! ^

http://www.dw.com/en/what-now-for-germany-after-coalition-talks-fail/a-41447567

Paper Snow

For everyone who keeps asking me to post pictures when it snows:

1. Take a sheet of white printer paper.
2. Hold it to your face.
3. See the snow.

If I took a picture of every time it snowed on my mountain I would spend the next 6 months taking pictures.


Responsible Poll

From the MT:
"Most Russians Hold Putin Responsible for Country’s Problems — Poll"

A majority of Russians hold President Vladimir Putin responsible for Russia's problems, according to the results of a Levada Center poll published Monday. Putin is widely expected to announce his candidacy for elections next March which would give the president a fourth term. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, whose anti-corruption protests this year drew thousands onto the streets across the country, is barred from running because of a prior conviction he says is politically motivated. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they held Putin responsible to at least some extent for the country’s problems, while 19 percent abdicated him of any responsibility.  Some 15 percent of those polled said they believe Putin “does not know how people live” and has “forgotten about ordinary people.” Seven percent said he does not do enough to fight corruption. But 19 percent described Putin as a “strong-willed” and “real man,” and 18 percent said they appreciate that he protects the country from the West. Levada’s survey was conducted Oct. 20 - 24 among 1,600 people in 48 Russian regions.


^ It seems the Kool-Aid is starting to wear-off. I am curious to see for how long. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/most-russians-hold-putin-responsible-for-problems-poll-59617

Not So Long Weekend

Why are people saying that they can't wait for the "Long holiday weekend" coming up? There is no holiday this weekend. The holiday is only on Thursday.


Monday, November 20, 2017

Merkel Doubt

From Reuters:
"Merkel fourth term in doubt as German coalition talks fail"

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday her efforts to form a three-way coalition government had failed, thrusting Germany into a political crisis and pushing Europe’s largest economy closer to a possible new election.   The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) unexpectedly pulled out of more than four weeks of negotiations with Merkel’s conservative bloc and the ecologist Greens, citing irreconcilable differences.  The euro hit a two-month low against the yen soon after FDP leader Christian Lindner said on Sunday that his party was withdrawing from the talks as the three would-be partners could not find common ground on key issues.   A tired looking Merkel said she would stay on as acting chancellor and would consult with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on how to move forward, adding that a deal had been within reach.  “It is a day of deep reflection on how to go forward in Germany,” Merkel told reporters. “As chancellor, I will do everything to ensure that this country is well managed in the difficult weeks to come.”  It was a sobering moment in the career of a woman who during 12 years in power became a symbol of stability, leading the euro zone during its debt crisis and building compromise within the European Union on a deal with Turkey to stem migrant arrivals.  Merkel was weakened after a September election as voters angry with her decision in 2015 to open Germany’s borders to more than a million asylum seekers punished her conservatives by voting for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) far-right party.  The break down of the talks leaves Germany with two unprecedented options in the post-World War Two era: Merkel forms a minority government, or the president calls a new election if no government is formed.  The center-left Social Democrats (SPD), Merkel’s current coalition partners who were the second-biggest party in the election, have ruled out a repeat of an alliance with her conservatives, who won the vote but were left with fewer seats.  There is little appetite for a new election. The main parties fear that the AfD would win more than the almost 13 percent of votes it secured to enter parliament for the first time as the third-biggest party.  Failure to form a government in Europe’s largest economy could have implications for everything from euro zone reforms championed by French President Emmanuel Macron to the shape of relations with Britain after it leaves the EU.   The next government was also expected to increase spending, raising hopes of more fiscal stimulus for an economy that has been relying on consumption and state spending for growth.  While campaigning for a fourth term, Merkel cited the strong performance of an economy that has been growing since 2010 and a record low unemployment rate as reasons for voters to back her conservatives.  Economists have accused her of complacency on the economy, saying she should overhaul the tax system to make it more growth-friendly and boost investment on digital infrastructure - demands also made by the FDP.  The DIHK Chambers of Industry and Commerce said a prolonged period of uncertainty would be bad for the economy.   “There is the danger that work on major issues for the future of our country will be delayed for a prolonged period of time,” DIHK President Eric Schweitzer wrote in an email. “German companies must now prepare for a possibly long period of uncertainty. This is always difficult for the economy.”  The break down of the talks came as a surprise, especially as it was announced by the resurgent FDP, Merkel’s preferred coalition partners who had dropped out of parliament four years ago and had ruled with her conservatives during 2009-2013.  After its impressive electoral comeback, the FDP’s decision to pull out of coalition talks was puzzling, according to Jackson Janes, of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University.  “And it is also a dangerous game of poker for Germany,” Janes added.   Immigration was the main sticking point in the negotiations. Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Christian Social Union (CSU) Bavarian allies had demanded a yearly cap on the number of asylum seekers that Germany accepts each year, a measure rejected by the Greens.  There was also discord over conservative proposals to limit the right of some accepted asylum seekers to bring in immediate family members. Merkel said a compromise with the Greens on immigration had also been possible.  Government spending, tax cuts and climate policy had also been sticking points.   “Today there was no progress but rather there were setbacks because specific compromises were questioned,” the FDP’s Lindner said. “It is better not to rule than to rule the wrong way. Goodbye!”


^ For all the faults the US election process has at least we know who will be our leaders after we vote rather than having to vote for a party (not a person) and wait for the party that gets the most votes to join with other parties and hope they can come to an agreement.That isn't very stable. I studied the parliamentary system of government extensively in college and yet still don't really get it - and wonder if anyone truly does. Now Germany and the European Union has to continue to wonder what is going to happen. ^


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics/merkel-fourth-term-in-doubt-as-german-coalition-talks-fail-idUSKBN1DJ0I3