Commonwealth: Part 1

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known simply as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states. The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. It was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference, and formalised by the United Kingdom through the Statute of Westminster in 1931. The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, which modernised the community and established the member states as "free and equal". The human symbol of this free association is the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting appointed Charles, Prince of Wales to be her designated successor, although the position is not technically hereditary. The Queen is the head of state of 16 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 32 other members are republics and five others have different monarchs.  Member states have no legal obligations to one another, but are connected through their use of the English language and historical ties. Their stated shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter[8] and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.  The countries of the Commonwealth cover more than 29,958,050 km2 (11,566,870 sq mi), equivalent to 20% of the world's land area, and span all six inhabited continents. 

Head of the Commonwealth: Under the formula of the London Declaration, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth, a title that is by law a part of Elizabeth's royal titles in each of the Commonwealth realms, the 16 members of the Commonwealth that recognise the Queen as their monarch. When the monarch dies, the successor to the crown does not automatically become Head of the Commonwealth. However, at their meeting in April 2018, Commonwealth leaders agreed that Prince Charles should succeed his mother as head. The position is symbolic, representing the free association of independent members, the majority of which are republics, and five have monarchs of different royal houses (Brunei, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Tonga). 

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting: The main decision-making forum of the organisation is the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), where Commonwealth heads of government, including (amongst others) prime ministers and presidents, assemble for several days to discuss matters of mutual interest. CHOGM is the successor to the Meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers and, earlier, the Imperial Conferences and Colonial Conferences, dating back to 1887. There are also regular meetings of finance ministers, law ministers, health ministers, etc. Members in arrears, as special members before them, are not invited to send representatives to either ministerial meetings or CHOGMs. The head of government hosting the CHOGM is called the Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office and retains the position until the following CHOGM.[43] After the most recent CHOGM, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom became the Chairperson-in-Office, and will continue to hold the title until the next CHOGM, scheduled to take place in Rwanda in 2020. Currently, this position is held by Boris Johnson. 

Commonwealth Secretariat: Marlborough House, London, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth's principal intergovernmental institution The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, is the main intergovernmental agency of the Commonwealth, facilitating consultation and co-operation among member governments and countries. It is responsible to member governments collectively. The Commonwealth of Nations is represented in the United Nations General Assembly by the secretariat as an observer. The secretariat organises Commonwealth summits, meetings of ministers, consultative meetings and technical discussions; it assists policy development and provides policy advice, and facilitates multilateral communication among the member governments. It also provides technical assistance to help governments in the social and economic development of their countries and in support of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values. The secretariat is headed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General who is elected by Commonwealth heads of government for no more than two four-year terms. The secretary-general and two deputy secretaries-general direct the divisions of the Secretariat. The present secretary-general is Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, from Dominica, who took office on 1 April 2016, succeeding Kamalesh Sharma of India (2008–2016). The first secretary-general was Arnold Smith of Canada (1965–75), followed by Sir Shridath Ramphal of Guyana (1975–90), Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria (1990–99), and Don McKinnon of New Zealand (2000–2008).

Commonwealth citizenship and high commissioners: In recognition of their shared heritage and culture, Commonwealth countries are not considered to be "foreign" to each other,  although the technical extent of this concept varies in different countries. For example, in Australia, for the purpose of considering certain constitutional and legal provisions no distinction is made between Commonwealth and foreign countries: in the High Court case of Sue v Hill, other Commonwealth countries were held to be foreign powers; similarly, in Nolan v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, the nationals of other Commonwealth realms were held to be 'aliens'. Nevertheless, the closer association amongst Commonwealth countries is reflected at least in the diplomatic protocols of the Commonwealth countries. For example, when engaging bilaterally with one another, Commonwealth governments exchange high commissioners instead of ambassadors. Between two Commonwealth realms, they represent the head of government rather than the head of state.  In addition, some members treat resident citizens of other Commonwealth countries preferentially to citizens of non-Commonwealth countries. Britain and several others, mostly in the Caribbean, grant the right to vote to Commonwealth citizens who reside in those countries. In non-Commonwealth countries in which their own country is not represented, Commonwealth citizens may seek consular assistance at the British embassy although it is for the embassy to decide, in its discretion, whether to provide any. Other alternatives can also occur such as an emergency consular services agreement between Canada and Australia that began in 1986.

Members:  The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries, across all continents. The members have a combined population of 2.4 billion people, almost a third of the world population, of whom 1.26 billion live in India, 220 million live in Pakistan and 94% live in Asia and Africa combined.  After India and Pakistan, the next-largest Commonwealth countries by population are Nigeria (170 million), Bangladesh (156 million), and the United Kingdom (65 million). Tuvalu is the smallest member, with about 10,000 people. The land area of the Commonwealth nations is about 31,500,000 km2 (12,200,000 sq mi), or about 21% of the total world land area. The three largest Commonwealth nations by area are Canada at 9,984,670 km2 (3,855,100 sq mi), Australia at 7,617,930 km2 (2,941,300 sq mi), and India at 3,287,263 km2 (1,269,219 sq mi). The status of "Member in Arrears" is used to denote those that are in arrears in paying subscription dues. The status was originally known as "special membership", but was renamed on the Committee on Commonwealth Membership's recommendation. There are currently no Members in Arrears. The most recent Member in Arrears, Nauru, returned to full membership in June 2011. Nauru has alternated between special and full membership since joining the Commonwealth, depending on its financial situation.

Applicants: In 1997 the Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed that, to become a member of the Commonwealth, an applicant country should, as a rule, have had a constitutional association with an existing Commonwealth member; that it should comply with Commonwealth values, principles and priorities as set out in the Harare Declaration; and that it should accept Commonwealth norms and conventions. South Sudanese politicians have expressed interest in joining the Commonwealth.[69] A senior Commonwealth source stated in 2006 that "many people have assumed an interest from Israel, but there has been no formal approach". The State of Palestine is also a potential candidate for membership. President Yahya Jammeh unilaterally withdrew The Gambia from the Commonwealth in October 2013.[71] However, newly elected president Adama Barrow returned the country to the organisation in February 2018. Other eligible applicants could be any of the remaining inhabited British overseas territories, Crown dependencies, Australian external territories and the Associated States of New Zealand if they become fully independent. Many such jurisdictions are already directly represented within the Commonwealth, particularly through the Commonwealth Family. There are also former British possessions that have not become independent, for example, Hong Kong, which still participates in some of the institutions within the Commonwealth Family. All three Crown dependencies regard the existing situation as unsatisfactory and have lobbied for change. The States of Jersey have called on the UK Foreign Secretary to request that the Commonwealth Heads of Government "consider granting associate membership to Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies as well as any other territories at a similarly advanced stage of autonomy". Jersey has proposed that it be accorded "self-representation in all Commonwealth meetings; full participation in debates and procedures, with a right to speak where relevant and the opportunity to enter into discussions with those who are full members; and no right to vote in the Ministerial or Heads of Government meetings, which is reserved for full members". The States of Guernsey and the Government of the Isle of Man have made calls of a similar nature for a more integrated relationship with the Commonwealth, including more direct representation and enhanced participation in Commonwealth organisations and meetings, including Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. The Chief Minister of the Isle of Man has said: "A closer connection with the Commonwealth itself would be a welcome further development of the Island's international relationships". At the time of the Suez Crisis in 1956, in the face of colonial unrest and international tensions, French Premier Guy Mollet proposed to British Prime Minister Anthony Eden that their two countries be joined in a "union". When that proposal was turned down, Mollet suggested that France join the Commonwealth, possibly with "a common citizenship arrangement on the Irish basis". Talks regarding a form of union faded away with the end of the Suez crisis.

Suspension: In recent years, the Commonwealth has suspended several members "from the Councils of the Commonwealth" for "serious or persistent violations" of the Harare Declaration, particularly in abrogating their responsibility to have democratic government. This is done by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which meets regularly to address potential breaches of the Harare Declaration. Suspended members are not represented at meetings of Commonwealth leaders and ministers, although they remain members of the organisation. Currently, there are no suspended members.  Nigeria was suspended between 11 November 1995 and 29 May 1999, following its execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa on the eve of the 1995 CHOGM. Pakistan was the second country to be suspended, on 18 October 1999, following the military coup by Pervez Musharraf. The Commonwealth's longest suspension came to an end on 22 May 2004, when Pakistan's suspension was lifted following the restoration of the country's constitution.  Pakistan was suspended for a second time, far more briefly, for six months from 22 November 2007, when Musharraf called a state of emergency. Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 over concerns regarding the electoral and land reform policies of Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF government, before it withdrew from the organisation in 2003.  On 15 May 2018, Zimbabwe applied to rejoin the Commonwealth. The declaration of a Republic in Fiji in 1987, after military coups designed to deny Indo-Fijians political power, was not accompanied by an application to remain. Commonwealth membership was held to have lapsed until 1997, after discriminatory provisions in the republican constitution were repealed and reapplication for membership made.  Fiji has since been suspended twice, with the first imposed from 6 June 2000 to 20 December 2001 after another coup.  Fiji was suspended yet again in December 2006, following the most recent coup. At first, the suspension applied only to membership on the Councils of the Commonwealth. After failing to meet a Commonwealth deadline for setting a date for national elections by 2010, Fiji was "fully suspended" on 1 September 2009. The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, confirmed that full suspension meant that Fiji would be excluded from Commonwealth meetings, sporting events and the technical assistance programme (with an exception for assistance in re-establishing democracy). Sharma stated that Fiji would remain a member of the Commonwealth during its suspension, but would be excluded from emblematic representation by the secretariat.[89] On 19 March 2014 Fiji's full suspension was amended to a suspension from councils of the Commonwealth by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, permitting Fiji to join a number of Commonwealth activities, including the Commonwealth Games.  Fiji's suspension was lifted in September 2014. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group fully reinstated Fiji as a member following elections in September 2014. Most recently, during 2013 and 2014, international pressure mounted to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth, citing grave human rights violations by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. There were also calls to change the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013 from Sri Lanka to another member country. Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper threatened to boycott the event, but was instead represented at the meeting by Deepak Obhrai. UK Prime Minister David Cameron also chose to attend. These concerns were rendered moot by the election of opposition leader Maithripala Sirisena as President in 2015. 

Termination: As membership is purely voluntary, member governments can choose at any time to leave the Commonwealth. Pakistan left on 30 January 1972 in protest at the Commonwealth's recognition of breakaway Bangladesh, but rejoined on 2 August 1989. Zimbabwe's membership was suspended in 2002 on the grounds of alleged human rights violations and deliberate misgovernment, and Zimbabwe's government terminated its membership in 2003.The Gambia left the Commonwealth on 3 October 2013,  and rejoined on 8 February 2018. The Maldives withdrew from the Commonwealth on 13 October 2016.  The Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "the Commonwealth has not recognised [...] the progress and achievements that the Maldives accomplished in cultivating a culture of democracy in the country and in building and strengthening democratic institutions". The Ministry also cited the Commonwealth's "punitive actions against the Maldives since 2012" after the allegedly forced resignation of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed among the reasons for withdrawal.[100] The Ministry characterized the decision to withdraw as "difficult, but inevitable". Following the election of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as president in November 2018, the Maldives announced its intention to reapply to join the Commonwealth. Although heads of government have the power to suspend member states from active participation, the Commonwealth has no provision for the expulsion of members.   Until 1948, there was a consensus among the existing half-dozen Commonwealth members that Commonwealth realms that became a republic would cease to be members but the situation changed in 1948 when newly-independent India announced its intention to become a republic on 1 January 1950 although it wished to remain in the Commonwealth. This was granted. Now, the majority of the Commonwealth members, including all those from Africa, are republics or have their own native monarch.  Ireland withdrew from participation in the Commonwealth in the 1930s, attending its last Commonwealth governmental heads' meeting in 1932. For some years Ireland considered itself to be a republic outside the Commonwealth but the Commonwealth considered Ireland to still be a Commonwealth member. Its treatment as a member ended on 18 April 1949 when Irish legislation that the Commonwealth chose to regard as having caused Ireland to become a republic became law. It is the only country whose membership terminated without any declaration withdrawing from the organisation. Instead, it was (with its own tacit support) excluded from the organisation.  South Africa was barred from continuing as a member after it became a republic in 1961, due to hostility from many members, particularly those in Africa and Asia as well as Canada, to its policy of racial apartheid. The South African government withdrew its application to remain in the organisation as a republic when it became clear at the 1961 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference that any such application would be rejected. South Africa was re-admitted to the Commonwealth in 1994, following its first multiracial elections that year. The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 ended the colony's status as a part of the Commonwealth through the United Kingdom. Non-sovereign states or regions are not permitted to become members of the Commonwealth. The government of the People's Republic of China has not pursued membership. Hong Kong has nevertheless continued to participate in some of the organisations of the Commonwealth family, such as the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (hosted the Commonwealth Lawyers Conference in 1983 and 2009), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (and the Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedures), the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day, replacing the former Empire Day, is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, often held on the second Monday in March.  It is marked by an Anglican service in Westminster Abbey, normally attended by Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth along with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and Commonwealth High Commissioners in London. The Queen delivers an address to the Commonwealth, which is broadcast throughout the world. Commonwealth Day is a public holiday in some parts of the Commonwealth, but not presently in Britain.

History: Empire Day: After the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901, her birthday, 24 May, was celebrated from 24 May 1902 as Empire Day, though not officially recognised as an annual event until 1916. It was instituted in the United Kingdom in 1905 by Lord Meath, and extended throughout the countries of the Commonwealth; Empire Day was a "symbol of that unity of feeling . . . to those ideals of freedom, justice, and tolerance for which the British Empire [stood] throughout the world". Empire Day became a major event, involving, among other things, school parades and the BBC; in 1925, 90,000 people attended an Empire Day thanksgiving service held at Wembley Stadium as part of the British Empire Exhibition. The idea of a day that would "remind children that they formed part of the British Empire, and that they might think with others in lands across the sea, what it meant to be sons and daughters of such a glorious Empire"; and which apprised them that "The strength of the Empire depended upon them, and they must never forget it" was conceived earlier, in 1897. In 1898, loyalist Canadian Clementina Trenholme introduced an Empire Day to Ontario schools, on the last school day before 24 May, Queen Victoria's birthday. Empire Day or Victoria Day was celebrated in the Cape Colony before the Second Boer War and thereafter throughout the Union of South Africa. The British Empire League was instrumental in promoting Empire Day as a patriotic holiday. Empire Day traversed class boundaries, and after World War I it retained "hegemonic potency by amalgamating the emerging traditions of sombre commemoration into the repertoire of imperial festivity".

Commonwealth Day: In 1958, Harold Macmillan announced in Parliament the renaming of Empire Day as Commonwealth Day. The Commonwealth and Britain have a shared history, cultural links, common legal systems and business practices.  Following a 1973 proposal by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Commonwealth Secretariat selected the second Monday in March as the date on which Commonwealth Day is observed throughout all countries of the Commonwealth.

Observance: Commonwealth Day is not a statutory holiday; rather it is a day of observance by approximately one billion people of their common bonds and the contribution of the Commonwealth of Nations to the creation of a harmonious global environment.

United Kingdom: The Union Flag is flown from UK public buildings on the second Monday in March to mark Commonwealth Day. In addition, the Scottish Parliament Building flies the Commonwealth flag. The Queen and other members of the Royal family attend a special service at Westminster Abbey. A wreath is laid at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates in London to remember the sacrifices of Commonwealth soldiers by the Commonwealth Secretary General. A number of other events, such as the Commonwealth Africa Summit, also take place around the United Kingdom.

Australia: Although Commonwealth Day is not observed as a public holiday in Australia and many other places, several regional public holidays coincide with this day: Canberra Day in the Australian Capital Territory, Labour Day in Victoria, Adelaide Cup Day in South Australia, and Eight-hour Day in Tasmania. In 2006 Queen Elizabeth II delivered her Commonwealth Day address from St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; this formed part of the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Canada: Where two flagpoles are available, the Royal Union Flag – or Union Jack – is flown along with the Canadian national flag from sunrise to sunset at federal buildings, airports, military bases, and other establishments within Canada in order to mark Commonwealth day. The 1964 parliamentary resolutions creating the Maple Leaf flag simultaneously retained the Royal Union Flag as an official symbol of Canada's membership in the Commonwealth, and allegiance to the Crown. The original Empire Day date in May continues to be observed in Canada as Victoria Day. 

Gibraltar: Commonwealth Day is a public holiday in Gibraltar.

Other Commonwealth countries: In Belize and The Bahamas, among other places, Commonwealth Day is marked officially in schools with special programmes and assemblies involving flag-raising ceremonies; the Queen's Commonwealth Day message is often read at such events.[26] In Belize, Commonwealth Day is still celebrated on 24 May.  Before 1997, Commonwealth Day was a school holiday in Hong Kong.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Day

Happy Commonwealth Day

Army's Message

From the US Army Garrison Italy’s Facebook Page:

UPDATE March 8, 7:00 p.m.

All employees (Servicemembers, DA Civilians, and Local National Employees) who reside in the listed red zones to remain home tomorrow, Monday, 9 March, pending further guidance.

For those residing in the red zones who are determined mission critical/emergency essential, the USAG-I command team is drafting an official notice to present to any Italian law enforcement authorities who may attempt to stop or fine them. The notice is to permit them to travel from home to work, with the minimum possible social contact with other people.

For those residing in the red zones who are not determined mission critical/emergency essential, managers have authority to grant weather and safety leave SINCE only mission critical/emergency essential are authorized to report. Those who have the capacity to telework must implement their telework agreements and work from home. 

Mission Critical/Emergency Essential determination. Each command is responsible for determining who their mission critical/emergency essential employees are. Please work with your supervisors and chain of command if you have questions.

^ The US Army Garrison Italy’s Facebook Page has been doing a good job informing the US Soldiers, Contractors and their families as well as the local Italians who work for them, informed on this often confusing situation. Things seem to change all the time and it’s good to see the hard work going into answering as many questions as they can – especially when you consider the US Army has to wait until the Italian officials do and as this new lock-down shows that isn’t always so organized. Again, I don’t know how to include the Facebook link here.  ^

Chaotic North

From the DW:

“Chaos in northern Italy over vague coronavirus lockdown orders”

People crowded onto trains to preempt draconian government measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. Italian media and politicians have been criticized for the confusing rollout of the new controls. Confusion has taken hold across northern Italy, —the region hardest-hit by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 — after the country's most reputable newspaper on Saturday published a draft of a lockdown order before it had been decreed by the government. Official information, which was only released hours later, was criticized for being unclear and badly written, leaving many people — who were about to come out of quarantine — still unable to go home or unsure of what they should do next. The Corriere della Sera, one of Italy's most prestigious dailies, reported on Saturday evening that the government was going to stop anyone leaving or entering certain areas of the north including the entire region of Lombardy as well as the provinces of Venice, Modena, Padua, and Treviso. The decision effectively put a quarter of the country's population — some 16 million people — on lockdown, including the cities of Milan and Venice. The draft of the decree was soon picked up by many other major news outlets, prompting a deluge of people to railway stations across northern Italy where they crammed onto overcrowded trains, attempting to shield their faces using scarves, hats, and gloves. Many people feared it would be their last chance to leave until the lockdowns are lifted on April 3. The chaotic scenes also led to fears that infected people from the north who do not have symptoms yet could carry the virus to the rest of the country.

'Don't travel south':    "Get off at the first railway station. Don't take planes to Bari and Brindisi,'' Michele Emiliano, governor of the southern region of Puglia, implored northerners. "Turn around in your cars, get off the [intercity] buses at the next stop.'' The government finally published and implemented its decree on Sunday, but many points remain unclear, including what should happen to the many foreign tourists now stuck in the lockdown zones. For now, the travel ban can only be waived in case of "exceptional need," but it is also unclear how a person would prove their situation constitutes an exceptional case. Italy has also canceled major sport and cultural events around the country, and big tourist draws like the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel remain closed. Group events such as weddings and funerals are also targeted by the new regulations, as are gathering points like museums, theaters, cinemas, bars, swimming pools, and gyms. All schools and universities remain shut, as are ski resorts and many shopping centers will have reduced hours with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies. Restaurants must close by 6 pm and ensure that all customer groups are seated at least one meter apart. Checkpoints controlled by police and soldiers on roads that lead out of the "red zone" have already been implemented. The new rules are likely to devastate Italy's tourism economy, which is reliant on the food and culture industries. On Sunday, officials confirmed the death toll from coronavirus leapt by 133 in a day to 366.

^ It seems this was done in a very rushed and disorganized way. Hopefully the Italians will do a better job in suppling food, medicine and other items to the locked-down areas in the North. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/chaos-in-northern-italy-over-vague-coronavirus-lockdown-orders/a-52685263

6 Years: Crimea

6 years ago this month (March) Russia invaded, occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine following the same exact steps that Adolf Hitler used on Austria in 1938 including holding a non-internationally recognized referendum once Russian troops were in complete control over the Crimean population. 6 years may seem like a lot of time and that after so many years it means Crimea can never be returned to Ukraine. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were invaded, occupied and annexation by the Soviets from 1939-1941 and then again from 1945-1991 and yet after 40+ years they finally regained their independence. 

So what is life like on Russian-annexed Crimea?  

1. It is forbidden in Russia and Russian-annexed Crimea to use the word “Annexation” (“аннексия”) when referring to Crimea. The only acceptable term is “Joining” (“Присоединение.”) Anyone who uses “”Annexation” faces imprisonment in Russia. 

2. The Russian Ruble replaced the Ukrainian Hryvnia as the only legal currency. 

3. Russian culture, traditions and language are the only legal means of expression. 

4. Ukrainian culture, traditions and language are banned inside Crimea. Anyone caught faces imprisonment in Russia.

5. Crimean Tartar culture, traditions and language are banned inside Crimea. Anyone caught faces imprisonment in Russia and being forbidden to return to annexed-Crimea.

6. Every citizen in annexed-Crimea was made to replace their Ukrainian Citizenship and take Russian Citizenship. They are only issued Russian Internal Passports and Russian International Passports. Anyone who failed to register for Russian Citizenship by 2015 (or who fails to register a new birth with the Russian authorities) are imprisoned in Russia and forbidden to return to annexed-Crimea. Even with that penalty 134,000 Crimean citizens have kept their Ukrainian Citizenship and documents from 2015-2019. 

7. Every Crimean male has to serve in the Russia Military and are sent to fight in eastern Ukraine and Syria. Anyone who refuses to serve is imprisoned in Russia. 5,664 Russian soldiers have died and thousands have been wounded in the 6 year Donbas War. 

8. The soldiers that are wounded are placed in hospitals throughout Russia under fake names, occupations and how they were wounded. 

9. The soldiers that are killed are buried in Russia under fake names and fake portraits. (anyone who has been to a Russian Cemetery knows that they also have a portrait of the deceased on their gravestone.) The soldiers’ families to not receive the truth and their sons, brothers, husbands, etc. die in vain.

10. Water is regularly cut-off to annexed-Crimea. It is supplied by Ukraine and not Russia (and since Russia and Ukraine are at war over Crimea and eastern Ukraine it only makes sense that Ukraine not help the Russians out.)

11. Crimea, known for its beaches and sunny warm weather, has always been a popular tourist location for Ukrainians, Russians and others (during Czarist times, Soviet times and in independent Ukraine.) Since the annexation 6 years ago the tourist industry is non-existent. 

12. All Crimean airports and seaports are only allowed to fly or sail to/from Russian airports and seaports.

13.  A rail and road bridge connects annexed-Crimea to Russia. 

14. Ukrainian Visas and the Ukrainian Visa Waiver Program (ie. Americans and EU citizens do not need visas to visit Ukraine for 90 days) were replaced by Russian Visas and the Russian Visa Waiver Program (ie. Americans and EU citizens need visas to visit Russia.)

15. The US, Canada, EU, UK, Japan, Australia and other countries have placed International Sanctions on the Russian Government, Russian businesses and Russian individuals inside Russia since the annexation. 

16. The US, Canada, EU, UK, Japan, Australia and other countries have placed International Sanctions on any country, business and individual no matter what their nationality from doing business inside annexed-Crimea. That means no non-Russian banks, credit card companies, airlines, cell phone companies, Internet providers, factories, etc. can operate there. 

17. Russia has banned all food and products from the US, Canada, EU, UK, Japan, Australia and other countries. 

18. The Russian Financial Crisis 2014-2017 hit annexed-Crimea and Russia hard.

19. The Russian Ruble devalued (37 Rubles to $1 in 2014 to 58 Rubles to $1 in 2017.)

20. The basic standard of living within Russia fell placing millions of ordinary Russians well-below the poverty line (on top of the millions that were already there.) It wiped-out the Russian Middle Class.

21. Since 2018 Russia has a high-tech security fence surrounding annexed-Crimea and the rest of Ukraine. 

22.  In 2015,  67% of Russians agreed with the invasion, occupation and annexation of Crimea. 

23. In 2019, 39% of Russians agreed with the invasion, occupation and annexation of Crimea.

The Russians created these problems when they illegally invaded, occupied and annexed Crimea in 2014. Even after 6 years they can easily fix their mistakes and make things better for: the Ukrainians, Crimeans and Russians by returning Crimea to Ukraine. Sadly, I don’t see that happening with Putin in power so hopefully the Crimeans can withstand more Russian annexation a little longer and the newly poor and destitute living inside Russia can as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_Crimea.png

Weekly Meme

Women's Day

International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is annually held on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.  International Women's Day celebrates women's achievements worldwide.

What Do People Do?  International Women’s Day events are held worldwide on March 8. Various women, including political, community, and business leaders, as well as leading educators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and television personalities, are usually invited to speak at various events on the day. Such events may include seminars, conferences, luncheons, dinners or breakfasts. The messages given at these events often focus on various themes such as innovation, the portrayal of women in the media, or the importance of education and career opportunities. Many students in schools and other educational settings participate in special lessons, debates or presentations about the importance of women in society, their influence, and issues that affect them. In some countries school children bring gifts to their female teachers and women receive small presents from friends or family members. Many workplaces make a special mention about International Women’s Day through internal newsletters or notices, or by handing out promotional material focusing on the day.

Public Life: International Women’s Day, is a public holiday in some countries such as (but not exclusive to): Azerbaijan. Armenia. Belarus. Kazakhstan. Moldova Russia. Ukraine.

Many businesses, government offices, educational institutions are closed in the above-mentioned countries on this day, where it is sometimes called Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is a national observance in many other countries. Some cities may host various wide-scale events such as street marches, which may temporarily affect parking and traffic conditions.

Background: Much progress has been made to protect and promote women’s rights in recent times. However, nowhere in the world can women claim to have all the same rights and opportunities as men, according to the UN. The majority of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men earn for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence, with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability and death among women worldwide. The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911. The inaugural event, which included rallies and organized meetings, was a big success in countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The March 19 date was chosen because it commemorated the day that the Prussian king promised to introduce votes for women in 1848. The promise gave hope for equality but it was a promise that he failed to keep. The International Women’s Day date was moved to March 8 in 1913. The UN drew global attention to women's concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women's Year. It also convened the first conference on women in Mexico City that year. The UN General Assembly then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women's Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It also focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global development. International Men’s Day is also celebrated on November 19 each year.

Symbols: The International Women’s Day logo is in purple and white and features the symbol of Venus, which is also the symbol of being female.  The faces of women of all backgrounds, ages, and nations are also seen in various promotions, such as posters, postcards and information booklets, on International Women’s Day.  Various messages and slogans that promote the day are also publicized during this time of the year.

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/international-womens-day

Happy Women's Day

DST

Time Change 2020 in the United States

Next change: Sunday, March 8, 2020, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned forward 1 hour to 

When Does DST Start and End in the US?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) in most of the United States starts on the 2nd Sunday in March and ends on the 1st Sunday in November. 

Which States Don't Use DST? Most of Arizona and Hawaii don't use DST. Indiana introduced DST in 2006.

Daylight Saving Time in Dependencies of USA:  American Samoa (No Daylight Saving Time), Guam (No Daylight Saving Time), Northern Mariana Islands (No Daylight Saving Time) Puerto Rico), No Daylight Saving Time, US Virgin Islands (No Daylight Saving Time)

Daylight Saving Time History in United States: United States first observed Daylight Saving Time in 1918. United States has observed DST for 103 years between 1918 and 2020 (DST in at least one location).

DST in the USA Today: Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the USA starts on the 2nd Sunday in March and ends on the 1st Sunday in November. The current schedule was introduced in 2007 and follows the Energy Policy Act of 2005. According to section 110 of the act, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) governs the use of DST. The law does not affect the rights of the states and territories that choose not to observe DST.

Confusing DST Rules: Historically, there were no uniform rules for DST from 1945 to 1966. This caused widespread confusion, especially in transport and broadcasting. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 aligned the switch dates across the USA for the first time. Following the 1973 oil embargo, the US Congress extended the DST period to 10 months in 1974 and 8 months in 1975, in an effort to save energy. After the energy crisis was over in 1976, the DST schedule in the US was revised several times. From 1987 to 2006, the country observed DST for about 7 months each year.

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/usa

Clocks Ahead

DirecTv Dropping Us

From USA Today:

“Start saying goodbye to DirecTV. “

It may not be today or tomorrow, but it could be soon. DirecTV-owner AT&T this week admitted that it is no longer actively marketing the service, which has seen subscribers fall to 16 million from 20 million when the company purchased it for $49 billion in 2015. AT&T will continue selling DirecTV in "more rural or less dense suburban areas," John Shankey, the president of AT&T said at an investor conference. "But in terms of our marketing muscle and our momentum in the market, it will be about software-driven pay-TV packages." Namely, the new AT&T TV, which opened nationally this week to poor reviews. "I'd recommend taking a pass," Edward C. Baig said in his USA TODAY review, due to high pricing, the need for equipment rental and a two-year contract. Plus add some key programming that is missing, like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and the NFL games that sports fans crave on DirecTV. 

DirecTV was initially launched in 1994 as a way for rural customers to get TV entertainment in areas not covered by cable but over the years also expanded to urban centers. The pitch: By installing a small satellite dish on the roof or outside the home, customers could get more channels and a clearer signal, with a heavy emphasis on sports. Most notably, "NFL Sunday Ticket," offering "every live game" across the country in one place. The downside: two-year contracts and equipment rental.  Phillip Swann, who blogs as the "TV Answer Man" and has covered the DirecTV woes extensively, was stunned at the new AT&T offering.  "This is everything people disliked about TV over the last 10 years," he says. "Two-year contracts, escalating prices and equipment to rent. If this was 10 years ago, maybe AT&T TV would have a shot. But not now." The ease of streaming alternatives, of smart TVs that connect to the Internet to bring in apps like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, or cheap streaming players like the Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, which sell for around $25, make the need for equipment rental a thing of the past.  Indeed, AT&T has its sights set on the streaming market, pouring marketing muscle behind the new HBO Max service launching in May. It will sell for $14.99 monthly, and include originals and reruns of shows like "Friends" and "The Big Bang Theory." Swann believes that when the NFL deal expires in two years, AT&T will either sell DirecTV or shut it down. One ready buyer has already expressed interest, the Dish Network. Owner Charlie Ergen said a merger was "inevitable" on a recent earnings call. Merging the two services won't stem the tide of cord-cutting, which has hurt satellite companies more severely than cable. All told, some 6 million customers ditched satellite and cable in 2019, according to Wall Street analyst firm MoffettNathanson. 

Dish lost 100,000 subscribers in the most recent quarter, compared to 1.1 million from DirecTV. Dish currently has 9 million subscribers, plus 2.5 million to the streaming cable alternative service Sling TV. AT&T also has a streaming service, AT&T Now (formerly known as DirecTV Now), which has just under 1 million subscribers.  Swann believes that together, Dish and DirectTV, with over 25 million subscribers would still be a force that could continue for several more years. 

Meanwhile, what are consumers to do? :    DirecTV still stands. And if you have it now and are in a contract, it will cost you money to exit, so stay put.  If you're out of contract, live in a rural area and are considering satellite service, Dish is a cheaper alternative. It starts at $59.99 monthly for service on two TVs, compared to DirecTV starting at $49.99, but is missing ESPN and other sports channels, Discovery and cooking channels. To get those and NFL Sunday Ticket, you pay $66.99 monthly, but only for the first year. It bumps up to $122.99 monthly for the second year of the contract.  Dish Network's $59.99 package doesn't go up in second year and includes ESPN, Discovery and HGTV, missing on the entry-level DirecTV package.  If you can live without the sports packages, try an antenna. They've become way more powerful than they used to be, with built-in tuners. Mohu, which makes the popular Leaf antenna, says it picks up signals as far away as 50 miles from the broadcast towers.  You won't get the cable networks, but you will pick up the broadcast channels.  YouTube TV ($49.99), Hulu with Live TV ($55) and Sling TV ($30) are streaming cable alternatives that come with no equipment rental. But you'll need to live in an area with a  good internet signal for them to work effectively.  Sports could be a big issue. YouTube TV recently said it would drop programming from the YES Network (which includes the New York Yankees) and Fox Sports regional channels but ended up cutting a deal for them to remain – almost. YES Network is still dumped, but YouTube ended up holding onto 19 of the 21 regional networks. But missing in action will be such high profile teams as the L.A. Clippers, Kings and Angels.  Where can you still see them? Hulu with Live TV and, ironically, AT&T's streaming service AT&T Now, which carries the games while AT&T TV does not.  

^ It’s nice to see that AT&T/DirecTv just plans to dump all its customers. I’m sure that means we will have even worse response times when dealing with AT&T/DirecTv from now on until they sell to another company (hopefully.) That will make even more people leave DirecTv even faster. I live on an isolated mountain and have used DirecTv since I moved here. While I have had issues with them in the past this current announcement is by far the worst. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/03/07/att-directv-now-only-rural-areas/4974530002/

Venice/Milan Lockdown?

From AFP/Yahoo:

“Italy to quarantine millions around Venice and Milan”

Italy prepared Saturday to quarantine more than 10 million people around the financial capital Milan and the tourist mecca Venice for nearly a month to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. A draft government decree published by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper and other media said movement into and out of the regions would be severely restricted until April 3. It was not clear from either the decree or the reports as to when the measure would go into effect. Corriere Della Sera said it was "imminent" -- and that those who violated the measures could be jailed. The Italian government has found itself at the forefront of the global fight against an epidemic that has convulsed the markets and paralysed global supply chains since first emerging in China late last year. The Mediterranean country of 60 million people has recorded 233 deaths and 5,883 infections in the past two 7weeks. The virus has now spread to all 22 Italian regions and the first deaths are being recorded in Italy's less well medically equipped south. The World Health Organization (WHO) urged Italy on Friday to keep "a strong focus on containment measures".

- 'Messed up' -:    Milan is Italy's financial capital and has a population of just under 1.4 million people. The entire Lombardy region is home to 10 million and is one of Italy's richest. The government decree also covers parts of the Veneto region around Venice as well as Emilia-Romagna's Parma and Rimini. Those three cities have a combined population of around 540,000 people. The month-long ban on entry to places such as Venice could deliver a crippling blow to the city's already-struggling tourism industry. There was no immediate word on whether the Italian Stock Exchange in Milan would remain open. "I cannot fail to stress that the draft decree of the prime minister is -- to say the least -- messed up," Lombardy region president Attilio Fontan was quoted as saying by Italy's Sky TG24 rolling news channel.

- Jail for quarantine violation -:    The government degree said people in the quarantine zones would be advised to stay at home as much as possible. It shuts down all night clubs as well as gyms and swimming pools. Bars and restaurants will remain open but must ensure that everyone is seated at least a metre (three feet) apart. And it stresses that entry into and out of the new quarantine zones would only be allowed for "serious reasons". The draft decree says that those who violate the restrictions could be punished by fines and jailed for up to three months. Italy had kept 11 villages with a combined population of 50,000 in a quarantine "red zone" for the past two weeks. The government had been expected to announce an expansion of that zone on Saturday. But no Italian media had predicted that the broader quarantine would cover more than 10 million people and effectively shut down Venice and Milan.

- Coalition leader gets virus -:    Ministers decided at an all-night emergency meeting that broke up early Saturday to call in retired doctors as part of an effort to bolster the strained healthcare system with 20,000 additional staff. The head of the Italian ruling coalition's junior partner became the latest high-profile figure to confirm they had been infected. "I am fine," the Democratic Party's Nicola Zingaretti said on Facebook. "I will have to stay at home for the next few days." The accelerating spread of the illness has already emptied Italian train stations and Rome's normally busy streets. Many of the city's outdoor restaurants and cafes were either closed on Saturday night or had free tables overseen by forlorn staff with little to do but chat. "The situation here in Rome really is catastrophic," city guide Francesca Sposito told AFP outside the Colosseum. But the government's most immediate concern is that northern virus-hit regions might start to run out of hospital beds. Milan's Lombardy region "is facing a tense situation," civil protection service chief Berrelli told reporters.

^ I hope the Italian Government knows what it is doing and that if these Provinces are locked-down completely that the officials send them all the food, medicine and everything else the people need to survive there. ^

https://news.yahoo.com/italy-quarantine-millions-around-venice-milan-223310519.html

Saturday's Update

From Reuters:

“Coronavirus infects 100,000-plus worldwide, 21 cases found on ship off San Francisco”

Twenty-one people aboard a cruise ship that was barred from docking in San Francisco have tested positive for coronavirus, U.S. officials said on Friday, adding to the more than 100,000 cases of the fast-spreading illness across the world.  Vice President Mike Pence, recently appointed as the U.S. government’s point man on the outbreak, said the cruise ship Grand Princess will be brought to an unspecified non-commercial port where all 2,400 some passengers and 1,100 crew members will now be tested. “Those that need to be quarantined, will be quarantined. Those that require additional medical attention will receive it,” Pence told reporters at the White House. 

The outbreak has killed more than 3,400 people and spread across more than 90 nations, with seven countries reporting their first cases on Friday. The economic damage has also intensified, with business districts starting to empty and stock markets continuing to tumble. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a bill to provide $8.3 billion to bolster the capacity to test for coronavirus and fund other measures in the United States. Cases have now been reported in more than half of the 50 U.S. states. Fifteen people have died in the country.  In many affected countries, people were being asked to stay home from work, schools were closed, large gatherings and sports and music events were canceled, stores were cleared of staples like toiletries and water, and face masks became a common sight. The World Health Organization (WHO) said every country should make containing the epidemic its top priority, pointing to Iran’s national action plan to combat one of the worst outbreaks after a slow start.  Iran’s death toll from the virus jumped to 124, as more than 1,000 new cases were diagnosed over 24 hours.  The Vatican reported its first case, a patient in its health services, worsening the prospects of the virus having already spread further in the Italian capital, since most employees in the walled city-state live in Rome, and those who live in the Vatican frequently go in and out to the city that surrounds it.  Italy is the worst-hit European country, with a death toll as of Friday of 197.  South Korea on Saturday reported 174 additional cases from late Friday, taking the national tally to 6,767. Mainland China, where the outbreak started, reported 99 new confirmed cases but about a quarter of them came from outside the country, data showed.  About 3.4% of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, have died, far above seasonal flu’s fatality rate of under 1%, the WHO said this week. 

SUPPLY CHAINS BROKEN :   Moves by some major economies, including the United States, to cut interest rates and pledge funds to fight the epidemic have done little to allay fears about the spread of the disease and the economic fallout. Supply chains have been crippled around the world.  “There’s concern that while there has been a response from the Fed, given the nature of the problem, is this something the central bank can really help with?” said John Davies, G10 rates strategist at Standard Chartered Bank in London.  In New York, JPMorgan (JPM.N) divided its team between central locations and a secondary site in New Jersey, while Goldman Sachs (GS.N) sent some traders to nearby secondary offices in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Jersey City.  Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) is splitting its trading force from Monday and sending 100 New York-based staff to nearby Stamford, Connecticut, sources familiar with the matter said.  In London, Europe’s financial capital, the Canary Wharf district was unusually quiet. S&P Global’s large office stood empty after the company sent its 1,200 staff home, and HSBC asked around 100 people to work from home after a worker tested positive for the illness.  France’s prime minister said nurseries and schools would close for 15 days from Monday in the two areas worst hit by coronavirus infections, one north of Paris and the other in the northeastern part of the country.  The South by Southwest music and tech festival in Austin, Texas, and two music festivals in Florida were canceled over concerns about events that bring crowds of people into close proximity. The NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament was scheduled to go ahead at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore this weekend, but without spectators.  Saudi Arabia will suspend public attendance at all sports events starting Saturday, the ministry of sports said.  The United Nations said it had canceled some meetings in Bonn, Germany, and elsewhere planned in the run-up to a crucial U.N. climate summit to be held in Scotland in November.

MARKETS HIT:    Yields on U.S. Treasuries plunged to historic lows on fears the outbreak will slam the global economy, and MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed 3.10%. [MKTS/GLOB]U.S. stocks fell but ended well above their session lows. [.N]  Airline and travel stocks have been among the worst affected as people canceled non-essential travel. Norwegian Air Shuttle (NWC.OL), the hardest-hit stock among European carriers, lost more than quarter of its market value on Friday and has fallen almost 70% since the start of February.  “If this really ramps up, we could see a lot more kitchen-sinking updates from the travel industry and airlines,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG. 

^ Since Covid-19 changes every day it only seems smart to keep having updates on it. ^

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus/coronavirus-infects-100000-plus-worldwide-21-cases-found-on-ship-off-san-francisco-idUSKBN20T1G4

Snow Digging

I found my dog digging in the 3 feet of snow in the backyard. I asked him what he was doing. He said "Looking for Easter eggs." I told him that Easter was in April this year. He looked at me and replied "Then Leprechauns" and went back to digging. 

Blind Citizenship

From the BBC:

“Blind man fails citizenship test after being denied Braille”

A blind man has been denied US citizenship after immigration agents refused to provide him with an English language sentence to read in Braille. Lucio Delgado, 23, was born blind and uses a cane to get around. He moved to the US from Mexico six years ago. Mr Delgado said he was offered a large-print sentence to read, which he could not, being totally blind. Mr Delgado, who is legally blind under Illinois state law, was told to get a doctor's note to prove his condition. "Over here I was going to get the education I couldn't get in Mexico," he told CBS News from his home on a farm in Pembroke Township, Illinois - about 70 miles (110km) south of Chicago. After taking the test in May, he recently received a letter from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) informing him that he had been rejected. "Unfortunately, you were unable to read a sentence in the English language," the letter said. "Regrettably, you were unable to achieve a passing score on the reading portion of the naturalisation test." "I really wasn't expecting not to be provided that very basic accommodation," he told the Washington Post newspaper. "It was quite a shocker, honestly." "I was going to be someone. I was going to make my family here and there proud," he told CBS. He was told during the test to go and get a doctor's note to prove that he was blind, but he could not afford to do so because he does not have health insurance. A spokesman for the USCIS told the Post that they began offering Braille tests in November, months after Mr Delgado sat for his exam. A lawyer for Mr Delgado said the USCIS had contacted him since his story was first reported last week to offer him another appointment later this month.

^ This is wrong. Braille tests should have been available for years and not for months. Since they weren’t available then the test should have been read out for him by an official. It is out-right discrimination against the disabled. I hope that with all this bad press the USCIS finally does the right thing  - the legal thing they should have before – and let him take the test by using either an official reader or Braille. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51760448

Soldier Candidates

From Military.com:

“How All the Remaining Presidential Candidates Avoided Service in Vietnam”

After just 18 states’ primaries or caucuses, the field has already narrowed to five presidential candidates, including three Democrats and two Republicans. And even though it's 2020, we're still faced with questions about our next president's choices when it came to service in Vietnam. That's right: Vietnam service is an issue for the EIGHTH consecutive presidential election (1992-2020). Granted, World War II veterans were on the ballot in 10 consecutive elections (1960-1996), but back then we were considering only guys who served and not anyone who figured out a way to skip the war. We've got five candidates who didn't serve in the Vietnam War running for president in 2020. How did each of them miss out on Uncle Sam's tour of southeast Asia?

Sen. Bernie Sanders (Independent running as a Democrat):      Remember when everyone thought Sen. Robert Dole was positively geriatric when he was the Republican nominee in 1996? Bob had just turned 73 the July before Election Day. Sanders will be 79 years old on Election Day. That's older than Ronald Reagan was when he left office, and lots of folks thought Ronnie was ancient. Bernie's relationship with the military and Vietnam is complicated. He applied for conscientious objector status and once said he wouldn't have served in the military if drafted. But Bernie turned 26 before his draft number came up, and didn't have to decide whether to serve in Vietnam because he was TOO OLD. That's right, America. We're eight elections into what we'll call the "Vietnam Cycle," and we've got a guy who didn't have to avoid the draft because he was a relative fossil.

Former Vice President Joe Biden (Democrat):      Also old? Joe Biden. On the plus side, he's more than a year younger than Sanders. Biden got five student deferments during the Vietnam era (a distinction he shares with fellow former Vice President Dick Cheney). His teenage asthma attacks landed him a Selective Service classification of 1-Y in 1968, ending the question of whether he'd ever be drafted.

Former Gov. Bill Weld (Republican):      The former Massachusetts governor has positioned himself as the last, best hope for Republican Never-Trumpers. Weld is a relative youngster in the field at age 74. Some families have long histories of military service. The Welds do their time at Harvard, with the first graduating in 1650 (not a typo). There's even a dorm named after the family on campus. Bill employed some positively (Bill) Clinton-esque gyrations to stay out of the military. He was certified 1-A four years in a row and passed at least two Army physicals. He was declared eligible for the draft in 1968 and launched a series of unsuccessful appeals. In 1969, Weld was drafted anyway. He somehow got his records transferred from his hometown of Smithtown, New York, to Cambridge, Massachusetts (the town with buildings named after his family) and remembered some back problems. Poof! No more draft concerns.

President Donald Trump (Republican):    Compared to the other three men on this list, President Trump came the closest to actual military service during his high school years at the New York Military Academy. During his college years, Trump received four student deferments. After being classified 1-A in July 1968, the future president obtained a medical deferment in October and was classified 1-Y. He finally got a 4-F classification for bone spurs in 1972.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat):     Gabbard hasn't yet scored a win (or a place or even a show) in any of the primaries or caucuses so far, but she seems determined to ride out her campaign for as long as she can keep things going. The congressional rep from Hawaii used a novel ruse to avoid the Vietnam draft: She avoided being born for almost 16 years after the last helicopter took off from the embassy roof in Saigon. What better way is there to avoid service in an (allegedly) unpopular war? Gabbard stands out from the pack in one important regard: She's served in the United States military and seen action in a war zone. She served in a field medical unit of the Hawaii Army National Guard in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. Gabbard was also deployed to Kuwait from 2008 to 2009 as an Army Military Police platoon leader.

Thus concludes our 2020 Vietnam War service voting guide. Unless an ancient President Sanders or Biden is running for re-election in 2024, this is probably our last opportunity to go deep on the Vietnam-era draft.

^ It is interesting to see that every single 2020 Presidential Candidate left as of today found a convenient way to avoid being Drafted during Vietnam. The only person who served (as a volunteer since even if she was alive during the Vietnam War women weren’t Drafted and still can’t be today) is Tulsi Gabbard. The President is the Commander and Chief of the Military and anyone who holds that office - male or female - should at least have some experience in it even if just passing Basic Training. I wasn’t alive during Vietnam and the closest I came to the Draft is registering for the Selective Service and updating my home address until I aged-out so I don’t know for sure what I would have done if the threat of being Drafted to fight came up. I know what I would like to think I would have done, but believing and doing aren’t always the same thing. ^

https://www.military.com/off-duty/2020/03/05/how-all-remaining-presidential-candidates-avoided-service-vietnam.html

Iowa's Animals

From WHOTV 13:

“Animal Rescue League Celebrates Passage of Animal Abuse Bill”

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is thanking the Iowa State Senate for finally passing a bill that toughens animal cruelty laws after years of trying. HF737 makes a number of changes to Iowa animal abuse and care laws. The bill creates a new minimum standard of what sufficient food, water and shelter means. It also increases penalties for animal cruelty convictions and requires mental health examinations for many animal abusers. The Animal Rescue League has lobbied in support of the changes for years. The bill has failed to clear legislative hurdles repeatedly over concerns about the bills impact on the agriculture industry. Colin Grace with the ARL says this bill sets a simple legal 'test' that exempts livestock from most provisions of the bill.

^ This kind of animal abuse bill is needed in every region of every country. ^

https://whotv.com/news/animal-rescue-league-celebrates-passage-of-animal-abuse-bill/

Covid-19, Flu Or Cold

From the DW:

“Coronavirus, cold, or flu symptoms? When you should be worried"

Runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fever: Symptoms are often similar when one starts to feel sick. That makes it difficult to tell if the illness is a virus or a bacterial infection. At first glance, symptoms for the new coronavirus, otherwise known as 2019-nCoV, are similar to those we know as a common cold or flu. 

Common coronavirus symptoms can include:

— Fever

— Dry cough

— Shortness of breath

— Aching muscles

— Fatigue

Less typical coronavirus symptoms:

— Phlegm buildup

— Headache

— Hemoptysis 

— Diarrhea

Symptoms atypical for coronavirus:

— Runny nose

— Sore throat

A runny nose and a sore throat are typical signs of upper respiratory infection. Therefore, those who have bouts of sneezing or get the sniffles likely have the flu or a common cold.  As the new coronavirus generally affects the lower respiratory tract, most of those infected exhibit a dry cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia, but not a sore throat.

Many initially show no symptoms:  Many of those infected with the new virus initially showed no symptoms. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a German government disease control and prevention agency, the new virus has an incubation period of 14 days. If you are not sure what you have or are concerned, you should see a doctor. A health care professional can have a phlegm sample analysis made to determine the presence or absence of respiratory viruses. That will provide clarity for both you and your doctor.

Do respiratory masks help?:    Not really. Viruses are not airborne, and the current coronavirus is transmitted as a droplet or smear infection. Therefore, it is better to keep a safe distance from those who are or may be infected. A key preventative measure is to thoroughly and regularly wash one's hands with soap and hot water. It is also best to use disposable towels when drying one's hands afterward. Even doctors can have difficulty telling the difference between a case of influenza infection and a common cold when confronted with a patient's symptoms.  With a cold, most people get a scratchy throat, then a runny nose and eventually develop a cough. Those symptoms, as well as fever and headache, can plague a person for days, making them feel listless. By comparison, the flu hits you all at once: A flu patient's head and limbs ache, a dry cough begins, one's voice becomes hoarse, painful throat aches occur and a high fever (up to 41°C / 105°F), often accompanied by chills, can knock you out in short order. One just wants to stay in bed, feels exhausted, has no appetite and can sleep for hours on end. The flu comes on quickly and usually takes a week or more until you're feeling healthy again. A common cold typically passes within a few days and most symptoms go away after about a week. A flu is more tedious, keeping a person bedridden for at least a week, in some cases requiring several weeks before a person truly feels healthy again. The RKI's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), recommends that all German residents at high risk of serious illness get an annual flu vaccination. That group includes people 60 and over, people who are chronically ill, pregnant women, and residents at senior and nursing homes. Beyond that, STIKO urges those who have a lot of contact with others (i.e., medical workers or those in public businesses or institutions) to protect themselves through vaccination as well.

When should antibiotics be used?:   Most colds and flus are caused by viruses, against which antibiotics are useless.  Antibiotics strengthen the body's defenses by killing or hindering the growth of bacteria, but they also attack the cell walls or metabolic processes of micro-organisms. Penicillin, for instance, destroys the cell wall synthesis of bacteria. Porous cell walls make it impossible for pathogens to survive, literally causing them to burst. But this only works on bacteria not viruses. Antibiotics do, however, make sense in instances in which bacteria enter the body via a weakened immune system and begin to multiply. That process can lead to infection, sometimes permanently damaging the body's organs. Pneumonia, tonsillitis, cystitis or meningitis are most often caused by bacteria — thus, it makes sense to fight them with antibiotics. 

^ It’s difficult to know the difference between a common cold and the flu every year. Add that to the new Covid-19 and it is even harder. This gives a basic summary of what is currently known about Covid-19 and how it compares to the cold and flu. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-symptoms/a-52233885

Female Toy Soldiers

From Military.com:

“New Plastic Army Women Include Dog Handler, Offer Pink as a Color Option”

Little green plastic Army women shipping out later this year will include a military working dog and handler, a nurse and Rosie the Riveter on a pedestal inscribed with her signature slogan “We Can Do It!” The toys are on track to be deployed ahead of Christmas, said Jeff Imel, owner of BMC Toys, in a Kickstarter post offering a look at some of the prototypes. The post comes as Women’s History Month kicks off, with the military celebrating the contributions of female soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, even as military women continue to mark “firsts” and take on roles previously restricted only to men. The first collection of female versions of the classic green toy soldiers are also available for pre-order in bagged sets of 36. Color options include tan and, somewhat controversially, pink. Imel’s company, which has for years been producing lines of soldiers and other plastic forces from vintage molds, has sold pink Tim Mee brand Plastic Army Men since 2013, but that wasn’t what young Vivian Lord wanted when she wrote to Imel last year. “Those aren’t girls and people in the army don’t wear pink,” she wrote. “Some girls don’t like pink, so please can you make army Girls that look like women? I would play with them every day and my friends would, too!” Inspired in part by the 6-year-old Arkansas girl’s letter, Imel started a crowdfunding campaign to help launch the new line of 2-inch toy soldiers. He decided to offer them in pink after receiving messages from military women asking for the option, he said. Military women have been the main supporters of the project, Imel said in a livestream in the final hour of the Kickstarter campaign in December, as it surpassed an “insane” $55,000, nearly five times its initial goal. “It’s meant a lot to military women who told me that, you know, they just want a little bit of recognition,” Imel said. “They’ve served for a long time in a lot of roles, and sometimes they feel invisible.” These aren’t the first plastic Army women, Imel said during the livestream, showing off a female nurse from a mid-20th century set. At least some of the new poses are for now only available as women. Imel said in January that the dog handler and dog, for example, are not available in sets of plastic Army men. The run was initially expected to include six poses: a Pathfinder captain with handgun and binoculars, standing and kneeling riflewomen, a prone sniper, a grenade-throwing soldier and a kneeling bazooka operator. As the campaign grew, more poses were added, including a running riflewoman, combat medic, low-crawling soldier, radio operator and a light machine gunner. Also planned is a wounded soldier, a stretcher and female medics to carry her.

^ Women have been fully allowed in all fields of the Military for a few years now and they deserve to be represented in toy soldiers for children to play with. ^

https://www.military.com/off-duty/2020/03/06/new-plastic-army-women-include-dog-handler-offer-pink-color-option.html

Nurising Home Concern

From USA Today:

“Coronavirus a concern in nursing homes, where 75% have been cited for infection control errors”

Nursing homes are a perfect-storm environment for the coronavirus, pairing residents at greater risk of serious illness with facilities that may be ill-equipped to prevent the spread of infection within their walls and beyond. Seventy-five percent of U.S. nursing homes have been cited for failing to properly monitor and control infections in the last three years — a higher proportion than previously known, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal inspection data. Those citations have been as mild as a paperwork problem, and as serious as a nursing home not telling state officials about an outbreak as unmonitored workers spread disease to patients. In each case, the citation is a warning signal for practices and shortcomings that could become crucial factors in an outbreak both inside and outside the facility. North Carolina’s governor has said the state’s first coronavirus case came through Washington state, where the virus has devastated the Life Care Center in Kirkland. Failed infection control means nursing homes can spread the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, far beyond their walls, said Charlene Harrington, a professor emeritus of nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. "Nursing homes are viewed only as a problem to residents and maybe the staff, but in this case you can see it can affect the entire community," she said. “Poor care in one nursing home becomes an epicenter for the entire community.” Underscoring the link between infection control and the spread of the coronavirus, on Wednesday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that its inspections would focus solely on issues related to controlling infection and other serious health and safety threats, such as allegations of abuse — beginning with nursing homes and hospitals. The agency made that shift effective immediately, allowing inspectors to focus on addressing the spread of COVID-19. Dr. David Gifford, who represents the nation’s nursing homes as chief medical officer at the American Health Care Association, cautioned that the vast majority of citations do not relate to situations that have caused significant harm. He said inspectors catch most issues early enough that facilities can address them before anyone is hurt. “It’s always helpful when the federal surveyors come in and identify areas that could be better on infection control,” Gifford said. “What the public needs to know is… if they aren’t corrected, the regulations require (the government) to shut the nursing home down within six months.”

 ‘An infection-rich environment’:     The Life Care Center, which U.S. authorities believe to be the site of the first outbreak in a long-term facility, received a five-star overall rating by federal regulators but previously had been criticized for its infection control procedures.  Federal regulators assign points for violations — no points at all for the most benign infractions that affect few people, many points for violations that threaten lives or are widespread. U.S. nursing homes averaged about 10 points over three years, the USA TODAY analysis shows. Life Care Center’s single violation last year accounted for 16 points. It had received no infection control citations in the previous two years. The 2019 inspection report described a resident’s daughter saying her mother’s open heel wound often touched the ground while nurses were working. Inspectors found other basic problems at Life Care, such as kitchen staff not properly washing their hands or changing gloves, federal records state. After the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the Life Care Center said it implemented infection control recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from state and local health departments. The facility also said it is limiting visitors, monitoring residents and employees, and asking staff to stay home if they are sick. “The coronavirus in long-term care facilities is a horrible example of a perfect storm,” said attorney Steven Levin, of Levin & Perconti in Chicago, a practice focused on representing nursing home residents and their families. “In my opinion, the nursing homes that we deal with have extreme difficulty in handling everyday infections, and it’s an infection-rich environment.” About 26.8 percent of nursing homes have received at least as many violation points as Life Care Center in the past three years, USA TODAY’s analysis shows. And thousands of nursing homes — more than 15 percent of them — were cited for individual problems at least as bad as those at Life Care. About 1 percent had problems that were worse.  The worst over the three-year analyzed period was The Westbury Place in Houston, cited for two 8-point violations and two 150-point violations. Among failures cited: Not using sterile equipment for tracheotomy care; not keeping patients in isolation when they had the hard-to-cure infection known as MRSA; and not properly cleaning a catheterized patient for five days. More common were the types of mistakes at Wheat State Manor in Whitewater, Kansas, which accumulated 64 points from federal inspectors. In one inspection, an employee checked a patient for incontinence, cleaned up another patient's incontinence, helped both patients move into chairs and then left — all without washing hands between patients or after the work was done. Regulators said that kind of infection control problem affected many residents, but caused little actual harm.  Wheat State Manor was one of more than 300 nursing homes that racked up four citations for infection control problems over the three years. Six nursing homes had seven violations each: Lakeview Terrace, York Healthcare & Wellness Center, and Country Villa Rehabilitation Center, all in Los Angeles; Champaign Urbana Nursing and Rehab in Savoy, Illinois; Aperion Care Forest Park in Forest Park, Illinois; and The Enclave in San Antonio. All accumulated more points than the Life Care Center. One inspection report for Lakeview Terrace ran 28 pages. Among the problems: A worker who may have been infectious handed out food trays. Workers there weren’t washing their hands before helping someone with a drug-resistant infection, and then didn’t wash their hands before going on to help other patients.

Some states stood out as more problematic. In Washington state, where the nursing home outbreak began, about 85 percent of nursing homes received an infection control citation, USA TODAY’s analysis found. But it California and Michigan both fared worse, with more than 90 percent cited. Guam's one nursing home was cited, as were all six of those in Puerto Rico.  In Rhode Island and North Carolina, though, only about a third of nursing homes were cited for infection control violations. Even among nursing homes that received federal regulators’ highest overall ratings and highest healthcare ratings, 41 percent still had problems with infection control. This is of particular concern because, in a healthcare crisis, nursing homes often become a key escape valve.  “Part of the resource crisis we are facing is ensuring that there is enough good care available in skilled nursing facilities to take some of the load off acute care hospitals in a widespread epidemic,” said Mike Dark, staff attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. He said skilled nursing facilities in the U.S. already take hundreds of thousands of patients a year when they are discharged from acute care hospitals.

‘A societal judgment you have to make’:     Even before the coronavirus appeared, as many as 380,000 people were dying of infections every year in long-term care facilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some studies cited by the CDC have suggested that 1.5 million Americans in long-term care, including nursing homes, may get an infection every other year, sending perhaps 150,000 of them to the hospital. Some of that, advocates say, stems from the way nursing homes are operated. Typically understaffed, nursing homes can be places where making money – or even just making it through a shift – depends on cutting corners. Wendy Meltzer, executive director of Illinois Citizens for Better Care, said good infection control takes time. “If you don't have enough staff to begin with, then the time you take to wash your hands and put on gloves and change gloves and make sure that linens are changed appropriately and take people's temperature and what you need to do," she said, “that all takes away from the day-to-day, minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour pressures.” Often when people think about nursing homes, they focus on doctors and nurses, said Greg Kelley, president of SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana Missouri & Kansas, a union that represents more than 91,000 healthcare, child care, home care and nursing home workers. But Kelley said nursing homes rely on housekeepers, dietary workers and others to keep their facilities operating. Those workers, on the front lines of infection control, may make poverty-level wages and not receive enough sick days or paid time off. And there is no one to replace them. That means sick employees often show back up to work. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plan for addressing nursing home infections said the flu can spread easily among residents who live near each other and frequently see healthcare workers. But healthcare workers themselves, the plan said, contribute to the problem, with many not getting the annual flu shot. Residents also often routinely suffer from illnesses like pneumonia that threaten their lives, and those of other residents. Few nursing homes have full-time infection-control specialists. One study found less than 10 percent of infection prevention specialists in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities had specific training, such as a certification, in infection control procedures. In acute care environments like hospitals, 95 percent had that training. Gifford, of the American Health Care Association, said nursing homes are required to have infection control and emergency preparedness plans that include how to deal with an outbreak or pandemic. “I think that even with all the planning that you do, things come up that are really hard and complicated that need to be addressed to sort of a broader community,” Gifford said, “and I think that’s what we’re seeing up in Washington.” In Washington, he said many workers were exposed to the virus and could not come to work. Initially, part of the plan was to backfill with nurses from other facilities. But the facility learned that the state doesn’t allow nurses to move quickly and easily across state lines. When they tried to mobilize federal workers, Gifford said, that led to various challenges, including with pay.  Other problems emerged, too. Test results weren’t readily accessible, he said, and the facility quickly ran out of some key supplies, like masks. When it located supplies, he said, some suppliers were afraid to deliver them. Meltzer said there are simple-sounding ways to prevent the coronavirus from spreading at nursing homes: Take visitors' and employees' temperatures as they come into the buildings, require every facility to have someone working in infection control, and mandate that assisted living facilities and other places follow the federal governments' regulations for nursing homes. All of that requires more staffing, which means more money. While those solutions may sound simple, they can be costly. "Ninety percent of nursing homes in the country would be screaming about how they couldn't afford to do this," Meltzer said. "And that's just a societal judgment you have to make, about who's worth what. ... For the most part, residents really don't come out well on this."

^ The current state of nursing homes across the country is only being highlighted but Convid-19. My Grandmother lives in a nursing home in New York (I offered to let her come live with me here, but she didn’t want to be away from the town she has lived all of her life in) and I make a point to see how she is doing and being treated when I am there in person  - and I check on her by phone when I can’t be there in person. Whether there is a pandemic or not we should not allow our elderly citizens to be treated in such a poor way. They have done so much for us and our country and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/03/06/coronavirus-spread-nursing-home-infections-can-go-beyond-their-walls/4964397002/

Pre-Brexit Cost

From the DW:

“Brexit planing cost Britain 4.4 billion pounds”

The British government has spent about 70% of the funds allocated to cover the cost of Brexit preparations. The money mostly went to cover staff costs, new infrastructure and gathering external expertise. Preparations for the United Kingdom's exit of the European Union cost British taxpayers 4.4 billion pounds (€5.1 billion, $5.7 billion), according to the UK's National Audit Office (NAO). In the first detailed estimate of the cost of the Brexit, the NAO on Friday estimated that the British government spent about 70% of the 6.3 billion pounds allocated to cover the cost of preparations between the June 2016 referendum and March 31 of this year. The allocated money accounts for the possibility of the UK and EU not reaching a trade deal before the end of a transition period that expires at the end of 2020. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, warned of "serious divergences" in expectations between the EU and the UK as the first round of post-Brexit trade talks wrapped up on Thursday. "To be completely frank with you ... there are many divergences, and they are very serious divergences, which is probably quite natural," Barnier said. The NAO said most of the money was spent on staff costs (1.9 billion pounds), building new infrastructure (1.5 billion pounds) and paying for external advice (288 million pounds). Some 22,000 government officials were working on Brexit at the peak when the UK was close to leaving the EU without a withdrawal deal in October 2019. More than half of the money was spent by the Environment Agency, the Department of Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Office. "This report provides, for the first time, a clear picture of how much government has spent and what that money has been spent on," said NAO head Gareth Davies. He added that the report "highlighted limitations in how government monitored spending on EU exit specifically, and cross-government programs more generally." The NAO said their estimate only focused on the cost of government preparations, not on future expenses such as the 39 billion pound divorce agreement agreed with the EU. A member for more than half a century, the UK became the first country to leave the bloc on January 31. The UK is currently in a transition phase until the end of 2020 in which EU rules still apply as London and Brussels try to hash out a trade deal.

^ Brexit has cost the UK a lot (money and other things) and yet they aren’t close to being done counting the total cost. This current amount is just the Brexit planning and doesn’t include what will happen in a no-deal Brexit or Brexit with a deal. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/brexit-planing-cost-britain-44-billion-pounds/a-52657681

Deporting A Nazi

From the AP:

“Ex-Nazi living in U.S. for decades to be deported”

The U.S. government said Thursday that it is deporting a 94-year-old German ex-Nazi who has been in the United States for decades. An immigration judge ordered Friedrich Karl Berger's deportation on Feb. 28 after a two-day trial in Memphis, authorities said. It's unclear when he will be removed. Berger, who's been living in Tennessee, has 30 days to appeal the ruling. The government says Berger was an armed guard at a concentration camp near Meppen, Germany, in 1945. The immigration judge found that the prisoners Berger guarded were held in atrocious conditions and were exploited for forced labor. Berger also was accused of guarding prisoners during a forced evacuation to a main camp that took two weeks and left 70 prisoners dead as they traveled in inhumane conditions, according to two government news releases. Berger acknowledged that he never requested a transfer from the concentration camp guard service and that he still gets a pension from Germany. He has been living in the U.S. since 1959. The U.S. Department of Justice's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions unit launched an investigation into Berger in 2017. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center also investigated. In August 2018, American authorities deported a 95-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard who had lived quietly in New York City for decades. The man died in Germany about five months later.

^ For anyone who says "Why do I need to care about the Holocaust and World War 2 since this year is the 75th Anniversary of both ending." There are literally Nazis everywhere still. Luckily the "Worst Generation" of Germans is dying out every day and soon they will only be looking up at us (of course that also sadly means the "Greatest Generation" of Americans, Brits, Canadians, etc. are also dying every day, but soon they will be looking down on us.) ^

https://news.yahoo.com/ex-nazi-living-u-decades-235842380.html