Dogs Are Family

 

300 Sign Languages

There are 300 different Sign Languages used around the World.

Each Sign Language is unique and not understood by Users of other Sign Languages or even by Users of the Spoken Language.

To illustrate, in terms of syntax, American Sign Language shares more in common with Spoken Japanese than with Spoken English.

A Person who knows American Sign Language doesn’t automatically know and understand Spoken English the same way a Person who knows Spoken English doesn’t automatically know and understand American Sign Language.

They are separate Languages and need to be learned separately.

A Person who knows American Sign Language doesn’t automatically know and understand British Sign Language the same way a Person who knows British Sign Language doesn’t automatically know and understand American Sign Language.

They are separate Languages and need to be learned separately.

Around 1 Million People know American Sign Language in the United States as either their Sole Language or as their Second Language (out of a Population of 330 Million People.)

70 Million People Worldwide know any sort of Sign Language as either their Sole Language or as their Second Language (out of a Population of 8 Billion People.)

430 Million People Worldwide are either Deaf or Hard-Or-Hearing. Most do now use an organized Sign Language, but use their own Homemade or Pidgin Sign Language that only they, their Family and Friends understand.

Mr And Mrs

If I met an Adult when I was a Child and called them Mr. or Mrs........ then I will continue to call them Mr. and Mrs....... even though I've been an Adult myself for many years.

War Reality

 

This is what every Ukrainian Man, Woman and Child has had to deal with for 4 1/2 years of Russia's War.

Sign Languages

Today is International Day of Sign Languages.

There are around 466 Million Deaf People around the World (even more are Hard-Of-Hearing.)

 1 in 20 Americans or 1,000,000 people are Deaf (10,000,000 are Hard-Of-Hearing.)

Collectively, these People use over 300 different Sign Languages.

A lot of people do not realize that Sign Languages are natural fully-fledged Languages.

While they may be different structurally to the Spoken Language, they should be given just as much credit and importance.

There is also an International Sign Language. This is used by Deaf People when they are socializing and traveling, as well as when they are in international meetings.

It is a pidgin type of Sign Language, which is not as complicated as Natural Sign Languages.

It should also be noted that Someone who knows American Sign Language does not automatically know Spoken American English and vice versa.

Or Someone who knows American Sing Language cannot automatically understand Someone who uses British Sign Language and vice versa.

Sign Languages Day

 

Cold But Hot

 

40: Alf

 

Sign On

 

2026 Holidays

 

Fall

 

Fall Twice

 

Tail Wagging

 

79: Stephen King

 

Good Exists

 

Denmark In WW2

Denmark During World War 2

(Picture: During the German Occupation, Danish King Christian X became a strong symbol of national independence. This picture was taken on the King's Birthday in 1940.)

From September 1, 1939 until April 9, 1940 Denmark was Neutral during World War 2.

That changed when on April 9, 1940 Nazi Germany invaded Denmark.

The Invasion was called Operation Weserübung (German: Unternehmen Weserübung or in English: Operation Weser Exercise.)

Nazi Germany wanted to occupy Norway to prevent the British from occupying it and they had to go through Denmark to get to Norway.

After less than 6 hours of fighting in which 39 Danish Soldiers died the Danish Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning surrendered Denmark to the Germans.

The German Occupation (Danish: Besættelsen) of Denmark began.

Unlike his Brother King Haakon VII of Norway, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, King George II of Greece, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, King Peter II of Yugoslavia and President Władysław Raczkiewicz of Poland, all of whom went into Exile during the Nazi Occupation of their Countries King Christian X remained in Denmark and on the Throne during the German Occupation of Denmark.

The Germans considered the Danes “Aryans” like themselves and so gave the Danes more control over Domestic Policies then they did anywhere else they Occupied.

Denmark Collaborated with the Nazis from April 9, 1940 until August 23, 1943 under a Policy known as Cooperation (Danish: samarbejdspolitikken.)

Thorvald Stauning remained the Danish Prime Minister from April 9, 1940 until his death on May 3, 1942.

Vilhelm Buhl then became the Danish Prime Minister from May 4, 1942 until November 2, 1942.

Erik Scavenius was the Danish Prime Minister from November 9, 1942 until August 29, 1943.

The Danish Parliament, Courts, Police and Civil Administration continued to operate, but under German Orders.

Danish Resistance Groups from April 1940 until August 1943 were mostly Non-Violent towards the German Occupation Forces focusing on spying and printing Illegal newspapers.

After the German Occupation of Denmark the British Occupied the Danish Faroe Islands (on April 13, 1940 until May 1945.)

The British and Canadians Occupied Danish Iceland (on May 10, 1940) and the Americans Occupied Iceland in July 1941until May 1945.

Iceland became a Republic in 1944 and left the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Americans Occupied Danish Greenland from December 11, 1941 until May 1945.

2,000 Danes joined the Volunteers of Free Corps Denmark (Danish: Frikorps Danmark, German: Freikorps „Danmark“) part of the Waffen-SS.

39,000 Danes joined The National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark (Danish: Danmarks Nationalsocialistiske Arbejderparti; DNSAP) the Danish Equivalent to the German Nazi Party.

The Danish Government refused to discriminate against its Jewish Citizens (there were 8,000 Jews in Denmark at the time) from April 1940 until August 1943.

On June 21, 1941 (when Nazi Germany invaded its Former Ally the Soviet Union) Denmark arrested 246 Danish Communists including 3 Members of the Danish Parliament.

On August 22, 1941 the Danish Parliament created the “Communist Law” (Danish: Kommunistloven) and banned the Communist Party.

In October 1942, Hitler transmitted a long, flattering Birthday Telegram to King Christian.

The King replied with a simple "Spreche Meinen besten Dank aus. Chr. Rex" ("Giving my best thanks. King Christian") sending the Führer into a state of rage at this deliberate slight, and seriously damaging Danish Relations with Germany. Hitler immediately recalled his Ambassador and expelled the Danish Ambassador from Germany.

It was known as the Telegram Crisis (Danish: Telegramkrisen or German: Telegrammkrise.)

After the German Defeat at Stalingrad in the USSR in February 1943 Danish Resistance against the Germans began to pick-up.

In March 1943 the Germans allowed the Danes to hold a General Election where Voter Turnout was 89.5% (the highest of any Parliamentary Election) with 94% of the Votes for Democratic Parties (2.1% Voted for the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark.)

After the Election growing Civil Disobedience and Strikes were held throughout Denmark.

The German Occupation Forces declared Martial Law in Denmark on August 29, 1943.

The Danish Parliament and the Danish Prime Minister were forbidden to meet.

The Germans now controlled every aspect of life throughout Occupied Denmark.

Danish Resistance went from being Non-Violent to Violent against the German Occupation Forces from August 1943 until May 1945.

In September 1943 German Diplomat Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz who worked at the German Embassy in Copenhagen learned that the Gestapo were going to arrest and deport all 8,000 Jews in Denmark on October 1, 1943.

He flew to Stockholm, Sweden (which was Neutral during World War 2) and received permission from the Swedish Prime Minister Per Albin Hansson to allow the Danish Jews entry into Sweden.

On September 28, 1943 Duckwitz informed the Head of the Jewish Community in Denmark, C. B. Henriques, and the Acting Chief Rabbi, Marcus Melchior, about the planned Deportation.

On September 29, 1943 (the day before Rosh Hashannah or Jewish New Year’s) the Church of Denmark (Danish: Folkekirken) issued a Pastoral Letter to all Danish Citizens to help the Jews of Denmark get to safety.

On October 2, 1943 the Swedish Government announced in an Official Statement that Sweden was prepared to accept all Danish Jews (after the Danish Physicist Niels Bohr, whose Mother was Jewish, had fled to Sweden and begged Swedish King Gustaf V to allow the Danish Jews into Seeden.)

7,500 of the Danish Jews went into hiding with the help of the Danish Resistance and Ordinary Danish Citizens.

They were then smuggled on boats over the Øresund Strait from Zealand, Denmark to Sweden (which took around an hour.)

The Danish Fishermen charged on average 1,000 Danish Kroner per Person for the transport, but some charged up to 50,000 Kroner.

The Average Monthly Salary at the time was 500 Danish Korner.

The Danish Resistance paid for half the expense (10 Million Danish Kroner) and the Jews themselves paid the other half (10 Million Danish Kroner.)

Of the 500 Danish Jews who didn’t leave Denmark 464 were arrested by the Germans.

They were sent to the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp in German-Occupied Czechoslovakia (Present Day: the Czech Republic.)

The Danish Red Cross tried to keep track of the Danish Jews in Theresienstadt and even convinced the Germans not to deport them to the Death Camps in German-Occupied Poland.

Of the 464 Danish Jews arrested, 51 died in Theresienstadt.

In April 1945, Folke Bernadotte of the Swedish Red Cross used a Policy called “White Buses” to move 15,000 (8,000 Danish and Norwegian Jews and 7,000 French, Polish, Czech, British and American Jews) from German Concentration Camps (including Theresienstadt) to Sweden.

On September 14, 1944 the Germans arrested 1,960 Danish Policemen for refusing to help the Germans.

8,040 Danish Policemen were able to evade being arrested due to being warned beforehand.

 The 1,960 Policemen who were arrested were deported to the Neuengamme Concentration Camp in Germany then moved to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany then sent to a Prisoner-Of-War Camp in Mühlberg, German.

131 of these Policemen died during the War.

The British liberated Denmark on May 5,1945.

The easternmost Danish Island of Bornholm was liberated by the Soviets who remained there until April 5, 1946.

380 Danish Resistance Members were killed during the War.

900 Non-Jewish Danish Civilians were killed during the War.

6,000 Non-Jewish Danish Civilians were sent to German Concentration Camps during the War (of whom 600 died.)

Vilhelm Buhl was made the Prime Minister of Denmark again from May 5, 1945 until November 7, 1945.

40,000 Danes were tried for Collaborating with the Germans after the War.

Only 13,500 of those 40,000 where punished in any way after a Trial.

Over 200,000 German Prisoners-Of-War were made to demine the areas of Denmark that the Germans had mined during the War.

Half of them died from the mines.

By the time Nazi Germany was defeated in May 1945 there were 250,000 German Refugees living in Denmark – having fled the Soviets in East Prussia.

The first of these 250,000 Refugees returned to Post-War Allied (British, French, American and Soviet) Occupied Germany in November 1946.

50,000 Danish Women had Sexual Romances with the Germans during the War.

They were called “tyskerpiger” or “Pro-German Girls.”

At least 5,579 “War Babies” (with a German Father and a Danish Mother) were born from 1940-1945.

These “War Babies” were discriminated against by Danish Society after 1945.

On March 21, 1971 Israel’s Yad Vashem made Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz “Righteous Among The Nations.”

On March 21, 1979 Israel’s Yad Vashem made all the Members of the Danish Resistance “Righteous Among the Nations” for their work in saving the 7,500 Jews from Denmark during the War.

Old Tactics

Putin is using Old Soviet Election Tactics.

Only the Candidates he approved of are allowed on the Ballot and every Russian Adult and Ukrainian Adult in Russian-Occupied Ukraine has to Vote or they can be sent to a Forced Labor Penal Colony for 2 years.

Russia Votes

 

The Russian Parliamentary Elections are currently going on in Russian-Occupied Ukraine and in Russia itself.

This is the first Elections since Russia started its Full-Scale War in Ukraine in February 2022.

Putin and his Minions are using Soviet Tactics for this Election.

Every Russian Adult has to vote.

They get a Stamp in their Internal Passport stating that they voted.

If you don’t have the Stamp you can lose your Government Benefits, lose your Job and even be sent to a Forced Labor Penal Colony for 2 years.

The only Candidates allowed on the Ballot are Putin’s Allies.

Every Ukrainian Adult in Russian-Occupied Ukraine also has to vote.

Russia forced all the People in Russian-Occupied Ukraine to get a Russian Internal Passport or not be allowed to get Food Rations, Medical Help, go to School or University or Work.

You could also be sent to a Reeducation Camp in Russia where you are tortured and even killed.

Russian Soldiers, pointing guns, are at every Polling Station.

Nothing say a “Free Election” like being forced to Vote or having Soldiers pointing guns at you as you vote.

12 Minutes

 

Moscow Burns

 

(Moscow on fire today.)

Moscow, Russia is on fire today after Ukraine attacked the Russian Capital last night in the largest Air Raid on the City.

It also happened on the 3^rd day of Russia’s Parliamentary Elections (the first Elections since Russia’s War in Ukraine started in February 2022.)

While Ukraine targeted legitimate Military Targets (the  Gazprom-MNPZ Oil Refinery which produces 11 Million tons of Oil a year) the Russians continue to target Civilians in Ukraine (using Drones to “stalk” Teenagers and the Elderly before they are blown up and killed – the videos are then uploaded on Russian Websites.)

Dog Plans

 

15: Don't Ask Don't Tell

 

15 years ago today (September 20, 2011) the US Military officially ended its “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Policy making it legal for Homosexuals to openly serve in the US Military.

“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” was created in 1993.

Before “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Homosexuals were not allowed to openly serve in the US Military and it was even a Crime across the United States to be Gay or Lesbian.

From 1776 until 1921 there were no official Laws within the US Military making it illegal for Homosexuals to serve, but any Homosexual who was found serving was immediately Discharged.

The First Known Homosexual Discharged from the US Military was Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin, a German fighting with George Washington at Valley Forge, who was “drummed out” of the Continental Army on March 11, 1778 following his Conviction at his Court-Martial of Sodomy.

On February 4, 1921 the US Military the US Articles of War of the United States  of 1916 was amended to include Article 93 that made Sodomy or the Attempt to Commit Sodomy illegal.

It was the first time Homosexuality was made officially illegal in the US Military.

From 1921-1947 all the Branches of the US Military had their own, independent polices of what to do with a Homosexual serving within the Armed Forces.

For the most part when a Soldier, Sailor or Airman/woman was suspected or found to be Homosexual they could either deny the charge and be Court-Martialed (and 99.9% found to be guilty of Sodomy) or say they were Homosexual.

They then received a “Blue Discharge” which was a Discharge Without Honor, Neither Honorable Nor Dishonorable.

People discharged with a “Blue Discharge” were not eligible for the GI Bill Benefits or VA Benefits and were excluded from serving in the US Federal Government, as Teachers and in many other Civilian Occupations.

“Blue Discharges” were ended in 1947 and were changed to either a "General Discharge" or an "Undesirable Discharge.”

A General Discharge was considered to be under Honorable Conditions though distinct from an "Honorable Discharge".

An Undesirable Discharge was under conditions other than Honorable, yet distinct from a "Dishonorable Discharge."

In 1942, Military Psychiatrists warn that "Psychopathic Personality Disorders" make Homosexual Individuals unfit to fight.”

In October 1949 the Department of Defense created a uniformed Anti-Homosexuality Policy within the US Military.

The DoD stated “Homosexual Personnel, irrespective of Sex, should not be permitted to serve in any Branch of the Armed Forces in any capacity, and prompt separation of known Homosexuals from the Armed Forces is mandatory."

On May 6, 1950 President Truman created the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which became effective on May 31, 1951.

 It established a single Justice System for the Armed Forces.

Its Article 125 forbade Sodomy among all Military Personnel, defining an Offender as "any person subject to this chapter who engages in unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite Sex or with an animal is guilty of Sodomy. Penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the offence."

On April 27, 1950 President Dwight D Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450 which prohibited Federal Employees (including those in the US Military) from being Members of a Group or Organization considered subversive.

The Order lists "Sexual Perversion" (ie Homosexuality) as a security risk constituting grounds for termination or denial of Employment.

In 1957 the US Navy conducted the first Study of Homosexuals in the Navy.

The Crittenden Report found that “Homosexual People were no more likely to be a Security risk than Heterosexual People”, but nevertheless recommended that Homosexuals be excluded from Service because "Homosexuality is wrong, it is evil, and it is to be branded as such."

In September 1975 Technical Sergeant Leonard Phillip Matlovich became the first Openly Gay Active Duty Service Member when he appeared on “Time” Magazine’s Cover.

Matlovich, who served 3 Tours in Vietnam and was seriously wounded by a Landmine, was immediately Discharged from the US Air Force for being Gay.

On January 16, 1981 The Department of Defense issued Directive 1332.14, stating that "Homosexuality is incompatible with Military Service" and that any Service Member who has "engaged in, has attempted to engage in, or has solicited another to engage in a Homosexual act" will face Mandatory Discharge.

The Directive was reissued with updates in 1982, 1993 and 2008.

In December 1988 a Report commissioned by the Department of Defense, the Defense Personnel Security Research and Education Center supported the conclusions of the 1957 Crittenden Report that Homosexuals pose no significant security risk.

US Military Leaders and Politicians challenged its findings.

On June 12, 1992 The Government Accounting Office (GAO) released a Report estimating that the cost associated for replacing Service Men and Women Discharged for Homosexuality was $28,266 for each Enlisted Member and $120,772 for each Officer. The GAO notes that the estimates do not include investigation, out-processing and Court costs.

On November 30, 1993 President Bill Clinton signed the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy.”

The Policy defined Homosexuality as "an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of Military capability."

The Act (The Don’t Tell part of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell) prohibited any Non-Heterosexual Person from disclosing their Sexual Orientation or from speaking about any Same-Sex Relationships, including Marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

The Act (The Don’t Ask part of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell) specified that Superiors should not initiate an investigation of a Service Member's Orientation without witnessing disallowed behaviors.

The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Act specified that Service Members who disclosed that they are Homosexual or engaged in Homosexual conduct should be separated (Discharged) except when a Service Member's conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding or terminating Military Service" or when it "would not be in the best interest of the Armed Forces."

On November 30, 2010 The Department of Defense released a Report concluding that the Repeal of the Ban on Gays in the Armed Forces would “have a minimal negative impact on the Military's effectiveness.”

December 22, 2010 President Barack Obama signed the Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell “into Law.

September 20, 2011 “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” officially ended and Homosexuals could now legally and openly serve in the US Military.

June 26, 2013 The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a portion of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which restricted Federal Employees in Same Sex Marriages — including Military Families —  from receiving Federal Benefits.

In September 2021, on the 10th Anniversary of the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Repeal, President Joe Biden announced that the Veterans Administration would start providing Benefits for Service Members who received Other-Than-Honorable Discharges (before DADT was enacted and while it was in effect) because of their Sexual Orientation.

From 1940-2011 over 100,000 Homosexuals were kicked-out of the US Military (including 14,000 during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Era from 1993 to 2011.)

Homosexuals were forbidden to be Drafted (the United States had the Military Draft from 1862-1865 during the American Civil War, 1917-1918 during World War 1, 1940-1946 right before and during World War 2, 1948-1973 right before the Korean War, during the Korean War and during the Vietnam War.)

Same-Sex Marriage became legal nationwide in the US in 2015 (except for some Indian Reservations and the US Territory of American Samoa.)

There is currently a new Lavender Scare causing Unnecessary Mass Moral Panic across the United States (the same way it did in the 1940s-1970s.)

13 US States have Constitutional Bans on Same-Sex Marriage that would go back into effect if the US Supreme Court ever decides that Gay Marriage is Illegal.

30 US States have State Statues that Ban Same-Sex Marriage that would go back into effect if the US Supreme Court ever decides that Gay Marriage is Illegal.

43 US States have Anti-Homosexual Rights Restrictions currently in their State Laws or are trying to pass the Laws.

The US Federal Government is also looking into doing away with Gay Marriage and many other Federal Homosexual Protections.

Politicians and Groups of People across the United States are trying to cause panic and fear against Homosexuals so attention is deflected from the real issues and so People have a Scapegoat to blame all their problems on.

Yom Kippur

 

Sunday

 

Lunch

 

$2.68 Billion

 

The United States has approved a potential $2.68 Billion Dollar Military Package for Ukraine.

The deal includes Counter-Drone Systems, Air-Defense Upgrades and S-300 “Clone” Missiles, aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s Defenses against Russian Drones and Cruise Missiles.

Scenery

 

99: Rosemary Harris

 

Basic Needs

 

Maltese Siege

The Siege of Malta

(A heavily bomb-damaged Kingsway Street in Valletta, Malta. Service personnel and civilians are present clearing up the debris.)

Malta was a British Crown Colony from 1813 until 1964.

Malta is a group of Islands (the Islands of Malta, Comino and Gozo) that are 57 miles from Sicily and 309 miles from Tunisia in the Mediterranean Sea.

On September 3, 1939 Malta automatically declared War on Nazi Germany when the United Kingdom declared War.

In 1939 Malta had a Population of 270,000 People.

Malta was the only Allied Military Base between Gibraltar and Alexandria, Egypt (after the Fall of France in June 1940.)

Malta was an Important Radar Base for the British and the Americans during the War as it could cover all of Italy, all of French Vichy Africa and all of German-Occupied Balkans.

On June 10, 1940 Italy declared War on Malta (technically on the United Kingdom.)

That meant that from June 1940 Malta was sandwiched between Fascist Italy (57 miles away) and French Vichy Tunisia (309 miles away) both Collaborating with and supported by Nazi Germany.

On June 11, 1940 the first Air Raids started on Malta.

For the next 2 years, 5 months, 1 week and 2 days (until November 20, 1942 Malta was the most heavily bombed Territory of World War 2 with regard to size.

The Italians and the Germans regularly bombed Malta over that time period as well as any Allied Ships trying to bring fuel, military supplies and food to the Island.

The goal of the Axis Powers was to starve Malta into surrendering to them.

On April 15, 1942 British King George VI awarded the George Cross to the People of Malta for their Bravery under Attack.

The Malta Convoys were Allied Ships from the United Kingdom and, after December 1941, the United States to bring Military Equipment, Medical Supplies, Fuel and Food to Malta through the dangerous Axis-Controlled Mediterranean.

The Largest Malta Convoy was called Operation Pedestal in August 1942 in which the British and Americans used 4 Aircraft Carriers, 2 Battleships, 7 Light Cruisers, 32 Destroyers, 4 Corvettes, 4 Minesweepers, 11 Submarines, 7 Motor Launches, 14 Merchant Ships, 2 Fleet Oilers, 74 Fighter’s and 28 Torpedo Bombers to bring Essential Supplies and Military Equipment including Oil to the Island.

The Germans and Italians destroyed or sunk: 1 Aircraft Carrier sunk, 2 Light Cruisers sunk,1 Destroyer sunk,9 Merchant Ships sunk ,1 Aircraft Carrier damaged, 2 Light Cruisers damaged, 3 Merchant Ships damaged, 34 Aircraft destroyed and 550 Allied Soldiers and Airmen killed.

Despite the heavy loses Operation Pedestal was a Strategic Victory for the Allies as 29,000 tons of General Cargo, together with Gas, Oil, Kerosene and Diesel Fuel was delivered (and unloaded by Maltese Civilians during a German Air Raid) was enough to give Malta ten weeks' supply of Food and Military Equipment.

If Operation Pedestal had failed Malta would have had to surrender to the Germans and the Italians

There were a total of 3,343 Italian and German Air Raids on Malta during World War 2.

The Maltese spent a total of 2,357 hours (equivalent to 98 days) in Air Raid Shelters.

The Axis dropped 15,000 tons of Bombs on Malta.

The Germans and Italians created Operation Herkules (German: Unternehmen Herkules; Italian: Operazione C3) to invade and occupy Malta.

1,581 Maltese Civilians were killed.

3,780 Maltese Civilians were wounded.

50,000 Maltese Civilians were made homeless.

7,500 Allied (British, Maltese, South African, Canadian, Australian and New Zealander) Soldiers were killed defending Malta.

111 Churches and 50 Hospitals were destroyed.

The Siege of Malta was only lifted after the Germans lost the November 1942 the Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt and the Allies (Americans and British) landed Forces in Vichy French Morocco and Vichy French Algeria in Operation Torch also in November 1942.

In 1943 the Americans and British planned the Invasion of Sicily from Malta.

Note 1: The George Cross, awarded by the British King George VI in 1942 remained on the Maltese Flag even when it became an Independent Country in 1964 (with Elizabeth II being the Queen of Malta from 1964-1974) and when Malta became a Republic in 1974.

Note 2: I learned all about Malta and its Role in World War 2 when I was researching to give a presentation to my Middle School Class in Darmstadt, Germany when I was 14 years old. We were deciding where to go for Spring Break and everyone liked my presentation and voted to go to Malta so we did.

Great Fall

 

79: Air Force

 

Happy 79^th Birthday United States Air Force.

Today (September 18, 1947) the USAF was created.

The USAF has:

321,848 Active Duty Personnel

105,104 Air National Guard Personnel

68,927 Air Force Reserve Personnel

147,879 Civilian Personnel

'Ber Months

 

Friday

 

Thinking Dog

 

75: Elvira

 

Docking Dog

 

Russia Losing

 

4 years and 6 months of War in Ukraine with little to no advances since 2024 mean that Russia has not only lost in Ukraine, but is losing at home too.

Beginning in January 2026 Russia switched from having 2 Annual Military Draft Call-Ups (one in the Spring and one in the Fall) to a Year-Round Military Draft Call-Up.

Russia currently Drafts 40,000 new Soldiers (aged 18-30 years old) every Month so in 1 year that means Russia Drafts 480,000 new Soldiers.

With 26,000 Russian Soldiers killed or wounded in Ukraine every single day that means in 1 year Russia loses 780,000 Soldiers – which is more than they replace with Drafted Soldiers in a year and more than they have in their Regular Military.

Those are only the new Conscripts and doesn’t include Former Conscripts 31-72 years old who are now forced to fight and die in Ukraine.

Russia will literally run out of Men to send to die in Ukraine soon and will be plagued with an imbalance between Women and Men for Decades to come.

Since September 2022 Russia has sent both Volunteers and Conscripted Soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

Putin has forced Boys as young as 16 and Men as old as 72 to fight inside Ukraine after 20 days of Military Training.

Not only that, but Russia is bombed and burning.

An Average of 1,000 Drones regularly strike Russian Cities (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar, Yaroslavl, Perm, etc.) destroying Factories, Oil Processing Plants, etc.

Russia has been bombed 41,000 times since February 2022.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has said that soon Ukraine will attack Russia with at least 1,000 Drones every single day.

56 of Russia’s 83 Regions have imposed Gas Rationing with People in Moscow being forced to wait in lines of 12-36 hours just to get the allowed 7 Gallons of Gas with a Gallow of Gas now costing $17 US Dollars.

Russia has lost $13 Billion US Dollars Revenue from its Gas and Oil in 2026 alone and has to import Gas from India.

The United States imports 86% of its Diesel from Canada (not Russia) so the high Diesel prices are caused by the Trade War between the US and Canada and not Russia’s War in Ukraine.

It costs Russia $40,000 US Dollars to kill a Ukrainian Soldier or Civilian with 1 of its Drones.

It costs Ukraine $848 US Dollars to kill a Russian Soldier with 1 of its Drones.

Today, Putin’s Government has created Potemkin Businesses where there are no empty shelves, but the Average Russian can’t afford even the Basics (because everything is imported from China, India, and Central Asia.)

The Average Russian only makes ₽83,500 ($1,000 US Dollars) a month after Taxes.

(₽104,000 or $1,412 US Dollars before Taxes.)

Rent for a 1 Bedroom Apartment in the City Center costs $624 US Dollars a month.

Buying Groceries for 1 Person costs on average $407 US Dollars a month.

That means that the Average Russia earning the Average Monthly Wage will owe $31 US Dollars after Paying their Rent and Buying their Groceries every month and that doesn’t include things like the cost of Internet, Cell Phones, Public Transportation, Medicines, Cars, Gas, etc.

Russia stopped being a Super Power years ago even though they try and act like they are still one.

They threatened to wipe Warsaw, Poland off the map in 2 to 3 days, but they couldn’t even take Kyiv, Ukraine in 3 days like they said they would.

Russia's War in Ukraine has surpassed Nazi Germany's War in the Soviet Union.

The Eastern Front of the Second World 2 was from June 22, 1941 until May 9, 1945 (or 1,419 days.)

Russia's War in Ukraine has been going on since February 22, 2022 (or 1,667 days and counting.)

The Nazi Germans occupied 700,000 Square Miles of Soviet Territory at the height of the Eastern Front.

The Russians only occupy 44,600 Square Miles of Ukrainian Territory.

Putin’s Russia is currently at the point that Hitler’s Germany was in April 1945.

Soon Russia will run out of Money and Manpower and will lose their War in Ukraine.

Putin will eventually be out of power and the Ordinary Russians will have to start answering for the Crimes they supported in the same way the Germans did after 1945.

Ukraine will win the War and will continue to enjoy the International Achievements they currently do.

Most Countries, including the United States, are now looking at how effective Ukraine is fighting and using Modern Technology on the Frontline.

Tottsie Pop

 

Picture Of Nothing

I've read Dante's "Inferno" and know that even he thought there was a special place in Hell for the People who tell you to "take a picture and send it to them" when you tell them you never received something and it says it was delivered.

I'll get right to taking a picture of nothing and send it to you.

Shortfall

From the BBC:

“Iran war has led to US munitions shortfalls, Pentagon inspector confirms”

The US defence department's inspector general says the war with Iran has led to "shortfalls" in munitions and a bottleneck in resupply, contradicting President Donald Trump who has repeatly denied the US is facing shortages. Trump has claimed US munitions supplies are "virtually unlimited" and said reporting otherwise is "fake news".

But the independent watchdog said the US spent more than $22 billion on munitions from February through June, leading to "strategic inventory shortfalls". The BBC has contacted the White House for comment about the discrepancy. The new report provides a first-of-its-kind, independent glimpse into US weapons stockpiles, data that is typically classified.

Previous estimates have painted a dire picture of the US shortages. Over the course of the war, US forces have expended vast quantities of both long-range ground attack systems and the air and missile defences used to intercept incoming Iranian attacks. A late July estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, found that stocks of some interceptors - such as the Patriot missile and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD - were significantly depleted, in some cases by more than half.

The inspector general's report did not disclose exactly how many of the weapons remain. It did, however, note the inventory shortfalls and reveal "industrial base bottlenecks" for munitions resupply. The report added that the defence department is now working to "streamline procurement processes and production lead times" to address the shortages and "respond rapidly to a contingency".

Trump and other administration officials have sought to cast reports of shortages as false and "treasonous". In a 4 August X post, for example, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described news reporting on the shortages as "not true". And in a lengthy Truth Social post on 3 September, Trump claimed that the US had "virtually unlimited" amounts of ammunition and is "stockpiling and preparing for any contingency that could happen".

The watchdog's report also notes that equipment losses have totaled $3.7bn, with other $7.4bn in other expenditures. Overall, the US spent $33.4bn (£24.7bn) on the war from 28 Feb to 30 Jun. A separate estimate released on Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office put the total cost of the war at higher at $38bn, which includes replaced expended munitions and equipment lost in battle, increased flying hours and greater fuel costs. Among the losses have been four F-15e fighter jets, a highly advanced F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and 30 MQ-9 drones destroyed in "various circumstances". When US and Israeli strikes began, Trump repeatedly said that the conflict would be over within weeks. More recently, he said the conflict might not end until "right after" the November midterm elections in the US.

Polls show that the war is unpopular among Americans. One Reuters/Ipsos poll released in early September found that only 23% of Americans - and only half of Republicans - believe the US to be in a stronger position with Iran compared with before hostilities broke out.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9gk58xgng0vo

Liviu Librescu

Liviu Librescu

Liviu Librescu was born August 18, 1930 in Ploiești, Kingdom of Romania (Present-Day: Romania.)

His Father, Izidor Librescu, was a Lawyer.

On August 8, 1940 Romania, under Ion Antonescu and his Nazi Iron Guard (Romanian: Garda de Fier), created the “Jewish Statue” that was similar to Nazi Germany’s Nurenberg Laws declaring who was a Jew and what Jews could and could not do.

Liviu’s Father was banned from being a Lawyer.

On November 23, 1940 Romania officially became a Member of the Axis Powers (along with Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Hungary, Finland, the Slovak Republic, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, Croatia and the Empire of Japan.)

In 1941 was deported to a Labor Camp in Transnistria (an area of Romania that the Soviets occupied from September 1939-June 1941 and again from 1945-1991 making it part of the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic) by the Romanian Nazis.

Liviu and his Mother were forced into the Focșani Ghetto and then a Forced Labor Camp.

His Parents and he were lucky to have survived the War as 380,000 Jewish Men, Women and Children were murdered by the Romanians during the Holocaust.

Ion Antonescu was Trialed for his Crimes and executed in 1946.

Liviu was 14 years old when World War 2 ended in May 1945 and Romania was under Soviet Occupation with the Communists governing Romania from 1947 until 1989.)

Liviu studied Aerospace Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, graduating in 1952 and continuing with a Master's Degree at the same University.

He received his Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics in 1969 at the Academia de Științe din România.

From 1953 to 1975, he worked as a Researcher at the Bucharest Institute of Applied Mechanics, and later at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Aerospace Constructions of the Academy of Science of Romania.

He married Marlena and they had two Sons, Joseph and Arieh.

In the late 1970s his career stalled when he refused to swear Allegiance to Nicolae Ceaușescu's Government.

When he requested to Emigrate to Israel the Academy of Science of Romania fired him.

After months on end Communist Government refusal, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin intervened to get the Librescu Family an Emigration Permit by directly asking Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu to let them go.

In 1978 Liviu and his Family moved to Israel.

From 1979 to 1986, Liviu was Professor of Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering at Tel Aviv University and taught at the Technion in Haifa.

In 1985 he went to teach at Virginia Tech in the United States in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics.

On April 16, 2007 South Korean Seung-Hui Cho opened fired at Virginia Tech.

When Cho tried to enter the Classroom where Liviu was teaching Solid Mechanics Liviu held the door of his Classroom shut and yelled to his Students to escape through the windows.

Cho shot Liviu four times through the door.

Cho then entered the Classroom, and seeing only Liviu and one Student (Minal Panchal), got mad and shot and killed both of them.

Liviu Librescu was 76 years old.

Liviu is credited with saving the lives of 22 of the 23 Students in his Class by his actions.

The Massacre took place on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah).

On April 18, 2007, President of the United States George W. Bush honored Liviu at a Memorial Service held at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC.

On April 20, 2007 Liviu was buried at Ra’anana’s Cemetery in Israel.

In his native Romania a candle was lit and flowers laid at the  Polytechnic University of Bucharest.

Liviu was the Author of: 4 Monographs; 21 Chapters in Books; 288 Articles appeared in Peer-Reviewed Journals; 250 Papers included in the proceedings and 190 Lectures at National and International Conferences and Congresses; 40 invited Lectures to various Universities of the USA and in more than 10 Foreign Countries.

The President of Romania, Traian Basescu, Posthumously awarded him the National Order of the Star of Romania for his heroic role in the events at Virginia Tech.

The Street in front of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania was named in his honor.