Communist Money

From the DW:

"GDR's victims continue fight for justice and recognition"

East Germany made about 200,000 people into political prisoners. For the past 25 years, they have had the ability to sue for damages and have their criminal records expunged. Now an important deadline is approaching.  Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Dieter Dombrowski headed to East Berlin from his home in the west. Formerly a citizen of the German Democratic Republic, Dombrowski walked straight to the GDR's Justice Ministry, about 400 meters (1,300 feet) past the Brandenburg Gate. "I went to the doorman and told him that I wanted to file paperwork to have my criminal record erased," Dombrowski, now a legislator for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) in the state of Brandenburg, told DW. "Of course, he just looked at me with a blank face and I left empty-handed." The conviction that Dombrowski sought to have erased was from 1974. At the time, the regional court in the city of Schwerin had sentenced him to four years in prison for "illegal border crossing" and "treasonous connections." Dombrowski had become a political prisoner of the GDR. He spent 20 months locked up, mainly at the Stasi prison in Cottbus. Eventually, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany paid a ransom for his release and he moved to West Berlin.  On November 4, 1992, three years after Dombrowski's original attempt to expunge his record, a law to clear the books of injustices meted out by the GDR's Socialist Unity Party (SED) went into effect in the newly reunified Germany. That law made it possible for Dombrowski and 200,000 other GDR political prisoners to file appeals to have their criminal records wiped clean. In 1994, Dombrowski received a letter from Schwerin admitting that he had been innocent. "Finally I had proof, in black and white, that I had been unjustly accused and convicted," Dombrowski said. "That was a relief, even though I knew I had done nothing wrong all along: I was unjustly convicted. That is why the clearing of that verdict was so important to me." As chairman of Germany's Union of the Associations of the Victims of Communist Tyranny (UOKG), Dombrowski has dedicated himself to fighting for the rights of people who suffered similar fates. About 40,000 survivors of the GDR's security state who make less than €1,035 a month receive a monthly disbursement of €300 ($350) that has become known as the victims' pension. Dombrowski earns too much to receive the payment. He said he could never be compensated for the time he spent in the 40-square-meter (430-square-foot) cell he shared with 27 other prisoners and the harassment he endured from guards, but he said it meant something to have the injustice acknowledged. "Many of those who were politically persecuted were totally limited in their careers," Dombrowski said. "They were cast out of society and never managed to get back on their feet."  People who seek the UOKG's help often find their way to the lawyer Benjamin Baumgart. New victims continue to approach him 28 years after the Wall fell. "Many people don't begin to deal with their past until they retire," Baumgart told DW. "They worked, they raised their children, and at some point the whole thing just goes 'click.' Then everything starts coming back. Many suddenly become psychologically ill." If that illness is a result of time in prison, victims of the GDR's government have the right to sue for damages. "But that is a very tough road," Baumgart said. "They have to sit down in a very tiny room for an assessment and the atmosphere is a lot like an interrogation. The situation can trigger re-traumatization." It can take 10 years before a case is closed. "Some people get really terrified at the prospect of enduring such an ordeal," Baumgart said. "There are a number of ups and downs when it comes to dealing with GDR victims." Dombrowski said he continued to struggle with the psychological effects of his time in prison. For that reason he is calling for the German government to erect a national monument for those who suffered injustice in the GDR. That would allow survivors the feeling that "people recognize me here, even if the injustice can never be erased — this is a place that I can go, and this is a place that recognizes my fate." In addition to such public acknowledgment and social recognition for victims, Dombrowski wants the Bundestag to extend the law regarding compensation for the injustices committed by the SED. If it does not, claims for political persecution under the GDR will not be accepted after the end of 2019.

^ You would think that by now Germany would know (and care) about righting the wrongs of its past and compensating the victims. It has been 72 years since the end of World War 2 and Germany is really just starting to make real amends to the victims of the Holocaust (early attempts were mostly token.) I guess it is because of a new generation in Germany that whose great-grandparents and great-great grandparents (mostly long dead) were the ones who committed the crimes and then helped to cover them up. Sadly, I see the same thing going on with the victims of the East German Communists. It has been 27 years since Germany was reunited and not a lot was or has been done to deal with the crimes of East Germany (again most attempts have only been token.) I don't believe Germany will really attempt to address the crimes they committed during their Communist dictatorship for another 45 years after new generations of Germans come into their own that are more removed from the generation today. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/gdrs-victims-continue-fight-for-justice-and-recognition/a-41231690

Historical Veterans

Warrior Canine Connection

From NBC Washington:
"Service Dog Program Forced to Leave Ft. Belvoir and Walter Reed: Report"

A program that raises and trains dogs to be companions for wounded veterans has been forced out of two military facilities in the D.C. area, according to a report. NBC4 news partner WTOP reports that Warrior Canine Connection trainers and and puppy raisers at Fort Belvoir and at two locations on the campus of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, were told on Oct. 27th to vacate their offices. Warrior Canine Connection Executive Director Rick Yount told WTOP no one has given him any information about why the program was halted at the military sites. “At two o’clock in the afternoon, I received a phone call saying there was a stop work order. There was no explanation whatsoever as to why that was the decision,” Yount told WTOP. On an old dairy farm in Boyds, Maryland, Warrior Canine Connection trains golden retriever puppies to be the next generation of service dogs. The program has touched 4,000 service members and veterans, Yount told News4 in April. "It's something outside themselves, and they'll stretch themselves and do things that they never would because they're focused on the mission,” he said. “It's not about them."

^ It is sad to hear that the organizations and charities that only want to help those that need it - especially disabled veterans - are forced to leave without any warning or explanation. ^

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Service-Dog-Program-Forced-to-Leave-Ft-Belvoir-and-Walter-Reed-Report-456252353.html

Kristallnacht

From the DW:

"Germans reminded to never forget at Kristallnacht events"

Germans are commemorating the 79th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Nazi-inspired nationwide pogrom against Jews. Politicians in Berlin are hoping to rebuild a synagogue on the spot where Germans destroyed it in 1938.  On Thursday, November 9, Germans reflected on Kristallnacht, the 1938 pogrom against Jews that preceded the Holocaust, leaving more than 90 people dead, and reducing residences, synagogues and businesses to piles of ash and broken glass. Politicians across the spectrum and across the country reminded their fellow Germans that Kristallnacht and the events that followed it must never be repeated. From engraved stones nationwide marking homes where Jews lived before they were deported and often killed to the 19,000-square-meter (4.7-acre) Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany makes a clear effort to never forget. However, as a far-right party whose members have been critical of such displays prepares to cast its first votes in the Bundestag, academics and activists are calling on Germans to remain vigilant.  "Commemoration alone is not enough," said Meron Mendel, who directs a Frankfurt center dedicated to Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager murdered by the Nazis. Despite efforts to honor the Holocaust's victims, he said, "anti-Semitism is a consistent problem in Germany." Elsewhere, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke with Holocaust survivors about anti-Semitism and the far-right resurgence. In Munich, where a European Holocaust research center will soon open, Mayor Dieter Reiter was on hand at an event as names of the city's victims of Nazi violence were read aloud.  Raed Saleh, who leads the Social Democrats on Berlin's city-state council, said the capital should reconstruct a synagogue that was established in 1916, nearly destroyed during Kristallnacht and never restored. Most of the original building was finally demolished in the 1950s, but congregants continue to meet for religious services in a wing that remained standing. According to the Jewish Community of Berlin, the space would include a secular preschool and facilities for interfaith events. Saleh is seeking federal, municipal, foundational, and private support for the project, which could take several years and would cost at least €28 million ($32.5 million), according to early estimates. He said restoring the synagogue would be a "sign of the revival of Jewish life in Berlin," but added that he and members of the community would be open to another space within the city.

^ Kristallnacht was an organized and open pogrom against the Jews by the Germans. After November 9, 1938 no one in Germany or around the world could say they didn't know what Hitler and the Nazis thought of the Jews. No one did anything to help the Jews then which allowed the Germans to murder 6 million of them several years later. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/germans-reminded-to-never-forget-at-kristallnacht-events/a-41320616

Polish Rabbits

From the DW:
"Polish government urges citizens to multiply like rabbits"

Poland's health ministry has created a video to promote procreation, encouraging the country's citizens to "take rabbits as an example." Poland has one of the lowest fertility rates in Europe.  The Ministry of Health in Poland has put out a short video producing many offspring and encouraging the country's citizens to do the same. In the 30 second public service announcement, a rabbit "narrator" reveals the secrets of making a big family, which are a healthy diet, exercise and little stress. A romantic couple having a picnic makes a brief appearance. "If you ever want to be a parent, take us rabbits as an example," the narrator says. "I know what I am talking about. Our father has 63 children." Rabbits are often associated with fertility as they are known to produce a lot of offspring  The video was part of a TV and radio campaign financed by Poland's health ministry, who told the Associated Press that it was trying to encourage Polish citizens to live healthy lifestyles in their reproductive years — between the ages of 18 and 45 — to promote reproductive health. According to World Bank statistics, Poland has one of the lowest fertility rates in Europe and the country's population has been slowly decreasing since it peaked in the late 1990s, dipping below 38 million in 2015. Fertility has been a complex issue in Poland as it has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. A proposal to ban abortion entirely sparked a "Black Monday" women's strike in October 2016, and several Women's Day protests broke out earlier this year after over other attempts to tighten abortion laws.

^ You know there's a great Polish joke here. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/polish-government-urges-citizens-to-multiply-like-rabbits/a-41300915

Wreaths Across America

From Wreaths Across America.org
"Wreaths Across America"

          National Wreaths Across America Day
                               December 16, 2017

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as over 1,200 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad.

History (From Wikipedia)

Beginning in 1992, the Morrill Worcester wreath company in Harrington, Maine, had a surplus at the end of the holiday season. Recalling a boyhood trip to the cemetery, Worcester donated to the cemetery 5,000 wreaths to honor the cemetery's dead, with the help of volunteers and a local trucking company. After thirteen years of similar donations, in 2005 a photo of snowy gravestones covered with wreaths at the cemetery received widespread circulation on the Internet. Thousands of people called Worcester, wanting to replicate the wreath-laying service at their own veteran cemeteries.  In 2006, over 150 different locations simultaneously held ceremonies with Arlington's. Additionally, the project had its first “Veterans Honor Parade” with "Patriot Guard Riders" who escorted the wreaths from Maine to the cemetery. The parade, which is held each year, now visits schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities along its route. At the end of 2006, Worcester's company supplied wreaths to over 230 state and national cemeteries and veterans monuments across the country. Assisted by veterans and truckers, Worcester established in 2007 a nonprofit organization named "Wreaths Across America". In December 2008, the United States Senate agreed to a resolution that designated December 13, 2008, as “Wreaths Across America Day”.  In 2014, volunteers placed over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and overseas, including the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, and the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York City. During that year, volunteers were able to place wreaths in all sections of the cemetery for the first time. In 2016, this number increased to 1.2 million wreaths being placed at more than 1,230 cemeteries across the nation.  

^ I donated this year as I have every year since 2014. ^

http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Veterans Crisis Line

From the Veterans Crisis Line. Net:
"Confidential Help For Veterans and Their Families"

The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.                          

About the Veterans Crisis Line:

The caring responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances. Some of the responders are Veterans themselves and understand what Veterans and their families and friends have been through and the challenges Veterans of all ages and service eras face. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered nearly 2.8 million calls and initiated the dispatch of emergency services to callers in crisis nearly 74,000 times. The Veterans Crisis Line anonymous online chat service, added in 2009, has engaged in more than 332,000 chats. In November 2011, the Veterans Crisis Line introduced a text-messaging service to provide another way for Veterans to connect with confidential, round-the-clock support, and since then has responded to more than 67,000 texts. In 2011, the National Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline was renamed the Veterans Crisis Line to encourage Veterans and their families and friends to make the call. People who know a Veteran best may be the first to recognize emotional distress and reach out for support when issues reach a crisis point — and well before a Veteran is at risk of suicide. To make sure all Veterans and their loved ones are aware of the Veterans Crisis Line, VA is coordinating with communities and partners nationwide to let Veterans and their loved ones know that support is available whenever, if ever, they need it.

^ I didn't want to just say there was a problem with veterans getting the help they need and deserve without some resource for people to check out. The link below has a lot more helpful information. ^

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

20 A Day

From Wikipedia:

"United States military veteran suicide"

United States military veteran suicide is an ongoing phenomenon regarding a reportedly high rate of suicide among U.S. military veterans, in comparison to the general public. According to the most recent report published by the VA in 2016, which analyzed 55 million veterans' records from 1979 to 2014, the current analysis indicates that an average of 20 veterans a day die from suicide. 

Background

In 2012, an estimated 6,500 former military personnel died by suicide. More veterans succumbed to suicide than were killed in Iraq: 177 active-duty soldiers died by suicide compared to 176 soldiers killed in combat. In 2012, the study concluded that the Army had the highest number of suicides compared to any other service branch. In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs released a study that covered suicides from 1999 to 2010, which showed that roughly 22 veterans were dying by suicide per day, or one every 65 minutes. Some sources suggest that this rate may be undercounting suicides. A recent analysis found a suicide rate among veterans of about 30 per 100,000 population per year, compared with the civilian rate of 14 per 100,000. However, the comparison was not adjusted for age and sex. The total number of suicides differs by age group; 31% of these suicides were by veterans 49 and younger while 69% were by veterans aged 50 and older. As with suicides in general, suicide of veterans is primarily male, with about 97 percent of the suicides being male in the states that reported gender. In 2015, the Clay Hunt Veterans Suicide Prevention Act passed in the Senate  and was then enacted as Pub.L. 114–2 on February 12, 2015.

Annual number of suicides per 100,000

population. 2000-2010.

	Never served in military	Veterans and active service
Women	5.2	28.7
Men	20.9	32.1

In August 2016, the VA released a new report which consisted of the nation's largest analysis of veteran suicide. The report reviewed more than 55 million veterans' records from 1979 to 2014 from every state in the nation. The previous report from 2012 was primarily limited to data on veterans who used VHA health services or from mortality records obtained directly from 20 states and approximately 3 million records. Compared to the data from the 2012 report, which estimated the number of Veteran deaths by suicide to be 22 per day, the current analysis indicates that in 2014, an average of 20 veterans a day died from suicide.

US Social Policy History of Veteran Suicide Prevention

The first suicide prevention center in the United States was opened in Los Angeles in 1958 with funding from the U.S. Public Health Service. In 1966, the Center for Studies of Suicide Prevention (later the Suicide Research Unit) was established at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Later on, in 1970, the NIMH pushed in Phoenix the discussion about the status of suicide prevention, presented relevant findings about suicide rate and identified the future directions and priorities of the topic. However, it wasn't until mid-1990s when suicide started being the central issue of the political-social agenda of the United States. Survivors from suicide began to mobilize encouraging the development of a national strategy for suicide prevention. Finally, two Congressional Resolutions t—S. Res. 84 and H. Res. 212 of the 105th Congress—recognizing suicide as a national problem and suicide prevention as a national priority As recommended in the U.N. guidelines, these groups set out to establish a public and private partnership that would be responsible for promoting suicide prevention in the United States. This innovative public-private partnership jointly sponsored a national consensus conference on suicide prevention in Reno, Nevada, which developed a list of 81 recommendations

Key Points From Reno, Nevada, Conference

1. Suicide prevention must recognize and affirm the value, dignity, and importance of each person.
2. Suicide is not solely the result of illness or inner conditions. The feelings of hopelessness that contribute to suicide can stem from societal conditions and attitudes. Therefore, everyone concerned with suicide prevention shares a responsibility to help change attitudes and eliminate the conditions of oppression, racism, homophobia, discrimination, and prejudice.
3. Some groups are disproportionately affected by these societal conditions, and some are at greater risk for suicide.
4. Individuals, communities, organizations, and leaders at all levels should collaborate to promote suicide prevention.
5. The success of this strategy ultimately rests with individuals and communities across the United States.

Federal Policy Initiatives

One of the most important laws about Veterans' Suicide Prevention is the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act (JOVSPA) of 2007, supporting the creation of a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. Named for a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom who died by suicide in 2005, the act directed the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a comprehensive suicide prevention program for veterans. Components include staff education, mental health assessments as part of overall health assessments, a suicide prevention coordinator at each VA medical facility, research efforts, 24-hour mental health care, a toll-free crisis line, and outreach to and education for veterans and their families. In the summer of 2009, VA added a one-to-one “chat service” for veterans who prefer to reach out for assistance using the Internet. In 2010, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention was created and, in 2012, the National Strategy was revised. With Obama’s administration suicide prevention strategies for veterans expanded and a goal was formed to make the process of finding and obtaining mental health resources easier for veterans, work to retain and recruit mental health professionals, and make the government programs more accountable for the people they serve.

Federal Budget

The Federal Government is promising to allocate $350 million in the federal budget to help prevent suicide among war veterans. The multimillion-dollar package would be the biggest federal funding injection in decades, and would go towards existing services, suicide prevention programs and better data collection, Minister for Veteran's Affairs Dan Tehan said. The money is to be set aside targeting a raft of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. The money would also target substance abuse and alcoholism.

Causes

A study published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine found that,

Combat veterans are not only more likely to have suicidal ideation, often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, but they are more likely to act on a suicidal plan. Especially since veterans may be less likely to seek help from a mental health professional, non-mental-health physicians are in a key position to screen for PTSD, depression, and suicidal ideation in these patients.

The same study also found that in veterans with PTSD related to combat experience, combat-related guilt may be a significant predictor of suicidal ideation and attempts. Craig Bryan of the University of Utah National Center for Veterans Studies said that veterans have the same risk factors for suicide as the general population, including feelings of depression, hopelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder, a history of trauma, and access to firearms.

^ On average 20 military veterans commit suicide every day. Most do so because they don't receive the care that the Federal Government or the US Military promised them they would. There's an unofficial policy of "use them and then loose them" that has been around for decades. Most soldiers nowadays do several tours in different combat zones because less than 1% of all Americans serve in the US Military, but our global presence continues to expand every year. Think about that this weekend (Veterans' Day) when you see veterans from: World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, First Iraq War, Second Iraq War and Afghanistan. The following link has a wealth of information from the VA Report https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/Suicide-Data-Sheets-VA-States.pdf . ^

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

Shamrock Poppy

From the BBC:
"Irish PM wears 'shamrock poppy' in parliament"

The prime minister of the Republic of Ireland has worn an Irish-themed red poppy badge to remember Irish soldiers who fought in World War One. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar appeared with the "shamrock poppy" in the Dáil - the parliament in the capital, Dublin. He is the first leader of the Fine Gael political party to do this. The move has triggered debate about how more than 200,000 Irish soldiers who served in the British Army are remembered.  Between 1914 and 1918, some 35,000 of them died.  "The Shamrock Poppy recognises Irish soldiers who fought in World War One," a spokesman for Mr Varadkar said. "It was commissioned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War by the Irish branch of the Royal British Legion "Proceeds from the Shamrock Poppy go to Irish veterans and their families, and towards the upkeep to memorials to Irish soldiers in Ireland. All money stays in Ireland," the spokesman said.  In 2012, Mr Varadkar's predecessor Enda Kenny attended a Remembrance Sunday service in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. A green shamrock is traditionally used as a symbol of the Republic of Ireland. A red poppy - known as the remembrance poppy - has been used in the UK and several other countries to commemorate servicemen and women killed in all conflicts.  In April 1916, Irish republicans led an armed insurrection to end British rule. The Anglo-Irish war in 1919-21 led to the partition of Ireland and the creation of the Irish Free State. The Republic of Ireland was declared in 1949.

^ Even though the UK conscripted the Irish soldiers to fight in World War 1 they (the Irish) still suffered, fought, were wounded or died on the battlefield. Ireland should always remember the soldiers from Ireland that served. It surprises me that no other Irish Prime Minister has thought of doing this in the 100 years since World War 1. You don't have to recognize or remember the British who fought, but you should remember your own soldiers who fought (even if they were made to by the British.) ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41910166

Cuban Measures

From the BBC:

"US administration publishes new Cuba travel restrictions"

The US administration has published a series of measures increasing limits on Americans' dealings with Cuba. The package includes a blacklist of state-owned companies and entities, including shops and hotels. Most US citizens travelling to the island will now have to go as part of organised tour groups. The measures come as part of a partial rollback of ex-president Barack Obama's policy of engagement with Cuba, as announced by President Trump in June. Officials have denied that any of these steps are related to the recent acoustic incidents, defined as "health attacks" by the state department against its officials in Havana.   Nevertheless, says BBC Mexico and Central America correspondent Will Grant, the bilateral relationship has now slumped to its lowest point since the George W Bush presidency.  Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin laid out the new rules, which will take effect on Thursday. "We have strengthened our Cuba policies to channel economic activity away from the Cuban military and to encourage the government to move toward greater political and economic freedom for the Cuban people," he said in a statement.  According to the statement, the aim is to maintain "opportunities for Americans to engage in authorised travel to Cuba and support the private, small business sector in Cuba". The measures include a ban on dealings with 180 state-run and military-owned companies.

Among them are:

• the interior and armed forces ministries
• 83 hotels
• two travel agencies, and five holding companies involved with the organised tourism sector
• 10 Havana boutiques
• two rum distilleries

Restrictions have also been placed on people-to-people exchanges, a travel category under which Americans can stay with families on the island. From now on, these exchanges can only take place "under the auspices of an organisation subject to US jurisdiction" and accompanied by a representative of that organization.

^ It seemed that the US (mostly under Obama) was giving Cuba everything while Cuba gave the US nothing. The Communist Government in Havana also has done very little for the ordinary Cuban since the thaw started. If Cuba wants to actually change and improve both the lives of its people and its relationship with the US then they need to do a lot more to earn that change rather than just having it handed to them. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-41918907

VA Human Cost

From AJC.com:
"New PBS documentary includes Atlanta VA enrollment office problems"

A new PBS documentary that airs tonight examines problems with the VA health care system and includes mention of problems with the national healthcare enrollment system that serves millions of veterans and is overseen by an office in Atlanta.  The film, VA: The Human Cost of War, which airs on public broadcasting television stations nationwide, takes a sweeping look at the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the challenges it’s faced over the decades trying to serve veterans.  The current crisis of veteran suicide is the latest in a series of problems the VA has struggled to address.  The documentary, which airs at 10 p.m. on Georgia Public Broadcasting, includes an interview with Atlanta whistleblower Scott Davis, who testified before Congress in 2014 about problems at the VA’s Health Eligibility Center that operates in an office building off Clairmont Road.  The center was the subject of an AJC investigation in 2014 that revealed more than 800,000 health care applications were stuck in an administrative backlog. Some 300,000 were from veterans who died before their application was adequately processed by the VA. The documentary mentions a 2015 inspector general’s report that confirmed the findings of the investigation, which included information provided by Davis and other whistleblowers. Davis said the documentary, directed by Ric Burns, was shown in a special screening last spring at President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Palm Beach.

^ Even though this article focuses on Georgia the PBS documentary (which I just finished watching) is about the VA throughout the US. It is a very well thought-out and presented program that tells the reasons for the VA scandals and problems (lack of Congressional funding and administrative crimes with the VA) as well as what needs to be done to fix these issues. It also shows that the VA has had problems throughout its history and that it will likely have them in the future. It is sad to say that we (Americans) from the top-down are not doing what we promised to do for the men and women who served are country. I am ashamed in that fact. ^

http://investigations.blog.ajc.com/2017/11/06/new-va-documentary-includes-atlanta-enrollment-office-problems/

Soviet Numbers

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the 1917 Great October Socialist Revolution - Великая Октябрьская социалистическая революция. Rather than remembering the Communists let's remember the innocent men, women and children that they murdered.

The internationally- accepted number of: 3,284,000 people were murdered by the Communists in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic from 1917-1922 (this number doesn't include the 6,210,000 killed during the Russian Civil War.)

Another 58,627,000 people were murdered in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1922-1991 (this number doesn't include the millions upon millions of non-war related murders by Soviet Communists in: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, East Germany or Soviet-occupied Austria from 1945-1991. This number also doesn't include the people murdered by the local Communist Parties in these countries.)

Imagine how Russia, Europe and the World could have been vastly different (not to mention all the millions upon millions of innocent men, women and children who would still have lived) if Russia only had one of its revolutions in 1917 - the February Revolution where the Czar abdicated and a Democratic Government ruled for several months - instead of having two with the Communist October Revolution.

Partial Issue

From the BBC:
"US missions in Turkey partially resume visa issuing"

US missions in Turkey have partially resumed processing visa applications, the embassy said on Monday. Last month, US missions suspended all non-immigrant visa services after Turkey's arrest of a US consulate employee. Turkey's embassy in Washington has also said it will process visa applications from US citizens on a limited basis.  The US worker was held over suspected links to a cleric blamed for last year's failed coup in Turkey. Washington condemned the move as baseless and damaging to bilateral relations.  Ankara has for months been pressing Washington to extradite US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen over his alleged role in the botched coup in July 2016. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Mr Gulen of instigating the unrest - a charge the cleric denies. In the aftermath of the coup attempt, which was led by military officers, 40,000 people were arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended.

^ Hopefully this partial resumption will result in full visa resumption on both the US and Turkish side. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41886522

Free For Veterans

From The MilitaryWallet.com
"2017 Veterans Day Free Meals and Discounts"

Updated: Nov 5, 2017: Veterans Day is soon approaching and there are many restaurants and companies who want to thank our veterans by providing them with discounts or a free meal. To those companies offering veterans a free meal or discount, the military community gives a collective thanks!

^ Click on the link below to see the discounts and free things for Veterans on Veterans' Day. It's nice for businesses to show their appreciation. ^

https://themilitarywallet.com/veterans-day-free-meals-and-discounts/

Church Shooting

From the BBC:

"Texas church shooting leaves at least 26 dead"

At least 26 people have been killed after a gunman opened fire at a church during Sunday services, officials say.  The attack happened at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small town in Wilson County, Texas. The gunman, who is reported to have been killed in the aftermath, entered the church and opened fire at around 11:30 local time (17:30 GMT). Governor Greg Abbott confirmed the death toll and said it was the worst mass shooting in the history of Texas.  "This will be a long, suffering mourning for those in pain," he said at a news conference on Sunday.   Texas Department of Public Safety regional director Freeman Martin said the ages of the victims ranged from 5 to 72 years old. Authorities said at least 20 people were also injured and taken to hospital. Mr Martin described the suspect as a young white male in his early 20s, dressed in all black and wearing a ballistic vest as well as tactical-type gear. He was armed with an assault-style rifle.  He began shooting outside the church before he entered and opened fire, Mr Martin said.  A local citizen "grabbed his rifle and began shooting" at the suspect, before the gunman fled in a vehicle.  The citizen pursued the suspect, who drove off the road and crashed his car at the Guadalupe County line. Police found the suspect dead in his car, but it is unclear if he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or from returned fire from the citizen, Mr Martin added.  The gunman has been identified as Devin P Kelley, 26, according to US media reports. Police have not confirmed the suspect's identity.   The First Baptist Church's pastor, Frank Pomeroy, has told ABC News that his 14-year-old daughter, Annabelle, was killed in the shooting.  Mr Pomeroy, who was out of town in Oklahoma at the time, described her as "one very beautiful, special child" in a phone call to the television outlet.  At least 10 victims, including four children, were being treated at the University Health System in nearby San Antonio, the hospital said in a tweet.  Sheriff Joe Tackitt said authorities do not know the names of any of the victims yet as they continue to work the crime scene.  Officials said 23 people were found dead inside of the church while two people were fatally shot outside. Another individual died in hospital, authorities said.   Sutherland Springs is a small rural community with just a few hundred residents, which lies about 30 miles (50km) southeast of the Texas city of San Antonio. The San Antonio FBI branch said its agents had been deployed, and there was no indication of the gunman's motive. President Donald Trump, on a tour of Asia, condemned the "act of evil" and said Americans would pull together. "And through the tears and through the sadness, we stand strong, oh so strong," he added.

^ There are a lot of deranged people in the world and this guy was clearly one of them. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41880511

Honoring Soldiers

Some people have been asking me about this (since Veterans' Day is this week) so here is the official definition:

- Veterans' Day (November 11th) is for all soldiers who served their country.

- Memorial Day (last Monday of May) is for all the soldiers who died while serving their country.

- Armed Forces Day (third Saturday of May) is for all soldiers currently serving their country.

- Army Day (June 14th) is for soldiers in the United States Army

- Coast Guard Day (August 4th) is for soldiers in the United States Coast Guard

- Air Force Day(September 17th) is for soldiers in the United States Air Force

- Navy Day (October 27th) is for sailors in the United States Navy

- Marine Corps Day (November 10th) is for soldiers in the United States Marine Corps

- National Guard Day (December 13th) is for soldiers in the National Guard of the United States

New Caledonia Vote

From the BBC:

"France plans New Caledonia self-rule referendum in 2018"

The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia will hold a referendum on self-rule next year, under a deal reached with the French government.  New Caledonian leaders held nine hours of talks with French ministers in Paris on Thursday. The political agreement could pave the way for independence.

November 2018 is the deadline for the vote. New Caledonia, east of Australia, has about 275,000 inhabitants.  In the 1980s there were clashes between French forces and indigenous Kanaks. The climax of that conflict was when Kanak separatists held a group of French gendarmes hostage in a cave. The French assault cost the lives of 19 Kanaks and two soldiers.  The 1998 Nouméa Accord envisaged a phased French decolonisation, with a referendum in 2018 at the latest. Kanaks form about 45% of the population. If a majority opts for independence it will be the first French territory to break away since Djibouti (1977) and Vanuatu (1980). Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Thursday's talks "resulted in a political agreement and, perhaps even beyond that, we have trust, which is just as important". He will visit New Caledonia later this month.  He said the government and New Caledonian politicians agreed on the size of the electorate, locations for polling stations and the presence of UN election observers. But the wording of the referendum question has not yet been decided.   French nationalism is strong among the territory's ethnic Europeans - and that was reflected in the votes cast in the French presidential election in May.  In the first round, in New Caledonia, far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen got more than double the votes cast for Emmanuel Macron, who won in the second round. The voting was nearly 30% for Ms Le Pen, 12.76% for Mr Macron. In May Mr Macron said he hoped the territory would remain part of France, as "the French presence is necessary to guarantee peace and development" there.  He said New Caledonia was struggling with high rates of unemployment, educational failure, alcoholism and youth crime.  New Caledonia is represented in the French parliament by two deputies and two senators.  It has a congress which elects an executive with powers over some policy areas - notably policing, education and local laws.

^It is always the right thing for a Federal Government to allow parts of its territory to vote on whether they want to remain or not. France does seem to have a lot of issues in New Caledonia (and French Guiana, the French Caribbean territories and in Metropolitan France) like: high unemployment, crime, etc. that need to be addressed sooner rather than later. I remembered Macron visiting parts of the French Caribbean after the hurricanes a few months ago and he didn't get such a great reception. Some residents on the islands said they had major issues with everyday life even before the storms hit. If France wants to entice its territories and their citizens to remain part of France then they need to do a lot more to improve the everyday lives of the people there. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41857692

Fall Back

ID Flaw

From the BBC:

"Security flaw forces Estonia ID 'lockdown'"

Estonia is to block thousands of citizens from accessing online government services from Saturday while it works to fix a security flaw. A problem with the country's national identity cards was identified earlier this year, affecting 760,000 people.  The flaw could let attackers decrypt private data or impersonate citizens. Those who have not had their cards updated with new security certificates will no longer be able to use them to access some services from midnight. Estonia's digital ID system lets citizens access government and some private services such as medical records, voting and banking.  But security researchers found the encryption used in the ID cards was easily cracked which could, if exploited, let attackers impersonate people. "As far as we currently know, there has been no instances of e-identity theft, but the threat assessment of the Police and Border Guard Board and the Information System Authority indicates that this threat has become real," said the country's Prime Minister Juri Ratas. From midnight, only cards that have been updated will continue to work online. Some citizens had complained that updating their ID card had taken a long time, with the online service often overloaded.  "Spent hours over two days trying to update my ID card as per govt/MFA instructions. Still trying..." said Theresa Bubbear, Britain's ambassador to Estonia, on Thursday. This weekend, only "people who use their digital ID cards to provide vital services", such as medical professionals, will be able to update their digital ID online. From Monday, the system will be opened back up to everybody. All cards must be updated by March 2018. "The functioning of an e-state is based on trust and the state cannot afford identity theft happening to the owner of an Estonian ID card," said Mr Ratas.

^ People around the world have warned for years that things like this could happen and they did. The fact that the problem was announced earlier this year and the government is only now doing something to fix it also doesn't speak well of this whole thing. If I was Estonian I would be extremely worried to use the card (even after the fix.) ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41858583

Bergdahl

From the BBC:

"Bowe Bergdahl spared prison time for US Army desertion"

US Army soldier Bowe Bergdahl will be spared prison time after he was found guilty of deserting his Afghan outpost in 2009, a military judge has ruled. Under the sentence in his court martial, the 31-year-old sergeant will be dishonourably discharged, reduced to private in rank and lose pay. Prosecutors had argued Bergdahl should spend 14 years behind bars for endangering US troops in Afghanistan. He spent five years in Taliban captivity after abandoning his post. US President Donald Trump tweeted that the sentence was a "total disgrace".  He has repeatedly called Bergdahl "a traitor" and criticised the Obama-era prisoner exchange with the Taliban that led to the American soldier's release.  The judge, Army Col Jeffery R Nance, considered the president's attacks as a mitigating factor in sentencing Bergdahl, whose lawyers argued he could not receive a fair trial because of the comments.  On Friday, the judge said the Idaho native must forfeit pay equal to $1,000 (£765) per month for 10 months.  Bergdahl had been facing up to life in prison after he pleaded guilty last month to desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy. Major Justin Oshana, for the prosecution, told the sentencing hearing that other US troops were injured in the hunt for Bergdahl.  The soldier said he had walked away from his outpost in Paktika province to report problems in his unit. The military investigator who interrogated Bergdahl following his return from the US had told officials he did not believe he deserved further punishment. He said Bergdahl had suffered the worst case of prisoner abuse against a US soldier in captivity since the Vietnam War. On Monday, Bergdahl took the stand to apologise to the troops who were wounded in the search for him.  "I made a horrible mistake," he said in the courtroom at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. "Saying I'm sorry is not enough." Master Sergeant Mark Allen was shot in the head during a July 2009 mission to find Bergdahl. His wife, Shannon Allen, who was a witness for the prosecution this week, described the impact of her husband's debilitating brain injury. "Instead of being his wife, I'm his caregiver," she said in an emotional testimony.  "Which doesn't mean I love him any less, but it's a very different dynamic.  "We can't even hold hands anymore without me prying open his hand and putting mine in." Bergdahl testified that his Taliban captors had locked him in a cage after he briefly escaped.  He said he received little food, water or sleep and was forced to watch beheading videos. Bergdahl was freed in a politically contentious 2014 Taliban prisoner swap brokered by former President Barack Obama's administration.

^ Bergdahl is a deserter and a traitor and the judge made it clear that he was giving him a light sentence because of Trump rather than the crimes Bergdahl committed or the other soldiers wounded while looking for him. The judge followed his own political beliefs rather than the law and because of that a deserter gets to go free. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41860828

Travel Spat

From the MT:

"Sanctions Spat Sends Russians Abroad for U.S. Visas"

Russian passport holders are flocking to neighboring countries for U.S. visas amid a diplomatic spat that has seen wait times for visas to America soar. The United States stopped processing non-immigrant visas in August, after Moscow ordered its embassy and three consulates to cut hundreds of staff. The move was one of a series of tit-for-tat measures after former U.S. President Barack Obama expelled dozens of Russian diplomats over claims of election interference in late 2016. The result was a dramatic drop U.S. visa applications in Russia, the Meduza news site reported this week. Some 60 percent fewer visas were granted at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow between September and August, the report states, while in St. Petersburg, the U.S. consulate issued approximately a quarter of the visas. The consulate in Vladivostok issued 55 percent fewer visas over the two-month period, while the consulate in Yekaterinburg saw an 84 percent drop, Meduza reported.  State Department data cited by Meduza estimates that the number of U.S. visas granted to Russian citizens worldwide dropped by more than half in September. According to U.S. travel data, Russian tourist visits dropped by over a quarter so far this year. The Baltic States and Georgia, which share borders with Russia, saw major spikes in the number of U.S. tourist visas that were issued in recent months. The number of U.S. visas granted in August and September rose by 28 percent in Lithuania, 55 percent in Latvia and 77 percent in Estonia. Georgia posted a 166-percent month-to-month increase in the number of U.S. visas issued. U.S. diplomatic missions in Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius declined to comment on whether the increases are related to the suspension of visa services in Russia. Each noted, however, that the number of applications from foreigners “significantly increased” in the second half of the year.  Consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok restarted visa processing on Friday for some Russian passport holders who had previously received a U.S. visa

^ I said the sanctions war between the US and Russia would mostly affect ordinary Russians and I was right. Maybe they (ordinary Russians) will start questioning what their government is doing and then things can go back to the way they were. ^

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/sanctions-spat-sends-russians-abroad-for-us-visas-59460

Rigged Clinton

From the BBC:

"Elizabeth Warren agrees Democratic race 'rigged' for Clinton"

US President Donald Trump has called for an investigation after a Hillary Clinton supporter said the Democratic party "rigged" its primary for her. CNN asked Senator Elizabeth Warren if Mrs Clinton's contest against Democratic rival Bernie Sanders was rigged, and she said: "Yes." Another Democratic official writes in a new book about the party's "unethical" agreement with the Clinton campaign. President Trump said the American public "deserves" an inquiry. Ms Warren, a progressive senator from Massachusetts who campaigned for Mrs Clinton, was reacting to allegations by former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chairwoman Donna Brazile.  Ms Brazile writes in a new book that the cash-starved DNC signed a joint fundraising agreement with the Clinton campaign in August 2015, four months after the former secretary of state launched her candidacy. Ms Brazile writes that Mrs Clinton's "campaign had the DNC on life support, giving it money every month to meet its basic expenses".  Excerpts from her book - Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House - were released by Politico magazine. The DNC was meant to be neutral in the contest between Mrs Clinton and her Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator. But supporters of Mr Sanders have long claimed the party showed preference to Mrs Clinton. Ms Brazile says the deal was "not a criminal act", but "compromised the party's integrity".  However, Mrs Clinton's defenders have pointed out the Sanders campaign signed its own joint fundraising agreement with the DNC. Ms Warren, who has been touted as a possible 2020 presidential contender, nevertheless called the Clinton revelations "a real problem" for the party. "But what we've got to do as Democrats now, is we've got to hold this party accountable," she said. President Trump weighed in on the accusations late on Thursday, and again on Friday morning, after his Twitter account was briefly taken offline.  "She basically bought the DNC and stole the election from Bernie," Mr Trump told reporters before departing on a trip to several Asian countries. He tweeted: "Pocahontas just stated that the Democrats, lead [sic] by the legendary Crooked Hillary Clinton, rigged the Primaries! Lets go FBI & Justice Dept." Mr Trump calls Ms Warren "Pocahontas" because political rivals accused her in 2012 of claiming Native American ancestry to gain an unfair advantage when applying for jobs at Harvard Law School, without proof of such lineage. Ms Brazile herself came under fire last year after the anti-secrecy website Wikileaks released hacked DNC emails that revealed she had notified the Clinton campaign in advance of a question the candidate would be asked by CNN.  Her predecessor at the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, resigned during the election after her leaked emails appeared to show a co-ordinated effort to aid Mrs Clinton's campaign. Mr Trump is himself under scrutiny in a Justice Department investigation into whether his campaign aides colluded with Russians in an effort to sway last year's election.

^ Karma. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41850798

Caracas Inflates

From the DW:
"Venezuela introduces 100,000 bolivar bill worth $2"

The new note unveiled by President Nicolas Maduro is meant to curb out-of-control inflation that has left the country reeling. Just one year ago, a 100 bolivar bill was the largest amount of cash on the market.  Venezuela announced plans to begin issuing 100,000-bolivar notes on Wednesday as the government struggles to control skyrocketing inflation. One year ago, the largest bill was only 100 bolivars – an amount that is now practically worthless. President Nicolas Maduro unveiled the note at a cabinet meeting. It will be worth about €2 euros or $2.3 on black market exchanges. Caracas said the new bill is only a stop-gap measure amidst a more comprehensive financial overhaul, one facet of which is to eventually rid the country of paper money entirely. "The use of the physical currency is being replaced," the president said. Maduro also announced a 30 percent increase in the country's minimum wage and a rise in pension payouts for retired workers, though economists have warned this will only exacerbate inflation. He also took the opportunity to threaten any opposition politicians who boycott nationwide mayoral elections in December.  The oil-rich country has been wracked by a deepening financial crisis since 2012, when falling oil prices combined with the ruling Socialists United of Venezuela party's economic policies created a massive shortage of food and basic necessities. At the beginning of 2017, the government began issuing new 500, 5,000 and 20,000 bolivar notes after a year in which consumer prices rose 800 percent. Residents in Caracas must line up for hours in front of cash machines to withdraw miniscule amounts. Frustration over the crisis led to months of massive anti-Maduro protests that killed at least 163 people and injured more than 15,000 in clashes with police.

^ It's sad to sit and watch a country crumble. Hopefully they can get their act together and soon. ^

http://www.dw.com/en/venezuela-introduces-100000-bolivar-bill-worth-2/a-41202082

Лайка/Laika

From Phys.org:

"Dog star: Scientist recalls training Laika for space"

"I asked her to forgive us and I even cried as I stroked her for the last time," says 90-year-old Russian biologist Adilya Kotovskaya, recalling the day she bid farewell to her charge Laika.  The former street dog was about to make history as the first living creature to orbit the earth, blasting off on a one-way journey. The Soviet Union sent Laika up to spacein a satellite on November 3, 1957—sixty years ago. It followed the first ever Sputnik satellite launch earlier that year.  But things did not go exactly to plan and the dog was only able to survive for a few hours, flying around the Earth nine times. "Those nine orbits of Earth made Laika the world's first cosmonaut—sacrificed for the sake of the success of future space missions," says Kotovskaya, who remains proud of her pioneering work as a scientist training Laika and other early space animals. For Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Laika's voyage was yet another space feat to discomfit the Americans.  In a well-timed propaganda effort, it fell just before the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution on November 7. Kotovskaya recalls that before Laika, several dogs had been blasted up into suborbital space for brief periods of a few minutes "to check that it was possible to survive in weightlessness." "Now it was time to send one into space," says Kotovskaya, who turned 90 in October but still heads a laboratory at Moscow's Institute of Biomedical Problems.  The institute specialises in space science and simulated a flight to Mars in 2010 by making volunteers spend 520 days in isolation. To get dogs accustomed to the idea of space travel inside a pressurised capsule just 80 centimetres (31 inches) long, Kotovskaya gradually moved them into smaller and smaller cages.  The canine candidates spent time in a centrifuge, that simulates the gruelling G-forces created when a rocket blasts off, as well as being exposed to similar noise levels. They even ate jellified space rations. Laika was a mongrel dog aged around three who weighed six kilograms (13 pounds). Like all the other candidates for space, she was a female stray found on a Moscow street. "We chose bitches because they don't have to raise a leg to urinate which means they need less space than the males," Kotovskaya said.  "And (we chose) strays because they are more resourceful and less demanding." For publicity reasons, the dogs also had to be photogenic and they were given memorable names. Laika's name derives from the Russian word for "bark". She was chosen out of five or six candidates for her resourceful yet docile nature and slightly quizzical expression. "Of course we knew she was destined to die on the flight, since there was no way to get her back—this wasn't possible at the time," said Kotovskaya.On the eve of Laika's mission, the scientist went in to say goodbye to the dog and give her a final caress, she said. The Sputnik satellite carrying Laika blasted off on a rocket at 5.30 am Moscow time from Kazakhstan, where the Soviet Union would later base its Baikonur cosmodrome. Initially "nothing seemed to be going wrong," Kotovskaya said. "Of course, during blast-off, Laika's heart beat speeded up a lot."  But after three hours, her heart beat was back to normal. Then suddenly during the ninth orbit of the Earth, the temperature inside the capsule began to soar and reached over 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), due to insufficient insulation from the Sun's rays. The hope was that Laika would stay alive for eight to 10 days, but instead she died from overheating and dehydration after a few hours. Soviet radio nevertheless kept broadcasting daily updates on her health, insisting all was well. The official version was that she died after eating poison administered in her food to avoid a painful death on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Moscow maintained this fiction for many years. The satellite carrying her remains burnt up in the atmosphere five months later, on April 14, 1958, above the Antilles island group. The first animals to go into space and return alive were a pair of dogs called Belka and Strelka who blasted off in a rocket on August 19, 1960 and returned a day later.  The success of their mission persuaded Soviet authorities to go ahead with the highly risky first space trip by a human, Yury Gagarin, in April 1961.

^ Today is the 60 anniversary of Laika being the first living creature to go into space. This article not only tells why she was chosen and how she was trained, but also shows her not only as a dog or an experiment, but a symbol. I feel bad that she didn't have a choice and that she didn't return, but her going into space paved the way for humans to go. ^

https://phys.org/news/2017-11-dog-star-scientist-recalls-laika.html

The Good Doctor

From Disability Scoop:

"The ‘Good Doctor’ And Autism: Does ABC Get It Right?"

Hollywood has apparently discovered that a growing segment of the population is on the autism spectrum. The 2017 “Power Rangers” movie and new Netflix series “Atypical,” for instance, have main characters with autism. Perhaps the most high-profile offering is ABC’s new show “The Good Doctor.” The drama stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a talented young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome. It shows how he navigates daily life and his work at a prestigious hospital’s pediatric surgical unit. The series, championed by Daniel Dae Kim, has been a mega-hit. It leapfrogged “The Big Bang Theory” to become the most-watched American show after just three episodes.  What do people who know about autism think of “The Good Doctor”? Experts as well as some parents praise it as a perfect prescription to spur conversation and awareness about autism. “Before you’d never hear about autism,” says Lisa Basara of Lower Saucon Township, Pa., whose son Dominic was diagnosed with autism at age 3. “For us it’s really cool to see a main character who is autistic. I have nothing but positive things to say about it.” Lisa Goring, chief program and marketing officer for the New York City-based advocacy group Autism Speaks, says, “We hope there are more opportunities on these shows for characters with autism. "We see this show as a great step toward increasing understanding and acceptance.” The show shares similarities with “House,” a hit medical show that aired for eight seasons on Fox. Both have the same creator, David Shore, and both featured a brilliant and misunderstood main character. Some critics say the storylines of “The Good Doctor” are over-the-top and that the show paints an overly broad picture of autism. But critics and viewers generally praise Highmore’s depictions of an adult with autism. “They are unbelievably on point,” Basara says. She noticed when Murphy walks down a hallway he uses “ready hands” — a way of walking with hands clasped together. It’s a technique used by those on the spectrum to help them stay focused and aware of their behavior. Murphy speaks in a monotone voice and says exactly what he’s thinking with zero filter. (In one episode, he tells a surgeon that he both admires him and finds him arrogant.) He avoids direct eye contact, shows little emotion and struggles to deal with people on a personal level. (His neighbor borrowed batteries, and Murphy went the next day to get them back.) Murphy has savant syndrome, a rare condition in which a person with developmental disabilities (including, but not limited to autism) has spectacular areas of genius. We see Murphy solve impossibly difficult cases because he sees things differently (dramatized to great effect in the show) and we see Murphy solve medical mysteries that baffle other doctors. His being “different” is why the board at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital argues in the pilot against hiring Murphy. The board questioned what patients would think of a doctor who would struggle to express empathy. Much of the national emphasis about autism awareness has been on children. “The Good Doctor” is rare in its portrayal of an adult with autism in the workplace. Noreen Flynn of Coopersburg, Pa., whose son has Asperger’s syndrome, says, “If you’re hiring someone or working with someone with autism, take a minute to talk to them. They are very intelligent and can you learn a lot from them, and they can learn from you.” Some have expressed concern that the character paints only one picture of autism. Autism spectrum disorder is a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. “This is one person’s view of autism,” Goring says. “It may not have anything to do with the way autism manifests itself for someone else.” Executive producer Kim bought the rights to the Korean series “Good Doctor” and pitched it for an American series. Kim, who starred in the TV series “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-O,” is a leading advocate for more diverse characters on TV shows and movies. He doesn’t apologize that “The Good Doctor” has been criticized for being overly sentimental. “It actually makes me feel prouder of the show to know that we can still aspire, we can still hope, we can still find heroes that are pure … ,” Kim told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve read some criticism of ‘The Good Doctor’ that says it’s overly sweet and syrupy. I’ll take that criticism, given the world that we live in.” Basara says “The Good Doctor” gives the public the chance to learn more about autism. And it shows how people with autism can be functional members of society. “The more that people understand autism, the better off it will be for my son going forward,” Basara says.

^ I watch this show and really like it. I think it is both entertaining as well as educational. ^

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/11/01/the-good-doctor-autism-abc/24374/

Balfour @ 100

Kazakh Change

From the BBC:

"Kazakhstan to Qazaqstan: Why would a country switch its alphabet?"

The Kazakh language has long been unsure which alphabet to find a comfortable home in and it's now in for another transition - but this is not without controversy. Last Friday Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev finally decreed that the language would shed its heavy Cyrillic coat and don what he hopes to be a more fashionable attire: the Latin alphabet.

Is this going to be easy?

No. The Latin alphabet has far fewer letters: There will need to be creative combinations with apostrophes to catch all the sounds needed for the Kazakh language.

Kazakhstan is in an unusual position: None of the alphabets that exist seem like a perfect fit or have a long enough tradition to be the uncontested host for its language.

Kazakh is a Turk-based language and its history is political: Originally it was written in Arabic. Enter the Soviet Union who in 1929 did away with Arabic and introduced Latin - only to 11 years later shift to the Cyrillic alphabet to have the republic more in line with the rest of the USSR.

The Kazakh version of Cyrillic has 33 Russian letters and nine Kazakh ones, while the Latin script only has 26.  The big changeover is to be official by 2025.

Confused by all this talk about letters and characters? Before you get lost in translation, here are a few spellings of the country's name just to give you an idea

So why change?

President Nursultan Nazarbayev has given a lengthy explanation: There are many reasons like of modernising Kazakhstan, but also determined by "specific political reasons".

Political pundits see it as step to weaken the historical ties to Russia: Shedding not only the Russian alphabet, the thinking goes, but also the influence Moscow still likes to exert over its post-Soviet backyard in central Asia.  

There are also more immediate practical reasons: The hope is that Latin letters will make it easier to push for modernisation in a global and digital world.  Of the other four Former Soviet Republics in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan still use Cyrillic while Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are using the Latin alphabet.

Will it be a smooth transition?

This discussion is not new: The change to the Latin alphabet has been mooted several times since the country's independence after the end of the Soviet Union, but so far has failed to garner widespread support.

Because: If even the name of the country would change from Kazakhstan to Qazaqstan, just imagine the potential for confusion in people's daily lives?

Let's look at the innocent carrot for an example: The Kazakh word for carrot is "сәбіз" and would traditionally be spelled "sabeez" in Latin. In new Latin alphabet though, it will end up as "sa'biz". 

This, again, is awfully close to the Latin spelling of an extremely rude Russian swear word.

Not all the mix-ups are as delicate as this one: But there's ample discussion online of people confused and amused by how they now should write their own names and whether the change will work out well nor not.  While some see it as a right step out of the shadows of the Soviet past and of present Russian influence, others warn it's a politically motivated move which will disconnect future generations from the country's written past century.

So what is next?

By the end of the year there will a finalised official Latin spelling. By next year teacher training is to begin and new textbooks will be developed.  Come 2025, all official paperwork and publications in the Kazakh language will be in the new Latin script. President Nazarbayev indicated though there would be a transition period where Cyrillic might still be used as well.  Given that Russian is the country's second official language, signs and official documents will though remain bilingual: in the Kazakh with Latin letters and in Russian with the Cyrillic alphabet.

^ I have written about other languages changing from the Cyrillic Alphabet to the Latin Alphabet before. I think it is a good idea as long as it isn't rushed or forced on people. It seems that this transition won't be either of those. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41800186

Which Holiday?

Beersheba: 100

From the BBC:

"Battle of Beersheba charge recreated for centenary"

Israeli, Australian and New Zealand leaders have commemorated the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba. The World War One battle in what is now southern Israel is considered a key moment in the Allies' efforts to break the Turkish line and capture Jerusalem. Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull described it as "part of our history". To mark the occasion, about 100 Australian horsemen took part in a small-scale recreation of the battle's defining charge though the desert. On 31 October 1917, Australian and New Zealand cavalry galloped towards to the Turkish trenches and seized control of the city, a strategic crossroads and important water source.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the victory ultimately helped create the state of Israel. "Exactly 100 years ago brave ANZAC [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] soldiers liberated Beersheba for the sons and daughters of Abraham and opened the gateway for the Jewish people to re-enter the stage of history," he said. The Battle of Beersheba led to the Balfour Declaration - the first time the British government endorsed the establishment of "a national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.While many Israelis believe it was the foundation stone of modern Israel and the salvation of the Jews, many Palestinians regard it as a betrayal. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the "the battle has become part of our history, part of our psyche".  "They spurred their horses through that fire, those mad Australians, through that fire, and took the town of Beersheba, secured the victory that did not create the State of Israel but enabled its creation," he said. "Had the Ottoman rule in Palestine and Syria not been overthrown by the Australians and the New Zealanders, the Balfour declaration would have been empty words," he added. "But this was a step for the creation of Israel."

New Zealand Governor-General Patsy Reddy said the Beersheba victory had boosted morale, and been a significant moment for her nation in an international context. About 500 Turkish soldiers died in the battle, according to one military historian, Jonathan King.  It also claimed the lives of 31 Australians and eight New Zealanders. The battle was considered one of the last great cavalry charges before sophisticated weaponry rendered horses obsolete in the military.

^ I first learned about the Battle of Beersheba by watching "The Lighthorsemen" when I was a kid. It was an important battle for: the Israelis, the Australians and New Zealanders.  ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41826602

Nurse's Comp.

From the BBC:

"Utah nurse gets $500,000 in blood arrest row"

A US nurse who was held for refusing to allow police take a blood sample from an unconscious patient has accepted $500,000 (£376,500) in compensation. Alex Wubbels reached the monetary settlement with Salt Lake City and the University of Utah, her attorney said. Her arrest by police in July caused outrage when footage of the incident later emerged. She was seen handcuffed and dragged by a policeman to a car.  She was later released without charge. The policeman was sacked last month. His superior was demoted.  The police officer, Detective Jeff Payne, was sent to University of Utah Hospital on 26 July to collect blood from an unconscious lorry driver injured in a head-on collision with a suspect fleeing police in another vehicle. The patient was not suspected of wrongdoing.  Ms Wubbels, who was duty nurse that day, told Detective Payne that he did not present a warrant to collect the blood sample, as required by hospital policy, and state and federal law. She also said blood could not be taken without consent from the patient. Ms Wubbels declined to tell the officer where the patient was or let him draw blood. She even called her supervisor to get her to explain to the detective that the nurse was only following hospital policy.  Lt James Tracy, a watch commander, then instructed Det Payne to arrest Ms Wubbels and he proceeded to shove the screaming nurse out of the emergency room before holding her against a wall to handcuff her. Ms Wubbels told reporters at a news conference in September: "The only job I have as a nurse is to keep my patients safe.  "Blood is your blood. That's your property."  The University of Utah later said it had introduced a new policy on blood samples barring officers from coming to the hospital in person to seek them.

^ This shows that you can't abuse your authority without suffering consequences. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41827040

What's In A Month?

It's November! It is also:

- Adopt A Senior Pet Month

- Aviation History Month

- Epilepsy Awareness Month

- Family Stories Month

- Lung Cancer Awareness Month

- Military Family Appreciation Month

- National Alzheimer's Disease Month

- National COPD Month

- National Diabetes Month

- National Family Caregivers Month 

- National Home Care & Hospice Month 

- National Native American Heritage Month 

- National Peanut Butter Lovers Month 

- Stomach Cancer Awareness Month 

- Sweet Potato Awareness Month

^ I miss AFN dealing me what month it is. ^

November!