Multiple Currencies

From Reuters:

“Zimbabwe extends multi-currency system to 2030”

(A man poses with Zimbabwe's new two dollar banknote as customers queue outside a bank in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 12, 2019.)

Zimbabwe's government will maintain its multi-currency system, anchored by the U.S. dollar, to 2030, it said on Friday. The government had previously said that the multi-currency system would end in 2025. This had triggered uncertainty in the banking sector, with some banks refusing to give loans past 2025. In a government gazette, President Emmerson Mnangagwa repealed the 2019 order which had given 2025 as a deadline. "Settlement of any transaction or payment for goods and services in foreign currency, shall ... be valid until the 31st December, 2030," reads the gazette.

Economists say nearly 80% of local transactions are in U.S. dollars amid waning confidence in the Zimbabwean dollar. Zimbabwe abandoned its inflation-ravaged dollar in 2009, opting instead to use foreign currencies, mostly the U.S. dollar. The government reintroduced the local currency in 2019, but it rapidly lost value again. Despite repeated efforts by authorities to boost confidence, the Zimdollar has weakened by over 80% this year, according to economists.

^ Having so many Official Currencies seems very confusing. ^

https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/zimbabwe-extends-multi-currency-system-2030-2023-10-27/

18: Princess Leonor

From the BBC:

“Princess Leonor of Spain's royal profile rises as she comes of age”

(Princess Leonor of Spain delivers a speech during the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony at Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo, northern Spain, 20 October 2023.)

Spain's Princess Leonor is about to turn 18, thrusting her into the spotlight as heir to the throne and raising questions about the role she will play as an adult royal. Her birthday, on Tuesday, will be marked by a formal ceremony in the Spanish Parliament, at which she will swear allegiance to the Constitution before receiving the medals of Congress and the Senate. Anticipating the event, the Spanish royal family has released a series of photos of the princess, many of them previously unpublished.

(Her parents, the current King and Queen of Spain, accompanied Leonor to her first day of school)

They include one of her on her first day of school, flanked by her mother, Queen Letizia, and her father, King Felipe VI, who was then still a prince himself. Another shows her in 2010, clutching the World Cup trophy the Spanish men's football team had just won. Others show her alongside her younger sister Sofía. Underlining the significance of her birthday, there will also be a reception in the Royal Palace in Madrid, followed by a family gathering in the El Pardo palace, just outside the capital.

The release of the photos and a series of recent appearances by the princess leading up to her birthday confirm that, after years of having her image carefully shielded, she is now becoming a very public figure. "Leonor will need her own narrative," noted royal biographer Carmen Remírez de Ganuza, adding that she "will have to connect with her own digital generation". While the exact nature of that narrative is not yet clear, the build-up to the princess's arrival as a senior royal has gone smoothly.

In May, she graduated from UWC Atlantic, a boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, where she had been studying for the International Baccalaureate. As she received her diploma, her fellow students whooped and cheered and her tutor praised her "unwavering passion for learning, for understanding people, and exploring diverse perspectives" as well as her sense of humour.

(Leonor is attending military school in Spain)

The Spanish media then closely followed the conclusion of the princess's basic training at an army academy in Zaragoza, where she has begun a three-year officer's course. Leonor, like her classmates, was seen performing drill dressed in beret and fatigues and receiving a ceremonial sword.

Her royal duties then came to the fore as she presided over her own Princess of Asturias awards on 20 October. Decorating individuals from a variety of fields, including Hollywood actress Meryl Streep and Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, Leonor assured those present that "I fully understand and am conscious of my duties and what my responsibilities entail". As she praised Streep, she spoke of how the actor was able to shed her own persona in order to take on her roles "and do so throughout an impeccable career, with freedom, courage and sensitivity to the challenges of our time". The princess could have been outlining the role she sees for herself as first in line to a throne which has faced some severe tests in recent years.

In 2017, for example, King Felipe took the unusual step of wading into the political sphere by speaking out against Catalan separatists who were attempting to break away from Spain. In 2020, Leonor's grandfather Juan Carlos, who had abdicated six years earlier and was mired in financial scandals, left the country to live in Abu Dhabi. Although the scandals have dropped away, he has lived there ever since. But beyond Leonor's institutional position lies another, less solemn role as a figure orbiting Spain's celebrity universe.

Already there is talk of "Leonormania" in light of the interest in her rising profile. Earlier this year, there were rumours that she was romantically linked to Barcelona and Spain football player Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, known as Gavi. Those reports turned out to be false, but they highlighted the appetite in some quarters for the princess to be a part of pop culture. Paris Match ran a headline on the Bulgari earrings that Leonor had worn for the Princess of Asturias awards ceremony. Journalist Jesús Reyes has even written a book about Leonor through the lens of her taste in fashion, which he claims she has inherited from her mother. "From her father, King Felipe, she has inherited his commitment to the Crown, his extremely polite manners [and] his constant smile and pleasantness," wrote Reyes. However, after her 18th birthday, Princess Leonor is likely to find that she will be much more than a purely institutional figure.

^ She is the Future Queen of Spain so hopefully she can both Modernize it and keep it’s Traditions. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67230053

Barcelona

 

Veterans' Day Discounts

 From Military.com:

“2023 Veterans Day Deals, Discounts and Freebies”

As an affiliate partner Military.com earns from qualifying purchases. Military.com is compiling a list of Veterans Day discounts on restaurants, goods, services and events for 2023. Discounts will be updated as they become available.

Popular Veterans Day Restaurant Discounts

Bonefish Grill -- Active-duty service members and veterans get a complimentary order of Bang Bang Shrimp with a soft beverage on November 11 with valid ID.

Logan's Roadhouse -- Veterans and active-duty military personnel get a free meal with a valid ID from a special menu at participating locations on November 11. This offer is available for dine-in only from 11 am – 3 pm.

Sizzler -- On November 11, participating locations are offering a free lunch to active-duty military and veterans until 4:00pm. Choose between a free Half Dozen Crispy Shrimp, Malibu Chicken, or 6oz Tri-Tip Steak entree.

See All Veterans Day Restaurant Offerings:

 https://www.military.com/veterans-day/restaurants-veterans-day-military-discounts.html

 

Popular Veterans Day Retail Discounts

Goodyear Auto Service -- Veterans and active-duty service members with a valid ID receive 10% off instantly and can be combined with all current offers, November 10 through 14. The “Free Car Care for Vets” promotion includes free tire, alignment, brake, fuel system, and fluid checks.

Tractor Supply Company -- Active-duty military, veterans and their dependents get a 15% discount on November 11.

Target -- Target is offering a 10% military discount from October 29 through November 11 to all active-duty military personnel, veterans and their families.

AARP -- AARP salutes you for your service to our country with a special membership offer.

See All Veterans Day Retail Offerings:

https://www.military.com/veterans-day/retailers-veterans-day-military-discounts.html 

Popular Veterans Day Travel & Recreation Discounts

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom -- Veterans and active-duty military personnel will be given complimentary park admission with valid military ID, November 10 to 12. Family members are eligible to receive $19.99 park admission (up to 4 in group).

Colonial Williamsburg -- For the entire Veterans Day Weekend, November 10 through 12, active-duty military, Reservists, retirees, veterans, National Guardsmen and their immediate dependents get free admission.

Aquarium of the Pacific -- Veterans and active-duty military personnel get free admission on November 11.

See All Veterans Day Travel & Recreation Discounts:

 https://www.military.com/veterans-day/travel-veterans-day-military-discounts.html

All of the Veterans Day discounts featured by Military.com have been confirmed, either through press release or direct communication with the company. Keep in mind that to access your Veterans Day discounts most businesses require proof of military service.

What identification do you need to prove that you're a veteran? If you’re an active duty military member, reservist member of the National Guard or military retiree, the easiest way to access Veterans Day discounts is to use your military ID card. For veterans who receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits, the VA benefits photo ID card should serve as easy proof of veteran status at most businesses. If you don’t have a VA benefits card, the VA can provide you with a Veterans ID Card. Rolled-out in 2017, the Veterans ID Card program allows all honorably discharged veterans to apply for online and receive by mail a card meant to function as proof of service. While not an official form of government ID, most businesses accept it as proof of service. Learn more about getting a Veterans ID Card. Some states include veteran status on their state ID cards and drivers licenses, offering another ID card option for veterans looking to show businesses proof that they served. And, if all else fails, most businesses will accept a copy of your DD-214 as proof of service.

^ It is good to see places across the US honor the Military and Veterans – especially on Veterans’ Day. ^

https://www.military.com/veterans-day/veterans-day-military-discounts.html

Friday!

 

Maine Victims

From the BBC:

“Governor's deaf interpreter among those killed in Maine shootings”

(Joshua Seal was remembered by his wife Elizabeth as someone who always put his family first)

Several members of Maine's deaf community were among those killed in a mass shooting on Wednesday. Officials have not yet released a list of victims, but some have been identified by family members. The gunman opened fire at a local bar that was hosting a cornhole tournament with deaf competitors. He also attacked a bowling alley attended by families. Officials said at least 18 people died and 13 were injured in the state's deadliest ever mass shooting. Police have now identified all of the deceased, but have not yet disclosed their names. Some family members have spoken to several media outlets about their loved ones.

Joshua Seal, 36 Seal was a prominent American Sign Language interpreter in Maine, and he was killed at a cornhole tournament for deaf competitors that was held at Schemengees Bar and Grille, one of the places where the gunman opened fire. His death was confirmed to local media by both his wife and a fellow interpreter, Regan Thibideau. "We are a community, a tightknit community, wanting to protect and support one another, and it's devastating to know that we have lost some of our most valued, most cared for and cherished individuals," Ms Thibideau said. He was one of the lead interpreters for Maine Governor Janet Mills during daily pandemic Covid briefings. In a Facebook post, his wife, Elizabeth, wrote that he was a great father to his four children. "He loved his family and always put them first," she wrote. "That is what he will always be remembered for."

Bryan MacFarlane, 40 MacFarlane was also present at the cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar and Grille Restaurant when he was killed. His sister, Keri Brooks, told CNN that MacFarlane was part of the local deaf community, and frequently went to Schemengees on Wednesdays, where other deaf people gather to play cornhole. "I grew up in Maine and the deaf community is a tight-knit community," Ms Brooks said. "Not only was my brother slain but my friends were too." MacFarlane grew up in the Greater Portland Maine area, Ms Brooks said, and he was one of the first deaf people in the state of Vermont to get his commercial lorry driver's licence. "Many states don't let deaf drive trucks so I'm very proud of him for achieving that," she said.

Bob Violette, 76

(Bob Violette leaves behind six grandchildren.)

Violette was identified by his daughter-in-law Cassandra. She told the Lewiston Sun Journal that he died protecting a group of children that he was with at the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley. He leaves behind three sons and six grandchildren, she said. His wife, Lucy, was injured in the attack. Cassandra described Violette as a life-long Lewiston resident who had deep ties to the community, and who made people around him feel cared for. "He wouldn't let you walk out the door without giving him a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He was just there for everything," she said. A former Sears mechanic, Violette devoted his time to bowling in his retirement. He began running a youth bowling league many years ago, his daughter-in-law said, and even got his eldest grandsons to participate in the game. He saved up to buy new tablets and smartphones to get good videos of them bowling, Cassandra said. "He loved those kids, all of them," she said.

Tricia Asselin, 53

(Tricia Asselin worked part-time at the Just-In-Time bowling alley)

Asselin's brother confirmed to CNN that she was among the victims. She was at her part-time job at the bowling alley, he said, when the gunman opened fire. "When it all started happening, she ran up to the counter and started to call 911, and that's when she was shot," DJ Johnson told CNN. "That was just her. She wasn't going to run. She was going to try and help," he said. Mr Johnson described her as his "baby sister", and said that Asselin's adult son is devastated by her death. "From the day he was born to yesterday. She did everything for him … he was her world," he said. His other sister was also at the bowling alley, Mr Johnson said, but she was able to escape.

Michael Deslauriers Stacey Deslauriers, Michael's ex-wife, told the Washington Post that she was driving when she received news that he had been shot dead at the bowling alley. "He was an amazing man," she said. "An amazing father. An amazing provider." She said that his girlfriend, who was with him during the shooting, told her that he tried to fight back. This, Ms Deslauriers said, did not surprise her. "He was a hero," she said. "Truly a hero."

Arthur Strout, 42

(Arthur Strout leaves behind five children)

Strout's father confirmed that his son is one of the victims in an interview with BBC's news partner CBS. Arthur Barnard said Strout was playing pool at Schemengees Bar and Grille on Wednesday night when he was killed. "The crazy part is just being with him just before it happened, minutes, I mean 10 minutes before it happened," Mr Barnard said. Strout leaves behind five children, his wife Kristy told CBS. "His daughter's only 13 and without a dad because of all of this. Because of one man's choices, my daughter has to grow up without a father," she said.

Bill Young, 44 and Aaron Young, 14 Bill had taken his son to a youth bowling league at Just-In-Time Recreation Centre. Both were killed in the shooting, their family said. Kim McConville, Bill's cousin, told the Associated Press that "he was a dedicated man to his family". "He was a master auto-mechanic. Always trying to be a funny guy," she said. His brother, Rob, told the LA Times his children were "the most important thing to him". Fourteen-year-old Aaron was reportedly an avid bowler whose talent was recognised by his youth league, and who idolised his father. "They were both the apple of each other's eyes," Rob Young said.

Billy Brackett Brackett was at the cornhole tournament for deaf athletes at Schemengees when the gunman opened fire. His death was confirmed by the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf, which wrote in a Facebook post that it had lost "four of our cherished community members in last night's Lewiston shooting".

Steve Vozzella Vozzella's death was also confirmed by the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf. He, too, was attending the cornhole tournament for deaf competitors when he was killed.

Joseph Walker, 56 Walker's death was confirmed by father, Leroy Walker, who is a city councillor in Auburn. His son worked at Schemengees. He was killed after attempting to tackle the gunman, Leroy told ABC News. In a separate interview with NBC News, Leroy said he received notification of his son's death 14 hours after the shooting. "None of us slept, we were up all night," he said. "We didn't know where to go, who to run to."

^ This is beyond sad. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67234002

Arctic Station

From Reuters:

“U.S. opens northernmost diplomatic station, in Arctic Norway”

The United States on Friday opened its northernmost diplomatic station, highlighting the increased importance of the Arctic region for Washington at a time when cooperation among Arctic nations has been hit by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the opening of the station, in Tromsoe, Norway, in June, as a means for the United States to have a "diplomatic footprint above the Arctic Circle". "Symbolically, it is significant," Andreas Oesthagen, a senior research fellow at the Oslo-based Fridtjof Nansen Institute, told Reuters on Tuesday. "It is a gesture that showcases just how much more important the US sees the Arctic now than only five or ten years ago."

Tromsoe is the largest city in Arctic Norway, located about 400km (250 miles) west of Russia. Norway and Russia share a border in the Arctic. During the Cold War, Washington had a station in Tromsoe but closed it in 1994.

ARCTIC COUNCIL Called a "presence post", the station will not offer consular services. It will have one diplomat, whose work will focus on business outreach, science and the Arctic Council, a polar body comprising the eight Arctic states of Russia, the U.S., Canada, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark. The post will be housed in the same building as the Arctic Council's secretariat. Cooperation within the Council between Russia and the Western Arctic states was put on hold after Ukraine was invaded in February 2022. Some cooperation with Russia has resumed since Norway took over as Council chair in May, but this remains limited to contact between diplomats.

Marc Nathanson, the U.S. ambassador to Norway, said Washington believed "very strongly" the council should remain the main body for cooperation in the Arctic. "The Arctic Council must survive," he told Reuters. "But because of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine it means, for the seven other members of the Arctic Council, that we can't do business as usual with Russia." The U.S. post will be "non-military," Nathanson added. It is "for cooperation for a peaceful, scientific-based, diplomacy".

^ This is a good symbol to nearby Russia of America’s commitment. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-opens-its-northernmost-diplomatic-station-arctic-norway-2023-10-27/

Patience Is Up

From the Times of Israel:

“‘Our patience is up’: Hostages’ families blast government inaction at Tel Aviv rally”

(Families and friends of Israelis held hostage in Gaza hold a rally outside the Tel Aviv Art Museum on October 26, 2023.)

The families of some of the 224 hostages believed to be held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian terrorists held a press conference Thursday to protest what they charged was government inaction and failure to update them on the efforts to secure the release of their loved ones, warning that their patience had run out. The event at the Tel Aviv Museum plaza began with two marches from Egypt’s embassy and at Kaplan Square — the site of weekly protests against the current government’s highly controversial judicial overhaul plan, which along with the regular rallies has been shelved since the shock October 7 Hamas onslaught in which some 1,400 people were murdered and at least 228 were abducted to Gaza.

“Free them now!” the families chanted in English, with one relative urging global human rights groups to support them and their campaign. “They’ve been there for 20 days. Twenty days in which we’ve had no idea how they’re doing, how they’re being treated, if they’re okay, if they’re breathing. Twenty days. Can you imagine? Because we’re living it day after day, all of us,” said Meirav Leshem-Gonen, whose 23-year-old daughter Romi was kidnapped from the site of the Supernova music festival near Re’im, where 260 were butchered. “We’ve been very, very patient. But that’s it. Our patience is up. Our patience has run out,” she added.

(Families and friends of Israelis held hostage in Gaza hold a rally outside the Tel Aviv Art Museum on October 26, 2023.)

Similar dissatisfaction was expressed by Eyal Eshel, whose 19-year-old daughter Roni had been a member of the IDF communications team that watched the Gaza border cameras before the barrier and her base were breached and she went missing. “Roni is my child, she [was taken] under your watch, under your responsibility,” lamented her father, who believes Roni was kidnapped despite officials not confirming this yet. “Twenty days and the government of Israel is mute. Twenty days and nobody is telling us what happened to her, what her fate was. “What have you been doing every day? What are doing all day? I’m demanding one thing — get up from your chairs, try to put yourselves in my place and take responsibility. Don’t turn your back on me. All of us are out of patience,” he said.

Some participants took aim at the government’s point-person on the matter of the hostages, Gal Hirsch, who has been criticized by diplomats as ineffective in hostage talks thus far and who families say has failed to contact them beyond the bare minimum. “Are you able to bring them back? Then do it. Are you unable to? Then give the responsibility to someone else. The window of opportunity is closing,” said one participant at the rally.

(A Shabbat table set for 224 people in Times Square, New York, on October 26, 2023, symbolizing the plight of the hostages held captive in Gaza.)

Orit Meir, the mother of 21-year-old Almog Meir Jan who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Re’im music rave, addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly. “Bibi, now is the time to make a deal and return all the hostages to Israel. I am begging you. Try and imagine that it was your son who was kidnapped into Gaza.” Another demonstration raising awareness about the plight of the hostages took place in New York City’s Times Square where the Israeli-American Council set up an empty Shabbat table to symbolize the 224 hostages being held captive in Gaza.

The government is facing mounting pressure not just from the hostages’ families but from countries abroad whose citizens are also among those being held in Gaza and have privately been urging Jerusalem to temporarily delay a ground incursion to allow more time for diplomatic efforts to release the captives, a senior diplomatic official told The Times of Israel earlier this week.

^ 21 days since the Hamas Terrorists kidnapped around 224 Israeli, American and Other Men, Women and Children from Israel and brought them to Gaza.

More needs to be done by the International Community to BRING THEM HOME! ^

https://www.timesofisrael.com/our-patience-is-up-hostages-families-blast-government-inaction-at-tel-aviv-rally/

200,000

From the BBC:

“Spanish Church sexual abuse affected 200,000 children, commission finds”

More than 200,000 children are estimated to have suffered sexual abuse from Spain's Catholic clergy, an independent commission has found. The details emerged from an unprecedented public investigation by Spain's ombudsman, who spoke of the "devastating impact" on victims. Angel Gabilondo also criticised the Church for its inaction and attempts to cover up or deny the abuse. “What has happened has been possible because of that silence," he said.

The 700-page report, which was ordered by Spain's Congress last year, reveals the result of a survey that the commission carried out on 800,000 members of the public. It found that 0.6% of the country's adult population, roughly 39 million people, said that they had suffered sexual abuse as children by members of the clergy. That percentage rose to 1.13%, more than 400,000 people, when including alleged abuse by lay people in institutions overseen by the Church. Mr Gabilondo said the numbers should be treated with caution. The report also included statements from more than 487 people who suffered abuse, who stressed the emotional toll it had taken. "There are people who have [died by] suicide... people who have never put their lives back together," said Mr Gabilondo. "It is necessary to provide a response to a situation of suffering and loneliness that for years has remained, in one way or another, covered by an unfair silence."

The ombudsman proposed the creation of a state fund to provide victims of abuse with compensation. The official inquiry into child sex abuse in Spain's Catholic Church followed an investigation by the El Pais newspaper, which began in 2018 and has since created a database of more than 1,000 alleged cases of abuse. A report into its findings was published in 2021. While Mr Gabilondo said on Friday that the Church did cooperate with the commission to a certain extent, he highlighted its lack of interest in assisting with the report and the hostility of bishops in some dioceses.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the report's findings were a "milestone" in the country's democracy. "We are a better country because a reality that everyone knew about for many years, but nobody talked about, at least not in the terms that we are doing so today, has been made known," he said.

^ The Catholic Church (in the Vatican) and the Catholic Church (in Spain) needs to admit their past mistakes fully and work to make sure the Victims get the help they deserve and that nothing like this ever happens again.

I say that as a Roman Catholic. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67238572

Gays Still Banned

From Reuters:

“South Korean court upholds ban on gay sex within armed forces”

South Korea's constitutional court on Thursday narrowly upheld a law banning same-sex relations within the armed forces, citing a possible risk to the military's combat readiness in a ruling criticised by activists as a setback for gay rights. Under the country's military criminal act, members of the armed forces face up to two years in prison for same-sex relationships. The law has been referred to the court and upheld by it four times since 2002.

In Thursday's five-to-four ruling, the court said allowing same-sex relations could undermine discipline within the military and harm its combat capabilities. Rights groups have been urging the court to scrap what they termed an "outdated and bad" law, after the Supreme Court last year overturned a military court's conviction of two soldiers sentenced to suspended prison terms for a consensual same-sex relationship. nActivists said the law fuels violence and discrimination against and stigmatization of gay soldiers. "This continued endorsement for the criminalization of consensual same-sex acts within the Korean military is a distressing setback in the decades-long struggle for equality in the country," Boram Jang, Amnesty International's East Asia researcher, said in a statement after Thursday's ruling.

South Korea has one of the world's largest active armies, with all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 required to serve between 18 and 21 months.

^ It is sad to see a supposedly Developed Country like South Korea still have such backwards views on Homosexuality. ^

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korean-court-upholds-ban-gay-sex-within-armed-forces-2023-10-26/

Ukrainian Language Day

Today is Ukrainian Language Day.

As you would expect Ukrainian is the Official Language of Ukraine (just like Russian is the Official Language of Russia), but just because many Ukrainians understand Russian (they were forced to learn it from the 1600s until 1991) doesn’t mean that Russian and its Transliterations should be used in Modern-Day Ukraine. By the way almost no Russian understands Ukrainian (including ethnic Russians that have lived in Ukraine their whole life.)

 

Alphabet: The Ukrainian Language uses the Cyrillic Alphabet like the Russian Language does, but that doesn’t mean they are the same Language or can be fully understood.

It’s the same way that just because you know the English Language doesn’t mean you automatically know the Spanish Language – both of which use the Latin Alphabet.

The Ukrainian Language has Letters that the Russian Language doesn’t have. Just look in the Ukrainian Name “Київ.” Russian doesn’t even have the Letter ї. Russian also doesn’t have the Letters Ґ,  І or Є.

The Russian Language has the Letters Ё, Ъ, ы and Э which Ukrainian doesn’t have.

Also, when translating from Russian into English you say “the Ukraine”, but when translating from Ukrainian into English you say “Ukraine.”

When translating from Russian into English you say “the Crimea”, but when translating from Ukrainian into English you say “Crimea.”

 

Phrases: Here are some Everyday Phrases in both Ukrainian and Russian to help you see the difference between the two Languages – even if you don’t know the Cyrillic Alphabet:

Welcome:  Ukrainian (Ласкаво просимо) Russian (Добро пожаловать!)

Hello: Ukrainian (Вітаю) Russian (Здравствуйте!)

How Are You?: Ukrainian (Як ти поживаєш?) Russian (Как дела?)

Goodbye: Ukrainian (До побачення) Russian (До свидания!)

Yes: Ukrainian (Так) Russian (Да)

No: Ukrainian (Ні)   Russian (Нет)

Thank You: Ukrainian (Дякую) Russian (Спасибо!)

Ukrainian Language: Ukrainian (українська мова) Russian (Украинский язык)

Russian Language: Ukrainian (Російська мова) Russian (Русский язык)

History Of Ukrainian

Today (October 27^th) is The Day of Ukrainian Literature and Language (День української писемності та мови.)

37 Million People speak Ukrainian as their First Language.

15 Million People speak Ukrainian as their 2^nd, 3^rd, etc. Language.

The Ukrainian Language is a separate Language from the Russian Language in the same way as English is separate from German.

History of the Ukrainian Language in Ukraine:

15^th Century to 1945 in western Ukraine: The everyday Official Language was Polish. Ukrainian or Yiddish were used at home in secret.

1650s to 1917 in the rest of Ukraine: Most of Ukraine was forced into the Russian Czarist Empire. The everyday Official Language was Russian. Ukrainian and Yiddish were used at home in secret.

1720: Czar Peter 1 forbade anything to be printed using the Ukrainian Language.

1864: Adoption of the Charter of the Primary School at which education was to be conducted only in Russian. This Charter only legalized the use of only the Russian Language in Schools in Ukraine – a practice done since the 1650s.

1876: Czar Alexander II's Ems Decree banned the printing and importing of any text in Ukrainian from outside the Czarist Empire.

The Ems Decree also banned Stage Performances, Public Recitations and schooling in Ukraine, as well as it ordered removal of all Ukrainian Books from School Libraries, Teachers that were suspected of promoting the Ukrainian Language were to be transferred outside of Ukraine.

 1911: The Resolution VIIth Congress of the Nobility in Moscow made it illegal to use any Language, except Russian, in any School in the Czarist Empire.

1914: Prohibition of celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Taras Shevchenko (who promoted the Ukrainian Language and Culture), the Decree of Czar Nicholas II’s Prohibition of the Ukrainian Press.

1922: Ukraine was forced into the Soviet Union after the 1917 Communist Revolution and Civil War.

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union declared there to be two cultures in Ukraine – the city (which used the Russian Language) and the Peasant (which used the Ukrainian Language.) The CPSU declared the only acceptable outcome would be a Modern Ukraine (ie one where everyone works in the Cities) and so the Russian Language became the only Language Officially allowed in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1932: Stalin's Campaign to end "Ukrainization” inside Ukraine began (making it illegal to use the Ukrainian Language even at home.)

1932-1933: The Man-Made Famine, the Holodomor, was created by the Soviets in Moscow to end Ukrainian Nationalism. 5 Million Ukrainians died.

1941-1944: Nazi Germany occupied Ukraine. The Nazis promised to make the Ukrainian Language a Co-Official Language (along with German) if the Ukrainians fought with the Nazis.

In reality German was the only Official Language with Russian as a 2^nd Language.

1945: Western Ukraine was transferred from Poland to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Poland received former Nazi German Territory in exchange.

A rapid period of Russification was carried out by the Communists in Moscow throughout western Ukraine. The Laws making it illegal to use the Ukrainian Language were extended to western Ukraine.

1945-1953: Any Ukrainian that had promoted the use of the Ukrainian Language during the War Years were hunted down and sent to the Gulags by the Soviet Communists.

1958 – The Principles of Legislation of the USSR and the Union Republics on Public Education on the Situation on the Free Choice of Language Learning was created.

 Officially it said that Parents across the Soviet Union could decide which Language their Children learned in School. If the Parents chose a Language other than Russian then the Children had to also learn the Russian Language as a 2^nd Language.

Unofficially, nothing changed throughout the USSR and all Education was carried out in the Russian Language.

1964: After Nikita Khrushchev’s overthrow by the Communists the Russian Language again became the sole Official Language throughout the USSR.

1970: An Order of the Ministry of Education of the USSR declared that an Academic Thesis could only be written and defended in the Russian Language.

1984: An Order of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR declared that all Soviet Museums only use the Russian Language.

1989:  A Decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU again declared the Russian Language as the sole Official Language throughout the Soviet Union.

1990: The Supreme Soviet of the USSR approved the Law on Languages of the USSR reaffirming the sole use of the Russian Language.

1991: Ukraine became an Independent Country. The Soviet Union collapsed.

The Ukrainian Language became the Official Language of Ukraine for the first time ever.

Russian and other Foreign Languages were also allowed.

2014 to Present Day: The Ukrainian Language (and Ukrainian Culture) have been banned in Russian-Occupied Crimea, Russian-Occupied Luhansk and Russian-Occupied Donetsk. Anyone using the Ukrainian Language or promoting the Ukrainian Culture is sent to Infiltration Camps in Russia to have the “Ukrainian beaten out of them.)

2022 to Present Day: The Ukrainian Language (and Ukrainian Culture) are banned in the Russian-Occupied Parts of Ukraine. Anyone using the Ukrainian Language or promoting the Ukrainian Culture is sent to Infiltration Camps in Russia to have the “Ukrainian beaten out of them.)

At least 700,000 Ukrainian Children have been kidnapped by the Russians and sent to Russia to make sure they “grow up as Russians.” The International Community has declared this to be a War Crime.

2023: In the Non-Russian Occupied Parts of Ukraine; 81% of Ukrainians speak Ukrainian over Russian in their Daily Lives with more Ukrainians (especially those over 50) learning Ukrainian every day.

Note: When I was in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2007 I used Russian since I didn’t know Ukrainian.

I heard Ukrainians (both Ethnic Ukrainians and Ethnic Russians) speak to each other in both Ukrainian and in Russian. One would say something in Ukrainian and the other would reply in Russian. No one seemed to mind.

Don't Ask

 

Civilian Sites Turned Military

 

Call First

 

Gaza Questions

 

The Palestinians in both the West Bank and in Gaza have a long history of placing their Military/Terrorist Cell Buildings surrounded by: Schools, Hospitals, Mosques and Residential Buildings.

They make no attempt to hide them so that Israel and others will know they are there and that if they are bombed the Schools, Hospitals, Mosques and Residential Buildings will also be bombed and they will get sympathy from the World.

This is a picture I personally took when I was in Jericho, the West Bank in October 2017. You can clearly see the Terrorist Training Center in Camouflage.

The Training Center is for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the West Bank and is surrounded by Mosque, a School and a Medical Clinic – again so that Israel and others can’t bomb the Terrorists.

There are countless more of these in the West Bank.

 

There are also countless such Terrorist Training Centers for Hamas throughout Gaza surrounded by Schools, Mosques, Hospitals and Residential Buildings.

Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2006 and controls every aspect of life inside Gaza.

Hamas Terrorists go around as Islamic Religious Police and make sure Women are covered, they hunt down and kill Homosexuals, they make sure Men have beards, they force Jewish and Christian Palestinians to either convert to Islam or hide their faith – unless they want to be killed.

 

I should state that the Palestinians in the West Bank officially have no ties with the Palestinians in Gaza or with Hamas since 2006 and that the Palestinian Authority that runs the West Bank has recently said they do not want to govern Gaza whether Hamas is there or not.

 

The United Nations works alongside Hamas in Gaza (despite Hamas being declared a Terrorist Group in 1993.)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was set-up in 1949 to help the Palestinian Refugees after Israel’s War for Independence in 1948.

The UNRWA operates in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including the former East Jerusalem area (which was reunited with West Jerusalem after Israel won the 1967 Six Day War.

It would seem that after 74 years the Palestinians would be able to find their own work, find their own homes, get their own food and rebuild their lives but the UNRWA still officially supports 5.6 Million Palestinians.

For reference after World War 2 ended in 1945 there were at least 60 Million Displaced Refugees throughout Europe (including Jewish Holocaust Survivors.) Despite that massive number of Refugees by 1952 all but 2 United Nations run Displaced Persons Camps in Europe were closed with the final Camp closed in 1957. That means that in 12 years (from 1945-1957) the UN moved  over 60 million Refugees and helped them get resettled and rebuild their lives.

So why is the United Nations still doing the same for the Palestinians 74+ years later?

 

Since 2006 Hamas has ruled Gaza. Gaza is only 25 miles long and 7 miles wide so logically one can assume that the UNRWA has to work closely with the Hamas Terrorists on a regular basis.

There is only one Open Border Crossing (to Egypt) where all goods and people into and out of Gaza have to travel to/from. It makes one question what kinds of aid and supplies are being brought in from Egypt over the years, since 2006, since Hamas has modern weapons, rockets, missiles, etc. to bomb Israel every day now for 21 days.

It also makes one question what the UNRWA knows about all of this and whether the UNRWA and their Staff in Gaza and Egypt help Hamas bring in all these military weapons.

This is something people should think about when they blindly support the Palestinians in Gaza, Hamas or the United Nations - especially the UNRWA.

Deployed Day

Today is Day of the Deployed.

Out of the 1,328,000 Men and Women in the US Military 167,206 are deployed around the World.

Here are the numbers deployed around the World according to location:

 

In Europe: 67,395

In The Former Soviet Union: 240

In East Asia and the Pacific: 84,093

In North Africa, Near East and South Asia: 6,561

In Sub-Saharan Africa: 1,035

In the Western Hemisphere: 1,947

On the Oceans on Ships and in Unknown Destinations: 5,935

 

 

These numbers do include the US Marines stationed at the American Embassies and Consulates around the World.

These numbers don’t include the American Civilian Federal Employees working for the US Military around the World.

These numbers don’t include the American Civilian Contract Workers working for the US Military around the World.

These numbers don’t include the American Military Spouses and Military Children (Military Brats) living around the World because their Spouse or Parent is in the US Military.

Pay Attention

 

Clever Cat

 

Maine Shooting

From News Nation:

“At least 22 dead in Maine shooting, dozens injured; manhunt underway”

(In this image taken from video released by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified gunman points a gun while entering Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Maine State Police ordered residents in the state’s second-largest city to shelter in place Wednesday night as the suspect remains at large.)

A manhunt is underway Wednesday night after a suspect opened fire at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, killing at least 22 people, injuring dozens more and sending the state’s second-largest city into chaos. The Lewiston Police Department said it is looking for 40-year-old Robert Card as a person of interest and warned he should be considered armed and dangerous. Maine State Police is expected to provide an update on the shooting and subsequent manhunt at 10:30 a.m. ET Thursday, NewsNation has learned.

Authorities ordered residents and business owners to stay inside and off the streets. Lewiston police said in an earlier Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley about four miles away. The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos on its Facebook page that showed a gunman walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to his shoulder. NewsNation has confirmed 22 people are dead and another 50-60 are wounded. “Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals,” police said.

On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients. As of 2 a.m. ET, the page displaying the message appears to have been taken down. According to information from Maine State Police’s Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), Card was trained as a firearms instructor at a U.S. Army Reserve training facility in the state. He recently reported mental health issues including hearing voices and threatened to shoot up the military training facility, according to the Maine State Police bulletin. He was also reported to have been committed to a mental health facility for two weeks during the summer of 2023.

Michael Sauschuck, commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, said in a news conference Wednesday night that initial calls of a shooting came in just before 7 p.m. ET. During the search after the shootings, police located a vehicle in nearby Lisbon, Sauschuck said. The Sun Journal, a local newspaper in Lewiston, reported the vehicle police believe Card was driving, a white Subaru Outback, was found near a Lisbon boat dock.

The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 p.m. as the sheriff’s office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events.” Officials issued an update around 10 p.m. on their search. “Avoid the area until authorities give the all-clear,” the statement said. “Seek alternative routes to circumvent the area and any disruptions. If already operating in the affected region, adhere to all instructions issued by local officials, including the shelter-in-place order.” “We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate,” the sheriff’s office reported. Events and early voting at City Hall have also been cancelled.

Lewiston Public Schools district said in a statement on Facebook it canceled classes for Thursday. “Stay close to your loved ones. Embrace them. Our prayers go out to those who lost someone tonight. Our prayers go out to all those working to stop further loss of life. We will provide updates,” the school district said.  Several nearby schools and districts, including Central Maine Community College and Bates College, announced they’d be closed on Thursday.  Bates College remains on lockdown. “We realize that there are students who were not in their residence hall as we went into lockdown, and employees who are on campus and unable to return home. If you are in that situation and you have a specific emergency medical need please contact Campus Safety at 207-786-6254 with your current location and your need,” Bates College emergency management said.

The nearby city of Auburn also issued a shelter-in-place order, as did the town of Lisbon. “Stay safe. don’t jump to conclusions,” Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque said on Facebook. “This is an all-hands-on-deck situation. You can train for this, but you can never be completely prepared,” he later told reporters from WGME-TV outside at a reunification center at Auburn Middle School. “We’re gonna heal our community, we’re gonna persevere, we’re gonna get through this. It will take a while … but we have a really strong community. We’ve overcome a lot, and we’ll overcome this.”

One woman who sheltered in place told NewsNation that family friends were hurt in the shooting. A spokesperson for Maine Department of Public Safety urged residents to stay in their homes with their doors locked. “Law enforcement is currently investigating at two locations right now,” Shannon Moss said. “Again, please stay off the streets and allow law enforcement to diffuse the situation.”

Gov. Janet Mills released a statement echoing those instructions. She said she has been briefed on the situation and will remain in close contact with public safety officials. Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, said he was “deeply sad for the city of Lewiston and all those worried about their family, friends and neighbors” and was monitoring the situation. King’s office said the senator would be headed directly home to Maine once the Senate’s final vote is held Thursday afternoon. The White House said in a statement the president has been briefed on the situation. The Justice Department also said Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed and that federal law enforcement agencies are assisting.

Schemengees Bar and Grille released a statement early Thursday morning. “My heart is crushed. I am at a loss for words. In a split second your world gets turn upside down for no good reason. We loss great people in this community. How can we make any sense of this. Sending out prayers to everyone,” the bar posted on their Facebook page.

^ This is extremely sad to hear. I hope they catch the Shooter. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/northeast/ap-police-say-theres-an-active-shooter-in-lewiston-maine-and-they-are-investigating-multiple-scenes/