Here is a list of Opinionated Blogs ordered by Last Commented, posted by members. A Blog is a journal you may enter about your life, thoughts, interesting experiences, or lessons you've learned. Post an opinion, impart words of wisdom, or talk about something interesting in your day. Update your blog on a regular basis, or just whenever you have something to say. Creating a blog is a good way to share something of yourself with others. Reading blogs is a good way to learn more about others. Click here to post a blog.
July 4, 1776 and 2022: The Declaration Still Empowers Good to Triumph
Most Americans celebrating the July 4th holiday today don’t fully realize that it was the power of ideas in the Declaration of Independence that was the critical enabling factor for the Americans to win the War of Independence.
Compared to the British professional military, the American colonial army was simply no match — being undermanned, underfunded, underequipped, inexperienced, and undertrained. At the outset of the war, the British Royal Navy had 270 warships deployed in American waters, while the Continental Navy had seven ships.
On July 4, 1776, in what is now Manhattan, New York, Gen. George Washington was preparing for battle. He had no idea that a Declaration of Independence was being released in Philadelphia that day as he pondered the sobering reality of a continuous stream of British ships coming through the Narrows and anchoring off Staten Island in New York Harbor.
A month before, Washington had written a letter to his brother, saying: “We expect a very bloody summer of it in New York … If our cause is just, as I do most religiously believe it to be, the same Providence which in many instances appeared for us, will still go on to afford its aid.”
On July 4th in Philadelphia, it was also a somber day when those 56 members of the Continental Congress committed themselves to signing the Declaration of Independence. Each of them knew that becoming a signatory put a death warrant on their heads for being a traitor to Great Britain.
Thus, the first Declaration of Independence that was signed on July 4, did not have signatures identifying the committed delegates. Rather, there were two signatures on that first document: John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress and Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress.
It took more than two weeks for the Declaration to be “engrossed” — that is written on parchment in a clear hand. Many of the 56 delegates to the Continental Congress who had agreed to sign the document did so on August 2, but there were new delegates who replaced some six of the original delegates, and there were an additional seven delegates who could not sign until many weeks later. Recognizing the long odds against the small and underequipped American Continental Army defeating the British army and navy — the most formidable military force in the world — the Continental Congress decided to hold the 56-signatory Declaration for a release at a later time.
Read more:
Compared to the British professional military, the American colonial army was simply no match — being undermanned, underfunded, underequipped, inexperienced, and undertrained. At the outset of the war, the British Royal Navy had 270 warships deployed in American waters, while the Continental Navy had seven ships.
On July 4, 1776, in what is now Manhattan, New York, Gen. George Washington was preparing for battle. He had no idea that a Declaration of Independence was being released in Philadelphia that day as he pondered the sobering reality of a continuous stream of British ships coming through the Narrows and anchoring off Staten Island in New York Harbor.
A month before, Washington had written a letter to his brother, saying: “We expect a very bloody summer of it in New York … If our cause is just, as I do most religiously believe it to be, the same Providence which in many instances appeared for us, will still go on to afford its aid.”
On July 4th in Philadelphia, it was also a somber day when those 56 members of the Continental Congress committed themselves to signing the Declaration of Independence. Each of them knew that becoming a signatory put a death warrant on their heads for being a traitor to Great Britain.
Thus, the first Declaration of Independence that was signed on July 4, did not have signatures identifying the committed delegates. Rather, there were two signatures on that first document: John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress and Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress.
It took more than two weeks for the Declaration to be “engrossed” — that is written on parchment in a clear hand. Many of the 56 delegates to the Continental Congress who had agreed to sign the document did so on August 2, but there were new delegates who replaced some six of the original delegates, and there were an additional seven delegates who could not sign until many weeks later. Recognizing the long odds against the small and underequipped American Continental Army defeating the British army and navy — the most formidable military force in the world — the Continental Congress decided to hold the 56-signatory Declaration for a release at a later time.
Read more:
Some things I’ve learnt along the way…(pt. 3)
Over the last 20-30 years or so, I’ve had some ‘eye-opening/mind-changing’ revelations about myself and my life. Some of those revelations are about my relationship with myself, with my immediate family, with ‘ex’ friends and with an ‘ex’ husband – and are very personal. Others were revealed to me through observations, mistakes and other challenges that I experienced along the way.
As a young adult, I was accused by one of my roommates (we were ‘student’ teachers at the time), of being very ‘absent-minded’. I can't recall exactly why that was an issue for her, but she was quite peeved. As the years passed, the accusation would come to my memory off and on, but it wasn’t really ‘analysed’ until many years later when I felt the need for some in-depth introspection (after my divorce). I realized along the way, that there were several, if not many things that I would do, unconsciously, that would either irk or surprise others. Some of these were/are: snoring, frowning, teeth-grinding, judging, controlling, etc. I’m certain that many of these were involuntary, and weren’t meant to offend/discomfit anyone, but that they did.
*The things that you do unconsciously, can get you into trouble. So, be mindful.
The older one gets, the less significant ‘romantic love’ appears as a major desire/driving force when dating, and the more attractive financial security gets, as one aspires towards being in a fulfilling relationship. Dating expectations may vary, but being extra careful about things like one’s health and financial resources for the future seem even more paramount than a ‘love match’, for most men in their late fifties (and some women), onward. As a romantic, I lament this change, but as a pragmatic, I understand it’s logic. When I was young, I felt invincible and everything was possible. As I got older, I became more sensible, thus, more careful.
*In later life, ‘love’ takes a back seat to ‘practicality’. C’est la vie.
As a young adult, I was accused by one of my roommates (we were ‘student’ teachers at the time), of being very ‘absent-minded’. I can't recall exactly why that was an issue for her, but she was quite peeved. As the years passed, the accusation would come to my memory off and on, but it wasn’t really ‘analysed’ until many years later when I felt the need for some in-depth introspection (after my divorce). I realized along the way, that there were several, if not many things that I would do, unconsciously, that would either irk or surprise others. Some of these were/are: snoring, frowning, teeth-grinding, judging, controlling, etc. I’m certain that many of these were involuntary, and weren’t meant to offend/discomfit anyone, but that they did.
*The things that you do unconsciously, can get you into trouble. So, be mindful.
The older one gets, the less significant ‘romantic love’ appears as a major desire/driving force when dating, and the more attractive financial security gets, as one aspires towards being in a fulfilling relationship. Dating expectations may vary, but being extra careful about things like one’s health and financial resources for the future seem even more paramount than a ‘love match’, for most men in their late fifties (and some women), onward. As a romantic, I lament this change, but as a pragmatic, I understand it’s logic. When I was young, I felt invincible and everything was possible. As I got older, I became more sensible, thus, more careful.
*In later life, ‘love’ takes a back seat to ‘practicality’. C’est la vie.
Hey Look! Proof Former Obama Admin Officials Committed Treason Under Trump
According to a memo obtained by American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ). via a FOIA lawsuit, several Obama administration officials held secret meetings with Iran during Trump’s presidency.
Former Obama Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to undermine Trump by negotiating with Iran as Trump was working towards pulling out of the nuclear deal have been known for years. But the memo obtained by the ALCJ is from October 2018, titled “Notes From ‘Iran and the US: An Off-the-Record Conversation with Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif.” has never been seen before now, and shows that Kerry wasn’t the one working to undermine Trump.
“According to this memo, the previously unreported ‘off-the-record meeting’ took place at the ‘Iranian Ambassador’s Residence, NYC,’ on October 4, 2018 – just days after major media coverage of Kerry’s admission of the secret efforts,” explains ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow. “The memo we unearthed contains notes on the former U.S. diplomats’ conversation with Zarif and his responses “to questions posed by a group of US former ambassadors and policy analysts.”
“The newly obtained memo, regarding the secret meeting between [Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad] Zarif and these former U.S. officials, included discussions of nuclear weapons, potential prisoner swaps, Afghanistan withdrawal and negotiations with the Taliban, Houthi rebels, Syria, Suleimani’s popularity in Iran, and the ‘region in turmoil,'” Sekulow continues. “This is precisely why we sent this FOIA request: to uncover actions of then-former U.S. diplomats – those who worked for the Obama-Biden Administration but who then went to work undermining President Trump and the core policies he campaigned on and succeeded.”
“[Former Secretary of State] Kerry himself admitted his part in this scheme,” Sekulow added. “And here we obtained a memo showing just that: an off-the-record meeting between Zarif and ‘former’ U.S. diplomats right in the middle of the Trump Administration and during the time President Trump was working through the aftermath of withdrawing the United States from the farce known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the Iran nuclear deal.”
This is a clear violation of the Logan Act, which criminalizes unauthorized American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments regarding disputes between the two countries. This is what Democrats accused Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn of violating when he was Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor. Flynn did nothing wrong, but Kerry or any other former-Obama official without authority to be negotiating with Iran absolutely did. In fact, some would call it treason.
Former Obama Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to undermine Trump by negotiating with Iran as Trump was working towards pulling out of the nuclear deal have been known for years. But the memo obtained by the ALCJ is from October 2018, titled “Notes From ‘Iran and the US: An Off-the-Record Conversation with Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif.” has never been seen before now, and shows that Kerry wasn’t the one working to undermine Trump.
“According to this memo, the previously unreported ‘off-the-record meeting’ took place at the ‘Iranian Ambassador’s Residence, NYC,’ on October 4, 2018 – just days after major media coverage of Kerry’s admission of the secret efforts,” explains ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow. “The memo we unearthed contains notes on the former U.S. diplomats’ conversation with Zarif and his responses “to questions posed by a group of US former ambassadors and policy analysts.”
“The newly obtained memo, regarding the secret meeting between [Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad] Zarif and these former U.S. officials, included discussions of nuclear weapons, potential prisoner swaps, Afghanistan withdrawal and negotiations with the Taliban, Houthi rebels, Syria, Suleimani’s popularity in Iran, and the ‘region in turmoil,'” Sekulow continues. “This is precisely why we sent this FOIA request: to uncover actions of then-former U.S. diplomats – those who worked for the Obama-Biden Administration but who then went to work undermining President Trump and the core policies he campaigned on and succeeded.”
“[Former Secretary of State] Kerry himself admitted his part in this scheme,” Sekulow added. “And here we obtained a memo showing just that: an off-the-record meeting between Zarif and ‘former’ U.S. diplomats right in the middle of the Trump Administration and during the time President Trump was working through the aftermath of withdrawing the United States from the farce known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the Iran nuclear deal.”
This is a clear violation of the Logan Act, which criminalizes unauthorized American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments regarding disputes between the two countries. This is what Democrats accused Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn of violating when he was Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor. Flynn did nothing wrong, but Kerry or any other former-Obama official without authority to be negotiating with Iran absolutely did. In fact, some would call it treason.
People Are Dumber Today Compared to Medieval Times
We look at our society and praise how much we have evolved, but these past years that have tried humanity have shown that in some social concepts we have devolved. We have created this credulous mindset that invokes that technology will help us evolve and get smarter, but people forget that technology is only a tool and our minds are for us to control and evolved through education.
It’s said to say, but since 2018 humanity has been becoming dumber and dumber. It is no surprise why we seem to have so much difficulty finding solutions for the current world crisis which humanity has been previously faced with. Our trust in technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and algorithms has led some people to think that the human mind is an aspect of the past and isn’t needed any longer.
We have become so lazy that we created artificial intelligence to think for us, but what happened with organic innovation? A term left in the past. Our world reverts back to the same ideology, we must follow human nature’s track of organic evolution, but technology seems more of an impediment in this process.
People will believe anything
Lately, with the war that has just broken out in Europe, I have been seeing an increased amount of online propaganda, and as you would expect everyone is falling for it. People seem to not understand the simple concept of the internet. Anyone can publish anything without being reviewed or checked by anyone. Once again our trust in algorithms allows random people to publish stuff online and get it on the first page of google.
There is absolutely no control over the internet due to the humongous volume of content published every day. People forget to use common sense and their brains to identify what is fact and what is a fairy tale. We are in 2022 and there is still a large portion of people worldwide that believe the vaccine contains a chip to which you can connect your phone through Bluetooth. People are so stupid that dozens of articles had to be written to ensure them that there is no chip in the vaccine.
As described in “Our Brains at War: The Neuroscience of Conflict and Peacebuilding” written by Mari Fitzduff, social media is used as a weapon and the easiest weapon to kill someone as it only takes one click through any sort of interaction with false posts. Social media has created multiple platforms that allow disinformation to flow like water in a river and a lot of it leads to violence, persecution, and exploitation.
The ease of access to information is another cause for the lack of intelligence. Why go read a reliable book that is the primary source of information when you can read “good old” Wikipedia. People still don’t understand that the problem with Wikipedia is that anyone can go and change the information on any post created.
If you think that some random person has a lot of potential at manipulating people through disinformation, just imagine what a well-known writer or influencer can do. During current events, governments don’t even need to try, they share a propaganda post and it goes viral overnight. The next day you have to listen to how misinformation is exchanged. Even with this war between Russia and Ukraine, everyone who has a social media account has become a politician, despite most of them not even knowing where Ukraine is on the World Map or the history behind this conflict.
It’s said to say, but since 2018 humanity has been becoming dumber and dumber. It is no surprise why we seem to have so much difficulty finding solutions for the current world crisis which humanity has been previously faced with. Our trust in technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and algorithms has led some people to think that the human mind is an aspect of the past and isn’t needed any longer.
We have become so lazy that we created artificial intelligence to think for us, but what happened with organic innovation? A term left in the past. Our world reverts back to the same ideology, we must follow human nature’s track of organic evolution, but technology seems more of an impediment in this process.
People will believe anything
Lately, with the war that has just broken out in Europe, I have been seeing an increased amount of online propaganda, and as you would expect everyone is falling for it. People seem to not understand the simple concept of the internet. Anyone can publish anything without being reviewed or checked by anyone. Once again our trust in algorithms allows random people to publish stuff online and get it on the first page of google.
There is absolutely no control over the internet due to the humongous volume of content published every day. People forget to use common sense and their brains to identify what is fact and what is a fairy tale. We are in 2022 and there is still a large portion of people worldwide that believe the vaccine contains a chip to which you can connect your phone through Bluetooth. People are so stupid that dozens of articles had to be written to ensure them that there is no chip in the vaccine.
As described in “Our Brains at War: The Neuroscience of Conflict and Peacebuilding” written by Mari Fitzduff, social media is used as a weapon and the easiest weapon to kill someone as it only takes one click through any sort of interaction with false posts. Social media has created multiple platforms that allow disinformation to flow like water in a river and a lot of it leads to violence, persecution, and exploitation.
The ease of access to information is another cause for the lack of intelligence. Why go read a reliable book that is the primary source of information when you can read “good old” Wikipedia. People still don’t understand that the problem with Wikipedia is that anyone can go and change the information on any post created.
If you think that some random person has a lot of potential at manipulating people through disinformation, just imagine what a well-known writer or influencer can do. During current events, governments don’t even need to try, they share a propaganda post and it goes viral overnight. The next day you have to listen to how misinformation is exchanged. Even with this war between Russia and Ukraine, everyone who has a social media account has become a politician, despite most of them not even knowing where Ukraine is on the World Map or the history behind this conflict.
Will Sanctions Work?
I think sanctions is going to make Russia more resilient and wont work at all.
JMO
I recall sanctions against SA.
Cut the Fuel... We made fuel out of coal.
Cut the weapons... We manufactured weapons for the export market.
SA was even a Nuclear Power, not to mention the best defence force on the globe. (relatively speaking)
The list goes on and on.
Even our currency was stronger.
The UN banned all imports of fresh fruit from SA. What a joy for the locals
Sanctions make a country stronger.
JMO.
JMO
I recall sanctions against SA.
Cut the Fuel... We made fuel out of coal.
Cut the weapons... We manufactured weapons for the export market.
SA was even a Nuclear Power, not to mention the best defence force on the globe. (relatively speaking)
The list goes on and on.
Even our currency was stronger.
The UN banned all imports of fresh fruit from SA. What a joy for the locals
Sanctions make a country stronger.
JMO.
Preferential treatment?.........Hmmmn.
About a month ago, after observing that some men’s profiles were either devoid of a personal pic or featured a pic of an animal (and in one case, a drawing of a cat with a rose), I decided that it would be all right for me to do the same. So, I posted a pic of Sweetie Pie as my primary photo.
Almost immediately, the pic was removed, and I was informed that I could not use it as my primary photo. I was very disappointed and thought of querying that policy, because other CS members were being allowed to do otherwise.
Why was I being denied the same opportunity? Was it because I was (and still am) relatively new on here, and there’s some sort of ‘probationary’ period to complete before I could do so? Was it because they have a policy that ‘men’s faces don’t really need to be seen, but women’s do’? Was it because the ‘mods’ only do random checks and just happened to be checking when I put up Sweetie’s photo? Was it because…………….?
I couldn’t think of anything else that was plausible.
Then, earlier today Avocet’s profile pic (featuring 2 dogs, I think) made Galrads ask how he was able to ‘get away’ with that, and I wondered about the mystery behind it all.
Is this a case of preferential treatment, or a faux pas that was missed by the CS ‘powers that be’?
Almost immediately, the pic was removed, and I was informed that I could not use it as my primary photo. I was very disappointed and thought of querying that policy, because other CS members were being allowed to do otherwise.
Why was I being denied the same opportunity? Was it because I was (and still am) relatively new on here, and there’s some sort of ‘probationary’ period to complete before I could do so? Was it because they have a policy that ‘men’s faces don’t really need to be seen, but women’s do’? Was it because the ‘mods’ only do random checks and just happened to be checking when I put up Sweetie’s photo? Was it because…………….?
I couldn’t think of anything else that was plausible.
Then, earlier today Avocet’s profile pic (featuring 2 dogs, I think) made Galrads ask how he was able to ‘get away’ with that, and I wondered about the mystery behind it all.
Is this a case of preferential treatment, or a faux pas that was missed by the CS ‘powers that be’?
Nothing happens by accident.
You don't close an American pipeline and open up a Russian one on accident.
You don't abandon America citizens in Afghanistan on accident.
You don't spend trillions of dollars while inflation is out of control on accident.
You don't completely open the border and prioritize illegal aliens on accident.
You don't demoralize and weaken our military on accident.
And most importantly, you don't STEAL an election on accident.
You don't abandon America citizens in Afghanistan on accident.
You don't spend trillions of dollars while inflation is out of control on accident.
You don't completely open the border and prioritize illegal aliens on accident.
You don't demoralize and weaken our military on accident.
And most importantly, you don't STEAL an election on accident.
Biden admin to discipline border agents accused of ‘whipping’ illegal immigrants: Report
This a**hole President is totally out of his f*cking mind.
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security is planning to discipline Border Patrol agents who were accused of “whipping” illegal immigrants while on horseback in Del Rio, Texas last year, despite being cleared of wrongdoing. The administration, as well as numerous news outlets, mistakenly identified horse reins as whips at the time.
While the agents will not face any criminal charges, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported on Tuesday that a federal source told him the agents will be punished for “administrative violations.”
“Per federal source, DHS is preparing to discipline multiple horseback Border Patrol agents who were accused of ‘whipping’ Haitian migrants in Del Rio last summer. I’m told DHS will imminently allege ‘administrative violations’, agents will be able to respond @FoxNews,” Melugin tweeted.
Read more:
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security is planning to discipline Border Patrol agents who were accused of “whipping” illegal immigrants while on horseback in Del Rio, Texas last year, despite being cleared of wrongdoing. The administration, as well as numerous news outlets, mistakenly identified horse reins as whips at the time.
While the agents will not face any criminal charges, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported on Tuesday that a federal source told him the agents will be punished for “administrative violations.”
“Per federal source, DHS is preparing to discipline multiple horseback Border Patrol agents who were accused of ‘whipping’ Haitian migrants in Del Rio last summer. I’m told DHS will imminently allege ‘administrative violations’, agents will be able to respond @FoxNews,” Melugin tweeted.
Read more:
We Asked All 50 Democratic Senators If They Would Endorse Biden In 2024. Only 5 Said ‘Yes’
The Daily Caller contacted all 50 Senate Democrats repeatedly and asked if they would support President Joe Biden in his 2024 presidential bid. Five Senators said “Yes.”
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader and Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer responded to the Daily Caller with a one-word answer: “Yes.”
Spokespeople for Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Jack Reed of Rhode Island responded in the same way: “Yes.”
Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s spokesperson also said the senator would endorse Biden, noting, “Yes, Senator Booker supports President Biden for re-election should he run again in 2024.”
Several members of the Democratic Party have recently cast doubt on Biden’s support for his presidential run in 2024 amid his desperate polling numbers.
This week, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to answer if she will endorse Biden, saying “we’ll take a look at it” when the time comes. Democratic officials and voters also cited the poor state of the country and Biden’s age as reasons they are hesitant to be fully behind Biden now in an article from The New York Times.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader and Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer responded to the Daily Caller with a one-word answer: “Yes.”
Spokespeople for Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Jack Reed of Rhode Island responded in the same way: “Yes.”
Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s spokesperson also said the senator would endorse Biden, noting, “Yes, Senator Booker supports President Biden for re-election should he run again in 2024.”
Several members of the Democratic Party have recently cast doubt on Biden’s support for his presidential run in 2024 amid his desperate polling numbers.
This week, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to answer if she will endorse Biden, saying “we’ll take a look at it” when the time comes. Democratic officials and voters also cited the poor state of the country and Biden’s age as reasons they are hesitant to be fully behind Biden now in an article from The New York Times.
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