online today!
...As I wrote, just see and hear what they tried to get everyone to believe, immediately after this tragedy. Little need for all the technical evidence. Many say follow the money. But often it's also follow the claims and behaviors. And our common sense.
In Newsweek;
In response to:
The U.S. Killed 300 Iranian Citizens. Americans Don't Remember This—But Iranians Do
The downing of a U.S. spy drone, the near-launch of military action against Iran and recent unclaimed attacks against nearby oil tankers in the last month have not only set off tensions in the Persian Gulf, but invoked memories of an even deadlier time in the two rivals' troubled history three decades ago when the U.S. killed nearly 300 Iranian civilians.
The U.S. and Iran have never officially fought a war but the two sides have engaged in bouts of violence since the CIA-backed coup that reinstalled Iran's monarchy in 1953 and the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted that leadership for the current cleric-led government. The following decade would prove complex for Washington and Tehran amid the regional volatility of the Iran-Iraq War, during which the U.S. sought to protect Kuwaiti vessels in the Persian Gulf.
The war often spilled over into these narrow, strategic waters, where the guided-missile frigate USS Stark was bombed by a modified Iraqi warplane, killing 37 sailors in May 1987, and fellow warship USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine in April 1988.
The U.S. blamed Iran for the latter incident and conducted one of the largest naval operations since World War II, destroying a number of Iranian ships and killing dozens of sailors.
Less than two months later, on July 3, 1988, Aegis-armed guided-missile cruiser USS Vincennes opened fire at what its crew would later claim they thought to be an attacking Iranian F-14 fighter jet.
Instead, the aircraft was Iran Air Flight 655, a Dubai-bound civilian Airbus A300 with 290 people on board—all of whom were killed.
"The incident still resonates with Iranians," Reza H. Akbari, program manager at the U.K.-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting, told Newsweek. "Once a year, the country's state media rebroadcasts the tragic footage of the plane's wreckage and civilian bodies floating in the Persian Gulf. For a few days, heart-wrenching images of family members crying over the loss of their loved ones and painful facts like the number of children on board are reviewed.
"The story matches well with the Islamic Republic's 40-year-narrative of labeling the U.S. as a heartless imperialist power," he added. "To this day, significant portions of the country's authorities do not believe the event was an accident, but a deliberate message sent to Iran over its decision to plant underwater mines in the Persian Gulf amid the Tanker War phase of the Iran-Iraq War. The event is perfect propaganda fodder for the Iranian regime and does not bode well for America's image in the country."...
online today!
...yes, indeed, the times they are a'changing... Very few family farms left, so on the first, thin meeting attendance. Although with the monthly $5 home made AYCE feed bags, with really nice folks---AND, the growing move toward young organic farm families, there is hope, for this great social/educational institution. And RC Churches are now being sold for mansion like homes, businesses, etc. And few want to be celibate priests, much less women. And buying off former victim altar boys ain't cheap. Although, if Holy Father Francis can whip the powerful corrupt faggots in the Vatican into moral and business shape, there is hope. Not so much the last groups. Too many know about how the secrets are out. Can't make it in Business? Standing in front of a Brother Judge? Too many moving traffic violations? Never passed the GED? Or the CDL? The all powerful seeing eye---and secret handshakes have been there for you for ages. Caps and aprons.
It amazes me that someone would stand on a busy street corner wearing a sandwich sign with words so small you would have to be 5 feet away and spend at least 3 minutes (hey lady, turn around please) to actually read what's on the sign(s) she is displaying.
It's nothing new... different person, different corner... possibly the same sign, but I cannot confirm that as I drive by and say "Your message isn't getting through!"
online today!
...I've often wondered. Have heard from the Blacks who are in my family about what it's like to be in areas where they are a tiny minority. I made a point of asking. As here in Maine, which with Wyoming, has the lowest percentage of minorities in the USA. But, by and large, we enjoy the rule of law here and in cowboy heaven, where I also lived, and loved. And there's civility, and the lowest violent crime rates, and highest gun ownership (imagine that?!) in both states. Now, compare life here for Negroes, with that for Caucasians, in say RSA, or the former Rhodesia. Both once wealth and food baskets of Africa, until Whites yielded power, and now are a lot like the socialist workers' paradise of Venezuela. Or Cuba. Are they brave, somehow saintly optimists, Crazy guilty White liberals, suicidal fools, or just what are they thinking?
The topic is pet hoarding. More than 16 years ago, a woman down the street from me inherited the house from her parents. She was caretaker to her mother until the old woman died.
I knew this lady going back to the 1960's as her family was one of the first to purchase in the neighborhood. Her profession was nursing and after a divorce she moved back home.
We would often say a friendly hello when greeting on the street, but not much more than that. She had several dogs and would take them for walks usually in the evenings.
An story comes to mind about someone in New Jersey where city officials had to 'go in' and rescue more than 270 dogs in a situation they referred to as an "extreme hoarding situation" and it reminded me of what happened to 'dog lady' as she too was a dog (and cat) hoarder.
I first noticed this especially when morning jogs (before sunrise) around the corner brought me alongside her wooden fence. I could hear dogs barking and the stench of poop had filled the calm air. This actually went on for years.
The city has restrictions/limitations on the number of animals one can legally possess. All dogs be registered and rabies vaccination updated yearly. They allow a maximum of 5 dogs. Cats don't require shots or registration and they are also part of the 5 pet limit. I know for a fact this woman has many more than the limit. She told me herself... they're her babies and she's too attached to give them away.
While she was trying to do good her pet population was out of control.
It's expensive keeping a pet as the medicines are only available from a veterinarian. If the animal isn't registered, you cannot obtain the proper medicines for heart worms, antibiotics, fleas and other problems. So her pets were not registered (except for her favorite one) and went without health care. Since they have no registration, the city cannot monitor them... they go 'under the radar' is a common street term for this.
One afternoon, I was nearing home for lunch and several police cars along with news team trucks were in front of her house. That night dog lady made it to the 5 o'clock news report. They arrested her for animal abuse. It seems that a AT&T worker needed access to her property to service telephone lines in her utility easement. More than 50 dogs and 20 cats were alive. If I recall correctly, there were another 30-40 dead animals inside her house and around her wood fenced property!
I believe it was the AT&T worker who tipped off county Animal Services to send and agent to inspect. The registration of her one dog had expired and they had reason to gain access to the property.
What annoyed me the most was an interview of one neighbor who claimed this went on for a few years and when the noise and stench was too much to bear, he reported this trouble to the city several times for more than 8 months, but no one was sent out to respond and investigate.
When interviewed by the local TV news, the woman's comment was "They're my babies."
She was arrested and fined. I read a followup to the case where the judge ordered psychological evaluation, hopefully they got her treatment as she was in a downward spiral that probably included deep depression. She was employed for a while as a private nurse, but that fell through. What you can see of her house (over the wooden fence) was in disrepair, broken shutters from a hurricane. Probably burned up her inheritance too.
The city mayor at the scene that day. Mister 'big shot' was reported saying the house was condemned and would be torn down. Where was he or his people 8 months earlier?
I guess no one put him on the spot wanting to know why his animal control department didn't do their job!
The house wasn't torn down. I know the woman was forced to sell and leave town. She planned retirement and wanted to live in Central Florida on some farmland near Orlando.
Hopefully, she got her wish and this time isn't hoarding pets... again.
online today!
...sure, they will soon lack drinking water, and that nervous one party state, and control by party elites, augers less than ideal for the long term. Hong Kong and Taiwan. Much more to be concerned about, in the general neighborhood as well, as we see in the South China Seas. But the changes from failed attempts at communism, to China's form of free market economies, bring with them troubling demographic shifts as wel. Wealthy, entrepreneurial business women, now in their 40's and 50's, with vanishing chances for marriage and children, and enormous family and cultural pressures for both, to name just one. Slight modifications of the one child policies, might help. But real political freedom ain't too shabby either.
There are several ways to view the situation:
I worked hard all year and will relax on the last day... starting off strong on the first day of the new year!
I will work hard until the end of the year and screw off on the first day of the new year!
I think I'll screw off the last day of this year and the first day of the new year!
For short, let me call him K. He was a charming kiddo, the unexpected late child with much older siblings. Funny and innocent. The last word is a bit difficult to define. It's part of his charisma, somehow.. He can be a bit naughty, but in a childish, innocent way, and with his wit, his smile, he is easy to forgive. Anyway, he has always been getting away with about anything. It is somewhat of a conundrum, as if anyone else had done it, they would probably end up in jail. I would not say that he is criminal. It's more like some naughty pranks he may have done, so you kind of excuse it, smile or have a laugh, but...in fact, many of the things IS criminal. It would be criminal if anybody else had done it. We often have a sort of relaxed notion about crimes, like maybe cheating on your taxes, or perhaps some minor insurance fraud, or .. Well, you know what I mean.
Now as a kid, we may expect a bit of that, but as an adult we expect them to learn and behave. However, he hasn't changed. And for some
strange reason, he is still able to pull off the childish and naughty acts. However, others around him is picking up on some of the same acts, but cannot pull it off like he can do it. So, they may end in trouble.
He has a lot more charm then Mr.Trump, but it made me think of this. K. doesn't boost or brag, he isn't mean, and he doesn't do any big things, as far as I know. But in order for society to work for us all, we have to abide certain rules and laws. And if we don't, we will slide down a slippery slope. It is corrupting, and there is always some that will push it further. We are exposed to a tremendous amount of deliberate propaganda, designed to make us uncertain about everything. Distortions of facts, distortions of rules, fake news, lies, and bullshit.
It is easy to loose one's footing, and that is exactly the intention. It's funny to hear how many perpetuate the famous Shifty Schiff basement as being so unjust, a plot, and who knows what.
It was the "United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence" with both parties represented. Later the hearings was conducted in full view of the public, with both parties represented, with equal time at disposal, and still we hear about this as being a biased and unfair hearing.
This is what and how propaganda operates. Most often just a little tweak, choice of words, making room for uncertainty. It is a bit of mirrors and smoke, some tiny doubts in our mind, - did we hear it right ? Maybe we didn't pay enough attention ? And of course when other people echo it enough times, we may feel certain.
We don't pay to much attention to the sales-slip after we did our Christmas shopping. Yes, we sort of know we spent more money then we had planned. But the sales person was soo convincing, and we sort of admit that - it was probably a much better buy to go for the model that was more expensive.
We are easy targets.
I am in a constant battle at many sites. I have to clean my browser for cookies, else I end up with pre-selected contents that just echos the same arguments, and if you add in those that pay for having their stuff enter the top of your selection, you are being programmed.
How often I long for the good old days on the internet, were I could search and decide on my own, could explore all sorts of interesting stuff for free. Now most of that is closed. You have to be member, and the real stuff of interest is hidden by subscription fees, or all sorts of junk. Before you had a lot of trustworthy academics that kept everything very correct, and was pleased to have visitors that would appreciate their effort. But big corporations control it now. Your news, your media, your time, your data and money.
Please feel free to visit anytime.
I'm expecting a very special guest, but he won't come if he thinks we are waiting for him, so I want everyone to be very quiet.
He's a really great comedian, apparently.