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Post by bluemarlin on Nov 17, 2018 22:52:05 GMT -5
Florida may be one of the states that truly is over run with immigrants to a degree. Perhaps it’s part geography and part weather preference, but to me it seems that southern and costal states seem to attract and retain more immigrants. Obviously, if folks have a constitution that’s accustomed to hot weather they’re unlikely to adapt quickly to northern winters. I was speaking to a friend of mine that immigrated here from India the other day. By happenstance his immigration was to Missoula, MT in winter so within weeks he went from near 120 degrees to a spate of temps as low as -46, a merciless swing of 166 degrees. He said he thought he was going to die. He’s now well assimilated to Pueblo, CO weather...But he does break out his jacket a good 15-20 degrees before I do in the fall. I was in short sleeves while we were talking and he was in a medium heavy coat. There also seems to be only a tiny population of blacks in the western low humidity areas. I don’t know why... temps? Nah, there are plenty of blacks in New England, NY, etc. and the mid-west like Chicago. Services? I don’t know enough to say. Anyway, it’s just an observation that arose when Dome posted the racial breakdown of Couer D’ Alene. I just wanted to note that it’s typical out this way vs. atypical. Also that the Arayans and similar groups are quite common in N. Idaho for what ever reason. I used to joke )semi-seriously) that if certain whites had such hatred for blacks they should move north and west themselves instead of being asses and demanding that blacks go back to Africa. Screw white power. Power to the people!!! In any event, I live in an area with plenty of original American Natives here. That is the real group that had an immigration problem, and we were it. That’s one of the few negatives I feel looking at the landscape out here. I imagine myself in a tepee with plentiful elk and buffalo to feed my family and then a part of the carnage that followed and there is a solemn sadness to it that balances my pleasure with being around these beautiful surroundings. People in the east might tend to gloss the issue over, but the carnage started in the forests of the American Coast and spread from there...In KY was lived near a marker where Edward Boone, Daniels brother, was killed by Native Americans (the marker says Indians And names the tribe). We have to remember who the invaders were... Maybe Florida is overrun with immigrants. Or maybe its just overrun with racism and stupidity. Or maybe it's just that the decimation of the middle class and the ravages of income inequality have hit Florida in a profound way. Fact is, immigrants DO tend to adapt to American culture and contribute to our economy and society. And the rate of crime associated with immigrants is lower than that of the general native population. Research shows that increasing income inequality is positively correlated with increased violence, intolerance, and a declining quality of life. Income inequality has worsened over the past 35 years. The problem isn't "immigrants" or any other of the usual suspects. It's income inequality. You fix that with what's been called "democratic socialism." The idea that trickle down, supply side, more purely capitalist policies will create anything other than increasing income inequality is thoroughly discredited by what has happened in America over the past 35 years. Like it, or not. Blaming immigrants, or any other racial, ethnic, or minority group isn't just stupid; its destructive. |
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Post by inger on Nov 17, 2018 23:23:53 GMT -5
Florida may be one of the states that truly is over run with immigrants to a degree. Perhaps it’s part geography and part weather preference, but to me it seems that southern and costal states seem to attract and retain more immigrants. Obviously, if folks have a constitution that’s accustomed to hot weather they’re unlikely to adapt quickly to northern winters. I was speaking to a friend of mine that immigrated here from India the other day. By happenstance his immigration was to Missoula, MT in winter so within weeks he went from near 120 degrees to a spate of temps as low as -46, a merciless swing of 166 degrees. He said he thought he was going to die. He’s now well assimilated to Pueblo, CO weather...But he does break out his jacket a good 15-20 degrees before I do in the fall. I was in short sleeves while we were talking and he was in a medium heavy coat. There also seems to be only a tiny population of blacks in the western low humidity areas. I don’t know why... temps? Nah, there are plenty of blacks in New England, NY, etc. and the mid-west like Chicago. Services? I don’t know enough to say. Anyway, it’s just an observation that arose when Dome posted the racial breakdown of Couer D’ Alene. I just wanted to note that it’s typical out this way vs. atypical. Also that the Arayans and similar groups are quite common in N. Idaho for what ever reason. I used to joke )semi-seriously) that if certain whites had such hatred for blacks they should move north and west themselves instead of being asses and demanding that blacks go back to Africa. Screw white power. Power to the people!!! In any event, I live in an area with plenty of original American Natives here. That is the real group that had an immigration problem, and we were it. That’s one of the few negatives I feel looking at the landscape out here. I imagine myself in a tepee with plentiful elk and buffalo to feed my family and then a part of the carnage that followed and there is a solemn sadness to it that balances my pleasure with being around these beautiful surroundings. People in the east might tend to gloss the issue over, but the carnage started in the forests of the American Coast and spread from there...In KY was lived near a marker where Edward Boone, Daniels brother, was killed by Native Americans (the marker says Indians And names the tribe). We have to remember who the invaders were... Maybe Florida is overrun with immigrants. Or maybe its just overrun with racism and stupidity. Or maybe it's just that the decimation of the middle class and the ravages of income inequality have hit Florida in a profound way. Fact is, immigrants DO tend to adapt to American culture and contribute to our economy and society. And the rate of crime associated with immigrants is lower than that of the general native population. Research shows that increasing income inequality is positively correlated with increased violence, intolerance, and a declining quality of life. Income inequality has worsened over the past 35 years. The problem isn't "immigrants" or any other of the usual suspects. It's income inequality. You fix that with what's been called "democratic socialism." The idea that trickle down, supply side, more purely capitalist policies will create anything other than increasing income inequality is thoroughly discredited by what has happened in America over the past 35 years. Like it, or not. Blaming immigrants, or any other racial, ethnic, or minority group isn't just stupid; its destructive. All excellent points that I would proudly accept as addendum to my comments and at the minimum a contribution to answering some questions that I posed. I’ve seen immigration work in a positive way many times through the years as the immigrant workers the greenhouse company I was employed by were amazingly hard workers who did indeed improve their quality of life. Also, the friend I mentioned in the previous post, who is multi-talented has chosen to use his talents to assist his brother-in-law in his dentist practice by running his rather complicated IT (man, there is some really neat and sophisticated equipment now in that field) AND running the advertising and promotion of the practice. He’s a very smart and gentle man that I have gained a lot of respect for in a short time. I would love to be able to find the right weaning vehicle to get our inner city poor to continue to receive the aid they need to continue their current situation while moving their children toward better education. There has been horrendous damage done to their culture and psyche that won’t be easy to overcome...The gangs can’t keep winning...And the blame is not on those people, but on the programs that put them in a position to discourage them from working. Equally bad ideas are penalizing people that choose to draw SS at their earliest eligible age if they want to continue working by limiting their allowable income and subsidizing farmers to not produce milk or grow crops. I can’t excuse that with starving people in the world. Our government has good intentions in most circumstances, but there are times when I’m reminded of an old line from a “Bread” song from the seventies.., “This isn’t what the govern meant”... |
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Post by domeplease on Nov 18, 2018 11:26:24 GMT -5
Florida may be one of the states that truly is over run with immigrants to a degree. Perhaps it’s part geography and part weather preference, but to me it seems that southern and costal states seem to attract and retain more immigrants. Obviously, if folks have a constitution that’s accustomed to hot weather they’re unlikely to adapt quickly to northern winters. I was speaking to a friend of mine that immigrated here from India the other day. By happenstance his immigration was to Missoula, MT in winter so within weeks he went from near 120 degrees to a spate of temps as low as -46, a merciless swing of 166 degrees. He said he thought he was going to die. He’s now well assimilated to Pueblo, CO weather...But he does break out his jacket a good 15-20 degrees before I do in the fall. I was in short sleeves while we were talking and he was in a medium heavy coat. There also seems to be only a tiny population of blacks in the western low humidity areas. I don’t know why... temps? Nah, there are plenty of blacks in New England, NY, etc. and the mid-west like Chicago. Services? I don’t know enough to say. Anyway, it’s just an observation that arose when Dome posted the racial breakdown of Couer D’ Alene. I just wanted to note that it’s typical out this way vs. atypical. Also that the Arayans and similar groups are quite common in N. Idaho for what ever reason. I used to joke )semi-seriously) that if certain whites had such hatred for blacks they should move north and west themselves instead of being asses and demanding that blacks go back to Africa. Screw white power. Power to the people!!! In any event, I live in an area with plenty of original American Natives here. That is the real group that had an immigration problem, and we were it. That’s one of the few negatives I feel looking at the landscape out here. I imagine myself in a tepee with plentiful elk and buffalo to feed my family and then a part of the carnage that followed and there is a solemn sadness to it that balances my pleasure with being around these beautiful surroundings. People in the east might tend to gloss the issue over, but the carnage started in the forests of the American Coast and spread from there...In KY was lived near a marker where Edward Boone, Daniels brother, was killed by Native Americans (the marker says Indians And names the tribe). We have to remember who the invaders were... Maybe Florida is overrun with immigrants. Or maybe its just overrun with racism and stupidity. Or maybe it's just that the decimation of the middle class and the ravages of income inequality have hit Florida in a profound way. Fact is, immigrants DO tend to adapt to American culture and contribute to our economy and society. And the rate of crime associated with immigrants is lower than that of the general native population. Research shows that increasing income inequality is positively correlated with increased violence, intolerance, and a declining quality of life. Income inequality has worsened over the past 35 years. The problem isn't "immigrants" or any other of the usual suspects. It's income inequality. You fix that with what's been called "democratic socialism." The idea that trickle down, supply side, more purely capitalist policies will create anything other than increasing income inequality is thoroughly discredited by what has happened in America over the past 35 years. Like it, or not. Blaming immigrants, or any other racial, ethnic, or minority group isn't just stupid; its destructive. BLUE MARLIN: YOU ARE SPOT ON!!! All Research/Experts agree with your statement (Facts).
I have always said, "That Tax Cuts For The Rich" do trickle down to THEMSELVES:
1. $5,000 to $30,000 Handbags 2. $50,000 Men's Suits (They sell out yearly) 3. Million Dollar Cars 4. $15,000 Lipstick 5. Bras that run as high as $600,000. 6. 10,000 Sq. Ft. Homes that run from $10 Million to over $100 Million 7. $300,000 Dog Houses 8. Jewelry that runs $100,000 per piece & higher 9. Watches that run from $600,000 to higher 10. Men's & Women's Shoes that run $3,000 to $7,000.00 a pair 11. Etc. Etc. Etc.
That is the Actual-True-Realistic Trickle Down Theory/Facts.
The Poor (whether they are White, Black, Brown, etc.), well, well, well, they get Cereal for three meals a day and go to bed hungry.
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Post by domeplease on Nov 19, 2018 14:07:03 GMT -5
Couer d’Alene is indeed a very pretty place. I’ll be going through there and staying only about twenty minutes away over the Washington state border over the holiday. I recall looking at the lake three years ago and marveling at how blue, beautiful, and clean the lake appeared. Well, I guess looks can be deceiving... While I’m there, I’ll make sure all of the potential refugees that will need to get away from the pollutants and contaminants are apprised of any hospitable places I know outside the USA that they can march to when the pollutants hit the fan making their city uninhabitable. Some may be tempted to go to Canada, but perhaps I can convince them the added distance to reach the Baja will be worth their extra effort. Dome, taking my tongue out of my cheek for a moment, how DOES one find themselves on a journey that winds up with a stay at DomeWorld? It would seem that you must have a rather steady stream of tourists to keep such a place in existence. And with the boiling hot summers, when is your primary season? It seems you would be so remote that it would not be easy for folks to “happen by”, and you would need to be a direct destination for your customers... Inger, first off a side note: Every Successful Civilization that has lasted Long Periods of Time, have only done so, ONLY with Immigrants. If you look at America’s Aging/Dying Population; Major Drop in our Birth Rates, Seven Million Job Openings, etc. etc. etc. = Without Immigrants OR Immediate Technology, Robotics, Automation, A.I. replacing jobs done by humans (WE are around 8-10 years from that…maybe sooner???)…we currently are in an ugly situation; that if not corrected soon = will come and haunt us. _________________________________________________________________________________________ First off, WE have closed the Coyote Village Hostel Resort/Bar & Restaurant. It got to be too much work for Do Me’s age. However, WE are thinking of re-opening it (maybe) in the future. It is very easy to get to Nowhere, Baja; only an Hour & 20-minute flight from LAX. To drive from California/TJ it is a solid two-day trip. Trying to do it in one-day, one would have to be a madman. Our summers with Extreme Heat NOW (see Global Warming), can now go from April thru parts of November. The best months here are from December thru March (a very short season of livable weather). If ONE likes/loves Ocean/Sea activities than Nowhere, Baja is great. In addition, it is really safe. We have a saying here, “What happens in Nowhere, Baja stays in Nowhere, Baja.
Why?
“Because NOTHING ever, ever happens in Nowhere, Baja.”With had some guests that returned to our place over 30-times. Then again, we were like the Four-Seasons of Hostels. See Trip advisor for our ratings. OR go to our website to see reviews and get a tour of the property and what we do in this small fishing community ( www.coyotevillageinc.com & coyotevillageinc.com/review.html -- For Hostel Reviews & coyotevillageinc.com/cv-dome.html --For Bar Reviews ). We had guests from around the world; mostly ages from 18-years old to 35-years old. Some of their travel tales were just simply amazing as well as their method of transportation, etc. etc. etc. For our Bar/Restaurant age groups ranged from 18-years old to 80-year olds. In the Good Season we have around 1200 to 1500 Gringo’s living here-in Nowhere (Americans & Canadians). The vast majority of them (at least 90%), disappear and return to their home countries during the LONG HOT SUMMER. To attract our Guests we used my Marketing Skills, a Damn Good Website, with help from Travel/Hostel Web-Sites & we were listed in the Lonely Planet. Inger, hoped this answer your questions… You & Ruthie should DEFINITELY come for a visit. |
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Post by noetsi on Nov 19, 2018 20:15:30 GMT -5
I believe that the US is headed for difficult times. Class differences, and the way news works these days is creating a situation where Americans hate each other (just go to any blog that deals with political issues). The only real question is if there will be violence or not (or realistically how much violence -as some will occur).
We have become dysfunctional as a society. I blame it all on the Red Sox.
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Post by domeplease on Nov 23, 2018 11:29:04 GMT -5
I ask that ALL OF YOU, please contribute some $$$ to the Fire Victims of the Awful Fire Storms that have recently devastated parts of California. Below are groups that you all can choose from:
--11-21-18: www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/how-help-people-affected-california-wildfires?utm_source=Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=202eeca850-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_WED1121_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fcbff2e256-202eeca850-40201173
As three major wildfires continue to burn in California, at least 80 people have died, hundreds are missing and thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. Firefighters continue to battle the Camp, Woolsey and Hill fires, as the Camp Fire has become the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state's history.
Many people lost their homes and all their belongings, evacuating with just the clothes they were wearing. As they wait in temporary shelters, there is an overwhelming need for assistance. If you want to help those impacted, here are just some of the ways you can offer aid:
American Red Cross — The disaster relief organization is providing shelter and support to evacuees. You can help by giving online, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 contribution.
California Fire Foundation — The foundation has a Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program, which provides emergency short-term financial assistance to victims and firefighters in the form of gift cards, valued up to $250. You can donate here.
California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund — The foundation assists with recovery efforts, prevention campaigns and support programs for those who have lost their homes or employment because of the fires. You can donate online or send checks to: California Community Foundation 221 S. Figueroa St., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Direct Relief — This humanitarian aid organization provides equipment and medicine to health care workers and first responders battling wildfires. Donate online here.
The Firefighters Charitable Foundation — The foundation assists volunteer fire departments, which have played a key role in fighting the California blazes. The organization delivers aid directly to victims and supports volunteer firefighting organizations. You can donate through their website.
GoFundMe — The fundraising site has set up a page that includes campaigns created by individuals who have lost their homes and belongings, as well as those set up specifically to help animals, first responders and educators.
Humane Society of Ventura County — Countless animals have been hurt and lost homes because of the fires. This local humane society (unaffiliated with any national groups) expects to offer long-term care to many of them. You can donate online or purchase items from their Amazon Wish List.
Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation — Supporting the Los Angeles Fire Department, the organization helps provide first responders with the equipment and supplies they need to continue battling the blazes. The foundation recently asked for donations to provide hydration backpacks to firefighters. You can donate online.
United Way of Greater Los Angeles and United Way of Northern California — Both organizations have established disaster relief funds to help victims rebuild their lives after the fire. You can donate online here and here.
Our list is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of organizations trying to help in the aftermath of the fires. Charity Navigator has a lengthy list of organizations "confirmed to be working to provide relief to the individuals and communities affected by these devastating fires in Southern and Northern California."
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Post by domeplease on Nov 24, 2018 13:31:22 GMT -5
JUST MORE DONALD LIES...I truly believe that he LIES SO MUCH; that he no longer knows what is or isn't a LIE = Incompetent.
He evens LIES about LIES that he just said within the last 48-hours = SO INCOMPETENT.
I also believe that he is ADDICTED to LYING...
MORE DONALD LIES:
11-24-18: www.msn.com/en-us/news/factcheck/ap-fact-check-on-break-no-break-by-trump-in-twisting-facts/ar-BBQ2yOX?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=U147DHP
WASHINGTON — Displaying a thin grasp of science, President Donald Trump questioned the reality of global warming because it was cold outside.
Then came a federal report laying out the severe consequences of climate change and rebutting the notion that a frigid snap means it isn't happening.
Sizing up the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump declared he had closed it this past week and mandated that "no one's coming in."
Actually, one crossing from Mexico, among dozens that stayed open, was partially closed before rush hour and pedestrians still had access to the U.S. during that time.
Before and throughout his Thanksgiving vacation in Florida, Trump took no holiday from twisting facts across a broad front — on Saudi Arabia, the recent election and the 2001 terrorist attacks among the topics.
A look at some of his rhetoric:
CLIMATE
TRUMP: "This is the coldest weather in the history of the Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC, and one of the coldest Thanksgivings on record!" — tweet Thursday.
TRUMP: "Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS — Whatever happened to Global Warming?" — tweet Wednesday.
THE FACTS: Trump is conflating weather and climate. Weather is like mood, which changes daily. Climate is like personality, which is long term.
The climate is warming, which still allows for record cold spells.
On Friday, the White House produced the National Climate Assessment by scientists from 13 Trump administration agencies and outside scientists. It amounted to a slap in the face for those who doubt the climate is changing.
"Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us," the report says.
It details how global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of U.S. and different sectors of the economy. The report also projects increased deaths and disease.
The White House report swept aside the idea, already discredited, that a particular plunge in temperatures can cast uncertainty on whether Earth is warming. It says more than 90 percent of current warming is caused by humans: "There are no credible alternative human or natural explanations supported by the observational evidence."
"Over shorter timescales and smaller geographic regions, the influence of natural variability can be larger than the influence of human activity," the report says. "Over climate timescales of multiple decades, however, global temperature continues to steadily increase."
In other words, there are cold days in a warming climate.
The federal climate assessment is mandated by law every few years.
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IMMIGRATION
TRUMP: "Two days ago, we closed the border. We actually just closed it. We're saying, nobody is coming in, because it was out of control." — remarks to reporters Thursday.
THE FACTS: By no means did he seal the border.
On Monday, the U.S. closed northbound traffic lanes for a few hours at the San Ysidro, California, crossing to install new barriers. It's the busiest of more than 40 U.S.-Mexico crossings.
That work was completed and the lanes reopened before the morning rush of commerce and commuters who work legally in the U.S. Officials also closed one pedestrian crossing facility at San Ysidro and left the other open, so it's not true that everyone was blocked from coming in, even at that one crossing. U.S. authorities acted out of concern that migrants gathered on the Mexican side might bolt for the U.S.
Trump is threatening to seal the border if Mexico doesn't properly "control" people trying to get into the U.S. He claimed "I've already shut it down, for short periods." When pressed about whether he meant only that one border crossing, he said: "No, no. Yeah. I've already shut down parts of the border."
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THE COURTS
TRUMP: "Justice Roberts can say what he wants, but the 9th Circuit is a complete & total disaster. It is out of control, has a horrible reputation, is overturned more than any Circuit in the Country, 79%, & is used to get an almost guaranteed result." — tweet Thursday.
TRUMP: "It would be great if the 9th Circuit was indeed an "independent judiciary," but if it is why ... are so are so many opposing view (on Border and Safety) cases filed there, and why are a vast number of those cases overturned. Please study the numbers, they are shocking." — tweets Wednesday.
THE FACTS: Trump is wrong in suggesting that rulings by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco are reversed by the Supreme Court more frequently than those of any other federal appeals court.
His description of the "shocking" number of overturned cases in the 9th Circuit belies the nature of the appeals system.
When the Supreme Court hears a case, it is more likely to overturn it than not. It does so about two-thirds of the time.
In the last term, the Supreme Court overturned 100 percent of the decisions of the 1st Circuit in Boston, the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia and the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati. For the 9th Circuit, 86 percent were overturned.
Over the past five years, the Supreme Court overturned a greater percentage of rulings from the 3rd Circuit (92.3 percent), the 6th Circuit (85.1 percent) and the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit (81.8 percent) than from the 9th (77.4 percent), according to The Associated Press' analysis of statistics from the legal website Scotusblog.
The 9th is by far the largest of the 13 federal courts of appeals, covering Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. That means that in raw numbers, more cases are heard and reversed from the 9th year in and year out. But that does not make it the most frequently overturned.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar, who'd been nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, temporarily barred the Trump administration from refusing asylum to immigrants who cross the southern border illegally. That set off Trump's ire. Any appeal is likely to go to the 9th Circuit.
Trump's tweets took issue with an unusual rebuke from the U.S. chief justice, John Roberts. Roberts spoke up for the independence of the judiciary after Trump branded Tigar an "Obama judge" and said "We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges."
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THE ELECTION
TRUMP, on his impact on the midterm elections: "Look at Florida. I went down to Florida. Rick Scott won and he won by a lot. I don't know what happened to all those votes that disappeared at the very end.
And if I didn't put a spotlight on that election before it got down to the 12,500 votes, he would've lost that election, OK? ... They would have taken that election away from him." — interview with "Fox News Sunday."
THE FACTS: Trump is exaggerating the vote margin of Scott's victory as being "a lot" and suggesting without evidence that his own efforts prevented Democrats from engaging in voter fraud.
Scott, Florida's Republican governor, edged out Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in the closest Senate race in the nation in the midterm elections — by a margin of 10,033 votes, or 0.12 percentage points.
It also was the closest Senate race in Florida since at least 1978, according to the Florida's Division of Elections website. It required two recounts — by machine and by hand — as mandated by state law due to the razor-thin margins.
Trump asserts without evidence that the attention he brought to the Senate race prevented Democrats from "taking" that election from Scott, hinting at voter fraud by suggesting votes "disappeared at the very end."
Despite Trump's repeated claims after the Nov. 6 election of Florida races being potentially "stolen," the state agencies charged with investigating potential fraud have said no credible allegations exist.
It's not uncommon for vote tallies to change in the days after Election Day as local officials process remaining mailed and provisional ballots. In Florida, Scott saw some of his lead dwindle after the Democratic strongholds of Palm Beach and Broward counties continued to count votes.
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SYRIA
TRUMP: "The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilize Iraq's fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more." — statement Tuesday.
THE FACTS: He's inflating the already staggering number of Syrians killed in more than seven years of civil war. Syrian government forces, led by President Bashar Assad and backed by Russia and Iran, have retaken most of the territory rebels seized during a war that has killed nearly 500,000 people, according to estimates by United Nations and human rights groups.
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SAUDI ARABIA
TRUMP: "After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money.
It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great U.S. defense contractors.
If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries — and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business." — statement Tuesday.
THE FACTS: He's greatly overstating the value of expected Saudi investments in the U.S.
The arms package, partly negotiated under the Obama administration, mixes old deals, some new business and prospective purchases that have not been worked out.
The Pentagon said last month that Saudi Arabia had signed "letters of offer and acceptance" for only $14.5 billion in military purchases and confirmed Tuesday that nothing further has reached that stage.
Those letters, issued after the U.S. government approves a proposed arms sale, specify its terms. Much of that $14.5 billion involves a missile defense system, a contract that appears to have advanced more than other significant investments but not been completed.
Moreover, the State Department estimated last year that if the full $110 billion in prospective arms business is fulfilled, it could end up "potentially supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in the United States."
That's a far cry from the 500,000 to 600,000 jobs that Trump has said the arms deal is worth.
Details of the package have been sketchy, with no public breakdown of exactly what was being offered for sale and for how much.
The government's Congressional Research Service has described the package as a combination of sales that were proposed by President Barack Obama and discussed with Congress and new sales still being developed.
Meanwhile, there has been no verification from either country that "the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States," as Trump put it in his statement. White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters did not respond to a request to explain the figure.
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TRUMP: "Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $54, was just $82. Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let's go lower!" — tweet Wednesday.
THE FACTS: Merely thanking Saudi Arabia for lower oil prices is a gross oversimplification. Oil prices, which peaked Oct. 3, have been falling on the realization that U.S. sanctions against Iran would not create a shortage and on fear that slower economic growth internationally will depress energy demand.
Although the U.S. is now the world's biggest oil producer, Saudi Arabia remains the biggest exporter, and as a so-called swing producer with the ability to adjust production up or down relatively quickly, it can indeed influence the price of crude. But the market is far more complex than Trump suggests.
Canada is actually the leading source of U.S. oil imports, for example, with Saudi Arabia second.
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TRUMP: "Saudi Arabia would gladly withdraw from Yemen if the Iranians would agree to leave. They would immediately provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance." — statement Tuesday.
THE FACTS: This seemingly benign view of Saudi intentions in Yemen does not square with reality on the ground. A Saudi-led blockade is at least partly responsible for widespread starvation in a country where three quarters of the population needs life-saving assistance.
It's the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. has scaled back support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed rebels and is pressing for a cease-fire.
The international aid group Save the Children estimated Wednesday that 85,000 Yemeni children younger than 5 have died of hunger and disease since civil war broke out in 2015.
The United Nations says more than 1.3 million Yemeni children have suffered from severe acute malnutrition since the coalition went to war against Houthi rebels.
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TERRORISM
TRUMP: "Of course we should have captured Osama Bin Laden long before we did. I pointed him out in my book just BEFORE the attack on the World Trade Center. President Clinton famously missed his shot. We paid Pakistan Billions of Dollars & they never told us he was living there. Fools!" — tweet Monday.
THE FACTS: There was nothing original or clairvoyant in the reference to bin Laden in Trump's 2000 book. As part of his criticism of what he considered Bill Clinton's haphazard approach to U.S. security as president, his book stated: "One day we're told that a shadowy figure with no fixed address named Osama bin Laden is public enemy Number One, and U.S. jetfighters lay waste to his camp in Afghanistan. He escapes back under some rock, and a few news cycles later it's on to a new enemy and new crisis."
Trump's book did not call for further U.S. action against bin Laden or al-Qaida to follow up on attacks Clinton ordered in 1998 in Afghanistan and Sudan after al-Qaida bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
The U.S. attacks were meant to disrupt bin Laden's network and destroy some of al-Qaida's infrastructure, such as a factory in Sudan associated with the production of a nerve gas ingredient.
They "missed" in the sense that bin Laden was not killed in them, and al-Qaida was able to pull off 9/11 three years later.
In passages on terrorism, Trump's book correctly predicted that the U.S. was at risk of a terrorist attack that would make the 1993 World Trade Center bombing pale by comparison. That was a widespread concern at the time, as Trump suggested in stating "no sensible analyst rejects this possibility."
Trump did not explicitly tie that threat to al-Qaida and thought an attack might come through the use of a miniaturized weapon of mass destruction, like a nuclear device in a suitcase or anthrax.
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Post by inger on Nov 24, 2018 19:52:36 GMT -5
I’m thinking about maybe ordering this “Trumpy Bear” thingy I’ve been watching on Fox News commercials. It’s a little teddy bear with I blond wave of hair up front... Really cute!!!
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Post by kaybli on Nov 24, 2018 20:15:39 GMT -5
I’m thinking about maybe ordering this “Trumpy Bear” thingy I’ve been watching on Fox News commercials. It’s a little teddy bear with I blond wave of hair up front... Really cute!!! I got my brother this for XMAS:
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Post by inger on Nov 24, 2018 21:22:39 GMT -5
I’m thinking about maybe ordering this “Trumpy Bear” thingy I’ve been watching on Fox News commercials. It’s a little teddy bear with I blond wave of hair up front... Really cute!!! I got my brother this for XMAS:
I really don’t like it when any of our Presidents is disrespected, but THAT is hilarious...It’s as funny as if back in the day they could have shown Washington cleaning the bowl his wooden (they weren’t really wooden though) teeth... |
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Post by inger on Nov 24, 2018 21:37:17 GMT -5
Weird thought of the day...
I always wanted to meet a black man named Osborne Black...
Or a white man named Osborne White...
Or...for the whole world to realize we’re all different shades of brown and for all of us all to be named Osborne Brown...and/or Osborne Free, Osborne Without Fear, Osborne Fed, Osborne Happy, Osborne Safe. Osborne InPeace...
With Thanksgiving behind us, it’s quite sad that there is so much unrest in the world, on our border, and even inside our country and our government halls...
To see Paris erupting with riots is yet another shocking turn of events. I was thinking that the reasoning for the petroleum taxes that spurred the riots was very forward-thinking, but it would have been wiser for the taxes to have been imposed on a gradient scale and schedule after giving the citizenry time to make changes to adjust their lifestyle. It’s not like every citizen could afford to buy an electric car over night, or even have access to buy one. People could have been given credits for using mass transit, etc...
Governments do foolish things even when the intentions are good...
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Post by domeplease on Nov 26, 2018 12:31:09 GMT -5
I CAN see the Benefits to this. What are you all thoughts on this?
***11-25-18: www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/business/sweden-cashless-society.html
Few countries have been moving toward a cashless society as fast as Sweden. But cash is being squeezed out so quickly — with half the nation’s retailers predicting they will stop accepting bills before 2025 — that the government is recalculating the societal costs of a cash-free future.
The financial authorities, who once embraced the trend, are asking banks to keep peddling notes and coins until the government can figure out what going cash-free means for young and old consumers.
The central bank, which predicts cash may fade from Sweden, is testing a digital currency — an e-krona — to keep firm control of the money supply. Lawmakers are exploring the fate of online payments and bank accounts if an electrical grid fails or servers are thwarted by power failures, hackers or even war.
“When you are where we are, it would be wrong to sit back with our arms crossed, doing nothing, and then just take note of the fact that cash has disappeared,” said Stefan Ingves, the governor of Sweden’s central bank, known as the Riksbank. “You can’t turn back time, but you do have to find a way to deal with change.”
Ask most people in Sweden how often they pay with cash, and the answer is “almost never.” A fifth of Swedes, in a country of 10 million people, do not use automated teller machines anymore.
More than 4,000 Swedes have implanted microchips in their hands, allowing them to pay for rail travel and food, or enter keyless offices, with a wave. Restaurants, buses, parking lots and even pay toilets depend on clicks rather than cash.
Consumer groups say the shift leaves many retirees — a third of all Swedes are 55 or older — as well as some immigrants and people with disabilities at a disadvantage. They cannot easily gain access to electronic means for some goods and transactions, and rely on banks and their customer service.
And the progress toward a cashless society could upend the state’s centuries-old role as sovereign guarantor. If cash disappears, commercial banks would wield greater control.
“We need to pause and think about whether this is good or bad, and not just sit back and let it happen,” said Mats Dillén, the head of a Swedish Parliament committee studying the matter. “If cash disappears, that would be a big change, with major implications for society and the economy.
Urban consumers worldwide are increasingly paying with apps and plastic. In China and other Asian countries rife with young smartphone users, mobile payments are routine. In Europe, about one in five people say they rarely carry money. In Belgium, Denmark and Norway, debit and credit card use has hit record highs.
But Sweden — and particularly its young people — is at the vanguard. Bills and coins represent just 1 percent of the economy, compared with 10 percent in Europe and 8 percent in the United States. About one in 10 consumers paid for something in cash this year, down from 40 percent in 2010. Most merchants in Sweden still accept notes and coins, but their ranks are thinning.
At the Ikea in Gavle, about 100 miles north of Stockholm, managers decided to go cashless temporarily last month after they realized that fewer than 1 percent of shoppers used cash. They also found that employees were spending about 15 percent of their time handling, counting and storing money.
Among 18- to 24-year-olds, the numbers are startling: Up to 95 percent of their purchases are with a debit card or a smartphone app called Swish, a payment system set up by Sweden’s biggest banks.
Ikea, whose flat-box furniture is a staple of young households, has been experimenting to gauge the allure and effect of cashless commerce. In Gavle, about 100 miles north of Stockholm, managers decided to go cashless temporarily last month after they realized that fewer than 1 percent of shoppers used cash — and Ikea employees were spending about 15 percent of their time handling, counting and storing money.
Patric Burstein, a senior manager, said the cashless test had freed employees to work on the sales floor. So far, around 1.2 of every 1,000 customers have been unable to pay with anything but cash — and mainly in the cafeteria, where people tend to spend change. Rather than bother with bills, Ikea has been offering those customers freebies.
“We said, ‘If you want a 50 cent hot dog, be my guest, take it. But next time maybe you can bring a card,’” said Mr. Burstein, who is 38.
The test so far suggests that cash is not essential and, instead, may be costly, he said. “We’re spending a lot of resources on a very small percentage that actually need the service,” he said.
The nearby branch of the Swedish National Pensioners Organization has led protests against the experiment, in part, because many retirees like to go to the Gavle Ikea for a bite to eat.
Buying flowers with a card at a market in Stockholm. Half of Sweden’s retailers predict that they will stop accepting bills before 2025.CreditLoulou d'Aki for The New York Times
“We have around one million people who aren’t comfortable using the computer, iPads or iPhones for banking,” said Christina Tallberg, 75, the group’s national president. “We aren’t against the digital movement, but we think it’s going a bit too fast.”
The organization has been raising money to teach retirees how to pay electronically, but, paradoxically, that good effort has been tripped up by an abundance of cash.
When collections for training are taken in rural areas — and the seniors donate in cash — the pensioner in charge must drive miles to find a bank that will actually take the money, Ms. Tallberg said. About half of Sweden’s 1,400 bank branches no longer accept cash deposits.
“It’s more or less impossible, because the banks refuse to take cash,” she said.
Banks have propelled the cashless revolution by encouraging consumers and retailers to use debit and credit cards, which yields banks and credit card companies lucrative fees. That includes the bank-developed Swish smartphone app.
A reception area for clients at a Swedbank branch. Customers who wish to deposit or withdraw cash have to go around the corner to an office that still handles paper money and coins.
A reception area for clients at a Swedbank branch. Customers who wish to deposit or withdraw cash have to go around the corner to an office that still handles paper money and coins.CreditLoulou d'Aki for The New York Times
Sweden’s banks have cut back on cash in part for safety reasons after a rash of violent robberies in the mid-2000s. The national psyche is marked by an infamous helicopter heist in Vastberga in 2009, when thieves landed on the roof of a G4S cash service depot and stole millions — a drama now being turned into a Netflix film. Last year, only two banks were robbed, compared with 210 in 2008.
In recent years, banks have dismantled cash machines by the hundreds. So little cash is used now that it has become expensive to track and maintain, said Leif Trogen, an official at the Swedish Bankers’ Association.
There are two proposals by the Swedish authorities to keep cash at hand. Parliament wants just the biggest banks to handle cash. The central bank is holding out for all banks to keep money flowing.
Swedbank, SEB and other big Swedish financial institutions are fighting the lawmakers’ demands, saying it would place an undue burden on them to provide greater access.
READ MORE...
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Post by inger on Nov 26, 2018 22:44:58 GMT -5
One of my first thoughts was about the panhandlers that would be falling over each other to get microchipped...
Of course the microchips will surely also get put to more Orwellian purposes. I’m surprised we’re Not yet microchipping babies at birth. My Spidey senses tell me that we’ll see a future of pirated microchips, of criminals removing their chips and perhaps harvesters cutting them out of people to gain high security accesses.
The future in this arena is getting nigh. Will it be better that way? I tend to think not.
Ain’t it the truth
When they say
That the only thing
Worth dying for
Is our freedom?
Ain’t it truth
When they say
That we will
Soon be lying
On our backs
Free at last
From income tax
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Post by domeplease on Nov 27, 2018 13:11:34 GMT -5
www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/judge-judy-sheindlin-beats-ellen-dr-phil-on-2018-list-of-highest-paid-tv-hosts/ar-BBQ7UYm Judge Judy Sheindlin easily topped Forbes' list of the highest-paid daytime TV hosts for 2018.
Thanks to a lucrative deal that sold the rights to the thousands of episodes of her long-running courtroom show, Sheindlin took in an estimated $147 million pretax in the 12 months preceding June 2018, Forbes said.
That number is more than triple the $47 million she takes in annually as host of "Judge Judy" and producer of "Hot Bench," and marks the first time Sheindlin has ever topped Forbes' list.
Sheindlin bested Ellen DeGeneres, who came in second with an estimated $87.5 million during the same period thanks to her own eponymous talk show and a variety of other hosting and producing gigs, including her return to stand-up for an upcoming Netflix special.
In third was Dr. Phil McGraw, who earned $77.5 million across his "Dr. Phil" talk show and executive producer credits on the primetime CBS drama "The Bull," the syndicated daytime show "The Doctors" and "Daily Mail TV."
Rounding out the top five are Ryan Seacrest, who made $74 million adding "American Idol" back into his schedule last year, and Steve Harvey, who earned $44 million.
DO ME'S THOUGHTS: SHIT!!! For that type of $$$; Tequila & I will host a Daytime Show = 'Welcome To Do Me's World'.
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Post by inger on Nov 27, 2018 13:19:35 GMT -5
That might be the first “Beyond Reality” show in history...”SQUAWK”!!!
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