Month: October 2023

No Free Ride

As the war in Gaza and Israel heats up Americans have been advised by the State Department to leave the country for their own safety. It was the same with Ukraine and Sudan and Niger and etc etc etc…..

That is the State Department and the embassy doing their job keeping American citizens as safe as possible.

But is it a service or a business?

When American citizens find themselves caught in a foreign country amid a war or natural disaster, the U.S. government sometimes swoops in and rescues them from harm’s way — but it isn’t free. Before they can board the ship or plane, the people being rescued must sign a document promising to repay the U.S. Department of State for the expenses accrued in the process.

“I clearly understand that I am accepting evacuation of my own free will and at my own risk to a location chosen by the U.S. Government,” the U.S. Department of State form begins. Later, it says, “I promise to repay the U.S. Government in U.S. dollars or the foreign currency equivalent, within 30 days of initial billing, and if not repaid within 60 days of initial billing at an interest rate established in accordance with Federal law, for all applicable expenses for my/our evacuation.” While it might seem a little harsh — people are being forced to sign a promissory note while fleeing a potentially deadly situation — it’s been the law of the land since 1956.

Even before requiring evacuees to repay the government became a law, it appears that it was standard practice, even during World War II, per the Austin-American Statesman. The American government bases the reimbursement cost on what the evacuee would pay for a “full fare economy flight, or comparable alternate transportation” to the destination of the government’s choosing, which is rarely the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of State website.

The protocol is to send evacuees to the nearest safe neighboring country, or even a safer part of the country they’re fleeing. When an evacuee arrives at their destination, they’ll have to pay for their accommodations and any connecting flights. Evacuees may be able to get an emergency loan. “For U.S. citizens who need emergency financial assistance at the evacuation destination, you may ask a consular officer to help you apply for a loan to help with the costs of your accommodations and/or other essential expenses,” the U.S. State Department reads. But again, it’s a loan that will need to be paid back.

If a U.S. citizen can’t afford to pay off the promissory note, the Department of State “at its discretion” may give the evacuee the option for an installment plan, per the U.S. Department of State form. If the evacuee still doesn’t repay the fee, the government can prevent that person and their family members from getting a U.S. passport. In some cases, the Department of State has waived reimbursements during evacuations. In 1990, the U.S. government picked up the tab for citizens fleeing Iraq and Kuwait during the Gulf War. Similarly, in 2006, the government didn’t require evacuees from Lebanon to pay back travel costs.

“In an emergency, when people are in danger, your life is at risk, it’s not the time to be forcing people to sign away their life’s savings,” Richard Goldberg, senior advisor at the nonpartisan think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told The National Desk. “It’s the time to be getting people out of harm’s way.” Members of Congress have attempted to amend the law over the years — but without success.

(grunge.com)

Let me see if I get this right…..the US has cash to pay foreign governments budgetary crises and to pay their officials but not for t6he protection of American lives….is that about it?

Seriously?

Our priorities are getting damn right obscene.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Here We Go Again!

The Fall Of The House Of The People

Act 3 Scene 0ne

Monday I wrote about the failure of Jordan to secure enough votes to become Speaker and then he dropped out of the race.

Then 8 wannabes threw their names into to the pee pee pot.

The three-week-old GOP leadership crisis could be resolved Tuesday, though some Republicans remain doubtful. House Republicans will gather at 9am ET to vote again for speaker after denying Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan. They’ll choose between the eight candidates that remained on Monday night after Rep. Dan Meuser announced he would drop out of the race. Colleagues had predicted he would receive one of the lowest vote totals on Tuesday, per Politico. In each of multiple rounds of secret voting, the candidate with the lowest vote total will be eliminated until two candidates are left or a single candidate wins a conference majority with 113 votes, per CNN. A vote on the House floor would follow.

Then the House picked one rep to be speaker….someone that has zero name recognition…..Emmer.

Republicans have picked their nominee to become the next House speaker. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota won on the fifth ballot Tuesday, though he has the same problem as Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise before him: It’s unclear whether he can get enough votes in the full House to win the gavel, reports Politico. Perhaps his biggest political problem among fellow Republicans is that Donald Trump does not want him to be speaker, given that Emmer voted to certify President Biden’s election victory, per the AP.

Emmer, 62, is currently the No. 3 House Republican, notes the Hill. He received 117 votes in the final ballot Tuesday, enough to beat Louisiana’s Mike Johnson (97). As with Scalise and Jordan, he will probably need to secure the votes of 217 Republicans to win. “We have the same five to seven to eight that I don’t know are going to instantly gravitate” to backing Emmer, said GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa. That would likely be enough to scuttle Emmer’s chances, unless Democrats came to his aid. It’s unclear when a full House will be scheduled. 

I told you I love this stuff.  Will this person get enough votes to become the next spineless Speaker?

Here is one last thing to think about.

Many Republicans noted their constituents were angry after weeks of disagreement. Rep. Dusty Johnson said his constituents “just can’t believe that we’re this bad.” Rep. Vern Buchanan said his constituents “think all of us are incapable.” Some suggested this would encourage lawmakers to deliver an act of unity. “I think that we can get it done,” said Sessions. “I think that the body spoke enough about the desire that we not leave here tomorrow until we have that answer.” Yet some Republicans said they wouldn’t necessarily support the conference nominee, per CNN. GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan noted that if the speaker-designee can’t get to 217 votes, Republicans would be forced to work with Democrats “to get the government open.”

The last line may insure that he does not get enough votes….especially with yet another government shutdown threat on the horizon.

But all this drama is for naught….looks like the nominee has put his tail between his legs and slivered off…

If you blinked Tuesday afternoon, you might have missed Rep. Tom Emmer’s bid to become House speaker. Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican, was picked as the party’s third nominee in three weeks Tuesday but he abruptly dropped out around four hours later when it became clear that he couldn’t win 217 votes if there was a vote of the full House, Politico reports. Sources tell the Washington Post that numerous Republican lawmakers decided Emmer, the House majority whip, had no hope of victory after Donald Trump urged people not to support him in a post on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon.

Trump slammed Emmer, who voted to certify President Biden’s election victory, as a RINO—an acronym for “Republican in name only”—and accused him of being “totally out of touch” with the party’s voters. “Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!” Trump wrote. The former president’s post went up shortly after a meeting in which Emmer attempted to consolidate his support. Soon after the Minnesota lawmaker won the nomination, with 117 votes to 97 for Rep. Mike Johnson, around two dozen Republicans declared they wouldn’t support him, the New York Times reports.

The House has now been leaderless for three weeks and Republicans are back to square one after the failed bids of Emmer and Reps. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan. Sources tell NBC News that Johnson and Rep. Kevin Hern are expected to appear on the Republican’s conference’s next secret ballot.

This what you get when politicians serve a master that is not the people.

They may have hit on a slug that Trump will approve of in his demented world…..

Here we go again: House Republicans on Tuesday night chose their fourth nominee for Speaker of the House since Kevin McCarthy was ousted. Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won the majority behind closed doors, and was later surrounded by supportive colleagues at a press conference who chanted, “Mike! Mike! Mike!” Johnson was nominated just hours after the third nominee, Rep. Tom Emmer, was nominated and then abruptly withdrew. A House floor vote will be held Wednesday, the AP reports. In what CBS News calls a “potential sign of trouble for Johnson,” McCarthy, who was not even a declared candidate for speaker, got 43 votes Tuesday night—more than Johnson’s actual opponent, Rep. Byron Donalds, who got 29.

Now you see why I love this stupidity?

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

When I Doubt–Resign

Since the newest conflict exploded in Gaza my post have been about there needs to be ma more thought out response by Israel and too many armchair analyst too those comments as my support for HAMAS….that is BS I have never supported an attack of terrorism whether disguised as self-defense or as an outright attack.

My opposition to an all out push to destroy a foe is from years of watching such actions create more problems than they eliminate.

I recently read a report about employee of the US State Department….

An official with the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM) announced his resignation on Wednesday due to President Biden’s full-throated support for Israel’s onslaught in Gaza that came after the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

Josh Paul said in a statement on his LinkedIn account that he had worked for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs for 11 years. He strongly condemned the Hamas’ attack on Israel, describing it as a “monstrosity of monstrosities,” but said Israel’s response will only make things worse.

“I believe to the core of my soul that the response Israel is taking, and with it the American support both for that response and for the status quo of the occupation, will only lead to more and deeper suffering for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people – and is not in the long term American interest. This Administration’s response – and much of Congress’ as well – is an impulsive reaction built on confirmation bias, political convenience, intellectual bankruptcy, and bureaucratic inertia. That is to say, it is immensely disappointing, and entirely unsurprising,” Paul wrote.

Paul continued to criticize the history of the US’s “blind support” for Israel. “Decades of the same approach have shown that security for peace leads to neither security, nor to peace. The fact is, blind support for one side is destructive in the long term to the interests of the people on both sides. I fear we are repeating the same mistakes we have made these past decades, and I decline to be a part of it for longer,” he said.

Discussing his time at the PM, Paul said he had made moral compromises but that he had reached his limit. “In my 11 years I have made more moral compromises than I can recall, each heavily, but each with my promise to myself in mind, and intact. I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued – indeed, expanded and expedited – provision of lethal arms to Israel – I have reached the end of that bargain,” he said.

According to the State Department’s website, the PM is the department’s “principal link” to the Defense Department and “provides policy direction in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and plans, and defense trade.” Paul said he was proud of some work he had done at the PM, including “on pending Administration decisions to transfer lethal weapons to countries that abuse human rights” and involvement in the policy of fueling the Ukraine war.

I agree since for decades HAMAS has been a thorn in Israel’s side and after several ‘wars’ the problem remains.

Then there is what the SecState has to say…..

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday rejected the idea of the US calling for a ceasefire in Gaza when confronted with the massive number of child casualties in Israel’s onslaught.

Blinken claimed that the death of children on both sides hits him “right in the heart” but did not criticize Israel’s vicious bombing campaign. He pointed to US efforts to get Israel to allow aid trucks to enter Gaza through Egypt, and Brennan then asked why the US isn’t pushing for at least a temporary ceasefire.

“Israel has to do everything it can to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Blinken said, referring to the October 7 Hamas attack. “Freezing things in place where they are now would allow Hamas to remain where it is and to repeat what it’s done some time in the future. No country could accept that,” Blinken said.

Blinken made a similar argument earlier this year when rejecting the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, saying a pause in fighting would only benefit Russia. Now, it’s clear Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed after months of brutal fighting and heavy Ukrainian casualties.

(antiwar.com)

Blinken sounds more like the SecDef than the US top diplomat…..his words are unacceptable.

Ask yourself….just who makes the State Department policy?

Should not be that hard of a question to answer.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Is It A Stalemate Or What?

Ukraine?

You remember that conflict that dominated the news until it became a stalemate and then as if right on cue….GAZA!

The West has been pumping weapons and cash into Ukraine for a very long time…..and the long awaited counteroffensive has seemed to sink into the stalemate that many of us feared.

The reports coming out of the conflict are pointing to a stalemate that few want to admit.

The good news for Ukraine this year is that Russia has barely gained any new territory in nearly 10 months of fighting. The bad news for Ukraine is that its army hasn’t won much land back in that same span. A comprehensive assessment of the war’s front line by the New York Times reveals that it has barely moved since Jan. 1. Russia by now had hoped to have control over all of the Donbas region, while Ukraine hoped to have pushed Russian troops way back through a summer offensive. But the Times analysis reveals that less than 500 square miles of territory has changed hands this year—Russia gained 331 of them and Ukraine 143. Though a seeming stalemate might not seem to favor either side, the gist of the analysis is that it serves Russia better.

For one thing, Western allies might tire of providing aid to Ukraine in a prolonged conflict. For another, Russia has far more fighters and a much larger population to draw from for replenishments. “The whole strategy in Ukraine is for the Russians to let the Ukrainians run against those defenses, kill as many as possible, and destroy as much Western equipment as possible,” says Marina Miron of King’s College London. Russia, she adds, is “not losing anything by not moving forward.” See the full Times analysis for maps and details. An editor at Yahoo News, meanwhile, makes the case that the term “stalemate” is inaccurate because of positive developments for Ukraine, including an attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters.

The report highlights that Russia forces have gained a small advantage…..

Russian forces have gained more territory in Ukraine this year than the Ukrainian side despite the Ukrainian counteroffensive that was launched in June, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

The report noted that despite nine months of heavy fighting in Ukraine, only about 500 square miles of territory have changed hands this year. Russia has gained 331 square miles while Ukraine has gained 143, a difference of 188, which amounts to Russia’s net gain in territory so far this year.

Most of the fighting in the first half of the year focused around the Donbas city of Bakhmut, which Russia fully captured in May after a brutal battle that started in August 2022. Ukraine’s counteroffensive has focused on the south, but fighting has continued near Bakhmut and across the entire eastern front.

The Times quoted Marina Miron, a postdoctoral researcher in war studies at King’s College London, who said Russia appears to be comfortable holding the territory it currently controls rather than seeking rapid gains.

Russia Has Gained More Territory This Year Than Ukraine

Neither side is achieving earth shaking results in this war.

There is another front that should be addressed….’war fatigue’.

That feeling that nations and people get when war rages on and control of lives seem to slip into obscurity.

‘War Fatigue’ Is a Big Problem for Ukraine Now – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The leader of the embattled nation called for Russia to be removed from the Security Council, while he criticized the group for failing to prevent the conflict. However, Zelensky may have also seriously damaged his standing with some of his staunchest allies after suggesting that some nations in Europe were engaged “in a political theater – making a thriller from grain.”

Two Words That Ukraine Should Fear More Than Anything Else

Time for someone to step forward and find a solution.

But that is just my thought.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

As The Country Runs Out Of Cash

We just had a debacle about the debt limit just a few mere weeks ago and the reports are that it will be even further in debt soon…..and with all this concern over debt and spending our president has almost demanded more cash for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

White House rolled out its proposed $105 billion bill to arm Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The legislation also includes funding for the border and humanitarian assistance. US officials say over $50 billion will go to American weapons manufacturers.

The Biden administration is proposing a massive aid package as it has struggled to get Congress to appropriate more funds for the proxy war in Ukraine. The largest portion of money is for Ukraine at $61.4 billion. The White House wants enough money for Ukraine to fund Kiev through the 2024 election.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan described the aid as critical to American national security and demanded Congress pass the bill. “This budget request is critical to advancing America’s national security and ensuring the safety of the American people,” Sullivan said. “The world is closely watching what Congress does next.”

Biden announced the legislation in a speech on Thursday night, “American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us in America safe. American values are what make us a partner nation you want to work with.” He continued,”to put all that at risk – we walk away from Ukraine, we turn our backs on Israel – it’s just not worth it. That’s why tomorrow I’m going to send to Congress an urgent budget request to fund America’s national security needs – needs to support our critical partners, including Israel and Ukraine.”

Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, explained that nearly half of the money will go to American arms makers. “This supplemental request invests over $50 billion in the American defense industrial base, ensuring our military continues to be the most ready, capable, and best-equipped fighting force the world has ever seen,” she said.

Young claimed that the spending would bolster the American economy and create jobs. However, a study indicated that military spending costs more jobs than it creates.

(antiwar.com)

I have said this many times….why is others problems mean that the US must throw money at them?

I seldom see this kind of urgency when it comes to our social programs.

Why is that?  (Don’t answer that was rhetorical question)

Turn The Page!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Send In The Clowns

Ladies and gentlemen….boys and girls….welcome to the ‘Greatest Sh*t Show On Earth

The Saga of the House continues.

Poor Jordan lost the third round of voting for the speaker….and looks like he will succumb to pressure to bow out while he still has some dignity left….

The third time was most definitely not the charm for Jim Jordan on Friday. The Ohio congressman lost another ballot to become speaker of the House, as the hardline conservative and ally of former President Trump remained unable to overcome opposition from more moderate members of his own party. He lost the support of 25 Republicans Friday, even more than on Tuesday (20) and Wednesday (22), reports the Washington Post. He could afford to lose only four. The House has now been without a speaker since Kevin McCarthy’s ouster on October 3, and there appears to be no end in sight. In the meantime, House business remains in limbo.

Without Jordan brand to stupid what will the House do for leadership?

This is where the term ‘send in the clowns’ makes an appearance.

didn’t take long on Friday after House Republicans rescinded their speaker nomination of Rep. Jim Jordan for volunteers for the job to step forward. Before the day was out, 10 members had said they’re in or seriously considering a run, Axios reports. More than one of them said their reason for running basically is “somebody has to do it.” The next step scheduled is a candidate forum at 6:30pm Monday, and the soonest the full House could vote on a speaker is Tuesday. The last time the House considered actual legislation was Sept. 30, per the Washington Post. The possibilities so far are:

  • Tom Emmer, Minnesota: As majority whip, he holds the third-highest GOP post in the House. And he has the endorsement of the most recently ousted GOP speaker, per USA Today. Emmer “understands what it takes to win and keep a majority,” Kevin McCarthy said.
  • Mike Johnson, Louisiana: The vice chair of the House Republican Conference is spending his weekend on the phone trying to line up support, his spokesperson said. In a letter to GOP colleagues, Johnson said he’d bring the same organizational skills and “team emphasis” to the speakership that he’s employed in his current post, per NOLA.com.
  • Kevin Hern, Oklahoma: He leads the Republican Study Committee, the largest House GOP caucus, with about 170 GOP members. “We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success,” Hern said in a statement. He dropped the idea of running for speaker early this month after calling every House Republican to assess support, per USA Today.
  • Byron Donalds, Florida: He brings some built-in support as a member of the House Freedom Caucus. Donalds, who announced his candidacy on X, also ran for the job in January before losing to McCarthy, per the Naples Daily News.
  • Jack Bergman, Michigan: His announcement came instantly. “I’m only in this to do what’s best for our Nation and to steady the ship for the 118th Congress,” Bergman said in a statement.
  • Jodey Arrington, Texas: The House Budget Committee chair said he’s seriously considering running. “Why would somebody run when we’ve witnessed this seemingly tragic process play out?” he wondered, per the Texas Tribune. “But, you know, somebody’s got to run.”
  • Pete Sessions, Texas: The past chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and House Rules Committee bases his sales pitch on his performance in those posts, per the Texas Tribune. Sessions’ office issued a statement saying he “believes he can forge a positive path” and unite the conference.
  • Austin Scott, Georgia: He made his mark by challenging Jordan with a protest candidacy in the conference. Although he lost to Jordan 124-81, Scott said, “There’s a lot of people that appreciated what we did.”
  • Roger Williams, Texas: The chair of the House Small Business Committee said he’s still thinking about running. The Texas Tribune reports he’s a well-liked lawmaker. “We need a speaker for crying out loud,” Williams said. “We’ve got so much happening in the world.”
  • Dan Meuser, Pennsylvania: His candidacy depends what happens in the caucus, Meuser told National Review Online last week. “I’m considering it because I’m not gonna let this kindergarten continue,” he said.

And you thought this was going to be boring….now it will approach absurd.

Will the House have a leader before the Christmas break?

Stay Tuned!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Want To Live Past 90?

It is another Sunday here on IST and as per my mandate I want to try and make an FYI post….or some historical thingy.

We are told by doctors and such that if we want to live to a ripe old age then we need to eat well and exercise….that may not be entirely true.

While trend pieces that describe which foods to eat or the magic number of steps to walk each day may help curb disease and increase longevity, a key factor to living a very long life isn’t within our control. Per the Wall Street Journal, research on aging increasingly shows that living past age 90 is linked to genetics. “Some people have this idea: ‘If I do everything right, diet and exercise, I can live to be 150,'” says Robert Young of the Gerontology Research Group. “And that’s really not correct.” Genetics aids longevity as people grow older: It accounts for 25% of our ability to reach age 90, 50% to reach age 100, and 75% to reach age 106, according to Boston University medical expert Thomas Perls.

But that doesn’t mean lifestyle and modern medicine don’t influence longevity. The Census Bureau projects that 109,000 centenarians live in America today—60% more than 10 years ago, when it was 65,000. Those trusty food, exercise, and diet articles help inform people on what can help them live longer (and healthier) lives. Mental health also plays a role, including one’s outlook on life and strong connections with family and friends. “Keeping in good relationships could be one key to health span,” says neuropsychologist Amanda Cook Maher. That said, people who avoid age-related diseases such as cancer or dementia are more likely to have long lives. Untangling exactly which genes aid longevity is a little tricky, but variants or traits that protect us by repairing DNA or resisting Alzheimer’s disease are up there.

Medical News Today, meanwhile, takes a look at what blood tests have also revealed about longevity. Centenarians tended to have average to lower levels of blood biomarkers like creatinine (a factor in kidney health), glucose, and uric acid. The latter suggests fewer problems with issues such as gout or kidney stones. “It is difficult to say if the absence of extreme values point towards lifestyle. But the findings of overall more favorable values for centenarians, and the fact that these markers are related to diet and lifestyle, it is possible—or perhaps even likely—that such factors have an impact,” said researcher Dr. Shunsuke Murata. The wild card is the interaction with genetic factors.

Just a little something to think about on the Autumn Sunday.

Please enjoy the rest of your weekend….and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

IST Saturday News Dump–21Oct23

It is another Saturday….the news last week was boring….a war somewhere….a clown plays for power….and some mindless celeb did something like ‘free the nipple’ or some sleazy dress….so it is up to me to give my readers something other than the mindlessness of the past week.

How many here were SciFi geeks back in the day and watched 2001?

Remember the scene when the ape-like creatures started acting like humans because of some black monolith?

Well guess what.  A structure has been found.

Scientists have found a new old kid on the block that predates the existence of Homo sapiens, according to Nature. Dating back to 476,000 years ago, primitive wooden tools and structures were found at a site in Kalambo Falls, Zambia that provide significant insight into the lives of our early ancestors.

Predating the Stone Age by a significant margin, this archeological discovery suggests that ancient hominins knew a thing or two about construction, and may not have necessarily been totally nomadic like we originally thought.

This landmark discovery tells us that this unknown species of hominins were very resourceful with their surroundings, and the structure tells researchers that they were intelligent enough to think abstractly. The research suggests that the wood structure was comprised of “two interlocking logs joined transversely by an intentionally cut notch.”

Scientists Find Structure Older Than Humanity

These days society seems to be afraid of everything….but are you nomophobic?

Smartphones have been a part of our lives for so long that it’s difficult for many of us to remember the Before Times, but even 20 years ago the kind of tech we see in today’s phones would have been unimaginable. As their role in modern society has increased, scientists have scrambled to try and keep tabs on the effects of all this phone use. You’ve probably heard of phubbing – snubbing real people in favor of staring at your phone. Now it’s time to introduce you to another phone-related malady that you could be suffering from: nomophobia.

If you squint at the word “nomophobia” you can just about tell that it’s derived from the phrase “no mobile phone phobia”. It describes the panic and anxiety that people may feel when they have to navigate the world without a phone. Some would be quick to dismiss this, but feeling jittery if you accidentally leave your phone at home is understandable given the myriad things that they’re used for, from paying for stuff to finding your way around.

According to a 2019 study in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, the term nomophobia dates back as far as 2008, when research in the UK found that around half of mobile phone users felt some degree of anxiety when they misplaced their phone, had no network coverage, or ran out of credit (remember that?).

https://www.iflscience.com/nomophobia-is-on-the-increase-do-you-have-it-71133

Then there is the situation with the weather….

The Gulf Stream is almost certainly weakening, a new study has confirmed.

The flow of warm water through the Florida Straits has slowed by 4% over the past four decades, with grave implications for the world’s climate.

The ocean current starts near Florida and threads a belt of warm water along the U.S. East Coast and Canada before crossing the Atlantic to Europe. The heat it transports is essential for maintaining temperate conditions and regulating sea levels.

But this stream is slowing down, researchers wrote in a study published Sept. 25 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

“This is the strongest, most definitive evidence we have of the weakening of this climatically-relevant ocean current,” lead-author Christopher Piecuch, a physical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, said in a statement.

The Gulf Stream is just a small component of the thermohaline circulation — a global conveyor belt of ocean currents that moves oxygen, nutrients, carbon and heat around the planet, while also helping to control sea levels and hurricane activity.

https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/gulf-stream-weakening-now-99-certain-and-ramifications-will-be-global

The South has a massive drought going on…..and there is something that is even worse….flesh eating bacteria….

A flesh-eating parasite once thought to concern only those in tropical locales is now “endemic” in the US. Leishmania mexicana is believed to be spreading through sand flies in the southern US, particularly Texas, according to an analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The parasite triggers the disease leishmaniasis, of which there are three forms. Cutaneous leishmaniasis, the most common, is accompanied by skin lesions that can lead to life-long scarring and disability. CDC medical epidemiologist Dr. Mary Kamb and colleagues have now identified leishmaniasis in tissue samples collected between 2005 and 2019 from various patients who said they hadn’t left the US, per CBS News.

The genetic information, part of a new study presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, “adds credence to this idea that leishmaniasis is occurring here in the United States, it’s endemic here in the United States, at least in Texas and maybe southern border states,” Kamb, a study co-author, tells CBS. The parasite showed slight genetic changes in about 50 cases, including at least one case each year. “Those two snips, those two polymorphisms in the sequence, are very distinct between those who reported travel history compared to those who did not,” CDC microbiologist Vitaliano Cama tells CBS.

There is no vaccine available for leishmaniasis, which has also been found in Oklahoma and Arizona, per Bloomberg. Certain drugs are used in treatment but there is “low certainty” about their effectiveness and some patients who respond to treatment later suffer a relapse, per CBS. That’s why experts say it’s important to raise awareness of the disease, which is not well recognized outside of Texas. Controlling sand flies is a gigantic task as the tiny tan-colored flies, most active at night, don’t need standing water to breed and are about a quarter of the size of a mosquito, meaning they can slip through window screens and mosquito nets. “Sometimes you don’t even notice that you’ve been bitten,” Kamb tells CNN.

There seems to always be something to pee on our parade.

As we get older we have a tendency to forget things….is there a possible cure other than taking a bunch of pills?

Why yes there is.

Researchers at the University of Tsukuba say they investigated how trigonelline (TG), a plant alkaloid found in coffee, affected the memory and spatial learning (meaning the combination of “acquiring, retaining, structuring, and applying information related to the surrounding physical environment”) of mice in a lab experiment.

Results: After ingesting TG for 30 days, the mice had a “significant improvement” in their performances in a widely used clinical test called the Morris water maze.

The test involves putting mice in a tub of cloudy water, and tracking how well they can remember the location of a raised platform under the surface, so that they can swim toward it, climb on the platform, and get out of the water.

https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/keep-forgetting-things-neuroscience-just-gave-you-a-reason-to-drink-a-lot-more-coffee.html

Since I drink lots of coffee I am pretty good at remembering things….could coffee be the answer?

Enjoy your Saturday…..and as always…..Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

Could RFK,Jr Be A Trump Spoiler?

Recently I wrote a post about 2 independents in the 2024 election, West and RFK,Jr, and most of the comments were about spoilers that would hand the election to Trump for they would take away from Biden’s small lead….

I replied that since RFK is an anti-vaxxer among other silliness that he might draw votes away from Trump….and now the news is in…..

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced last week that he was dropping out of the Democratic race to run for president as an independent, some analysts said his run could be more of a problem for President Biden than former President Trump. The latest NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll, however, suggests that Kennedy could take enough votes away from Trump to ensure a Biden victory. The poll put Biden at 49% and Trump at 46% in a hypothetical head-to-head. But when pollsters put Kennedy in the mix, Biden’s lead grew to 7 points, with the president at 44%, Trump at 37%, and Kennedy at 16%.

Pollsters found that independent voters split almost evenly among the three candidates, while Kennedy’s inclusion caused Biden’s support to dip by 5% among Democrats and Trump’s by 10% among Republicans. “Although it’s always tricky to assess the impact of a third-party candidate, right now Kennedy alters the equation in Biden’s favor,” says Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “What this does speak to, however, is that about one in six voters are looking for another option, especially independents.” Multiple other polls have found that Kennedy has a higher approval rating among Republicans than Democrats, Axios reports.

If this occurs then both parties will have something to whine about when the voter exercises their freedom of choice.

Will independents really make a difference?

I hope everyone has a great weekend….and as always….be well and be safe.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Jordan Continues His Quest

Jordan just cannot get enough votes to elevate him into the Ivory Tower so he decides not to call for a third vote.

After losing two votes for the House speakership, Jim Jordan will forgo a third, reports the Washington Post and CNN. The conservative Republican is instead expected to back a plan to allow interim Speaker Patrick McHenry to remain in the post longer, with increased powers, per Axios. The plan was to be fleshed out Thursday afternoon in a meeting of the House Republican conference, reports the Wall Street Journal. Jordan lost the first vote on Tuesday, then lost again on Wednesday by an even bigger margin

To be clear, Jordan isn’t ending his bid to become speaker eventually, notes Axios. He’ll remain the “speaker designee,” having won the majority of votes to seek the post among Republicans. The House has been without a speaker since Kevin McCarthy was ousted by members of the right flank on Oct. 3, and congressional business has come to a standstill in that time. Giving McHenry more power would end that logjam.

This is the plan I suggested….since there is an election upcoming and the House may change why not keep the interim Speaker in place until the election?

Of course that idea went absolutely nowhere….and once again a re-think….

Rep. Jim Jordan’s endorsement of having Rep. Patrick McHenry fill in as House speaker until January wasn’t enough. Several Republican members, including Jordan, said that idea went nowhere in their four-hour, closed-door meeting, Politico reports. That put the GOP back where it was, and Jordan later said he will again take his nomination to the full House, where it has been rejected twice, before Thursday is over. Several members said they expect Jordan to have less support this time. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who voted for Jordan twice, said he’s one of the defectors, per the Washington Post, and will back McHenry on the floor.

Although other members said the plan to grant McHenry interim powers could be revived later, Rep. Pat Fallon said “two-thirds” of the GOP House members were against it. Jordan said the plan was pitched “as a way to lower the temperature and get back to work,” per NBC News. “We decided that wasn’t where we’re going to go,” he added. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats could work with McHenry, which only hardened opposition among some Republicans. “I strongly oppose any attempt to create a Democrat backed coalition government,” Rep. Elise Stefanik posted on X, per USA Today. Colleagues had reported that Jordan wanted to consult his family and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy before committing to another House vote, per the Hill.

I warned you that this would become a sh*t show….and viola!

How much longer can these dullards keep this circus going?

Who knows!

I will be watching….we could almost turn this process into a drinking game.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”