Month: August 2024

Yet Another Sarah Palin?

Today the DNC opens its convention and all the promises, attacks, insults and out right BS will continue until Thursday night….I will not waste my time or yours reporting on the day’s festivities…..I will do a wrap up on Friday.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the race.

How many remember the election of 2008 and the intro to one Sarah Palin?

She was the governor of Alaska.

John McCain made a horrendous mistake by asking her to be his VP and it was bore out in the news almost daily.

And now we have a ‘new’ Sarah Palin and its name is JD Vance.

Americans aren’t vibing with the Republican vice-presidential nominee. On average, only 33 percent have a favorable opinion of Sen. JD Vance, while 42 percent have an unfavorable one.

Americans were cool toward Vance from the start: Three days* after he was announced as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, his net favorability rating was -3 percentage points (26 percent favorable, 29 percent unfavorable). But since then, he has faced a rash of bad headlines about his past comments calling Harris a “childless cat lady,” his past support for a national abortion ban and even a baseless internet rumor about having sex with a couch. The poor rollout pushed his net favorability rating down even further, to -9 points.

https://abcnews.go.com/538/tim-walz-popular-jd-vance/story

Vance is similar to Palin….he fires off his mouth before his brain is loaded.

Vance is discussing becoming a new father and the help he gets from his mother-in-law.

“The whole purpose of the postmenopausal female in theory,” he says in the clip talking about becoming a father and getting help. “She lived with us for a year.”

The comments immediately drew attention online, adding to questions about Vance’s view on women after he said that Democrats are mostly miserable “childless cat ladies.”

Don’t believe it?  Then watch the video….

https://www.ibtimes.com/jd-vance-postmenopausal-female-economy-3739794

Vance never stops spouting crap and yet there are some Americans that will vote for him simply because he is tied to Donald the Orange……a sad way to pick a candidate.

Here you can read some Vance’s more disgusting and pathetic quotes….

https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/jd-vance-facts-quotes

He is the new Sarah Palin and he will go down as a buffoon in Congress as she did as a buffoon in state government.

Between Project 2025 and Vance it is not looking good for the GOP….but there is still a couple of months for everything to change….but will it?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Harris Economic Plan

Before the campaign starts in earnest the Harris people have released the economic plan that she will pursue….not that it will ever become the law of the land….her plans sounds a lot like the ideas from Biden and very little is sounded progressive…..

That said why not look at her proposals…..

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make her most significant economic policy announcement yet, to include a proposed ban on price gouging in the food sector and a crackdown on corporations. Harris will unveil her economic plan Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the proposals described or hinted at in advance of the announcement indicate “a sharp escalation in the economic populism” of President Biden, reports the Washington Post. Here’s what to expect, according to CNN, NPR, and Reuters:

  • “The first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries … to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive corporate profits,” the campaign says, per the Post.
  • Tax breaks the campaign says will lead to 3 million new housing units over four years, moving beyond a Biden administration proposal to allow 2 million new and renovated homes.
  • Limit tax breaks for corporate investors that buy up large numbers of single-family rental homes.
  • A ban on rental price-fixing.
  • $25,000 for more than 1 million first-time home buyers to help with the down payment, up from a $10,000 tax credit proposed under Biden.
  • A $40 billion fund to help local governments finance innovative housing construction, up from a $20 billion proposal under Biden.
  • End federal income taxes on tips, also backed by former President Trump.
  • Expand the child tax credit to $6,000 for families with newborn children.
  • A push to lower healthcare costs and cancel medical debt.

A few are ambitious….my problem is words are cheap how will she accomplish all these promises?

Let’s look at the one that is on everyone’s mind…..the high cost of food….

Economic justice advocates on Thursday applauded the Harris campaign’s announcement the Vice President Kamala Harris is planning to unveil a historic ban on food and grocery price gouging amid widespread discontent about costs that have ballooned by 26% in the last five years.

The Democratic presidential candidate is expected to unveil the proposal for the first-ever federal price gouging ban at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, detailing plans to direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose “harsh penalties” on companies that hike food prices to pad their profits.

As president, the campaign said late Wednesday, Harris would set “clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive corporate profits on food and groceries,” building on actions President Joe Biden has taken, such as the creation of a Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing and his guidelines aimed at reining in corporate mergers.

The rules would be introduced in Harris’ first 100 days in office, should she win the presidential election in November.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/kamala-harris-north-carolina

I see Bernie is on-board with these ‘promises’….

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders praised the economic agenda outlined Friday by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris as “an important step forward in making our country a fairer and more just society.”

While acknowledging that the vice president’s slate of proposals does not go as far as he “would like,” Sanders said it is “an economic agenda that begins to speak to the needs of working families and takes on the unprecedented corporate greed that is taking place throughout America.”

“At a time when the price of healthcare is soaring, Vice President Harris understands that we need to cancel medical debt in America,” said Sanders. “At a time when we have a major housing crisis, with 650,000 people experiencing homelessness, Vice President Harris understands that we have to build at least 3 million units of affordable housing, provide a $25,000 down payment for first-time homebuyers, and prevent corporate landlords from jacking up rent.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/sanders-harris-economic-agenda

Is this truly a plan Bernie would propose?

Good question and we may never know the answer.

Sadly I will not hold my breath waiting for these ‘plans’ to be implemented….right now it is so much noise of a campaign….there is NO proof in the pudding so to speak.

Odd that after high prices plaguing the population and the Dems come up with a plan just before an election makes me doubt their sincerity.

We will see just how gung-ho they are after the election.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Do Something About All This Damn Plastic!

A marvelous Sunday….the heat index at 0500 is 96 and humid….what better time for some A/C and a little FYI?

The problem is plastics.

There have been many stories about the influx of plastics into our environment…..from oceanic plastic islands to microplastics in the food supply….something needs to be done about this problem and needs to be done quickly…..and now the Biden admin has a plan….just in time for an election….

To curb this flow, 175 nations are negotiating a binding international treaty on plastic pollution, with a completion target of late 2024. In July 2024, the Biden administration released the first U.S. plan for addressing this problem.

The new U.S. strategy covers five areas: plastic production, product design, waste generation, waste management and plastic capture and removal. It also list actions that federal agencies and departments are currently pursuing.

I study environmental law, including efforts to reduce plastic pollution. As the world’s largest economy, the U.S. is a critical player in this effort. Based on my research, here are three proposals in the U.S. plan that I believe are important and one omission that I view as a major gap.

Studies have detected tiny plastic fragments, known as microplastics, in settings that include the atmosphere, drinking water sources, wild animals and human food chains.

While scientists have found that wildlife, such as seabirds, can be harmed by consuming plastic, the effects on human health are less clear. Unlike other pollutants, microplastics have different effects depending on their size, their shape and where they are found, such as in food, air or water. And humans can be exposed to them via many different pathways, including inhalation, ingestion and touch.

There is no federal standard for measuring microplastics in various media, such as water and soil, so studies lack standardized definitions, methods and reporting techniques. In 2023, California launched a microplastic monitoring program, which includes developing a standardized method for measuring microplastics in drinking water.

The Biden administration’s plan calls for developing standardized methods for collecting, quantifying and characterizing microplastics and nanoplastics, which are even smaller. This will help scientists generate consistent data that regulators can use to set limits on microplastics in food, water and air.

https://theconversation.com/us-has-its-first-national-strategy-to-reduce-plastic-pollution-here-are-3-strong-points-and-1-big-gap-236039

What is missing is trying to find alternatives to the single use plastic….there are alternatives (that is if you are not too damn lazy)….

Smart Alternatives to Single-Use Packaging

Something to think about on a Summer Sunday….

Enjoy a wonderful day and as always….Be well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

IST Saturday News Dump–17Aug24

Another damn hot Summer Saturday here in the Deep South….what better time for a sit down and compile the ‘Dump”?

Locally….I had one of my best days on IST on Monday….we have no rain for 2 weeks and looks like a longer time before we get any at all….temps are horrible…..triple digit highs and low 90s at night….

This week alone 3 people have died hiking the Grand Canyon another died after hiking in Death Valley….all from heat problems….

A man died of heat exposure in Death Valley earlier this month, the second heat-related death in the California national park this year. Authorities say Peter Hayes Robino, 57, a Los Angeles County man, returned to the National Bridge Trailhead after taking a one-mile roundtrip hike on August 1, USA Today reports. Bystanders said he was seen stumbling, and that when help was offered to him, he turned it down but his responses did not make sense, CBS News reports. He then got in his car and drove off a steep 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot. Bystanders helped him walk back to the parking lot and get to shade, but he stopped breathing shortly before emergency responders arrived on scene.

This has been an almost daily occurrence…..my question is….what bare these idiots thinking?

It is now open season in Florida….

Friday marked the start of the annual Florida Python Challenge, where hunters head into the Everglades to track down invasive Burmese pythons in hopes of grabbing a share of $30,000 in prizes. The annual 10-day hunt, which started more than a decade ago, promotes public awareness of issues with invasive species in Florida while engaging the public in Everglades conversation, said Sarah Funck, the wildlife impact management section leader with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “They are a well-established invasive species across much of South Florida, unfortunately, in our natural areas,” Funck said of Burmese pythons, per the AP.

Funck added that the snakes “can be really detrimental to our environment.” Over the past decade, the python challenge has grabbed headlines for its incentive-based, only-in-Florida style of hunting, as well as for its celebrity participation. This year, more than 600 people registered for the event. During the challenge, hunters linger around designated areas spanning through western Broward County to the Tamiami Trail in the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, including other management areas like Southern Glades, Holey Land, and Rotenberger. The goal is to humanely kill as many pythons as possible, and prizes are divided between three groups: professional hunters who work for the state; hunters who are active in the military or are veterans; and novice hunters, which includes anyone who’s not working as a state-contracted python hunter.

Each category has its own prizes, with $2,500 going to the person or team that kills the most pythons, $1,500 going to the runner-up for most kills, and $1,000 going to the person or team that kills the longest python. The grand prize for the most kills in all categories gets a $10,000 prize. Last year’s challenge brought in 209 pythons, and the grand prize winner was Paul Hobbs, who bagged 20 pythons. Florida wildlife agency and district contractors removed about 2,200 pythons in 2023. Participants are required to undergo online training, including on how to identify Burmese pythons versus other snakes, Funck said. Additional in-person training is also available. “That’s a huge part of what we do, is try to get the word out on how to identify these pythons, how to safely and humanely capture [them],” Funck said. More on the competition.

All I have to say is better them than me.

How about a little Martian news?

Scientists searching for signs of water on Mars say they’ve found enough of it to cover the entire planet to a depth of a mile—but it’s not a resource that thirsty Martian colonists could easily access. According to a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the water is in fractured igneous rocks in Mars’ midcrust, 7 to 12 miles below the surface. Scientists already knew there was water on Mars in ice at the poles, but this is the first time liquid water has been detected, the BBC reports.

Water is there what about thinking about some sort of terraforming?

Can we make Mars a bit friendlier for life as we know it? Ever since we learned how harsh and frigid the Red Planet is, the idea of terraforming Mars has been a hot topic of discussion in both science and science-fiction circles.

A team of scientists has come up with a fresh, innovative idea for terraforming Mars. They’re suggesting that we might boost Mars’ temperature by over 50 degrees Fahrenheit by releasing engineered dust particles into its atmosphere.

This approach could trigger a greenhouse effect, trapping heat and making the planet more habitable. If it works, it might be a crucial first step toward turning Mars into a place where humans could eventually live.

https://www.earth.com/news/new-plan-terraform-mars-nanoparticles-would-make-it-habitable-for-humans/

With the extreme heat and those reports of the brain eating stuff the news is not encouraging….could climate change be the cause?

“Brain-eating” amoebas kill nearly  all of their victims, and a recent uptick in cases has heightened fears that they could be flourishing in an ever-warmer world. 

The infection caused by the microscopic Naegleria fowleri is “back in the spotlight”, said Gavi.org. Three children have died in Kerala, India and a man in Israel since May; “unconnected infections” have been reported in Pakistan and the US this year.

https://theweek.com/health/deadly-brain-eating-amoebas-could-be-spreading-thanks-to-climate-change

All this stuff is just too troubling…..and yet no one cares.

I am a massive coffee drinker and there is always news about the prices because of climate change….but happily there may be an answer to the shortage….

About 60% of the coffee we drink is sourced from Coffea arabica, a delicate variety that experts predict could dwindle by up to 80% by 2050, under the effects of climate change. 

But the solution may be in plain sight—and the clue’s in its name: Coffea robusta, which makes up the remainder of coffee consumption worldwide, also happens to be more adaptable to variable climate conditions, and continues to produce high yields. 

Previous researchers have mapped out two possibilities to safeguard our beloved coffee reserves against climate change: adapting coffee farming to new environments, and identifying more climate-resilient species. In the new Crop Science study, the researchers claim their Robusta discovery enables us to do both. 

This species has a larger genetic diversity than Arabica, and the researchers were curious about whether this would translate to more resilience in the field. To find out, they set about isolating various cultivars of this species, which collectively represented 27 genotypes. They grew these cultivars beside Arabica plants at multiple locations in the cooler highlands of Brazil, the world’s largest producer of Arabica coffee beans. 

Coffee is threatened by climate change. The solution may be closer to hand than we thought

Time for another cup and for me to bring this ‘Dump’ to a close for this Saturday…..

I sincerely hope that you have a wonderful Summer day and as always….Be well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Crime Is Out Of Control!

We are hearing this statement playing out with every campaign speech.

That is one of the taglines for the Trump campaign…..a good hook for idiots and the truth is it is so much bullsh*t.

The fact is crime has been in decline….regardless what Donald has said…..there is no proof it is out of control….

Violent crime levels have dropped significantly in the first half of the year, according to a new report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

Overall, violent crime dropped by 6 percent and homicides fell by 17 percent in 69 cities compared to the same period last year. Columbus, Ohio, saw the biggest drop in violent crime at 41 percent, according to an Axios data analysis. But cities including Miami, Washington, DC, and Austin, Texas, also saw large declines. Notably, New York City was not included in the data, though other reports have indicated that violent crime is falling there, too.

It’s hard to say exactly what’s causing the decline, which comes after a major Covid-19 crime wave. It may be partially due to policies aimed at tackling crime at the federal, state, and local levels. But it may also just be a symptom of the fact that normal life in America has resumed post-pandemic — or a combination of those and other factors.

Republicans have long tried to use concerns about crime as a political cudgel against President Joe Biden’s administration. While former President Donald Trump doesn’t appear to be giving up on that attack strategy just yet, Democrats can now use the new data as a defense. Whether that will be effective, however, is far from certain.

In a statement on Saturday, President Joe Biden credited the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill that Congress passed in 2021, which allocated $15 billion toward public safety and violence prevention efforts, for helping bring down crime levels. He also cited bipartisan gun control law that expanded background checks and encouraged states to adopt “red flag” laws to prevent people who pose a danger to themselves or others from obtaining a gun.

But while those laws may have helped, some experts are highly skeptical of attributing the decrease to specific government initiatives.

“I think it’s early to know exactly why murder and violent crime are going down now,” said Jeff Asher, a crime researcher who runs a crime database at AH Datalytics. “Generally, I’m skeptical of political actions causing crime to go up or crime to go down, especially at the federal level.”

However, the pandemic crime was such an outlier in terms of the speed and degree to which it took hold that Asher said it’s possible that government spending on public safety helped interrupt such an acute increase in violence.

https://www.vox.com/policy/366622/violent-crime-dropping-pandemic-wave-2024

I am sure that these people will point to one city that is having a spree and claim the whole country is having it as well….that would be pure horse manure.

If you fancy yourself as a law and order voter then do not listen to crap, do the research and you will see that crime is declining across the nation.

Vote Smart!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

A Vacation Of A Lifetime

There are many places that could claim that bold assertion…..places like Paris, London, Ibiza, Greece, etc but now we can add one more destination to that list….the country of….(what for it)….North Korea.

It’s not like North Korea tops any “top vacation destinations” lists, but tour companies on Wednesday were still excitedly touting the latest news out of the secluded nation: After nearly five years of even further isolation brought by COVID, the North will open its borders again to foreign tourists. “We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and likely the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024,” Koryo Tours, based in Beijing, announced on its website, per Reuters.

Another company, KTG Tours, made a similar announcement about Samjiyon—a mountainous town known for its winter activities, and where the country says a “socialist utopia” is being built—on its own site. Per the BBC, that agency wrote on its Facebook page that “we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too!!!”

NK News notes that most of the North’s prepandemic tourists came out of China, though visitors also included “several thousand Westerners” annually. The nation shut its borders once COVID hit, and it only recently started allowing Russian tourists in earlier this year, thanks to warming relations between Pyongyang and Moscow. Chad O’Carroll, who heads up the US-based analysis firm Korea Risk Group, is wary of the news. “I will believe it when I see it,” he tells the BBC. “For now, I am quite skeptical we will see any real movement in December.”

Seriously?

Well when Donald the Orange was visiting he talked about condos on a beach there….maybe that enticed Li’l Kim to consider opening up for some tourist dollars.

But before you dash off to sign up consider this….as an American what are your chances of being arrested for spying?

Would you chance your freedom and possible torture and death to visit this little nation?

I will pass….I will read about it in the funny papers.

Choose wisely for your next vacay.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

A Drug Deal

I have written about one of my drugs prescribed cost me $536…..I almost had a stroke when told…..now the Biden admin has a deal with drug companies to do what they did for insulin…..slash the prices on certain drugs.

Seniors will save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs for the 10 costliest prescription drugs under Medicare as a result of the Biden administration’s negotiations with drug companies, according to a Thursday announcement. Beginning in 2026, the costs of 10 popular medications will be reduced by between 38% and 79% from 2023 list prices, though “those figures overstate the actual savings that will be achieved, as drugmakers already negotiate behind-the-scenes discounts with private companies that run Medicare drug plans,” per Bloomberg. The government itself will save $6 billion, bringing total savings in the first year to $7.5 billion, per the outlet. The Congressional Budget Office suggests the program will slash $237 billion from the federal deficit over 10 years.

President Biden stressed that all Republicans voted against the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which granted Medicare the authority to negotiate drug prices on behalf of its 66 million members, per the Guardian. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, noted she cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the IRA. “Without her vote, we wouldn’t be talking about having negotiated drug prices,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Some drug companies don’t see this as a win, however, warning the IRA will harm the development of new drugs, restrict access to medicine for patients, and ultimately result in higher costs. Here are the 10 drugs and price changes based on a 30-day supply, courtesy of NBC News:

  • Eliquis, a blood thinner from Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, falls from $521 to $231
  • Xarelto, a Johnson & Johnson blood thinner, falls from $517 to $197
  • Januvia, Merck & Co.’s diabetes drug, will cost $113, down from $527
  • Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug, moves from $573 to $197
  • Enbrel, an Amgen rheumatoid arthritis drug, will cost $2,355, down from $7,106
  • Imbruvica, an AbbVie and J&J drug for blood cancers, falls from $14,934 to $9,319
  • Farxiga, an AstraZeneca drug for diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, falls from $556 to $178
  • Entresto, a Novartis heart failure drug, will cost $295, down from $628
  • Stelara, a J&J drug for psoriasis and Crohn’s disease, falls dramatically from $13,836 to $4,695
  • Fiasp and NovoLog, diabetes drugs from Novo Nordisk, will cost $119, down from $495

Medicare plans to target another 15 drugs in 2025 and 2026, per the Washington Post.

This is good news for Seniors…..check out the list and see if any drugs you take are on it.

My problem is this piecemeal approach to lower prices…15 here and 15 later…..these companies have already milked the public and now we give them a few months to milk it more.

But remember these prices will not drop until 2025-2026….so do not celebrate too much until they finally drop.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The West Bank

A good look at part of the problem in the Middle East…..this for those that look beyond the petty biases and want to know what is really behind the ‘troubles’.

These are lengthy videos but if you truly want to understand the situation in the Middle East then these will help.

(2) The West Bank: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) – YouTube

Then there is another look at the on-going conflict in Gaza…..

Instead of regurgitating crap from the unreliable sources…..watch and learn….

If you watched the video then please comment.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Ukraine: The Push Is On

This week’s good news (for some that is) is that Ukraine has sent troops into Russia in a bold move….this is said to have many facets although few are available to peasants like me…..

But what does it all mean?

A week after the biggest military invasion of Russia since World War II, details are beginning to solidify about Ukraine’s stunning move.

  • Numbers: Ukraine forces have advanced nearly eight miles into the country and control more than two dozen villages, the acting governor of Russia’s Kursk region told Vladimir Putin and other officials Monday. The Washington Post is tracking military movements here. Ukraine’s top military commander said his forces control nearly 400 square miles, per the AP. More than 100,000 Russians have been evacuated or left of their own accord, and Russia says 12 civilians have been killed.
  • Big picture: “It’s an attempt to give Russia somewhat of a shock,” Eric Schmitt of the New York Times tells that newspaper’s Morning Briefing. “It could give Ukraine a win, or at least make them feel good for a few days. Does it change the larger calculus on the battlefield? That remains to be seen.” One big question is whether Ukraine will be able to hang on to the territory it seizes.
  • Momentum shift? Vladimir Putin is downplaying the move, suggesting that Ukraine is trying to gain leverage for potential peace talks and that his troops will soon oust the invaders. It is nonetheless “an embarrassment” for Putin and his army, per Reuters. The move has the potential to divert Russian troops from other areas, lift morale back in Ukraine, and boost support from the US and the West for Ukraine’s military fight, per the Times.
  • Ukraine’s hope: “The clearest logic behind Ukraine’s latest move has been provided by President (Volodymyr) Zelensky who says he wants to ‘bring the war home’ to Russia,” and erode support for it, writes Jonathan Beale at the BBC. “Whatever happens, Ukraine may believe that this gamble was worth it.” He adds, however, that such sentiment shifts often turn out to be fleeting and “won’t win the war.”
  • Senators swayed: Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Lindsey Graham visited Ukraine, spoke with Zelensky, and said Ukraine seems more optimistic than ever, per the Washington Post. “The breakthrough in Kursk on that front is historic,” said Blumenthal on Monday. “It is a seismic breakthrough.” Both senators want to free up Ukraine to use US weaponry for long-range attacks within Russia.

When Ukraine stops will they be able to hold the territory?

Some NATO countries think they will out soon….

NATO countries think it’s unlikely Ukraine will be able to hold territory in Russia’s Kursk Oblast even if it takes weeks for Russian forces to drive the Ukrainians out, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing a Western intelligence official.

Despite that assessment, the report said NATO doesn’t “harbor reservations” about Ukraine’s invasion of Russian territory, which the US and NATO claim they were unaware of until the attack started. Another NATO official told Bloomberg that the incursion shows Ukraine can challenge Russia.

Heavy fighting has been raging in Kursk since over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers and dozens of armored vehicles, including many provided by the US, entered Russian territory last Tuesday. While Ukrainian forces have captured dozens of villages, they are also taking heavy losses.

(antiwar.com)

Will they be able to hold what they have taken?

I believe if they can then it will be used as a bargaining chip any future ceasefire talks….a way to counter the loss of territory within Ukraine to the Russians.

One other question….Why now?

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”