veteranstoday--2020-07-17--UK and Hong Kong – Mutually Reinforced Ignorance

Three years ago , I visited Old Supreme Court Building in Hong Kong , also known as The Court of Final Appeal , together with my friend , an Afghan-British lawyer , who was on a personal mission of ‘ re-discovering Asia.
’ Coming from a prominent , highly educated family in Afghanistan , my friend was extremely well aware that both the United States and the United Kingdom thoroughly destroyed her country during the recent occupation .
In fact , under the NATO boots , Afghanistan became the poorest country in Asia , with the lowest life expectancy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , somehow , she became nostalgically attached to Hong Kong .
It looked familiar .
As she studied and practiced law in the U.K. , The Court of Final Appeal Building looked familiar and reassuring to her .
As it happened to be a working day , she found people to talk to and cracked conversations with the clerks .
Immediately , they all managed to find a common language .
Of different races and different backgrounds , they were clearly ‘ on the same page , ’ united by the British way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as analyzing and judging the world .
‘ Britishness ’ was uniting them .
Both my friend and the employees inside the old courthouse in Hong Kong were from the countries that used to be or still were brutally occupied , ransacked , and tortured by the West in general and by the U.K. in particular .
But common experience and shared ‘ cultural elements ’ made them understand each other , and to be able to communicate flawlessly .
In 2019 and 2020 , I have been covering ‘ events ’ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is because what has been taking place there is extremely important and symbolic , to the world and to me , too , personally .
To some extent , young people conditioned by the Western propaganda were reminding me of my own childhood and youth , when I used to be growing up in Eastern Europe .
We were also conditioned by Western propaganda .
And we , too , betrayed .
In Hong Kong , the ideological combat has been that of the epic proportions .
The battle has been over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
And not only China the country , but also its system , political , economic , and social , which I have been studying for decades , and which I greatly admire .
On many occasions , I wrote , passionately , what I believe : if the socialism with the Chinese characteristics would be destroyed , our human race could lose all hopes for surviving , or at least for a better future .
Understanding ‘ where they are coming from , ’ comprehending what had been done to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think and feel .
I want to shake them , shout at them to stop .
I want to share with them all that I learned in some 160 countries of the world that I have covered .
At times , I am tremendously outraged by their behavior .
But I also know that they are not only some ninja-style vandals , they are also the victims of the circumstances , particularly of Western brainwashing .
Same as my Afghan friend , same as those clerks working in a courthouse in Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common sphere ’ of the British influence .
If you go to an average English pub , not in central London , but a suburb , or in a provincial city , you will quickly realize that even the British citizens themselves are ‘ victims ’ of their own British propaganda .
At least in the old Soviet Union , people were challenging the official story , which , actually , looking ‘ from a distance , ’ was often quite a correct story ( as the official stories coming from the PRC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most of the people are trusting the official line of their government and the mass media .
At least when it comes to foreign affairs , and their Empire ’ s history .
Now ( or at least before the COVID-19 travel restrictions ) , British tourists , as well as British journalists , were coming to Hong Kong , bringing their ignorance with them .
They met their Hong Kong counterparts , people who are often educated , or should we say , conditioned , on the same outdated , racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they all gathered , they talked and exchanged ‘ ideas , ’ which were based on the same roots .
Those roots did not grow spontaneously ; they were planted and groomed by the British imperialist regime , in order to justify , to both the British citizens and to the colonized nations , all those horrors , injustices , and crimes committed in virtually all corners of the world .
Victims and victimizers talk .
They understand each other .
They even sympathize with each other .
That is how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are addressed .
While the U.K. is , once again , involved in the project of destroying China , this is never pronounced .
As long as the mutual ignorance is upheld , there is no ‘ danger ’ that the young rioters and their foreign backers would ever change the course of their actions .
But are foreigners who are creating chaos in Hong Kong really so ‘ naïve ’ ?
Are they truly so ignorant about the evilness which they are spreading ?
Yes and no .
In a way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoctrination .
In fact , it is almost a fundamentalist belief : in the superiority of the Western culture , in the preeminence of the Western political system .
Many in Hong Kong adopted this frame of mind .
Or , using religious vocabulary : they were converted .
All this , while the Mainland China , one of the oldest civilizations on earth , is observing , with shock , how many people in SAR are jerking their bodies and souls in some insane ritual dances choreographed by the former colonizers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the statues of former slaveowners and conquerors are being thrown into the rivers all over the U.S and U.K. With the anti-racist uprisings in both the United States and Europe , new winds are blowing , and soon they may reach Asia .
Maybe these events could finally awaken most of the Hong Kong youth .
Then , perhaps , they will understand that they have been fooled , that they are fighting for the system and culture , which even many Westerners do not desire anymore .
And maybe , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And with them , the riots .
And unnecessary pain .
If this would happen , if more and more British citizens will manage to wake up from slumber , young English rebels could come and teach young Hong Kong rioters about the crimes which the British Empire committed in China .
It would be , paradoxically , the same story that Beijing was telling them for decades .
This way , mutual ignorance could be converted into mutual awakening .
Andre Vltchek is a philosopher , novelist , filmmaker and investigative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflicts in dozens of countries .
Six of his latest books are “ New Capital of Indonesia ” , “ China Belt and Road Initiative ” , “ China and Ecological Civilization ” with John B. Cobb , Jr. , “ Revolutionary Optimism , Western Nihilism ” , a revolutionary novel “ Aurora ” and a bestselling work of political non-fiction : “ Exposing Lies Of The Empire ” .
View his other books here .
Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presently resides in East Asia and Latin America , and continues to work around the world .
He can be reached through his website , his and his Patreon

Anti-racism uprisings: HK youth’s lessons on the West
By: Andre Vltchek for VT
Three years ago, I visited Old Supreme Court Building in Hong Kong, also known as The Court of Final Appeal, together with my friend, an Afghan-British lawyer, who was on a personal mission of ‘re-discovering Asia.’
Coming from a prominent, highly educated family in Afghanistan, my friend was extremely well aware that both the United States and the United Kingdom thoroughly destroyed her country during the recent occupation. In fact, under the NATO boots, Afghanistan became the poorest country in Asia, with the lowest life expectancy.
But after the long journey through Asia, somehow, she became nostalgically attached to Hong Kong. It looked familiar. As she studied and practiced law in the U.K., The Court of Final Appeal Building looked familiar and reassuring to her.
As it happened to be a working day, she found people to talk to and cracked conversations with the clerks. Immediately, they all managed to find a common language. Of different races and different backgrounds, they were clearly ‘on the same page,’ united by the British way of thinking, doing things as well as analyzing and judging the world.
‘Britishness’ was uniting them. Both my friend and the employees inside the old courthouse in Hong Kong were from the countries that used to be or still were brutally occupied, ransacked, and tortured by the West in general and by the U.K. in particular. But common experience and shared ‘cultural elements’ made them understand each other, and to be able to communicate flawlessly.
*
In 2019 and 2020, I have been covering ‘events’ in SAR, in-depth, and passionately. It is because what has been taking place there is extremely important and symbolic, to the world and to me, too, personally. To some extent, young people conditioned by the Western propaganda were reminding me of my own childhood and youth, when I used to be growing up in Eastern Europe. We were also conditioned by Western propaganda. And we, too, betrayed.
In Hong Kong, the ideological combat has been that of the epic proportions. The battle has been over the most populous country on Earth – China. And not only China the country, but also its system, political, economic, and social, which I have been studying for decades, and which I greatly admire. On many occasions, I wrote, passionately, what I believe: if the socialism with the Chinese characteristics would be destroyed, our human race could lose all hopes for surviving, or at least for a better future.
Understanding ‘where they are coming from,’ comprehending what had been done to them, I grasp how the young rioters think and feel. I want to shake them, shout at them to stop. I want to share with them all that I learned in some 160 countries of the world that I have covered. At times, I am tremendously outraged by their behavior. But I also know that they are not only some ninja-style vandals, they are also the victims of the circumstances, particularly of Western brainwashing.
*
Same as my Afghan friend, same as those clerks working in a courthouse in Hong Kong, rioters are part of that ‘common sphere’ of the British influence.
If you go to an average English pub, not in central London, but a suburb, or in a provincial city, you will quickly realize that even the British citizens themselves are ‘victims’ of their own British propaganda. At least in the old Soviet Union, people were challenging the official story, which, actually, looking ‘from a distance,’ was often quite a correct story (as the official stories coming from the PRC are). In an English pup, most of the people are trusting the official line of their government and the mass media. At least when it comes to foreign affairs, and their Empire’s history.
Now (or at least before the COVID-19 travel restrictions), British tourists, as well as British journalists, were coming to Hong Kong, bringing their ignorance with them. They met their Hong Kong counterparts, people who are often educated, or should we say, conditioned, on the same outdated, racist (against themselves) British curriculum. And they all gathered, they talked and exchanged ‘ideas,’ which were based on the same roots.
Those roots did not grow spontaneously; they were planted and groomed by the British imperialist regime, in order to justify, to both the British citizens and to the colonized nations, all those horrors, injustices, and crimes committed in virtually all corners of the world.
Victims and victimizers talk. They understand each other. They even sympathize with each other. That is how the system was designed. No serious issues are addressed. While the U.K. is, once again, involved in the project of destroying China, this is never pronounced.
As long as the mutual ignorance is upheld, there is no ‘danger’ that the young rioters and their foreign backers would ever change the course of their actions.
But are foreigners who are creating chaos in Hong Kong really so ‘naïve’? Are they truly so ignorant about the evilness which they are spreading?
Yes and no. In a way, their ‘ignorance’ resembles a religious indoctrination. In fact, it is almost a fundamentalist belief: in the superiority of the Western culture, in the preeminence of the Western political system.
Many in Hong Kong adopted this frame of mind. Or, using religious vocabulary: they were converted.
All this, while the Mainland China, one of the oldest civilizations on earth, is observing, with shock, how many people in SAR are jerking their bodies and souls in some insane ritual dances choreographed by the former colonizers.
*
All this may soon end, now that the statues of former slaveowners and conquerors are being thrown into the rivers all over the U.S and U.K.
With the anti-racist uprisings in both the United States and Europe, new winds are blowing, and soon they may reach Asia.
Maybe these events could finally awaken most of the Hong Kong youth.
Then, perhaps, they will understand that they have been fooled, that they are fighting for the system and culture, which even many Westerners do not desire anymore.
And maybe, just maybe, the mutual ignorance could end. And with them, the riots. And unnecessary pain.
If this would happen, if more and more British citizens will manage to wake up from slumber, young English rebels could come and teach young Hong Kong rioters about the crimes which the British Empire committed in China. It would be, paradoxically, the same story that Beijing was telling them for decades.
This way, mutual ignorance could be converted into mutual awakening.
*
[First Published by China Daily Hong Kong]


veteranstoday--2020-07-18--Justified police shooting: Eliminating Trump’s base in Michigan, one killing at a time? (extremely g

Justified police shooting: Eliminating Trump’s base in Michigan, one killing at a time? (extremely graphic)

I had to click the play button twice to make it start .
This the body cam footage .
Hold onto your hat .
He almost got her .
[ Editor ’ s Note : This looks like another suicide by cop event .
I can ’ t remember watching one of this shootings where the perp kept advancing on the cop so aggressively , and taking rounds like they were spit balls .
This was triggered by the suspect getting pissed of over being asked to wear a mask in a store .
And when he is later stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knife in each hand .
Neighbors describe him as quiet …Jim W. Dean ] DELTA TOWNSHIP , Mich. ( WILX ) – The Eaton County Sheriff ’ s Office has released the audio for the 911 call a Quality Dairy employee made following an incident that left one man dead around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday morning .
The incident began at the Quality Dairy located on 7120 Lansing Road in Dimondale when Michigan State Police said a masked man from Lansing , 77 , and an unmasked man from Grand Ledge , Sean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altercation regarding wearing masks .
Police said the customer , Ruis , who was not wearing a mask was refused service by the store .
In the audio clip , you can hear the store employee tell dispatch that the stabbing suspect , Ruis , was threatening others inside of the store .
You can listen to the audio clip attached to this article .
MSP said Ruis pulled out a knife and stabbed the 77-year-old Lansing man and then fled the scene from in a car .
MSP responded to the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Sheriff ’ s Office assisted .
Police said an Eaton County deputy located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on Jerryson Drive in Delta Township around 7:13 a.m. At a press conference Tuesday , Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich said the stabbing victim was in serious condition after being taken to a local hospital .
He didn ’ t know where or how many times the man was stabbed .
Aaron Jenkins , MDOT spokesperson , confirmed to News 10 that Ruis was a transportation technician at MDOT and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ruis was expected to come to work Tuesday .
The Eaton County Sheriff ’ s Office said Ruis didn ’ t have any kind of criminal history in the county .
Both incidents remain under investigation by the MSP .
Once their investigation is complete , it will be handed over to the Eaton County prosecutor ’ s office .

VIDEO IS SENSITIVE IN NATURE: Eaton County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Involved Shooting. The Michigan State Police 1st District Investigation Response Team is investigating the deputy involved shooting that occurred on Jerryson Drive in Delta Twp, Eaton County on July 14. pic.twitter.com/733H2iOhCa

I had to click the play button twice to make it start. This is the body cam footage above. Hold onto your hat. He almost got her. This will be used as a training film, forever.
[ Editor’s Note: This looks like another suicide by cop event. I can’t remember watching one of these shootings where the perp kept advancing on the cop so aggressively and taking rounds like they were spitballs.
This was triggered by the suspect getting pissed off over being asked to wear a mask in a store. And when he is later stopped, goes after the female deputy with a knife in each hand. Neighbors describe him as quiet …Jim W. Dean ]
Update: 9:39am Shooting screengrab.
Update: 4;38 pm EST.
DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WILX) – The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office has released the audio for the 911 call a Quality Dairy employee made following an incident that left one man dead around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The incident began at the Quality Dairy located on 7120 Lansing Road in Dimondale when Michigan State Police said a masked man from Lansing, 77, and an unmasked man from Grand Ledge, Sean Ruis, 43, got into an altercation regarding wearing masks.
Police said the customer, Ruis, who was not wearing a mask was refused service by the store. In the audio clip, you can hear the store employee tell dispatch that the stabbing suspect, Ruis, was threatening others inside of the store. You can listen to the audio clip attached to this article.
MSP said Ruis pulled out a knife and stabbed the 77-year-old Lansing man and then fled the scene from in a car. MSP responded to the incident at the store, and the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office assisted. Police said an Eaton County deputy located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on Jerryson Drive in Delta Township around 7:13 a.m.
At a press conference Tuesday, Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich said the stabbing victim was in serious condition after being taken to a local hospital. He didn’t know where or how many times the man was stabbed.
Aaron Jenkins, the MDOT spokesperson, confirmed to News 10 that Ruis was a transportation technician at MDOT and has been working there since 2008. Jenkins said Ruis was expected to come to work Tuesday.
The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office said Ruis didn’t have any kind of criminal history in the county. Both incidents remain under investigation by the MSP. Once their investigation is complete, it will be handed over to the Eaton County prosecutor’s office.
https://twitter.com/MSPFirstDist/status/1283113592246734848?s=20


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Book Review: Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli

Book Review: Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli

Battle Born : Lapis Lazuli : One Marine ’ s Fight For the Heart of Afghanistan , Maximilian Uriarte .
Little Brown and Company ( July 28 , 2020 ) Here is something very different from other books that have been reviewed here on Veterans Today .
This is the latest graphic novel and a return to form for New York Times bestselling author and creator of the military ’ s most popular comic strip , Terminal Lance , Maximilian Uriarte .
Uriarte both wrote and illustrated Battle Born : Lapis Lazuli .
His debut full-length graphic novel , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funny , and compulsively page-turning tribute to the experience of war and PTSD and the first graphic novel about the war in Iraq from a veteran .
Battle Born is a heartbreaking and visceral graphic novel set against the stark beauty of Afghanistan ’ s mountain villages that examines prejudice and the military remnants of colonialism .
Lapis Lazuli is a rich blue semiprecious gemstone found deep in the Sar-i-sang mountains of Afghanistan ’ s Badakhshan province .
For thousands of years it has sustained the nearby mining villages , whose inhabitants lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , known in the region as the Horsemen , came to seek the riches stored deep beneath the earth .
Taliban rule has turned the stone into a conflict mineral , as they steal and sell it for their own gain .
At the request of the fledgling Afghan government , seeking to gain back control of the province , United States Marines are sent into the mountains .
A platoon led by their eager and naive commander , First Lieutenant Roberts , and a stoic , fierce squad leader , Sergeant King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture in this remote region to win the locals ’ trust , and their freedom from Taliban rule .
Along the way , they must also wrestle with their demons–and face unimaginably difficult choices .
Battle Born : Lapis Lazuli is an epic saga from the voice of a new generation of military veterans about kindness , brutality , and the remains of colonialism .
About the author : Maximilian Uriarte is an artist living in Los Angeles .
An Oregon native , he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2006 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Iraq twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom .
While still active duty , he created the hit webcomic “ Terminal Lance ” in 2010 , which became a viral success as well as the most popular comic strip in the United States military .
In 2016 , Maximilian Uriarte and Little , Brown & Co. released the world ’ s first graphic novel about Iraq ever written and illustrated by an Iraq veteran , “ The White Donkey : Terminal Lance .
”

Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli: One Marine’s Fight For the Heart of Afghanistan, Maximilian Uriarte. Little Brown and Company (July 28, 2020)
Here is something very different from other books that have been reviewed here on VT. This is the latest graphic novel and a return to form for New York Times bestselling author and creator of the military’s most popular comic strip, Terminal Lance, Maximilian Uriarte. Uriarte both wrote and illustrated Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli.
His debut full-length graphic novel, The White Donkey, is an honest, funny, and compulsively page-turning tribute to the experience of war and PTSD and the first graphic novel about the war in Iraq from a veteran.
Battle Born is a heartbreaking and visceral graphic novel set against the stark beauty of Afghanistan’s mountain villages that examines prejudice and the military remnants of colonialism. Lapis Lazuli is a rich blue semiprecious gemstone found deep in the Sar-i-sang mountains of Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province. For thousands of years it has sustained the nearby mining villages, whose inhabitants lived peacefully in the mountainous landscape–until the Taliban, known in the region as the Horsemen, came to seek the riches stored deep beneath the earth. Taliban rule has turned the stone into a conflict mineral, as they steal and sell it for their own gain.
At the request of the fledgling Afghan government, seeking to gain back control of the province, United States Marines are sent into the mountains. A platoon led by their eager and naive commander, First Lieutenant Roberts, and a stoic, fierce squad leader, Sergeant King, must overcome barriers of language and culture in this remote region to win the locals’ trust, and their freedom from Taliban rule. Along the way, they must also wrestle with their demons–and face unimaginably difficult choices.
Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli is an epic saga from the voice of a new generation of military veterans about kindness, brutality, and the remains of colonialism.
About the author: Maximilian Uriarte is an artist living in Los Angeles. An Oregon native, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2006 at the age of 19 and deployed to Iraq twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While still active duty, he created the hit webcomic “Terminal Lance” in 2010, which became a viral success as well as the most popular comic strip in the United States military.
In 2016, Maximilian Uriarte and Little, Brown & Co. released the world’s first graphic novel about Iraq ever written and illustrated by an Iraq veteran, “The White Donkey: Terminal Lance.”
Maximilian Uriarte


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Christian Nationalists Want To Destroy Human Rights

Yesterday , during an event at the National Constitution Center , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke about a new report from the “ Commission on Unalienable Rights , ” a group he assembled in May of 2019 .
That announcement was disturbing on its own because Pompeo spoke fondly of the country ’ s “ founding principles of natural law and natural rights.
” Natural .
That ’ s a word conservatives have regularly used to block trans people from serving in the military , oppose marriage equality , and prevent women from controlling their own bodies .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the government to advance a conservative Christian agenda .
His speech yesterday showed that prediction had unfortunately come true .
The draft report cites the traditions that formed the American spirit , including a form of Christianity that embraced “ the beautiful Biblical teachings that every human being is imbued with dignity and bears responsibilities toward fellow human beings , because each is made in the image of God.
” It also references the “ Biblical heritage ” of the Founding Fathers .
At a time when conservatives are defending statues of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rewrite history , here ’ s a Trump administration document that quite literally injects Christianity into our nation ’ s founding even though historians have repeatedly rejected that idea .
There were undoubtedly Christian leaders present when the Constitution was written , but they ’ re hardly the evangelicals of today and our founding documents make clear that church/state separation is one of our most important values .
A number of non-theistic groups have weighed in on the disturbing report , the final version of which should be coming out soon and which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global human rights policy.
” The American Humanist Association called it an “ overly narrow interpretation of human rights advocacy ” : “ The report , peppered with biblical and religious references , takes a rigid and exclusionary view of human rights , ” AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt reacted .
“ Echoing the notion that the US was built on Christian values and claiming faith is necessary to advocate for human rights perpetuates a revisionist narrative that erases a core principle that the nation was founded upon : being secular and free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The commission ’ s limited interpretation of unalienable rights leaves many people around the world vulnerable to the whims of Pompeo ’ s Christian nationalist agenda .
At a time of global uncertainty , our foreign policy must be forward looking.
” The Center For Inquiry called it a “ vehicle for Christian Nationalism ” : “ This deceitful claim erases the dignity and the societal contributions of more than 23 percent of American adults with no religious affiliation , ” said Jason Lemieux , director of government affairs for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report ludicrously implies that our founding values are drawn from the ‘ biblical teachings ’ of Protestant Christianity : ” “ Secretary Pompeo ’ s insistent harping on ‘ God-given rights ’ underscores the true intent of this report : to justify Christian nationalist foreign policy that abandons and endangers people overseas who are persecuted for their nonbelief , sexual orientation , and gender identity , as well as those who seek comprehensive reproductive health care including abortion and contraception , ” said Lemieux .
The Freedom From Religion Foundation just called it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian Nationalism in print and stamped with government authority , granting the State Department permission to conduct a Christian Nationalist foreign policy .
That means not supporting the rights of the LGBTQ community , giving Christian Nationalists a blank check to proselytize , restricting access to HIV/AIDS medications and abortion , and permitting the direct funding of houses of worship abroad .
“ God-given rights are fragile , ” says FFRF ’ s Director of Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel… “ God-given rights can be taken away by humans claiming to speak for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights that we possess by virtue of our shared humanity — are much stronger.
” Rights are not given by supernatural beings ; they are asserted .
Not only is our freedom not a gift from God , it is guaranteed by a godless document , the U.S. Constitution .
The report from Pompeo ’ s commission is antithetical to this American principle , and is thus un-American in its quest to give government sanction to favored religious beliefs .
Our country was founded in large part to reject exactly this notion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same treatment .
The final version of the report is expected to be released in two weeks .
If there ’ s any silver lining here , it ’ s that if people vote for Joe Biden , Pompeo won ’ t get much time to integrat his conservative Christian beliefs into our foreign policy and we can reverse course with a new administration .

Friendly Atheist
By Hemant Mehta
Yesterday, during an event at the National Constitution Center, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke about a new report from the “Commission on Unalienable Rights,” a group he assembled in May of 2019.
That announcement was disturbing on its own because Pompeo spoke fondly of the country’s “founding principles of natural law and natural rights.” Natural. That’s a word conservatives have regularly used to block trans people from serving in the military, oppose marriage equality, and prevent women from controlling their own bodies.
In other words, Pompeo appeared to be using the government to advance a conservative Christian agenda.
His speech yesterday showed that prediction had, unfortunately, come true.
The draft report cites the traditions that formed the American spirit, including a form of Christianity that embraced “the beautiful Biblical teachings that every human being is imbued with dignity and bears responsibilities toward fellow human beings because each is made in the image of God.”
It also references the “Biblical heritage” of the Founding Fathers.
At a time when conservatives are defending statues of Confederate soldiers because taking them down would rewrite history, here’s a Trump administration document that quite literally injects Christianity into our nation’s founding even though historians have repeatedly rejected that idea. There were undoubtedly Christian leaders present when the Constitution was written, but they’re hardly the evangelicals of today and our founding documents make clear that church/state separation is one of our most important values.
A number of non-theistic groups have weighed in on the disturbing report, the final version of which should be coming out soon and which Pompeo hopes “will influence U.S. and global human rights policy.”
The American Humanist Association called it an “overly narrow interpretation of human rights advocacy”:
“The report, peppered with biblical and religious references, takes a rigid and exclusionary view of human rights,” AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt reacted. “Echoing the notion that the US was built on Christian values and claiming faith is necessary to advocate for human rights perpetuates a revisionist narrative that erases a core principle that the nation was founded upon being secular and free from a state religion.”
…
Speckhardt concluded: “The commission’s limited interpretation of unalienable rights leaves many people around the world vulnerable to the whims of Pompeo’s Christian nationalist agenda. At a time of global uncertainty, our foreign policy must be forward-looking.”
The Center For Inquiry called it a “vehicle for Christian Nationalism”:
“This deceitful claim erases the dignity and the societal contributions of more than 23 percent of American adults with no religious affiliation,” said Jason Lemieux, director of government affairs for the Center for Inquiry. “The draft report ludicrously implies that our founding values are drawn from the ‘biblical teachings’ of Protestant Christianity:”
…
“Secretary Pompeo’s insistent harping on ‘God-given rights’ underscores the true intent of this report: to justify Christian nationalist foreign policy that abandons and endangers people overseas who are persecuted for their nonbelief, sexual orientation, and gender identity, as well as those who seek comprehensive reproductive health care including abortion and contraception,” said Lemieux.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation just called it “dangerous”:
The report is Christian Nationalism in print and stamped with government authority, granting the State Department permission to conduct a Christian Nationalist foreign policy. That means not supporting the rights of the LGBTQ community, giving Christian Nationalists a blank check to proselytize, restricting access to HIV/AIDS medications and abortion, and permitting the direct funding of houses of worship abroad.
…
“God-given rights are fragile,” says FFRF’s Director of Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel… “God-given rights can be taken away by humans claiming to speak for that god, while human rights — rights that we possess by virtue of our shared humanity — are much stronger.”
Rights are not given by supernatural beings; they are asserted. Not only is our freedom not a gift from God, it is guaranteed by a godless document, the U.S. Constitution. The report from Pompeo’s commission is antithetical to this American principle and is thus un-American in its quest to give government sanction to favored religious beliefs. Our country was founded in large part to reject exactly this notion, and this report must be given the same treatment.
The final version of the report is expected to be released in two weeks. If there’s any silver lining here, it’s that if people vote for Joe Biden, Pompeo won’t get much time to integrate his conservative Christian beliefs into our foreign policy and we can reverse course with a new administration.


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Focus on COVID-19 Has Taken the Heat Off Of Mosquitoes

And in a normal year , the health department serving Ohio ’ s Delaware County would be setting out more than 90 mosquito traps a week — black tubs of stagnant water with nets designed to ensnare the little buggers .
But this year , because of COVID-19 , the mosquitoes will fly free .
The coronavirus has pulled the staffers away , so they haven ’ t set a single trap yet this year , according to Dustin Kent , the program manager of the residential services unit .
Even if they had the time , the state lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses that infect humans isn ’ t able to take the samples because it also is too busy with COVID-19 .
That means the surrounding community , just north of Columbus , Ohio , has to wait until potentially deadly mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile sicken humans to find out if the insects are carrying disease .
“ It ’ s frustrating knowing that we can do a more preventative approach , ” Kent said .
“ But we ’ re stuck reacting.
” In Washtenaw County , Michigan , mosquito samples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health department didn ’ t have the staff or ability to hire and train the summer interns who would typically perform the work .
…read more :

Mosquitoes flying free as health departments focus on virus
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Lauren Weber/AP News
Bug spray, swollen welts, citronella. It’s mosquito season.
And in a normal year, the health department serving Ohio’s Delaware County would be setting out more than 90 mosquito traps a week — black tubs of stagnant water with nets designed to ensnare the little buggers.
But this year, because of COVID-19, the mosquitoes will fly free.
The coronavirus has pulled the staffers away, so they haven’t set a single trap yet this year, according to Dustin Kent, the program manager of the residential services unit. Even if they had the time, the state lab that normally would test the insects for viruses that infect humans isn’t able to take the samples because it also is too busy with COVID-19.
That means the surrounding community, just north of Columbus, Ohio, has to wait until potentially deadly mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile sicken humans to find out if the insects are carrying disease.
“It’s frustrating knowing that we can do a more preventative approach,” Kent said. “But we’re stuck reacting.”
In Washtenaw County, Michigan, mosquito samples aren’t being collected because the health department didn’t have the staff or ability to hire and train the summer interns who would typically perform the work. …read more:


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--The Coronavirus Transformation Ritual

The Coronavirus Transformation Ritual

Former Libertarian Party VP Candidate and mayor of Bellflower , California Art Olivier will discuss this article on my radio show tonight .
Listen live at 8 pm Eastern or catch the archive later .
–Kevin Barrett , Veterans Today Editor Secret societies have used initiation rituals for millennia .
The goal is to transform the initiate into a useful member of their society .
Whether it is the Mafia , Freemasons or witches , the process is similar ; the initiate is separated from his normal day-to-day routine .
He is told where he can go and what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his previous life and he is forced into a new normal .
The director of the ritual controls what the initiate perceives by controlling information and repeating certain phrases .
The news uses repetition in convincing us that we must conform to a new normal as well as the current TV commercials that repeat a variation of “ In these uncertain times , while the distance between us has grown , we can still stay connected in the safety of our home .
We can all get through this together.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he once held dear in order to receive the transformation .
The pandemic is forcing us to sacrifice our personal and economic freedoms .
The Encyclopedia of Witches , Witchcraft and Wicca states “ Initiation is a rite or Ritual that marks the psychological or spiritual crossing of a threshold into new territories , knowledge , and abilities .
Initiation brings a sense of attainment and accomplishment and effects subtle changes deep within the psyche in terms of how an individual perceives herself or himself .
The central theme to initiation is suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiate undergoes an ordeal , symbolically dies , and is symbolically reborn as a new person , possessing new wisdom.
” Masks are quite often required during a ritual to help create a new identity .
From ‘ Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences , Volume 11 , Indian Institute of Advanced Study , Shimla , 2004 , Ritual , Masks , And Sacrifices ’ , “ Ritual is intimately connected with the mask , either in the wearing that hides the true face , or in the adoption of a public face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinary time and the connection to the ancient and repetitive , which is the heart of ritual , psychologically acceptable .
Together , ritual and mask facilitate the apprehension of identity and its connections with paradox by placing the mystery of change outside of life ’ s ordinary reasonableness into the domain of magic and power .
This change and transformation is enacted by the sacrifice of the ritual.
” To help facilitate the rebirth , the fear of death is introduced in the ritual .
The initiate is purposely kept in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the director to show him the way forward .
We are told many contradictory statements such as ; death rates are up , deaths are down , wear a mask , masks won ’ t protect you , hydroxychloroquine will cure you , hydroxychloroquine will kill you , stay home , businesses are opening , infections are rising , a second wave is coming .
In this confusion , we become dependant upon our leaders to tell us what we are supposed to think .
Eventually the old self withers away and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assimilate him into his new reality .
The George Floyd incident was a ritual in a ritual .
He was out of work because of the Coronavirus .
He is shown standing next to a Corona poster and the medical examiner said he had Coronavirus .
The protests in his honor didn ’ t spread the virus , but maybe they did .
We ’ ll just have to watch the news for the latest .
George Floyd ’ s chest is a big tattoo of the Masonic Double-headed Eagle of Lagash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would have attended The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Minnesota .
Part of the Master Mason ritual is the Brethren praying on one knee around the body of Hiram Abiff .
The lodge is a half-mile on the same 38th Street where Officer Chauvin , the Chauvinistic One , confronted Floyd .
3 minutes after arriving on the scene , Officer Chauvin placed his left knee down and held his Masonic pose on George Floyd for 8 minutes .
The Chauvinistic One ’ s ritual lasted 11 minutes .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , kneeling with one knee .
It may seem odd for protesters to take the same pose that a slave took to show submissiveness to his owner and the same pose that Officer Chauvin took , but that is the power of the ritual .
The 11 minutes on 38th Street is an important part of the ritual .
In the center of the United Grand Lodge of England is a black and white floor with 418 squares , 11 on one side and 38 on the other .
The address for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 38th Street .
Zeros mean nothing in gematria .
31 is the 11th prime number .
11×38=418 .
Aleister Crowley said “ the key of the rituals ” is “ Abrahadabra ” which equals 418 in Hebrew Gematria .
Crowley said that ‘ Liber 418 ’ was his second most important book after ‘ The Book of the Law.
’ The 11 ( 3+8 ) minute ritual on 38th Street gives us 418 .
The 11 letters of Abrahadabra represents the uniting of the macrocosm with the microcosm represented by the hexagram and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 .
Abrahadabra has 6 consonants and 5 A ’ s .
George Floyd has the 6 and the 5 in his name , as does Donald Trump and Corona Virus .
Perhaps world leaders are trying to implement the biblical prophecy of the First Horseman of the Apocalypse that is given a corona and uses his bow to spread pestilence around the world .
It may be more than a coincidence that the first case of Coronavirus was identified on 12/12 ( 6+6/6+6 ) , exactly 6666 days after 9/11/2001 and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Reaching , And Contacting Everyone ( TRACE ) Act .
The transformation may not merely be psychological , it may also be physical .
Moderna ( stock symbol MRNA ) is developing a vaccine with mRNA that may complete the transformation .
The military already has a contract with ApiJect for Coronavirus syringes .
ApiJect has an optional RFID/NFC tag on each syringe so its serial number as well as the GPS location and the time of the vaccination can be uploaded to a government database .
Perhaps if a contact tracer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus vaccine , the military might show up at your door to ensure that you complete your transformation .

Former Libertarian Party VP Candidate and mayor of Bellflower, California Art Olivier will discuss this article on my radio show tonight. Listen live at 8 pm Eastern or catch the archive later. -Kevin Barrett, VT Editor
Secret societies have used initiation rituals for millennia. The goal is to transform the initiate into a useful member of their society. Whether it is the Mafia, Freemasons or witches, the process is similar; the initiate is separated from his normal day-to-day routine. He is told where he can go and what he can do. His mind is cleared of his previous life and he is forced into a new normal. The director of the ritual controls what the initiate perceives by controlling information and repeating certain phrases.
The news uses repetition in convincing us that we must conform to a new normal as well as the current TV commercials that repeat a variation of “In these uncertain times, while the distance between us has grown, we can still stay connected in the safety of our home. We can all get through this together.”
The initiate may be required to sacrifice things he once held dear in order to receive the transformation. The pandemic is forcing us to sacrifice our personal and economic freedoms.
The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca states “Initiation is a rite or Ritual that marks the psychological or spiritual crossing of a threshold into new territories, knowledge, and abilities. Initiation brings a sense of attainment and accomplishment and effects subtle changes deep within the psyche in terms of how an individual perceives herself or himself. The central theme to initiation is suffering, death, and rebirth. The initiate undergoes an ordeal, symbolically dies, and is symbolically reborn as a new person, possessing new wisdom.”
Masks are quite often required during a ritual to help create a new identity. From ‘Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Volume 11, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, 2004, Ritual, Masks, And Sacrifices’, “Ritual is intimately connected with the mask, either in the wearing that hides the true face, or in the adoption of a public face. The mask makes the disengagement from ordinary time and the connection to the ancient and repetitive, which is the heart of ritual, psychologically acceptable. Together, ritual and mask facilitate the apprehension of identity and its connections with paradox by placing the mystery of change outside of life’s ordinary reasonableness into the domain of magic and power. This change and transformation is enacted by the sacrifice of the ritual.”
To help facilitate the rebirth, the fear of death is introduced in the ritual. The initiate is purposely kept in a state of confusion, becoming dependent on the director to show him the way forward. We are told many contradictory statements such as; death rates are up, deaths are down, wear a mask, masks won’t protect you, hydroxychloroquine will cure you, hydroxychloroquine will kill you, stay home, businesses are opening, infections are rising, a second wave is coming. In this confusion, we become dependant upon our leaders to tell us what we are supposed to think. Eventually the old self withers away and the director molds the identity of the initiate to assimilate him into his new reality.
The George Floyd incident was a ritual in a ritual. He was out of work because of the Coronavirus. He is shown standing next to a Corona poster and the medical examiner said he had Coronavirus. The protests in his honor didn’t spread the virus, but maybe they did. We’ll just have to watch the news for the latest.
On
George Floyd’s chest is a big tattoo of the Masonic Double-headed Eagle of Lagash. If Floyd were a Mason, he would have attended The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Minnesota. Part of the Master Mason ritual is the Brethren praying on one knee around the body of Hiram Abiff. The lodge is a half-mile on the same 38th Street where Officer Chauvin, the Chauvinistic One, confronted Floyd. 3 minutes after arriving on the scene, Officer Chauvin placed his left knee down and held his Masonic pose on George Floyd for 8 minutes. The Chauvinistic One’s ritual lasted 11 minutes. Then Abrahadabra; the whole world is genuflecting, kneeling with one knee.
It may seem odd for protesters to take the same pose that a slave took to show submissiveness to his owner and the same pose that Officer Chauvin took, but that is the power of the ritual.
Abrahadabra, everyone is kneeling!
The 11 minutes on 38th Street is an important part of the ritual. In the center of the United Grand Lodge of England is a black and white floor with 418 squares, 11 on one side and 38 on the other. The address for the Minnesota Prince Hall lodge is 310 E. 38th Street. Zeros mean nothing in gematria. 31 is the 11th prime number. 11×38=418.
Aleister Crowley said “the key of the rituals” is “Abrahadabra” which equals 418 in Hebrew Gematria. Crowley said that ‘Liber 418’ was his second most important book after ‘The Book of the Law.’ The 11 (3+8) minute ritual on 38th Street gives us 418.
The 11 letters of Abrahadabra represents the uniting of the macrocosm with the microcosm represented by the hexagram and the pentagram, the 6 and the 5. Abrahadabra has 6 consonants and 5 A’s. George Floyd has the 6 and the 5 in his name, as does Donald Trump and Corona Virus.
Perhaps world leaders are trying to implement the biblical prophecy of the First Horseman of the Apocalypse that is given a corona and uses his bow to spread pestilence around the world. (He rides a white horse; the pale horse comes later.) It may be more than a coincidence that the first case of Coronavirus was identified on 12/12 (6+6/6+6), exactly 6666 days after 9/11/2001 and that Congress introduced H.R.6666, the COVID-19 Testing, Reaching, And Contacting Everyone (TRACE) Act.
The transformation may not merely be psychological, it may also be physical. Moderna (stock symbol MRNA) is developing a vaccine with mRNA that may complete the transformation. The military already has a contract with ApiJect for Coronavirus syringes. ApiJect has an optional RFID/NFC tag on each syringe so its serial number as well as the GPS location and the time of the vaccination can be uploaded to a government database. Perhaps if a contact tracer discovers that you have not received your Coronavirus vaccine, the military might show up at your door to ensure that you complete your transformation.


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Carcinogens Found in Supermarket Hummus

Carcinogens Found in Supermarket Hummus

( JTA ) – That hummus may not be as healthful as you want to believe , according to an environmental advocacy group ’ s latest research .
Laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate , the chemical better known as Roundup , in 80 % of conventional chickpeas and hummus tested .
Glyphosate , commonly used to kill weeds , is considered a likely human carcinogen .
The company that makes Roundup agreed last month to pay more than $ 10 billion to settle thousands of claims that the product contributed to cancers .
The Environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissions research on the health of consumer products .
Among the brands that exceeded the organization ’ s benchmarks for safe levels of the chemical were Whole Foods Market Original Hummus , Sabra Classic Hummus , Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus , Cava Traditional Hummus and Harris Teeter Fresh Foods Market Traditional Artisan Hummus .
( All brands fell well within the Environmental Protection Agency ’ s glyphosate limits . )
Organic food producers are not allowed to apply glyphosate to their crops , but the trials did detect the chemical in several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were lower than in the conventionally grown products .
But the levels in Whole Foods Market ’ s organic-label Original Hummus exceeded the Environmental Working Group ’ s benchmark for safety .
For people seeking to avoid glyphosate in their food , producing one ’ s own hummus — an easy , no-cooking task — unfortunately offers no solution .
The dry chickpeas that the Environmental Working Group tested had the highest levels of the herbicide of all the products it reviewed .

(JTA) – That hummus may not be as healthful as you want to believe, according to an environmental advocacy group’s latest research.
Laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate, the chemical better known as Roundup, in 80% of conventional chickpeas and hummus tested.
Glyphosate, commonly used to kill weeds, is considered a likely human carcinogen. The company that makes Roundup agreed last month to pay more than $10 billion to settle thousands of claims that the product contributed to cancers.
The Environmental Working Group is an advocacy group that commissions research on the health of consumer products. Among the brands that exceeded the organization’s benchmarks for safe levels of the chemical were Whole Foods Market Original Hummus, Sabra Classic Hummus, Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus, Cava Traditional Hummus and Harris Teeter Fresh Foods Market Traditional Artisan Hummus. (All brands fell well within the Environmental Protection Agency’s glyphosate limits.) Organic food producers are not allowed to apply glyphosate to their crops, but the trials did detect the chemical in several organic chickpea products, although the levels were lower than in the conventionally grown products. But the levels in Whole Foods Market’s organic-label Original Hummus exceeded the Environmental Working Group’s benchmark for safety. For people seeking to avoid glyphosate in their food, producing one’s own hummus — an easy, no-cooking task — unfortunately offers no solution. The dry chickpeas that the Environmental Working Group tested had the highest levels of the herbicide of all the products it reviewed. https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/check-your-hummus-environmental-group-finds-high-levels-of-possible-carcinogen


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Vital: The Electoral College, The real monument to White Supremacy that Should Come Down

Mother Jones : We are in a moment of reckoning over racism , not only taking down Confederate statues to eradicate these lingering odes to white supremacy but also examining how deeply our society has been shaped by slavery and its aftermath .
Last year , the New York Times ’ 1619 Project traced the influence of slavery on everything from American capitalism to the American diet .
Today , individuals , brands , and lawmakers are taking stock .
In this reappraisal , the Electoral College is likewise due for a second look .
In the last five elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency to two Republicans who lost the popular vote : George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016 .
Looking ahead to the election this November , Democrats harbor a very realistic fear that Trump will again prevail without winning the popular vote .
The political divisions and demographics of the 21st century have highlighted the undemocratic Electoral College system .
But the fact that we have an election system that privileges a minority white party over a diverse majority is not a quirk of the system .
That has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new book , Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar sets out to answer the question that is also the title of his book : Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College ?
Keyssar , who is an expert in surveying a topic throughout American history , including his seminal work on the history of voting rights in the United States , begins at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and works his way up to the present , examining how the framers created the Electoral College , then each successive attempt to reform or abolish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to each state based on its number of representatives in Congress—which is based on a highly imperfect approximation of population that gives short shrift to populous states , plus two for each senator .
The result is that not everyone ’ s vote carries the same weight ; in 2016 , Wyoming had one electoral vote for every 190,000 residents while in California each vote represented 680,000 people .
read more…

Mother Jones: We are in a moment of reckoning over racism, not only taking down Confederate statues to eradicate these lingering odes to white supremacy but also examining how deeply our society has been shaped by slavery and its aftermath. Last year, the New York Times’ 1619 Project traced the influence of slavery on everything from American capitalism to the American diet. Today, individuals, brands, and lawmakers are taking stock. In this reappraisal, the Electoral College is likewise due for a second look.
In the last five elections, the Electoral College has handed the presidency to two Republicans who lost the popular vote: George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016. Looking ahead to the election this November, Democrats harbor a very realistic fear that Trump will again prevail without winning the popular vote. The political divisions and demographics of the 21st century have highlighted the undemocratic Electoral College system. But the fact that we have an election system that privileges a minority white party over a diverse majority is not a quirk of the system. That has been its purpose all along.
In his new book, Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar sets out to answer the question that is also the title of his book: Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? Keyssar, who is an expert in surveying a topic throughout American history, including his seminal work on the history of voting rights in the United States, begins at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and works his way up to the present, examining how the framers created the Electoral College, then each successive attempt to reform or abolish it.
The Electoral College allots votes to each state based on its number of representatives in Congress—which is based on a highly imperfect approximation of population that gives short shrift to populous states, plus two for each senator. The result is that not everyone’s vote carries the same weight; in 2016, Wyoming had one electoral vote for every 190,000 residents while in California each vote represented 680,000 people. read more…


veteranstoday--2020-07-17--Florida: One in Three Children Coronavirus Tested Are Positive

Health Editor ’ s Note : One third of Florida children tested for coronavirus are positive .
Children are the group that seemed , at the beginning of the pandemic , to not be as affected as adults .
Then we saw children becoming very ill from a ‘ Kawasaki ’ type of illness associated with coronavirus .
These children were very ill and some did not recover .
Clearly we are seeing a far different pattern with large numbers of children testing positive and with that doctors are seeing lung changes in children who have the virus but have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major glitch/concern/questioning in re-opening schools as Trump demands .
What happens when the teachers become ill and must quarantine or possibly be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 after being exposed to one of these ‘ asymptomatic ’ children ?
There are far , far more children than teachers….You get the picture……Carol Nearly one-third of children tested for COVID in Florida are positive .
Palm Beach County ’ s health director warns of risk of long-term damage Nearly one-in-three children tested for the new coronavirus in Florida has been positive , and a South Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause lifelong damage even for children with mild illness .

Health Editor’s Note: One third of Florida children tested for coronavirus are positive. Children are the group that seemed, at the beginning of the pandemic, to not be as affected as adults. Then we saw children becoming very ill from a ‘Kawasaki’ type of illness associated with coronavirus. These children were very ill and some did not recover.
Go ahead with over 15, 000 new cases just today and mandate for over 350,000 students and over 18,000 teachers to go back to work! #DeSantisResign pic.twitter.com/Wz1xiONMKC — FloridaRocks (@Donna29248181) July 12, 2020
Clearly we are seeing a far different pattern with large numbers of children testing positive and with that doctors are seeing lung changes in children who have the virus but have no symptoms. This should represent a major glitch/concern/questioning in re-opening schools as Trump demands. What happens when the teachers become ill and must quarantine or possibly be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 after being exposed to one of these ‘asymptomatic’ children? There are far,far more children than teachers….You get the picture……Carol
Nearly one-third of children tested for COVID in Florida are positive. Palm Beach County’s health director warns of risk of long-term damage
by Skylar Swisher/Sun-Sentinel Nearly one-in-three children tested for the new coronavirus in Florida has been positive, and a South Florida health official is concerned the disease could cause lifelong damage even for children with mild illness. Doctors share sobering stories as coronavirus cases spike https://t.co/ztgpgcmHjB — Gordon Duff (@gpduf) July 17, 2020 Dr. Alina Alonso, Palm Beach County’s health department director, warned county commissioners Tuesday that much is unknown about the long-term health consequences for children who catch COVID-19. X-rays have revealed the virus can cause lung damage even in people without severe symptoms, she said. On a day where Florida shattered the previous record for new coronavirus cases, let’s make sure this video of @GovRonDeSantis declaring victory is seen by as many people as possible. #DeSantisResign pic.twitter.com/hyaddBWGu9 — Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) July 12, 2020 “They are seeing there is damage to the lungs in these asymptomatic children. … We don’t know how that is going to manifest a year from now or two years from now,” Alonso said. “Is that child going to have chronic pulmonary problems or not?” Her comments stand in contrast to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ messaging that children are at low risk, and classrooms need to be reopened in the fall. DeSantis has said he would be comfortable sending his children to school if they were old enough to attend. Read More:
Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator. She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues. Carol’s Archives 2009-2013


veteranstoday--2020-07-18--White Helmets’ founder reportedly confessed embezzlement of donor funds before death

[ Editor ’ s Note : This news is showing up very late after its death , obviously due to a coverup at the time .
That could have been done to give authorities time to investigate if someone had bumped him off , or if it was a suicide , or it staged to look like one .
We will probably never know what the investigation really showed as British Intel has long had the last call in publicity of anything it had done , even with one of it ex-operatives .
But we do have to ask “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just to put a period at the end of the Le Mesurier story , not just his death but what many feel was running an aid NGO as an Intel front to funnel aid to militants in Syria against Assad and the Syrian people .
The bigger issue is that of immunity and sprinkling ex-Intel people into all of these aid agencies and then still wanting them to have immunity .
It ’ s like the British wives who went to ISIS , ended up in the toilet after murdering hubby got killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to punish the British taxpayer by going on the dole with her kids forever , the welfare Jihad .
ISIS Daddy never gave a crap about anybody else ’ s rights .
We have not hear of an ISIS wife suicide due to same of her husband being a mass murderer .
I would consider them ‘ aiders and abettors ” .
The kids , that is different .
None of this is their fault , just like it is for Baron Trump… Jim W. Dean ] Jim 's Editor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's work includes research , field trips , Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more .
Thanks for helping .
Click to donate > > Le Mesurier , the now-deceased founder of the Mayday Rescue non-governmental organization overseeing the funding of the White Helmets organization in Syria , had acknowledged misuse of donor funds before death and offered to step down , Germany ’ s Volkskrant daily reported on Friday .

…from Sputnik News, Moscow
[ Editor’s Note: This news is showing up very late after its death, obviously due to a coverup at the time. That could have been done to give authorities time to investigate if someone had bumped him off, or if it was a suicide, or it staged to look like one.
We will probably never know what the investigation really showed as British Intel has long had the last call in the publicity of anything it had done, even with one of it ex-operatives.
But we do have to ask “why know”. Was publishing this just to put a period at the end of the Le Mesurier story, not just his death but what many feel was running an aid NGO as an Intel front to funnel aid to militants in Syria against Assad and the Syrian people.
The bigger issue is that of immunity and sprinkling ex-Intel people into all of these aid agencies and then still wanting them to have immunity. It’s like the British wives who went to ISIS, ended up in the toilet after murdering hubby got killed, and now mom wants to come home to punish the British taxpayer by going on the dole with her kids forever, the welfare Jihad.
ISIS Daddy never gave a crap about anybody else’s rights. We have not hear of an ISIS wife suicide due to same of her husband being a mass murderer. I would consider them ‘aiders and abettors”. The kids, that is different. None of this is their fault, just like it is for Baron Trump… Jim W. Dean ]
Jim's Editor’s Notes are solely crowdfunded via PayPal
Jim's work includes research, field trips, Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more. Thanks for helping. Click to donate >>
– First published … July 17, 2020 –
Le Mesurier, the now-deceased founder of the Mayday Rescue non-governmental organization overseeing the funding of the White Helmets organization in Syria, had acknowledged misuse of donor funds before death and offered to step down, Germany’s Volkskrant daily reported on Friday.
Le Mesurier was found dead in the garden of his house in Istanbul last November.
According to Volkskrant, claiming that it had obtained a letter written by Le Mesurier three days before his death, he confessed that Mayday Rescue managers had appropriated part of the money that donors allocated to the White Helmets.
This is something that a Dutch-led financial investigation sounded an alarm about last year after visiting Mayday Rescue’s office in Istanbul and finding fake receipts designed to conceal a missing $50,000.
Dutch accountancy firm SMK found a number of other related inconsistencies. For example, Mayday Rescue self-positioned as a non-profit, while having commercial branches in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Remuneration of some of the managers reportedly reached $26,000 a month, bonuses not included.
After Le Mesurier’s death, the donor countries — including Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, among others — carried out an accountancy inspection that found no embezzlement traces. The German newspaper pointed out that some of the transactions are impossible to trace so much back in time.
The inspection, which was not disclosed to the public, has reportedly concluded that Le Mesurier’s predeath confession of embezzlement was a result of a “misunderstanding.” Yet, the European donors have terminated their funding and the White Helmets should be expected to stop functioning in a few months, the newspaper said.
The White Helmets is a UK-registered non-governmental organization. It describes itself as a group of former bakers, tailors, engineers, pharmacists, painters, carpenters, students and workers of other professions who volunteered to go to the “most dangerous place on earth” and protect local civilians from violence.
The group gained wide publicity after establishing a presence in Syria, where a civil war is in its tenth year now. While the White Helmets have been hailed in the West, Damascus has accused the group of propaganda and extremism.
Le Mesurier served in UK’s MI6 foreign intelligence service and worked through wars in the Balkans and Kosovo. Several researchers have accused him of having links to al-Qaeda*.


veteranstoday--2020-07-19--COVID Symptom Study Reveals There Are Six Types of COVID-19

Health Editor ’ s Note : While this is a pre-print , non-peer reviewed paper , I tend to believe this will prove to be very useful in treating future COVID-19 patients , especially since planet earth are not near the end of this pandemic….Carol Analysis of data from the COVID Symptom Study app , led by researchers from King ’ s College London , reveals that there are six distinct ‘ types ’ of COVID-19 , each distinguished by a particular cluster of symptoms .
Moreover , the team found that these types differed in the severity of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during hospitalisation .
The findings have major implications for clinical management of COVID-19 , and could help doctors predict who is most at risk and likely to need hospital care in a second wave of coronavirus infections .
Although continuous cough , fever and loss of smell ( anosmia ) are usually highlighted as the three key symptoms of COVID-19 , data gathered from app users shows that people can experience a wide range of different symptoms including headaches , muscle pains , fatigue , diarrhea , confusion , loss of appetite , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progression and outcomes also vary significantly between people , ranging from mild flu-like symptoms or a simple rash to severe or fatal disease .
To find out whether particular symptoms tend to appear together and how this related to the progression of the disease , …read more :

Health Editor’s Note: While this is a pre-print, non-peer reviewed paper, I tend to believe this will prove to be very useful in treating future COVID-19 patients, especially since planet earth are not near the end of this pandemic….Carol
Six distinct ‘types’ of COVID-19 identified
Kings College London News Centre
Analysis of data from the COVID Symptom Study app, led by researchers from King’s College London, reveals that there are six distinct ‘types’ of COVID-19, each distinguished by a particular cluster of symptoms.
Moreover, the team found that these types differed in the severity of the disease and the need for respiratory support during hospitalisation.
The findings have major implications for clinical management of COVID-19, and could help doctors predict who is most at risk and likely to need hospital care in a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Although continuous cough, fever and loss of smell (anosmia) are usually highlighted as the three key symptoms of COVID-19, data gathered from app users shows that people can experience a wide range of different symptoms including headaches, muscle pains, fatigue, diarrhea, confusion, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and more. The progression and outcomes also vary significantly between people, ranging from mild flu-like symptoms or a simple rash to severe or fatal disease.
To find out whether particular symptoms tend to appear together and how this related to the progression of the disease, …read more:


veteranstoday--2020-07-19--The Real Mafia, MEGA, Wexner-Epstein and the British Royals (Who QaNon covers for)

VT : Please note that although this video , and it is of exceptional importance , seems well supported , much is conjecture and based on anecdotal ‘ mosaics ’ which it overconnects .
That said , the information on the British royals is vital and much of the Israel/Mossad material is well documented .
We have one fear ; it seems we may be looking at a ton of great material which is being used to point a finger at Bill Clinton that real evidence seem to differ from .
We also see strong attempts to play down Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of constant pedophile prowling .
Our sources are from inside Trump/Epstein ’ s personal associates and from Wexner ’ s people as well..and we know most of them .
But then , this isn ’ t our story , but we warn , for every drop of honey , one of cyanide is there as well .
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VT: Please note that although this video, and it is of exceptional importance, seems well supported, much is conjecture and based on anecdotal ‘mosaics’ which it overconnects.
That said, the information on the British royals is vital and much of the Israel/Mossad material is well documented.
We have one fear; it seems we may be looking at a ton of great material which is being used to point a finger at Bill Clinton that real evidence seem to differ from.
We also see strong attempts to play down Trump’s relationship with Epstein, 15 years of constant pedophile prowling.
Our sources are from inside Trump/Epstein’s personal associates and from Wexner’s people as well..and we know most of them. But then, this isn’t our story, but we warn, for every drop of honey, one of cyanide is there as well.