veteranstoday--2020-12-24--Christmas wishes for US-Russia relations: From confrontation to Win-Win cooperation

For the past five years or so , the US has spent billions upon billions of dollars fighting so-called ISIS .
Here is a report which came out in 2015 : “ The Department of Defense has spent more than $ 2.7 billion—some $ 9 million per day—since the United States began operations against the so-called Islamic State last August .
To put that in perspective , the DOD is on pace to spend a little more than $ 14 million per day to combat ISIS in fiscal year 2015 .
That ’ s minuscule compared to the roughly $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending on the Iraq War each day.
” [ 1 ] Can any US politician really say that the United States has accomplished its goal in fighting so-called terrorism ?
If not , isn ’ t it time to give peace a chance course of action ?
Scholars , writers , senators and people of various stripes around the globe are waiting for US politicians to start taking things a little more seriously , and here they flesh out what the United States needs to do in order to have a prosperous relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next few years .
We have interviewed Edward Lozansky in the past .
— Jonas E. Alexis , VT Editor Forget about claims that “ America is back — we ’ re at the head of the table once again.
” Not only does this statement sound pathetic in the face of our country ’ s long list of internal and external problems , but it is also dangerous , since it drives us further along the path of other failed empires from the Romans to Soviets , who made similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reality that the brief era of US unipolar world domination is over and act accordingly with a sober realization that the world ’ s table is round , not rectangular with one boss at the top .
Stop using force , or other overt and covert actions , to promote democracy around the world .
Americans who indeed adhere to western values do not claim that they are superior to those of the people of other nations .
Those who do are violating the same values that they are trying to impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change operations have contributed to devastation and misery for tens of millions of people around the world , while at the same time inflicting huge human , material , and moral damage on America itself .
Transform NATO into IATO – the International Anti-Terrorist Organization .
IATO should consist of well-armed international rapid response forces ready to liquidate terrorist threats in any part of the world .
With its present expansionist mood and insatiable financial appetites , NATO is a problem for , rather than solution to , the world ’ s security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but must do it by example rather than force .
Money saved from America ’ s futile attempts to be a world hegemon should be used for both domestic social and infrastructure development , and for working with other nations on resolving crises in global health , the environment , and shortages of food , water , and energy resources .
It is obvious that the nation ’ s security has found itself in a much worse situation than it was before the collapse of USSR .
Isn ’ t it time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed , three decades-long establishment consensus on foreign policy ?
The US and Russia are two major nuclear powers about to be led in the USA soon by President-Elect Joseph ( Joe ) Biden and twenty years hence since 2000 by President Vladimir Putin , both seasoned politicians .
Each promotes and protects their way of life as laid out by the interpretation of their constitutions .
State Sovereignty reigns as both exist in a ruthless jungle of coercion , and individuals become collateral damage in the name of defending national interests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Russia and the USA .
Russia ’ s call to respect the integral sovereignty over other countries annexes Crimea from Ukraine to protect the Russian-speaking people ’ s self-determination .
The US going so far as sanctioning international civil servants charged by the International Criminal Court to investigate human rights and humanitarian law abuses .
For such investigations , the US at least could comply in spirit with the Rome Statute terms by taking serious steps to investigate and prosecute such alleged charges in America ’ s military justice and , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the overarching contradictions in Russian and US foreign policy and human rights , this deeply rooted problem will persist in increasing the risk of armed conflict and nuclear weapons use .
While the US regards itself as called to promote change – whether it be political , economic , or cultural , and both inside and outside its borders , Putin ’ s Russia aspires toward conservatism to halt any meddling in its internal affairs while holding together the former republic of the Soviet Union from drifting away into the orbit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond the Elbe River considered by him a broken promise by the US .
America ’ s foreign policy ultimate aims to spread liberal democracy are praiseworthy .
However , they must also be tempered when sitting at a round table and not at the head of a table .
The people of both nations , led by Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin , need to find areas that will bridge their differences and build mutual trust to transform the significant security challenges facing both countries and their people .
But also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatens food shortage , rising waters , increasing fires and droughts , and a potentially uninhabitable planet .
Rekindling US-Russian collaboration on a scale of security issues would unleash greater diplomacy and new instruments like permanent neutrality as a model to secure the geopolitical interests and the spread of humanitarian services to alleviate climate change threats , changing the norm of sovereignty from fear of altering countries civilizational traditions to invite them to help with improving the quality of life .
Once he takes office , President Joe Biden should waste no time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow .
Biden should immediately accept Russia ’ s proposal to renew the 2011 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty ( New START ) for five years before it runs out on February 5 with no changes .
However , moving ahead with constructive strategic arms reduction negotiations should only be the first step .
Biden should also propose starting new negotiations to replace and update the now defunct 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces ( INF ) Treaty , recognizing the need for China , France and Britain to fully participate in this process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Moscow aimed immediately stopping any further plans and moves towards continued NATO expansion and pull US military advisers and weapon supplies out of Georgia and Ukraine .
He should order an interagency reassessment immediately of whether US defense of Ukraine and Georgia have any strategic value to the United States whatsoever and he should rein in all US policies aimed at destabilizing Russia .
He must make clear to the governments of Poland , Lithuania , Latvia and Estonia that any efforts to provoke Russia hostility or confrontations with the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his secretary of state Anthony Blinken should make clear they are ready for constructive negotiations with Russia on a broad range of issues important to both countries and the world .
— Martin Sieff , former Senior Foreign Policy Editor of the Washington Times Joe Biden should define American leadership as shaping rather than resisting the emerging multipolar system .
The reluctance to establish a pan-European security architecture after the Cold War extended the unipolar era , although now it creates a very unfavorable multipolar system by incentivizing Russia to align with China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as predictable as it was avoidable : Jack Matlock , James Baker , Richard Pipes , William Perry and others overseeing the end of the Cold War aptly predicted NATO expansionism would resuscitate antagonistic zero-sum structures in Europe .
George Kennan anticipated NATO expansion would spark another Cold War and that Moscow would then be blamed : “ Of course there is going to be a bad reaction from Russia , and then [ the NATO expanders ] will say that we always told you that is how the Russians are – but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s primary foreign policy goal since the Cold War was to be included in the new Europe .
Yet , in the absence of institutional representation , Russia must be assertive to counter encirclement and restore its political subjectivity .
Russia can not live with NATO on its borders any more than the US could accept Soviet missiles in Cuba .
Robert Gates recognized “ we did not take Russian interests seriously ” and “ trying to bring Georgia and Ukraine into NATO was truly overreaching ” .
Henry Kissinger also cautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ breaking Russia has become an objective ; the long-range purpose should be to integrate it ” .
Pushing Russia out of Europe is now providing China with a powerful ally .
I am a very patriotic American .
I ’ ve risked my life hundreds of times in combat but I ’ ve very concerned about NATO .
NATO , in my view poses a very grave threat to world peace .
In fact , it is the centerpiece of the deep state .
Going back , in 1949 , NATO was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet Union , which was massively powered by nuclear weapons .
The Soviet Union , in response formed the Warsaw Pact , six years later in 1955 .
Many years of Cold War went on .
Fortunately , there was no nuclear war , or conventional war .
The Cold War ended in 1991 , when the Soviet Union dissolved and communism was discredited .
The Warsaw Pact dissolved that same year .
Now , by 1991 , NATO served no practical purpose , and it should have been dissolved .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace had it been dissolved .
With the election of Joseph Biden , many American and Russian leaders are concerned about the likelihood of an escalation of tensions between these two great nations .
President would be wise if he adhered to two enduring truths .
First , he needs to build on the legacy of the end of the Cold War brought about by President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev .
Second , the world has always been a better place when the United States and Russia worked together as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The twentieth century has often been called “ The American Century.
” Part of that greatness was a result of the nation ’ s leaders building upon the successes of previous presidents , even if they were from a different political party .
Biden and Putin must control their tongue and eschew inflammatory rhetoric , as the Bible instructs leaders in James 3 .
The end of the Cold War was one of the greatest peacemaking accomplishments in world history and “ blessed are the peacemakers ” ( Matthew 5:9 ) .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is far from a perfect country , in 2017 its leaders extended a clear olive branch .
In that year in downtown Moscow , the Russians erected a celebratory statue of Reagan and Gorbachev .
Sadly , the American press gave little coverage to this magnificent event .
In order to build on the spirit of the Reagan-Gorbachev relationship , I would encourage Biden and Putin to schedule two summits .
One at the Reagan Library in California and one at the Gorbachev Foundation in Moscow .
What a message of peace this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior Fellow at the Witherspoon Institute , Princeton , NJ , Professor at California State University , Long Beach Russia is not our enemy .
This idea only enriches our military-industrial complex .
Russian military budget is 1/15 of our present military budget for this year .
The Soviet Union disappeared in 1991 , yet this seems to remain unknown to many political figures , whose massive ignorance about Russia today is embarrassing .
Neither American nor Russian people are hostile to each other or are in favor of war .
This has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been stone deaf to the public ’ s desire .
The new administration needs to calm down the cacophony of sanctions , insults and attacks from the media and our leaders .
These have harmed not only Russia , but the USA as well .
Putin wants to be treated with the respect and recognition of Russia ’ s position of power , and for its cultural , literary , scientific achievements .
Russia today is a young country with a new independent generation who were born after Communism and later will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new administration should learn about them .
We should encourage cultural exchanges between the young of both counties , for now using zoom or other online programs until a normal life returns .
Russians could be good friends and allies .
We are facing many of the same problems including suffering from the virus .
We have much to learn from each other .
Russia , among other things , also has a great deal more experience in dealing with their ambitious next door neighbor .
[ 1 ] Edwin Rios , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re Spending on the War Against ISIS , ” Mother Jones , June 14 , 2015 .

For the past five years or so, the US has spent billions upon billions of dollars fighting so-called ISIS. Here is a report which came out in 2015:
“The Department of Defense has spent more than $2.7 billion—some $9 million per day—since the United States began operations against the so-called Islamic State last August. To put that in perspective, the DOD is on pace to spend a little more than $14 million per day to combat ISIS in fiscal year 2015. That’s minuscule compared to the roughly $187 million the Defense Department is still spending on the Iraq War each day.”[1]
Can any US politician really say that the United States has accomplished its goal in fighting so-called terrorism? If not, isn’t it time to give peace a chance course of action?
Scholars, writers, senators and people of various stripes around the globe are waiting for US politicians to start taking things a little more seriously, and here they flesh out what the United States needs to do in order to have a prosperous relationship with other nations, namely Russia, in the next few years. We have interviewed Edward Lozansky in the past. — Jonas E. Alexis, VT Editor
Forget about claims that “America is back — we’re at the head of the table once again.” Not only does this statement sound pathetic in the face of our country’s long list of internal and external problems, but it is also dangerous, since it drives us further along the path of other failed empires from the Romans to Soviets, who made similar claims.
It is time to accept the reality that the brief era of US unipolar world domination is over and act accordingly with a sober realization that the world’s table is round, not rectangular with one boss at the top.
Stop using force, or other overt and covert actions, to promote democracy around the world. Americans who indeed adhere to western values do not claim that they are superior to those of the people of other nations.
Those who do are violating the same values that they are trying to impose. Bombs, sanctions, and regime change operations have contributed to devastation and misery for tens of millions of people around the world, while at the same time inflicting huge human, material, and moral damage on America itself.
Transform NATO into IATO – the International Anti-Terrorist Organization. IATO should consist of well-armed international rapid response forces ready to liquidate terrorist threats in any part of the world. With its present expansionist mood and insatiable financial appetites, NATO is a problem for, rather than solution to, the world’s security.
America can lead in certain areas but must do it by example rather than force. Money saved from America’s futile attempts to be a world hegemon should be used for both domestic social and infrastructure development, and for working with other nations on resolving crises in global health, the environment, and shortages of food, water, and energy resources.
It is obvious that the nation’s security has found itself in a much worse situation than it was before the collapse of USSR. Isn’t it time, at long last, to rethink a failed, three decades-long establishment consensus on foreign policy?
— Edward Lozansky, President of American University in Moscow
The US and Russia are two major nuclear powers about to be led in the USA soon by President-Elect Joseph (Joe) Biden and twenty years hence since 2000 by President Vladimir Putin, both seasoned politicians. Each promotes and protects their way of life as laid out by the interpretation of their constitutions. State Sovereignty reigns as both exist in a ruthless jungle of coercion, and individuals become collateral damage in the name of defending national interests.
Ironically, international law principles are muttered by Russia and the USA. Russia’s call to respect the integral sovereignty over other countries annexes Crimea from Ukraine to protect the Russian-speaking people’s self-determination. The US going so far as sanctioning international civil servants charged by the International Criminal Court to investigate human rights and humanitarian law abuses.
For such investigations, the US at least could comply in spirit with the Rome Statute terms by taking serious steps to investigate and prosecute such alleged charges in America’s military justice and, if merited, civil court systems.
As for the overarching contradictions in Russian and US foreign policy and human rights, this deeply rooted problem will persist in increasing the risk of armed conflict and nuclear weapons use.
While the US regards itself as called to promote change – whether it be political, economic, or cultural, and both inside and outside its borders, Putin’s Russia aspires toward conservatism to halt any meddling in its internal affairs while holding together the former republic of the Soviet Union from drifting away into the orbit of the West as NATO expands towards eastward beyond the Elbe River considered by him a broken promise by the US. America’s foreign policy ultimate aims to spread liberal democracy are praiseworthy.
However, they must also be tempered when sitting at a round table and not at the head of a table. The people of both nations, led by Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, need to find areas that will bridge their differences and build mutual trust to transform the significant security challenges facing both countries and their people. But also, that of the world as climate change threatens food shortage, rising waters, increasing fires and droughts, and a potentially uninhabitable planet.
Rekindling US-Russian collaboration on a scale of security issues would unleash greater diplomacy and new instruments like permanent neutrality as a model to secure the geopolitical interests and the spread of humanitarian services to alleviate climate change threats, changing the norm of sovereignty from fear of altering countries civilizational traditions to invite them to help with improving the quality of life.
— Herbert Reginbogin, Fellow Catholic University of America, Institute for Policy Research
Once he takes office, President Joe Biden should waste no time in reviving serious arms control negotiations with Moscow.
Biden should immediately accept Russia’s proposal to renew the 2011 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) for five years before it runs out on February 5 with no changes. However, moving ahead with constructive strategic arms reduction negotiations should only be the first step.
Biden should also propose starting new negotiations to replace and update the now defunct 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, recognizing the need for China, France and Britain to fully participate in this process.
Biden should launch a bilateral process directly with Moscow aimed immediately stopping any further plans and moves towards continued NATO expansion and pull US military advisers and weapon supplies out of Georgia and Ukraine.
He should order an interagency reassessment immediately of whether US defense of Ukraine and Georgia have any strategic value to the United States whatsoever and he should rein in all US policies aimed at destabilizing Russia. He must make clear to the governments of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia that any efforts to provoke Russia hostility or confrontations with the United States will not be tolerated.
He and his secretary of state Anthony Blinken should make clear they are ready for constructive negotiations with Russia on a broad range of issues important to both countries and the world.
— Martin Sieff, former Senior Foreign Policy Editor of the Washington Times
Joe Biden should define American leadership as shaping rather than resisting the emerging multipolar system. The reluctance to establish a pan-European security architecture after the Cold War extended the unipolar era, although now it creates a very unfavorable multipolar system by incentivizing Russia to align with China.
Europe’s current malaise was as predictable as it was avoidable: Jack Matlock, James Baker, Richard Pipes, William Perry and others overseeing the end of the Cold War aptly predicted NATO expansionism would resuscitate antagonistic zero-sum structures in Europe.
George Kennan anticipated NATO expansion would spark another Cold War and that Moscow would then be blamed: “Of course there is going to be a bad reaction from Russia, and then [the NATO expanders] will say that we always told you that is how the Russians are – but this is just wrong”.
Russia’s primary foreign policy goal since the Cold War was to be included in the new Europe. Yet, in the absence of institutional representation, Russia must be assertive to counter encirclement and restore its political subjectivity. Russia cannot live with NATO on its borders any more than the US could accept Soviet missiles in Cuba.
Robert Gates recognized “we did not take Russian interests seriously” and “trying to bring Georgia and Ukraine into NATO was truly overreaching”. Henry Kissinger also cautions that Washington lost its strategic focus as “breaking Russia has become an objective; the long-range purpose should be to integrate it”. Pushing Russia out of Europe is now providing China with a powerful ally.
— Glenn Diesen, University of South-Eastern Norway
I am a very patriotic American. I’ve risked my life hundreds of times in combat but I’ve very concerned about NATO. NATO, in my view poses a very grave threat to world peace. In fact, it is the centerpiece of the deep state. Going back, in 1949, NATO was formed as a defensive alliance against the Soviet Union, which was massively powered by nuclear weapons.
The Soviet Union, in response formed the Warsaw Pact, six years later in 1955. Many years of Cold War went on. Fortunately, there was no nuclear war, or conventional war. The Cold War ended in 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved and communism was discredited.
The Warsaw Pact dissolved that same year. Now, by 1991, NATO served no practical purpose, and it should have been dissolved. It would have been a great thing for world peace had it been dissolved.
— Richard A. Black, Former Virginia State Senator, U.S. Army Col., (Ret.)
With the election of Joseph Biden, many American and Russian leaders are concerned about the likelihood of an escalation of tensions between these two great nations. President would be wise if he adhered to two enduring truths.
First, he needs to build on the legacy of the end of the Cold War brought about by President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. Second, the world has always been a better place when the United States and Russia worked together as allies than when there was friction.
The twentieth century has often been called “The American Century.” Part of that greatness was a result of the nation’s leaders building upon the successes of previous presidents, even if they were from a different political party. Biden and Putin must control their tongue and eschew inflammatory rhetoric, as the Bible instructs leaders in James 3. The end of the Cold War was one of the greatest peacemaking accomplishments in world history and “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9).
Although Russia, like the United States, is far from a perfect country, in 2017 its leaders extended a clear olive branch. In that year in downtown Moscow, the Russians erected a celebratory statue of Reagan and Gorbachev. Sadly, the American press gave little coverage to this magnificent event.
In order to build on the spirit of the Reagan-Gorbachev relationship, I would encourage Biden and Putin to schedule two summits. One at the Reagan Library in California and one at the Gorbachev Foundation in Moscow. What a message of peace this would send.
— William Jeynes, Senior Fellow at the Witherspoon Institute, Princeton, NJ, Professor at California State University, Long Beach
Russia is not our enemy. This idea only enriches our military-industrial complex. Russian military budget is 1/15 of our present military budget for this year. The Soviet Union disappeared in 1991, yet this seems to remain unknown to many political figures, whose massive ignorance about Russia today is embarrassing.
Neither American nor Russian people are hostile to each other or are in favor of war. This has been supported in national polls. Washington has been stone deaf to the public’s desire.
The new administration needs to calm down the cacophony of sanctions, insults and attacks from the media and our leaders. These have harmed not only Russia, but the USA as well.
Putin wants to be treated with the respect and recognition of Russia’s position of power, and for its cultural, literary, scientific achievements. Russia today is a young country with a new independent generation who were born after Communism and later will soon be leading their country. The new administration should learn about them.
We should encourage cultural exchanges between the young of both counties, for now using zoom or other online programs until a normal life returns.
Russians could be good friends and allies. We are facing many of the same problems including suffering from the virus. We have much to learn from each other. Russia, among other things, also has a great deal more experience in dealing with their ambitious next door neighbor.
— Suzanne Massie, Author, Russian historian, lecturer, advisor to President Reagan (1984-88)
[1] Edwin Rios, “Charts: Here’s How Much We’re Spending on the War Against ISIS,” Mother Jones, June 14, 2015.


veteranstoday--2020-12-25--2020 Has Been a Good Year for Dinosaur Discoveries

Health Editor ’ s Note : Children are fascinated by dinosaurs .
One of my granddaughters wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up and I have given her many book about dinosaurs including the ones her father had as a child .
We adults continue to be pretty darn fascinated by the giants that roamed the earth eons ago and we continue to find more to be fascinated about….Carol ATTENTION READERS Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity .
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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.


veteranstoday--2020-12-25--Merry Christmas or what have you from the Senior Editor (one free recipe)

I just got in after driving through our first yearly snowfall , a useless but ceremonial trip .
Took the dogs down to Saugatuck to walk around for awhile , two poorly trained but very nice pitbulls who could drag a garbage truck up a hill with ease .
Then an Aldi run for a few bottles of wine and needed supplies for a holiday that really isn ’ t coming .
Two more stores as well…as though… It seems the older one gets the more one lives in the past .
Christmas in Detroit , the 1950s , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ethnic German family , Christmas is everything .
If you haven ’ t done Christmas in Germany , you can never know .
Getting off the subject , this would have been my plan for this year .
COVID and nutty politics has poisoned the US for nearly all of us .
I suspect we should start putting lithium in the water supply .
I would also order everyone off the internet for an unspecified time .
COVID taught us we could work without offices .
It should teach us to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drawer and walk away .
Take down the flag as well…it needs a rest , it has been smooched a bit too much by the unclean .
Anyway , I remember one Christmas in Berlin .
Stayed in the cheap Holiday Inn near Checkpoint Charlie…free parking and great breakfast .
Right behind the hotel a Nazi bunker and next door the old Anhalter Bahnhof where so many drowned in the final hours of the taking of Berlin .
The East hadn ’ t been open that long…and big stretches of Berlin were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they still are to this day .
My first visit to Alexanderplatz , the center of East Berlin was a trip .
Berlin was endless miles of freezing walking , horrible food and atmosphere so thick it was like pudding .
From there , drove to Krakow , a quite wonderful walled Polish city .
Day trip to Auschwitz .
This is a horrible place in winter , worse if you are being starved to death I imagine .
Then down through Slovakia…hassled by local police .
An entire nation of superfund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I pulled in to the Ring Road best western where I hustled a penthouse suite for $ 80 Euros .
I remember stringing my homemade WiFi antenna and searching for a signal…successfully…about a minute after WiFi was invented .
From Vienna into Hungary , Tatabanya , where we stayed with family in a state built workers housing complex where local fake Stasi followed our every move .
It was hilarious .
Then we weaved our way back into Austria though Graz where we stayed a night , meeting friends there .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was constructed on what was the basalt core of volcano towering over the city .
Then into Italy through Hitler ’ s Austria , the poor part , which connects to the Italian Dolomites…and down to Vento where the US has a base , Aviano with a Chili ’ s restaurant .
It was weeks late for “ burger time.
” Then down to Verona and to the Brenner Pass and back into Innsbruck and up the Reutte pass into Germany , around the Zugspitze and into Garmisch to the old Patton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best schnitzel in town .
That ’ s gone to , replaced with a Disneyesque monstrosity .
We all loved the Patton Hotel .
Normally I am in Bernkastel , working the Christmas market , selling wine and tourist crap .
Trier is only a short drive away and they have a much better Christmas Market where the food…Kartoffelpuffer und apfulmus…potato pancakes and apple sauce served on newspaper with hot oil dripping on your clothing….a perfect meal .
Normally I pick up turkeys at Spangdahlem AFB and do a meal for part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the recipe : 5 plus containers of the best sour cream available or more… Riesling…which we produce…lots of it available or any white wine… Remove neck and giblets from Turkey .
Place them in a large saucepan with some carrots…not to many ( overpowering ) , celery , onion , bay leaves , sage , pepper water and cheap white wine .
Salt ( minimum ) Vegeta optional… Bring to a simmer and cover…for two plus hours .
Separate very large dutch oven or equivalent , start dumping in sour cream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pound start with 1 stick of butter .
Based on quality of sour cream , more butter may be added later .
This is a chemistry ratio thing , but you aren ’ t going to screw it up .
If you get too much butter , it can be spooned out .
Stir regularly…until most of the moisture is gone and you begin to see a “ mayonnaise ” reaction…up to 2 hours .
Watch this very carefully .
Prepare a roux .
Use 3 cups of flour and an oil ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works ) .
Mix flour and enough oil to make a paste ( real roux uses butter and can be made very dark…do that if you want ) …like lava…which you cook , stirring continually until you see an almond color .
You will have to ‘ tune up ’ the blend so it can “ fry ” .
Set this aside , this is a thickener .
It can be stored , frozen or simply thrown out if it all isn ’ t used .
( Throw the extra away ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people how to make Turkey .
When Turkey is done…and removed from roaster , juices remain…too often not that much with modern Turkeys .
Pour that into a separate container where fat can be removed and debris from the Turkey .
This goes into the gravy/sauce .
Make sure the pan is big enough .
The butter sour cream base is added first or use that pan if you chose correctly .
Then add the Turkey drippings with all fat removed .
Then remove the giblets and neck with other material from that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If it is good , and it should be , strain it and pour it into the sour cream/butter mix as well .
Bring this monstrosity to a simmer , whipping with a whisk or whatever you have .
Add roux a tablespoon at a time .
This will thicken as it boils .
Very thick is good .
Don ’ t add it all .
OK , now the engineering starts , deciding how to turn an Alsatian sauce into “ to die for ” Turkey gravy .
Then add , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or College Inn .
Bring to simmer and add more roux for thickening if needed and it will be needed .
Tuning up….you have these options which you add to taste : Minors ( nothing else ) beef stock paste… ( Gordons Food Service ) or Green Mountain Soy Sauce…added in small increments with care to give a stronger Turkey rather than chicken flavor and a desired color .
Or…don ’ t do this at all .
Consider a cup of white wine..Riesling or Cabernet Sauvignon…or Chardonnay… ( NO Pinot Grigio ) More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call…but this is low risk .
Butter is never bad .
Simmer the alcohol out of the mix….5 minutes only .
Taste again .
Salt with great care….never never over salt things .
You will find yourself with over a gallon of this stuff which freezes in bags very well .
If you have a big crowd , it will all be gone .
Germans and French seem to love this stuff…which they call “ Gordon ’ s sauce.
” This was a staple on the Queen Mary .
My Aunt Jean brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip to Russia , another strange story .
This will make a bad turkey good and works very well when mixed with German noodles or on potatoes or whatever .
This will define the meal .
It is also the real base for most stroganoff dishes…boeuf bourguignon…etc ( think mushrooms and cheap red wine ) Anyway , its 1955 and we spent the day at a UAW activity at the Ford Rotunda , now gone .
We might have walked through Greenfield Village as well…but in reality we never did that .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Eastern Market , buying things at Hirts…now closed after well over 100 years .
I was there last weekend…OK maybe .
Whatever our lives were then , those of us who were lucky , even poor and lucky , had parents that understood Christmas .
This Christmas…no grandchildren .
Kids won ’ t be here .
The VT gang , Michael , Kadir , Jim , Kevin , Jimmie…and families… So , we are cooking food nobody will eat , Carol is baking cakes which will go elsewhere as well .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgotten ?
Christmas movies ?
Scrooge/Christmas Carol ?
If I see Jimmie Stewart again I will explode .
Love Actually ?
Maybe the best Christmas movie .
Home Alone .
Die Hard ?
Recommend The Bishop ’ s Wife…but check the very dated dialog..even for then .
My list ends here .
I did 2 Christmases in the Marine Corps , one of them in Vietnam…spent on Charlie Ridge “ protecting ” Bob Hope from rockets .
It was fine…I was with my friends .
No whining there .
The next few years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arbor , with a motley collection of friends , some veterans , girlfriends and former girlfriends , a gang of throwaways .
I still talk to a few , fewer each year , but many have been missing since…so many decades ago .
Throwaways….nobody had a family , we certainly didn ’ t have money .
I remember I always look at the Vietnam War as safety valve…if I couldn ’ t stand it anymore , I could always go back , the Marine Corps was keeping a commission for me .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dying…a door closing .
51 years later , it feels like Vietnam was the last time anything felt real .
Best to you and yours from us , such as we are…

I just got in after driving through our first yearly snowfall, a useless but ceremonial trip. Took the dogs down to Saugatuck to walk around for awhile, two poorly trained but very nice pitbulls who could drag a garbage truck up a hill with ease.
Then an Aldi run for a few bottles of wine and needed supplies for a holiday that really isn’t coming. Two more stores as well…as though…
It seems the older one gets the more one lives in the past. Christmas in Detroit, the 1950s, I remember a slew of those. With an ethnic German family, Christmas is everything. If you haven’t done Christmas in Germany, you can never know. Getting off the subject, this would have been my plan for this year. COVID and nutty politics has poisoned the US for nearly all of us. I suspect we should start putting lithium in the water supply.
I would also order everyone off the internet for an unspecified time. COVID taught us we could work without offices. It should teach us to live without devices. Put them all in a drawer and walk away.
Take down the flag as well…it needs a rest, it has been smooched a bit too much by the unclean.
Anyway, I remember one Christmas in Berlin. Stayed in the cheap Holiday Inn near Checkpoint Charlie…free parking and great breakfast. Right behind the hotel a Nazi bunker and next door the old Anhalter Bahnhof where so many drowned in the final hours of the taking of Berlin.
The East hadn’t been open that long…and big stretches of Berlin were still wreckage, bunkers, rubble fields and they still are to this day. My first visit to Alexanderplatz, the center of East Berlin was a trip. Berlin was endless miles of freezing walking, horrible food and atmosphere so thick it was like pudding.
From there, drove to Krakow, a quite wonderful walled Polish city. Day trip to Auschwitz. This is a horrible place in winter, worse if you are being starved to death I imagine. Then down through Slovakia…hassled by local police. An entire nation of superfund sites.
Then to Austria, Vienna where I pulled in to the Ring Road best western where I hustled a penthouse suite for $80 Euros. I remember stringing my homemade WiFi antenna and searching for a signal…successfully…about a minute after WiFi was invented.
From Vienna into Hungary, Tatabanya, where we stayed with family in a state built workers housing complex where local fake Stasi followed our every move. It was hilarious.
Then we weaved our way back into Austria though Graz where we stayed a night, meeting friends there. The fortress there was blown up by Napoleon…as it was constructed on what was the basalt core of volcano towering over the city.
Then into Italy through Hitler’s Austria, the poor part, which connects to the Italian Dolomites…and down to Vento where the US has a base, Aviano with a Chili’s restaurant. It was weeks late for “burger time.” Then down to Verona and to the Brenner Pass and back into Innsbruck and up the Reutte pass into Germany, around the Zugspitze and into Garmisch to the old Patton Hotel and our favorite piano player and the best schnitzel in town. That’s gone to, replaced with a Disneyesque monstrosity.
We all loved the Patton Hotel.
Normally I am in Bernkastel, working the Christmas market, selling wine and tourist crap. Trier is only a short drive away and they have a much better Christmas Market where the food…Kartoffelpuffer und apfulmus…potato pancakes and apple sauce served on newspaper with hot oil dripping on your clothing….a perfect meal.
Normally I pick up turkeys at Spangdahlem AFB and do a meal for part of the town. Ah…the Alsatian sauce…here’s the recipe:
5 plus containers of the best sour cream available or more…
pounds of butter…more than 3
Turkey (S)
Riesling…which we produce…lots of it available or any white wine…
Minors chicken stock (Gordon’s Food Service) or College Inn Organic chicken stock
Remove neck and giblets from Turkey. Place them in a large saucepan with some carrots…not to many (overpowering), celery, onion, bay leaves, sage, pepper water and cheap white wine. Salt (minimum) Vegeta optional…
Bring to a simmer and cover…for two plus hours.
Separate very large dutch oven or equivalent, start dumping in sour cream, container after container. For each pound start with 1 stick of butter. Based on quality of sour cream, more butter may be added later. This is a chemistry ratio thing, but you aren’t going to screw it up. If you get too much butter, it can be spooned out.
Bring to simmer.
Stir regularly…until most of the moisture is gone and you begin to see a “mayonnaise” reaction…up to 2 hours. Watch this very carefully.
Prepare a roux. Use 3 cups of flour and an oil (not canola or quality olive oil…corn oil works). Mix flour and enough oil to make a paste (real roux uses butter and can be made very dark…do that if you want)…like lava…which you cook, stirring continually until you see an almond color. You will have to ‘tune up’ the blend so it can “fry”.
Set this aside, this is a thickener. It can be stored, frozen or simply thrown out if it all isn’t used. (Throw the extra away).
Make the Turkey…I don’t tell people how to make Turkey.
When Turkey is done…and removed from roaster, juices remain…too often not that much with modern Turkeys. Pour that into a separate container where fat can be removed and debris from the Turkey. This goes into the gravy/sauce.
Make sure the pan is big enough.
The butter sour cream base is added first or use that pan if you chose correctly. Then add the Turkey drippings with all fat removed.
Then remove the giblets and neck with other material from that pan. Taste what is left. If it is good, and it should be, strain it and pour it into the sour cream/butter mix as well.
Bring this monstrosity to a simmer, whipping with a whisk or whatever you have.
Add roux a tablespoon at a time. This will thicken as it boils. Very thick is good. Don’t add it all.
OK, now the engineering starts, deciding how to turn an Alsatian sauce into “to die for” Turkey gravy.
Start tasting..with care…do not get burned.
Then add, if needed, Minors Chicken (paste) or College Inn. Bring to simmer and add more roux for thickening if needed and it will be needed.
Tuning up….you have these options which you add to taste:
Minors (nothing else) beef stock paste…(Gordons Food Service) or Green Mountain Soy Sauce…added in small increments with care to give a stronger Turkey rather than chicken flavor and a desired color.
Or…don’t do this at all.
Consider a cup of white wine..Riesling or Cabernet Sauvignon…or Chardonnay…(NO Pinot Grigio)
More butter may help at this time…a judgment call…but this is low risk. Butter is never bad.
Simmer the alcohol out of the mix….5 minutes only. Taste again.
Salt with great care….never never over salt things.
You will find yourself with over a gallon of this stuff which freezes in bags very well. If you have a big crowd, it will all be gone. Germans and French seem to love this stuff…which they call “Gordon’s sauce.” This was a staple on the Queen Mary. My Aunt Jean brought the recipe back in 1956 after her trip to Russia, another strange story.
This will make a bad turkey good and works very well when mixed with German noodles or on potatoes or whatever. This will define the meal.
It is also the real base for most stroganoff dishes…boeuf bourguignon…etc (think mushrooms and cheap red wine)
Anyway, its 1955 and we spent the day at a UAW activity at the Ford Rotunda, now gone. We might have walked through Greenfield Village as well…but in reality we never did that.
The Saturday before would have been spent at the Eastern Market, buying things at Hirts…now closed after well over 100 years. I was there last weekend…OK maybe.
Whatever our lives were then, those of us who were lucky, even poor and lucky, had parents that understood Christmas.
This Christmas…no grandchildren. Kids won’t be here. The VT gang, Michael, Kadir, Jim, Kevin, Jimmie…and families…
So, we are cooking food nobody will eat, Carol is baking cakes which will go elsewhere as well. What can we do? What have we forgotten?
Christmas movies? Scrooge/Christmas Carol? If I see Jimmie Stewart again I will explode.
Love Actually? Maybe the best Christmas movie. Home Alone. Die Hard? Recommend The Bishop’s Wife…but check the very dated dialog..even for then. My list ends here.
I did 2 Christmases in the Marine Corps, one of them in Vietnam…spent on Charlie Ridge “protecting” Bob Hope from rockets. It was fine…I was with my friends. No whining there.
The next few years were in East Lansing, then Ann Arbor, with a motley collection of friends, some veterans, girlfriends and former girlfriends, a gang of throwaways. I still talk to a few, fewer each year, but many have been missing since…so many decades ago.
Throwaways….nobody had a family, we certainly didn’t have money. I remember I always look at the Vietnam War as safety valve…if I couldn’t stand it anymore, I could always go back, the Marine Corps was keeping a commission for me. When the war ended….it was like a friend dying…a door closing. 51 years later, it feels like Vietnam was the last time anything felt real.
We stop here…
Best to you and yours from us, such as we are…


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--Geo-Strategic Importance of Pakistan-Russia Relations

There are no permanent friends and enemies in international politics .
Friendship and enmity change in accordance with the states ’ interests which are of primary importance .
During the Cold War , Pakistan was allied with the United States and the former Soviet Union backed India .
Following the end of the Cold War , the US left both Pakistan and Afghanistan to face the fallout of the Afghan war 1 .
After the 9/11 tragedy , America , again , needed Pakistan ’ s help .
Pakistan was granted the status of non-NATO ally by the US due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pakistan ’ s Army and Inter-Services Intelligence ( ISI ) against the Al-Qaeda militants .
But , when the US-led allies felt that they are failing in coping with the stiff resistance of the Taliban in Afghanistan , especially America started accusing Pak Army and ISI of supporting the Afghan Taliban .
When the US-led NATO decided to end the prolonged war in Afghanistan and to withdraw their forces , again , Washington needed Pakistan ’ s assistance .
Since the US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad started his efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks with the US , he admitted that Pakistan has been playing a major role which also resulted into the US and the Taliban agreement in Doha-the capital of Qatar on February 29 , this year .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had , particularly , thanked Islamabad for efforts in helping reach the agreement .
American visiting top civil and military officials are still praising Pakistan .
At the same time , America which has signed several agreements , including defence pact with India , is still supporting New Delhi to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to New Delhi , US Secretary of State Pompeo along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper , the US and India signed a pact to share sensitive satellite and map data , as Pompeo warned of the threat posed by an increasingly assertive China .
In its report on Counter Terrorism released on June 24 , 2020 , US State Department allegedly stated that Pakistan continued to serve as a safe haven for regionally focused terrorist groups and allowed groups to target India and Afghanistan .
The next day , Pakistan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Report on Terrorism , describing it as self-contradictory and selective by elaborating : “ Pakistan will not allow any group or entity to use its territory against any country.
” Recently , Pakistan ’ s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram handed over to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres a dossier on India ’ s campaign to promote terrorism in Pakistan by pointing out that it was violation of international law , the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions .
Taking cognizance of the US double game , Islamabad has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federation .
During his first trip to Moscow , Pakistan ’ s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on April 24 , 2019 met with the Commander of Russian Ground Forces Colonel General Oleg Salyukov who acknowledged achievements of Pakistan Army in fight against terrorism .
He stated that Pakistan is a geo-strategically important country and Russia was keen to expand its existing bilateral military-to-military cooperation .
Russia and China favour Pakistan ’ s efforts towards reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan , which are essential for the whole region .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) summit in Astana , Kazakhstan .
President Putin stated : “ Pakistan is an important partner for Russia in South Asia ” and congratulated the then Premier Sharif on Pakistan ’ s full membership to the SCO .
An agreement had been signed in Islamabad on August 7 , 2018 between Pakistan and Russia for training of Pakistani troops in Russia .
Pakistan ’ s defence ties with Moscow are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new avenues of cooperation .
On September 27 , 2018 , Pakistan and Russia signed a historic $ 10 billion offshore gas pipeline agreement in Moscow .
The project will help Russia cement its place in the energy market of Pakistan .
Under the agreement , a state-owned Pakistani company will collaborate with Russia ’ s energy giant company Gazprom .
On February 6 , 2019 , during a visit of the Russian delegation , headed by Gazprom , the Russian side pledged an investment of $ 14 billion in offshore gas pipeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Russian market to boost its overall exports , while Moscow offered to revive Pakistan steel mill .
Islamabad and Moscow have agreed on May 22 , 2019 to enhance cooperation in various fields , including trade , energy and defence sectors .
The agreement was reached at a meeting between Pakistan ’ s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov .
Notably , Russia openly had objected to NATO strikes in Pakistan .
As regards the military relations between the two countries , a defense-counter terrorism related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deal 4 Mi35 helicopters were also sold by Russia to Pakistan .
Since 2016 , Islamabad and Moscow have been conducting joint military exercises named DRUZBHA .
Pakistan has already allowed Russia to use Gwadar port through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC ) .
Islamabad plans to join CPEC with Eurasian economic union ( Central Asian Republics ) .
Moreover , in a meeting held among America , Russia , China and Pakistan in Beijing in July 2019 , the four countries had called on the Taliban to immediately agree to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghan government .
Nonetheless , Russia-Pakistan-China alliance for collective security against terrorism , emanating from India-US nexus—in checking the emerging realities in Indo-Pacific and the larger Eurasia , Pakistan-Russia relations have geo-strategic importance .
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book : US vs Islamic Militants , Invisible Balance of Power : Dangerous Shift in International Relations

By Sajjad Shaukat PaK VT
There are no permanent friends and enemies in international politics. Friendship and enmity change in accordance with the states’ interests which are of primary importance.
During the Cold War, Pakistan was allied with the United States and the former Soviet Union backed India.
Following the end of the Cold War, the US left both Pakistan and Afghanistan to face the fallout of the Afghan war 1.
After the 9/11 tragedy, America, again, needed Pakistan’s help. Pakistan was granted the status of non-NATO ally by the US due to the early successes, achieved by Pakistan’s Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) against the Al-Qaeda militants.
But, when the US-led allies felt that they are failing in coping with the stiff resistance of the Taliban in Afghanistan, especially America started accusing Pak Army and ISI of supporting the Afghan Taliban.
When the US-led NATO decided to end the prolonged war in Afghanistan and to withdraw their forces, again, Washington needed Pakistan’s assistance. Since the US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad started his efforts to convince the Taliban to have direct talks with the US, he admitted that Pakistan has been playing a major role which also resulted into the US and the Taliban agreement in Doha-the capital of Qatar on February 29, this year.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had, particularly, thanked Islamabad for efforts in helping reach the agreement. American visiting top civil and military officials are still praising Pakistan.
At the same time, America which has signed several agreements, including defence pact with India, is still supporting New Delhi to counterbalance China.
Recently, during his visit to New Delhi, US Secretary of State Pompeo along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the US and India signed a pact to share sensitive satellite and map data, as Pompeo warned of the threat posed by an increasingly assertive China.
In its report on Counter Terrorism released on June 24, 2020, US State Department allegedly stated that Pakistan continued to serve as a safe haven for regionally focused terrorist groups and allowed groups to target India and Afghanistan.
The next day, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disappointment over the US Report on Terrorism, describing it as self-contradictory and selective by elaborating: “Pakistan will not allow any group or entity to use its territory against any country.”
Recently, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram handed over to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres a dossier on India’s campaign to promote terrorism in Pakistan by pointing out that it was violation of international law, the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.
Taking cognizance of the US double game, Islamabad has been strengthening its relations with the Russian Federation.
During his first trip to Moscow, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on April 24, 2019 met with the Commander of Russian Ground Forces Colonel General Oleg Salyukov who acknowledged achievements of Pakistan Army in fight against terrorism. He stated that Pakistan is a geo-strategically important country and Russia was keen to expand its existing bilateral military-to-military cooperation.
Russia and China favour Pakistan’s efforts towards reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan, which are essential for the whole region.
On June 9, 2017, Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. President Putin stated:
“Pakistan is an important partner for Russia in South Asia” and congratulated the then Premier Sharif on Pakistan’s full membership to the SCO.
An agreement had been signed in Islamabad on August 7, 2018 between Pakistan and Russia for training of Pakistani troops in Russia. Pakistan’s defence ties with Moscow are growing strong and this pact has opened new avenues of cooperation.
On September 27, 2018, Pakistan and Russia signed a historic $10 billion offshore gas pipeline agreement in Moscow. The project will help Russia cement its place in the energy market of Pakistan. Under the agreement, a state-owned Pakistani company will collaborate with Russia’s energy giant company Gazprom. On February 6, 2019, during a visit of the Russian delegation, headed by Gazprom, the Russian side pledged an investment of $14 billion in offshore gas pipeline project.
Islamabad will also gain access to the Russian market to boost its overall exports, while Moscow offered to revive Pakistan steel mill.
Islamabad and Moscow have agreed on May 22, 2019 to enhance cooperation in various fields, including trade, energy and defence sectors. The agreement was reached at a meeting between Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Notably, Russia openly had objected to NATO strikes in Pakistan.
As regards the military relations between the two countries, a defense-counter terrorism related agreement was signed in 2014. Under the deal 4 Mi35 helicopters were also sold by Russia to Pakistan. Since 2016, Islamabad and Moscow have been conducting joint military exercises named DRUZBHA.
Pakistan has already allowed Russia to use Gwadar port through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Islamabad plans to join CPEC with Eurasian economic union (Central Asian Republics).
Moreover, in a meeting held among America, Russia, China and Pakistan in Beijing in July 2019, the four countries had called on the Taliban to immediately agree to a cease-fire and to direct negotiations with the Afghan government.
Nonetheless, Russia-Pakistan-China alliance for collective security against terrorism, emanating from India-US nexus—in checking the emerging realities in Indo-Pacific and the larger Eurasia, Pakistan-Russia relations have geo-strategic importance.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--Jack Heart: The Great Reset

Jack Heart: The Great Reset

Peter Colt is a reader , Facebook friend , and patron , other than that I don ’ t know much about him .
However , I do know when somebodies nailed it .
This guys no amateur , been a long time since I read analysis of a situation where I ’ m aware of all the facts that makes perfect sense .
Peter even explains why you ’ re local Walmart shelves are empty .
Merry Christmas… I ’ ll try to explain it again .
They can ’ t have their Great Reset until they ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone their job .
For if they were to simply close the world down , or allow the people to find out that the monetary system has collapsed and that they are already broke ( their savings now being worthless ) , the people would revolt .
That ’ s the reason for the fake pandemic .
It ’ s there to make people believe that the shutdowns and the resulting economic disaster were unavoidable consequences of the ‘ virus ’ , leaving people with no redress , or at least believing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic breakdown started in earnest in September of 2019 .
The economic devastation is inevitable , but the people mustn ’ t be allowed to understand this lest they realize that it was the economic system itself that collapsed .
The people must not be permitted to look into nor understand why the previous system ’ s collapse was inevitable or they ’ ll be able to assign blame where blame is due .
They can ’ t end the fake pandemic until ‘ it ’ has destroyed the economy completely .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a cover for the economic collapse that started over 1 year ago .
They don ’ t want people to realize that the currency is now worthless .
If the people knew the truth , we ’ d all literally be starving within a month .
The worldwide credit system would collapse , there would be no delivery of food or fuel , etc because no one would accept our now worthless currency for their goods .
That ’ s the reason that the fear level over this ‘ pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; anything less would cause people to wonder why a total shutdown was necessary .
Unfortunately , instilling the greatest level of fear requires that people be made afraid of seeing even their loved-ones , hence the prohibition of gatherings even at Christmas .
This fake pandemic has been in the plans for well over a decade to be used as a means to mitigate the havoc that was unavoidable in the inevitable economic and monetary-system collapse that the powers-that-be knew was certain to come .
After all , the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s door since the mid-1990 ’ s .
It ’ s not a deep state ploy to ruin Donald Trump nor is it a plan by Trump to use the emergency to stay in power forever but don ’ t doubt for a minute that political parties are milking the ‘ pandemic ’ for all they can get out of it .
The reason for the non-essential-goods mandates at the retail level is to hide the fact that many of these goods are simply not available for re-stocking .
We are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being papered over by money printing by the central banks .
Many foreigners won ’ t be accepting our currency anymore , making it difficult to import many things .
I know , people will say that China needs access to our markets but in reality they have reached the point where they ( and their other trading partners ) no longer need North America and the West , especially with our failing currencies .
I expect that much trade with China and other places is only being carried on with by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment just to get foreigners to sell to us .
It would simply be part of the emergency bailout monies being printed so quickly these days by the hundreds of billions .
You won ’ t hear about this on the news ; any such action would be considered a matter of ‘ national security ’ and therefore subject to a publication ban ( what the British call a ‘ D ’ notice ) .
Have you noticed that many things that used to come from China are suddenly coming from places like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same collapse as is ours ?
We can only maintain trade with others who are in the same boat as we are .
Those with well-performing economies aren ’ t accepting our currency as payment .
Goods deemed non-essential are ( for the most part ) goods that would not be able to be replenished when the current stock runs out .
The government can ’ t print enough extra currency , or guarantee enough favours , to subsidize every possible item that gets imported , and were the shelves to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see that our economy is finished .
That is an unpleasant truth that the powers-that-be have been trying to hide from us for almost a year now .
The ‘ pandemic ’ is their main instrument for covering up that truth .
There is a reason that they claim that this ‘ pandemic ’ originated in China ; and that ’ s because China is where the majority of our manufactured goods come from .
Now they have the justification for telling our manufacturers that they must re-locate out of China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
Like I said , foreign nations don ’ t want to accept our worthless currency as payment nor will they want to accept whatever new currency we come up with .
Therefore , Western nations must once again start manufacturing all of their own goods .
It ’ s high time for both a back-to-work protest amongst those who have been shut down and a strike of the ‘ essential workers ’ .
You ’ ve got nothing to lose that you ’ re not already scheduled to lose in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If I were you , I ’ d get out now and make the best of what time is left for preparation ; whether it be with family , or just with yourself in steeling yourself for the battle to come .
You ’ ll have to be able to look yourself in the mirror in the future and say “ I tried , I didn ’ t just ride out the clock until doomsday came playing along with their sick game ” .
The economy ( the monetary system ) is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason for this fake pandemic ( it ’ s a cover story ) .
We ’ ve already had everything stolen from us society just isn ’ t aware of that fact yet .
So keeping on working isn ’ t going to save our homes or our life savings ; they ’ re already gone , the paperwork ( the great reset ) just hasn ’ t been presented to us yet .
The only thing that can perhaps be saved is our dignity and freedom to start over as we see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we stand-up right now , together , in defiance ; whether that means quitting work so that our friends and family finally see that the situation needs to be taken seriously , or re-open our businesses and damn the consequences , which will also let the message be known to those in denial that this is deadly serious .
Playing ‘ their ’ game is only going to lead us directly into the trap they have set for us .
The monetary system was already dead .
In August 2019 it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing to deal with one another under the Interbank Overnight Repurchase System unless they were willing to pay each other a 500 % premium on their usual fees .
The FED was forced to step in and pony up $ 105 BILLION per night .
By March 2020 the FED was ponying up $ 225 BILLION per night .
Remember , this is just what was happening in the USA ; the rest of the world was in the same quagmire .
This fake pandemic was instigated to hide the truth .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus instead of actually having the businesses collapse .
It was brilliant .
They managed to keep food on everyone ’ s table , most people being none the wiser that they were on the brink of total collapse .
Now they ’ ve grabbed emergency control of the printing presses ; especially in the US where the FED has been commandeered by the Treasury .
They ’ ll print money to keep the economy afloat while insisting that all exports are paid for in Gold .
Building the gold reserves until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to a gold-backed currency which will soon after be replaced with a currency backed solely by the productivity of the American worker and the demand for U.S. made goods .
Canada will print money to infinity too , until they ’ re Zimbabwe , then they will likely have no choice but to join the USA .
The citizens will demand it just to get some relief from the crushing poverty and debt load .
All part of the damned North American Union plan that ’ s been in the works for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt-fueled spending isn ’ t necessary doesn ’ t understand what is happening .
It ’ s the only thing keeping food on your table in this economic collapse .
At this point , without government intervention , the credit markets would dry up , the shelves would be bare , fuel would be unavailable because no suppliers would be accepting payment in any form other than gold ( therefore the entire economy would grind to a halt ) .
This debt will never be repaid , a FIAT currency is a debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that doesn ’ t matter anymore .
You ’ re witnessing “ The Great Reset ” .
So far , it has been managed well ( that ’ s what the fake pandemic is covering for ) .
I hate that this is happening , but it was inevitable ever since ‘ we ’ let central banks and FIAT currencies rule our economy .
Again , you must understand what ’ s happening now .
CERB , for instance , put food on people ’ s tables .
I know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t for the shutdown CERB wouldn ’ t have been necessary but they ’ re wrong .
If the government wasn ’ t pouring out money , guaranteeing that interest rates stay at zero or perhaps go negative , backstop all of the banks ( which by the way are all insolvent ) , and fund ( by subsidizing ) many other things that haven ’ t even come to light yet , the people would literally be starving .

Peter Colt is a reader, Facebook friend, and patron, other than that I don’t know much about him. However, I do know when somebodies nailed it. This guys no amateur, been a long time since I read analysis of a situation where I’m aware of all the facts that makes perfect sense. Peter even explains why you’re local Walmart shelves are empty. Merry Christmas…
I’ll try to explain it again. They can’t have their Great Reset until they’ve destroyed everyone’s business and cost everyone their job. For if they were to simply close the world down, or allow the people to find out that the monetary system has collapsed and that they are already broke (their savings now being worthless), the people would revolt. That’s the reason for the fake pandemic. It’s there to make people believe that the shutdowns and the resulting economic disaster were unavoidable consequences of the ‘virus’, leaving people with no redress, or at least believing that they have none.
The worldwide total economic breakdown started in earnest in September of 2019. The economic devastation is inevitable, but the people mustn’t be allowed to understand this lest they realize that it was the economic system itself that collapsed. The people must not be permitted to look into nor understand why the previous system’s collapse was inevitable or they’ll be able to assign blame where blame is due.
They can’t end the fake pandemic until ‘it’ has destroyed the economy completely. That’s what it is for; it’s a cover for the economic collapse that started over 1 year ago. They don’t want people to realize that the currency is now worthless. If the people knew the truth, we’d all literally be starving within a month. The worldwide credit system would collapse, there would be no delivery of food or fuel, etc because no one would accept our now worthless currency for their goods. That’s the reason that the fear level over this ‘pandemic’ must be kept at a maximum; anything less would cause people to wonder why a total shutdown was necessary. Unfortunately, instilling the greatest level of fear requires that people be made afraid of seeing even their loved-ones, hence the prohibition of gatherings even at Christmas.
This fake pandemic has been in the plans for well over a decade to be used as a means to mitigate the havoc that was unavoidable in the inevitable economic and monetary-system collapse that the powers-that-be knew was certain to come. After all, the world’s monetary system had been on death’s door since the mid-1990’s. It’s not a deep state ploy to ruin Donald Trump nor is it a plan by Trump to use the emergency to stay in power forever but don’t doubt for a minute that political parties are milking the ‘pandemic’ for all they can get out of it.
The reason for the non-essential-goods mandates at the retail level is to hide the fact that many of these goods are simply not available for re-stocking. We are in the midst of a full-blown worldwide economic collapse being papered over by money printing by the central banks. Many foreigners won’t be accepting our currency anymore, making it difficult to import many things. I know, people will say that China needs access to our markets but in reality they have reached the point where they (and their other trading partners) no longer need North America and the West, especially with our failing currencies. I expect that much trade with China and other places is only being carried on with by the government coughing-up a surplus premium to the payment just to get foreigners to sell to us. It would simply be part of the emergency bailout monies being printed so quickly these days by the hundreds of billions. You won’t hear about this on the news; any such action would be considered a matter of ‘national security’ and therefore subject to a publication ban (what the British call a ‘D’ notice).
Have you noticed that many things that used to come from China are suddenly coming from places like South Africa where their currency is suffering the same collapse as is ours? We can only maintain trade with others who are in the same boat as we are. Those with well-performing economies aren’t accepting our currency as payment.
Goods deemed non-essential are (for the most part) goods that would not be able to be replenished when the current stock runs out. The government can’t print enough extra currency, or guarantee enough favours, to subsidize every possible item that gets imported, and were the shelves to become bare it would lay out for all to see that our economy is finished. That is an unpleasant truth that the powers-that-be have been trying to hide from us for almost a year now. The ‘pandemic’ is their main instrument for covering up that truth.
There is a reason that they claim that this ‘pandemic’ originated in China; and that’s because China is where the majority of our manufactured goods come from. Now they have the justification for telling our manufacturers that they must re-locate out of China. The USA is being quite adamant about this. Like I said, foreign nations don’t want to accept our worthless currency as payment nor will they want to accept whatever new currency we come up with. Therefore, Western nations must once again start manufacturing all of their own goods.
It’s high time for both a back-to-work protest amongst those who have been shut down and a strike of the ‘essential workers’. You’ve got nothing to lose that you’re not already scheduled to lose in their master plan the ‘great reset’. If I were you, I’d get out now and make the best of what time is left for preparation; whether it be with family, or just with yourself in steeling yourself for the battle to come. You’ll have to be able to look yourself in the mirror in the future and say “I tried, I didn’t just ride out the clock until doomsday came playing along with their sick game”.
The economy (the monetary system) is finished, that’s the whole reason for this fake pandemic (it’s a cover story). We’ve already had everything stolen from us society just isn’t aware of that fact yet. So keeping on working isn’t going to save our homes or our life savings; they’re already gone, the paperwork (the great reset) just hasn’t been presented to us yet. The only thing that can perhaps be saved is our dignity and freedom to start over as we see fit. But this will only happen if we stand-up right now, together, in defiance; whether that means quitting work so that our friends and family finally see that the situation needs to be taken seriously, or re-open our businesses and damn the consequences, which will also let the message be known to those in denial that this is deadly serious. Playing ‘their’ game is only going to lead us directly into the trap they have set for us.
The monetary system was already dead. In August 2019 it was revealed that the big US banks started refusing to deal with one another under the Interbank Overnight Repurchase System unless they were willing to pay each other a 500% premium on their usual fees. The FED was forced to step in and pony up $105 BILLION per night. By March 2020 the FED was ponying up $225 BILLION per night. Remember, this is just what was happening in the USA; the rest of the world was in the same quagmire. This fake pandemic was instigated to hide the truth. They could blame the shutdown of business on the virus instead of actually having the businesses collapse. It was brilliant. They managed to keep food on everyone’s table, most people being none the wiser that they were on the brink of total collapse. Now they’ve grabbed emergency control of the printing presses; especially in the US where the FED has been commandeered by the Treasury. They’ll print money to keep the economy afloat while insisting that all exports are paid for in Gold. Building the gold reserves until they have enough to transition, very-temporarily, to a gold-backed currency which will soon after be replaced with a currency backed solely by the productivity of the American worker and the demand for U.S. made goods. Canada will print money to infinity too, until they’re Zimbabwe, then they will likely have no choice but to join the USA. The citizens will demand it just to get some relief from the crushing poverty and debt load. All part of the damned North American Union plan that’s been in the works for decades.
Anyone who thinks that the debt-fueled spending isn’t necessary doesn’t understand what is happening. It’s the only thing keeping food on your table in this economic collapse. At this point, without government intervention, the credit markets would dry up, the shelves would be bare, fuel would be unavailable because no suppliers would be accepting payment in any form other than gold (therefore the entire economy would grind to a halt). This debt will never be repaid, a FIAT currency is a debt by nature and can never be repaid, but that doesn’t matter anymore. You’re witnessing “The Great Reset”. So far, it has been managed well (that’s what the fake pandemic is covering for). I hate that this is happening, but it was inevitable ever since ‘we’ let central banks and FIAT currencies rule our economy.
Again, you must understand what’s happening now. CERB, for instance, put food on people’s tables. I know, most people say that if it weren’t for the shutdown CERB wouldn’t have been necessary but they’re wrong. If the government wasn’t pouring out money, guaranteeing that interest rates stay at zero or perhaps go negative, backstop all of the banks (which by the way are all insolvent), and fund (by subsidizing) many other things that haven’t even come to light yet, the people would literally be starving.


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--DEFCON 4: Pentagon takes the ‘Football’ from Trump, martial law talk proves President ‘unbalanced’

VT : Our sources say the “ biscuit , ” the card with the nuclear codes has been deactivated for the remaining Trump term .
The Pentagon has notified Russia that our capabilities are intact but without Trump .
Trump already turned most US defense capabilities over to Russia when he ‘ greenlighted ’ Russia ’ s hack of Pentagon systems , according to Pentagon sources .
Other sources say militia groups like Oathkeepers and Proud Boys are ready to attack key military facilities on behalf of Russia .
Our sources say they [ the groups ] are ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say will be a Chinese attack on the US , evidenced in the recent election of Joe Biden in a 7 million vote landslide .
From their rambling manifesto released yesterday on Hal Turner radio : “ ( to Trump ) If you fail to act while you are still in office , we the people will have to fight a bloody civil war and revolution against these two illegitimate Communist China puppets , and their illegitimate regime , with all of the powers of the deep state behind them , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our armed forces ( though we fully expect many units or entire branches to refuse their orders and to fight against them ) and with their foreign allies also joining in to assist in the suppression of American patriots.
” According to Business Insider , the Pentagon has also put in place a special protocol to seize “ the football ” from Trump who has privately told aides that he plans to try to keep the nuclear first strike communications module in his possession even if he is physically removed from the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even take “ the football ” to Russia with him…or even to Israel… Newsweek : A separate presidentially-activated code word exists to implement each of some five dozen PEADs—the documents already dispersed amongst various departments and government agencies .
Those codes are contained in the same satchel—the so-called “ football ” —that holds the president ’ s nuclear authenticators and is carried by military aides who are always with the president .
In other words , such orders for extraordinary powers have been regularly briefed to President Trump and are only an arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the current situation , he says , is the PEAD that allows for “ proclaiming the existence of an unlimited national emergency.
” Executive orders , he says , already exist that define a “ national security emergency ” as including military attack , natural disaster , a technological calamity , and “ other emergencies ” that threaten the national security of the United States .
“ The entire apparatus is both meticulous and highly ambiguous , ” the official says .
He declined to speak on the record because the subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pentagon and Washington-area military leaders are on red alert , wary of what President Donald Trump might do in his remaining days in office .
Though far-fetched , ranking officers have discussed what they would do if the president declared martial law .
And military commands responsible for Washington DC are engaged in secret contingency planning in case the armed forces are called upon to maintain or restore civil order during the inauguration and transition period .
According to one officer who spoke to Newsweek on condition of anonymity , the planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House and Trump loyalists in the Pentagon for fear that it would be shut down .
“ I ’ ve been associated with the military for over 40 years and I ’ ve never seen the discussions that are being had right now , the need for such discussions , ” says a retired flag officer , currently a defense contractor who has mentored and advised his service ’ s senior leaders .
He was granted anonymity in order to speak without fear of reprisal .
“ At this point there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might do in the next month , ” says a former Northern Command ( NORTHCOM ) commander , one who has been intimately involved in the development of domestic civil planning .
“ Though I ’ m confident that the uniformed military leadership has their heads screwed on right , the craziness is unprecedented and the possibilities are endless.
” The retired flag officer also requested anonymity because he is actively advising senior officers and is not authorized to speak on the record .
Trump gave ‘ green light ’ for Russia to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter Raw Story : During an MSNBC “ Morning Joe ” panel discussion on the reported massive cybersecurity attack on the U.S. government ’ s computer systems , two experts on national security said it was exceedingly damaging with one panelist adding that Donald Trump gave the Kremlin the “ green light ” by cozying up to Vladimir Putin .
“ Well , the Russians appear to have implanted the malicious code , malware , in a software security update that was utilized by hundreds of thousands of customers including those you listed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is an epic national security bombshell in our history and the incoming Biden team is going to have a monumental task .
First they ’ ll have to do a comprehensive damage assessment .
That can ’ t be done in hours or days , that will take weeks and months to figure out exactly what the Russians now have their hands on.
” “ I think what happened is , Jeremy is right , ” she continued .
“ On one hand , Trump rewarded Putin for this and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also said in front of the whole world , he said that he believed Vladimir Putin when he said he didn ’ t meddle in the 2016 election ; that Russia wasn ’ t involved in the hack and dump that led up to the 2016 election and I think for the Russians , I think that was a green light .
”

VT: Our sources say the “biscuit,” the card with the nuclear codes has been deactivated for the remaining Trump term. The Pentagon has notified Russia that our capabilities are intact but without Trump. Trump already turned most US defense capabilities over to Russia when he ‘greenlighted’ Russia’s hack of Pentagon systems, according to Pentagon sources.
Other sources say militia groups like Oathkeepers and Proud Boys are ready to attack key military facilities on behalf of Russia. Our sources say they [the groups] are ready to call on Russia to fend off what they say will be a Chinese attack on the US, evidenced in the recent election of Joe Biden in a 7 million vote landslide.
From their rambling manifesto released yesterday on Hal Turner radio:
“(to Trump)If you fail to act while you are still in office, we the people will have to fight a bloody civil war and revolution against these two illegitimate Communist China puppets, and their illegitimate regime, with all of the powers of the deep state behind them, with nominal command of all the might of our armed forces (though we fully expect many units or entire branches to refuse their orders and to fight against them) and with their foreign allies also joining in to assist in the suppression of American patriots.”
You'd be a fool not to take a madman seriously, especially one that commands white supremacist terror groups and has the nuclear codes. https://t.co/WfgGNW2mU7 — Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) December 24, 2020
According to Business Insider, the Pentagon has also put in place a special protocol to seize “the football” from Trump who has privately told aides that he plans to try to keep the nuclear first strike communications module in his possession even if he is physically removed from the White House on January 20.
Trump may even take “the football” to Russia with him…or even to Israel…
Newsweek: A separate presidentially-activated code word exists to implement each of some five dozen PEADs—the documents already dispersed amongst various departments and government agencies. Those codes are contained in the same satchel—the so-called “football”—that holds the president’s nuclear authenticators and is carried by military aides who are always with the president. In other words, such orders for extraordinary powers have been regularly briefed to President Trump and are only an arm’s length away.
EXCLUSIVE: Fearing the worst during the next 30 days, Pentagon officials replace the nuclear codes being carried by Trump’s military aide inside the ‘nuclear football’ with this piece of paper. They know Trump won’t know the difference. pic.twitter.com/ix2B1jMGDN — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) December 21, 2020
More applicable to the current situation, he says, is the PEAD that allows for “proclaiming the existence of an unlimited national emergency.” Executive orders, he says, already exist that define a “national security emergency” as including military attack, natural disaster, a technological calamity, and “other emergencies” that threaten the national security of the United States. “The entire apparatus is both meticulous and highly ambiguous,” the official says. He declined to speak on the record because the subject matter—PEADs and emergency powers—is so highly classified.
Pentagon and Washington-area military leaders are on red alert, wary of what President Donald Trump might do in his remaining days in office. Though far-fetched, ranking officers have discussed what they would do if the president declared martial law.
And military commands responsible for Washington DC are engaged in secret contingency planning in case the armed forces are called upon to maintain or restore civil order during the inauguration and transition period. According to one officer who spoke to Newsweek on condition of anonymity, the planning is being kept out of sight of the White House and Trump loyalists in the Pentagon for fear that it would be shut down.
“I’ve been associated with the military for over 40 years and I’ve never seen the discussions that are being had right now, the need for such discussions,” says a retired flag officer, currently a defense contractor who has mentored and advised his service’s senior leaders. He was granted anonymity in order to speak without fear of reprisal.
“At this point there’s no telling what the president might do in the next month,” says a former Northern Command (NORTHCOM) commander, one who has been intimately involved in the development of domestic civil planning.
“Though I’m confident that the uniformed military leadership has their heads screwed on right, the craziness is unprecedented and the possibilities are endless.” The retired flag officer also requested anonymity because he is actively advising senior officers and is not authorized to speak on the record.
https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-donald-trumps-martial-law-talk-has-military-red-alert-1557056
Raw Story: During an MSNBC “Morning Joe” panel discussion on the reported massive cybersecurity attack on the U.S. government’s computer systems, two experts on national security said it was exceedingly damaging with one panelist adding that Donald Trump gave the Kremlin the “green light” by cozying up to Vladimir Putin.
“Well, the Russians appear to have implanted the malicious code, malware, in a software security update that was utilized by hundreds of thousands of customers including those you listed,” Bash told host Geist. “This is an epic national security bombshell in our history and the incoming Biden team is going to have a monumental task. First they’ll have to do a comprehensive damage assessment. That can’t be done in hours or days, that will take weeks and months to figure out exactly what the Russians now have their hands on.”
“I think what happened is, Jeremy is right,” she continued. “On one hand, Trump rewarded Putin for this and in fact he not only welcomed it. He also said in front of the whole world, he said that he believed Vladimir Putin when he said he didn’t meddle in the 2016 election; that Russia wasn’t involved in the hack and dump that led up to the 2016 election and I think for the Russians, I think that was a green light.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/12/trump-gave-green-light-for-russia-to-hack-into-pentagon-computers-national-security-reporter/


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--Kilauea Erupts After Two Years of Silence

Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus , Ohio and received her diploma as a registered @ @ @ @ @ Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature @ @ @ @ @ of Toledo , College of Nursing , and received a Master ’ s of Nursing @ @ @ @ @ has traveled extensively , is a photographer , and writes on medical issues .
Carol @ @ @ @ @ Katherine , and Stephen – one daughter-in-law ; Katie – two granddaughters ; Isabella Marianna @ @ @ @ @ one grandson , Alexander Paul .
She also shares her life with husband Gordon Duff @ @ @ @ @ two rescue pups .


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--The War on California, COVID disaster Natural or ‘Something Else?’

VT : When normal analysis fails to supply reasons for things , then it is ‘ conspiracy theory ’ time .
Who would want to destroy California , America ’ s most powerful “ Blue State ?
” Why would lockdowns fail here when they have kept Taiwan totally COVID free along with New Zealand , Australia…everywhere real lockdowns have been used , COVID disappeared but not California ?
Similarly , vaccines have been given to fat cats , politicians and rationed out to some of the right people but vaccine distribution has been sabotaged…but only in Red States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t…they are still doing GOP politicians and their families .
Is someone infecting California ?
Is it an act of war , by our Kosher Nostra president against California ?
We say…this is exactly what it looks like.. OAKLAND , Calif. — California has had some of the toughest restrictions in the country to combat the coronavirus , from a complete ban on restaurant dining to travel quarantines and indoor gym closures .
America ’ s most populous state has become one of the nation ’ s worst epicenters for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hospitalizations and deaths almost every day .
Things are so bad in Southern California that some patients are being treated in hospital tents , while doctors have begun discussing whether they need to ration care .
The turnabout has confounded leaders and health experts .
They can point to any number of reasons that contributed to California ’ s surge over the past several weeks .
But it is hard to pinpoint one single factor — and equally hard to find a silver bullet .
It couldn ’ t come at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Year ’ s holidays have arrived , and officials fear that residents are even more likely to travel and congregate than during the Thanksgiving period that propelled the current trends .
At more than 100 new daily cases per 100,000 residents , California ’ s case rate is second only to that in Tennessee , according to the nonprofit tracking site Covid Act Now — though it ’ s a state that does not mandate mask wearing and allows indoor gatherings of up to 10 people .
The website Covid Exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid throughout California , which has gone in the opposite direction from its West Coast counterparts , Oregon and Washington .
In Los Angeles , officials have said all along that people were gathering too often .
They blamed celebrations and postseason viewing parties when the Dodgers and Lakers won championships this fall .
read more…

VT: When normal analysis fails to supply reasons for things, then it is ‘conspiracy theory’ time. Who would want to destroy California, America’s most powerful “Blue State?”
Why would lockdowns fail here when they have kept Taiwan totally COVID free along with New Zealand, Australia…everywhere real lockdowns have been used, COVID disappeared but not California?
Similarly, vaccines have been given to fat cats, politicians and rationed out to some of the right people but vaccine distribution has been sabotaged…but only in Red States. Ohio has vaccinated their nurses but Michigan can’t…they are still doing GOP politicians and their families.
Is someone infecting California? Is it an act of war, by our Kosher Nostra president against California? We say…this is exactly what it looks like..
OAKLAND, Calif. — California has had some of the toughest restrictions in the country to combat the coronavirus, from a complete ban on restaurant dining to travel quarantines and indoor gym closures. America’s most populous state has become one of the nation’s worst epicenters for the disease, setting new records for cases, hospitalizations and deaths almost every day. Things are so bad in Southern California that some patients are being treated in hospital tents, while doctors have begun discussing whether they need to ration care. The turnabout has confounded leaders and health experts. They can point to any number of reasons that contributed to California’s surge over the past several weeks. But it is hard to pinpoint one single factor — and equally hard to find a silver bullet. It couldn’t come at a worse time, given that the Christmas and New Year’s holidays have arrived, and officials fear that residents are even more likely to travel and congregate than during the Thanksgiving period that propelled the current trends. At more than 100 new daily cases per 100,000 residents, California’s case rate is second only to that in Tennessee, according to the nonprofit tracking site Covid Act Now — though it’s a state that does not mandate mask wearing and allows indoor gatherings of up to 10 people. The website Covid Exit Strategy shows a 97 percent rise in Covid throughout California, which has gone in the opposite direction from its West Coast counterparts, Oregon and Washington. In Los Angeles, officials have said all along that people were gathering too often. They blamed celebrations and postseason viewing parties when the Dodgers and Lakers won championships this fall. read more… https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/23/california-covid-surge-450315


veteranstoday--2020-12-24--Do We Need to Abolish Child Protective Services? (good read)

“ When I say we need to abolish ACS , I mean we need to abolish ACS needlessly removing children .
We shouldn ’ t be traumatizing families , children , and communities.
” Mother Jones : On a steamy Saturday in late June , Joyce McMillan stood outside the Brooklyn Family Court wearing a T-shirt that had “ TRUTH OVER TRADITION ” emblazoned across the front .
A crowd of about 200 people gathered for the first-ever march for Black Families Matter .
Compared with the gigantic crowds that had taken over the streets of Brooklyn a few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s killing , this group of protesters was small .
But the intensity of their rage at what they viewed as a racist and punitive system of justice—this time focused on the Administration for Children ’ s Services in New York City—was the same .
“ Stop policing Black families , ” one of the signs read .
Others charged that “ ACS STEALS BLACK BABIES , ” “ ACS = Police , ” and “ ACS Destroys Black Families.
” “ People tend to think that ACS/CPS supports families , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the crowd as participants cheered in agreement .
“ Any system built to actually protect children should in no way mimic a system that tortures adults !
” McMillan knows what it looks like when ACS steps in to offer “ support.
” She ’ s a Black mother , and one day in 1999 , an ACS caseworker appeared at her door because someone had alleged that she wasn ’ t caring for her children properly .
Thus began a 20-year struggle , with McMillan defending her parental rights in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care .
Building on her intimate knowledge of ACS ’ s bureaucracy , hard won through personal experience , McMillan now helps other parents fight the system .
read more…

“When I say we need to abolish ACS, I mean we need to abolish ACS needlessly removing children. We shouldn’t be traumatizing families, children, and communities.”
Mother Jones: On a steamy Saturday in late June, Joyce McMillan stood outside the Brooklyn Family Court wearing a T-shirt that had “TRUTH OVER TRADITION” emblazoned across the front. A crowd of about 200 people gathered for the first-ever march for Black Families Matter.
Compared with the gigantic crowds that had taken over the streets of Brooklyn a few weeks before in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, this group of protesters was small. But the intensity of their rage at what they viewed as a racist and punitive system of justice—this time focused on the Administration for Children’s Services in New York City—was the same. “Stop policing Black families,” one of the signs read. Others charged that “ACS STEALS BLACK BABIES,” “ACS = Police,” and “ACS Destroys Black Families.”
“People tend to think that ACS/CPS supports families, and they don’t,” McMillan told the crowd as participants cheered in agreement. “Any system built to actually protect children should in no way mimic a system that tortures adults!”
McMillan knows what it looks like when ACS steps in to offer “support.” She’s a Black mother, and one day in 1999, an ACS caseworker appeared at her door because someone had alleged that she wasn’t caring for her children properly. Thus began a 20-year struggle, with McMillan defending her parental rights in order to keep her two daughters in her care. Building on her intimate knowledge of ACS’s bureaucracy, hard won through personal experience, McMillan now helps other parents fight the system. read more… Do We Need to Abolish Child Protective Services? ttt