tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42505380808603793682024-03-05T04:24:40.214-07:00a2zpoliticsA place to discuss politics and other concerns or interests. Join in!CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17762504684024359557noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-50018066032052614692023-02-09T00:31:00.002-07:002023-02-09T00:31:42.369-07:00Did the Biden Administration cut the debt by 1.7 trillion dollars?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HfUhXO4pMF0Idw-LpCUx0Mp-qvhLYALah99CsrKCkd3dMv0oZJa677DZyBFujk7a5fU1oWfayuhesBbl31LTKEsM2dlidK4JhAhLhQ0s1uqm4YWbTYzTyho0EBgoM45h8OGg8DVc-73DejEzJyFeX_NEsQx8BSnK-UI9_KBIY7j4n2pxakxmPfXQ/s511/2023%20Biden%20State%20of%20the%20Nation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="511" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HfUhXO4pMF0Idw-LpCUx0Mp-qvhLYALah99CsrKCkd3dMv0oZJa677DZyBFujk7a5fU1oWfayuhesBbl31LTKEsM2dlidK4JhAhLhQ0s1uqm4YWbTYzTyho0EBgoM45h8OGg8DVc-73DejEzJyFeX_NEsQx8BSnK-UI9_KBIY7j4n2pxakxmPfXQ/s320/2023%20Biden%20State%20of%20the%20Nation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Um, no!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Facts:</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">On Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was inaugurated, the debt was $27,751,896,236,414.70, <a href="https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">according to the official numbers posted online by the U.S. Treasury</a>. On Jan. 20, 2023, two years into Biden’s presidency, the debt was $31,454,980,005,742.40, according to the Treasury. </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(source: <a href="https://cnsnews.com/article/washington/terence-p-jeffrey/biden-falsely-claims-weve-reduced-national-debt-so-far-17" target="_blank">https://cnsnews.com/article/washington/terence-p-jeffrey/biden-falsely-claims-weve-reduced-national-debt-so-far-17</a>)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ToAzDTGGniw" width="320" youtube-src-id="ToAzDTGGniw"></iframe></div><br /><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><br /></p>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-33056516278456715792022-11-13T21:08:00.000-07:002022-11-13T21:08:27.151-07:00Global Climate Change?<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uBN3_MFtI5BNdugIwTYrfFPK5BHBfUl9CH9b54dDlFboRpq47K6r32Bax9QYy7SM6Vxq65pHmnev1lfwarf0FJGrpp2evwgfuCABPPu7qEnEoqPWNuTCCZTb4sr8AqLhmKbcEor0WWzVc_WWDvvvdOhOSF2khXWqDE5cU6UqbaRUzj96TeikBIG3jw/s350/Heating%20or%20Cooling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="350" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uBN3_MFtI5BNdugIwTYrfFPK5BHBfUl9CH9b54dDlFboRpq47K6r32Bax9QYy7SM6Vxq65pHmnev1lfwarf0FJGrpp2evwgfuCABPPu7qEnEoqPWNuTCCZTb4sr8AqLhmKbcEor0WWzVc_WWDvvvdOhOSF2khXWqDE5cU6UqbaRUzj96TeikBIG3jw/w406-h270/Heating%20or%20Cooling.jpg" width="406" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original image source: Ripple, et al., 2022<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />What Role Do Humans Play in Climate Change?<br /> <br />Everyone says "look to the science" and I do too! Let's examine a bit of "science" first.<br /> <br />71% of the Earth is covered in water! That leaves just 29% to be occupied by humans (Williams, 2014). According to Science Daily, 95% of the world population lives on 10% of the land (JRC, 2008). So roughly 2.9% of the Earth's surface has people on it. Many preaching climate change are saying this 2.9% is affecting the worldwide climate.<br /> <br />NASA, one of the proponents of modern climate change being that humans are the principle cause of this round of change. However, in the same article they state that in the last 800,000 years there have been eight cycles of ice ages and warmer periods. The last ice age ended about 11,700 years ago. Climate change is NATURAL!<br /> <br />A fact we shall not overlook, also according to NASA (2022), in all of the history of the planet, the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere has never been as high as it is today, and that is causing what they call a "greenhouse effect." Where they say in the last 800,000 years the CO2 level has never reached over 300 parts per million (PPM), in 1950 it was about 310 PPM and today it is nearly 420 PPM.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkkHtnlTXUHLoMYLxmRIykkQtwRmSSQsEaMl_MCf7hh8107OR5fISF06TB3Tpku3AnBwVwOXcQdTORZBvMI4VnWV6efsbAjVraljCdC6AWto7ZMZHeHEVwq7IaOjXpPXENHTNhtxNReg2vkHM0HLxpgfEIOmXEpWrsRk0PFk5wRAFEswphoREKs_ivg/s847/2022%20NASA%20Climate%20Change%20graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="847" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkkHtnlTXUHLoMYLxmRIykkQtwRmSSQsEaMl_MCf7hh8107OR5fISF06TB3Tpku3AnBwVwOXcQdTORZBvMI4VnWV6efsbAjVraljCdC6AWto7ZMZHeHEVwq7IaOjXpPXENHTNhtxNReg2vkHM0HLxpgfEIOmXEpWrsRk0PFk5wRAFEswphoREKs_ivg/w486-h291/2022%20NASA%20Climate%20Change%20graphic.jpg" width="486" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now, just looking at these facts, if the CO2 levels are causing global warming, and these numbers have more than doubled since the last ice age, and it has spiked dramatically since 1950 - one would think we would be seeing a much more drastic change, RIGHT NOW in global warming and climate change. See the graphic below, every time the CO2 PPM hit a peak, it is followed, rather quickly, by a cooling off period - another ice age.<br /> <br />In fact, in the 1970's the media was all a-buzz about an impending ice age! (Washingto Policy Center (WPC), 2009). The WPC cites several headlines from 1969-1976:<br /><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“The Earth’s Cooling Climate,” Science News, November 15, 1969.• “Colder Winters Held Dawn of New Ice Age,” Washington Post, January 11, 1970.• “Science: Another Ice Age?” Time Magazine, June 24, 1974.• “The Ice Age Cometh!” Science News, March 1, 1975.• “The Cooling World,” Newsweek, April 28, 1975.• “Scientists Ask Why World Climate is Changing; Major Cooling May Be Ahead,” New York Times, May 21, 1975.• “In the Grip of a New Ice Age?” International Wildlife July-August, 1975.• “A Major Cooling Widely Considered to Be Inevitable,” New York Times, September 14, 1975.• “Variations in the Earth’s Orbit, Pacemaker of the Ice Ages,” Science magazine, December 10, 1976.</i> <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br />Granted, most of these are not "science" sources, but they were (and are) widely read and accepted media sources who assumably did their homework before reporting this "news." Today, these same outlets are preaching global warming!<br /><br />I am not real sure (yet) how they are getting CO2 data prior to the 1950s, when CO2 levels started to be tracked, but take a look at the data from Climate Watch (Freidrich et al., 2014). While the United States is higher than several other countries, the U.S. output is about 50% of China's output and even less than the "others" in this graphic (not real sure who the "others" constitute).</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj83E6OUZrvUgaqCFAVjsljiTv23k8C4m6yob62AcdYV2aXbvrIjwSO3tiNsLcSyXrPZGsoibSwGaGjXB0u2_lsbnLMeZjVspPHwGTXfDWdkZtcB5fXh1P0Ig48BUsaa7IKwjlUK0EL3JOApFAtkSmI8MdXIGTWr9FaRRANhS_nGhUEZKavYERZj0Ew/s870/2011%20CO2%20producers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="870" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFj83E6OUZrvUgaqCFAVjsljiTv23k8C4m6yob62AcdYV2aXbvrIjwSO3tiNsLcSyXrPZGsoibSwGaGjXB0u2_lsbnLMeZjVspPHwGTXfDWdkZtcB5fXh1P0Ig48BUsaa7IKwjlUK0EL3JOApFAtkSmI8MdXIGTWr9FaRRANhS_nGhUEZKavYERZj0Ew/w463-h323/2011%20CO2%20producers.jpg" width="463" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />So, from the perspective of this writer, unless the CO2 PPM continues to rise - I am more supportive of what they were saying in the '70s! We are due for a dramatic DROP in CO2 which will be followed by another ice age!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I would appreciate you sharing your thoughts and research.<br /><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>References</b></span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="376">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hashtag"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Unresolved Mention"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Smart Link"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</p><p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">European Commission, Joint Research Centre
(JRC). (2008). Urbanization: 95% Of The World's Population Lives On 10% Of The
Land. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 11, 2022 from <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081217192745.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081217192745.htm</a></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">NASA, (2022). How do we know climate change
is real? Global Climate Change. <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/">https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/</a>
</span></p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ripple, W.J., Wolf, C. Gregg, J.W.,Levin, K.,
Rockstrom, J., Newsome, T.M, Betts, M.G., Huq, S., Law, B.E., Kemp, L., Kalmus,
P. & Lenton, T.M. (2022). World scientists waring of a climate emergency
2022. BioScience. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac083">https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac083</a>
</span></p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Washington Policy Center, (2009). Today it's
global warming; In the '70s it was the coming ice age. <a href="https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/today-its-global-warming-in-the-70s-it-was-the-coming-ice-age">https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/today-its-global-warming-in-the-70s-it-was-the-coming-ice-age</a></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Williams, M. (2014). What percent of the
Earth is water? Universe Today. <a href="https://phys.org/news/2014-12-percent-earth.html">https://phys.org/news/2014-12-percent-earth.html</a></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Friedrich, J. & Damassa, T. (2014). The
history of carbon dioxide emissions. World Resources Institute. <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/history-carbon-dioxide-emissions">https://www.wri.org/insights/history-carbon-dioxide-emissions</a>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /></span><br /><p></p><p></p>Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-83903278873186188442022-07-29T19:00:00.000-07:002022-07-29T19:00:11.803-07:00Selina Bliss for AZ LD 1<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9FXRvKgSHZb7_ztHQ3FGugjBYcGWb-YVI7zWOLXmcXv5ALTln0EG0wSV5CPRy3ipiQGtmuefHSeIbc8_DpwC-DnCz0OyhfRJobX9skExJBn9K-SCaeekABSk1hgIDcU1EifjmDccQPIKA02PSRyoZ9zKfc6sHX-uUzm748bft5FYaZBEWKKiaHOd/s1500/2022%20Selina%20Bliss%20for%20AZ%20LD%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1467" height="503" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9FXRvKgSHZb7_ztHQ3FGugjBYcGWb-YVI7zWOLXmcXv5ALTln0EG0wSV5CPRy3ipiQGtmuefHSeIbc8_DpwC-DnCz0OyhfRJobX9skExJBn9K-SCaeekABSk1hgIDcU1EifjmDccQPIKA02PSRyoZ9zKfc6sHX-uUzm748bft5FYaZBEWKKiaHOd/w492-h503/2022%20Selina%20Bliss%20for%20AZ%20LD%201.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br /><p></p>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-66601610101972765922022-07-28T15:02:00.002-07:002022-07-28T15:02:49.515-07:00Environment- George Carlin<div style="text-align: left;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EjmtSkl53h4?modestbranding=1&title=&showinfo=0&rel=0&controls=0&disablekb=0&autohide=0&play=0&hidden=0&playsInline=1&iv_load_policy=3&mute=0&enablejsapi=1&background=1&html5=1" style="max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; height: auto; width: auto;"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;">George Carlin in 1992<br></div>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-34258109850323783372022-05-09T10:36:00.001-07:002022-05-09T10:36:51.779-07:00The WAR on Ukraine - Open Letter to President Putin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgR9PlPddwiVQrvLsfMNK6Zq60oaGjMa45oGaDQopujqJdfVEus0e1TIXxU5MbYPngOp-q83Nzvw5BYj9qVTzmSYjar5Gjl-MIzejmUqQ-yqM1xftExkxxNwkZgSqqaiEDinS-xbB8_prbVysrrUEHifcdQ7f3gG-jOe0fxQDxni5KEpbryfkQDnc/s918/Putin-Hitler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="918" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgR9PlPddwiVQrvLsfMNK6Zq60oaGjMa45oGaDQopujqJdfVEus0e1TIXxU5MbYPngOp-q83Nzvw5BYj9qVTzmSYjar5Gjl-MIzejmUqQ-yqM1xftExkxxNwkZgSqqaiEDinS-xbB8_prbVysrrUEHifcdQ7f3gG-jOe0fxQDxni5KEpbryfkQDnc/s320/Putin-Hitler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Yes, President Putin, it is a WAR. There are no Nazis infiltrating Ukraine - the ONLY infiltration of Ukraine is by Russian soldiers and mercenaries hired to do your dirty work. You have labeled the West as fascist - yet it is Russia who has invaded a sovereign country, unprovoked, and THAT is why the West has come to the aid of the Ukrainian people. The only fascist action going on is the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine. Then the Russian propaganda machine is running rampant in Russia in an attempt to convince the people of Russia that your presence there is another cleansing of Nazism - which is clearly a lie. If it were true, the Ukrainian people would not be fleeing their cities, no they would be welcoming the Russian troops as the German people did when Russian forces entered Berlin at the end of World War II. There are NO welcoming crowds - the Ukrainian people HATE what YOU are doing to their country.<p></p><p><br /></p>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-40391506317050824382022-01-09T11:49:00.002-07:002022-11-13T21:28:51.853-07:00You're Not From Around Here - Are You<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pet Peeve Time</span></h2><p><span style="font-size: large;">OK, this is a local pet peeve of mine. I live in Arizona and we have a LOT of transplants from other states, primarily California. I don't know how many times per day I come to an intersection to turn left and there is someone waiting to turn left in front of me (and or in front of several others) and they are <b>NOT IN THE INTERSECTION!</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">OK, not a huge deal here - and perhaps an opportunity to learn the virtue of patience - but for informational purposes, and perhaps to reduce frustration and maybe some road-rage for other drivers, let me clarify - (unless otherwise posted) <b>IT IS LEGAL IN ARIZONA TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION FOR A LEFT TURN! </b>Well, provided the intersection is not controlled by a left-turn arrow - in which case, we are all stuck waiting for the red arrow to go away. Some intersections have a green arrow that goes away, and no red arrow follows - in which case, <b>IT IS LEGAL IN ARIZONA TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION FOR A LEFT TURN!</b></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why the frustration? </span></h2><p><span style="font-size: large;">Because generally if that lead car enters the intersection, 1) they can make the turn quicker if they are already out there, and 2) usually more than one car can get into the intersection (beyond the crosswalk and/or line of demarkation) so when the light changes, those cars which have entered the intersection can now legally make their left turn - thus clearing the intersection of at least one to two cars - speeding up everyone's day by a couple minutes. If you have not entered the intersection before the light turns yellow - at this point you CANNOT enter (legally) and make your left turn - so you are stuck there and likely at least one other driver behind you.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I believe it is illegal in California to enter the intersection (going to look this one up to be sure) so it becomes rather obvious who the transplants are when they sit outside the intersection.</span></p><blockquote style="border: medium none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">(A few minutes later) - OK, it appears I am wrong! It is LEGAL in California too! If you are IN the intersection before the light turns red, you are OK - just like in Arizona, it is illegal to enter the intersection after it turns red. <a href="https://www.nbccomedyplayground.com/can-you-be-in-the-intersection-when-the-light-turns-red-california/" target="_blank">https://www.nbccomedyplayground.com/can-you-be-in-the-intersection-when-the-light-turns-red-california/</a> </span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;">This is <b>LEGAL</b> - car 1 is legally in the intersection, car 2 must wait for the intersection to clear enough to allow room, or wait for the next light:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKcLetxIkUky02BcVnSjuUrBwDXuNOAZkl8vZxTGSpgU-ofdqf6iX76C7MJ4kFOwXfKh3X-t3lRGvImgfYH3rxIwY-NqB0PynIeHqzxVa_9VC6QPVkzmwcmj2bzvcR63F0IBk7y-BSdxsY2VG4i2RjjL9wwU96mvfbonwjovTJgOKxvRDi6JNEG16f=s847" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="847" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKcLetxIkUky02BcVnSjuUrBwDXuNOAZkl8vZxTGSpgU-ofdqf6iX76C7MJ4kFOwXfKh3X-t3lRGvImgfYH3rxIwY-NqB0PynIeHqzxVa_9VC6QPVkzmwcmj2bzvcR63F0IBk7y-BSdxsY2VG4i2RjjL9wwU96mvfbonwjovTJgOKxvRDi6JNEG16f=w391-h346" width="391" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AND</b> - if the intersection is large enough, and cars are small enough, the following is <b>LEGAL</b> for the first two cars - the third needs to wait for the intersection to clear or for the next light:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguiXWGDu8j8WZ6cPgXTnDkZU2bfRBGJhj7doFE1Z-nLiqXMIg_Khz5RN8h34ho1ATQSL5BjPqIXI07cyVKBRrW2K4RoWl5a2jebnCFLm4a3i2DLh0NKhq_sbHoXXbRRLcSHxNfiQmiIxhvxrqviSzp98e0OrhfbuFwVCFTfEsFe134JXRX_ZyjUdex=s563" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="560" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguiXWGDu8j8WZ6cPgXTnDkZU2bfRBGJhj7doFE1Z-nLiqXMIg_Khz5RN8h34ho1ATQSL5BjPqIXI07cyVKBRrW2K4RoWl5a2jebnCFLm4a3i2DLh0NKhq_sbHoXXbRRLcSHxNfiQmiIxhvxrqviSzp98e0OrhfbuFwVCFTfEsFe134JXRX_ZyjUdex=w400-h403" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><p><span style="font-size: large;">OK, I have vented. </span></p></div>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0Arizona, USA34.0489281 -111.09373115.7386942638211522 -146.2499811 62.359161936178843 -75.9374811tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-13596921137517844632021-12-02T00:21:00.002-07:002021-12-02T00:21:36.849-07:00Federal Judge Blocks Vaccine Mandate<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLa9gyZ_YRYXsvJYewjDR6IK3sNkuXZLcJS2lIipcCm0BgoohVfKowk1GCA0qtCaKIqm5qMZ2dE56PxFMr696THtDaHiAsBKodZk_blG2driC99b3GG1az3QTRuaAbfM2RV35y65tcVPC/s2048/Fauci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLa9gyZ_YRYXsvJYewjDR6IK3sNkuXZLcJS2lIipcCm0BgoohVfKowk1GCA0qtCaKIqm5qMZ2dE56PxFMr696THtDaHiAsBKodZk_blG2driC99b3GG1az3QTRuaAbfM2RV35y65tcVPC/s320/Fauci.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, it's only temporary - and limited to 10 states (Arizona, my state, is not one of those 10).</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">See article: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-mandate-health-care-workers-blocked-federal-judge/" target="_blank">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-mandate-health-care-workers-blocked-federal-judge/ </a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em;"><span style="font-size: large;">In August of 2020, it is recorded:</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em;"><span style="font-size: large;">The idea, according to Fauci, was impossible.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em;"><span style="font-size: large;">“If someone refuses the vaccine in the general public, then there's nothing you can do about that. You cannot force someone to take a vaccine," he said at the time.</span></p></blockquote><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, now we have mandates. I, personally, am not an anti-vaxer, I have been vaccinated for COVID-19, but the government should not be mandating the vaccine - especially to those who have already had COVID-19.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.385em; line-height: 1.8; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em;"><br /></p>Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-72752769554641010042021-11-26T14:03:00.005-07:002021-11-26T23:59:47.926-07:00Biden Takes "Swift" Action on New Covid Variant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcoVy6_qqexqqCCjFCWVQPAhJF-h3OuK1zpPo4AY8GdQ6rrG38AqSVwizkzqZ6xAPgxsd1S-LPW3rsEINdRy-akwUPdJXgju1v67KlViCc8y9M98SQwFsWAX-TvYXG5a9jEX1VpMObve0/s1280/new-covid-variant-rushed-south-africa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1280" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcoVy6_qqexqqCCjFCWVQPAhJF-h3OuK1zpPo4AY8GdQ6rrG38AqSVwizkzqZ6xAPgxsd1S-LPW3rsEINdRy-akwUPdJXgju1v67KlViCc8y9M98SQwFsWAX-TvYXG5a9jEX1VpMObve0/s320/new-covid-variant-rushed-south-africa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;">So touts a report from FoxNews (see video below) along with several other countries, this "swift" action is being taken. A new "highly contagious mutation" of COVID 19, named "Omicron," is spreading throughout South Africa, so President Biden has ordered travel restrictions from that region - effective Monday, November 29th. Today is Friday, November 26th - so WHY WAIT? Essentially all who want to leave that region have 3 days to leave, and if infected - bring the new variant with them! Could someone explain to me the logic in waiting and giving them time to leave the countries being affected? It seems if you're trying to lock them down, do it NOW - not give them time to figure out how to get out and spread the variant! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">This kind of makes me want to say, "Come on, man!"</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjJ570un7qFzpfAN2ym-TUCWHY4_h65wwrcit2ua2ne28mm6C2ES6XOkfepBBpztSgzBdXIz-i-juAWeFn42_ZJLuvyjLuw_DwmeezrXEAwla6PdxDdeebijUl-clRNOBDWm72oWrtOhG/s846/cone+on+man.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="846" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjJ570un7qFzpfAN2ym-TUCWHY4_h65wwrcit2ua2ne28mm6C2ES6XOkfepBBpztSgzBdXIz-i-juAWeFn42_ZJLuvyjLuw_DwmeezrXEAwla6PdxDdeebijUl-clRNOBDWm72oWrtOhG/s320/cone+on+man.gif" width="320" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<script src="https://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=6025576909001&w=466&h=263" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at <a href="https://www.foxnews.com">foxnews.com</a></noscript>
</div>Your comments are welcome...</span><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-53400556320520453372021-06-19T08:31:00.004-07:002021-06-19T10:11:27.217-07:00Juneteenth Recognized<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWe_xAbsAq7xygmJXrEOOTgxxNIUcgn8fjHr8vLNea-Ac_6FSIbdxJNf_SMKMO4TjO-wdEbIvlrTd0kgZrXHmnELOqfI3C4vjxm8X7y3APaT1iDJmfbKZSTkxcN3BfxtbvDMmzyNDJEL6D/s1200/Juneteenth-graphic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWe_xAbsAq7xygmJXrEOOTgxxNIUcgn8fjHr8vLNea-Ac_6FSIbdxJNf_SMKMO4TjO-wdEbIvlrTd0kgZrXHmnELOqfI3C4vjxm8X7y3APaT1iDJmfbKZSTkxcN3BfxtbvDMmzyNDJEL6D/w422-h253/Juneteenth-graphic.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><p></p><h1></h1><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">What is Juneteenth?<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Juneteenth is the day that Union soldiers, under the command
of Major General Gordon Granger, rode into Galveston, Texas to announce to still
enslaved African Americans that the war is over, they are free (Holland, 2019).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">When Did Juneteenth Begin?</span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">On June 19<sup>th</sup>, 1865 when the Union soldiers
announced in Galveston, TX, this is the day marked in Galveston as “Freedom Day”
– and local celebrations began in 1866. It spread to other cities, slowly. Most
Americans over the age of 30 (as of this writing) had never heard of this
holiday until a series called Atlanta, on the FX network, made brief mention in
the first few minutes of one of the shows of the first season (Ali, 2018). June
19<sup>th</sup> would be first declared a state holiday in Texas on June 7,
1979 – since then 42 other states and the District of Columbia have declared
the holiday (Gates, 2013).</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It Is Official!</span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed a bill
declaring Juneteenth (June 19th) to be a federal holiday. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>References</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Ali, R. (2018).
Yes, Juneteenth is a real holiday. <i>Yahoo! Entertainment</i>. <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/atlanta-yes-juneteenth-real-holiday-033628451.html">https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/atlanta-yes-juneteenth-real-holiday-033628451.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Gates, H. L.
(2013). What is Juneteenth? <i>The Root</i>. <a href="https://www.theroot.com/what-is-juneteenth-1790896900">https://www.theroot.com/what-is-juneteenth-1790896900</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Holland, J. J.
(2019). When did Juneteenth celebrations begin? <i>Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</i>.
<a href="https://www.post-gazette.com/life/lifestyle/2019/06/14/Juneteenth-history-end-of-slavery-Galveston-Texas-Civil-War/stories/201906150020#:~:text=A%20holiday%20that%20is%20spreading%20across%20the%20U.S.,Civil%20War%20had%20ended%20and%20they%20were%20free">https://www.post-gazette.com/life/lifestyle/2019/06/14/Juneteenth-history-end-of-slavery-Galveston-Texas-Civil-War/stories/201906150020#:~:text=A%20holiday%20that%20is%20spreading%20across%20the%20U.S.,Civil%20War%20had%20ended%20and%20they%20were%20free</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br />Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-91318918190771977082021-01-17T13:21:00.000-07:002021-01-17T13:21:15.024-07:00If You Need 35000 Troops<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqiQNCczko2cZPkKsORrr42v4mVV20SQjwRGi9kFw_ueo23xx_WZ5NIa3uJ5GLvvP6f0_vsjmZowEnCqI2AfKHhynoywM1EK0gh5u1HACMfyvLjotLP2hcwX9r8gm7UskKX3YodHDl4ZW/s681/Biden+-+if+you+need+35000+troops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="681" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqiQNCczko2cZPkKsORrr42v4mVV20SQjwRGi9kFw_ueo23xx_WZ5NIa3uJ5GLvvP6f0_vsjmZowEnCqI2AfKHhynoywM1EK0gh5u1HACMfyvLjotLP2hcwX9r8gm7UskKX3YodHDl4ZW/w545-h375/Biden+-+if+you+need+35000+troops.JPG" width="545" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-38857472247876177862021-01-09T13:11:00.002-07:002021-06-19T08:38:44.453-07:00The Decline in Religion and Morality<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2rzmGo1b2xWBJD433rB4tpDK87GzgkMlSAaB_HOoLyh5IIBLYT3Cy0iOC705akWZ99WCQPbhPx66zYRuvKdmkhwaIr_QeuPZqC3ZuEGVu6Bo3dVDkTY4bhFnsrZL24SEaozGUn3_M61y/s800/John-Adams-unbrdled-passions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2rzmGo1b2xWBJD433rB4tpDK87GzgkMlSAaB_HOoLyh5IIBLYT3Cy0iOC705akWZ99WCQPbhPx66zYRuvKdmkhwaIr_QeuPZqC3ZuEGVu6Bo3dVDkTY4bhFnsrZL24SEaozGUn3_M61y/w460-h259/John-Adams-unbrdled-passions.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Why is the United States in the condition it is now? Some wish to blame Republicans, others wish to blame Democrats. Fingers point to key political fingers like Pelosi, Trump, etc. but these personalities are not to blame - the root cause is the moral fiber of this great country is being eroded by those who resist any form of authority which might govern their lives. One chief authority being pushed out of public influence is religion. Religion provides a moral backbone to society and as we see religion reduced, we are seeing immorality and crime increase. The facts are truly undeniable:</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLU3KwyXUsO8KGapbehnmbjXD19iuSxE78dPpb4TbyWmbL55AnK-fDc60pZGL_uybrOk5PO40sFBs8ytA4IAEtvKJ6TNmE0UihlDTwlPJnd6Lg9xWvo3BCzCM5QCh0wJD_6PcFr27Ipdk/s504/2017+Religious+Affiliation+Declining.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="504" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLU3KwyXUsO8KGapbehnmbjXD19iuSxE78dPpb4TbyWmbL55AnK-fDc60pZGL_uybrOk5PO40sFBs8ytA4IAEtvKJ6TNmE0UihlDTwlPJnd6Lg9xWvo3BCzCM5QCh0wJD_6PcFr27Ipdk/w466-h351/2017+Religious+Affiliation+Declining.png" width="466" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">(Downey, 2017a)</p><p>While Protestantism in the United States still leads, their numbers are dropping significantly over the last several years and at the same time the 'nones' are increasing at about the same rate - to the point that before 2040 the 'nones' will eclipse Protestantism. While Catholicism remains fairly steady, though slightly on the decline, from the research by Downey (2017b) the 'nones' are already eclipsing them in numbers. </p><p>Back to the point: In a recent Gallup poll (Brenan, 2019) of 21 issues which at one time all were considered immoral, one can see the moral imbalance:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZI-84MOxvSCo2OFyztx8P-FS1mt8JNtd62apel68RRfFSPFmZC8PN7HzHB01Ai6YESZ2zykeJOl60pizXQoREDyjHv1wytN7DXKV-qXnX3UFYgjuULYwGdePmzPAPepcBPr-4_-8WVQW/s1677/2019+Gallup+Morality+Graph.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1677" data-original-width="1361" height="661" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZI-84MOxvSCo2OFyztx8P-FS1mt8JNtd62apel68RRfFSPFmZC8PN7HzHB01Ai6YESZ2zykeJOl60pizXQoREDyjHv1wytN7DXKV-qXnX3UFYgjuULYwGdePmzPAPepcBPr-4_-8WVQW/w536-h661/2019+Gallup+Morality+Graph.png" width="536" /></a></div><br /><p>America needs to get back to church! </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>References</b></p><p>Brenan, M. (2019). Birth control still tops list of morally acceptable issues. <i>Gallup</i>. <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/257858/birth-control-tops-list-morally-acceptable-issues.aspx" target="_blank">https://news.gallup.com/poll/257858/birth-control-tops-list-morally-acceptable-issues.aspx</a></p><p>Downey, A. (2017a). The retreat from religion is accelerating [blog].<i> Probably Overthinking It</i>. <a href="http://allendowney.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-retreat-from-religion-is.html" target="_blank">http://allendowney.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-retreat-from-religion-is.html </a></p><p>Downey, A. (2017b). The U. S. is retreating from religion: By 2030, say projections, a third of Americans will have no religious preference. <i>Scientific American.</i> <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-u-s-is-retreating-from-religion" target="_blank">https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-u-s-is-retreating-from-religion</a>/</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p>Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-20874623261981900142020-11-15T10:29:00.005-07:002020-11-16T15:46:49.386-07:00The 12th Amendment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgtmlc6h51_TeFFAGzy2sP2moOIhrrRZ9ukfOw5eq7LFZ_HVLGYqLiNG5E3kNdKUGMJSfszCJA5nO_hFbVS6_Rd5LnClOvb-C1ydrJENdnWqHav7-rLC9Lu947u-LH8qy4u8sBuSwz2Q/s1280/Trump-Biden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgtmlc6h51_TeFFAGzy2sP2moOIhrrRZ9ukfOw5eq7LFZ_HVLGYqLiNG5E3kNdKUGMJSfszCJA5nO_hFbVS6_Rd5LnClOvb-C1ydrJENdnWqHav7-rLC9Lu947u-LH8qy4u8sBuSwz2Q/w458-h229/Trump-Biden.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><p>So, my friends - or not my friends, why has President Trump NOT conceded yet? Quite simply, he's not stupid! Whether or not things are dictated to us by this news network or that one, they have no constitutional authority to tell us who the next president will be. We have laws, and we have the Constitution of the United States of America. The fact of the matter and the bottom line is, if the legal challenges continue up to January 6th, then the election and the electoral college become null and void. At THAT POINT the responsibility of selecting the next president goes to the House of Representatives. Immediately most who favor Vice President Biden will feel comforted since the Democrats have the majority in the House - but HOLD ON! What I am telling you and am about to tell you is straight out of the 12th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. At the point of the House of Representatives making the choice, each representative does NOT get one vote, no! Each state gets one vote! How does this matter? It matters because 37 of the 50 states have a Republican majority. </p><p>So, we are not there yet, and I am sure the "smart ones" in the Democratic Party are aware of the 12th Amendment too - and will do everything in their power to make sure there has been a definitive and valid decision made prior to January 6th, but if they do not - do not be surprised by another four years of President Trump. How can this happen? Well, if President Trump does not concede and enough of the states refuse to certify their electoral votes by January 6th, at that point it will go to the House of Representatives.</p><p>There are some who would argue this undermines the electoral process - but to them, we have to say that the 12th Amendment is PART OF the electoral process which is validly and constitutionally in place. We also need to remind ourselves, again, that we are not there yet. If enough states certify their ballots, it is over - and there will be a Biden presidency. If they do not - OR - enough submit conflicting or "dueling slates of electors" and neither candidate receives the required 270 electors, then on January 6th, it goes to the House.</p><p>Does this sound far-fetched? Well, the House electing the President HAS HAPPENED THREE BEFORE! Well, FOUR if you count President Ford (see below).</p><p>In 1800, Thomas Jefferson - the "author of the Declaration of Independence" was elected by the House, who almost went for Aaron Burr.</p><p>In 1825, because there was no decision by January 6th, the House was left the responsibility and John Quincy Adams, who had fewer votes in the popular election was elected by the House. 2020 is not quite the same, since in 1825 there were three candidates vying for the presidency and today there are only two serious contenders. Well, Jorgensen is out there and though she has very few votes, if the selection goes to the House - the "top three" are the choices mandated by the 12th Amendment - so she too would be in the running.</p><p>In 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes was elected by the House after his opponent, Samuel J. Tilden had won 50.97 of the popular vote.</p><p>In 1974, President Nixon was facing impeachment and Vice President Spiro Agnew having been forced from office a year earlier due to alleged bribery charges. President Nixon nominated then-Senator Gerald Ford to be vice president, both houses of Congress voted him in as vice president - which led to him being president when President Nixon resigned.</p><p>Again, we are not there yet, but if we do get to January 6th without a decision, it goes to the House, and with a 37 to 13 advantage there - President Trump will be re-elected.</p><p>Here are a few video explanations:</p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7NYqeZygrmw" width="320" youtube-src-id="7NYqeZygrmw"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QYVIxZqIQZM" width="320" youtube-src-id="QYVIxZqIQZM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u60PcHZT76k" width="320" youtube-src-id="u60PcHZT76k"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-46521383095171000642020-06-13T07:36:00.000-07:002020-06-13T08:37:02.596-07:00Where Do We Go From Here?<div>
The question being asked by Oprah Winfrey and being answered by a panel comprised solely of Americans of African descent (Black). From the point of view of this writer, programs like this are making things worse. If there was a show on the Fox News Channel with a panel comprised solely of white Americans and they were deciding what to do about the problems of the Black community - they would be enraged - and rightfully so! So why does Oprah & Co. think it is okay to do the reverse? Talk about racism! </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Oprah asks "Where do we go from here?" and "What should our demands be?" The demands should be, and not just from her panel or "people of color" - but from ALL people from all walks of life - "race" after all, is a relatively novel concept in the history of mankind. Of all species, the physical differences beyond the color of mankind are insignificant. In a PBS presentation, it is asserted that the species of modern human beings "has not been around long enough or been isolated enough to evolve into subspecies or races" (Cheng, 2003). The presentation goes on to say that "we are among the most similar of all species" (Cheng, 2003). We need to stop focusing on the differences and put the emphasis on how much alike we are and learn to love each other as brothers and sisters, regardless of skin color and social upbringing.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
This is not to minimize the injustices that have taken place, especially in the United States, which were based primarily on the color of someone's skin. Certainly there have been quite a few abuses and some have hung on to the mindset of by-gone generations. The point here is not to cast blame on people of varying colors - that is precisely OPPOSED to what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached! His "dream" for his children was that they "will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" (King, 1963). The point is that mindset is truly of a "by-gone generation" and we all need to stop perpetuating it.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We have to ask Ms. Winfrey if she believes Dr. King died in vain? Is she not judging others by their skin color and not by their character? Every single American should be appalled by what happened to Mr. Floyd. The police officer who knelt on Floyd's neck has been arrested and charged for his ignorant, if not negligent behavior - and let us pray that justice prevails and due process passes down what is deserved. Ms. Winfrey, what more do you want? Every moral citizen of the United States wants to see injustices removed from society and the fact is - many have been! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes, there is still a way to go - but life for those who are culturally "African American" has changed dramatically in the last 50-60 years! We do not see segregated drinking fountains, or restaurants or places which cater to whites only or colored only. In 2020 you, Ms. Winfrey, can go just about anywhere you want - and that was not true in 1960. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMOd4OnOV078EtoYIdsmr3cllTQB4UJP3pevTHpGkx6pDBnyrsJwW74KM_F0djOnhiUQnKpHIscOS6yVCCR9bQbc1PvH89aMD4k_cSH0DioTHQpG154bb3BT_UpQuoMbaNNtVeEV1oeU/s275/segregation+fountains.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMOd4OnOV078EtoYIdsmr3cllTQB4UJP3pevTHpGkx6pDBnyrsJwW74KM_F0djOnhiUQnKpHIscOS6yVCCR9bQbc1PvH89aMD4k_cSH0DioTHQpG154bb3BT_UpQuoMbaNNtVeEV1oeU/" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoxoNXQBZGypUikvNd7KpYbqmg7B44wSPbIlFIWOsRcgACIVBVN-cLIwa8fmkZIvipkGiOKcfcXuo8ThJQycd9b2LCn79ms6_o_kYN3OSYMc0ky8QIQui_uI3hgo5KMFIgfORdKmpHuc/s474/segregated+restaurant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLoxoNXQBZGypUikvNd7KpYbqmg7B44wSPbIlFIWOsRcgACIVBVN-cLIwa8fmkZIvipkGiOKcfcXuo8ThJQycd9b2LCn79ms6_o_kYN3OSYMc0ky8QIQui_uI3hgo5KMFIgfORdKmpHuc/s320/segregated+restaurant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
What is the programming being put forth by the OWN network in recent days really doing besides causing more division and strife between white and black Americans? Again, as a society, we cannot tolerate what happened to Mr. Floyd. How about Justine Damond? A white woman shot down by a black cop, also in Minneapolis. Who has heard of her? Why haven't you heard of her? I'm sure both sides could come up with numerous examples - but the issue is not the police departments, per se, as it is a few "bad cops" who need to be removed from the force, and where appropriate, charged with crimes.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Who can justify the robbing, burning, looting, etc. of private businesses in the name of Mr. Floyd? How can this be justified? Why is the harming of other innocent souls, their businesses, or their livelihood ever be seen as appropriate? </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
According to Larry Elder, in the following video, about 4% of the police in America are problematic, which leaves us with 96% of cops who are "good cops." Why is there all this outrage on entire police departments? The focus should be on the removal of the 4% - not the mentality of dismantling entire police forces. If management is the problem for allowing the 4% to remain employed - then management needs to go too - but let us support the 96% of police officers who literally put their lives on the line day after day protecting us - all of us! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bbJ6OAi-FxM" width="320" youtube-src-id="bbJ6OAi-FxM"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, where do we go from here? I would ask Ms. Winfrey to stop being part of the problem in perpetuating the myth that "systemic racism" is rampant as if nothing has changed in the last 60 years! </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The fact of the matter is the Black community in the United States, if viewed as a nation, would be the eighteenth wealthiest nation on the planet (Peterson, 2017). Peterson also points out the problem of relative poverty, stating "relative poverty matters" but is quick to point out that absolute wealth matters too. The problem with the post-modern thought or philosophy is a nearly total lack of gratitude (Peterson, 2017), not being able to appreciate how lucky we are to live in today's society - and not be living in a society of 400 years ago, or even 60 years ago!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
In closing I ask, are there changes we still need to make? To which I will answer myself, YES! A society that does not continue to evolve and adapt to change is a dead society. Let us focus on the 4% and fix THAT - while at the same time supporting the 96% and express our gratitude for those who truly do put their lives on the line for each and every one of us on a daily basis.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
References<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Cheng, J. (2003). RACE - The power of an illusion. <i>Public Broadcasting System, </i></div>
<div>
<i> California Newsreel.</i> <a href="https://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm" target="_blank">https://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm</a> </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Elder, L. & Rubin, D. (2017). The moment Larry Elder changed Dave Rubin's mind </div>
<div>
forever (Systemic racism) [video clip]. <i>The Rubin Report. </i></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phPXTWJhnYM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phPXTWJhnYM </a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
King, M.L., Jr. (1963). I have a dream. <i>The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and </i></div>
<div>
<i> Education Institute</i>, Stanford. </div>
<div>
<a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-">https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-</a></div>
<div>
<a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom" target="_blank"> delivered-march-washington-jobs-and-freedom </a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Peterson, J. (2017). Why you have to fight postmodernism. [video clip]. <i>Manning Center </i></div>
<div>
<i> </i><i> Conference</i>. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPojltjv4M0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPojltjv4M0</a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-19211045292054822272020-04-26T19:52:00.002-07:002020-04-26T19:55:05.717-07:00Physical NOT Social DistancingOriginally published on <a href="http://quilocutus.blogspot.com/2020/04/physical-not-social-distancing.html" target="_blank">http://quilocutus.blogspot.com/2020/04/physical-not-social-distancing.html</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsmMg1ZOZiQIjeYXN_A8EUVTmD0oJEw7RRr88znnE24Ug5VdNxbschn3pDeAGqB5VTfk1RpgXQqGvp46UiNs5cWhW61YuV1qaR6p2gFmxGuNKpzivtGkIzt_93Lko2cPf6R9b-dvWWw8/s1600/PhysicalNotSocialDistancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsmMg1ZOZiQIjeYXN_A8EUVTmD0oJEw7RRr88znnE24Ug5VdNxbschn3pDeAGqB5VTfk1RpgXQqGvp46UiNs5cWhW61YuV1qaR6p2gFmxGuNKpzivtGkIzt_93Lko2cPf6R9b-dvWWw8/s320/PhysicalNotSocialDistancing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Image Credit: <a href="https://dribbble.com/shots/10872931#shot-description">https://dribbble.com/shots/10872931#shot-description</a> </div>
<br />
I stumbled across the Hour of Power broadcast last week and heard the
Rev. Bobby Schuller (grandson of Robert H. Schuller, of the same Hour
of Power). My father loved watching Robert Schuller and always wanted to
go see the Crystal Cathedral, sadly - he never made it there. The
Crystal Cathedral is now Christ Cathedral - an actual cathedral of the
Catholic Church for the Diocese of Orange in California (Christ
Cathedral, 2020). Ironically, when Bobby Schuller moved from the Crystal
Cathedral to Shepherd's Grove, it is located in a former Catholic
church called St. Callistus (CBN, 2020).<br />
<br />
But I
digress... I stumbled across Rev. Bobby Schuller's Easter sermon and was
struck by him making the distinction between social distancing and
physical distancing. The message is that we need to continue to be
socially close to each other - while in this time of the COVID-19
outbreak, we need to practice physical distancing to help stop the
spread of this virus.<br />
<h3>
Schuller Is Not Alone</h3>
Since hearing Schuller's sermon I did a
little research, and he is not the only one making this distinction. Dr.
Joe Kort made virtually the same claim stating "We have to stay
socially connected through this (COVID-19 pandemic)." He continues:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We
can stay in connection with each other on the phone, webcam, and many
other online formats. Now is a time to be intentional and interactive
and not to isolate. We are wired to be social and luckily can maintain
that with technology</i>. (Kort, 2020).</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2d30;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anderson
reports that even the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is changing its
terminology to physical distancing instead of social distancing
(Anderson, 2020). Continuing, "social distancing implies not
socializing; physical distance mans not being physically close."</span></span><br />
<br />
In
another report it is stated that "social distancing is a misnomer."
This article continues, "While we must be physically distant, it is
crucial we maintain, or even increase, social contact with others during
this unprecedented time" (Greenaway, Saeri, & Cruwys, 2020).<br />
<h3>
Not Just For COVID-19</h3>
The concepts of frequent hand-washing and
physical distancing we have all been a party to for the past several
weeks are and have long been the recommendations to help stop the spread
of any virus or other infectious disease. Every year we encounter the
seasonal flu, which mutates from year to year. We have figured out how
to make vaccines for the flu, but since it mutates, each year we need a
different vaccine. Thus far there is no vaccine for COVID-19, but it is
expected we will see one later this year, or perhaps next year. The
point though is during flu season and presumably, now we may see a COVID
season, frequent hand hygiene and physical distancing should be and
should have been the norm. Keep in mind, thus far the most recent
seasonal flu (for which we have and widely distribute a vaccination) has
killed more in the United States (and the world) than COVID-19 has and
since it is a new virus there is no vaccine for it (Maragakis, 2020). So
again, good hygiene and physical distancing is something we should
constantly be practicing. Welcome to the new normal.<br />
<br />
A similar article on Psychology Today: <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-refugee-experience/202003/lets-aim-physical-rather-social-distancing" target="_blank">https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-refugee-experience/202003/lets-aim-physical-rather-social-distancing</a> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
References</div>
<br />
Anderson, J. (2020). Social distancing isn't the right language for what Covid-19 asks of us. <i>Quartz</i>. Retrieved from <a href="https://qz.com/1830347/social-distancing-isnt-the-right-language-for-what-covid-19-asks-of-us/">https://qz.com/1830347/social-distancing-isnt-the-right-language-for-what-covid-19-asks-of-us/</a><br />
<br />
CBN, (2020). Bobby Schuller helps you find happiness through Jesus. <i>The 700 Club</i>. Retrieved from <a href="https://www1.cbn.com/bobby-schuller-helps-you-find-happiness-through-jesus">https://www1.cbn.com/bobby-schuller-helps-you-find-happiness-through-jesus</a><br />
<br />
Christ Cathedral, (2020). About Christ Cathedral. <i>Diocese of Orange</i>. Retrieved from <a href="https://christcathedralcalifornia.org/explore/about-christ-cathedral/">https://christcathedralcalifornia.org/explore/about-christ-cathedral/</a><br />
<br />
Greenaway,
K.H., Saeri, A., & Cruwys, T. (2020). Why are we calling it 'social
distancing'? Right now, we need social connections more than ever. <i>The Conversation</i>. Retrieved from <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-we-calling-it-social-distancing-right-now-we-need-social-connections-more-than-ever-134249">https://theconversation.com/why-are-we-calling-it-social-distancing-right-now-we-need-social-connections-more-than-ever-134249</a><br />
<br />
Kort, J. (2020). Practice physical distancing, not social distancing; How to cope with the coronavirus quarantine. <i>Psychology Today.</i> Retrieved from <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-the-erotic-code/202003/practice-physical-distancing-not-social-distancing">https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-the-erotic-code/202003/practice-physical-distancing-not-social-distancing</a><br />
<br />
Maragakis, L. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 vs. the flu. <i>Johns Hopkins Medicine</i>. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu">https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu</a><br />
<br />
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-47178494131119870032020-04-25T08:00:00.002-07:002020-04-25T08:01:07.666-07:00Silent Long Enough!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Well, I have been silent long enough in this forum! I have used the excuse of going back to school, which I did and am still doing so now - but I just had to break the silence and plan to continue more, perhaps not real frequent - but will post more here. Please feel free to join, follow, share, and add comments!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Scott<<<</span><br />
<br />Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-60048424218308289072020-04-25T07:53:00.002-07:002020-06-13T08:33:20.461-07:00Did President Trump Advise to Use Disinfectants?Did President Trump really say we should inject disinfectants like bleach or Lysol into our bodies?<br />
<br />
Oh come ON people! IF you READ what he said IN CONTEXT he was NOT saying to use disinfectants like Lysol or bleach, he was referring to the use of UV light and IF something LIKE THAT could be injected LIKE a disinfectant. He goes on to say he would like that to be investigated, he would be very interested IF something LIKE that could be done. Have you ever heard of a simili?<br />
<br />
Here is the full context of the statement in question:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"So I asked Bill a question some of you are thinking of if you're into that world, which I find to be pretty interesting. So, SUPPOSING WE HIT THE BODY WITH A TREMENDOUS, WHETHER IT'S ULTRAVIOLET OR JUST VERY POWERFUL LIGHT, and I think you said, that hasn't been checked but you're gonna test it. And then I said, SUPPOSING IT BROUGHT THE LIGHT INSIDE THE BODY, which you can either do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you're gonna test that too, sounds interesting. And I then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute, and is there a way you can do SOMETHING LIKE THAT by injection inside, or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it'd be INTERESTING TO CHECK THAT. So you're going to have to use medical doctors, but it sounds interesting to me, so we'll see. BUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE LIGHT, THE WAY IT GOES IN ONE MINUTE, THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL." (Emphasis added)</blockquote>
You see, the CONTEXT is about using LIGHT - not bleach or Lysol.<br />
<br />
And it appears that Trump was right on the money on this one! Ever hear of the "Healight" developed by Cedars-Sinai? Like Trump, I find this interesting, I hope you do too:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CYyPydJnsfs" width="320" youtube-src-id="CYyPydJnsfs"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Original video has been deleted several times by YouTube - this is not the original, but a newscast on the same topic).</div>
<br />Scott Windsorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01961374547503296840noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-64291065468324395492016-08-13T14:40:00.000-07:002016-08-13T14:40:34.247-07:00Seth Rich - RIP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkSpKxh-dpfCa9Ls4Z_TGsVwH1HUoqa2PRYNxHXoS-fKDCPTvloP0hlIQAVheAiomVXgijq3QzPbqpmBVxOorUnT6RH4KXnxiYBdxbHYYqYbPxVd4oJNQ1NiUBGT-AWm6dNDCvQrxY18/s1600/2016+Seth+Rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkSpKxh-dpfCa9Ls4Z_TGsVwH1HUoqa2PRYNxHXoS-fKDCPTvloP0hlIQAVheAiomVXgijq3QzPbqpmBVxOorUnT6RH4KXnxiYBdxbHYYqYbPxVd4oJNQ1NiUBGT-AWm6dNDCvQrxY18/s400/2016+Seth+Rich.jpg" width="393" /></a></div>
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-1328904518813639732016-07-27T07:01:00.000-07:002016-07-27T07:01:27.507-07:00Shooters Stats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rz7QLR3UwM1OF18z8-sjniPIoSKv_8zohyphenhyphenmc3zqhjZKBuWXo0lN9Qo0y4sW8vNcjI4jfOkabRaEbLYOetegFfEBwusze5H7-VRvC7mo0XOItZQ74T26BOG93dkjYXLlJX-0ua43X6cg/s1600/shooters+registered+democrats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rz7QLR3UwM1OF18z8-sjniPIoSKv_8zohyphenhyphenmc3zqhjZKBuWXo0lN9Qo0y4sW8vNcjI4jfOkabRaEbLYOetegFfEBwusze5H7-VRvC7mo0XOItZQ74T26BOG93dkjYXLlJX-0ua43X6cg/s400/shooters+registered+democrats.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-62705158508994961592016-07-09T17:26:00.003-07:002020-06-13T08:22:41.722-07:00Hillary And Classified Emails DeletedNo doubt, Hillary lied, knew she lied and the FBI Director Comey confirms her deceit...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dax8KvfPXPI/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dax8KvfPXPI?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qd33ShX7hbIF8hu8N52k4-2cX-S04OiQ3DmQJcg-OZup33Ngx8krYv5H1hWGOhlsOY3tQYznpxEZsGnjLtjK5cAdgLleJ4TgkUPPgduBTgY9ZwygRtx-DJo6oYHS4hu6u5MNFQrqsHI/s1600/nixon-hillary-erased-evidence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qd33ShX7hbIF8hu8N52k4-2cX-S04OiQ3DmQJcg-OZup33Ngx8krYv5H1hWGOhlsOY3tQYznpxEZsGnjLtjK5cAdgLleJ4TgkUPPgduBTgY9ZwygRtx-DJo6oYHS4hu6u5MNFQrqsHI/s320/nixon-hillary-erased-evidence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-87363075846564735632016-07-09T08:05:00.001-07:002016-07-09T08:05:09.416-07:00Showing Respect<a href="https://m.facebook.com/stevenhildrethjr/photos/a.560555720661154.1073741826.267833853266677/1010278339022221/?type=3">https://m.facebook.com/stevenhildrethjr/photos/a.560555720661154.1073741826.267833853266677/1010278339022221/?type=3</a><div><br></div><div><br></div>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-22133250913317511742016-06-25T11:04:00.000-07:002016-06-25T11:04:17.782-07:00Most Get This Wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYte7Mqq137xjIVOFqHntW2tpD0MWA7oduXBtLTk5vTTMuKKPTNGU1HQnnzUSmmkvQdO9zLqOyk0YdsGCFj18DIE92DNqeLAXad4PMlGSDEZPfw8ENHm07NtB7ZZocuKEeu-bgE6Xq2I/s1600/facebook+math+order+of+operations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYte7Mqq137xjIVOFqHntW2tpD0MWA7oduXBtLTk5vTTMuKKPTNGU1HQnnzUSmmkvQdO9zLqOyk0YdsGCFj18DIE92DNqeLAXad4PMlGSDEZPfw8ENHm07NtB7ZZocuKEeu-bgE6Xq2I/s320/facebook+math+order+of+operations.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>What answer do YOU come up with?</b></span></div>
CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-52420304054751092082016-06-24T22:00:00.003-07:002016-06-24T22:00:44.132-07:00Radicalized Christian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What does a radicalized Christian look like?</span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfl8kF_k471Y2KT-8Ex15GYzt7LQ8_NWVrPWniEFEoygWZ7hvu5RUKqwJuMPnfmIHm9VRzH4N0FMH4Oqss1JRmqXVi4W8WxyQtDrB-GWvV5q2p6vJQT9xKnrw_VALleN33Mgz2LEeabDg/s1600/Radicalized+Christian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfl8kF_k471Y2KT-8Ex15GYzt7LQ8_NWVrPWniEFEoygWZ7hvu5RUKqwJuMPnfmIHm9VRzH4N0FMH4Oqss1JRmqXVi4W8WxyQtDrB-GWvV5q2p6vJQT9xKnrw_VALleN33Mgz2LEeabDg/s320/Radicalized+Christian.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-18532273514847209132016-06-24T21:28:00.000-07:002016-06-24T21:28:04.704-07:00EU the New USSRThe European Union is the current Soviet Union? Well, in many ways it is! A quick <a href="https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=EU+compared+to+Soviet+Union" target="_blank">Google search</a> shows this is not a novel suggestion, others have been speculating on this already, From 2002:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. Anyone
who opposes or deviates from the socialist system will be ostracized. For
example, when the Austrian people had the temerity to elect `the wrong sort of
Government' (it was considered too nationalistic and right wing by the EU) the
EU pronounced the new Government unacceptable. With apparent magnanimity, the EU
announced that it would `accept' an Italian President elected by the Italian
people. All sorts of tricks are used to isolate and marginalize those who
opposed the EU. Those questioning the EU are often portrayed as insular and
parochial.<br /><br />2. Like the USSR, the EU is governed by a group of people who
appoint one another, are unaccountable to the public, enjoy generous salaries,
massive perks and huge pensions, are pretty much above the law and cannot be
sacked. The EU, like any committed socialist government, operates without any
real feedback from the people, and certainly without any concern for what the
people think. The state must always come first. The only people who benefit (as
with all socialist and fascist organizations - and the two are, of course,
interchangeable) are those who have put themselves and their friends in charge.
The workers never really benefit from socialism. The profits of the hard
working, the creative and the thrifty are redistributed to the bureaucracy: the
lazy, the unthinking and the wasteful.</span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.vernoncoleman.com/whytheeuisliketheold.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://www.vernoncoleman.com/whytheeuisliketheold.htm</span></span></a></blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRB6O_1FdFpUCZX0OU78O0DgzIQmMOi10ooTyliqugsebpyi5XdigE39ocQw9b8UHoA8qE6zVh4uMRXXiQIlPUlwqKqcyH6Lxc_sWawCZj9T3neGSH2ZziG4DlIVE0Zp9ePMYV_XDzU0/s1600/ussr_eu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRB6O_1FdFpUCZX0OU78O0DgzIQmMOi10ooTyliqugsebpyi5XdigE39ocQw9b8UHoA8qE6zVh4uMRXXiQIlPUlwqKqcyH6Lxc_sWawCZj9T3neGSH2ZziG4DlIVE0Zp9ePMYV_XDzU0/s320/ussr_eu.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-56507887154757246962016-06-24T20:55:00.002-07:002016-06-24T20:55:44.493-07:00Why Did The Stormtrooper Buy an iPhone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYhEYPPb4FSRQ2ykk9vZzG1r5f2eIKmyD1LsrNl06V-pX4C9Kc41QlVhRiT-T6DlZ2uGsJ27TtB7lrmQ8HHoahE30KA8k3ep22VEqipMKVHHHobQweGmOfBVkUOBLN2m30wmoF3cdamk/s1600/stormtrooper+buys+iphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYhEYPPb4FSRQ2ykk9vZzG1r5f2eIKmyD1LsrNl06V-pX4C9Kc41QlVhRiT-T6DlZ2uGsJ27TtB7lrmQ8HHoahE30KA8k3ep22VEqipMKVHHHobQweGmOfBVkUOBLN2m30wmoF3cdamk/s320/stormtrooper+buys+iphone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250538080860379368.post-32067512766244210012016-03-15T06:50:00.000-07:002016-03-15T07:04:32.903-07:00What's Wrong With Ted Cruz?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwCaWOUsYZ5yMVJrLQ1-mDw5e5xKcueDOfzUtsEheZ_E-gbKQkEmziynfW46A_Ge3oBOsgz_JtogOaMMkGFOUA1sakzkKJAK9O7Lxy6F8WEx8EQLUp_JHRj6T4DiemBXcoccRRfDlgu0/s1600/TedCruzCampaign-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwCaWOUsYZ5yMVJrLQ1-mDw5e5xKcueDOfzUtsEheZ_E-gbKQkEmziynfW46A_Ge3oBOsgz_JtogOaMMkGFOUA1sakzkKJAK9O7Lxy6F8WEx8EQLUp_JHRj6T4DiemBXcoccRRfDlgu0/s1600/TedCruzCampaign-300x200.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">On March 23, 2015 <i>The Washington Post </i>presented the following (an article by Ed Rogers) on Ted Cruz. I include the entire article plus my responses.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What is it that a lot of Republicans don’t like about Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.)? First and foremost, to many in the GOP, Cruz embodies the debacles that have damaged the GOP brand in the last few years, from the government shutdown to filibusters to a dogmatic style and harsh tone that seems to focus on narrow, unachievable objectives rather than proper governance.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Actually, these ideals which Cruz has embraced are precisely what has been SUCCESSFUL in the Republican party in the not-too-distant past! When Republicans talk-the-talk of conservatism, they get elected - but when they don't walk-the-walk, as most have NOT done - we end up in the mess we're in now. That "mess" is the fact that Republicans hold the majority of BOTH houses right now, and yet are still "governed" by the bully tactics of the Democrats. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In 2016, more than anything else, Republicans want to win. The purest in the party are louder and more celebrated in the media, but they are outnumbered by those who think a solid conservative who can appeal to the center has an easier time winning than someone like Cruz, who is associated with the angry, self-righteous right wing of the party.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">The FACT is, Ted Cruz IS a "solid conservative" who IS appealing to the center AND to Independents and even some Democrats! THIS is what has "the establishment" scared - HE is, virtually single-handedly, taking BACK the Republican Party in Reagan-esque form. As much as "the establishment" hates Donald Trump (and they do) they hate Cruz more, because they fear they will lose their "power." Um, wake up folks! What "power" have you been yielding or in control of lately? While holding the majority in both the Senate AND the House, Republicans should be pushing through legislation left and right - and then let the Democrats be the ones who "shut down government" as they try to stop the Republican juggernaut! </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It isn’t clear whether Cruz particularly cares about how he is viewed or whether he thinks he needs to soften his image, if not modify some of his positions, in his campaign for president. At times, it seems that Cruz wants to wear his lack of support from the Republican Party “establishment” as a badge of honor. But if he defines the “establishment” as just about anyone who has ever won an election, well, he may need to rethink his approach. One bad sign for Cruz is that he doesn’t appear to have many elected officials supporting his candidacy at this stage. That’s a red light flashing on the dashboard of any campaign. It says something when others who have “run for sheriff” are not willing to associate themselves with your campaign.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Not having many elected officials supporting you IS A PLUS! It is "the establishment" which has gotten us into the mess we're in now - it's going to take someone bold enough and strong enough to stand up against "the establishment" to "fix" things. Of those left in the race now, only Trump and Cruz are bold and strong enough to do that.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If Cruz overplays the role of a courageous, persecuted martyr, the act will grow tiresome quickly. </blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, he hasn't! In fact, the only two candidates who are REALLY playing this "role" happen to be the two front-runners in the race, one year after this article from <i>The Washington Post</i> was written.</span> <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Maybe the problem is Cruz and not the ideological backsliding of others or the wishy-washyness of the seasoned Republicans who have been around longer than him. Maybe Cruz is just too half-cocked for his own good. His vigor and volume and intensity have gotten him here, but right now he only has a narrow foothold in the party, not a firm position with a lot of growth potential.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">The growth potential is there, just not so much in the "establishment" camp. Where the potential is and has been seen is in the grass roots of the Party - AND - among independents.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So as Cruz launches his campaign today, he has to decide whether he wants to be a Pat Buchanan figure, shaking his fist and sticking with a marginal appeal, or if he wants to embrace the Republican Party as a big tent.<br />
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/03/23/the-insiders-whats-wrong-with-ted-cruz/</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">So, nearly a year after this article was posted - Cruz is running a strong number two, to Trump - who is even more radical or "angry" (if you will) in his campaign demeanor. I'd say asking <i>The Washington Post</i>, or at least Ed Rogers, for political advice for Conservative Republicans is like asking the wolf to watch the sheep.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">@EdRogersDC</span> </span>CathApolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11555309542380876999noreply@blogger.com0