tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33898426275944732132024-03-14T00:13:37.446-07:00LakaBuxLakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-52069512682172000612023-10-02T13:02:00.093-07:002023-10-02T13:55:42.859-07:00Open Letter to Cathy McMorris Rogers (R WA) <div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Want to know a couple of reasons why folks are fed up with Congress, Cathy?<br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zAObmZSlWT97g71LIb0TO_jwIhzsO2D0CF4k-ZYv3v3BWVWfldNtR6p-IZwoTobo4XeW-Bjo-I7A3JIohCV6ctTaN7eBkDTrJ5ho4-6jFP0becMAnQ-tQMgo1jvFACjdpbwhf-gu0NB-WaLoc1ehH8BOiYB70eaCflnSDESbrY38tg_w6bVIBzDnyhI/s320/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-getty.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">GETTY IMAGES</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p>
You proclaim that the border crisis is getting worse. You take No responsibility for
proclaiming first that if Dems get back into office, they will "Throw open the
borders!" and now constantly claiming that "Biden has opened the border!" and
that "Democrats welcome illegals!" Worse than that, I hear your colleagues
telling anyone with a microphone stuff like they will be given free education
and healthcare. Not only that but I heard one of you claim that they'll get
"$2500.00" per month from welfare! </p><p>What the heck Cathy? Do you guys think that there are no televisions anywhere south of our borders? </p><p>Knowing the apparent intelligence of a few of your colleagues, like Gaetz, Boebert or Greene,
it's not hard to believe. But surely there are some Republicans in Congress who are clever enough
to realize that if you are saying that the US is currently welcoming anyone who
can make it here, that desperate people suffering from oppression will believe
you! </p><p> If you truly care about the situation on our border, why will you not vote
for any of the bills to try to fix it? Why do you want to reduce funding for
more border officers or the courts to handle the process? </p><p>Why are you only now being concerned about the fentanyl problem, when it's been the major issue with
drug overdoses for all those years that you and your colleagues were clamping
down on hard working healthcare professionals and pharmacies, and telling
grandmothers to be sure that their mess were locked away. That was not the
problem, Cathy! The problem was and still is fentanyl! </p><p>Not just that, but if you really took the time to look, you'd see that we've got a real problem with the stuff coming in from Canada! Chinese ships unload drugs and precursor chemicals
in Canadian ports which are overloaded and uninspected just like our own. They know that thanks to
you guys, our focus is on our southern border, making it relatively easy to
smuggle across the northern border. </p><p>The Republican solution is nothing more than a cause for amusement among the drug trafficking types. Yeah, I mean the freaking Wall! Talk to any of your border enforcement people, Cathy. They have been trying to get it through your heads that most of the smuggling on our southern border is done by American citizens, who drive their vehicles right through with the rest of the tourists and truckers. Whether they are knowingly carrying drugs or are conned into it isn't relevant. Why are you constantly doing all in your power to stop funding for equipment and personnel to try to detect and stop any of this? </p><p>As if all of that wasn't enough, I keep hearing you and your GOP colleagues moaning that since Biden became President, we've been experiencing "Record numbers" of immigrants and "Thousands of pounds of Fentanyl" being stopped by our border agents! </p><p>THIS IS A GOOD THING! </p><p>It should be telling you that even with the limited resources you and your party are allowing them, they are still able to do their jobs! Let me try to make this clear for you. If Customs & Border Patrol Agents are stopping "Thousands of pounds" of drugs at the border, those drugs are not ending up on our streets! Further, even with your party broadcasting to anyone with the ability to hear that the United States of America is now "Welcoming" everybody who is capable of getting here with free stuff and lots of money, the C.B.P. is <i>still</i> capable of stopping record numbers of them.
Think what they could do if your party would stop blocking proposals for fully funding the equipment, personnel and courts that are desperately needed to handle the influx.
Which, by the way, is going to get worse as the effects of climate change are being increasingly felt. </p><p>But that is a subject for a separate rant. </p><p>If anyone in your office has bothered to read this, thank you very much, If not, I feel better for getting it off my chest!</p><p>Your Constituent, etc
</p>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-68183059213936937492023-02-24T17:14:00.000-08:002023-02-24T17:14:07.179-08:00<p><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/AVvXsEgTOMF7H3FTuBrftEinBBh3Q-1BGlCUXjqAR_CqSBS2IE2e1iJGPmjSJyuyAUwOnJf1z3N3tpDMQMwkna6dZMSSXqub0zS0XQNSEloMsd67Qs8XNYkPeFFKnRbom_CoN11fk9_qUcvyJLqN-UfxuZCvDB1h4TBNz1Wb50nFylLNDuyJMQAoIFYLC_j3/s4096/IMG_20191227_183516500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOMF7H3FTuBrftEinBBh3Q-1BGlCUXjqAR_CqSBS2IE2e1iJGPmjSJyuyAUwOnJf1z3N3tpDMQMwkna6dZMSSXqub0zS0XQNSEloMsd67Qs8XNYkPeFFKnRbom_CoN11fk9_qUcvyJLqN-UfxuZCvDB1h4TBNz1Wb50nFylLNDuyJMQAoIFYLC_j3/s320/IMG_20191227_183516500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"CAT FIVE"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p><p></p><p> Five. My sweet fuzzy buddy, Five. Farewell my dear friend!<br /><br />I already miss your warm fur buzzing against my chest as we snooze together ignoring the television in the background. <br /><br />We miss your insistent yowls for attention until we rise and pay attention to your needs in the morning And I miss your ferocious and simultaneous growling and purring as we "bug-tussle" while I try to pull on my socks sitting on the edge of the bed. </p><p> I don't know from where Kathy pulled the term "bug-tussle", but it somehow seemed appropriate, so bug-tussle it has remained.<br /><br />I do not believe that I have ever experienced a kitty who was capable of expressing the two divergent emotions, purring and growling at the same moment. Friends who have witnessed one of our bug-tussles have expressed concern about the seemingly ferocious scene that they were seeing. Not realizing that none of your pointy bits were involved. There would be no bloodshed on my part, and no aggressiveness or resentment on your part upon the end of the encounter. <br /><br />The loud and seemingly angry encounter would end with cuddles, more purrs, and nose to beard snuggling.<br /><br />Beard snuggles. I recall that first time we met. Kathy and I were headed into our club on a cold, rainy November afternoon, when Kathy noticed you huddled by the doorway. I picked you up and stuffed your cold, wet, body into my jacket. You were so tiny, Five. It seemed like there was far more wet fur than kitten in my hands. Once we got settled at a table, and you began to dry out, Diane, our friend and server, brought over a container of half & half and a saucer for you. You were so hungry and happily slurped it up in no time at all. Then you climbed up my chest buried your cold little nose in my beard and, purring in contentment, fell sound asleep.<br /><br />Little heart melter. Even as Kathy and I were talking about taking you to the shelter where Kathy volunteered from time to time, your purrs were buzzing deep into my heart. I only took a very short while before the conversation turned from taking your tiny butt to the pound, to how you would get along with the current queen of the Rancho, our aloof Maine Coon Aesha.<br /><br />Need not have worried. After a dismissive sniff, Her Maj decided that something so small could be safely ignored.</p><p>At the time you agreed to join our little family, I had recently taken over the position of IT Administrator at the car dealer where I worked. Part of the job included bringing order to the servers for the buildings. As a result of which, I found myself buried in a tangled mess of "Category 5" cabling for much of my days. It seemed a no-brainer to name you Cat Five! Which inevitably was shortened to simply, Five.<br /><br />Oh Five, I look forward to that happy day when I will be allowed to cross over the Rainbow Bridge and we will be able to bug-tussle and snuggle forever. <br /><br />And I can once again enjoy your contented little furry nose purring in my beard. <br /><br />Goodbye my friend.<br /></p>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-84442527453753793182022-06-06T13:50:00.001-07:002022-06-06T14:50:49.970-07:00The Journey To Here<p><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: red;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dxozMDWZIb4UrAVS5Nk9lUOnLewrAscsyTBi3_zrSseCPseXimDh2-VfmJbcZebqOe3qLfc4jxDSW7b2SQEZwzL84BQHBA9J2jYBXdhl3TSznwSYu2w8po8Rzf0fSk-UdukING3dt9pndQ7vpMW3_u-5ugzqjaapz4NeqL7lLCKqNa2ZvSEAnHH1/s345/EarliestPTable.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="329" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dxozMDWZIb4UrAVS5Nk9lUOnLewrAscsyTBi3_zrSseCPseXimDh2-VfmJbcZebqOe3qLfc4jxDSW7b2SQEZwzL84BQHBA9J2jYBXdhl3TSznwSYu2w8po8Rzf0fSk-UdukING3dt9pndQ7vpMW3_u-5ugzqjaapz4NeqL7lLCKqNa2ZvSEAnHH1/w134-h141/EarliestPTable.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>Recently, as I </b></span>was staring in open-mouthed awe at the latest
batch of <a href="https://youtu.be/ndDgPA8uTjM" target="_blank">photos from NASA</a>, I found myself ruminating on the dense star clusters
and nebulae and thinking about the vast stretches of time that they
represented. The earliest stars were accretions of gas, <a href="https://www.ipna.csic.es/en/blog/origins-first-chemical-elements">nearly
100% hydrogen</a> if I understand the process. (No guarantees here) It is only
after a sufficient mass is achieved that fusion kicks off in the star's core.
It's only then that other elements begin to form. Before then, there were no
metals, no rocks, only the simplest of elements. The periodic table was really
simple in the opening days of the universe, there was only one, at most
possibly three elements; hydrogen, a little helium and maybe a tiny bit of
lithium. The rest of the elements were yet to be created by fusion in the
hearts of those early suns.
</p><p class="MsoNormal">Now consider our Solar System, and whatever other star
systems that we've been able to acquire any information about, which began life
as accumulations of rock and dust. Which leads us to the conclusion that the
earliest stars had to live out their lives, explode as novae, and spew their
newly formed elements across the universe before stars like our Sun and its
surrounding planets even had the most basic building materials for accretion! We
think of or little chunk of the universe as being unimaginably ancient, but
there had to be at least a generation of stars, more likely several generations
that had to exist and die before our current universe as we know it could even
begin!</p><p class="MsoNormal">I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I
have existed for nearly 71 trips around our star, trying to gain a grasp on the chasms of
time that had to pass before our unremarkable little sun got me to this place
in time leaves me stunned! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Its times like this that I almost wish that I could convince
myself that a deity was possible. It would be so much easier if I could just
not think about it and claim that "Goddidit!" </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It makes one understand the sheer seductiveness of religion.</p>
LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-3227453416565249442022-06-05T15:58:00.001-07:002022-06-05T15:58:31.697-07:00Constitutional Militia<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: red;"><b> Of all the times</b></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--> I have looked over our Constitution, I swear
that the following passage just went past my eyeballs without sinking in at all.
It seems that I am not alone either because if more than a few of our fellow citizens, especially anyone considering politics had actually read this passage, we might have avoided a few decades of confusion:<br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“To provide for
calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress
Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and
disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be
employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively,
the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia
according to the discipline prescribed by Congress” ~ </i></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Constitution of the United States,</span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b><span>Article I, Section 8, Clause 15</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I've always been a little confused by the wording of the
Second Amendment. In fact, I’ve written about<span style="color: red;"> <a href="https://lakabux.blogspot.com/2019/08/now-about-that-second-amendment.html">this
before</a></span>. It seems that the writers would have wanted to be a bit clearer
about such an important issue. Especially as they were emerging from a colonial
legal system wherein weapons and the people who were authorized to carry them
had been strictly regulated. It always bothered me that the founders would have
been so quick to make firearms available, if not outright encouraged to anyone
who wanted them. After careful study of this passage, it now is quite clear:
The framers of the Constitution had a very clear idea of exactly what described
a Militia! It was never intended to be a bunch of self-appointed weekend
warriors. In fact, in colonial times, every able-bodied male was considered to
be a member of his local militia. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was certainly never imagined that a “well regulated”
militia would be convened with the express purpose of defending the people from
tyrannical overreach by the United States’ government. Especially as there are
other parts of the Constitution that were expressly written for the purpose of
defending against such an event. There are Amendments to deal with the legal
removal of any office holder, including the President, for reasons ranging from
abuse of power to incompetence. The fact that the system seems to be broken has
little to do with any of that. Our problem is that we have allowed our legislators
to be bought and paid for by the plutocracy, but that’s a topic for another
time.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The reason that militias were thought to be necessary was
that in those times, it was thought that the country had little need for a
standing army to defend the country from foreign invasion! It was thought that
if need arose, Congress could simply call up the various militias. Looking back
at our history, this seems to have been the standard up until the First World
War. If we look back at various conflicts, especially the Civil War, the <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/militia-civil-war.htm">initial
call-up of troops</a> </span>were from the local militias. This turned out to be a
fiasco leading to the formation of an actual Army. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve discussed in the past that the founders could not have
guessed the development of modern weapons. In the late 18<sup>th</sup> century,
a high-tech weapon was a musket that had a rifled barrel! It simply beggars
belief that even such forward thinkers as Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson
thought that they were drafting a document that would allow un-“infringed”
keeping and bearing of something like an AR-15. If anything, it seems to this
grantedly biased observer, that they would have perhaps envisioned something
like modern-day <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Armed_Forces">Switzerland</a>.</span>
The Swiss are required to attend regular training and exercises, and must keep
and be practiced with a government issued weapon so as to be ready to be called
up if needed for the defense of their country. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bottom line? If you really feel the need to play with
assault rifles or crash around the landscape in camos and body armor, join the
fucking military! If you and your buddies are practicing for an armed
rebellion, there’s a word for that, too and it isn’t Militia. The word you are
looking for is TREASON!</p>
LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-67763871605367341952021-10-19T15:33:00.003-07:002021-10-19T15:33:44.011-07:00Well Played Republicans!<p> For the last two years, Republicans have been bloviating at anyone with a microphone that if Joe Biden was elected President, he
would immediately open the borders to immigrants. Of course right-wing broadcasters had been gleefully repeating these lies as if they were gospel. </p><p>Did they think that
desperate people huddling in countries south of the United States had no
access to radio or television? Maybe they were unaware that there were
refugees who could understand the English language.<br /><br />No, the
Republican leadership was perfectly aware of what they were doing. Their
plan worked out very well too! No sooner was President Biden sworn in
were the borders overwhelmed with refugees who had been impatiently waiting
in Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and other countries. <a href="https://haitiantimes.com/2021/10/19/haitian-refugees-at-the-u-s-mexico-border-versus-those-fleeing-by-sea/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Some had been waiting</a> for years in places as far away as Brazil and Chile. They had listened.
They were absolutely positive that they would be welcomed into the USA
by the new Democratic government of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. After
all, they had been assured that they would not only be welcomed, but be
assured that they will be given money, health care, and schooling for
their kids! The Republicans had been broadcasting exactly that for years.<br /><br />Why on earth would they think that the Republican politicians would have lied to them?</p><p>While I am a firm believer in the First Amendment, there needs to be
consequences for any so-called "news" outlet for knowingly repeating
what are obvious and easily debunked falsehoods. We cannot be misled
about the contents of a can of beans, or the horsepower of a new car,
why can Fox News make claims about the intentions of a political party
that are totally divorced from reality? As an aside, <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/fox-news-lie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's a small article from 2019</a> listing some of the blatant lies from that time.</p><p>For that matter, why are
politicians allowed to blatantly lie with complete impunity? I realize
that lying seems to be a time-honored and expected province of political
types, but why is it allowed to continue? We eventually passed laws
that put the sellers of snake oil remedies out of business, why can we
not do likewise with those who would put our very country at risk by
distancing themselves from the truth? <br /></p>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-89208409348108179332020-05-13T15:42:00.004-07:002022-06-06T13:52:43.133-07:00More questions than answers?<h1>
</h1>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<b>Anarchy? Libertarianism?</b> Are they the same? Or two sides of the same coin.<br />
<br />
I've been bothered by both philosophies for a very long time. Both seem to operate on the assumption that people could live and be happier in a society where there is nobody that can tell them what they can and cannot do.<br />
<br />
Recently, I asked a friend (Hi friend of BunnyCat) for help in trying to understand how people could be so committed to either set of ideas. Granted, they can make for a stimulating conversation, and can certainly be interesting to think about, but I have a real problem with anyone who seriously believes this type of philosophy could truly be the basis for a functioning society. She was kind enough to point me at a couple of YouTube videos of Noam Chomsky expounding on what he believed Anarchy was about. Unfortunately, I seem to be stuck right off the bat after seeing Brother
Chomsky’s “<a href="https://youtu.be/7_Bv2MKY7uI" target="_blank">clarification</a>” of what it means to be an Anarchist. I can’t seem to
be able to get past the part where he states that in a truly Anarchist society,
anyone who assumes a leadership role must be able to prove that they have the
authority to do so. He cites the example of stopping his granddaughter from
running into the street, and said that he would obviously have the authority in
this situation as he was the grandfather of the young child. </div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
My first criticism
of that would be it’s not going to be "obvious" to any stranger observing the
act. Plus the act itself might possibly be subject to misinterpretation. </div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
Be that as it may, Chomsky goes on to posit several more
examples wherein any authority figure or person assuming some manner of
authority must be able to demonstrate his right and/or ability to do so. How is
this in any substantial way different from the current systems of population
and market controls around the world? Chomsky does lean rather hard on women
for examples of people who should be more questioning of masculine assumptions
of authority. This is certainly true in some cases, but what of the rest of
society? Let’s not forget that there are examples of matriarchal societies and
countries with females in positions of leadership all over the world. </div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
In the USA, we make a great show of the supposed
democratic elections of our leaders. By definition, those representatives are
given their authority by the supposed majority of the voters. The fact that
some of us disagree with the results of any election in no way invalidates the
authority given to the winner.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
Even in a totalitarian state like China, the leadership
is granted authority to lead by the acquiescence of the majority of the people.
As that same country has proven over the millennia, when the leader loses the
“Mandate of Heaven” he is quickly removed from power, either by popular
uprising or by invasion of a stronger ruler. Even truer today as we see Xi Jinping seize power from his predecessor Hu Jintao in an onging coup, all the while knowing that he's a Cultural Revolution away from ending up in front of a firing squad as many of his compatriots have done. </div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
I guess the bottom line for me anyway, is that these kind
of political exercises are intriguing to ponder, and likely could be workable
in a small population of like-minded people, but quickly fall apart as soon as
one person, or a group of people who don’t want to play by the rules enters the
equation. </div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
Like Libertarianism, Anarchy requires
everyone in the group to agree on its basic premises, whatever they might be.
In a large group, even a moderate-sized village, let alone a large modern city,
the whole concept would seem to fall apart relatively fast. The whole idea of
businesses “Self-regulating” because they would be forced to be so by their customers
has been proven over and over to be wishful thinking. Businesses have shown
repeatedly that they cannot be trusted to do the right thing. When they are
poorly regulated, they pollute the environment, produce shabby and unsafe
products, lie to their customers and shareholders, and more. For every ten
businesses that are sincerely trying their best to be good citizens, it seems
we will discover at least one who is acting the part of a weasel in the
henhouse, using other’s responsibility as cover for their misdeeds. Plus in
today’s corporate accounting, it is a matter of faith that in order to maximize
profits, they will actively seek ways to at least take advantage of tax
loopholes if not deliberately misrepresent their profits and expenditures to
illegally avoid paying their fair share. Not even talking about tax dodges like the Bahamas and lots of others that will allow foreign actors to hide their money from the IRS.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
And yet for all this, we hear politicians and others
bloviating about the “Invisible Hand of the Market” and the need to remove
those “Job-Killing Regulations” that are holding back the economy.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
But as usual, I seem to have digressed.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
When I see the self-proclaimed “Anarchists” dressed in
black and rioting on the streets of Seattle, what should I be reading into
their protests?</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anarchist" target="_blank">Dictionary.com</a> describes Anarchist as:</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
1] A person who advocates or believes in anarchy or anarchism.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
2] A person who seeks to overturn by violence all
constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose
of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
3] A person who promotes disorder or excites revolt
against any established rule, law, or custom.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<span style="line-height: 130%; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Also, I found a piece by a Paul McLaughlin</span> titled “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180804180522/https://we.riseup.net/assets/394498/paul-mclaughlin-anarchism-and-authority-a-philosophical-introduction-to-classical-anarchism-1.pdf" target="_blank">Anarchism and Authority</a>” which I confess that I did not read, only skimmed, but I was able
to summarize in part that it depends on the belief that human nature
allows humans to exist in or progress toward such a non-coercive society. (Pp 25-26)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
It looks as if Anarchism goes quite a way further than Chomsky’s
rather unsatisfying examples. He seems to be of the opinion that authority is
okay, as long as it’s “legitimate” somehow. But the definitions of classical
anarchy seem to put forward as a basic principle that all authority is illegitimate,
therefore anything purporting to exercise control over a population is
forbidden!<br />
<br />
Libertarians are just as confusing. It began as a far-left Socialist organization, and truly they have more in common with them. Libertarians are opposed to war, they believe in universal healthcare & education, but have aligned themselves more with far-right groups in recent decades. Isn't that odd? But they do still adhere to the belief that peple and businesses can be trusted to behave and be responsible citizens.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
Again, I’m struck by the supposition that humans are
basically all good and will not need any sort of coercion to do what is right.</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
Am I missing something?</div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBlockText">
<br /></div>
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/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
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mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
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mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
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mso-themecolor:text2;
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<![endif]-->LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-40869122192909410282020-03-26T18:09:00.000-07:002020-03-26T18:54:28.497-07:00Perfect Storm Part 2First off: No, I have no answers to propose for this crisis. Anyone who is claiming to know how to fix the situation we are in is either crazy or lying. Maybe 20 or 30 years ago..? But now?<br />
<br />
I do know that Trump's presidency has vastly exacerbated the problems. We need to acknowledge though that Trump is merely a symptom of a much, much larger sickness in our country. The systematic reversal from a Representative Democracy which had worked reasonably well to an overt Oligarchy and what has been pretty accurately described as "End-Stage Capitalism". The largest corporations have unimaginable power and are mostly out of control. When a company's only concern is profit for their shareholders, anything goes.<br />
<br />
Boeing's latest problems are directly traceable to an overworked and underfunded FAA who had largely turned over its responsibilities to the company. Trusting that Boeing had enough of a concern for the safety of their customers to "self-inspect" their products. The underfunded Customs and Border Protection service actually <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/on-the-waterfront-25-07-2003/" target="_blank">inspects less than 2% </a>of cargo coming into the country. But our biggest concern is preventing smuggling is building some ridiculous wall on the Southern border. So we see an incredible epidemic of opioids like <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/deadly-fentanyl-bought-online-from-china-being-shipped-through-the-mail-60-minutes-2019-04-28/" target="_blank">Fentanyl from China</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jan/09/how-the-heroin-trade-explains-the-us-uk-failure-in-afghanistan" target="_blank">Heroin from Afghanistan</a> and other places flooding our Emergency Rooms with overdoses. Which our government and it's enablers in the media dutifully proclaim is the fault of unscrupulous physicians and families with unsecured medicine cabinets at home.<br />
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And if Drug Lords in Mexico wish to pump their own varieties of drugs across the border, they are simply running it up the coast aboard submarines or in those same containers which only get checked less than 2% of the time. The business is profitable enough that several tunnels have been found running up to over a hundred feet underground, and any wall, complete with tracks, ventilation and electric lighting. If and when any boat, tunnel or shipping container gets detected, it's a barely noticeable cost of doing business.<br />
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In 2016, I predicted that if Hillary won the country would continue its slow but quickening slide into the abyss. Slow poison. But if Trump won, it would be a relatively quick hand grenade into the heart of our government. Our nation was a big, strong and resilient beast however, and would take a long time to kill. Even with pyrotechnics. A Bernie Sanders might make the fall a little less violent. Perhaps even managing to slow our descent by a little. But nature always tends toward balance. When a population of rabbits gets too large, foxes, raptors and disease will prosper until balance is restored. Even disease can only spread to the point where it no longer has healthy hosts, or the hosts develop a resistance. In the world today, Homo "Sapiens" is the disease. We had already entered the perfect storm.<br />
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Economies have been thrown radically out of balance. All over the world, but mostly in the U.S. the nation's wealth has shifted to the top percentages of the population. In the U.S. there are <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/three-people-own-half-us-while-one-five-has-nothing-716802" target="_blank">three individuals</a> who own more than half the wealth while one in five are destitute. This is not sustainable!<br />
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Here at home we, or at least most of us, know how difficult it is to get
by on current salaries and job availability. For most, there's no
safety net. No means of getting by if there's no money for food or
housing. Even if one is lucky enough to have good insurance, bankruptcy
is moments away if we, or our children experience a devastating medical
issue. Whether it is from disease or accidental injury, co-pays and
spending limits cause enormous debt to be accumulated quickly and
without warning.<br />
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Traditional markers of economic well-being are no longer reliable. The stock markets which seemed to have been at all time highs have been so artificially inflated and tinkered with as to be complete fictions. Unemployment numbers are completely unreliable. I've seen reports that the true figures would be more like<a href="https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2018/03/08/make-believe-america-why-the-us-unemployment-rate-doesnt-indicate-economic-recovery/" target="_blank"> double the reported figure </a> or U-3 if the governments own U-6 is to be trusted or even as <a href="http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/unemployment-charts" target="_blank">high as 23%</a> if we include people who have given up on looking for a job for over a year. The U-6 only counts discouraged for the "Short Term" for some reason, and does not count at all people who are forced to work part-time, low-paying jobs because nothing else is available.<br />
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We have shifted the world's very climate. That means that regions which in the past were prime agricultural areas are becoming too hot, too dry, or too wet for crops historically grown there. This means people are leaving farms for cities. Cities are being overwhelmed. Depending on the local governments, these migrants are likely to be treated very poorly as long-term residents feel threatened. People from war-torn and climate-ravaged areas are seeking refuge and survival in areas seen to be less devastated. We know how well those people are welcomed in the U.S.A. The same thing is happening all around the world.<br />
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Now enters COVID-19. Old Ma Nature will restore balance. And there's nowhere for us to escape.<br />
<br />LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-53958265012778294602020-02-25T16:20:00.002-08:002020-02-28T17:48:56.992-08:00Perfect Storm?Is this the one? Dow Jones down nearly two thousand in just two days! The Fed's only recently got done with its 3rd round of "Quantitative Easing" that was supposed to be a one time bailout in 2008. I have seen estimates of more than 3 trillion bucks that the Fed has inserted into the markets between the "Q.E.s" &and their sweetheart "Repo" or stock repurchase programs. (Update 2/28 now down over three thousand and still dropping like a rock)<br />
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Republicans are fully aware that if they let the market collapse before the elections, they will be screwed.<br />
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I'm wondering what kind of rabbit they are going to try to pull out of the hat! They really can't print much more money or the dollar will completely crash, although if you remove the "corrections" from the inflation index, you'll find that it's already pretty damaged. Same for unemployment, but that was the subject of an essay I wrote back on August 30th.<br />
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They already have killed future stimulus from infrastructure spending by their insane tax cuts for billionaires, and even trying to cut taxes any further would mean that they would have to cut everything including the military. We know that is unthinkable.<br />
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War is always a reliable stimulus for the economy, but it is beginning to look like even Republican voters will be opposed to that.<br />
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We've got a perfect storm building for the economy. Not just the US, but around the world as well. Hurricanes, floods, droughts, fires, etc. Then here at home in the good ol' USA water shortages, record storms and fires, combined with the insurance companies starting to balk at covering homes and businesses in danger zones. Not to mention expecting the taxpayers to step in and pay for rebuilding places where they won't. the problems at Boeing and the Dear Leader's trade fights. Do I need to continue? <br />
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After these twelve years of financial finagling to artificially keeping up an artificial economy, the bottom is gonna be a long way down. And I fear that it will be a helluva crash and a long, bumpy road to recovery. <br />
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Buckle up, buttercups! LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-59868073861973122702019-12-08T17:00:00.000-08:002019-12-08T17:00:19.958-08:00Amazon, We Have A Problem!There was a time not long ago that one could trust Amazon. For all its faults, at least you knew that if there was a problem with anything one purchased from the mega online retailer, it could be returned fairly hassle-free for a full refund or exchange. <br />
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Warranty terms were clear and unambiguous, and at least in my experience, with return shipping paid by Amazon or the seller.<br />
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Now it is full-on Caveat Emptor, Buyer Beware!<br />
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Amazon has decided that it would allow sellers to list stuff with questionable return policies, and fraudulent claims as to the products themselves. Plus it appears that they are turning a deaf ear toward any complaints regarding these items.<br />
<br />
I was recently searching for a portable oxygen concentrator. I had researched machines like the <a href="https://try.inogen.com/sem-google-1-2/?num=800-985-1481&campaign=SNABUSLVAHPN&msclkid=ef0da19fb4f815f44511fc72257e4198&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SNABUSLVAHPN_-NB%20-%20AH%20-%20Low%20-%20Partner&utm_term=oxygen%20portable&utm_content=Machine%3A%20Oxygen%20-%20Portable%20-%20Broad&gclid=CMm655ukp-YCFeGnxQId-acDfQ&gclsrc=ds" target="_blank">Inogen</a> which was recommended by a doctor. These machines range in cost anywhere from around US $1400.00 to over $4000.00! So I was startled to discover a range of concentrators priced anywhere from about $300.00 to $450.00. Fortunately, these too-good-to-be-true prices set off my Spidey Sense big time!<br />
<br />
The first thing glaringly apparent was that there were only about four different designs, but many were being marketed as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=portable+oxygen+concentrator&i=garden&crid=1OMS7Q4NODFP8&sprefix=Portable+Oxygen+Concentrat%2Cgarden%2C260&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_26" target="_blank">differently named products</a>. Another thing you'll notice is that none have very many reviews, and what reviews there are seem to be 4 + 5 star and are likely posted by the sellers, but around a quarter of them are overwhelmingly bad! From machines that don't work to reviews that actually checked out the machine and found out that they are nothing more than <a href="https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B081ZX9TFV/ref=acr_dp_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar" target="_blank">cheap air filtering machines</a>. Some with a humidifier built in. There seems to be NO warranty. When one clicks the link regarding warranty, a page appears telling you to check the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=dp_warranty_request_3P?ie=UTF8&docId=1002406021" target="_blank">manufacturer's website</a>, but there is no link to same anywhere. Lastly, if shipping times are mentioned, it is pretty obvious from the long delays that the products are shipped from far away, likely China. I can't say for sure because there is no way in hell that I would order one!<br />
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I was stung mildly by an offer on Face Book for a pair of so-called progressive multi-focus computer glasses usually not found for less than around US $100.00. So I sprung for the $25 offer. What I got after a month-long shipping delay was a pair of 2.5X cheater reading glasses of the type one can purchase at a Dollar Store. The seller offered to refund my money subject to some pretty severe restrictions like they must be received by them in an unused condition and in the original packaging. Plus they had to be shipped by either UPS or DHL with tracking and at my expense. No reimbursement for the forty plus dollar shipping fee was offered. Obviously, I still have the cheapo glasses.<br />
<br />
There's no recourse for you if you get stung by these creeps either. I even reported my problem to Visa, thinking they would reverse the charge to no avail. Visa's position was the as the seller had offered a refund, they were done. No matter that returning the glasses would have cost more than I paid for the damn things, even if I thought there was a hope that the seller would accept the glasses when they got them as the "original" package was damaged when I got the glasses and I had to rip it open.<br />
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Amazon, this is a terrible move by you. We all know your failings, but if you cannot be trusted as an online retailer that would stand behind its products and sellers, your buyers will soon lose confidence in everything you sell!LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-70305339384824810262019-11-03T15:44:00.003-08:002020-02-25T16:22:59.731-08:00Greatest Economy?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzWQhA7QgMKIHBGilMY1GMXF-riDrn30TIq-O8cVbhJGjF28QlQfFfDpiU5y3f3Utln-waCGmnuu2MnoecXS-9RARrGfzzFPnSwS5sEQzn8M-CJefJRLSXdtIxtcjpcj6RYG3qU2Zva4/s1600/cali.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="616" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzWQhA7QgMKIHBGilMY1GMXF-riDrn30TIq-O8cVbhJGjF28QlQfFfDpiU5y3f3Utln-waCGmnuu2MnoecXS-9RARrGfzzFPnSwS5sEQzn8M-CJefJRLSXdtIxtcjpcj6RYG3qU2Zva4/s320/cali.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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When you look around at all the homeless, and are told unemployment is at an all time low, do you scratch your head and wonder how those two "facts" are compatible? When you see all the stores closing or hear about all the layoffs at financial firms, and read that the economy is "the greatest ever" do you even give the seemingly opposites another thought?<br />
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You should. Both statistics are Jerry-rigged beyond belief, but I'm just going to be talking about the supposedly booming economy. Because it's not. Far from it, in fact.<br />
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Remember way back in 2008-09 when we were introduced to something called "Qualitative Easing" or Q.E? For those of us not familiar with finance-speak, it simply meant the Treasury printed a whole bunch of money and shoveled it at the major players, such as the "Too Big To Fail" banks. It was a temporary, one-time measure to save the economy of the United States from crashing into a full depression. And it worked, for a bit. Remember the "temporary" part though, we'll be coming back to that.<br />
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That massive infusion of cash help bring back the market from the precipice, but we didn't use the near disaster as a teaching moment. Despite the best efforts of a few in congress and elsewhere, no measures were taken to prevent banks from gambling with your money. The reality ended up being that the major players on Wall Street being even freer to take risky investment opportunities. To the point that the banks are even more over-leveraged than in 2008! "Over-leveraged" simply means that they have nowhere near the liquidity, or cash in the vaults, to cover the bets they have made. Make no mistake, the stock market is every bit as much of a gambling operation as a horse race betting kiosk!<br />
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As Obama's 8 year run was coming to a close, the economy was for all outwards appearances, doing pretty well. Jobs were being added, and the Stock Markets were still climbing. But there were signs of cracks. Wages had still been stagnant, even declining. Investors and hedge funds were getting further into risky areas with nobody to rein them in.<br />
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Then comes The Donald into the Oval Office with a Republican Congress salivating to start weilding legislative machetes at any and all "Business Killing" regulations. Particularly any that might have been enacted by the Obama administration.<br />
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That, all by itself was enough to stimulate our economy as businesses, particularly the finacial industry, saw it as a green light to splash around lots of cash. But Republicans, seeing they had a tool in the executive office who would likely sign anything they put on his desk, passed the biggest gift to the wealthy and the multi-national corporations ever handed to them: the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That massive infusion of free money spurred stock buybacks, driving up the stock markets and giving the appearance of a roaring economy.<br />
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But that bucket is dry now. There's nowhere left to go, and the overall economy should be slowing like the brakes are locked up. What's going on? We've seen daily dips in the Dow and NASDAQ that in "normal" times past would have scared hell out of everyone, notably the investment crowd.<br />
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Remember Quantitative Easing? The "one time" injection of cash into Wall Street and the "too big to fail" banks? So far we're into Round Three of Q.E.! Plus the Federal Reserve bank has been busily repurchasing bonds and stocks to halt downward spirals from continuing.<br />
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This is the greatest economy in the history of our country? If so, why is it in need of these sorts of finagling?<br />
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How about that supposed 3.5% unemployment? Doesn't that figure clash with the exploding problem with homelessness? Simple; the fed monkeys with that statistic as well! It's easy to do when the percentage only relates to individuals actively looking for work. It does not include the thousands who have simply given up on looking for a job. Nor does it figure in those that are underemployed; that is, working a full-time job. According to the Department Of Labor, Full-time means <a href="https://www.irs.gov/affordable-care-act/employers/identifying-full-time-employees" target="_blank">averaging 30 hours a week or more</a>. Sorry, but I don't consider someone who can't even afford to keep a roof over their heads to have a full-time job.<br />
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Let's not even get into the definition of a living wage. Anyone working for a paycheck should earn enough to have a decent space to live, put food on the table, support their children, and be able to take a little time off for a vacation every year.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://www.searchquotes.com/quotation/No_business_which_depends_for_existence_on_paying_less_than_living_wages_to_its_workers_has_any_righ/12002/" target="_blank">Franklin Delano Roosvelt:</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">No business which depends for existence on
paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue
in this country.</span></span><br />
<br />LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-76418154437477809012019-08-30T13:48:00.000-07:002019-11-03T15:49:10.141-08:00Historically Low Unemployment?I keep hearing that the homeless issue is purely a drug problem.<br />
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There's not a single easy answer. But what we all need to keep in our minds is that homelessness, yes and drugs, are symptoms. We have a far larger set of problems that are the cause.<br />
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Our government boasts about historically low unemployment, but at the same time homeless camps and people reduced to sleeping on the streets or in their cars. That just doesn't jibe with low unemployment. The government calculates unemployment by definition, not by realithy. The definition refers to "People looking for work." Obviously this doesn't apply to the majority living on the street. It's pretty hard to look for work when you don't have an address, let alone a phone number. Or a place to take a shower. The official unemployment rate is nothing but smoke & mirrors.<br />
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There are many things that could end with a person, or family finding themselves without a home. When people feel like they've played by the rules, but due to health issues, or rising housing costs, or job loss, or just stagnant wages, they lose their place to live. When one is forced to live like this, and see no way back, they lose hope. When people have no hope, they turn to drugs or alcohol to get them through their miserable days. If I had to sleep on the street, I believe I'd try to medicate myself into painless stupor as well!<br />
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Far from trying to deal with the real issues, it seems to be easier to just lock them away. But that can't work as our jails are full to bursting already. If the cops issue a ticket for vagrancy or whatever the offense will be called, the offender will not be able to pay whatever fines, so warrants are issued. But that brings us back to the part where there's no place to warehouse them.<br />
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Without addressing the problems at the top, there will be more on the way.<br />
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Outsourcing & automation, not so much illegals, are taking people's jobs. As time goes on, more and more jobs will go this route. Even jobs that once seemed secure are no longer immune. Watched a presentation not long ago where a combination of robotry & 5G data would allow a surgeon to operate on a patient on the other side of the world. Autonomous vehicles will put truckers & other drivers out of work soon. Toss the mentally ill into the mix and explode the nightmare! Since Saint Ronnie shut down care for mental patients in the 80s we've decided that the police are the way to handle them. Back we go to the overcrowded jails.<br />
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So-called 'Conservatives' say we need to do something about mental illness rather than do anything about guns. They don't see the need for the infrastructure to care for other illnesses, but we're going to take care of people with a mental illness somehow. Like that isn't going to create a host of other issues, not least of which the inevitable legal challenges when someone feels they have been declared incompetent or the nightmare when someone is declared 'sane' and shoots up a kindergarten with his legal firearm!<br />
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Okay, rant over. Mine's the nice white jacket with the sleeves that buckle in the back. I'll just leave the soapbox over here in case someone else needs to use it. Perhaps for firewood.LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-75679585338939954912019-08-27T15:14:00.002-07:002019-11-03T15:49:50.347-08:00Now About that Second Amendment<b><span style="font-size: large;">Not many</span></b> but the most fringe elements want to outlaw all guns. Most however, think we need some kind of common sense regulation of the acquisition and ownership of firearms.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">When the 2nd Amendment was written, the latest technology in firearms was rifling the barrels! Modern, high-velocity ammo, high-capacity magazines, and auto-loading were not even a fantasy! Guns were for the most part single shot flintlock muzzle loaders. High tech might be a rifled barrel!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's break down the Second Amendment: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></i></span> <span style="color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.</span></i></span><br />
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<div style="color: #222222; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first part of the Amendment only makes sense in the context of the time it was written as well. The founders wrote that the nation neither needed nor could afford a standing army. Therefore a militia was required if a threat to the nation was to be dealt with. Like in Switzerland to this day, after an initial service, everybody is required to be ready to be called up in a moments notice if there is a threat. We no longer require this. We now have a standing military, and the state and national guards. The largest by far in the world today. Yes, I am aware that the Supreme Court somehow found in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_v._Heller" target="_blank">Heller</a> that the Second Amendment protects an individual's Right to keep and bear arms, unconnected with service in a militia. I can't for the life of me understand how those supposedly brilliant writers of this Amendment could have intentionally penned something so ambiguous! Actually, I contend that they did no such thing. I believe they wrote precisely what they meant. They knew that linking gun ownership and militias was critical.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">As </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080;" title="Alexander Hamilton">Alexander Hamilton</a><span style="color: #222222;"> opined in his </span><span style="color: #0b0080;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://thefederalistpapers.org/federalist-papers/federalist-paper-29-concerning-the-militia" target="_blank">Concerning the Militia</a></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"> essay published in 1788: "... it will be possible to have an excellent body of well-trained militia, ready to take the field whenever the defense of the State shall require it. This will not only lessen the call for military establishments, but if circumstances should at any time oblige the Government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the People, while there is a large body of citizens, little, if at all, inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their own rights, and those of their fellow-citizens. This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.</span><span style="color: #222222; white-space: nowrap;">"</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">18th century laws governing a 21st century nation. It makes no sense! Our constitution was written to govern a nation of mostly farmers, miners & loggers, not forgetting slaves and Native Americans, with a population under four million. It was so inadequate that it needed to be amended twenty-seven times, most recently on May 5, 1992! We now expect this document to guide the governance of over three hundred million individuals, mostly urban dwellers, in an age where near-instant global communication is the norm and tensions are exacerbated by weapons capable of destroying the world if the contamination caused by overpopulation and exploitation of resources don't destroy it first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">We need to rewrite the Constitution of the United States just as a start. It does not reflect the realities of the twenty first century.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">As the right loves to point out for some reason, America was founded as a Republic, not a pure democracy, like Athens was. It's claimed that pure democracies tend to devolve to mob rule, and are easily manipulated by demagogues so they tend to devolve into dictatorships. Okay fine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">But a nation where everyone owns guns is effectively a mob. By decoupling the militia from legitimate authority, the NRA and GOP have been either accidentally or deliberately setting the stage for a dictatorship for decades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Which brings us to the other thing about the </span>second<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Amendment. I keep hearing, usually from woefully uninformed Second Amendment supporters, that Hitler was able to take power by banning guns. The exact opposite is true! Hitler deregulated guns for 99% of the German population. He reduced the age at which it was legal to purchase a gun from 20 to 18, he removed all restrictions on purchasing rifles, and he expanded the number of classes that didn't have to get a license to purchase a handgun. German <i>militias</i> (known as freikorps, literally "free corps") put Hitler in power. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Which gets us back to the first part of the Second Amendment again: "<i>well regulated militia</i>". That doesn't seem to mean a bunch of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087985/" target="_blank">Wolverine</a> wannabes camping out and playing soldier in the woods somewhere. Again, the writers wrote precisely what they meant. Well regulated meant by the government. As <a href="https://thefederalistpapers.org/federalist-papers/federalist-paper-29-concerning-the-militia" target="_blank">Hamilton explained further</a> in Federalist #29 quoted above: "This desirable uniformity can only be accomplished by confiding the regulation of the militia to the direction of the national authority."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty unambiguous if you ask me. </span><br />
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</span> LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-63400207713463793752019-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:002019-11-03T15:50:37.742-08:00How badly we are misled!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyKLdseR7tcq66tHkFTrIWszwCRIQ5BLAi_oL1UGXAD1IVjIBFNz-LcPUtpjrZfZTz7vbKS0HvzXG51vGNkz1XCBBO8mLmRdhB-lhpeWQMDAqoh-pibJts33Ujp52dCSUZVziBTg87kY/s1600/PercievedCause.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="768" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyKLdseR7tcq66tHkFTrIWszwCRIQ5BLAi_oL1UGXAD1IVjIBFNz-LcPUtpjrZfZTz7vbKS0HvzXG51vGNkz1XCBBO8mLmRdhB-lhpeWQMDAqoh-pibJts33Ujp52dCSUZVziBTg87kY/s320/PercievedCause.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Recently found this chart which shows how badly we are focused on certain things to the detriment of things we really should be concerned about. The effect is significantly worse if one only follows one news source. LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-64207285781014999182019-06-15T12:46:00.002-07:002019-11-03T15:51:20.881-08:00Life at ConceptionIf life begins at conception, are doctors creating a human soul when they perform in vitro fertilization? If so, then are fertilized eggs that are discarded human beings? If not, are embryos that get implanted and brought to term soulless after being born?<br />
<br />
If the embryo is alive, yet it's not human, how could it's death by whatever means be considered a sin?<br />
<br />
If a woman miscarries, should she be investigated for any possible complicity in the death? Perhaps by consuming alcohol or participating in strenuous exercise?<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Practice-Bulletins/Committee-on-Practice-Bulletins-Gynecology/Early-Pregnancy-Loss" target="_blank">American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists</a> estimates that over 80 percent of miscarriages occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, although they also say the numbers are likely considerably higher as many happen so early in the term that the woman was unaware that she was pregnant in the first place. So could a woman be held liable for the death of an embryo she was unaware that she was carrying?<br />
<br />
Also,even though the nervous system is one of the first things to begin to form in an embryo, and at least in the case of the brain, continues well after birth, an embryo less than six weeks old has <a href="https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Neural_System_Development" target="_blank">not yet begun to develop a </a>brain, and by extension thoughts or feelings, how will it know if it goes to heaven or not? How can it even care? Even later, as the embryo at 13 weeks is less than the size of a pea pod, the brain would be about the size of a pea in that pod. What could it possibly be conscious of? It may show some reaction to stimuli, but then so will an earthworm. Does this indicate conscious life? Or the existence of a soul? <br />
<br />
Whoever is promulgating this lunacy really appears to have not thought it through. But then, this whole discussion is meant to sway emotion, and not rational thought.<br />
<br />
As a favorite YouTuber, Alan Melikdjanian AKA <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEOXxzW2vU0P-0THehuIIeg" target="_blank">Captain Disillusion</a> says: "Love with your heart, for everything else use your brain!"LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-36169806547970873372019-05-28T13:20:00.001-07:002019-06-15T12:56:03.710-07:00Reversing ProgressBeginning in the early Twentieth Century and continuing until recently, the community of nations has slowly awakened to the fact that we are all citizens of the planet Earth. Small fiefdoms under local monarchs began to coalesce into nations. The short-lived League of Nations made an attempt to bring peace to the world after the First World War. Then the world exploded into the Second World War, which established the need for a more effective body; the United Nations.<br />
<br />
Governments and people came to the realization that some things just weren't possible to accomplish on their own. In order for the defense of Europe against the then Soviet Union, it was necessary for NATO to be formed. Later, seeing how intertwined Europeans were with trade, banking, jobs, and more, it was decided that it made much more sense to unify rather than stay divided and the European Union was born.<br />
<br />
Cross the Atlantic, and in the eighteenth century a group of colonies figured out that in order to toss off British rule, it would be necessary to join together. It worked so well that the original thirteen colonies formed the United States of America.<br />
<br />
All through human history as populations increased and trade became more desirable, the tendency has been to abandon tribalism in favor of more diverse and inclusive populations and governments. From family clans, to city-states, to kingdoms and ever onward, as civilization has progressed, so has the size and diversity of human settlement.<br />
<br />
In modern times humanity is facing existential challenges from environmental degradation and over population to an ever increasing gap between great wealth and grinding poverty. If ever there were a time for people and nations to come even closer together to deal with these seemingly hopeless issues, this would seem to be it!<br />
<br />
But yet what are we seeing? All across the world the opposite is rushing in with a vengeance. Citizens, seeing their lives degrading due to reduced income and under pressure from failing crops and increasingly repressive governments, are rejecting so-called "Globalism" and devolving into "Nationalism".<br />
<br />
Even within the groups advocating for Nationalism, we are further splintering into closed Tribes. Whether based on religion, perceived social class or politics, people are banding together with others who share their views and are drawing lines to separate themselves from "Others" who are the enemy. Unfortunately, in doing so they render any possibility of making situations better unlikely, if not impossible. <br />
<br />
I recently viewed a <a href="https://youtu.be/xHzP48mtRVo" target="_blank">discussion on Fox News</a> wherein three individuals were declaiming with great passion on the current sorry state of affairs in San Francisco. The striking thing to me was that we really didn't disagree on many points they made or even the reasons for them. But what left me trembling was the stridency with which they accused the "Left" of being solely to blame. They correctly identified the bloodsuckers of the plutocracy as being to puppeteers causing the grief. They even got it correct that politicians were the willing puppets. What they got incredibly wrong was the it was just the left and the Democrats who were to blame. That the Left was somehow involved in a treasonous assault on the United States. They had built a fort around their clan stronghold and anyone outside the walls were The Enemy. If you've the slightest doubt, just read some of the comments below the video. There's no room for discussion anywhere.<br />
<br />
At this time of existential threat, this time when what was once the motto of the United States of America: "E Pluribus Unum", "From Many, One" should be bringing us together as never before, we instead have defaulted to the motto of the T.V. program Survivor: "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast" and to hell with everyone else.<br />
<br />
Either we join together to cure the Earth, or we fade into extinction, one by one.LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-51702431025863586832019-05-01T14:26:00.000-07:002019-05-02T16:17:31.096-07:00The Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-80804527013477317432019-04-30T14:35:00.000-07:002019-04-30T14:36:08.646-07:00More Convoluted Reasoning from the RightAn amusing development has arisen lately from the right wingers.<br />
<br />
For a while now, since the rising popularity of programs like Medicare for all, free public college education and the like, the reaction from regressive¹ punditry has been to point a trembling finger and shriek "Socialist!" at whomever had the temerity to broach the subject. As if the mere mention of the name should bring back terrors of the Cold War and the fear of Soviet agents scouting targets for nuclear missiles from the USSR.<br />
<br />
When this fails to elicit the same reaction that it got in the 1970s, they are quick to point out that Socialism results in "Venezuela" or the like. We won't devolve into a discussion of whether the failure is a result of having social welfare programs, or having leaders who failed to recognize that the United States embargoes and meddling with oil prices would crash their economy. That's a subject deserving its own post.<br />
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No, generally a reference to Venezuela to back up claims that Socialism has never worked, blah, blah, will cause anyone with a functioning brain to point out that countries like Norway, Finland, the rest of Scandanavia, in fact most Nordic countries not only embrace socialist policies, but are economic successes as well.<br />
<br />
On would have thought that should put the discussion to rest, but a new and mind contorting argument is now making the rounds among the right wing's echo chambers. Ready for it? Do you have immediate access to copious amounts of your bevvie-of-choice? Here goes: "Scandinavian countries are not Socialist!"²<br />
<br />
The discerning reader may have noticed that when I refer to the term, I have used the small "s" socialist to refer to their national policies.<br />
<br />
The difficulty comes from the historical use of the term "Socialist" as a pejorative in the U.S. and it also being used as a synonym for "Communist" without ever understanding the meaning of either term. In reality, it is true that none of the countries named previously are truly Socialist. No more so than the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, <span class="js-about-item-abstr">The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or for that matter the United States of America are Democracies. A country with any form of Totalitarian government or Dictatorship can never be truly Socialist, no matter what it calls itself. Full on Socialism³ requires, depending on which definition one subscribes to; full ownership of all means of production by the state, or no private property at all. One notices that no mention of a single person or entity is either exempted or in total control of everything.</span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">So of course none of the Scandinavian countries are big "S" Socialist! No more so than passing laws requiring a Medicare For All or Single-Payer or whatever we end up deciding to call it that won't send regressives rushing for their comfy blankies will render the United States of America a "Socialist" hell on earth. It simply will mean that we have decided to enact social programs that will actually benefit the citizenry of this country. Programs like the Justice system. Like our Interstate Highways. Or the Federal Aviation Authority. Like Public Schools. Like National Defense.</span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">¹ In case you haven't already figured it out, the opposite of "Progressive" is not "Conservative", it is "Regressive".</span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">²<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2018/07/08/sorry-bernie-bros-but-nordic-countries-are-not-socialist/#559a4f074ad3">https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2018/07/08/sorry-bernie-bros-but-nordic-countries-are-not-socialist/#559a4f074ad3</a></span><br />
<span class="js-about-item-abstr"><br /></span>
<span class="js-about-item-abstr">³<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism</a>¹¹</span>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-339791988697942702019-04-24T14:32:00.002-07:002019-05-17T15:25:59.230-07:00Why are we eating our own? <br />
When any discussion of the Russian election meddling comes up, regardless of who is conducting said discussion, it is always with the disclaimer that whatever meddling occurred there was little to no effect on the outcome of the election.<br />
<br />
Isn't that odd? With all the resourses the Russians put behind the effort, supposedly dozens of hackers and GRU agents. Millions of Dollars spent. The release of thousands of hacked documents and e-mails detrimental to the Clinton campaign. All for naught? They blew all that effort on 2016 and now they are, we are told, gearing up to do the same thing in 2020?<br />
<br />
Set that aside, I understand Trump and his Republicans wanting to deny any appearance of success by the Russians. It would imply that Trump didn't actually win the election, slim as that win was. Heck, I would make the case that over and above the gerrymandering and outright cheating to get various candidates elected, that Putin's tinkering likely resulted in a few Republicans beating their Democrat opponents who would have lost otherwise.<br />
<br />
But what's really bizarre is that most Democrats feel the need to minimise the effects of Russian interference. I don't get that at all. I can't count the number of times I have heard various politicians and pundits from the left posit that there was no interference, or if there were, it had no effect!<br />
<br />
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, who has extensively covered Trump's dealings with Russian oligarchs for years. Coverage always carefuly reseached and sourced by the way, unlike many other talking heads that generally can't be bothered to verify whether whatever breathless 'Breaking News' they happen to be pushing to get eyeballs. Maddow is also one of the few who will bother to correct themselves or apologise when they do get something wrong. (You're welcome Rachel, make sure the check is in the mail.) I get that she and Hillary are buds, and I have criticized Maddow's blind eye to the Clinton's and the DNC's chicanery in cutting Bernie off at the knees and the outright vote manipulation to get Hillary nominated. But why this knee-jerk opposition to anything she reports on? <br />
<br />
Maddow has been excoriated from the beginning for her supposed obsession with Trump's Russia connections. Maddow has even been mocked on late night comedy since news that the Mueller report concluded there was no Russian "collusion" with the Trump campaign. It has since evolved that the report said no such thing, but moving on. Even journalist Glenn Greenwald, a progressive journalist who used to be a regular on Maddow's show, is now one of her harshest critics.<br />
<br />
Recently, Kyle Kulinski, a reliably progressive host of a You Tube show and radio broacast harpooned Maddow for her apparent desire to go to war with Venezuela after a segment wherin she was mocking Trump's simple-minded description of his 90 minute phone call with Putin after the release of Mueller's report. I watched the <a href="https://youtu.be/HKOUMbvorSk" target="_blank">video in question </a>and in no way was she advocating any such thing. In fact, it seemed that Kulinsky had viewed something only existing in his own fevered dreams!<br />
<br />
I personally have experienced backlash when I've brought up the subject on social media for example. I don't get it.<br />
<br />
It seems like progressives will criticise those who voted for the likes of Jill Stein rather than Hillary (never mind that Gary Johnson got twice as many voters from the right than Stein may have stolen from Clinton) before even acknowleging that the Russians may have tried to influence the election.<br />
<br />
Is it possible that they wish us to think that Hillary was so flawed that she would have lost without Russia's help? The argument that the whole thing was a "Nothingburger", a distraction from more important things like healthcare, or the climate kind of worked during the campaign, but now?<br />
<br />
What has happened?<br />
<br />
It's very bizarre.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-81168323371042416302019-02-21T15:29:00.000-08:002019-02-21T15:29:10.379-08:00End Game<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<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"/>
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The dialog, on the infrequent occasion when it occurs,
regarding Climate Change or Global Warming is disregarding a very important
underlying fact: The natural world has ways of controlling or ridding itself of
out of control organisms. At every level, when something gets too far out of
balance, Old Ma Nature steps in and restores that balance.</div>
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<br /></div>
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When wild rabbit populations threaten to overgraze an area’s
natural resources, an increase in local predators like foxes, coyotes, and
raptors will occur in parallel. The same with insects like grasshoppers, for
instance. An excessive hatch of hoppers will shortly be brought under control
by flocks of birds, and by the hoppers themselves consuming the vegetation that
allowed the over population in the first place, to the consternation of the
farmers whose fields the insects have devoured.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We are now the infestation that the natural world must now
attempt to get under some kind of control. For thousands of years, human
population grew very slowly. At times even reducing as natural controls kicked
in with wars or diseases slowed the inexorable increases. Homo sapiens was too
smart for this to continue. A tremendous change occurred with the industrial
revolution: whereas<b> <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/">it
had taken all of human history until around 1800 for world population to reach
one billion</a></b>, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930),
the third billion in 30 years (1960), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974),
and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987). During the 20<sup>th</sup>
century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 billion to 6
billion. In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there
are now. Even the massive die offs resulting from the wars and pogroms of the1800s
and 1900s did little to slow the spread of humanity around the globe.</div>
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<br /></div>
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call home, today? Even though it does not seem like to those of us fortunate
enough to live in prosperous and relatively sparsely populated parts of the
world, it is becoming more and more of a reality to those in other parts. Couple
this with the droughts, fires, floods and diseases brought on by climate change
and humanity is being challenged with a perfect storm. Even as it is becoming
more difficult to raise crops and livestock, areas that can still do so are
being invaded by refugees from areas that are more challenged. Agricultural
populations move to urban centers in the hope of finding work, putting more
strain on resources. Insecurity breeds revolt. As rulers are more and more
challenged by their constituent populations, they become more totalitarian in reaction
to any reforms which causes suffering people to look to more prosperous nations
for relief.</div>
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<br /></div>
This is where we are now. We are increasingly becoming
unable to produce enough to feed the population. We are poisoning and trashing
the lands and the oceans at an unbelievable rate. At a time when more people
than ever are depending on seafood for all or part of their diet, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/one-third-of-commercial-fish-stocks-fished-at-unsustainable-levels-1910593830.html">90
percent</a> of global fish stocks are either fully fished or overfished. We’re
making it <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts">worse
at the same time</a>, with increasing acidification from carbon emissions which
increase pH levels and agricultural runoffs adding nitrates and pesticides.<br />
<br />
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The science is showing that while we’ve been fiddling on the
sidelines and refusing to even have a realistic dialogue, the world has long
passed the tipping point. With Donald Trump and his cabal still denying that
change is even happening, Old Ma Nature is taking the steps to bring the earth
back to some sort of equilibrium. Even the few in the ruling oligarchy who
grudgingly acknowledge that some sort of climate change is occurring will tell
us that there’s nothing to worry about, climate change happens all the time,
and man couldn’t possibly have anything to do with it anyway. They are however,
taking pains to build and supply various underground bunkers, ranchos in the
Andes, private islands, or gigantic yachts that they hope could enable them to ride out
the coming crisis.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Meanwhile, the rest of us are for the most part blissfully
unaware of the fact that the crisis is not approaching.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is here!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is happening now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is far too late to open any discussion regarding how to
reverse or even slow the catastrophe. It is likely even too late to discuss
survival. Scientists are now calling this the <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150623-sixth-extinction-kolbert-animals-conservation-science-world/">Sixth
Great Extinction</a>. It is not in the future.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The Sixth Great Extinction is underway.</div>
<br />
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</div>
<br />
LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-25678876756008531932019-02-07T13:07:00.000-08:002019-05-02T16:17:00.960-07:00"Patriots"You just know without going any further what to expect when you see "Patriot" as part of a person's online moniker. "Patriot Nurse" doesn't disappoint!<br />
<br />
As this lady claims to be a nurse, she has to have some knowledge of what's involved in even the consideration of a late term abortion. I am not a medical professional and I know at least enough of the requirements to know she's not just lying, but being deliberately provocative. What stands out in this video however, is the implacable hatred and fear that she displays towards the "Left". The blanket demonization of those she clearly regards as the enemy. <br />
<br />
I often wonder what is behind some otherwise reasonable and even progressive people's refusal to even consider voting for an otherwise perfectly acceptable Democrat candidate, and worse, fill out their ballots with GOP politicians. This is why. To some degree, they share this view of progressives.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/FF2YUNynnSk">https://youtu.be/FF2YUNynnSk</a>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-81913942379730865462018-11-26T19:01:00.000-08:002018-11-26T20:30:36.596-08:00Here's The Real 'Tide That Raises All Boats' Want to stop people from entering the country illegally? Really simple, but for obvious reasons you'll never hear anyone talking about it. <p>Neither republican nor democrat will ever attempt to do the one thing that is guaranteed to reduce the number of people entering the country without a visa. </p><p>Ready to hear how simple it could be? </p><p>Okay. Here it is: Make it a felony to hire an illegal for any reason. And enforce the damn law! Once word goes back to the families in the home countries, pretty soon it will dry up. </p><p>Oh sure, there are still some that will keep coming for whatever reason, but most of these people are wanting to work, to better their lives, and the lives of others back in their home country. If they know that the incredible effort, and for a lot of them, the expense is a waste, they will look elsewhere. </p><p>Not to worry though. Never going to happen. The oligarchs who run the major corporations rely on the cheap labor, and the lack of need for any sort of social responsibility, other than maybe forcing locals to educate their kids and once in a while patching one of them up in an E. R. it is a total win. </p><p>Unless it's your local taxes paying for the schools. Or you paying more for medical care because hospitals are spreading out the losses. Or employers in your area are holding down wages, because even if they are doing jobs that Americans won't do, (bullshit) it still drives down wages for all jobs.<p>If I knew that I could make a good living working in construction, do you think that I would be vying for a job at a burger joint? That used to be the case, by the way. Back in the seventies, construction workers were paid very well! When I was a teenager, long ago in the sixties, I could work on the farm in the summer and earn enough to buy clothes, school supplies, and still have enough money to last most of the school year.</p><p>Looked at from another perspective, if burger restaurants are competing with higher paying entry level or uneducated jobs, they won't go out of business. Not as long as people want to eat hamburgers. But they are going to have to pay more for labor! </p><p>If corporations and mega farms still want to have imported labor to harvest their crops, no problem! Just regulate the businesses. Streamline the green card process to make it easier and faster, and enforce the laws regarding minimum wage and the rest of the labor laws.</p><p>But what about automation? It's inevitable. Sooner than later everything that can be done by robots is going to be done by robots. The argument that if the wages are too high, companies will just automate whatever job people are doing. Guess what? It's happening now. </p><p>It doesn't matter how cheap human labor is, robots are always going to be cheaper. If a robot was able to do any specific job a human is now doing, said human will be unemployed soon.</p><p>As a nation, we will very soon be confronted by a future where we will have more and more people without work. We will need to be able to deal with that too, but that's going to be a discussion for another time. </p></p>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-37777496422283945472018-11-19T19:42:00.002-08:002018-11-19T19:42:24.756-08:00Homework<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Why is it that with some people, if you don't agree
with their worldview, they always assume that you should be told you need some version of
"Do your homework" or "Do some research". And then rather than attempt
to understand the other's views, we get this assumption that we are
undereducated on the matter at hand. It's incredibly arrogant to tell
others that you and only you know the correct answers. You don't. Okay.
I'm done. I'll grab my jacket and books and go to my room. Will the
next person kindly put the soapbox away when they are finished ranting? </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">I have to do my
homework.</span></span></span>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-77811606627692540372018-11-19T19:38:00.002-08:002018-11-19T19:38:42.747-08:00On Cooperation<span class=" UFICommentActorAndBody"><span><span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody"><span>It is
way past time for a change at the heart of the Democratic Party. As long
as the DNC leadership is convinced that they can continue with business
as usual, that's exactly what they will do. Nothing more. Pelosi and
the rest of the corporatist Democrats have stated over and over that
they are not willing to consider single-payer healthcare. They have done
nothing about the student loan problem but make it worse. They have let
the Republicans walk all over them and their policies with barely a
whimper in protest. The Clintons were and are as crooked as a dog's hind
leg, and yet they treated Hillary as if she was the ordained savior of
the party. Even after seeing how close Bernie came even with the rigged
primaries, the DNC refused to even consider adding any of his ideas to
the party's platform, but that didn't stop them from announcing to all
and sundry that they were now the party of "Progressives" and that we
should all join in for a lovely round of Kumbaya at the campfire. They
are doing exactly what the Republicans are doing when they wail that
they are trying so very haaaard to work across the aisle! What they mean
is that they'll be happy to work with Democrats, as long as Dems do
exactly what they want! The only way to get the Democratic party's
attention is to refuse to do what they order. Maybe, just maybe if
enough hold out for what is right, somebody at the DNC will wake up
enough to allow a smidgeon of progressive ideology to sneak in.</span></span></span></span></span></span>LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-59501227390169771842018-10-31T15:04:00.001-07:002018-10-31T15:04:11.699-07:00Been too longI'm gonna make an effort to update this damn thing more often. No matter if nobody ever reads it, its got to be more productive, and better for the blood pressure than arguing with dolts on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lakabux" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Right?LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389842627594473213.post-76791448714002805202018-10-31T14:01:00.000-07:002019-02-09T14:46:44.042-08:00Was This Trump’s Attempt at His Own Reichstag Fire? (Updated 2/8 2019)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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table.MsoNormalTable
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mso-para-margin-left:0in;
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The repeated comparisons of Donald Trump with Adolph Hitler
have become more than tiresome, I know. But this most recent thing with the
so-called “caravan” begs some thoughtful dissection.<br />
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According to ex-wife Ivana, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trumps-ex-wife-once-said-he-kept-a-book-of-hitlers-speeches-by-his-bed-2015-8" target="_blank">Trump kept a book of Hitler’s speeches </a>by his bed, and we know that he at least possessed a copy of the book;
My New Order. He confessed to a reporter, that a friend, Marty Davis from
Paramount gave him the book. Although Trump told the reporter, Marie Brenner,
that Davis gave him a copy of Mein Kampf. Davis later said the book was My New
Order. Regardless of which book, if not both books, it’s clear that The Donald
was familiar with Der Fuhrer’s history.</div>
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A large part of said history was the incident history knows
as “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Reichstag-fire" target="_blank">The Reichstag Fire</a>” Although Hitler secured the Chancellorship after the
elections of 1932, his Nazi Party had not won a majority. He petitioned for,
and was granted Cabinet consent to hold new elections in March of 1933.</div>
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On February 27, 1933 a massive fire broke out at the seat of
government, the Reichstag in Berlin. Hermann Göring, Reichstag president and
Hitler’s chief minister, conducted an investigation which laid blame for the
fire on communists. It is widely believed that the fire was actually set by
Nazi party members. </div>
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The day following the blaze, Hitler’s dictatorship was begun
with a decree for “the protection of the people and the state”. The
constitution was suspended, and the dictatorship was sanctioned when all
legislative powers were transferred to the Reich Cabinet on March 23 by a vote
of 444 to 94.</div>
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Did Donald learn something from all of this?</div>
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Let’s consider the “Caravan” now heading Northward from
Honduras to the United States.</div>
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Supposedly, an ex-politician and current radio host named
<a href="https://nypost.com/2018/10/23/meet-the-man-behind-the-migrant-caravan-headed-to-us/" target="_blank">Bartolo Fuentes</a> claims he started it all when he tried to help a few dozen
migrants band together to travel north with some safety in numbers. Bu t things
got out of control when a much viewed Honduran TV news channel reported that
Fuentes was willing to pay the costs for anyone making the journey. Fuentes
denies that he ever made such an offer.</div>
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Here’s the part where I don my custom fitted, Made in USA
Tinfoil Hat® and wander off into Conspiracy Theory land!</div>
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This band of refugees is just the ticket to fire up the
Republican base just before the elections. Scary brown people heading for our
southern border with the added threat of unknown numbers of “Middle Easterners”
possibly in their midst is exactly what the President needs to get not just his
loyal base, but right leaning voters in general to the polls on November 6<sup>th</sup>.
Even undecided voters who might dislike Trump himself, will get out to elect
the party that they perceive as being tough on immigration.</div>
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Even more Tinfoil Hat® stuff: Is the Dear Leader and his cabal thinking of taking this "crisis" to its ultimate? He's already dispatched thousands of troops to the border, will he move to circumvent Posse Comitatus, the law that prohibits the military from taking action within the Continental United States? If things escalate, does he think he can declare Martial Law? Perhaps suspend the election? He's already threatened that he will not recognize an unfavorable election if he loses.</div>
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It really doesn’t take too much of a leap of imagination to
wonder if certain deep-pocketed individuals, if not Trump himself, did not see
to it that our Sr. Fuentes used his radio show to broadcast the plan to band
the migrants together. One certainly wonders if the TV channel was mistaken
when they claimed that their costs would be paid. </div>
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The <a href="http://www.browndailyherald.com/2017/12/05/fernandez-21-americas-role-honduras-democratic-crisis/" target="_blank">United States created the crisis In Honduras</a> by
subverting their election. Although that is a topic for another time, we do
need to bear some responsibility for these poor people needing to escape their home
country in the first place. And whether or not the current Administration was
the stimulus behind the exodus, we should not allow them to use these refugees
to achieve political positioning.</div>
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Now to the present, February 2019. When I first wrote this back in October 2018, it just seemed a little curious. A <a href="https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/in-bombshell-nbc-news-story-merkley-reveals-secret-trump-administration-plan-to-create-border-crisis_-" target="_blank">new report,</a> apparently from Senator Jeff Merkely's office, now shows that some people in the White House were drafting plans to cause a crisis at the border over a year ago! Even to the details of how the children were to be handled in order to make an example that would discourage further asylum-seekers from trying to enter the United States.<br />
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Which of course begs the question: "How did they know there was to be a caravan arriving at the border a year before it happened?"<br />
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This new report even more strongly suggests coordination with someone in Trump's circle, if not the Dear Leader himself. Luckily, (if I could use the term for this horror show) the resident of the Oval Office was too bloody incompetent and likely whoever was in charge of the operation was either fired or left in disgust before they could manipulate the event properly. Makes one wonder if someone like Steve Bannon or Sebastian Gorka were still on the staff if things could have been manipulated differently. Either one of them would be both clever enough and devious enough to have created such a scheme.<br />
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We may have dodged a bullet.</div>
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LakaBuxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05452841448893377416noreply@blogger.com0