COLUMBIA, S.C. —
A 63-year-old worker died in the public bathroom of a South Carolina department store, but her body was not discovered for four days, authorities said.
Bessie Durham, a janitor at the Belk at Columbiana Centre, was found dead Monday in a bathroom stall, Columbia police said. Her cleaning cart was outside the restroom.
Wait, was she the only janitor, did Belk not clean for 4 consecutive days?
I really don’t want to fall into the conspiracy theorist bucket, but I was thinking. what exactly was the catalyst that drove the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade? I tried researching the percentage of Americans that are pro-choice – what I found was quite interesting, NPR – indicated 39% of those surveyed were pro-choice; CNBC indicated 55% of folk surveyed were pro-choice and PewResearch reported 61% of those surveyed were pro-choice. If you listen to the news it sounds like the majority of folk in the US have participated in the survey and are pro-choice. Nonetheless, some folk find it appalling that the majority of decision-makers across various states regarding a woman’s body are men! With that said, I’m concerned about what is the primary motivating factor for men to make such a decision and reverse the decision.
What The Ruling Said
In his majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito, a Republican appointee by George Bush, explained that this right simply never existed. “Abortion presents a profound moral question,” he wrote. “The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion.” Roe, he wrote, wasn’t simply wrong — it was so wrong as to amount to an “abuse of judicial authority.”
Conspiracy Theories
(1) If laws are not changed based on the census of the majority – then perhaps they are changed or established by those with deep pockets, like the top twenty corporations in America.
(1a) Or, perhaps within one of those top twenty corporations there is a man (with deep pockets and a huge backing) that was emotionally destroyed by his wife/girlfriend or daughter who opted to terminate her pregnancy.
(1b) Or perhaps there is a woman within one of those organizations whose husband had an extramarital affair that resulted in an abortion being performed… naa that can’t be it.
| Judge | Position | |
| Samuel Alito (2006) | Roe was egregiously wrong from the start | |
| Clarence Thomas (1991) | refused to state an opinion | |
| Neil Gorsuch (2017) | refused to take a position | |
| Brett Kavanaugh (2018) | Judges do not make decisions to reach a preferred result | |
| Amy Coney Barrett (2020) | declined to say outright | |
| John Roberts (2005) | declined to comment on Roe beyond saying he believed it was “settled as a precedent of the court.” | |
| Note: | Trump vowed during his presidential campaign to put “pro-life justices on the court” with the explicit goal of overturning Roe. | |
Note: The list below automatically compiles all potential and certified ballot measures being tracked by Ballotpedia.
Source: Abortion on the ballot. (n.d.). Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Abortion_on_the_ballot
There have always been self-help groups both online and within social media apps. There are both paid and free versions of self-help programs and subscriptions. Self-help groups allow people to feed their natural tendency to seek acceptance, comfort, and understanding in a safe setting. It stands to reason that one should be careful when opting for free self-help programs. We must be careful that not only are we acutely aware of our diagnosis but that we vet free online programs. As women, we can have a host of issues from mother/daughter, mother/father, boyfriend/girlfriend, straight/gay, and from those few suggestions there can be a plethora of sub-issues. When selecting a free online self-help program we must be completely informed of the history and training of said group’s ability to address our issues. With that said, as I was perusing the internet I stumbled across a post about the sexuality of a man by a woman who claims she is a self-love specialist. Some of the best self-help groups offer emotional support and practical help with a mental health challenge, experience, or concern shared by all the members. I may be a little late on this post considering Kevin Samuels has passed away…
TonyaTko
Who is Tonyatko – according to her website she’s, “Bold, Courageous & Spiritually Aware, Tonya Tko is the wise & Beautiful Big Sister you’ve always wanted.” She further states, “Tonya Tko uplifts you to become the greatest version of yourself using divine wisdom, compassionate caring & beautiful enriching energy.” However, for over an hour she condemned Kevin Samuels as a hidden gay man. Kevin was intereviewed by VLAD and this is what he had to say.
Tonya states on her website that she has knowledge, wisdom, compassion and open-mindedness to help you create the life of your dreams. Tonya Tko is the embodiment of compassion, love and strength. She also shares about ending up living in her car. During her displacement, she stayed fully committed to actualizing her dream. The year of living in her car taught her to put into action the principles of Self-Love she had been teaching online for 8 years. Yet this love boat stated that ALL the women who called into Kevin Samuels show were women who lacked healthy male role models and his viewers were losers.
What we won’t do is mention all the typos on her home page because Lord knows I’ve had quite a few and not one person reading my blog made me aware of the mis-spellings – shhh don’t say anything she also has some computer language that should be removed but I digress. Not only am I annoyed that this bundle of love, joy and compassion for others could tear up a man’s reputation with her words and sexual moans and groans without having a conversation with him about his sexual preference but as someone who was homeless living in her car she has done nothing for the homeless population (notice her header below). Whether he is gay or not what gives her the right to put him out there and in the derogatory manner in which she did?
The Florida Education Association (FEA) says more than 450,000 students may head back to school without a full-time teacher in place.
FEA Vice President Carole Gauronskas says COVID is partially to blame for many teachers retiring early and students not pursuing the field.
“Ask the scientists, ask the doctors, and ask the educators what it is like to be in that classroom with poor ventilation with 26 children or more – many classes will have 30 or more students – and until we’re asked at that table with the legislators, I would say, you do your work, let us do our work. We went to school for four years plus, we know what we’re doing, let us do it.”
She says the other reason is simple: teachers aren’t paid enough or respected enough considering the time they put in.
“Overall, there are approximately 450,000 children who will not have a certified full-time teacher in their classrooms on the first day of school. So that roughly translates into almost 5,000 teaching positions that are open and more than 3,700 support staff positions.”
The State of Florida is now allowing qualified military veterans to obtain 5-year temporary teaching certificates to serve as substitute teachers without having completed a college degree. The move comes as Florida works to find solutions to a statewide teacher shortage.
A recent FEA survey found some 13.5 percent of English classes and 8.1 percent of math classes statewide are taught by teachers who are not certified in those subjects.
On August 18, 2022 – The Biden Administration’s U.S. Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, praised Florida’s plan to encourage veterans to work in the classrooms. Cardona stated, “I don’t have the details of the Florida program specifically. I love anything that’s going to provide opportunities for those who are looking into the teaching profession, ensuring that they’re connected to good teacher preparation programs that teach pedagogy and ensuring that the educators have the skills needed to meet the needs of our students.”
A month later, Cardona expressed this view, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona criticized efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to allow veterans without college degrees to teach in Florida public schools, saying the initiative lowers standards for teachers.
“The moment we start lowering standards to get [into teaching], we’re doubling down on the disrespect to the profession,” Cardona said. “I’m all for veterans becoming teachers … but let’s let’s remember when the nation’s report card is showing that our students have dropped drastically to provide educators who are not qualified or trained in the pedagogy of teaching is a slap in the face to the profession.” Cardona sounds like the FDA – wear a mask, don’t wear a mask indoors, wear a mask in the restaurant – never mind let’s listen to doctors.
Discrimination – the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability:
Discrimination in the workplace – The discrimination in favor of or against an employee based on a group, category, or class to which the individual belongs, rather than on individual merit.
According to federal and state laws, it is illegal for an employer to treat a person unequally based on his or her race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, or disability. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates that no person employed by, or seeking employment with, a company that has 15 or more employees can be discriminated against based on any of these factors. While federal law prohibits discrimination in the workplace, most states have enacted their own laws regarding workplace discrimination.
Discrimination in the workplace covers any work related issues, and it is important for employers to take care that the company handbook, policies, and practices are uniform, regardless of employee race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, or disability. Even a policy that applies to all employees, regardless of these factors may be illegal if it creates a negative impact on the employees. For example, if an employer has a hair style policy that applies to all employees, it may be unlawful if the policy is not job related, and impacts a certain race due to a predisposition of natural hair types.
A veteran posted his story to Facebook:
Discrimination of a disabled veteran, sexism and nepotism by the Palm Beach School District.
Brothers and sisters. I wanted to both inform you and reach out for help about a case of discrimination against me that is in many ways likely to impact our veteran community as they utilize Governor Desantises incentives to hire veterans as teachers.
On Tuesday 09/06 I was told I would be moved to a different school in my district due to low enrollment numbers. I am being replaced by a 24 year old teacher who was hired last year at the same time as me but as a reading teacher.
I have a masters degree in curriculum and instruction, a bachelor’s degree in political science, an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Two deployments, one to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. I broke my back on July 4th 2010 in country. I hold a 5 year professional renewable certification in the state of Florida.
The girl whose mother works at the school has two three year temporary non renewable teaching licenses. She does not have a masters degree, she has no military service yet my principal told me her credentials were more valuable than mine and that she would replace me. I was given no choice. No consideration was made for the fact I am a disabled veteran or that I have a service dog.
I am not looking for anyone’s pity. I don’t want money or financial assistance. I refuse to take this lying down. What was done to me is bound to happen at an accelerated rate as veterans begin to enter the Florida School system. I want you to know what is in store for us.
I would truly appreciate anyone who could get me an audience with our Governor or other state and federal representatives. If anyone has connections in the media, please send them to me. If you have any experience with discrimination lawsuits yourself, Please let me know how it went for you.
I am not looking for any cheap or free legal assistance. I want to know who the most ruthless discrimination lawyer is in our area. I am looking for that person specifically. Money is not an issue, they will see the major potential of my case. Thank you so much to all of you for taking the time to listen.
If an employee is dealing with discrimination in the workplace, he should carefully document all instance of the discrimination or harassment. This may be done by writing down the date, time, and details of each discriminatory act, as well as by keeping copies of voicemails, emails, text messages, as well as any physical evidence, which prove the discrimination. Such documentation, as well as a list of other people who may have witnessed the acts, may be important to an investigation.
The employee should report workplace discrimination, in writing, to his employer right away, keeping a copy of the notice. This ensures that, even if the problem has to be reported to a higher authority, the employer cannot claim ignorance of the situation.
While the state in which the victim is employed may have an agency assigned to investigate discrimination in the workplace, the victim can always contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). The EEOC oversees compliance with anti-discrimination laws. Many state employment agencies are able to provide information to both employers and employees, and guide them in reporting workplace discrimination.
Source:
Prieur, D. (2021, August 11). Florida has a critical shortage of teachers. Here’s why. Hint: One of the reasons begins with the letters COVID-19. 90.7 WMFE. https://www.wmfe.org/florida-has-a-critical-shortage-of-teachers-heres-why-hint-one-of-the-reasons-begins-with-with-covid-19/187744
The White House. (2021, July 23). FACT SHEET: How the Biden-Harris administration is advancing educational equity. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/23/fact-sheet-how-the-biden-harris-administration-is-advancing-educational-equity/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/education/cardona-florida-hire-veterans-teachers
Family members of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black teen whose murder in the Jim Crow South spurred the civil rights movement in America, say they have unearthed an unserved arrest warrant for the White woman who accused him of making advances toward her, sparking the events that led to his death nearly 70 years ago.
The warrant was discovered last week by a five-member search group led by members of Till’s family, including Deborah Watts and her daughter Terri. An image of the warrant, provided to CNN by the foundation, charged J.W. Milam, Roy Bryant and Bryant’s then-wife — identified in the document as Mrs. Roy Bryant — with kidnapping and orders their arrests. The warrant is dated August 29, 1955, and signed by the Leflore County Clerk.
The image of the warrant shows the current Leflore County clerk certified the document as authentic on June 21. Absent action from law enforcement in light of the finding, the family has considered taking initiative to help bring justice in Emmett’s brutal killing.
In 1955 Jim Crow America, 14 year old Emmett Till was visiting his uncle Mose Wright, a sharecropper in Money, Mississippi from Chicago. He was out buying some candy with his friends and playing around like all kids do they dared him to talk to the white woman in the store, Carolyn Bryant DonHam. After buying his candy, it was reported that Till allegedly whistled at her before leaving. A whistle… an honest, harmless, playful whistle of a child resulted in the brutal lynching of Emmett Till.
Carolyn Bryant Donham told her husband Roy Bryant that Till “had made lewd gestures, grabbed her and whistled”. LIES! LIES THAT COST HIM HIS LIFE! Roy Bryant and his friend J.W. Milam drove to Wright’s house, putting him at gunpoint and demanding Emmett to come with them. Despite pleas from his uncle, the men kidnapped 14 year old Emmett and brutally beat and terrorized him. Smashing his head and putting a bullet through him until his body was unrecognizable. They tied a 75lb cotton gin fan around his neck and threw him in the Tallahatchie river.
Days later when his body was found, his uncle was only able to recognize him by his initialed gold ring on his finger. During the trial, despite witness testimonial from Till’s uncle Mose Wright, the two men were found not guilty by an all white verdict. During that same trial, Donham also then testified that 14 year old Emmett Till grabbed and threatened her. Years later in a 2007 interview, Carolyn Bryant Donham revealed that Till never touched or threatened her. When asked about her testimony she said “That part’s not true”. 52 years later she decided to tell the truth, well we’re here to say too little too late. She saw the mutilation done to Till by her husband and his friend seeking to avenge her lies and stood by silently knowing they were wrong. She waited until the murders of Emmett were dead to reveal she was lying, but nonetheless perjury is a crime. Bryant’s family made an agreement with writer Timothy Tyson that her manuscripts are not released until she dies. Why? Because they do not want justice to be served!
If history is never learned from it will continue to repeat itself. We need to have justice for Emmet and have his history told. This is the same story that we are repeating now in 2020 as Black people are being murdered and there is no justice, this is nothing new. Now more than ever we must reveal the injustices done in this country towards Black people and seek restitution. Too often Black lives are taken without any consequences given to the perpetrators. We must be the ones to bring change! We must be the ones to bring justice!!
The two men were acquitted of Emmett’s murder soon after by an all-White jury, though they later admitted to the killing in an interview with Lookmagazine. Milam died in 1980 and Bryant died in 1994, but his widow — now Carolyn Bryant Donham — is still alive, and Emmett’s family hopes the warrant will lead to her arrest and, ultimately, justice.
The discovery of the warrant was first reported by the New York Amsterdam News, one of the nation’s oldest African American publications.
According to The New York Times, an affidavit attached to the warrant said the three “did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously and without lawful authority, forcibly seize and confine and kidnap” Emmett, though it misspelled his last name. A note on the back of the warrant says Donham was not arrested because she could not be located at the time, the Times reported, citing filmmaker Keith A. Beauchamp, who was part of the team that discovered the warrant.
In March of 2018, the Department of Justice reopened Emmett Till’s murder case and this is petitioning is calling for:
1) The arrest of Carolyn Bryant Donham for perjury
2) Restitution of to the living family of Emmett Till (mandatory 5 to six figures)
3) Incorporation of the brutal murder of Emmett Till in all U.S history books
Sign the petition here for Change.org
Source: Sara Sidner, Tina Burnside and Dakin Andone, CNN, Change.org
What is Christian Nationalism?
Christian Nationalism has become an increasingly prevalent force in American politics as of late, especially with the election of Donald Trump and his heavily religious cabinet. Although this trend isn’t anything new, Trump’s election seems to have sparked a new fire in Christian Nationalists, who believe that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and shouldn’t be influenced by other religions or non-religious ideologies. While some feel that this kind of religious influence on government is valuable, others see it as antithetical to the core values of the United States and dangerous in its potential to violate the separation of church and state.
Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks for the entire GOP – they need to represent their voters – certain people – most of the people that vote for them and certain people – who are certain people?
Christian nationalism is the belief that Christianity should be the guiding force in American society and politics. This movement has been gaining ground in recent years, with support coming from both the Republican Party and some Democrats. The Founding Fathers were mostly Christians, and many of their ideals were based on Biblical principles. While the separation of church and state is an important part of American democracy, some people believe that Christianity should have a more prominent role in government. Christian nationalists often support policies that reflect their values, such as restrictions on abortion and LGBTQ rights. They also tend to oppose immigration, particularly from Muslim countries. Some critics argue that Christian nationalism is a form of bigotry, as it relies on stereotyping and fear-mongering to gain support. According to a recent study, about one-third of Americans believe in Christian nationalism – that is, the belief that Christianity should have a more central role in American life and politics.
What is Nationalism?
There are many definitions of nationalism and a functioning discussion about how best to characterize it, however, there are several recurring themes. Most scholars agree that nationalism starts with the belief that humanity is divisible into mutually distinct, internally coherent cultural groups defined by shared traits like language, religion, ethnicity, or culture. From there, scholars say, nationalists believe that these groups should each have their own governments; that governments should promote and protect a nation’s cultural identity; and that sovereign national groups provide meaning and purpose for human beings. Scholars point out that nationalism can lead to xenophobia, which is the intense dislike or prejudice against foreigners. Xenophobia can take various forms including violence and genocide. One scholar argues that Christian nationalists are not racist because they believe in multiculturalism within a dominant Anglo-Protestant culture.
The Difference Between Christian Nationalism and Protestantism
Protestantism is the largest sect of Christianity, and its name comes from the protests against certain Catholic doctrines in the 16th century. At its core, Protestantism is based on individual interpretations of scripture, which can lead to different beliefs even within the same denomination. Christian nationalism, on the other hand, is a political movement that puts Christians at the center of public life and supports policies that reflect biblical values. While Protestantism is a religious belief system, Christian nationalism is more of a political ideology.
What are the Effects of Christian Nationalism?
There are a variety of ways that Christian nationalism manifests itself in government. One way is through the religious affiliation of elected officials. Another way is through policies that give preferential treatment to Christianity or Christianity-based organizations.
First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Separation of Church and State
One of the Founding Principles of the United States is the separation of Church and State. This means that there should be a clear delineation between religious institutions and government. Unfortunately, in recent years there has been a growing trend of Christian Nationalism in our country. This is the belief that Christianity should have a privileged place in our society and that our government should be based on Christian principles. This way of thinking is dangerous because it goes against the very principle on which our country was founded.
Although the words “separation of church and state” do not appear in the First Amendment, the establishment clause was intended to separate church from state. When the First Amendment was adopted in 1791, the establishment clause applied only to the federal government, prohibiting the federal government from any involvement in religion. By 1833, all states had disestablished religion from government, providing protections for religious liberty in state constitutions. In the 20th century, the U.S. Supreme Court applied the establishment clause to the states through the 14th Amendment. Today, the establishment clause prohibits all levels of government from either advancing or inhibiting religion.
The establishment clause separates church from state, but not religion from politics or public life. Individual citizens are free to bring their religious convictions into the public arena. But the government is prohibited from favoring one religious view over another or even favoring religion over non-religion.
Our nation’s founders disagreed about the exact meaning of “no establishment” under the First Amendment; the argument continues to this day. But there was and is widespread agreement that preventing the government from interfering with religion is an essential principle of religious liberty. All of the Framers understood that “no establishment” meant no national church and no government involvement in religion. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison believed that without separating church from state, there could be no real religious freedom.
The first use of the “wall of separation” metaphor was by Roger Williams, who founded Rhode Island in 1635. He said an authentic Christian church would be possible only if there was “a wall or hedge of separation” between the “wilderness of the world” and “the garden of the church.” Any government involvement in the church, he believed, corrupts the church.
Then in 1802, Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, wrote: “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”
The Supreme Court has cited Jefferson’s letter in key cases, beginning with a polygamy case in the 19th century. In the 1947 case Everson v. Board of Education, the Court cited a direct link between Jefferson’s “wall of separation” concept and the First Amendment’s establishment clause.
Where Does Freedom Fit Into This?
When it comes to the relationship between religion and politics, the line between personal beliefs and public policy can often be blurred. This is especially true for Christians who may feel called to infuse their faith into every aspect of their lives—including their voting decisions.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Source: Christianity Today, #TheYoungTurks, TikTok Washington Post
The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, but many Americans have trouble understanding how the two parties differ from one another in their beliefs and political platforms. In this article, we’ll examine three of the most talked-about differences between Republicans and Democrats, looking at Social Security, minimum wage, and foreign policy. Keep reading to find out more about these three topics, and to learn how they affect you!
Things They Agree On
We can all agree that the Republican and Democratic parties are two of the most influential political parties in the world. They both have a long history, dating back to the early 1800s. In the United States, these two parties dominate the political landscape. More than half of voters identify as either Democrat or Republican. There are some similarities between the two, but there are also some significant differences. Let’s take a look at them one by one:
-First, Republicans believe in small government with limited interference from federal agencies and high taxes on businesses while Democrats want more government involvement and lower taxes for individuals.
-Second, Republicans want to repeal Obamacare while Democrats want to keep it.
-Third, we see an interesting contrast when it comes to immigration reform: while the GOP wants stricter policies and laws that focus on illegal immigrants entering our country illegally through our borders, democrats support legislation focused on those who enter our country legally but overstay their visas.
Things they disagree on
Both Republicans and Democrats want what’s best for America, but they often disagree on the best way to achieve it. Here are three of the biggest areas where they differ 1) Healthcare – Republicans believe that free market forces will bring down costs and encourage innovation in the health care industry. Meanwhile, Democrats support a single-payer system like Medicare or Medicaid that covers everyone with government insurance. 2) Taxes – Republicans generally want lower taxes for businesses so corporations can invest more in themselves and create jobs. Meanwhile, Democrats favor raising taxes on higher earners to fund social programs that make sure everyone has access to things like education and healthcare. 3) Immigration – The debate is between protecting America’s borders versus providing a pathway to citizenship through comprehensive immigration reform with some form of amnesty so undocumented immigrants can become citizens.
The Platforms
When it comes to the economy, both parties want to create jobs, but they have different ways of going about it. The Republican Party favors cutting taxes and regulations to help businesses grow, while the Democratic Party favors investing in infrastructure and education to create a skilled workforce. As for immigration, the two parties also take very different approaches. While many democrats favor granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants and keeping borders open, republicans support building a wall along the Mexican border and cracking down on illegal immigration.
The mystery of Trump’s Following
Some say that Trump’s success is due to his reality TV background. Others say it’s his status as a political outsider. But there might be another factor at play: Trump understands how to appeal to people’s emotions. His speeches are filled with catchy slogans, exaggeration, and oversimplification. He can quickly switch gears from attacking opponents to praising himself in order to keep the audience engaged, but he does so without factual accuracy or nuance. For example, he has said we are going to make America great again when referring to how he would solve economic problems like unemployment or decreasing wages. His rhetoric suggests an ability to overcome obstacles with ease—which may have convinced some voters who felt left behind by globalization and left out of the recovery after the 2008 recession that they could vote for him because he was on their side—but also appeals more broadly to those who want change without any specifics about what that change would look like. Trump’s language helped him get through the primary season with fewer staff members than other candidates needed, which meant less vetting of what he said. Bottom line, he gives a voice to the uninformed, voiceless section of America.
My sincerest apologies, I was unaware that my site was not updating properly, the edits and changes I saw were in the draft mode and were not properly showing up in the published version – I’ve got a lot of work to do….
I often hear folk ask, how do you know when God has answered your prayers, how do you know when God is talking to you? I think it’s different for everyone, I think He speaks to us in a manner/language that we can hear and most importantly in a language that we understand. I just wanted to share one moment in time when I thought He wasn’t listening…
1. Separate the loads, white, colored, and dark.
2. Put the load in the washer machine:
3. Add laundry detergent – (bleach if it is a white load and one other secret ingredient to make them super white) [Don’t add all the crazy stuff like febreeze/Downey pieces – those are just a marketing trick] – my mother NEVER used that {make your clothes smell good crap} dammit you’re washing them – that should make them smell clean and if it doesn’t change your laundry detergent) – moving right along.
4. Close the lid or door and WALK AWAY…
NOTE: If you have washed enough loads that little tiny voice will let you know when they are done! We never check to see if they are done – do we – NO WE KNOW WHEN THE CYCLE IS COMPLETE!
Note: If you don’t have that little tiny voice – you will know they are done when the machine stops!!
That’s how prayer works, give it to Him and He will let you know when it’s done. Don’t keep asking Him or adding other ingredients like checking with ALL YOUR FRIENDS – WATCHING 11 HUNDRED different pastors on TicTok and YouTube – just be still and wait – He will most assuredly let you know when the dirt you brought to Him has been cleaned….
Seriously – there is a bill to be considered, it’s called Slavery Remembrance Day. Why, would Black folk need this bill and if this bill is needed why is critical race theory being rejected by republicans? The bill is sponsored by Representative Al Green (D) – Texas – Contact (202) 225 – 7508. How much is being spent on this bill – well – we don’t know as of – As of 08/24/2022 a CBO Cost Estimate for this measure has not been received. This bill if approved would fall under the Policy Areas – Civil Rights and Liberties and Minority Issues and to further add insult it falls under the Legislative Subjects of Commemorative Events and Holidays!.
H. RES. 517
Supporting the designation of a “Slavery Remembrance Day” on August 20, 2021, to serve as a reminder of the evils of slavery.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 1, 2021
Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Adams, Mr. Carson, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Brown, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Rush, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Sherman, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Payne, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Luria, Ms. Norton, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Omar, Ms. Speier, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Auchincloss, Mr. Bowman, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Bass, Mr. Mfume, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Strickland, Ms. Waters, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Welch, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Khanna, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Cárdenas, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Chu, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Takano, Mr. Pallone, Mr. McEachin, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Meng, Mr. Perlmutter, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Allred, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Jayapal, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Cuellar, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Jeffries) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform
RESOLUTION
Supporting the designation of a “Slavery Remembrance Day” on August 20, 2021, to serve as a reminder of the evils of slavery.
Whereas, on August 20, 1619, the first 20 enslaved Africans were brought to what is now Fort Monroe, then Point Comfort, in Hampton, Virginia against their will;
Whereas the House of Representatives recognizes August 20, 2021, as “Slavery Remembrance Day” and commemorates the lives of all enslaved people while also condemning the act and perpetuation of slavery in the United States of America and across the world;
Whereas African tribal chiefs captured, enslaved, and sold their captives to transatlantic slave traders;
Whereas, over the period of the Atlantic slave trade, from approximately 1526 to 1867, millions of humans were abducted and shipped from Africa, and 10,700,000 arrived in the Americas as personal property;
Whereas the majority of enslaved Africans brought to British North America arrived between 1720 and 1780;
Whereas about 6 percent of African captives were sent directly to British North America;
Whereas, by 1825, the population of the United States included about one quarter of the people of African descent in what has been called the New World;
Read more here.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This resolution may be cited as the “Original Slavery Remembrance Day Resolution of 2021”.
Many libraries offer free or discounted passes to local attractions and cultural destinations, so before paying to visit nearby museums, zoos or other places, see what your library has available. Some libraries have physical passes you must pick up and return, while others provide access to tickets online through programs like Discover & Go in California. Getting free and low-cost admission tickets through your library is an affordable way to explore your area’s attractions.
Go beyond the books on your library’s shelves. Many branches provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, digital magazines and newspapers through apps like Hoopla, Libby, Flipster and PressReader. You’ll find an almost limitless selection.
If you subscribe to one or more streaming services, you may want to see what your library offers. Many libraries provide access to online services such as Kanopy, Hoopla and Freegal for free music, TV and movie streaming. The options may not be as up-to-date as some paid-for services, but you’ll find quality content.
Need a change of scenery from your work-from-home setup, a quiet space for your book club or a conference room to hold a meeting? Many libraries allow patrons and community groups to reserve study rooms and meeting spaces for free, so you can skip the day rate at the pricey coworking space in town. Some libraries may even equip their rooms with video conferencing equipment, interactive whiteboards and other items.
With job search platforms, career coaching, interview training, and test-prep and resume-writing help, many libraries offer free career and business resources in person or through online platforms like Learning Express and LinkedIn Learning. The Broward County Main Library in Florida has a complete Small Business Incubator and Hub, including a coworking space, tech equipment and other career and business resources.
Before paying to get important documents notarized, see if your library offers notary services. Many branches provide it free or for a small fee or suggested donation.
Your library may have a variety of electronic devices you can borrow. For example, at Scranton Library in Madison, Connecticut, patrons can borrow laptops, iPads, Kindles, digital cameras, video cameras, podcasting equipment and more. And 3D printing is available at many libraries — for a small fee, in some cases. These offerings provide an affordable way to explore new technology or test a device before buying. And if you need help with new devices or ones you already own, many libraries also have tech support.
Many libraries loan out instruments such as the guitar, ukulele, keyboard and more. Head to YouTube for music lessons; boom, you can learn how to play an instrument for free!
Many library branches have a Library of Things — a collection of household and recreational items. For example, the Center Moriches Free Public Library in New York has a microscope, a telescope, a Cricut Joy Machine, an inflatable outdoor movie screen and a sewing machine in its collection. Richland Library in South Carolina has nearly 200 items in its Library of Things, including a metal detector, a bird-watching kit, gardening tools, a tent, and folding chairs and tables. Your branch may have various useful items you can borrow instead of buying.
Your library may have classes and workshops for multiple interests in person and online, from self-defense and yoga classes, walking and crafting groups, writing workshops and discussion series. Be sure to browse your library’s events calendar to discover its offerings.
If you want to pick up a new language or brush up on one, your library is an excellent place to start. Some branches have language classes — for example, the Free Library of Philadelphia offers Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. But in addition to classes, many libraries provide free access to online language platforms such as Mango, Rosetta Stone and Transparent Language, which offers over 100 languages.
Many children lose access to free or affordable meals when school’s out. Thankfully, many libraries run food initiatives through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and local partnerships. For example, Richland Library offers free lunch to children ages 18 and under through its Summer Break Café. And the Miami-Dade Public Library System in Florida provides seven breakfasts and lunches to kids weekly in the summer.
You may be able to borrow board games, puzzles, toys and other similar items from your library. For instance, Scranton Library loans out chess sets, beach toys and backyard games. Many libraries also create themed toy kits — perfect for kids or grandkids.
Trivia night, movie showings, concerts and more. You’ll find a range of entertainment and cultural events at your local library. And for kids and grandkids, libraries often have playgroups, story time, craft projects and other offerings.
I clearly do not understand why #Cadillac would put 160 mph on the dashboard if going 95 mph is too fast. I wasn’t causing any harm there were no other cars in front of me, none to my right, and no one was behind me. There was however this ugly brown car with what looked like it had gumball machines on top of the hood, shoot I assumed it was a clown car because I was so close to the #amusementpark Universal Orlando Resort!
Anywho, he proceeded to take my info (I tried to go live on Facebook but it didn’t work). When the officer returned with 2 extremely long pieces of paper like #CVS, he told me that the tint on my license plate was illegal. I said, “Well, Sir, why in the world would #Autozone sell me a tint-colored plate to put over my tag if it was illegal?” I strongly suggested to him that he give Autozone a ticket for selling illegal tint-colored tags. He said to me, “Ma’am drug dealers sell weed and that’s illegal.” I said where, where are there drug dealers selling weed – I want names, I need names and addresses!!!
Anywho, the officer told me I could go to #driverschool to avoid getting 3 points. 3 POINTS! Dammit, I get more points at #foxwoodscasino when I literally just put my money on the roulette table!!!
I then told him I should have bought a #horse and thanked him for not shooting me.
Seriously, it could have gone all kinds of crazy in these times in which we are living. #TravelingMercies work, but they won’t prevent you from getting a speeding ticket.
Paul Sorvino, an imposing actor who specialized in playing crooks and cops like Paulie Cicero in “Goodfellas” and NYPD sergeant Phil Cerretta on “Law & Order,” has died. He was 83.
His death was announced by his publicist Roger Neal on behalf of Sorvino’s wife Dee Dee Sorvino, who was at his side when he passed.
He was one of my favorites…
As soon as I figure it out I’ll write a story.
This is going to be a story in progress. I have suffered from many traumas in my life. I used to think trauma was blood on the floor in the ER – oh contra – trauma is not just blood and physical pain – it’s emotional and spiritual pain as well.
I’ve heard and read folk say – “Straighten your crown and move on!” (For the Black Girl). Straighten my crown!, what crown?, what have I done to deserve a crown?
So just for today, I think I found a jewel on the floor.
To be continued…
7-8 minutes
People who say they have faced violence for filming police interactions are condemning a law in Arizona that will restrict recording police officers from within 8 feet of police activity.
Without cellphone footage, victims said, it will be harder for residents to hold police accountable and seek justice in cases of police misconduct.
Mariah Hereford, 30, said police officers in Hemet, California, allegedly knocked her phone and her mother’s phone out of their hands and attacked them as they filmed authorities searching her fiancé’s car last year.
According to Hereford’s lawsuit against the city, an officer slammed her to the ground and hooked his fingers inside her jaw, “as if she were a fish, and yanked her upward from the ground,” choking her and making her lose consciousness.
“As I was being attacked, I felt like I was going to be a George Floyd,” Hereford, a Black mother of four kids in Riverside County, California, told NBC News. “I thought I was going to die that night just from recording.”
A spokesperson for the Hemet Police Department did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment.
According to the Arizona law, which was signed by Gov. Doug Ducey last week and goes into effect in September, a bystander could face a misdemeanor charge for recording a police officer within 8 feet of “where the person knows or reasonably should know that law enforcement activity is occurring,” the law states. According to the law, violators will face consequences if they continue to record officers after they are warned to back up.
This applies to situations where police officers are issuing a summons, questioning a suspicious person, conducting an arrest, enforcing the law or handling an emotionally disturbed person. However, there are some exceptions for people on private property and individuals subjected to police activity if they are not being handcuffed, searched or subjected to a field sobriety test.
The law also says people in a vehicle that has been stopped by police can record “if the occupants are not interfering with lawful police actions.”
Hereford’s lawyer, Toni J. Jaramilla, said if that incident weren’t being recorded by the neighbors, there would be little to no evidence of it happening.
“Had they not been recording that, had it been an illegal conduct to be recording police officers performing their duties, they would not have captured the civil rights violations,” Jaramilla said. “The Arizona law in my view is unconstitutional.”
Patricia Rodney, 61, of Brooklyn, New York, said she headed to a police station two years ago to file a police report for a lost glucometer, a device that measures blood sugar levels. Rodney, who has diabetes, said her insurance would not send a new one without the report.
Days earlier, Rodney had been instructed to return to the station for a report. However, officers later declined to provide one when she arrived. The police told Rodney that their body cameras were on. That’s when she began holding up her cellphone to act like she was recording.
“I felt that I needed to show what they were actually doing to me,” Rodney said. “There was a reason for me going to the precinct to begin with.”
An officer then pointed to a sign that prohibits recording in police stations while another officer said, “You can’t record. Ma’am, we are asking you to leave.”
Rodney protested, and within seconds, according to video footage reviewed by NBC News, officers pushed her to the ground and restrained her, shouting, “You’re going to jail,” and then grabbed her phone. That day, Rodney faced multiple charges, including resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. The charges were later dismissed.
“I was horrified. … I just couldn’t believe it,” Rodney, a school cafeteria worker, said. “I told them, ‘Stop grabbing my arms. You’re going to break my arms.’”
As a result of the alleged attack, Rodney said she fractured her elbow, and she did not receive a note for the glucometer, according to a lawsuit she filed against the NYPD earlier this year citing her First Amendment right to record.
The NYPD declined to comment on Rodney’s lawsuit Tuesday, citing pending litigation.
Earlier this year, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former New York Police Department officer, said recording the police creates a dangerous environment.
“If an officer is on the ground wrestling with someone that has a gun, they should not have to worry about someone standing over them with a camera while they’re wrestling with someone,” Adams said. “If an officer is trying to prevent a dispute from taking place and deescalate that dispute, they shouldn’t have someone standing over their shoulders with a camera in their face, yelling and screaming at them without even realizing what the encounter is all about.”’
Kevin Detreville of Aurora, Colorado, said he began recording police interactions after the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black Aurora native who died after police violence. Some videos posted to Detreville’s YouTube channel show him berating, taunting and criticizing officers during traffic stops. Detreville said he wants to prevent further acts of police brutality.
“I’m not anti-police; I’m pro-accountability,” he said. “I don’t want another Elijah McClain in my neighborhood.”
Detreville said he is aware of the dangers of recording the police. He has been arrested twice for filming them. He is urging advocates to fight Arizona’s new law.
“It’s unconstitutional, plain and simple,” he said. “The First Amendment is demolished if we’re not allowed to do that.”
Madusa Carter, a Philadelphia-based activist, artist and rapper known as Blak Rapp Madusa who uses the pronouns “they” and “them,” said they were assaulted by police in 2018 for filming a group of Black girls being aggressively harassed and berated by a white officer at a movie theater.
Carter, who also recorded their own arrest, was charged with resisting arrest, defiant trespass and disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped.
The North Versailles Police Department in Pennsylvania did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Carter filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the police and the theater, accusing them of violating their civil rights.
Without their footage, Carter said they would not have had a case. “It would have been my word against the officers,” they added, “so I feel for the folks in Arizona.”
Source: MSN
A father said to his daughter “You have graduated with honors, here is a Jeep I bought many years ago. It is pretty old now. But before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them I want to sell it and see how much they offer you for it.”
The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father and said, “They offered me $1,000 because they said it looks pretty worn out.”
The father said, now “Take it to the pawn shop.” The daughter went to the pawn shop, returned to her father and said,”The pawn shop offered only $100 because it is an old Jeep.”
The father asked his daughter to go to a Jeep club now and show them the Jeep. The daughter then took the Jeep to the club, returned and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 for it because “it’s an iconic Jeep and sought by many collectors.”
Now the father said this to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way,” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you……Never stay in a place where no one sees your value.
Credit: Unknown
Tell me your thoughts…
Tell me your thoughts…
Meanwhile, as we fight for murder, fight to stop murder, politicians are breaking the law, Black folk getting killed for abiding by the law and white women are kneeling against the law, this is happening.
https://www.facebook.com/101488072350892/videos/3268889803349098
Ok so here goes my first try at writing a conspiracy piece…
In 1975, Oil prices in the USA were rising every day. The prices were so high that car sales literally dropped to zero. The US Government was under a lot of pressure as Saudi Arabia had cut its oil supply to the United States. Many organizations went bankrupt, and the American automotive industry took a major hit. During this time, Stanley Meyer thought of doing something new. He wanted to develop something that would revolutionize the entire Auto Industry. He wanted to cut the dependency on oil and fossil fuels.
This is when he designed a device that could power cars with water. The water used would split into two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen. The Hydrogen would be used to power up wheels while remaining oxygen would be released back in the atmosphere. Everyone was impressed by Stanley Meyer’s revolutionary hydrogen car. They all approved Meyer’s work which turned water into hydrogen fuel with electrolysis. Meyer claimed that his hydrogen car would use only 22 gallons (83 liters) of water to travel from Los Angeles to New York.
On 20th March 1998, Meyer had a meeting with two Belgian investors. The meeting was held at a Cracker Barrel restaurant where Stanley’s brother Stephen was also present. At the dinner table, they all had a toast after which Stanley ran outside holding his throat. He told his brother that he had been poisoned. Stanley took a sip of cranberry juice. Then he grabbed his neck, bolted out the door, dropped to his knees and vomited violently. There was an investigation which lasted for three months. Later, the Grove City Police went with the Franklin County coroner report that Stanley Meyer died of a cerebral aneurysm.
A fuel forecast from GasBuddy in 2021 predicted gasoline prices would potentially jump as high as $4.13 per gallon, though a likely bump in crude supply was expected to push prices lower by the end of 2022. GasBuddy’s 2022 Gasoline Forecast (pdf), released Dec. 29, predicted that the national retail gasoline price would average $3.41 per gallon for all of 2022—assuming no significant interruptions to the ongoing economic recovery. This recent spike is not a product of President Biden or Trump. It is the culmination of many issues, with Russia’s aggression at the top of the list. Do you remember the rules of economics – supply and demand? The amount of a commodity, product, or service available and the desire of buyers for it, considered as factors regulating it price – well that’s not the answer either. Oil companies are reluctant to produce more oil because if they overproduce, they’ll see the profits drop. This began in 2015 before the pandemic and got worse during the pandemic.
So, what is pushing oil and gas prices up? Mainly it’s an effort by oil firms in the United States and elsewhere to resist overproducing, which has torpedoed profits many times in the past and, here in the U.S., caused billions of dollars in losses for oil producers and their investors. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions have limited oil supplies from Russia, the world’s third-largest producer, accounting for a 20% price spike since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. But supply was tightening, and oil prices were rising before then, as drillers worldwide adapted to a world weaning itself off fossil fuels. Since oil accounts for more than half the cost of gasoline, gas prices rise and fall in tandem with oil prices.
Meanwhile – present day – one Saturday afternoon, a white gunman in body armor killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Another Black person and two white people were wounded. Federal officials are investigating the shooting as a hate crime; a state-level murder case is already underway. The gunman opened fire at around 2:30 p.m. Saturday outside Tops Friendly Market, a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in the western New York city. The gunman began shooting in the parking lot. Inside, he exchanged gunfire with a security guard, who was killed, as he stalked through the aisles shooting shoppers.
Fifteen people accepted avowed white supremacist Payton Gendron’s invitation to a private chatroom — chillingly named “Happening: This is not a drill” — where he allegedly spent months meticulously planning his attack in Buffalo that killed 10 people. The 18-year-old invited people on the Discord app 30 minutes before the massacre, CNN reported. The chatroom included months of posts written by an author who identified himself as Gendron, describing his twisted views and outlining how he’d scouted the Tops Friendly Markets in a crazed plan to kill as many black people as possible.
Aaron Salter Jr., a security guard at the Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo who was killed in the recent mass shooting, had reportedly just patented a new type of vehicle engine that runs on water instead of gasoline.
Describing his invention as a “newly discovered energy source,” Salter, just prior to his death, had been working on and speaking publicly about environmentally sustainable vehicles that have the potential to replace existing ones that rely on either internal combustion (gas) or battery-powered (electric) engines.
Salter’s LinkedIn profile reveals that one of his main passions in life was coming up with a free energy transportation solution. In a YouTube video, he demonstrated how his 2010 Ford F-150 truck operated using an AWS Hydrogen Fuel System, which is based on water.
She writes:
When I was a young professional, I was raped by a co-worker and no one believed me.
I share that brutal piece of information because, over a decade later, when the #metoo movement happened, I was completely in favor of it. I was horrified at the number of stories that were shared but simultaneously thrilled that those stories were seeing the light of day as victims took their power back. A year after the movement started, I mustered the courage to share my story publicly for the first time since it happened (though I clearly did not understand how a hashtag worked at the time). For me, it transformed my experience with what happened into something that was empowering rather than something debilitating.
The Black Man
From stop-and-frisk to driving while black to wrongful murder convictions, African American men have always endured the suspicion that President Trump now fears on behalf of all men. “When you are guilty until proven innocent, it’s just not supposed to be that way,” per Trump. “That’s a very dangerous standard for the country.”
Along with Bill Cosby and many others, we hear continued reports of women sexually harassed, assaulted, and abused by males in a position of power, authority, and community respect.
What happens when the man is accused to sexual assault and not only is it not true but he is neither in a position of power or a figure of authority in the workplace?
Remember when Will Slapped Chris? For a Black man to resort to violence is the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black AuntKaren0 condones this type of violent behavior… yes yes yes hunty the cape crusader of #racism – she’s going to stop ALL racism by making sure the racist gets fired – she’s not worried about the children going hungry or the rent being paid. You see no matter how many clips you post racism will NEVER end. But when you condone violence- you’ve crossed the line.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdwDmYdd/
No story just a question- what’s up with the stairs appearing in the woods?
Left-foot braking is the technique of using the left foot to operate the brake pedal in an automobile, leaving the right foot dedicated to the throttle pedal.[1] It contrasts with the practice of using the left foot to operate the clutch pedal, leaving the right foot to share the duties of controlling both brake and gas pedals.
At its most basic purpose, left-foot braking can be used to decrease the time spent moving the right foot between the brake and throttle pedals, and can also be used to control load transfer.[1]
It is most commonly used in auto racing(simultaneous gas and brake keeps turbo pressure and reduces turbo lag.
Today is Bereaved Mother’s Day.
If you didn’t know this day existed, you might be one of the lucky ones. If you did know this day existed, please know that you’re not alone.
Today is the day we honor all of the Mothers who have heavy hearts.
❤️ We honor those still waiting for their miracle.
❤️ We honor those who have had failed fertility treatments.
❤️ We honor those who have lost their embryos.
❤️ We honor those who have had a pregnancy end too soon.
❤️ We honor those who have suffered a stillbirth.
❤️ We honor those who have lost their babies.
❤️ We honor those who have lost their children.
We acknowledge that not all mothers will enjoy Mother’s Day. It’s a painful reminder of what they’ve lost, what they no longer have, or what hasn’t come easily.
Once a mother, always a mother.
Loss doesn’t change that.
Source: Facebook
Zoey is a modern spelling variation of Zoe, the Greek Jewish translation of Eve. Despite its Jewish origins, Zoe was historically more popular among Christians. Two early saints were named Zoe—Saint Zoe of Rome and Saint Zoe of Pamphylia. Zoey has been a consistent favorite for girls in the 21st century.
Blessed are you who realize there is simply not enough – time, money or resources…
Blessed are you who are tired of pretending that raw effort is the secret to perfection. It’s not – may you know that now.
Blessed are you who need a gentle reminder that even now, even today, God is here, and somehow, that IS good enough.
Some of us are still searching for the answers to why God would take the life – before it’s born – yup that’s me; I can speculate until the cows come home – but alas I will/may not know in this lifetime -but I will continue to trust Him.
Happy Birthday – Zoey from Grandma…
Note: It’s actually tomorrow – March 8, 2022 – but I may not have time to share my thoughts….
Just testing the share buttons, this will be removed when testing is complete, carry on.
Listening to the news is not always easy, think, for a moment, about where you get your news, are you still reading the newspaper or perhaps the dulcet delivery of your local NPR host is the only thing that gets you through your commute. Maybe you’re a bona fide Twitter or Facebook addict. Or maybe, like half of American adults, you learn about the world through your television.
If you are new to watching the news, it can be very disorienting. It seems most media nowadays tailor their delivery to a particular party. For example, we know Fox News, unlike its name, is not very crafty or clever (In folklore, the red fox is often characterized as a cunning, wily or crafty animal), they are simply betrothed to Donald Trump everything they say or report is either in favor of #tRumpismn or egregious because it goes against #tRumpism. CNN and MSNBC appear to be unbiased but alas they favor the Democratic point of view.
Hey listen if you want biased news not from a reporter or a pundit and you want news that is always Black and Petty as Hell – check out Doubledeemuva. Yes, yes, yes hunty she is Black and petty as hell. She only reads the news as she get’s it from other sources but she caters to an audience who (1) does not read the news; (2) does not have time to read or watch the news; (3) does not understand the news and how its delivered; (4) folk who have a lot of time to be on social media. I think she is great for our young folk and older folk who want to stay up to date on what’s going on in the world from the perspective of (our block). Folk are not and don’t necesilary (make shift word) understand why Putin is going after Ukraine or who are not watching the changes in the behavior of animals across the globe.
If you want the news that is “Black and Petty as Hell” check out DoubleDeeMuva also for you TikToc fans Doubledeemuva please be careful with TikTok there’s an all out full scale war between some big content providers- but that’s another story.
https://www.facebook.com/Doubledeemuva/?tn=-UC
With the current issues between Russia and Ukraine I thought it was a good idea to help folk understand NATO and it’s importance.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an alliance of 30 countries that border the North Atlantic Ocean.1 The Alliance includes the United States, most European Union members, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Turkey.
Keep reading to learn more about why this organization was formed and how it functions today.
Definition of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance between the United States, Canada, and their European allies. It was formed in the wake of World War II to keep the peace and encourage political cooperation on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.2
Member Countries
NATO’s 30 members are Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.3
Each member designates an ambassador to NATO as well as officials to serve on NATO committees and discuss NATO business. These designees could include a country’s president, prime minister, foreign affairs minister, or head of a defense department.
On December 1, 2015, NATO announced its first expansion since 2009, offering membership to Montenegro. Russia responded by calling the move a strategic threat to its national security. Russia is worried by the number of Balkan countries along its border that have joined NATO.
How Does NATO Work?
NATO’s mission is to protect the freedom of its members and the stability of their regions. Its targets include weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and cyber-attacks.
A key aspect of the alliance is Article 5, which states that “an armed attack against one Ally is considered an attack against all Allies.”4 In other words, if someone attacks one NATO nation, all NATO nations will retaliate.
The only time NATO invoked Article 5 was after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
NATO’s protection does not extend to members’ civil wars or internal coups. During a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, for example, NATO did not intervene on either side of the conflict.5 As a NATO member, Turkey would receive its allies’ support in the case of an attack, but not in case of a coup.
NATO is funded by its members. The United States contributes roughly three-fourths of NATO’s budget. Only 10 countries have reached the target spending level of 2% of gross domestic product (GDP).6 The United States was forecast to spend 3.52% of its GDP on defense in 2021.
History
The founding members of NATO signed the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949. It worked in conjunction with the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. The organizations were created during the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference.
NATO’s primary purpose was to defend member nations from threats by communist countries. The United States also wanted to maintain a presence in Europe. It sought to prevent a resurgence of aggressive nationalism and to foster political union. In this way, NATO made the formation of the European Union possible. U.S. military protection gave European nations the safety needed to rebuild after World War II’s devastation.
During the Cold War, NATO’s mission expanded to prevent nuclear war.
After West Germany joined NATO, the communist countries formed the Warsaw Pact alliance, which included the USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany. In response, NATO adopted the “Massive Retaliation” policy. It promised to use nuclear weapons if members of the Pact attacked. NATO’s deterrence policy allowed Europe to focus on economic development. It didn’t have to build large conventional armies.
The Soviet Union continued to build its military presence. By the end of the Cold War, it was spending three times what the United States was spending, with only one-third of the economic power. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it was due to economic as well as ideological reasons.
After the USSR dissolved in the early 1990s, NATO’s relationship with Russia thawed. In 1997, they signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act to build bilateral cooperation. In 2002, they formed the NATO-Russia Council to partner on shared security issues.
The collapse of the USSR led to unrest in its former satellite states. NATO got involved when Yugoslavia’s civil war became genocide. NATO’s initial support of a United Nations naval embargo led to the enforcement of a no-fly zone. Violations then led to airstrikes until September 1999, when NATO conducted a nine-day air campaign that ended the war. By December of that year, NATO deployed a peacekeeping force of 60,000 soldiers. That ended in 2004 when NATO transferred the function to the European Union.2
Alliances
NATO participates in three alliances that expand its influence beyond its 30 member countries. The first is the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which helps partners become NATO members. It includes 20 non-NATO countries that support NATO’s purpose. It began in 1991.
NATO itself admits that “Peacekeeping has become at least as difficult as peacemaking.” As a result, NATO is strengthening alliances throughout the world. In the age of globalization, transatlantic peace has become a worldwide effort. It extends beyond military might alone.
The Mediterranean Dialogue seeks to stabilize the Middle East. Its non-NATO members include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. It began in 1994.
The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative works for peace throughout the larger Middle East region. It includes four members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. They are Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. It began in 2004.
NATO also cooperates with eight other countries in joint security issues. There are five Asia-Pacific countries, which include Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and New Zealand. There is one in South America (Colombia), and there are three cooperative countries in the Middle East: Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan.7
Why is Ukraine not part of Nato?
Ukraine is applying to become a Nato member, but it is yet to be formally admitted. However, it is one of the body’s “enhanced opportunity partners”.
This status is afforded to non-member nations that have “made significant contributions to Nato-led operations and missions”, such as Australia and Sweden.
Given Ukraine’s current instability, Nato membership will not happen any time soon.
A new country has to be unanimously approved by Nato members and factors taken into account will include, among others, “unresolved external territorial disputes”.
In 1997, Nato established a Ukraine-Nato commission, which allowed for discussion on security issues and enabled the furthering of the Nato-Ukraine relationship without a formal membership agreement.
Alastair Kocho-Williams, professor of history at Clarkson University in the US, says Nato membership would “significantly increase Ukraine’s international military backing, allowing for Nato military action within Ukraine and alongside members of its military”.
Without membership Nato’s support is limited. For example, it does not commit to deploying troops to non-member countries. However, it has sent troops to neighbouring countries and has publicly backed Ukraine.
Key Takeaways
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a 30-member alliance formed in the wake of WWII with the goal of protecting democratic freedom.
NATO includes the U.S. and Canada, as well as dozens of nations in Europe.
In addition to the core NATO alliance, NATO has partnerships with countries in other regions.
What is a God Box you ask, that’s a good question. Like prayer is just a conversation with God a God Box is just a (real box) in which you put your request to God in. Get a box with a lid and in the box, you put your requests.
In my box which was average size (years ago) I wrote, I wanted a husband, a relationship with my daughter, a home with a garage, and a few other things. Low and behold a few years later (I had even noticed) that I had a husband, a relationship with my daughter and a Condo with a GARAGE!!!!!
Why the emphasis on the garage because He heard the smallest detail and provided it. Yes, I hear you asking/saying, “you could have just prayed”, well you are right – however with requests that magnanimous as a human, I would be fretting every day about when it was going to come to pass.
So how it works is like doing your laundry – when you put the dirty clothes in the washer machine you add your detergent close the lid or the door (for all you fancy folk) and walk away. I don’t know about you, but I trust the machine will do exactly what it is designed to do – wash my clothes. I don’t go back and check that’s it’s spinning, I don’t go back and check to see if the detergent is correct, I don’t keep checking on it during the cycle to see that it working – I TRUST THAT THE MACHINE is doing exactly what it is designed to do. So when I put my request in the box, I leave it there until all the cycles are complete…
I see a lot of posts about folk wanting world peace and praying for Ukraine. I’m most definitely NOT against praying but I’m also acutely aware that we WILL NEVER see world peace. We’ve NEVER seen it in the past and will not see it in the future according to my worldview and KJV.
So if that’s the case MsConcerned what should we do, you ask? That’s a good question, we should – from our own homes, restore relationships, be kind to our neighbors and find out what our true primary purpose is. We should first learn about the one and only true God, develop a relationship with Him, trust Him and love Him.
That’s all I have to say about that for now….
This is a new segment to my blog. After reading various posts and talking to both substitutes and teachers about concernns in the classroom – I thought I would share my experience. I hold two Master Degrees – after leaving the world of healthcare I embarked on education. It was the best move I have ever made (ok one of the best moves – THEE best was giving birth to my daughter). I have taught in Connectict, North Carolina and South Carolina – and have many experiences to share. One thing I must say, is that this role is clearly not about money as I could easy command 6 figures – Oh but the love of the classroom and my DAILY dose of (that just made my heart smile moments) overrides 6 figures ON ANY GIVEN DAY. With that said I hope you enjoy my content and nuggests of feel good moments… please share and ask all the questions your heart desires.
As a long term math substitute I have been asked on more than one occasion, “Why do I need to know why 5x + 6 = 30y?” Well the long answer is below – take what you need and leave the rest.
Do you love math? Or are numbers the bane of your existence? Whether you’re a fan of math or not, it’s an important subject to learn. Just think of all the things you couldn’t do without basic math! Math helps you buy food at the grocery story. It even helps you cook and divide it among your family members. Face it, folks. We need math!
Most of us start our mathematical journey learning the basics of addition. From there, we move on to subtraction. After we’ve mastered the pluses and the minuses, we advance to multiplication and division. Sooner or later, we all reach the point where we make the leap into more advanced math. What are we talking about? Algebra, of course!
Some people refer to algebra as the point at which letters get involved in math. Algebra is the study of mathematical symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols. It forms the basis for advanced studies in many fields, including mathematics, science, engineering, medicine, and economics.
In its simplest form, algebra involves using equations to find the unknown. Real-life problems probably drove the development of algebra. The subject dates back over 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians.
Here’s an example. A wagon carries a load of hay bales. Suddenly, it hits a rut in the road. Six bales fall off! Luckily, ten bales are left. How many bales of hay did the wagon have when before it hit the rut? You can use the algebraic expression “x – 6 = 10” to answer this question. In this equation, x represents the unknown (how many bales of hay were on the wagon at the start). Six is the number of hay bales that fell off, and ten is the numbers still on the wagon. By adding six to each side of the equation, you’ll find that x equals 16. So, the wagon had 16 hay bales before it hit the rut in the road.
Algebra gets much more complicated than that simple equation. This leaves many students WONDERing when, if ever, they’ll use algebra in real life. Does it have any use? If not, why do you have to learn it?
For starters, algebra is foundational for other classes. That means you’ll apply what you learn in algebra throughout school. Learning algebra helps to develop your critical thinking skills. That includes problem solving, logic, patterns, and reasoning. You need to know algebra for many professions, especially those in science and math. Not planning to go into those fields? You’ll probably still use algebra without even realizing it!
Consider these examples: It’s time to fill up your car’s gas tank. The price of gas per gallon is $3 and you only have $25 to spend. How much gas can you purchase? This can be answered by the algebraic equation, “3x = 25.” You must divide each side of the equation by 3 in order to isolate x. In this equation, x is equal to 25 divided by 3, which is 8.33 gallons of gas. If you need 10 gallons of gas, how much money do you need? When you solve that equation, you have algebra to thank!
Or how about this example? You would like to purchase Internet service for your home. Company A requires a setup fee of $10 and charges a monthly fee of $25. Company B does not charge a setup fee but charges $26 per month. Which company is less expensive for one year of service? We can find out by first calculating the total cost for Company A: x = $10 + $25*12 (months in a year), which comes to $310. The equation for Company B is x = $26*12, which totals $312. At first glance, it might have seemed like Company B would be cheaper, because they do not charge a setup fee, but algebra showed us differently!
There are many other examples of real-world uses of algebra, from comparing prices on similar products in a grocery store to figuring out what time you need to leave your house in order to meet a friend across town on time.
Need help with an expression click here.
This post will be updated periodically…
Feel free to share your moments too.
Loans – Why is it easier to get a student loan than a mortgage?
Murder Trial – Kim Potter’s trial defense attorney said: ““If you send her to prison, you will harm her,” Engh said. “We are not in the business of harming defendants.”.
U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebart said, “And I’m certainly not so dumb that I think $7 trillion equals zero,”
Optimum CSR – “May I have your name and account number?” “Give me a second while I review your account.” A few minutes later, “What type of cable box do you have?”
Enhanced Work of Art– One of the images below was worth $1 million dollars before the security guard re-touch the painting.
Reality-TV
I’m telling you TicTok is THEE best place to watch reality tv unfold, there’s crime, sexual assault, arguments, jealousy, the selling of food stamps, fake Ph.D. holders, fraud, fake activists, gluttony, debauchery, wanna be pastors and pastorettes, exposing pastors in the (church), men turning into women right before your very eyes, single women giving strong relationship advice, women sharing comments from their coochies, men getting arrested and multiple women dying to say they called the police, white women pretending to be a Black Woman, fake PPP loan creations, creating GoFundMe and keeping the money, posting videos of abuse then asking for money and later the grandmother arrives and states it was all fraud, people talking shyt and then crying later when they are addressed, threats of child unaliviing, doxxing folk left and right, even a guy that works for the IRS is disclosing folks’ business, folk destroying families and their livelihood because they don’t like Black folk, let’s not talk about all the booty-shaking ass so delicious videos, comedians, you name it, there are folks trying to unalive themselves and TicTok is DOING NOTHIN ABOUT IT, but they will do is flag a video that was RE-POSTED for breaking community guidelines but leave the original poster’s video up – make it make sense.
Soooo you mean to tell me that someone down your ancestry line survived being chained to other human bodies for several months in the bottom of a disease-infested ship during the Middle Passage, lost their language, customs and traditions, picked up the English language as best they could while working free of charge from sun up to sun down as they watched babies sold from out of their arms and women raped by ruthless slave owners.
Took names with no last names, no birth certificates, no heritage of any kind, braved the Underground Railroad, survived the Civil War to enter into sharecropping… Learned to read and write out of sheer will and determination, faced the burning crosses of the KKK, everted their eyes at the black bodies swinging from ropes hung on trees…
Fought in World Wars as soldiers only to return to America as boys, marched in Birmingham, hosed in Selma, jailed in Wilmington, assassinated in Memphis, segregated in the South, ghettoed in the North, ignored in history books, stereotyped in Hollywood…
and in spite of it all, someone in your family line endured every era to make sure you would get here, but you receive one rejection, face one obstacle, lose one friend, get overlooked, and you want to quit?
How dare you entertain the very thought of quitting. People, you will never know survived from generation to generation so you could succeed. Don’t you dare let them down!
It is NOT in our DNA to quit!
Spilled my heart, you watched me bleed
I am a thief and you keep giving to my greed
You’re the water to my thirsty seed
I am the lock and you are the key
I am my own worst enemy
Somehow you stand alone and you fight for me
Love is the cure and the disease
We are lock and key
Always there to break my fall
Push me from the highest wall
Still it all makes sense to me
I wait until you call
You’re the best and worst of all
Without you, where would I be
We are lock and key
I know sometimes it’s hard to see
That I’m for you and you were meant for me
But you’re the only one who ever set me free
I am the lock and you are the key
Always there to break my fall
Push me from the highest wall
Still it all makes sense to me
I wait until you call
You’re the best and worst of all
Without you, where would I be
I pushed you away and now you’re all I need
We are lock and key
Lock and key
Lock and key
PTSD,ABUSE, SHAME, HURT, HUMILITY, GUILT, FORGIVENESS
It all hurts, we have different ways of dealing with it, we use relationships, drugs, alcohol, work, food, religion…
Don’t shame us for our pain…
I applaud her!!!!!!!
Good for her (horrible yes indeed) but to have the courage to admit she acted on what her thoughts suggested I applaud her.
Listen white women have been killing their babies since forever.
Black women have rejected taking care of their mental health since forever.
They don’t want to be thought of as crazy…
They don’t know they have issues…
They can’t afford a therapist…
They self medicate with alcohol, cocaine, heroine, sex, food…
They cover it up with the next man, the next job…
Dysfunctional family behavior rarely addresses mental health…
That misinformed uneducated Steve gets a fuckin garbage that’s some bullshyt instead of addressing it with a Wise mind he got all fucking emotional!
Now we must rely on God that some will see this and offers her some help!
Are you working in your calling? My dad would say, “Wendy, when you get up in the morning and have to think twice about going to work, it’s time to move on”.
With a double masters, I’ve had some amazing roles, Yale Reimbursement Manger, Healthplan Administrator for Foxwoods Casino, Education Specialist for VNSNY – the role that had thee most impact is a Substitute Teacher, when I had a student go from wanting to be a stripper like CardiB to working at McDonalds (with the prospect of owning her own establishment) my heart cried out. When that young man found value in working for minimum wage verses dropping off packages for his cousin Julio and wearing a bright orange colored jumpsuit…the floodgates couldn’t be controlled.
What is sorry – feeling distress, especially through sympathy with someone else’s misfortune; or feeling regret or penitence;
What is penitence – the action of feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentance.
Can one simply say, “I’m sorry” when they have caused someone harm;
Can one simply say, “I’m sorry” when they cause someone harm over and over and over again;
Can one simply say, “I’m sorry” when the harm caused is irreparable;
Can one simply say, “I’m sorry” when the recipient is unwilling to accept;
Can one simply say, “I’m sorry” and keep operating in a behavior that is harmful;
The Bible says, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Apologizing is a way of recognizing our sins. It has a way of clearing the air between people and between you and God. When people apologize, they look for forgiveness for their sins. Sometimes, it means apologizing to God for the ways we have wronged Him.
Is there a difference between saying I’m sorry or apologizing – Saying sorry simply expresses your personal feelings about something. Apologizing implies that you are accepting the responsibility of the fault or mistake as well as expressing your regret about it. This is the main difference between sorry and apology.
When saying “sorry” didn’t work, I had to ask myself, “Lord, what is it You want me to do, what do You expect of me, what am I supposed to learn here. It was then that I received a call and the caller said to me something about Jesus saying He would create division between mother and daughter. I thought to myself, wow, I never read that or should I say that I read it but never paid any attention to it – until I found myself in a position where there was strife between me, my daughter and my mother and simply saying, “sorry” just didn’t seem like it was enough…
Jesus said, 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Jesus would stress the cost of discipleship with these words:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)[2]
Jesus is not teaching emotional hatred for family members, but making it very clear that all relationships must be secondary to following him. Even parents, even a wife or husband, even children, even brothers or sisters, none of these could be first in their lives . Every loyalty and every love – even of a disciple’s own life – must be less than love for him. “Whoever does not carry their cross” – whoever will not die to every other loyalty – “cannot be my disciple.”
…above all else Christ must come first, a hard pill to swallow but a necessary medicine nonetheless…
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 occurs on Thursday, November 25. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.
Thanksgiving is a time for celebration, good food, and giving thanks. So as we gather with family, crush unworldly amounts of stuffing, and enjoy a football game in the crisp autumn air, let’s also acknowledge the real history of the holiday and practice gratitude by giving back.
Four hundred years later, the so-called first Thanksgiving is undergoing a reassessment. Museums and historic sites in Plymouth and around the country are telling a more nuanced story about the origins of the holiday—one that goes far beyond the lasting legend of smiling Pilgrims and Wampanoag people happily enjoying a big meal together.
“It wasn’t even called Thanksgiving back then,” says Darius Coombs, cultural and outreach coordinator for the Cape Cod–based Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. “The Pilgrims had a large harvest that first year. So they have a feast. [Wampanoag leader Massasoit, or Ousamequin] shows up with about 90 of his men, and they bring five deer with them. They never ever mention turkey at that feast.”
In 1620, a small group of English separatists packed up and headed for the New World in search of religious freedom. Calling themselves “Saints” (the term “Pilgrims” wouldn’t be used to describe the settlers for another 200 years), they headed to what is now Delaware but landed in Plymouth in December after being blown off course by storms. The colonists first encountered the peaceful yet cautious Wampanoag the following spring.
At the time, the two disparate groups were attempting to find common ground. In April 1621, both had signed a treaty pledging to come to the aid of the other in case of attack. After losing nearly half of their settlers to sickness during their first winter in America, the English were teetering on extinction. The Wampanoag weren’t far from that reality themselves: Between 1616 and 1619, diseases introduced by European colonizers killed up to 90 percent of New England’s Native population in an epidemic now referred to as the Great Dying. Greatly weakened, the tribe also needed help fending off incursions from the Narragansett, a rival Native group.
There’s no evidence that the Wampanoag people were even invited in the first place. An account from the time said 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe were present and makes no mention of invitations. Some experts believe that these 90 men were an army, sent by Wampanoag leader Ousamequin at the sound of gunshots (which turned out to be a part of the celebration).
In their first encounter with the Wampanoag people, the Pilgrims stole from the tribe’s winter provisions — it wasn’t until later that Ousamequin formed an alliance between the groups. Even then, the alliance really only existed because the Wampanoag people were ravaged by diseases brought by European colonizers in the years prior. It was less about intercultural harmony and more about survival (made necessary by the actions of these settlers).
That first harvest was followed by deadly conflicts between colonizers and Native people, including (but definitely not limited to) the Wampanoags. The Europeans repaid their Native allies by seizing Native land and imprisoning, enslaving, and executing Native people.
Following “Thanksgiving” celebrations by European settlers often marked brutal victories over Native people, like the Pequot Massacre of 1636 or the beheading of Wampanoag leader Metacom in 1676.
Source: Smithsonian Magazine; DoSomething
The events of the original 11/2 were poetic in their symmetry. Congress stepped back from the action, and the Fed stepped forward. On that Tuesday, Americans cast their votes in the first midterm election of Barack Obama’s presidency and gave the Tea Party control of the House. Tea Party politicians had campaigned on a platform of policy negation and government shutdown, and they achieved their aims. The Obama agenda came to a grinding halt.
On that same day, an unelected committee of 18 people gathered for their regular meeting at the Federal Reserve. This committee, called the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) was led at the time by Chairman Ben Bernanke, who had a penchant for bold experiments. Bernanke enjoyed a level of autonomy that would be the envy of any U.S. president. When Congress created the Fed, it insulated the bank from voters, which allows the Fed to move fast in times of trouble. Bernanke used this power to great effect during the financial crisis of 2008, orchestrating large bailouts that propped up financial markets.
By 2010, however, the Fed looked like it might be out of options. The FOMC had already cut short-term interest rates to zero and kept them there. But Bernanke had devised an experimental way to do more: a program called quantitative easing (QE). This tool had been used only once before, in the heat of the financial crisis, and now Bernanke wanted to use it as a way to boost overall economic growth. This was a radical plan, and some members of the Fed’s policy committee warned against it. They argued that quantitative easing would only encourage risky lending without creating many real jobs. Over a period of years, Bernanke justified taking such risks in part because Congress wasn’t doing anything to help. On November 3, 2010, after the second day of their meeting, FOMC members approved Bernanke’s plan for $600 billion in quantitative easing. The Fed made itself central to America’s economic growth.
This was just the beginning. Between late 2010 and 2014, the Fed used quantitative easing to create about $2.3 trillion. To put that in perspective, that’s more than twice as much money as the Fed had created during the first 95 years of its existence. The bank crammed two centuries’ worth of new money creation into a few short years.
This story is just devastating. An Indiana toddler died from a fentanyl overdose and two other kids had to receive medical attention after they …
3-Year-Old Girl Dead After Ingesting Fentanyl, Mother & Grandparents Along With Others Arrested
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A Texas radio host was sentenced to three life prison sentences Monday for a Ponzi scheme in which he bilked elderly …
Radio Host Gets 3 Life Prison Terms For Bilking Listeners Out Of Millions
The 29th Annual Canstruction New York, raising money for City Harvest, will take place from November 4 ~ 15 at Brookfield Place, this year as an in-person event!
View some images here, they are amazing
August 29,1968: The Whole World Was Watching – Media Burn Archive
— Read on mediaburn.org/blog/august-291968-the-whole-world-was-watching/
AND
On August 29th, 1968, all televisions in Amercia shut down. There was a murmuring on the TV, that some believe was the devils voice. The televisions were off for about 25 seconds.
A little girl holding a teddy bear on a stoop does not have access to nutritional food, as the German narrator explains. 20 percent of people in America struggle to afford food, compared to Germany’s six percent. Help support GreatNationsEat so everyone can have access to food.
— Read on www.ispot.tv/ad/7PO1/great-nations-eat-germany-for-america
Great Nations Eat TV Commercial, ‘Germany for America’ – iSpot.tv
EMPOWERMENT
What does empowerment mean?
Have you ever thought about the real meaning of empowerment? What does it really truly mean to be empowered? The dictionary says it is the “authority or power given to someone to do something,” or “the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.”
Empowerment is simple
Empowerment is simple. You can learn to advocate for yourself, to reach inside your soul and find your inner strength. It is there, you just have to find it and let it show its face. You can empower others by lifting them up instead of putting them down. Put downs do nothing they are a way to self-elevate oneself. They cause harm and achieve absolutely nothing. Wouldn’t you rather give people compliments, encourage them when they are down, and point out the good instead of the bad so that they too can be empowered to go after their dreams.
The Holy Spirit’s empowering of you happened when you put your faith in Christ.
The Bible says, “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:10-11). I like that about the Holy Spirit. He goes where I cannot. He comprehends things I cannot. He does things I cannot. But when it comes to the things I need to do, He equips me to do them.
When I’m lost, when I’m sad, when I’m angry, jealous, full of pride and ego, arrogant, confused, I can call on the Holy Spirit to guide me AND MY WORDS during difficult situations.
The Holy Spirit is my strongest guide to empowerment not my job, not my parents, not my daughter, not my blog, definitely not by social media.
A Brief History
On November 7, 1775, in an announcement known as “Dunmore’s Proclamation,” the first movement to free African-Americans from slavery (also known as “emancipation”) took place when the Royal Governor of Virginia offered freedom to any slave willing to fight for the British against the Colonies in the American Revolution. Between 800 and 2,000 black slaves accepted the offer, inciting rage and fear among Virginia’s slave holders. Over the course of the Revolution, an estimated 100,000 slaves tried to take advantage of similar British offers, and at least 3,000 of them were sent to Nova Scotia as freemen.
Digging Deeper
Significant political milestones in African-American history were also reached on November 7, with Douglas Wilder becoming the first black U.S. governor as he was voted into office in Virginia and David Dinkens becoming the first black mayor of New York City! (Both in 1989.) History and Headlines Facts: Dinkins had served in the U.S. Marine Corps after initially being denied entry because the Marines had already reached their “racial quota.” His main accomplishment during his one term as mayor was drastically reducing crime in the Big Apple.
Source: History and Headlines
Endemic only to Turkey and growing in the Halfeti district of the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, the black rose is renowned for its petals which adopt a pitch black hue in March-April and October-November. Its shade changes a bit during other seasons.
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let ev’ry Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n;
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is foundâ??
The Comforter has come!
The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divineâ??
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!
I DONT EVEN HAVE 8 PAGES
Just a video that has inspired me
Ronnie Wilson, 1/3 of the Wilson brothers who made up legendary R&B/funk group The Gap Band, has died after a long illness.
For more than a decade the Gap Band rode at the top of the R&B charts, creating great music that has increased in stature over time. Their work influenced a new generation of artists who have liberally borrowed from the Gap sound in creating modern soul and hip-hop albums.
Formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 70s by brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the Gap Band often mimicked musical pioneers George Clinton, Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind & Fire before developing their own distinctive sound in the early 80s that propelled them to the forefront of soul and funk music. Named as an acronym for three streets in Tulsa, the Gap Band spent most of the 70s as backing musicians or as the warm-up act for visiting artists ranging from the Rolling Stones to Willie Nelson.
https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5qM925z83TMCtj6h0qooVi?utm_source=generator
The Gap Band’s next albumwas its biggest. IV became one of 1982’s most notable soul albums and popped out three top 10 crossover smashes, “Outstanding,” “Early In the Morning” and the group’s signature hit, “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” – a song that has since been sampled by other artists countless times. About that time the Gap Band was also becoming a great touring funk band, and the group spent the remainder of the 80s topping bills around the world while also maintaining its Soul radio popularity with hits such as “Big Fun,” “Party Train,” “Beep A Freak” and a #1 remake of the Friends of Distinction’s “Going In Circles.” Charlie Wilson also established himself as one of the most distinctive lead singers in soul music, as his slightly raspy, strong baritone powered also not only Gap hits, but also songs of other artists (most notably Zapp’s “Computer Love”).
Source: Soul Tracks
By Chris Rizik
…are you impatient
…are you satisfied
…are you angry
How are you WAITING on God
…are you giving while waiting?
No one is watching the barn at Facebook when they disable your account and can’t tell you why…
Shouting love, peace, joy, and good health to all of the women touched by breast cancer
“…Mr. Braxton Mr. Braxton the bear gotta pee, the bear gotta pee”
“…my math says 49% of humanity needs to die…”
Watch here…
Monica, I’m so saddened by the loss of Michael, if I could…
I’d wipe your tears;
If I was Almighty- because I’m human I’d bring him back;
I would say it’s going to be alright
Id say say “hold on” to God’s unchanging hand
I’d say God knows best
I’d say God knows best
If I were you and folk said that to me I’d be like shut up – she’s gone and it hurts and I’d question everything I did whether wrong or right – it would all be wrong
So what I’ll say is I love you and I’m here for you…
Dear God, I bring Monica a grieving parent into your throne of grace. Lord, she is going through a lot of pain after the loss of her child Michael. It is not an easy thing for a parent to bury their child. Father comfort her. Help her to continue being faithful to you even through the pain. Lavish her with your love and fill the void left in her heart with your unconditional love. In the name that is of Jesus Christ, I believe and pray. Amen.
A Bridgeport man has been charged in a fatal shooting.
Police arrested Robert Sorrells for the deadly shooting of Jonathan DaSilva.
The shooting happened Oct. 2 on Arctic and Pembroke streets.
Sorrells was taken into custody last night and faces murder and gun-related charges.
Officials say he is being held on a $2 million bond.
A Fairfield County man who is awaiting trial for an earlier DUI has been charged with driving drunk and killing an area woman.
Robert Oxer, age 26, of Darien, was charged on Thursday, Oct. 21 with a warrant for manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence and motor vehicle charges, said the Connecticut State Police.
Oxer was charged in connection with a crash on Route 8 in Trumbull on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020.
During the crash he was allegedly driving a motorcycle at more than 80 miles per hour when he hit the back of another vehicle, state police said.
His passenger, 36-year-old Shirley Regado-Rodriguez, of Stamford, was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple injuries.
Court records show Oxer is awaiting trial on several charges, including strangulation stemming from a 2019 arrest in Darien.
He is being held on a $250,000 bond.
The federal debt ceiling will be reinstated on August 1, 2021, at around $28.5 trillion. At that point, the Treasury Department will begin using accounting tools at their disposal, called “extraordinary measures,” to avoid defaulting on the government’s obligations. The Treasury Department has estimated that these measures will be exhausted as soon as mid-to-late-September, while the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Bipartisan Policy Center and other outside analysts predict exhaustion in the fall near the start of the next fiscal year (e.g., likely September, October, or November). At that point, absent a new agreement to either raise or suspend the debt ceiling, the Treasury will be unable to continue paying the nation’s bills. Congress could address the debt ceiling through reconciliation, which provides for passage of legislation with a simple majority vote in the Senate.
The national debt is the total amount of outstanding borrowings by the U.S. Federal government, accumulated over our history. The Federal government needs to borrow money to pay its bills when its ongoing operations cannot be funded by Federal revenues alone. When this happens, the U.S. Treasury Department creates and sells securities. These securities are the debt owed by the Federal government. There are many different types of Treasury debt; bills, notes, and bonds are the most common ones. The various types of debt differ primarily in when they mature—ranging from a few days to 30 years—and in how much interest they pay. The United States has not run an annual surplus since 2001, and has thus borrowed to fund government operations every year since then.
The debt limit is a ceiling imposed by Congress on the amount of debt that the U.S. Federal government can have outstanding. This limit has been set at $28.4 trillion since August 1st, 2021.
It is also important to note that the debt limit is not a forward-looking budgeting tool that reveals what policymakers think are ideal levels of spending and revenue. Rather, it reflects the spending and revenue decisions debated and enacted in prior years by prior Congresses and Administrations; in fact, 97 percent of the current national debt stems from policy choices made before the Biden Administration took office in January 2021—choices made by both parties on their own and in a bipartisan fashion. The debt limit is the amount that the U.S. Treasury can borrow to pay the bills that have become due based on these prior policy decisions.
Once the debt limit is hit, the Federal government cannot increase the amount of outstanding debt; therefore, it can only draw from any cash on hand and spend its incoming revenues. The U.S. Treasury can also take certain “extraordinary measures” to extend how long it can continue to pay all the government’s obligations while staying below the limit. These measures include accounting techniques within several government accounts that temporarily reduce the amount of U.S. Treasury securities issued to those accounts. These actions include suspending new investments or redeeming existing investments early. By reducing the amount of outstanding Treasury securities, the level of outstanding debt temporarily falls, slightly extending the amount of time that the government can continue to satisfy its obligations.
When the U.S. Treasury exhausts its cash and extraordinary measures, the Federal government loses any means to pay its bills and fund its operations beyond its incoming revenues, which only cover part of what is required (about 80 percent in 2019). While the United States has hit the debt limit before, it has never run out of resources and failed to meet its financial obligations. Take the debt limit crises in 2011 and 2013, for example; the debt ceiling was raised in the former episode (Congress raised the cap by an explicit dollar amount) and suspended in the latter (Congress eliminated the debt limit entirely for a specified period of time) in time, before the U.S. Treasury ran out of cash and exhausted all extraordinary measures. More recently, in 2019, the United States once again hit the debt limit, but Congress suspended the ceiling, eliminating the cap until August 1st, 2021.
Oh my goodness it’s only a 3rd cup of soup
Why are thrillers in a hospital setting dimly lit??
How Did It Start
Coronaviruses are a big family of different viruses. Some of them cause the common cold in people. Others infect animals, including bats, camels, and cattle. But how did SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, come into being?
Here’s what we know about the virus that was first detected in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and has set off a global pandemic.
Where Did the Coronavirus Come From?
Experts say SARS-CoV-2 originated in bats. That’s also how the coronaviruses behind Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) got started.
SARS-CoV-2 made the jump to humans at one of Wuhan’s open-air “wet markets.” They’re where customers buy fresh meat and fish, including animals that are killed on the spot.
Some wet markets sell wild or banned species like cobras, wild boars, and raccoon dogs. Crowded conditions can let viruses from different animals swap genes. Sometimes the virus changes so much it can start to infect and spread among people.
Still, the Wuhan market didn’t sell bats at the time of the outbreak. That’s why early suspicion also fell on pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, which are sold illegally in some markets in China. Some coronaviruses that infect pangolins are similar to SARS-CoV-2.
Time Line
31 Dec 2019
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province. A novel coronavirus was eventually identified.
1 January 2020
WHO had set up the IMST (Incident Management Support Team) across the three levels of the organization: headquarters, regional headquarters and country level, putting the organization on an emergency footing for dealing with the outbreak.
4 January 2020
WHO reported on social media that there was a cluster of pneumonia cases – with no deaths – in Wuhan, Hubei province.
5 January 2020
WHO published our first Disease Outbreak News on the new virus. This is a flagship technical publication to the scientific and public health community as well as global media. It contained a risk assessment and advice, and reported on what China had told the organization about the status of patients and the public health response on the cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan.
Masks
The story of mask requirements in the United States has had many twists and turns since the early days of the pandemic, when the U.S. surgeon general urged Americans to “STOP BUYING MASKS!”
Since then, government and public health leaders have urged us to wear face masks even when walking around our neighborhoods alone, and told us to keep wearing them even after receiving the protection of highly effective vaccines.
It wasn’t until May that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told fully vaccinated Americans that they could be exempt from nearly all mask requirements. The state of California followed suit with rules that went into effect when the economy reopened on June 15.
Now, as the highly transmissible Delta variant causes coronavirus cases to spike across the nation, indoor mask mandates are back in L.A. County regardless of vaccination status, and the CDC has updated its guidance as well. On Tuesday, the agency advised that vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the virus is surging.
The question is – Why are waiting for the Delta variant to get worse before EVERY state implements the SAME MANDATE simultaneously?
What’s your response?
