America faces challenges to its security at home and interests abroad from countries and organizations that have:
Interests that conflict with those of the U.S.;
Sometimes hostile intentions toward the U.S.; and
In some cases, growing military capabilities that are leveraged to impose their will by coercion or intimidation of neighboring countries, thereby creating regional instabilities.
The government of the United States constantly faces the challenge of employing, sometimes alone but more often in concert with allies, the right mix of diplomatic, economic, public information, intelligence, and military capabilities to protect and advance U.S. interests.
Russia remains the primary threat to American interests in Europe and is the most pressing threat to the United States. The 2020 Index again assesses the threat emanating from Russia as “aggressive” in its behavior and “formidable” (the highest category on the scale) in its growing capabilities. Moscow continues to engage in massive pro-Russia propaganda campaigns in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, actively supports separatist forces in Ukraine, regularly performs provocative military exercises and training missions, and continues to sell and export arms to countries that are hostile to U.S. interests. It also has increased its investment in modernizing its military and has gained significant combat experience while continuing to sabotage U.S. and Western policy in Syria and Ukraine.
China, the most comprehensive threat the U.S. faces, remained “aggressive” in the scope of its provocative behavior and earns the score of “formidable” for its capability because of its ongoing military modernization and buildup. The People’s Liberation Army continues to extend its reach and military activity beyond its immediate region and engages in larger and more comprehensive exercises, including live-fire exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan. It also has continued to conduct probes of the South Korean and Japanese air defense identification zones, drawing rebukes from both Seoul and Tokyo. In addition, there is little evidence that Chinese cyber espionage and computer network exploitation have abated.
Iran remains the state actor that is most hostile to American interests in the Middle East. The 2020 Index assesses Iran’s behavior as “aggressive” and its capability as “gathering.” In the years since publication of the 2015 Index, Iran has methodically moved closer to becoming a nuclear power, and it continues to enhance its ICBM, missile defense, and unmanned systems capabilities. Iran also continues to perpetuate and exploit instability to expand its influence in the region, both in its direct involvement in regional engagements and through its proxies, particularly in Syria. This year also saw aggressive activity in the Strait of Hormuz, including the downing of a U.S. drone in international airspace and attacks on merchant shipping.
North Korea’s level of behavior remained “testing” in the 2020 Index. North Korea’s capability level has also remained at “gathering” as Pyongyang continues to develop and refine its missile technology, especially in the area of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. With its ICBM program, North Korea remains both a threat to U.S. allies and assets in the region and an ongoing threat to the U.S. homeland. TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...
OBVIOUS QUESTION: Do you think President Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden is best equipped to deal with these global threats to America?
Instead of turning my attention to the local liberal news media outlets like: CNN, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, or to the conservative leaning FOX NEWS, I have decided to look out across the POND and see what the BRITS have to say about OUR DEBATE candidates in the hopes of actually acquiring UNBIASED news... so,
ACCORDING TO THE BBC:
So what should we expect on Tuesday night in Cleveland? A game-changer, or confirmation of what we already know?
Arguably, Joe Biden's task has been made a bit easier by the Trump campaign setting the bar so low for him. They've said the former vice-president is not all there, he's a bit senile, no longer able to form sentences: the lights are on, but no one's at home.
It's certainly true that Biden at times does sound way off the pace and a little incoherent. He also, as a child, had a stammer which affects the way he speaks. But Donald Trump's sentences can also get lost in bewildering sub-clauses and strangled syntax. The Trump campaign's demand that Biden should undergo a blood test to ensure he isn't taking performance-enhancing drugs, has, you won't be surprised to learn, been given short shrift by team Joe.
There will be an element of the debate that the French would call "un dialogue de sourds" - a conversation of the deaf. In other words, they will not be listening to each other.
So Donald Trump will want to focus on his economic achievements before the pandemic struck, he will want to attack the Biden family, and in particular his son, Hunter and how he ended up on the board of a Ukrainian energy company when Joe Biden was vice-president (we know from previous debate performances that Donald Trump will go in all guns blazing).
But... will this debate change anyone's mind as to who they will be voting for on November 3, 2020? It will not change the minds of Democrats
It will not change the minds of Republicans
HOWEVER,
it could change the minds of independents who wait until the day of the election to decide...
REGARDLESS,
the 2020 election will be based upon a few key points:
1. Is Trump or Biden FIT to be POTUS?
2. Will how much Trump paid in taxes impact his Presidential qualifications?
3. Did Trump mismanaged the handling of COVID-19?
4. Do you want your Federal Taxes to be raised?
5. Do you think Trump or Biden can rebuild the economy?
6. Do you think Trump or Biden is better equipped to handle foreign affairs?
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001. It operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
As of June 1, 2015, WWP served 71,866 registered alumni and 11,494 registered members. The organization has partnered with several other charities, including the American Red Cross, Resounding Joy, a music therapy group in California, and Operation Homefront. WWP has also provided a year-long Track program, which helps veterans transition to college and the workplace.
Wounded Warrior Project initially operated as a division of the United Spinal Association of New York, which adopted WWP as a program in November 2003. The WWP continued to support injured service members by providing them with free WWP Backpacks filled with comfort items
In September 2005, The United Spinal Association granted $2.7 million to WWP to "develop into a stand-alone charity with its own identity and programs," with the intent to expand its services from providing immediate comfort items to providing longer-term support for returning wounded veterans via compensation, education, health care, insurance, housing, employment, etc.
The WWP Backpacks program remains a central activity of WWP, evidenced by the more than 65,000 backpacks the organization had distributed as of early 2018, in support of transitioning U.S. military veterans.
CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano were fired from Wounded Warrior Project after it was revealed in 2016 that they spent massive amounts of the nonprofit's money on lavish company retreats and personal enrichment for themselves. Several former employees alleged that they were fired because they raised concerns over the mismanagement.
Democrats and the mainstream media can ATTACK Trump all they want to over his Supreme Court Justice Selection, but the simple fact remains, the Republicans HAVE TO VOTES in the Senate to CONFIRM Amy Coney Barrett... so the bullshit bitching is a MUTE point... still, they are hoping that it will persuade voters to replace Trump with Biden on November 3, 2020... but, if that happens, the damage will already be done... AND, if the economy does not rebound with jobs growth, then the Democrats will pay the price in 2022 in Congress... BUT, will have to wait until 2024 before another Republican can be elected to the Presidency and reinstate the Trump Ideas on business.
ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES...
The Supreme Court damage has already been done... but, if the Democrats win the Presidential Election, what consequences will they bring to bear on US Citizens???
Well, for one, they will INCREASE TAXES
They will push States to defund police departments
They will bail out States that are leaning towards bankruptcy
then they will open the borders to immigration
they will pass Medicare for All
They will impose a WEALTH TAX
They will increase taxes on businesses and industries
They will start plans for the GREEN NEW DEAL
They will remove sanctions from IRAN
They will allow North Korea to become a nuclear power
They will negotiate trade deals that favor other countries
They will allow CHINA to grow their economy and military
They will stop the SPACE PROGRAM and redirect those monies
IF ANY OF THIS HAPPENS WILL IT BE A BAD THING?
PERSONALLY,
I have had marginal income all my life and have had to closely watch how the money was spend and have had to not buy things I wanted because I did not have the money nor did I want to go into debt in case I got laid off or fired again. SO... and this is strictly out of spite, I would love to see the DEMOCRATS take money away from those ARROGANT WEALTHY BASTARDS and redistribute that wealth to Americans and Immigrants that have hardly any money at all...
HOWEVER,
I have this sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach that if something like this were to happen that AMERICA'S WEALTHY would find clever legal ways with the best tax attorneys available to shelter their monies from taxes... and, those companies who were faced with higher taxes would not hire as many employees in order to keep paying the same dividends to their stockholders.
IN THE LONG RUN,
I strongly believe that what the DEMOCRATS are planning to do would hurt AMERICANS... but, we will just have to wait and see if my fears are real or not...
MEANWHILE,
they will blame TRUMP for everything that they can think of in order to convince they public that they should not vote to re-elect him for a second term. And, this Supreme Court pick is just one of many arrows that Pelosi will pull out of her quiver and shoot at TRUMP...
As a result of the STILL CONTESTED (by Democrats) 2016 Presidential Election, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States or POTUS.
A consequence of being President is to be able to nominate Supreme Court Justices should vacancies arise and during the Trump Administration, two conservative Justices have been confirmed by the Republican Senate:
Neil Gorsuch 2017
Bret Kavanaugh 2018
And, a third justice was needed as a result of the death of RBG and so there is a pending vote in the Senate for Amy Coney Barrett (photo right).
If confirmed, and confirmation will happen, the Conservative Supreme Court Justices will have a 6-3 majority for a good 2-3 decades into the future.
THIS PISSES OFF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY... obviously...
There are 792 Judges serving in the 3 main tiers of the US Court System and President Trump has appointed 194 of those judges of 24% in his first term as compared to 312 or 39% appointed by Obama during his first and second terms.
However, going back to Ronald Reagan to see how many appointed judges are still serving, we see the following results:
Democrats 400
Republicans 392
So, the Judicial System is just about equal in terms of liberal/conservative except the Supreme Court is going to be on a conservative direction for a long time...
Even if the Democrats win in 2020, the Judicial System will remain slanted towards the CONSERVATIVES...
PTSD can be treated. With treatment trauma survivors can feel safe in the world and live happy and productive lives. Effective treatments for PTSD include different types of psychotherapy (talk therapy) or medication.
Recommended Treatments: Treatments with the Most Research Support
Trauma-focused Psychotherapies Trauma-focused Psychotherapies are the most highly recommended type of treatment for PTSD. "Trauma-focused" means that the treatment focuses on the memory of the traumatic event or its meaning. These treatments use different techniques to help you process your traumatic experience. Some involve visualizing, talking, or thinking about the traumatic memory. Others focus on changing unhelpful beliefs about the trauma. They usually last about 8-16 sessions.
In PTSD therapy, you and your therapist work together to set goals and develop new skills. The work may be hard, but the outcome will be worth it.
The trauma-focused psychotherapies with the strongest evidence are: Prolonged Exposure (PE) Teaches you how to gain control by facing your negative feelings. It involves talking about your trauma with a provider and doing some of the things you have avoided since the trauma. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Teaches you to reframe negative thoughts about the trauma. It involves talking with your provider about your negative thoughts and doing short writing assignments. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Helps you process and make sense of your trauma. It involves calling the trauma to mind while paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like a finger waving side to side, a light, or a tone).
There are other types of trauma-focused psychotherapy that are also recommended for people with PTSD.
These include: Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy (BEP) A therapy in which you practice relaxation skills, recall details of the traumatic memory, reframe negative thoughts about the trauma, write a letter about the traumatic event, and hold a farewell ritual to leave trauma in the past.
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) Developed for people who have experienced trauma from ongoing war, conflict, and organized violence. You talk through stressful life events in order (from birth to the present day) and put them together into a story.
Written Narrative Exposure Involves writing about the trauma during sessions. Your provider gives instructions on the writing assignment, allows you to complete the writing alone, and then returns at the end of the session to briefly discuss any reactions to the writing assignment.
Specific cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) for PTSD Include a limited number of psychotherapies shown to work for PTSD where the provider helps you learn how to change unhelpful behaviors or thoughts.TO READ COMPLETE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...
Scientist predicted current U.S. protests and riots in 2010, says civil unrest may last 10-15 years by Chris Melore MOSCOW, Russia — The outbreak of civil unrest and rioting in many cities this year may seem like a spontaneous reaction to social issues, but one study says there’s nothing spontaneous about them. Despite the fact that the vast majority of protesters are demonstrating peacefully, scenes of looting and violence still mar these protests that are meant to be non-violent. One scientist is being credited with predicting in 2010 the turmoil being seen across the globe today. TO READ ENTIRE ARTILE, CLICK HERE...
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MEANWHILE... in the US of A...
Kamala Harris praises BLM, says ongoing protests are 'essential' for change in US Harris praised the 'brilliance' and 'impact' of Black Lives Matter By Sam Dorman | Fox News Peaceful protests against racial injustice are critical for the nation's progress and help to keep law enforcement in check, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said Friday.
"Nothing that we have achieved that has been about progress, in particular around civil rights, has come without a fight, and so I always am going to interpret these protests as an essential component of evolution in our country -- as an essential component or mark of a real democracy," the vice presidential nominee said during the NAACP's national convention.
She added that protests were "necessary" as "the people's voices must be heard, and it is often the people who must speak to get their government to do what it is supposed to do, but may not do naturally unless the people speak loudly -- and obviously peacefully."
Harris also praised the "brilliance" and "impact" of "Black Lives Matter," which has received media praise but also come under fire for promoting left-wing stances like opposing the nuclear family. "I actually believe that 'Black Lives Matter' has been the most significant agent for change within the criminal justice system," she said. TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...
It comes as Republicans in the Senate have vowed that they will vote on Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the presidential election while Democrats have sworn that they will fight against her confirmation tooth and nail.
Trump has said he will announce his pick to fill the seat at 5 p.m. Saturday as members of the Senate and outside judicial activists on both sides have spent the week spinning up their massive political machines in anticipation of what is likely to be one of the nastiest political fights in recent American political history. The ad campaigns and Senate procedural shenanigans have already started.
"The stakes of this election, the stakes of this vacancy, concern no less than the future of fundamental rights for the American people," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor this week. "All the rights enshrined in our Constitution that are supposed to be protected by the Supreme Court of the United States. All the rights that could be undone or unwound by a conservative majority on the court." TO READ FULL STORY, CLICK HERE...
The Bible code also known as the Torah code, is a purported set of encoded words hidden within the Hebrew text of the Torah, that according to its proponents, have seemingly predicted significant historical events. The statistical likelihood of the Bible code arising by chance has been thoroughly researched, and it is now widely considered to be statistically insignificant, as similar phenomena can be observed in any sufficiently lengthy text. Although Bible codes have been postulated and studied for centuries, the subject has been popularized in modern times by Michael Drosnin's book The Bible Code and the movie The Omega Code.
Many examples have been documented in the past. One cited example is that by taking every 50th letter of the Book of Genesis starting with the first taw, the Hebrew word "torah" is spelled out. The same happens in the Book of Exodus. Modern computers have been used to search for similar patterns and more complex variants, as well as quantifying its statistical likelihood.
Some tests purportedly showing statistically significant codes in the Bible were published as a "challenging puzzle" in a peer-reviewed academic journal in 1994, which was pronounced "solved" in a subsequent 1999 paper published in the same journal. SOURCE: Wikipedia
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So, why every 50th letter?
why not every 100th letter... or,
why not every 13th letter because it takes into consideration Jesus and his 12 disciples?
I am sure that creative people can justify all sorts of speculative illusions in order to sell books but there needs to be some sort of logical explanation to start the ball rolling and that does not seem to exist here...
Ted Cruz urges Senate to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat, warning of 'constitutional crisis' on Election Day
Ginsburg's death, less than 7 weeks before the Nov. 3 election, sets up a fierce partisan battle over the future of the court
Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday urged his fellow lawmakers to nominate and confirm a Supreme Court justice before the Nov. 3 presidential election following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, warning of a looming "constitutional crisis" if the seat remains vacant.
"We cannot have Election Day come and go with a four-four court," Cruz said during an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity. "A four-four court that is equally divided cannot decide anything. And I think we risk a constitutional crisis if we do not have a nine-justice Supreme Court, particularly when there is such a risk of a contested election."
The Texas Republican -- one of President Trump's 20 potential nominees to the court, according to a list issued last week by the White House -- called on Trump to nominate Ginsburg's successor next week. Ginsburg died Friday due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was 87.
"I think it is critical that the Senate takes up and confirms that successor before Election Day," he said. "There's going to be enormous pressure from the media, there's going to be enormous pressure from the Democrats to delay filling this vacancy. But this election, this nomination is why Donald Trump was elected. This confirmation is why the voters voted for a Republican majority in the Senate."
Cruz continued: "I'll tell you one reason in particular why I think it is tremendously important that not only does the nomination happen next week, but that the confirmation happen before Election Day. Democrats and Joe Biden have made clear they intend to challenge this election. They intend to fight the legitimacy of this election. As you know, Hillary Clinton has told Joe Biden 'under no circumstances should you concede. You should challenge this election.'"
THE MAN'S GOT BALLS...House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that “good conscience” Republicans should step down after President Trump told reporters he would have to “see what happens” with election results before committing to a peaceful transfer of power.
“We're going to have to see what happens," Trump said during the White House news conference when asked if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election. "You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster."
“There is no question he means exactly what he said. And people fail to take it seriously at our national peril. This is a moment that I would say to any Republican of good conscience working in the administration -- it is time for you to resign,” Schiff said. “It is time for you to resign.” >>>TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY, CLICK HERE<<<
The Louisville Metro Police Department announced Thursday nearly 100 arrests were made overnight amid demonstrations following a grand jury decision to charge only one officer in connection to the police operation that killed Breonna Taylor, but not her death.
A suspect accused in shooting two Louisville police officers during protests Wednesday evening has also been identified. Larynzo Johnson, 26, has been charged with wanton endangerment and assault of a police officer. He will be arraigned Friday.
Shots rang out when Louisville police officers were conducting crowd control operations at Broadway and Brook Street “in response to a large crowd that had set fires, caused property damage and failed to disperse after being warned,” according to the post-arrest complaint filed in Jefferson County. >>>TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE<<<
It is MADNESS on the part of the Democratic Party to think and LAWLESSNESS IN AMERICA will win them the November 2020 election. There are too many families in America who want to live in their communities and not worry about violence to allow the Democrats to govern the country... but, we will never know if that sentiment is true or not until a few weeks from now...
President Trump's ability to successfully replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the bench could hinge on the support of Republican senators like Susan Collins of Maine (left), Mitt Romney of Utah, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. (Associated Press)
NOTE: Since the writing of this article, Mitt Romney is no longer a holdout...
With the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018, President Trump cemented a solid conservative majority on the bench. Kavanaugh has the second-most conservative score (0.693) next to Justice Clarence Thomas (0.725), per a measure that score judges on a liberal-conservative spectrum.
A conservative replacement for liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday night at age 87, could shift the Supreme Court’s majority markedly to the right for generations, and transform its jurisprudence on issues such as gun rights, affirmative action and the right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade.
More immediately, Ginsburg’s death for now leaves the court with only eight members to confront potentially history-shaping issues resulting from one of the nation’s most contentious presidential elections.
The court has already refereed a number of battles between Republicans and Democrats regarding voting rights. A majority of six conservative justices could potentially decide a host of other issues raised by the election itself. The court’s ruling in Bush v. Gore in 2000 essentially decided the presidential election for George W. Bush. TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...
The Hells Angels is one of the most well-known biker clubs in the world, and it all started with a group of motorcyclists in Fontana, California. Founded in 1948, the Hells Angels now has hundreds of international charters. Though certain members have been known to break the law, there’s one code of conduct they’ll always stick to: their own. From what they wear and drive to how they get in and stay in the club, these Hells Angels rules are no joke.
The Hells Angels is one of the most well-known biker clubs in the world, and it all started with a group of motorcyclists in Fontana, California. Founded in 1948, the Hells Angels now has hundreds of international charters. Though certain members have been known to break the law, there’s one code of conduct they’ll always stick to: their own. From what they wear and drive to how they get in and stay in the club, these Hells Angels rules are no joke.
Though the national debt is at a post-war high, the willingness of policymakers to address it seems as if it is at an all-time low. The last...
