Word is people are holding their breath because of a rumor of impending indictment(s) in relation to TIFF abuse. Evidently, it happened somewhere in Cook County.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Rumor
They can kiss my American ass!
Europe’s anti-American itch
Europeans have only themselves to blame for their industrial and strategic failings. 
European officials are trying to blame the greedy Americans for the Continent’s current funk | Pool photo by Susan Walsh/AFP via Getty Images
BY MATTHEW KARNITSCHNIG
BERLIN — It’s gotten cold in Europe, the economy is tanking and the natives are getting restless. There’s only one answer: Blame America.
Pointing across the Atlantic has long been a favorite diversionary tactic for Europe’s political elites when things start to get dicey on the Continent.
Whether it’s the war in Ukraine (Washington shouldn’t have expanded NATO), natural disasters (too many American SUVs fueling climate change) or the demise of French as a lingua franca (cultureless Hollywood), America is inevitably the culprit.
In the latest instalment of this tedious tradition, European officials are trying to blame the greedy Americans for the Continent’s current funk, accusing them of placing the mighty dollar über alles, stooping so low as to even take advantage of the war in Ukraine.
“The fact is, if you look at it soberly, the country that is most profiting from this war is the U.S. because they are selling more gas and at higher prices, and because they are selling more weapons,” a senior European official vented to my POLITICO colleagues last week.
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Observers wonder what is happening
It seems that there are active investigations still going on and the suspect(s) must be quaking in his (their) boots. Interesting times.
Chineese Tanks Roll
TANKS have rolled onto the streets of China as Xi Jinping orders a clampdown on the 'White Paper' anti-lockdown protests.
Their appearance is a chilling echo of the Tiananmen Square massacre when troops were used to brutally suppress demonstrations – prompting one man’s iconic protest by standing in front of a tank.
7
Americans should be concerned.
China's nuclear arsenal to more than triple by 2035: Pentagon
Washington (AFP) – China's nuclear arsenal is likely to more than triple to 1,500 warheads by 2035, the Pentagon said in a Tuesday report that also highlighted the increasing sophistication of the country's air force.
Washington has identified Beijing as the most consequential challenge to the United States, and the annual report on China's military emphasized improvements to both its nuclear and conventional forces.
"The Department of Defense estimates that (China's) operational nuclear warheads stockpile has surpassed 400," the report said. "If China continues the pace of its nuclear expansion, it will likely field a stockpile of about 1,500 warheads" by 2035.
That figure would still however lag far behind the arsenals of the United States and Russia, which each include several thousand nuclear warheads.
China "probably intends to develop new nuclear warheads and delivery platforms that at least equal the effectiveness, reliability and/or survivability" of those under development by the United States and Russia, the report said.
Beijing is also working to modernize its ballistic missile arsenal, launching some 135 in testing during 2021 -- "more than the rest of the world combined," excluding those fired in conflicts.
China is "developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that will significantly improve its nuclear-capable missile forces," the report said.
And Beijing's air force -- the third-largest in the world with more than 2,800 aircraft -- is making strides.
It is "rapidly catching up to Western air forces and continues to modernize with the delivery of domestically built aircraft and a wide range of UAVs," according to the report.
'New normal'
"This trend is gradually eroding longstanding and significant US military technical advantages... in the air domain."
Chinese military helicopters fly past Pingtan island, one of mainland China's closest points to Taiwan, on August 4, 2022 Hector RETAMAL AFP/FileA senior US defense official, speaking before the report's release, said the Chinese air force is "trying to... progress rapidly on all fronts," including on the equipment it operates as well as its pilots and other personnel.
The report takes aim at the way in which China is employing its military in the Asia-Pacific region, saying it has "adopted more coercive and aggressive actions."
"Throughout 2021 and into 2022, (Chinese) vessels and aircraft have exhibited a sharp increase in unsafe and unprofessional behavior," risking "a major incident or accident," the report said -- an issue US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raised in a recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe.
China's military "increased provocative and destabilizing actions" during 2021 around Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island Beijing claims as its own.
Beijing lashes out at any diplomatic action that might lend Taiwan legitimacy, and responded to an August 2022 visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi by holding its largest and most aggressive exercises around the island since the 1990s.
Both sides have since moved to lower the temperature, but the senior defense official said that while Chinese military activity around Taiwan has decreased, it is still higher than before.
Beijing is "establishing kind of a new normal in terms of the level of military activity around Taiwan following the speaker's visit," the official said.
"Even though we don't see an imminent invasion, obviously, that sort of an elevated level of... intimidating and coercive activity around Taiwan" is a source of concern.
Chuy files for mayor!
Measuring up: Mayoral field swells to 11 with Lightfoot, Garcia, other late filers — but now battle to whittle that number down begins
On the final day to file, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García and three others all officially entered the mayoral race on Monday, joining six from last week. And now Chicago’s cutthroat game of petition challenges begins.
By Mitch Dudek, Fran Spielman and Emmanuel Camarillo
U.S. Rep Jesus “Chuy” Garcia looks to see the height of his stack of nominating petitions at the Board of Election Commissioners’ Supersite, Monday afternoon.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
The two political heavyweights in the race for Chicago mayor — incumbent Lori Lightfoot and U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia — filed their nominating petitions on Monday, setting the stage for a bruising battle and, more immediately, petition challenges that could narrow the field.
On the final day to file, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García and three others all officially entered the mayoral race on Monday, joining six from last week. And now Chicago’s cutthroat game of petition challenges begins.
By Mitch Dudek, Fran Spielman and Emmanuel Camarillo
U.S. Rep Jesus “Chuy” Garcia looks to see the height of his stack of nominating petitions at the Board of Election Commissioners’ Supersite, Monday afternoon.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
The two political heavyweights in the race for Chicago mayor — incumbent Lori Lightfoot and U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia — filed their nominating petitions on Monday, setting the stage for a bruising battle and, more immediately, petition challenges that could narrow the field.
Pence does not have what it takes
Former Vice President Mike Pence, in Chicago, takes jabs at Trump
In Chicago to promote “So Help Me God,” former Vice President Mike Pence said he would decide on his candidacy in 2024 early next year.
By Mary Norkol
Former Vice President Mike Pence signs copies of his new memoir, “So Help Me God,” in Chicago Monday. Earlier, he condemned Donald Trump’s recent visit with Nick Fuentes and Kanye West.
Mary Norkol | Sun-Times
Former Vice President Mike Pence, in Chicago on Monday, threw some jabs at former President Donald Trump — a potential 2024 rival — and said he should apologize for meeting with a white nationalist and antisemite.
“President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite and a Holocaust denier, a seat at the table and I think he should apologize for it,” Pence told NewsNation on Monday.
In Chicago to promote “So Help Me God,” former Vice President Mike Pence said he would decide on his candidacy in 2024 early next year.
By Mary Norkol
Former Vice President Mike Pence signs copies of his new memoir, “So Help Me God,” in Chicago Monday. Earlier, he condemned Donald Trump’s recent visit with Nick Fuentes and Kanye West.
Mary Norkol | Sun-Times
Former Vice President Mike Pence, in Chicago on Monday, threw some jabs at former President Donald Trump — a potential 2024 rival — and said he should apologize for meeting with a white nationalist and antisemite.
“President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite and a Holocaust denier, a seat at the table and I think he should apologize for it,” Pence told NewsNation on Monday.
Monday, November 28, 2022
The world is running out of food
Trends towards 2050 predict a steady population increase to 9 billion people, forcing an increased food/feed output from available agro-ecosystems resulting in an even greater pressure on the environment. Scarcities of agricultural land, water, forest, fishery and biodiversity resources, as well as nutrients and non-renewable
energy are foreseen.
The Contribution of Insects to Food Security, Livelihoods and the Environment
Edible insects contain high quality protein, vitamins and amino acids for humans. Insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g. crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. Besides, they emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock. Insects can be grown on organic waste. Therefore, insects are a potential source for conventional production (mini-livestock) of protein, either for direct human consumption, or indirectly in recomposed foods (with extracted protein from insects); and as a protein source into feedstock mixtures.
Since 2003, FAO has been working on topics pertaining to edible insects in many countries worldwide. FAO’s contributions cover the following thematic areas: the generation and sharing of knowledge through publications, expert meetings and a web portal on edible insects;
awareness-raising on the role of insects through media collaboration (e.g. newspapers, magazines and TV);
the provision of support to member countries through field projects (e.g. the Laos Technical Cooperation Project);
networking and multidisciplinary interactions (e.g. stakeholders working with nutrition, feed and legislation-related issues) with various sectors within and outside FAO .
energy are foreseen.
The Contribution of Insects to Food Security, Livelihoods and the Environment
Edible insects contain high quality protein, vitamins and amino acids for humans. Insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g. crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. Besides, they emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock. Insects can be grown on organic waste. Therefore, insects are a potential source for conventional production (mini-livestock) of protein, either for direct human consumption, or indirectly in recomposed foods (with extracted protein from insects); and as a protein source into feedstock mixtures.
Since 2003, FAO has been working on topics pertaining to edible insects in many countries worldwide. FAO’s contributions cover the following thematic areas: the generation and sharing of knowledge through publications, expert meetings and a web portal on edible insects;
awareness-raising on the role of insects through media collaboration (e.g. newspapers, magazines and TV);
the provision of support to member countries through field projects (e.g. the Laos Technical Cooperation Project);
networking and multidisciplinary interactions (e.g. stakeholders working with nutrition, feed and legislation-related issues) with various sectors within and outside FAO .
Tim Degnan R.I.P.
Tim Degnan, Daley top gun and state senator, dies at 82
Tim Degnan a trusted point man, was key to Richard M. Daley’s political, policy success. As a lawmaker, he raised funds for the new Comiskey Park to keep the White Sox in Chicago.
By Emmanuel Camarillo
Nov 27, 2022, 9:17pm CST
Timothy Degnan sought consensus between state and city officials to move Mayor Richard M. Daley’s agenda forward. He “really protected Daley’s priorities,” said political strategist David Axelrod.
Tim Degnan a trusted point man, was key to Richard M. Daley’s political, policy success. As a lawmaker, he raised funds for the new Comiskey Park to keep the White Sox in Chicago.
By Emmanuel Camarillo
Nov 27, 2022, 9:17pm CST
Timothy Degnan sought consensus between state and city officials to move Mayor Richard M. Daley’s agenda forward. He “really protected Daley’s priorities,” said political strategist David Axelrod.
A glimpse of the future
'Kick non-woke patients to the curb'? Mass General Brigham speech code includes blacklist on care
Spokesperson says "repeatedly" using "unwelcome" language on gender or race can trigger removal and ban on future non-emergency care, won't say if deadnaming or misgendering are code violations.
By Greg Piper
A wealthy Massachusetts healthcare system that went on a controversial advertising spree to justify its encroachment on cheaper hospitals is now sending patients a different message: Watch your language.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Same old stuff
8 killed, 24 wounded in Thanksgiving weekend shootings across Beetlejuice's Chicago
spare everyone the details, please
Covid, the cause
Chinese police clash with thousands protesting draconian COVID lockdowns as unprecedented civil unrest grips country - after ten died in fire when building doors were locked to stop virus spread
- In Shanghai, China's most populous city and financial hub, protests broke out on Saturday night at the city's Wulumuqi Road
- 'Lift lockdown for Urumqi, lift lockdown for Xinjiang, lift lockdown for all of China!' the crowds in Shanghai shouted, according to a video on social media
- At one point a large group began shouting, 'Down with the Chinese Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping, free Urumqi!', according to witnesses and videos in a rare public protest against the Chinese leadership
- A large group of police looked on and sometimes tried to break up the crowd
- China is battling a surge in infections that prompted lockdowns and restrictions in cities across the country
- Beijing is attempting stick to a zero-COVID policy even as much of the world tries to coexist with the virus
- Public fury forced authorities in Xinjiang to open up parts of the capital Urumqi which has been subject to a punishing 'zero-Covid' lockdown for over 3 months
- The protests were triggered in-part by deaths of at least ten people in a fire at an apartment block who were unable to escape because their doors had been locked due to the virus
Saturday, November 26, 2022
Intentional Problems
Very Serious Shortages of Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Tamiflu, Albuterol and Tylenol Have Erupted All Over the United States
Editor’s Commentary: About half the time when I post articles by Michael Snyder, someone comments about how he’s a “fearmonger.” Here’s the problem with that notion. He rarely posts anything that’s sensationalized. He’s just pulling stories from other news outlets and commenting about what they all mean. If that’s fearmongering, then even the most mundane journalists are fearmongers.
Editor’s Commentary: About half the time when I post articles by Michael Snyder, someone comments about how he’s a “fearmonger.” Here’s the problem with that notion. He rarely posts anything that’s sensationalized. He’s just pulling stories from other news outlets and commenting about what they all mean. If that’s fearmongering, then even the most mundane journalists are fearmongers.
What prosecutor poses for a photo like this?
This is Jack Smith Special Counsel, who has been engaged to investigate Trump. I have a feeling that his mind is already made up and that he is far more interested in the lights, glamor and political maneuvering. So much for an objective investigation.
So many Americans have been so dumbed down........they believe everything fed to them
CTH has encountered criticism for our position on information. Perhaps it is important to step back and explain exactly why we should not be playing by rules established to control us while engaged in the battle of ideas. First, my position:
…”There is no such thing as “disinformation” or “misinformation”. There is only information you accept and information you do not accept. You were not born with a requirement to believe everything you are told; rather, you were born with a brain that allows you to process the information you receive and make independent decisions.”…
There are only two elements within the public discussion of information, truth and not truth.
In an era filled with “fact-checkers” and institutional guardians at the gates of Big Tech, let me explain exactly why it is important not to accept the speech rules of the guards.
When you accept the terms “disinformation”, “misinformation” or the newest lingo, “malinformation,” you are beginning to categorize truth and lies in various shades. You are merging black and white, right and wrong, into various shades of grey.
Friday, November 25, 2022
Thursday, November 24, 2022
The people wanted the Democrats. The people are about to find out what the Democrats are all about
BY JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER
A Smoldering Fuse
What’s the current state of affairs here in the good ol’ US of A? Here’s a rundown…
The on-the-ground economy has imploded. Inflation is for real and is crushing the country’s standard of living. Before long, it may shift into deflation, which means instead of having a lot of money losing value, you’ll have no money at all.
Rising interest rates killed off the real estate part of the Everything Bubble, and the building, selling and remodeling of houses has been the locus of the few remaining good-paying jobs.
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Is this the proper role of government?
Guaranteed income payments a financial lifeline for Chicagoans: ‘I didn’t have anything’
Participants in the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot say they have been using the $500 monthly benefit to pay for rent, groceries and everyday essentials.
When Gail Goodwin started receiving $500 a month through a guaranteed income program, for the first time in a while, she was able to give her grandchildren money.
“Like the old me,” Goodwin said. “When I had a good-paying job.”
Goodwin, 57, works full time at a private security firm in Chicago that pays $16 an hour, and it had been a stretch to make ends meet. Her rent on the Southwest Side accounts for more than 40% of her budget.
Gail Goodwin, 57, who receives $500 a month from the Chicago Resilient Communities guaranteed income program, said the extra money “just put me above water.”
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
In Chicago, Goodwin is among thousands of local people taking part in experiments to see the results of providing individuals with a guaranteed income. She is among 5,000 Chicagoans who have received $500 payments for each of the last four months as part of a one-year program known as the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot.
Some city residents will also be part of the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, which recently selected 3,250 applicants via a lottery to receive $500 a month for two years. Participants are expected to receive their first monthly payment by mid-December.
Both pilotsare funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, and academic researchers are closely monitoring the programs, which target low-income households.
Demographic data about the county’s participants is not yet available.
In the city’s pilot, the majority of participants — 71% — identify as a woman, according to data from the city. About 68% are Black, nearly 24% are Latino or Hispanic, and about 16% are white. An additional 3% of participants are Asian.
The 5,000 participants in the city program are spread throughout Chicago. ZIP code 60620, which includes Auburn Gresham, has 240 participants, the most concentrated in one area, according to data from the city. ZIP code 60619, which includes parts of Chatham and South Shore, has 235 participants.
Pilot program participants
ZIP codes of Chicagoans receiving $500 per month in The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot.
~30~240 participants
Hover over or tap on a ZIP code for more detail