Update no.940

Update from the Sunland

No.940

13.1.20 – 19.1.20

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

            To all,

            The follow-up news items:

Erratum:

In the days following the IRI missile attack [939], the USG acknowledged there were injuries to U.S. personnel contrary to the BIC’s public statements.  Eleven Americans apparently suffered concussion injuries from the explosions; several medically were evacuated eight to Landstuhl, Germany and the other three to Kuwait for more advanced treatment.

-- New video indicates two SA-15 missiles were fired by the IRGC and hit Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 [939].  The crew apparently tried to return to the airport, but the aircraft broke up before they could get there.

            On Tuesday, the latest Democratic Party, top candidates, presidential debate took place at Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted by CNN and the Des Moines Register.  On stage for this event were: Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, Steyer, and Klobuchar.  The first voting in the primary phase of the next presidential election cycle will occur 20 days hence.

            I must say, having listened and watched all of the Democratic debates, it is truly refreshing to hear six top candidates who spoke clearly with exceptional intonation, offered a succinct message, did not insult anyone including the current occupant of the Oval Office, and answered the questions presented.  Any one of them stands head and shoulders above the BIC; now, the Democrats must select who will represent them in the November election.

            I loved Senator Warren’s response regarding the electability of women.  Senator Warren said:

Look at the men on this stage. Collectively they have lost 10 elections.  The only people on this stage who have won every single election that they’ve been in are the women—Amy and me.

The other person in this election campaign who has not lost an election is the BIC; let us not forget that fact.

            Once again, Mayor Buttigieg delivered the most memorable line at the beginning of his closing statement 

This is our moment.  This is our one shot, to defeat [the BIC] and to do it by such a big margin that we send [BIC]ism into the dustbin of history, too.

I would say Buttigieg is spot on.  We, the People, must send a very clear, powerful message to the BIC, and ALL current and future politicians at the local, state and federal levels that conduct even remotely similar to the BIC’s is categorically unacceptable within this Grand Republic.

            I will also note with consternation my serious disappointment in Senator Warren who shook hands with each of her fellow candidates, except Senator Sanders, who had extended his hand to her.  Warren and Sanders had a dust-up over the last few days in which she accused her colleague of misogyny.  She accused Bernie of calling her a liar but failed to mention that she called him a liar.  That performance was quite beneath her, and that one display may well have disqualified her in my book; that brief failure speaks volumes—very small, not worthy of the Office of the President of the United States of America.

            Well, she finally pulled the trigger on Wednesday.  Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Patricia Pelosi (née D'Alesandro) of California signed House Resolution 798 (H.Res.798) [House: 228-193-0-9(5)], appointing and authorizing managers for the impeachment trial of [the BIC], President of the United States.

Representative Adam Bennett Schiff of California,

Representative Jerrold Lewis ‘Jerry’ Nadler of New York,

Representative Susan Ellen ‘Zoe’ Lofgren of California,

Representative Hakeem Sekou Jeffries on New York,

Representative Valdez Venita Demings (née Butler) of Florida,

Representative Jason A. Crow of Colorado, and

Representative Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia of Texas.

In so doing, Speaker Pelosi formally passed the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial in accordance with the Constitution.  The articles of impeachment (H.Res.755) were officially read into the Senate record on Thursday at noon.  The chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court was summoned to the Senate and sworn in to preside over the Senate impeachment trial of the BIC.  In turn, the chief justice administered the oath of office specifically for the impeachment trial to all 100 Senators who will render judgment.  Each senator held up his or her right hand.  Chief Justice Roberts read:

Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of [the BIC, sorry], president of United States, now pending, you will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help you God?

The record states that each senator responded, “I do.”  The keywords in that solemn oath are “impartial justice,” which presents an interesting conundrum given the Senate Majority Leader’s earlier public statements.

            The Senate adjourned for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday long weekend.  The trial will begin next Tuesday when the Senate reconvenes.

            Then, we have a new BIC-wannabe from Arizona no less.  Senator Martha Elizabeth McSally [USAFA 1988] was appointed by the governor to fill the remainder of Senator McCain’s term after she lost the 2018 election.  She will stand for another election later this year.  On Friday, CNN reporter Manu Raju asked the senator, “Should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trial?”  McSally responded, “You’re a liberal hack.  I’m not talking to you.”  Yep, that is yet another disqualifying display by a public official.  McSally has apparently taken up the BIC’s diminutive example.  This is not how the Press are to be interacted with by anyone and especially public officials—employees of We, the People.

            Lev Parnas—the man everybody seems to stand next to and take pictures with him, but no one ever seems to know him—appears all over the print and broadcast Press, claiming he worked with Rudi Giuliani under direct orders of the BIC in the Ukraine extortion affair.  Parnas was arrested trying to leave the country and charged with multiple campaign law violations with allegations that there may be additional charges for money laundering and other corrupt practices.  An interesting little complementary tidbit . . . years earlier, Parnas sold condominiums and co-ops for the BIC’s real estate organization.  The connections are way beyond coincidences.

            Comments and contributions from Update no.939:

“Thank you Cap...getting your Update out early and hope any of the readers would like to respond to either this group or Cap Parlier, directly.  I appreciate your R&A (Research & Analysis) of important news/events, geopolitics, and this point in the history of our Grand Republic.  I appreciate your proper sourcing and attribution too.  The signal-to-noise ratio right now is not good regarding the news we are being given by the mainstream services.”

My reply:

            Yeah, the noise level has gone up so much that it is drowning out the signal, which, I must say, is undoubtedly the intention of the BIC—create so much noise we cannot hear the signal anymore.  Nonetheless, we must remain vigilant and strive to penetrate the low signal-to-noise ratio.

            All comments welcome.

Comment to the Blog:

“I have a friend who has been a clown for many years.  She loves it, too, but she knows when to be a clown and when to be real.  The Chump is another kind of clown, but he doesn't know how or when to be real.

“In actual functioning, Mitch McConnell is a much more important villain than the Chump.  Moscow Mitch never shouts and his words make sense as language, but he achieved a position of great power before the Chump showed up and has used his position effectively to deepen the factionalism to levels the Congress that passed the War Powers Act of 1973 could not have imagined.  In fact, the factionalism may not run as deep as it appears.  McConnell has stopped the Senate from voting on hundreds of bills that have passed the House.  How many Republican Senators would have crossed the party line on some of those bills?  It is a lesser but clearer offense that his wife is Secretary of Transportation and has immediate family that own an enormous Chinese shipping company.

“I puzzled over your other correspondent's use of “SOL” also.  My best guess is that he refers to General Soleimani.”

My response to the Blog:

            A good analogy: BIC & clown.  Unfortunately, it disparages hard-working clowns.  One more important difference: clowns have class and self-respect.

            I do agree with your McConnell assessment.  I suspect he will continue to do what he has always done—cover-up for the BIC because he is their boy.  I am not sure I agree on the lesser offense.

            Unfortunately, the contributor has apparently chosen to ignore my query regarding the meaning of “SOL.”  C’est la vie.

 . . . follow-up contribution:

“The importance of McConnell goes well beyond the Chump.  He uses his parliamentary skills and other tools of power to carry out all sorts of corrupt and inhumane measures.  The Chump is the latest and most dangerous tool of the interests McConnell and others serve.”

. . . my follow-up comment:

            I agree, and his impact on this Grand Republic has been profound.  I will also respectfully submit, his impact is NOT positive.  I certainly agree with your assessment of the threat McConnell presents to this Grand Republic.

Another contribution:

“I'm not sure if this is blog material or what, but my current reading includes a book, The Scottish Isles: Shetlands, Orkneys, and Hebrides, by Betty Jane Walker (ISBN 978-0-473-49691-3 for the e-book).

“Chapter 4 is entitled, ‘Who will the Shetlands go with, and who will get their oil if Scotland becomes independent?’  The Shetland Islands, home of the North Sea oil fields, are more Norse than Celtic in their backgrounds and have long resented the Scottish lairds.  So, if Brexit leads Scotland to leave the UK, what will the Shetlands (and their oil fields) do then?  Go with England out of dislike for Scotland?  Continue to be part of a prosperous Scotland?

“Walker is a traveler-not-tourist who came across all this in visiting the homes of some of her ancestors.  I haven't heard much about this, but it fits perfectly into my ‘follow the money’ outlook.”

My reply:

            Yes, of course, Brexit has been an active topic in this humble forum for years now.

            Interesting point.  I was not aware of that aspect of the matter.  We have known for some time that Brexit could re-inflame Scottish independence and fracture the UK.  I had not considered that it could also cause a fracture of Scotland.  I suppose the Orkney Islands could also be added to the mix, especially since the Royal Navy maintains a major and historic naval base at Scapa Flow.

            We shall see.

 . . . a follow-up contribution:

“I, in turn, hadn't considered Scapa Flow.  I'll have to study the Orkneys chapter of the book in reference to that one due to the military importance of Scapa Flow.  Ms. Walker mentions the facility but doesn't go into depth.  I doubt many outside the UK have thought about that. 

“In the case of the Shetlands and the North Sea oil, the oil makes an undercurrent that I hadn't considered in the Scottish independence movement, with or without the Shetland Islanders adding a layer of complexity.  BP's position and situation could enter into that, too.”

 . . . and my follow-up comment:

            I look forward to any further insights you may have or discoveries you may find.

            If there is secession as a consequence of Brexit, the division of North Sea petroleum rights (and revenue) will be an interesting process to witness.

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)