27 September 2021

Update no.1028

 Update from the Sunland

No.1028

20.9.21 – 26.9.21

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

 

           To all,

 

The autumnal equinox occurred at 12:20 [T] MST, on Wednesday, 22.September.2021. At that moment, as with the vernal equinox, days and nights are exactly of equal length worldwide, Northern and Southern Hemisphere alike.

 

To me, for what it is worth, getting vaccinated, especially during a pandemic, is a civic duty of all citizens quite akin to public service like the military, law enforcement, firefighters, et al. Whether you have served in uniform under arms, I strongly urge every citizen regardless of the social factors to get vaccinated. It takes just a little time and no cost to you. Please get vaccinated as soon as possible. Help protect yourself and other citizens around you.

 

            The follow-up news items:

-- We exceeded another grim milestone in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic [946]. The CDC reported 675,722 COVID-19 fatalities as of 20.September.2021, surpassing the 1918 influenza pandemic [4.3.1918] of 675,000 U.S. fatalities [two years, until April 1920]. To me, that milestone is far worse for several reasons:

1.     We are still in the middle of this pandemic and may have another six months or more to endure

2.      We have 100 years more advanced medical treatment practices, which should have significantly reduced the fatalities. Conversely, it means the current pandemic is appreciably more infectious and lethal than the 1918 influenza pandemic

3.     We have a larger, denser population today that makes us more vulnerable to viral infections than they were 100 years ago

4.     For a variety of reasons, today, we have a substantial portion of our citizenry who equate suicide with freedom, and they are perfectly comfortable playing Russian roulette to aggrandize their sense of freedom without the slightest concern for the welfare of any other citizen

These are the burdens we must carry and endure.

-- In the 2020 election [982], President Biden won Arizona by nearly 10,500 votes. With 2.1 million votes cast in Maricopa County alone, President Biden won the county by more than 45,100 votes. Two statutory post-election audits confirmed the result. However, the BIG LIE perpetrated by the [person who shall no longer be named] and perpetuated by his fBICP minions fraudulently claimed that the recount found 250,000 fraudulent votes. No evidence was presented to even remotely suggest the accusation was true other than some fool offered up the accusation. Nonetheless, the fBICP controlled state senate was not to be deterred by facts or evidence. The Arizona state senate fBICP members ordered a full forensic audit of only the Maricopa County 2020 election results and engaged a novice Florida company known as Cyber Ninjas that had no election audit experience (but came highly recommended by the [person who shall no longer be named]). The audit began 23.April.2021. The final results were reported to the senate fBICP members on 24.September.2021. They found no evidence of fraudulent or anomalous votes—a very long way from the 250,000 claimed by the fBICP. Further, the Cyber Ninjas audit showed that President Biden received 99 more votes, AND the [person who shall no longer be named] received 261 fewer votes; thus, increasing President Biden’s margin of victory. The senate fBICP members spent millions of taxpayer dollars and compromised the voting machines of an entire county (resulting in more unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer funds) just because of the BIG LIE. Of course, the fBICP has never been constrained by facts or evidence (or paucity of same). The state fBICP publicly stated they would conduct additional investigations in their desperation to prove the BIG LIE, and other states, citing Arizona, are in the process of initiating their own similar audits. From what we have seen so far, the fBICP from the [person who shall no longer be named] on down will do everything within their power to perpetuate the BIG LIE into the 2022 election and beyond.

Watching the shenanigans of the fBICP and the ridiculous BIG LIE boondoggle to squander precious taxpayer funds, I am reminded of two important axioms of life. First, desperate times lead desperate people to do desperate things. We bear witness to a very desperate fBICP that saddled their future to a con man who sells worthless ‘magic’ snake-oil elixir to oblivious people who prefer ignorance to knowledge. Second, an observation of defense lawyers: when the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When the facts are not on your side, argue the law. When the law is not on your side, pound your fists on the table. What we have witnessed for at least the last year is the fBICP pounding their fists on any table they can find. The long and short of it is, facts do not matter a twit to the fBICP. Even the storied history and legacy of this once grand republic do not matter to the fBICP. All that matter to the fBICP is power that gives them the authority to dictate everything to the rest of us—morality, laws, rules, guideline, anything that strikes their fancy. The best we can do is vote them into oblivion—never to be seen or heard from ever again.

 

On the 21st, the House passed H.R.5305 - Making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for providing emergency assistance, and for other purposes, on a strict party line vote [House: 220-211-0-1(3)]. The bill extends 2021 funding levels into the Fiscal Year 2022 to keep the government running. The sticking point with the fBICP in the Senate is Division D, Title III—Temporary Extension of Public Debt Limit, to 16.December.2021. The fBICP has vowed to reject the whole continuing resolution because of that one point alone. If they do, the U.S. Government will be at risk of closing down at the end of the month (the end of Fiscal Year 2021), and the United States will be at risk of defaulting on its debt by the middle of next month. (Please see axioms noted above.)

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.1027:

Comment to the Blog:

“I wish you well with respect to your new book. It is at least an interesting conjecture, which is the heart of science fiction.

“I'll point out that the bulk of addicts are dangerous in only two ways. Those are getting their substance(s) by any means and the fact that too many of them drive while using. Some people with violent tendencies let those tendencies out while using, but their central problem is violence rather than addiction. We've seen all of that in the Prohibition of alcohol.

“I don't understand how the heroism of the Fire Department of New York would have any bearing on a conspiracy theory, but then I don't buy into conspiracy theories in general. I remain aware that George H. W. Bush came to politics from the spy community and his son's Presidency was failing, but one person's possible actions don't make a conspiracy.

“I don't care what Shrub said about the Chump. I don't respect either of them enough to pay attention to them. ‘The security measures incorporated into our lives’ are more a new threat to Americans than a source of comfort for me.

“All of this ‘nation-building’ is bullshit designed to enrich the military-industrial complex, as is the war on Islam. Regardless of the debacles (Afghanistan, Vietnam, et al.), the Defense budget continues increasing, not in service of national readiness or even troop strength, but for sales of goods and services.”

My response to the Blog:

Thank you. The new book is different; just something that has been percolating in my little pea-brain for several decades. It’s finally done—for better or worse. If you read it, please let me know what you think—good, bad, or ugly.

That is one of the central premises of the book & the story. The overarching object is freedom of choice and a citizen’s fundamental right to privacy. The conjecture is how do we make their consumption safer for them and safest for the public at large. The propensity to violence in some folks does present in the book, not in a big way, but it is still recognized. Again, the object is how do we make it the safest we can for everyone. Yeah, again exactly, our ancestors learned the reality of prohibition in a free society a century ago. It has been 50 years, and we still have NOT relearned that vital lesson. Foolishly, we tend to ignore what does not touch us directly. Most of us just do not recognize (or even wish to know) that the impositions upon freedom of choice affects us all. I have come to see that far too many “free people” choose ignorance over knowledge, and the USG was all too eager to exploit that reality, their morality, on everyone, like it or not.

Many hardcore conspiracists claim it was all fake. The USG brought down the towers and made it appear that 3,000 people died. I do not buy into conspiracy theories, period. I always search for hard evidence; not easy, but the search continues. I saw the live broadcast that day. There is no doubt in my little pea-brain what happened. OK, I’m curious, and I’ll bite. What did Bush 41 have to do with the attack on 9/11?

The point is, ‘W’ did not say anything about the [person who shall no longer be named]. There are an awful lot of guilty souls out there who jumped to that supposition, thus my comment about Douglas Andrews. His words express the defensiveness of guilt. I acknowledge that I may well be inadequately informed, so I eagerly await enlightenment.

There is NO war on Islam; never has been, never will be. The majority of Muslims are peaceful, friendly, respectful, law-abiding citizens of many countries including ours. There is a monumental difference between Islamic fascism and Islam, just as there was between Nazis and Germans.

Well, therein lies the mistiness. Since its inception, this republic has stood for freedom of commerce in all its forms and locations. Respectfully, I do not share what appears to be a rather pessimistic view of international relations. For the record, I do not absolve the United States of its mistakes, but to attribute U.S. international efforts to greed and avarice is not worthy, it seems to me.

 . . . Round two:

“I'm not interested enough to follow up, but I always notice who benefits from a given crisis. Two parties benefitted from 9/11. (A) Al-Qaeda, who successfully undermined the freedom and unity of the United States and cost us the expense and loss of freedom of the Department of Homeland (in)Security; (B) W Bush, whose floundering Presidency survived and achieved re-election.

“Wait, did you just defend nation-building as freedom of commerce?”

 . . . my response to round two:

Interest waxes and wanes by a wide variety of stimulants. I write what comes and accept the consequences. Thank you very much for whatever you wish to share.

Yes, al-Qa’ida attracted considerable attention with the success of their 9/11 attack on the United States. I imagine some of that attention was not what they wanted.

Are you suggesting that Dubs started or enabled 9/11 for political purposes? If so, I must object.

No, absolutely not. I am not defending nation building. I am defending the premise of you break it, you fix it. The U.S. tried mightily to fix the Afghan government after we broke it in 2001. Ultimately, there was nothing that we could do with all of our resources to instill the will for freedom, and that was the essential reason the Afghan government evaporated in a virtual instant; there was no spirit or substance. I am saying freedom for commerce is a long-standing national interest of the United States.

 . . . Round three:

“I'm not suggesting that Dubya was the brains behind much of anything. He doesn't have that much brainpower. However, his father ran the CIA and went on to be President. I haven't studied any of the details, but the old man could have been in a position to benefit his son without the boy having to know anything.

“We destroyed Afghanistan by propping up the Taliban against the Soviets back in the '80s. We couldn't have repaired that damage and our meddling just made it worse. It's not possible to "instill the will to freedom" in anyone, and the concept is an excuse for manipulating other governments.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Well then, are you suggesting Daddy Bush (41) caused, organized, or enabled 9/11? ‘Could’ is always an ambiguous word choice in such circumstances, i.e., an asteroid could impact earth and extinguish 90% of all life.

Oh no, I cannot agree. Afghanistan has been a hotbed of tribalism for millennia, long before the United States came into existence. Yes, we supported the Taliban in the 1980s against the Soviets because they were the only viable resistance element within Afghanistan. How do you think we could have repaired that damage back then with just a bunch of special operations personnel? Exactly correct. The will for freedom comes from the heart, the spirit, the soul of every person who band together to defend freedom. The sad reality is, some folks do not want freedom. The United States was founded upon and exists on the premise that everyone wants freedom, which is a fallacious assumption that does not recognize reality. There are real reasons Ho Chi Minh was so popular in Indochina, but we failed to accept that reality, thus the Vietnam War.

 . . . Round four:

“I don't know any more than the general public about 9/11. I was merely speculating, as you and I often do. I'll point out that the official story about any given major incident is incomplete, inaccurate, or outright lies about 70% of the time when the historians get around to it.

“I'm not sure what you meant to say about Afghanistan. You stated your disagreement but then you repeated my argument.”

 . . . my response to round four:

We can all speculate . . . the genesis of conspiracies. Of course, information regarding any given incident is incomplete, e.g., TWA 800—25 years hence, we do not have all of the information. The information will be available eventually, but it will likely be the next generation of historians who plow through it and derive conclusions. In the interim, we tend to reach the most likely cause in most events; 9/11 is no different. The preponderance of evidence tells me 9/11 was perpetrated by al-Qa’ida inspired jihadis in response to bin Laden’s fatwa.

OK; we agree. I was responding/reacting to “. . . an excuse for manipulating other governments.” While we might apply that criticism to earlier incursions, I think it is a stretch in Afghanistan. An example from history that supports your “manipulation” accusation is Nicaragua (1926/33), or perhaps on a larger scale, Panama (1903/04). Yes, such imposition incursions occurred. I just do not attribute that motive to Afghanistan (2001).

 . . . Round five:

“I see the entire ‘War on Terrorism’ as a claim to attack a concept, much like the War on Drugs or the War on Poverty. This is the stuff of marketing. Of course, it has quietly been revealed that Afghanistan has mineral wealth that remains to be exploited.”

 . . . my response to round five:

I do not see the war on Islamic fascism in the same light as you apparently do. Neither the fallacious war on drugs nor the war on poverty seek to cause injury to or kill others, to impose their will on others. Islamic fascists (jihadis) seek to do just that. Addicts and poor folks do not want to hurt anyone; they just want to live their lives. We could argue that drug abuse and poverty do cause injury to others when those folks are driven to crime to survive, but to me, that is an incidental consequence, not a direct objective or product. I do understand and appreciate that none of the objects are nation-states per se.

Whether Afghanis decide to exploit their territorial mineral wealth is their choice entirely. If they do, I imagine there will be takers willing to assume the risk. I cannot see the United States or any other allied nation taking that step by force of arms. We shall remain vigilant.

 . . . Round six:

“With respect to Afghanistan's minerals, two nations in recent times have attempted to ‘take that step (exploitation) by force of arms.’ That would be the USSR and the USA.”

 . . . my response to round six:

I confess my apparent ignorance. I am not aware of such exploitation. Do you have evidence to substantiate your accusation?

 

Another contribution:

“Trust all is well with you both. We start another round of Jabs next week-this time the anti-flu vaccine and then our top up third Covid jab.”

My reply:

Yes, indeed, all is well here. We remain healthy and active. Writing continues to consume the preponderance of my time.

We are looking to our booster soon. Plus, it is time for our influenza vaccine as well. We should get ‘em in a week or two.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

20 September 2021

Update no.1027


 Update from the Sunland

No.1027

13.9.21 – 19.9.21

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

 

            To all,

 

Another day of accomplishment has finally arrived. My latest book has been published and will be released on Monday, 20.September.2021. This one is quite different from my usual fare. This one was also much harder than normal for both the publisher and me to bring to release.

Indulgence

Indulgence Cover

In the near future, a beautiful courtesan, a determined detective, an attorney's troubled wife, and a precocious teenager test the limits of a world somewhat different than our own. They probe the boundaries of the new laws that show us what might be or could be different. Their society tries to handle an unquenchable demand for drugs that offer benefits and temptations to people with diverse private reasons and needs. The reforms in the law implement an array of changes including the strict regulation of specified controlled substances, the retail sales to adult citizens, and the establishment of what are called indulgence camps. These state-sponsored facilities are what their name implies—indulgences of consumption for those so inclined in exchange for their removal from peaceful, law-abiding society.

Prohibition will never succeed in a free society; freedom must be sacrificed to enable prohibition to work. Indulgence offers an intriguing glimpse into what might be a better way of dealing with psychotropic substance consumption. The substances are not new, but the societal trauma of the Vietnam War era and perhaps prohibition itself seemed to have stimulated and expanded consumption.

Wrapped around these dramatic changes in drug policy is a primal effort to remove the government from our private lives and choices. The new government focuses on the public domain while respecting every citizen’s fundamental right to privacy and freedom of choice—an enlightened tomorrow.

This book, like all my other books, is available in print and digital form from all retailers. If you have any difficulty acquiring a copy of your choice, please let me know. Also, as always, I look forward to any discussion or constructive criticism anyone wishes to offer—good, bad, or ugly.

 

For any human being with a heart and soul who believes 9/11 was some government conspiracy and/or Hollywood stunt, you must watch CBS 60 Minutes Season 54 Episode 1, broadcast on Sunday, 12.September.2021. All three segments dealt with the response that day of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and the terrible cost they paid for the unprecedented attack. Frankly, every freedom-loving person should watch the full program to appreciate what so many did that morning and afterward.

 

OWednesday, 15.September.2021, at 20:02 [R] EDT{17:02 [T] MST}, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 booster from Kennedy Space Center's historic pad 39A.  On top of the booster sat the Inspiration4 Dragon spacecraft carrying four civilian (non-professional) astronauts into earth orbit. It reached orbit about 12 minutes later. They stabilized in orbit at 360 miles above the Earth, even further out than the International Space Station, which orbits at 240 miles.  The Inspiration4 crew became the farthest any civilian has traveled from Earth so far. After three days orbiting Earth and enjoying the extraordinary view, Dragon and the Inspiration4 crew safely splashed down off the coast of Florida at 19:06 [R] EDT {16:06 [T] MST} on Saturday, 18.September.2021. The capsule was lifted on deck of the recovery ship, and then the crew emerged safe and sound. Another important milestone in human spaceflight has been attained. Congratulations to the crew and SpaceX for an excellent mission.

 

All of the mobile presidents, except the [person who shall no longer be named], attended 9/11 remembrance and commemoration ceremonies at the three sites of the attack 20 years ago. They all gave worthy speeches, but it was President Bush that sparked outrage among the fBICP believers. What on earth did he say to rile up the radical right, you ask? One sentence in his speech seemed to be the most irritating to the consumer’s of the magic snake-oil elixir (underlined below).

As a nation, our adjustments have been profound. Many Americans struggled to understand why an enemy would hate us with such zeal. The security measures incorporated into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability. And we have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit. And it is our continuing duty to confront them.

The most odiferous of the fBICP responses I have seen was:

“George W. Bush's Odious 9/11 Address – When our 43rd president compared the January 6 rioters to the 9/11 terrorists, he disgraced himself, dishonored the dead, and divided the nation.”

by Douglas Andrews

Patriot Post

Published: September 13, 2021

https://patriotpost.us/articles/82675-george-w-bushs-odious-9-slash-11-address-2021-09-13?mailing_id=6131&utm_medium=email&utm_source=pp.email.6131&utm_campaign=digest&utm_content=body

Touchy, touchy, touchy! Andrews and other right-wingers must have a very guilty conscience. President Bush never made that comparison directly. The subtitle fairly well declares Andrews’ bias. The insurrectionists (of 6.January.2021) did not kill as many people as the jihadi attackers on 9/11, but they came far closer to bringing down the democracy of this once grand republic than the jihadis ever did or could even hope for with their aggression. On this one, I stand with President Bush, NOT Douglas Andrews or any of the other insurrectionists who await trial in a court of law.

The rally planned for Saturday the 18th at the Capitol in Washington, DC, in support of the (January 6th) insurrectionists fizzled, as the Capitol Police, DC Metropolitan Police, and the DC National Guard over-prepared for the potentially violent rally. We can only hope the noose around these crazies continues to tighten.

 

After the debacle of the conservative Supremes’ de facto ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson [594 U.S. 21A24 (2021); 1.9.2021] [1025], we have another court ruling in a potentially injurious case that was done properly so far. U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd of the Northern District of New York issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in the case of Dr. A. v. Hochul [USDC NDNY Case 1:21-cv-01009-DNH-ML (2021)]. The case involves 17 medical professionals who seek to block the COVID-19 vaccine mandate of Governor Kathleen Courtney Hochul of New York. The TRO expires on the 22nd with the preliminary hearing on the state’s motion to dismiss. The mandate does NOT force anyone to take the vaccine, but it does make vaccination a condition of employment in the medical field. I think the law empowers the executive to establish such conditions of employment and has been clear since 1905. I suspect the motion to dismiss will be granted.

 

There has been an awful lot of chewing of the fat in the aftermath of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. I have offered bits and pieces of my opinion, but now seems to be the time to draw it all together. What defines the time, you ask? From my perspective, it was the release of the Woodward/Costa book Peril that offers a view of those volatile, chaotic, and confusing months after the 2020 election along with the consequent insurrection stimulated, inspired, and encouraged by the [person who shall no longer be named].

Once President Bush pulled the trigger on Operation ENDURING FREEDOM [0014] that included displacing the Afghan government (Taliban), the die was cast. You broke it you fix it. We tried mightily to enable a democratic government in Afghanistan, but they proved themselves unworthy.

President Obama began the drawdown of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan from the peak of 100,000, shortly after bin Laden’s demise in the early morning of 2.May.2011 [489490503]. By the time the [person who shall no longer be named] became president, there were just 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan—hardly enough to secure a city, set aside a country. President Biden took office with just 2,500 troops in country and a deal by the previous guy with the Taliban (not the Afghan government) to withdraw completely by 1.May.2021. So, for the fBICP in all its forms to suggest that President Biden abandoned Afghanistan is nonsense in the extreme. If the fBICP wants to point accusatory fingers for the abandonment of Afghanistan, the man who deserves their condemnation is the [person who shall no longer be named], full stop!

It is important to note that we have U.S. troops stationed in Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea for the last 76 years.  There should be little doubt that there are monumental differences between Germany, Japan and Italy, or even Vietnam, and Afghanistan. We have demonstrable interests in the other countries that we do not have in Afghanistan. The evaporation of the Afghan government validated the hypothesis that our presence was sustaining a corrupt, spineless, valueless government in a civil war—that is NOT in our interests. No matter what actions the Allies took in Afghanistan, we cannot induce the will for freedom, set aside democracy. While the Islamic fascist haven potential still exists, it does not justify permanently stationing and exposing our troops in Afghanistan.

By withdrawing U.S./Allied troops from Afghanistan [1025; 31.8.2021], we have transitioned to an intelligence/special operations war with the Islamic fascists who remain in Afghanistan. We do not have a plethora of good options in that the IRI is an obstacle to peace. Pakistan is hardly friendly. We cannot expect any help from the PRC. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are hardly bastions of allied support. It would appear the U.S. Navy is going to take on a more prominent role in prosecuting the war on Islamic fascism.

At the bottom line, President Biden had the moral courage and confidence to do what should have been done a decade (two administrations) ago. Thank you, President Biden.

 

The verbal, political attacks by the fBICP and radical right on General Mark Milley are contemptible in the harshest possible terms.

First and foremost, General Milley, along with all other military professionals, swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. None of them have ever sworn allegiance to any president and especially to the [person who shall no longer be named]. This republic may not be as grand as it once was, but we have never done what Nazi Germany did, despite the Herculean efforts of the [person who shall no longer be named], his fBICP, and his army of brainwashed believers.

Second, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was dealing with an unstable, erratic, unpredictable, temperamental, volatile angry man who persisted in defying the Constitution and perpetuated the BIG LIE. The president was not defending the Constitution or even following the Constitution. Milley’s loyalty belonged with the Constitution. He was determined not to join the insurrectionists.

Third, we are blessed to have such officers at the head of the most powerful military force in the world. We should be thanking General Milley for his service.

Lastly, the commander-in-chief has confidence in General Milley and that is sufficient for me. ‘Nuf said.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.1026:

Comment to the Blog:

“I saved myself some time this morning. As soon as I read ‘this edition appears to be all COVID-19 . . .’ I quit reading.”

My response to the Blog:

I am truly sorry last week’s edition did not inspire your usual contribution. I wrote what I felt. I hope this week’s edition fares better.

 

Another contribution:

“Thanks Cap, all received this side. My God-those seven [st]ages on Covid must open some closed eyes on the subject. Thanks for sending that, I will pass on.”

My reply:

Unfortunately, they must open their eyes to read. Far too many people have closed eyes, closed ears, and closed minds. They prefer ignorance to knowledge. Please disseminate far and wide.

 

A different contribution:

“One of your best yet!

“Thank you.

“Re vaccination:

“I am urging, hopelessly, our legislature to make it illegal for any unvaccinated adult to seek or receive medical attention for Covid at the expense of the state or federal government (the people, actually the minority who pay taxes) and imposing a judgment and lien on all such person's property, trust entitlements, and rights to inheritance for any such expense incurred by government for any such treatment.

“Fat chance any such common sense incentive would ever become statutory, right?”

My response:

Thank you for your generous words and contributions.

Well now, that is quite the shift. Yeah, not likely to become law, but an intriguing and appropriate proposal. When the unvaccinated venture out into the public domain, they threaten all of us. They open themselves to infection and enable the virus to mutate. The longer the virus enjoys fertile hosts to replicate, the sooner the virus will find a way around the vaccines and other obstacles to their reproduction. I fully support any person’s right to choose what goes into his/her body, but that right does not entitle them to threaten and infect the rest of us. Most of us have done our duty; some have not.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

13 September 2021

Update no.1026

 Update from the Sunland

No.1026

6.9.21 – 12.9.21

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

 

            To all,

 

OK! For all of you anti-vaxxers, political resisters, freedom-over-survival advocates out there, let’s put a bright face on this pig. A respiratory therapist at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, California, wrote an explicit op-ed column to articulate plainly and directly what she has been dealing with for the last 17 months of the pandemic. She presents the seven (7) stages of COVID-19 hospitalization.

“Op-Ed: On the front lines, here’s what the seven stages of severe COVID-19 look like”

by Karen Gallardo

Los Angeles Times

Published: AUG. 26, 2021; 3:01 AM PT

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-08-26/pandemic-covid-19-stages-vaccination-intensive-care-respiratory-therapist

The following words are Ms. Gallardo’s verbatim:

Stage 1. You’ve had debilitating symptoms for a few days, but now it is so hard to breathe that you come to the emergency room. Your oxygen saturation level tells us you need help, a supplemental flow of 1 to 4 liters of oxygen per minute. We admit you and start you on antivirals, steroids, anticoagulants or monoclonal antibodies. You’ll spend several days in the hospital feeling run-down, but if we can wean you off the oxygen, you’ll get discharged. You survive.

Stage 2. It becomes harder and harder for you to breathe. “Like drowning,” many patients describe the feeling. The bronchodilator treatments we give you provide little relief. Your oxygen requirements increase significantly, from 4 liters to 15 liters to 40 liters per minute. Little things, like relieving yourself or sitting up in bed, become too difficult for you to do on your own. Your oxygen saturation rapidly declines when you move about. We transfer you to the intensive care unit.

Stage 3. You’re exhausted from hyperventilating to satisfy your body’s demand for air. We put you on noninvasive, “positive pressure” ventilation — a big, bulky face mask that must be Velcro’d tightly around your face so the machine can efficiently push pressure into your lungs to pop them open so you get enough of the oxygen it delivers.

Stage 4. Your breathing becomes even more labored. We can tell you’re severely fatigued. An arterial blood draw confirms that the oxygen content in your blood is critically low. We prepare to intubate you. If you’re able to and if there’s time, we will suggest that you call your loved ones. This might be the last time they’ll hear your voice.
We connect you to a ventilator. You are sedated and paralyzed, fed through a feeding tube, hooked to a Foley catheter and a rectal tube. We turn your limp body regularly, so you don’t develop pressure ulcers — bed sores. We bathe you and keep you clean. We flip you onto your stomach to allow for better oxygenation. We will try experimental therapeutics.

Stage 5. Some patients survive Stage 4. Unfortunately, your oxygen levels and overall condition have not improved after several days on the ventilator. Your COVID-infested lungs need assistance and time to heal, something that an ECMO machine, which bypasses your lungs and oxygenates your blood, can provide. But alas, our community hospital doesn’t have that capability.
If you’re stable enough, you will get transferred to another hospital for that therapy. Otherwise, we’ll continue treating you as best we can. We’re understaffed and overwhelmed, but we’ll always give you the best care we can.

Stage 6. The pressure required to open your lungs is so high that air can leak into your chest cavity, so we insert tubes to clear it out. Your kidneys fail to filter the byproducts from the drugs we continuously give you. Despite diuretics, your entire body swells from fluid retention, and you require dialysis to help with your renal function.
The long hospital stay and your depressed immune system make you susceptible to infections. A chest X-ray shows fluid accumulating in your lung sacs. A blood clot may show up, too. We can’t prevent these complications at this point; we treat them as they present.
If your blood pressure drops critically, we will administer vasopressors to bring it up, but your heart may stop anyway. After several rounds of CPR, we’ll get your pulse and circulation back. But soon, your family will need to make a difficult decision.

Stage 7: After several meetings with the palliative care team, your family decides to withdraw care. We extubate you, turning off the breathing machinery. We set up a final FaceTime call with your loved ones. As we work in your room, we hear crying and loving goodbyes. We cry, too, and we hold your hand until your last natural breath.

Thank you, Ms. Gallardo, for helping all of us understand the reality of COVID infection at a sufficient level to cause hospitalization and what happens next. To all of you non-believers out there, how does Ms. Gallardo’s illumination make you feel. It is a horrible death at extraordinary cost, and untold collateral damage beyond your family and friends. Read and re-read Ms. Gallardo’s description of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. Is your defiance of CDC COVID-19 pandemic guidelines worth this kind of slow suicide? I think not, get vaccinated, now!

 

Since this edition appears to be all related to COVID-19 and the associated vaccination efforts, I offer an important and relevant historical note. On the 20th of February 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld by a vote of 7-2 that compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public's health were legal and in accordance with the Constitution—Jacobson v. Massachusetts [197 U.S. 11 (1905)]. In such programs, the U.S. Government (USG) is doing exactly what it is chartered to do by the Constitution—protect public safety. The Jacobson ruling remains applicable law. Just because some folks do not trust the USG does not alter the constitutional charge and responsibility of the USG. 

 

On Thursday, from the White House, President Biden presented his six-point COVID-19 pandemic plan for dealing with our situation going forward.

1. Vaccinating the Unvaccinated

2. Further Protecting the Vaccinated

3. Keeping Schools Safely Open

4. Increasing Testing & Requiring Masking

5. Protecting Our Economic Recovery

6. Improving Care for those with COVID-19

Each point has multiple sub-points to illuminate what specifically would be done to fulfill the plan objectives. The details can be found at the White House website.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/covidplan/

One particular line from the president’s speech struck resonance with me. “We have been patient with the unvaccinated. Our patience is wearing thin.” To that, I say yea verily! I am very tired of being threatened by and carrying the burden for the unvaccinated. They have NO right whatsoever to infringe upon my freedom. I fully support the freedom of choice, fundamental right to privacy, and personal integrity of every citizen, including the unvaccinated. However, what I do not and cannot support is the imposition of their choices on me or anyone else who has done their civic duty. With 178M Americans fully vaccinated, there is overwhelming evidence that the vaccines are safe and effective. Either get vaccinated, or stay out of the public domain and especially out of our hospitals.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.1025:

Comment to the Blog:

“U.S. military operations in Afghanistan have ended, but the military-industrial complex remains prosperous. See the new budget proposals for evidence of that.

“The ‘spy on your neighbor’ aspect of the Texas abortion law smells of tyranny. Speaking of smells, the Supreme Court is over-ripe.

“Another aspect of the Texas law is that many abortions nowadays are performed by means of pills. The doctor involved can be seen via telemedicine. Those nosy neighbors would have to be nosy indeed to detect that one. (The background music for the video on this is “Smuggler's Blues” by Glenn Frey, played over video of a routine Postal Service delivery.)”

My response to the Blog:

There is no doubt that the military-industrial complex remains prosperous. It has been that way for a very long time.

Yeah, as the SCOTUS dissenters noted, Texas SB 8 is a novel attempt by the state to avoid responsibility and accountability by deputizing citizens to do what they cannot do. I am not surprised the Texas conservatives chose to abdicate their responsibility, but I am truly shocked by the five conservative Supremes who allowed the law to go into effect, claiming there was no injury. For all the screaming the conservatives have done about legislation from the bench, the Jackson ruling is far beyond that threshold. Yeah, stinks to high heaven.

Beyond the obvious, I wonder how anyone will have sufficient evidence that an abortion was performed. The only ones in the room are the patient, a nurse and a doctor. I doubt any of them will disclose private information. A key element in such judicial cases is standing. How can anyone other than the people in the room establish standing for such lawsuits. That said, just bringing a lawsuit causes costs to be incurred by medical service providers; multiply that by potentially thousands of those baseless claims can become fatal, kind of like the business practice of the [person who shall no longer be named]. Good point re: chemical abortion.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“The Texas abortion law remains important due to its dubious nature. However, activists have already caused disruption on the sites used for reporting your neighbors. Keep in mind that anti-abortion laws are essentially used to keep the base loyal, not to achieve serious policy objectives.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

Dubious, indeed! The political purpose(s) aside, just the uncertainty created by SB 8 causes injury to more than one woman in Texas. The fact that the conservative Supremes could rationalize that injury away and suspend their precedent & practice to justify their personal bias is what strikes me as so morally wrong. My conclusion, if they can do that, they can do anything, which makes McConnell’s unilateral action in 2016 so bloody infuriating.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

06 September 2021

Update no.1025

Update from the Sunland

No.1025

30.8.21 – 5.9.21

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

 

            To all,

 

At 13:30 [T] MST, Monday, 30.August.2021 {00:30 [D], 31.August.2021}, General Kenneth Franklin McKenzie, Jr., USMC [Citadel 1979], Commander, U.S. Central Command, announced the conclusion of the Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) from Afghanistan, that had formally begun on 14.August.2021. Thus ended the occupation phase of the War on Islamic Fascism in Afghanistan [0014]. Within 48-hours of the NEO order execution, the facts on the ground changed significantly. We had gone from cooperating on security with a long-time partner and ally, to initiating a pragmatic relationship with a long-time enemy. Major General Christopher Todd ‘Chris’ Donahue, USA [USMA 1992], CG 82nd Airborne Division, ground force commander, and U.S. ChargĂ© d’Affaires to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Ross L. Wilson turned off the lights and were the last to board the last C-17 out of Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan. The last C-17 transport aircraft took off at 15:29 [R] EDT, 23:29 [D], 30.August.2021. General McKenzie waited until the aircraft was clear of Afghan airspace to announce the conclusion of the operation. The NEO evacuated 123,000 civilians and all of the remaining Allied military personnel. According to General McKenzie, the retrograde operation  “demilitarized” equipment at the airport prior to departure; I imagine that suggests a well-placed thermite grenade in each item. Thus, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM [0014] ended and Operation FREEDOM'S SENTINEL began [1025] – the follow-on operation to remotely deal with subsequent terrorist activities in Afghanistan.

As expected in these disturbed times of rampant tribalism, and the fractious insanity of “us versus them,” a bunch of folks point their crooked accusatory fingers at President Biden, as if he killed 13 military personnel and caused the chaos. He was handed a bag of crap by his predecessor and expected to make lemonade. I give him credit for a valiant effort, and kudos go to the women and men who executed the NEO admirably despite the odds against them.

President Biden addressed the nation and the world to mark the end of the NOE and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. One of the things I have admired about his public rhetoric is his calm measured tone, choice of words, and clear message. For reasons I know not, he chose to abandon that admirable trait. He repeated himself several times and displayed his anger over the criticism that has been leveled at him. I thought until Tuesday that he refused to take the bait of the mindless criticism he faced. He has not attacked the Press or even his critics. Last Tuesday’s address stands as a deviation from his norm. The president must regain his control and avoid deviations in the future. History shall record that President Biden did what should have been done more than a decade ago.

 

On Wednesday, 19.May.2021, Governor Gregory Wayne ‘Greg’ Abbott of Texas signed into law the Texas Heartbeat Act (Texas SB 8). The law prohibited human abortions after a fetal heartbeat could be detected (approximately six weeks gestation) without exceptions. While the denial of a woman’s freedom of choice is significant, another aspect of the SB 8 law is the state’s abdication of enforcement and delegation of that responsibility to the populace at large, i.e., the creation of vigilantes to do what the state cannot do. The law took effect on Wednesday, 1.September.2021. That same day, a 5-4 majority of the Supremes rejected a petition for injunctive relief— Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson [594 U.S. 21A24 (2021)]. Justice Sotomayor summarized the Court’s failure precisely. “Taken together, the Act is a breathtaking act of defiance—of the Constitution, of this Court’s precedents, and of the rights of women seeking abortions throughout Texas.” The conservative majority declared the applicants were not likely to suffer injury under the law—a terribly myopic self-serving judgment.

We often read in many Supreme Court decisions over the years about their demand that any particular case must go through the whole judicial process from the district court to the Court of Appeals, and then to the Supreme Court. Further, even when a case has made its way through the judicial process, the Supremes insist upon the case being “ripe” for their judgment. Judicial ripeness exists when the facts of the case have matured into an existing substantial controversy warranting judicial intervention [Article III, Section 2, Clause 1]. The conservative majority chose not to intervene without a ripe case, allowing Texas SB 8 to take effect.

It would be so easy to sit back and say, no worries. Roe v. Wade [410 U.S. 113 (1973)][319] does not and never has affected me. I am a male, and I cannot get pregnant. What do I care? Yes, it would be quite easy. This law and this ruling would be so bloody simple to say, not my problem. Unfortunately, I have read every word of Roe, and that ruling affects me and every American citizen regardless of gender, or any other of the social factors, whether we wish to recognize it. Beyond the stimulating issue (abortion), Roe is the definitive ruling regarding every citizen’s fundamental right to privacy and freedom of choice in their private lives. While the Jackson de facto ruling affects all of us, it affects women in Texas the most. The Jackson rejection means the state can intrude upon the most private and personal of decision by women.

Texas conservatives have sent the state backward 100+ years—regression at the extreme. They have taken the state back much farther than the 48 years of Roe. I will argue that the new Texas law takes the state back more than 150 years to the Wild Wild West when vigilantism was more the norm than the exception. By their maleficence, the SCOTUS conservative majority (less Roberts) have de facto endorsed vigilantism in Texas, and taken us to Stalinist Russia, or Gestapo Germany, or even the Thought Police of Oceania. Texas SB 8 takes the state of Texas (and other fBICP states are certain to follow) back 150 years when citizens had to become vigilantes to enforce some order in their communities. Vigilante justice was not due process under the Constitution, often proved violent and indiscriminate, and leaves the Judiciary with virtually no salient for action.

If the fBICP is so intent upon relegating all female citizens to being state-controlled human incubators and removing the freedom of choice of every female citizen, then they must create the structure and establish permanent funding to raise those children produced from such control to adulthood. The state has now become the parent.

For the record, as I have written for decades, I think abortion is a terrible, nauseating medical procedure that I truly wish never ever had to be utilized. Conversely, I think every citizen, including all women, are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights that include a fundamental right to privacy and freedom of choice. I also believe the Court got it right in Roe. A key milestone in this question is extra-uterine viability (approximately 26 weeks at the time of Roe; now, more like 20 weeks). When deny those unalienable rights to anyone, we diminish those rights to all of us. We prove on a daily if not on an instantaneous basis that freedom is often ugly, disgusting, irritating, frustrating, and even revolting; but freedom is freedom. Either we have it, or we do not.

 

Then, in stark contrast with the Supreme’s failure, Presiding Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of the 459th District Court of Texas (Travis County, Texas) issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against Texas Right to Life in the case of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Surgical Health Services v. Texas Right to Life [Cause No. D-1-GN-21-004632 (2021)]. Judge Gamble found that “S.B. 8 creates a probable, irreparable, and imminent injury in the interim for which Plaintiffs and their physicians, staff, and patients throughout Texas have no adequate remedy at law if Plaintiffs, their physicians, and staff are subjected to private enforcement lawsuits against them under S.B. 8.” With the TRO, Judge Gamble set a preliminary hearing for 13.September.2021, and concurrently, also set an expiration of the TRO on 17.September.2021. At least one lone state district court judge is trying to bring order from the chaos created by Texas conservatives and the conservative Supremes.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.1024:

Comment to the Blog:

“I've seen an estimate this morning that 300 American civilians remain in Afghanistan. The pressure from the public will result in some effort to extract them.

“The weapons and equipment we have abandoned in Afghanistan will be used against us one way or another.

“‘Protecting the Homeland’ is about 70% mythology, based on cognitive bias against the ‘other.’ 

“The end of the eviction moratorium is grossly aggravated by state and local governments' failure to distribute housing funds provided by Congress during the virus crisis. I suppose the Federal government could put pressure on those governments, but the Democratic Party wants unused stimulus funds to help pay for their proposed budgets.”

My response to the Blog:

Who knows? The USG should have created a highly classified and secure registry for citizens, green card holders, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, allies, and other persons of interest years ago, like 10+ years ago, that would have enabled us to know exactly how many and where everyone is. We do not know the stories of the remaining people. Some of them may have refused to leave for myriad reasons. Who knows? President Biden was handed a bag of crap. From my perspective, he did what had to be done and did what presidents should do—decided the objective, issued the orders, and got out of the way. Most of what President Biden is being condemned for was decided and done years ago. Huge kudos must go to the military and diplomats who executed the final withdrawal. It’s done and in the history books now. Yes, we will be working to get more people out in the days, weeks, months and years ahead. Things did not happen as they had hoped and planned, but they did their best. That phase is done; the next phase continues.

I like the term General McKenzie used; they “demilitarized” our equipment remaining at Kabul Airport. Back in my day, it would have been a well-placed thermite grenade; I do not know what they use today. What was not rendered useless had been transferred to the Afghan military years ago. Yes, we may well face some of that abandoned material again, but it will only work so long without parts and maintenance.

Your view of protecting the Homeland seems rather cynical to me. Prima facie, I cannot agree. There is nothing mythical about the need to protect the Homeland. Xenophobia has been an unfortunate reality since long before the founding of this once grand republic. It is still with us to this day. Hell, racism still exists all these years later.

Yes, the USG did its part, but the states failed to distribute the recovery funds. I think that is one of many reasons the Biden administration chose to use a 77yo law in an attempt to at least offer some relief to those most in need. I guess this is one of those instances validating the adage: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. If the states are not going to use the provided funding for the designated purpose, then I say withdraw the money and apply it to something more productive.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“The only piece of this I'll disagree with is what to do with the crisis housing funds. I'm not for withdrawing them; they're still dramatically needed. I'd either put pressure downstream to get those funds to tenants and landlords or set up some Federal mechanism to send that money directly.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

I have no idea why states are not distributing relief funds provided by the federal government. My point, the people who will pay the price for this dysfunction are the people least able to pay. I suspect, even if the USG tried to distribute directly, there would be more than a few states that would file suit seeking to block such action as unconstitutional overreach. Nonetheless, I am with you. The Executive tried to do something constructive, but SCOTUS wagged its finger—ah, ah.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)