28 November 2022

Update no.1089

 Update from the Sunland

No.1089

21.11.22 – 27.11.22

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

 

To all,

 

Just in time for Christmas! My 22nd published book and the 10th book of my To So Few series of historical novels was released in all forms this week.

To So Few – Overlord

[file attached: TSF Overlord_frontcover_small.png]

Cap Parlier’s To So Few – Overlord is the tenth volume of his historical novel series and encompasses the decisive events of 1944. Major Brian ‘Hunter’ Drummond has flown in combat fighters for five years with RAF No.609 Squadron and No.71 ‘Eagle’ Squadron, before they were transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces as the famous 334th Fighter Squadron. Already well decorated, he achieves a rare status as a five-time ace fighter pilot. Brian’s British wife and mother of his son manages the couple’s substantial assets during the absence of his duty and amid the rigors of wartime restrictions. Together they deal with the monumental historic events of the Normandy landings and race across France and into Germany, and the desperate convulsive German counteroffensive known as the Battle of the Bulge. The epic story continues.

To So Few – Overlord is available in print and all digital formats. If anyone has difficulty ordering the form they wish from any source of your choice, please me know the details. I will do my best to work with the publisher to resolve the problem.

Of course, if you wish to share your opinion of Overlord, please give me your candid review—good, bad, or ugly. All reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

 

The follow-up news items:

-- In Update no.1086, I reported the issuance of a temporary stay of a lower court ruling. Chief Justice Roberts ordered the stay as the supervisory justice for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. I will only cite the reference number [598 U.S. 22A362 (2022)]] [1086] since I thought just one week of not uttering his name in any form would give us all just a little break from the divisiveness, disgust, disrespect, and outright retrogressive behavior of the subject man. The Supreme Court summarily rejected and denied his appeal, which in turn indicates the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee can finally review his personal tax returns. Let it suffice to say, it was a bad day for that man and a good day for the Republic. No man stands above the law.

 

On Thursday, this week, Americans around the world celebrated Thanksgiving, a holiday Americans have enjoyed since 26.November.1789—the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday by a proclamation of President George Washington (3.10.1789). Spontaneous celebrations can be traced back to 4.December.1619, when British colonists arrived safely in present-day Charles City County, Virginia, and to 22.February.1630, when a different group of British colonists celebrated their Thanksgiving in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

This year, we were fortunate enough for three of our four children, their spouses, and two of our seven grandchildren to join us here in Arizona. We have no great-grandchildren, as yet. We gave thanks for family—those who could attend, and those who could not. We love you all.

 

This is a rather thin edition of the Update, which is a good thing from time to time. Thank you all for your interest in the Update from the Sunland. I am truly grateful for your interest and contributions to this humble forum.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1088:

Comment to the Blog:

“By this time, the January 6 committee has delayed too long. They’re unlikely to accomplish much before the new Congress puts a stop to them.

“Wait, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar ran unopposed? That says something horrendous about Arizona’s Democrats, Green Party, and Libertarians.

“The notion of not prosecuting a candidate during a campaign is a recent Republican invention.

“I’ll remind all and sundry that ‘States’ rights’ was the legal pretext for the War Between the States.”

My response to the Blog:

The HSCJ6 may have been too cautious and methodical, but they faced significant headwinds beginning with the fBICP resistance, attempts to compromise the committee with MAGA advocates, and the myriad suits filed in court to avoid testimony or withhold evidence. No, I cannot ascribe the word “delayed” to the HSCJ6.  Further, the HSCJ6 rightly showed respect and deference to the office of the president despite the fact that 45POTUS displayed very little if any respect for the office he held. What happens after 3.1.2023 remains unclear. I suspect it is fairly certain that the new fBICP majority in the House will swiftly seek to dissolve the HSCJ6. The Senate could pick up the work. Or, the HSCJ6 might finish their report on findings to date and publish. Or, they might just hand over their accumulated evidence to Special Counsel Smith. Or, any combination thereof.

No, I think the Gosar-Biggs fiasco says far more about the depths of MAGA mania in those districts. Too many races for state office were far closer than they should have been and I had hoped. The attorney general race is now down to 510 votes separating the candidates and headed to a mandatory recount. Gosar-Biggs (and many others) are an embarrassment to me as an Arizonan and as a proud American. These are the times in which we live.

We have not had to deal with criminal presidents until recently. The first outright criminal president (to my knowledge) was Nixon . . . well within my voting lifetime. The stress of those criminals has challenged the law. Qualified immunity evolved from that stress. Yes, Republicans have been the broad source of that stress, but I place Clinton in that group as well, so it is not just Republicans.

Yes, absolutely, that is history. Slavery was recognized by words in the original Constitution—history as well. Nonetheless, states are legal jurisdictions that have existed since the inception of this Republic. I seek balance, not domination by one tribe or another. We need states as the incubators of change.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“I'm well aware of MAGA, but so are all Democrats. Not putting up even token resistance is shameful.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

I cannot argue with that.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Another contribution:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41488081

“It’s out of hand but something must be done to stop these killings. It’s not going to be easy is it but an effort must be made. It cannot continue.”

My reply:

Yea verily! We must find a way.

There is always hope, until there isn’t.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

21 November 2022

Update no.1088

Update from the Sunland

No.1088

14.11.22 – 20.11.22

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

 

To all,

 

Finally! On Wednesday, 16.November.2022, at 01:47 [R] EST (06:47 [Z] GMT), NASA lit the candle. Artemic I Space Launch System (SLS) successfully took flight on its uncrewed 25-day mission to orbit the moon and returned to an unusually high speed reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. The nighttime launch precluded seeing anything other than the rocket engine plumes . . . well actually, the two attached solid rocket boosters provided sufficient temperature and pressure to render the four RS-25 engine exhaust plumes invisible. The launch appeared to be nominal. By the time of publication of this week’s Update edition, the Orion spacecraft has arrived at the moon and begun a complex orbiting test. Artemis II is the first manned mission scheduled for May 2024; they will orbit but not land. Artemis III, the first human return to the moon’s surface is currently planned for a year after the second mission.

 

The follow-up news items:

-- The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the appeal of Kelli Ward to keep her telephone records from scrutiny by the HSCJ6—Ward v. Thompson [598 U.S. 22A350 (2022)] [1085]. Arizona fBICP (GOP) Chair Kelli Ward, née Kaznoski, This is another defeat for the election deniers, and I suspect the HSCJ6 will gain a substantial amount of important information for their investigation. Ward exercised her constitutional right to due process. She lost. We will eventually know more about her contribution to the insurrection.

-- The 2022 election results in Arizona will not be official and closed until Monday, 5.December.2022. Most of the Arizona races have been declared for senator, governor, secretary of state, and others. The race for attorney general is 600 votes apart (0.02%), triggering an automatic recount. Regrettably, the U.S. representative for the 1st District, the precinct in which we live, has been declared for incumbent—fBICP MAGA election denier Schwikert [982]. He is not a political activist; he is just a corrupt un-convicted criminal. The genuine embarrassment for the State of Arizona is Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar, both ran unopposed. Go figure! What does that say about some Arizona residents and voters? 

-- On Tuesday, the 15th, a missile was fired and impacted near Przewodow, Poland, killing two local citizens. Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO Charter for the first time since 9/11, requesting consultations among the member nations. Some claimed it was an intentional provocation by the Russians, seeking to draw NATO and the United States into Putin’s war in Ukraine [1050]. The Russians denied they fired the missile . . . of course they did. Public sources indicate the missile was a Russian made weapon. Initial assessment indicates it was likely fired from Ukrainian territory and may have been an anti-aircraft weapon that did not hit its target. That sounds like a plausible explanation, given the fact that the Russians fired 100 plus missiles across Ukraine, and the Ukrainians fired anti-aircraft weapons to intercept the Russian weapons. One of those defensive weapons apparently went astray.

The size of the crater in Poland bothers me more than a little. Most anti-aircraft weapons do not carry that much explosive. They are not penetrative weapons. They function by spread a rapidly expanding cloud of shrapnel, and those bits of metal are intended to shotgun a target aircraft or missile, as the technique was graphically displayed in the case of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 [657]—a Russian weapon fired by the Russians from Ukrainian territory.

-- On Tuesday, 15.November.2022, [the person who shall no longer be named] [705] publicly announced at Mar-a-Lago his third run for the presidency. Typical to the man, his speech was replete with falsehoods and outright lies. With all the criminal investigations swirling around him, he had the utter audacity to claim, “I’m a victim.” It was a grotesquely lackluster performance, even for him. He is so freakin’ uncomfortable, awkward and gawky using a teleprompter. 

Rupert Murdoch reportedly said, “The best way to upset Donald Trump is to not say his name.” And that is precisely why I decided years ago to never utter his name again. The man does not deserve recognition. He is a pariah—plain and simple. Yet, today, he is a declared candidate for president and a not-yet-indicted accused criminal.

 

On Friday, Attorney General Garland announced his appointment of a special counsel to manage the federal investigations and prosecutions of the former president. Garland cited the former president’s announcement for another candidacy as one of the major factors contributing to his decision. He appointed career prosecutor John L. ‘Jack’ Smith to be Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice. Smith is charged with handling the Justice Department investigations associated with the January 6th insurrection and the Mar-a-Lago classified document seizures. We took another step closer to the end.

From my perspective, that is precisely why [the person who shall no longer be named] chose Tuesday to announce his candidacy. He wants the added pressure on the prosecution of a presidential candidacy or even better for him, as hopefully a sitting president. I suspect he may be a little late for that effect.

 

Now that democracy prevailed in the recent election, and We, the People, decided (for the most part) to reject autocracy or worse a dictatorship, I am reminded of our cornerstone document—the Declaration of Independence. As our forefathers grappled with the severance of political ties to Great Britain, the Second Continental Congress established The Committee of Five to draft the declaratory document of our separation from Great Britain. The members of The Committee of Five were:

-- John Adams of Massachusetts – later the second president

-- Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania – one of the most famous intellectuals among the Founding Fathers, whose academic writings and press publications had a very significant influence in the American Revolution, the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Alliance with France, Treaty of Paris, and U.S. Constitution

-- Thomas Jefferson of Virginia –later the third president

-- Robert Livingston of New York, who later served as the first United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs, administered the presidential oath of office George Washington, and negotiated the Louisiana Purchase as the minister to France

-- Roger Sherman of Connecticut – the only person to sign all four of the U.S. state papers: the Continental Association, the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

They wrote:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The Declaration is not a legal document as is the U.S. Constitution and laws passed by Congress and approved by the president. However, the Declaration defines the foundation, the basis, of the Republic. They said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident” meaning everyone knows them; they do not need to be written down. We are “endowed by [our] Creator,” meaning above all laws instituted by men, with “certain unalienable Rights.” The dictionary definition of ‘inalienable’ means “unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor.”         The Committee of Five included “among these” means precisely that “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are not all inclusive; it also means there are other inalienable rights that are self-evident and above the law.

For a broad host of reasons, I think The Committee of Five and the Founders believed privacy and freedom of choice were among those inalienable rights endowed by our Creator to all human beings above human laws. I have long considered myself a state’s right persons. I believe states should decide what matters in the public domain of their jurisdictions like speed limits, spitting on sidewalks, littering, et al ad infinitum. The states, or the federal government, have no right or authority to infringe upon our individual inalienable rights.

The conservative justices sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court bench have been tinkering with and whittling away on our inalienable rights. They stand upon 9th Amendment

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Which by the conservative interpretation means the federal government has no authority beyond the written words of the Constitution. From my perspective, they use their interpretation when it is convenient to their intentions. For example, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission [558 U.S. 310 (2010)] [424], the Supremes declared that money is speech, and therefore covered under the 1st Amendment. With respect, it is NOT. Money is just another form of royalty, i.e., one person is better, more privileged, than another person because of who his parents were or how much money he has. WRONG!!!! “All men are created equal” meaning there is no birth right and it does not matter how much money you have. To that end, corporations are NOT citizens; they have no rights. They are governed solely by the common law from their creation and operation to their dissolution.

The Declaration of Independence may not be common law, but it is the best document we have to illuminate our rights beyond the Constitution and common law. Unfortunately, it will be up to us—We, the People—to enforce our inalienable rights. We can no longer depend upon the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1087:

Comment to the Blog:

“You have my sympathy for your state election officials. In the years since 45POTUS lost the 2020 election, no evidence of misconduct has been submitted to the many courts involved. Enough already.

“Caution and climate change have dampened NASA’s speed and public relations compared to the ‘60s and’70s, but I’ll take scientific and technical progress over awe-inspiring imagery.

“I favor the referendum and initiative process when done reasonably well. For example, Kansans and residents of several other States have voted in favor of abortion rights despite some of those being ‘red’ States according to the pundits.”

My response to the Blog:

I am with you. Enough already! Unfortunately, the election deniers are a determined lot. Some of them garnered sufficient votes to induce a re-count before the results can be certified official and conclusive. Further, we have others, like Kari Lake, who refuse to concede the election at least until every single ballot is counted (which is her right, I must say). Yet, when the gap between candidates exceeds the votes to be counted there is no way to win. Yes, you are spot on correct. There have been a lot of sound and fury accusations, but no hard evidence to even reach “probable cause,” set aside “beyond a reasonable doubt.” There is NO substance, just hot air, like far too many conspiracy theories.

I am not sure what you are referring to with your “caution and climate change” regarding NASA. Substance is far better than imagery. However, imagery often gives us new perspectives of the world around us. Case in point, the James Webb Space Telescope—may the wonders never cease.

My point on the referendum process was, it is so easily abused. Voting for the denial of rights to other citizens is NOT some beauty contest or popularity question. Some rights are inalienable. But, there are very few if any constraints on the referendum process. The tyranny of a willful minority or even a majority should be feared. Semper Vigilans. I am not opposed to the referendum process; I am just very cautious and reserved about it. I do my homework before I vote. Others do not. I do not want my rights to be at the whim of emotion.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“Here in Ohio, we have plenty of restraints on the referendum process and movement toward more. We’re not trying to deny anyone’s rights except the voters ourselves. Our legislature is attempting to require referenda to pass by a 60% ‘super-majority’ rather than a simple majority. That would, of course, be another limitation on progress in a state where those in charge want to go backward, not forward.

“We have gone from mild September weather to typical January overnight on November 10-11. However, lake effect snow often stays north of us, as it is now. We’re having flurries and freezing temperatures. I’ll stay warm and dry except for going out to live my life, probably on foot.”

 . . . along with my follow-up response:

You are fortunate in Ohio. Other state residents are not so blessed. That is the ultimate point of my comments. Inalienable rights are not divisible . . . by state borders or any other incisive. Either we are Americans, or we are not.

The super-majority is yet one more means to limit change—the conservative’s ultimate objective, i.e., preserve what they have, no change. Yes, absolutely! I conservatives want to go back to a time when they controlled life as we know it—no change, no progress, no advancement.

 

Another contribution:

“Good afternoon Cap. Things slowly returning to normality! I’M LOST with your politics currently, just read Nancy Pelosi is stepping down-need an update bud.”

My reply:

Armistice Day is always a very busy time of the year for you. I am so glad things are returning to normal as winter approaches.

Heck, my friend, I live here and I am lost most of the time. Trying to keep up with politics is a full-time, obsessive endeavor. I do as much as I can and often not enough. But, I have other research and writing projects that I prefer to spent my time doing.

Nancy Patricia Pelosi, née D'Alesandro, 82 years of age, first entered the U.S. House of Representatives on 2.June.1987, for the then 5th District of California (San Francisco). She became the first female Speaker of the House on 4.January.2007. For perhaps many reasons, not least of which is her age, she has decided to step down from leadership positions; she will remain the elected representative for the now 12th District of California. I do believe she will remain a presence in the House. She has chosen to leave leadership on her terms rather than forced out as Kevin McCarthy claims.

I hope this helps. Any questions, just shoot.

 . . . with follow-up comment:

“Evening Cap. Thanks for your reply-yes this a moving and busy time of the year for us and rightly so.

“We read the names of the fallen since 1918-fotunately our small village has not lost one serviceman since 1945 but some have and another name is added to their war memorials.

“This small village alone has lost a total of 27 servicemen. I’m unsure of the population of that period but it’s only 2000+ now. Yes it must have been utterly an devastating period for our predecessors. Ghastly. And so it is so utterly important that we remember what they did for us.

“Thanks for the government update- she was one of your politicians that I felt really comfortable with. I can understand her perhaps wishing to stand down.”

 . . . along with my follow-up reply:

Remembering is so important. Out of curiosity, do you have an heir-apparent for the works of remembrance you and others perform? Many of us try to remember in the best manner we can.

The sacrifices of my forefathers are on the walls of our home.

I have lived a comparatively vagabond life. We have been in our current village for only four years. We continue to learn more every day.

History is another form of remembering. People have been passing down their history to their children for hundreds of millennia and recording that history for six thousand of those years. It is the remembering that has inspired my writing of the To So Few stories. Nothing is perfect, but I do my best.

Yes, she is often been maligned by one tribe, but her contributions to this once grand republic are undeniable regardless of one’s tribe. Yes, absolutely, she has earned her retirement. God bless her.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-) 

14 November 2022

Update no.1087

Update from the Sunland

No.1087

7.11.22 – 13.11.22

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

 

To all,

 

The follow-up news items:

-- The PBS series Frontline continue to bring us more detail information regarding Putin’s unilateral, unprovoked, violent aggression in Ukraine [1050]. This week’s episode was “Putin’s War at Home” S41 Ep1, broadcast 1.11.2022. The stark presentation mainly by Russian dissidents who fled the country to speak out against the war in Ukraine. One common thread among all dictatorship is the suppression of dissent and a free Press. That reality was on graphic display in this episode of FRONTLINE—another must watch program.

-- As I reported last week before the election (this week), the Cochise County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 (there are only three) to ignore state law and conduct a hand count of all ballots. Cochise County Arizona is located southeast of Tucson in the southeast corner of the state and has a population of 126,050 (2021) [1086] with 39,000 of those casting ballots. Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Inc. filed suit against the Board of Supervisors on 24.October.2022. The case was heard by Pima County Superior Court Judge Casey F. McGinley {Arizona Alliance v. Crosby AZSC PC case: CV202200518 (2022)]. The judge reviewed the law and rightly decided that the Board of Supervisors had exceeded its authority under state law. The judged ordered a preliminary injunction against the Board of Supervisors and further ordered the Cochise County election officials to follow the established law. 

Then, we learn the Cochise County Recorder is proceeding with the hand count (on advice from his attorney, according to him) in defiance of the court order. The Board appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court, and they were summarily rejected, thus enforcing the judge’s injunction.

This episode in Cochise County is just one little, tiny glimpse of the consequences of the BIG LIE [1002]. The two members of the county board and the county recorder do not trust the voting machines because they believe the BIG LIE. Judge McGinley noted emphatically, “[T]here is no evidence before this Court that electronic tabulation is inaccurate in the first instance, or more importantly, that the audit system established by law is insufficient to detect any inaccuracy it may possess.” The Arizona Senate Republican Caucus hired Cyber Ninjas, Inc., to perform a detailed audit of the Maricopa Country 2020 presidential election results, which in turn found that President Biden actually won by a larger margin, and there was no signs of election fraud. They also singlehandedly invalidated all of Maricopa County’s election machines, which in turn meant county voters had to complete their ballot manually—another negative consequence of the BIG LIE. While many people perpetuate and extend the BIG LIE, there is only one person on the planet responsible for all this disruption, confusion, doubt, and turmoil—45POTUS.

-- NASA has been attempting to launch the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) since late August [1076]. The launch has had to contend with sticky valves and two hurricanes that hit the launch complex. The vehicle and launch pad suffered some unspecified damage from the passing of Hurricane Nicole this week, but as of this writing, the next launch attempt remains on track for Wednesday 16.November.2022, with a two-hour launch window opening at 01:04 [R] EST (06:04 [Z] GMT). I will attempt to watch it live, but I suspect I may be relegated to watching the replay. We shall see.

-- The Russians announced they were withdrawing from the from the key Ukrainian city Kherson on the lower Dnieper River in the on-going Russian war of aggression against Ukraine [1050]. In his national address on Wednesday night, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine publicly stated, “The enemy does not bring us gifts, does not make ‘gestures of goodwill’. We fight our way up.

“And when you are fighting, you must understand that every step is always resistance from the enemy, it is always the loss of the lives of our heroes.

“Therefore, we move very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risk. In the interests of the liberation of our entire land and so that the losses are as small as possible.”

Spot on! My immediate impression was similar to President Zelensky’s reaction and words of caution. My thought was a fallback ambush. So far, there are no signs of a trap materializing, but the Ukrainians and we must be suspicious and vigilant. As of now, the repatriation of Kherson is a major accomplishment of the Ukrainian Army.

 

As most folks know, the United States held its mid-term general election this week. Numerous jurisdictions, including the county in which we live and vote, have a large stack of mail-in ballots, and further, the local law prohibited them from counting those mail-in ballots until the polling stations closed on election day. Thus, the counting process may take a week or two to complete. Wins and losses have been tallied as swiftly as possible, but in this instance, accuracy is far more important than speed.  We still a few undecided positions, and the counting of mail-in ballots continues. Patience!

On the positive side of the ledger, many (not all) of the election deniers promoted by 45POTUS were defeated, handing an incredible defeat and rebuke to the MAGA fBICP and ihr AnführerIn Arizona, we are still waiting on the decision for governor, nearly all of the election deniers were defeated in Arizona as well. Proposition 128, highlighted in Update no.1086, is headed toward rejection (not yet official). However, as with most of the state’s candidates, the counting continues, and the outstanding ballots to be counted exceeds the margin between yes and no. Thus, we must wait until the official tally is published and the 2022 election is closed.

On the sad side of the tally sheet, too many races were so close call Tuesday night, or the day after. From my perspective, none of them should have been that close. To me, election deniers are directly rejecting the U.S. Constitution and the representative democracy that has sustained the Republic for 234 years. Living in Arizona, with so many strident election deniers, is embarrassing, disgusting, and deeply disappointing. Worse, all this negativity stems from ONE deeply flawed, accomplished huckster, conman, and dedicated worthless snake-oil salesman, who has convinced all of these people to follow him down a false, destructive road. Perhaps, this election is, C'est le commencement de la fin for ihr Anführer.  The nation’s greatest malignant narcissist has declared to the world that he intends to make a “major” announcement this coming Tuesday. My guess is, he intends to announce his candidacy for 2024 in hopes that as a candidate he can avoid criminal prosecution until after the next general election. We shall see if his gambit works or not.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1086:

Comment to the Blog:

“I mailed my ballot in October and got confirmation it was accepted. Our ballot issues weren’t as sensitive as yours, but we have important State Supreme Court races because the Supreme Court is attempting to enforce the redistricting referendum we already passed.

“Beethoven’s 9th is indeed great music. Did the renovation resolve Geffen Hall’s acoustic issues?

“The wheels of justice grind slowly when blocked by 45POTUS.

“Good luck with your election officials. You’ll need it.”

My response to the Blog:

Excellent. The system is working. Today is election day, and we await the results. It may well take days or weeks to get definitive results, and more than a month if Georgia is forced to a runoff election.

Well, they said it was inaugural performance following renovation. I do not know the sound before, but the sound after was excellent to my novice ear.

Indeed! He is shown inordinate deference as a former POTUS . . . deference he emphatically does not deserve. He does not and never has respected history, but history respects him for the office he held. The gears of justice do turn slowly, but ultimately, I believe (perhaps naïvely) that justice will prevail. Although I must add, Thomas Joseph Barrack Jr. was acquitted of lobbying for a foreign power and that was not a positive sign.

We will need all the luck we can muster up. Just yesterday, a judge in Pima County covering Cochise County ruled that the County Board of Supervisors overstepped their authority in ordering a full hand count. More on this case in this week’s Update.

 

Another contribution:

“I thank you, friend, again for your thoughtful observations and comments, even the continuation of your tired demonization of the unnamed previous POTUS. Perhaps repetition is necessary to assure new readers understand your convictions, so it is certainly forgivable if not enlightening.

“More importantly, as a victim of the Mississippi legislature's failure to update our citizen referendum law after we were reduced to four U. S. House of Representatives districts due to population loss,

“(Continuing after inadvertent premature sending)

“...I appreciate your state's situation. Two years ago a LARGE majority of Mississippi voters (70+%) approved legal medical marijuana, but the MS Supreme Ct agreed with a small city mayor who pointed out …
“… improvement to require a constitutional judicial test before allowing an obstinate entrenched group of rural career politicians like we have here to thwart the will of an adequate super majority of voters.

“ I certainly agree with your admiration of the 9th Symphony!

“Never having voted absentee or by mail, I had never thought about the very real problem of intelligently considering a lengthy referendum issue if surprised by it at the polls. Surely only rare voters have bothered to ponder news or other sources discussing such things long before election day! Thanks for those thoughts, which will cause me to consider not waiting for election day next time we have a referendum issue.”

My reply:

My, my . . . “demonization” really? I do believe he does all that by his lonesome self. All I do is illuminate his multitudinous mistakes, errors, malfeasance, and crimes. I have repeatedly declared, “The emperor has no clothes.” I refuse to utter his name because he has consistently proven himself unworthy of social recognition.

I am not a fan of the referendum process, but I do respect the mechanism. Like elections, referenda depend upon the simple majority of those citizens who choose to vote. Further, referenda are very often poorly worded, e.g., a not-too-long-ago referendum in Kansas basically asked, do you favor or disapprove of non-heterosexual marriage? The proper question should have been, do you favor imposing your choices on all other citizens? The referenda in Arizona for this election required inordinate work to understand the consequence. I do not think most voters will take the time to understand what they are being asked. Lastly, changing the law or the state constitution is not a popularity or personal choice matter; it is every citizen’s right to exercise freedom of choice in their personal lives. Marriage is a personal, private matter, not an issue of the public domain, just as every woman’s rights are fully equal to a man’s rights. As you note, all too often these referenda are the initiative of a willful minority, and they vote, but the result gets imposed on every citizen regardless of the social factors.

I voted absentee in nearly all of the elections while I served on active duty in the Marine Corps. After that I voted on election day with machines for the last few decades. The pandemic forced a change in my modus operandi, and because of my age, the state has decided it is best for me to vote by mail for the rest of my days. Having voted by mail in Arizona for the last two elections, I confess that the process gives me far more flexibility for researching candidates and issues. Today, I think it is a far better method. I would urge you and everyone to evaluate the process; it works.

 

A different contribution:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-63548188

“Cap.

“‘morning young man. Just thought you would be interested to see that we over here are concerned about your ‘midterm’.

“From a solely personal point of view Cap just keep ‘he who cannot be mentioned’ out of any power. I don’t like his politics and his voice turns me off any of the ghastly political atmosphere he tries to express.

“Otherwise Bud have a good day-we’ll be thinking of you and the future of your great country.”

My response:

I confess to considerably more concern (worry) than usual about what is about to happen. I agree with President Biden; democracy itself in this country is implicitly on the ballot. The sheer number in virtually all states of MAGA election denier candidate invokes considerable apprehension. It is bad enough what fBICP legislatures have been able to enact and impose in states they control. If you do not know U.S. history, the term is Jim Crow laws intended to suppress voting by groups not likely to vote for them. Jim Crow v1.0 ended in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) [PL 89-110; 79 Stat. 437], which the Supremes have relentlessly continued to dismantle piece by piece. The combination of the decline of the fBICP and the BIG LIE, today, we have Jim Crow v2.0 being imposed in many states. At the end of the day, there is always hope . . . until there isn’t.

Our nighttime temp as the eclipse is underway is the same as your daytime temp. Go figure. BTW, the eclipse is majestic.

 . . . Round two:

“Cap, must confess I had to do some research into those ‘Jim Crow’ laws. I really believed they were laws introduced by a person named Jim Crow.

“Not so at all. In fact they were something much more sinister as a name for Negro people. I confess I had no idea of that.

“We can only get better Cap.”

 . . . my response to round two:

My apologies for pushing you into a search of American history. Sinister indeed! They were draconian laws with one purpose, excluding voters not likely to vote for them. Jim Crow v1.0 was largely (not exclusively) the action of Southern Democrats back in the day. Jim Crow v2.0 is solely the effort of Republicans (fBICP). Both versions of Jim Crow laws were (are) efforts to retain power. They are also a sordid, despicable reality that conservatives want to bury any attempts to examine and illuminate that terrible history.

We are still counting the votes from yesterday’s election. Some positive signs; some negative. As of this morning, still undecided.

 . . . Round three:

“We trust the sun will shine on the results of your mid term-it’s not looking as bad as forecast. We have our fingers crossed for you.

“No I was quite happy to research Jim Crow, couldn’t work out who he was! But now I know! 

“Currently writing an agenda for our next Legion meeting post the remembrance parades- we do three-so there will be plenty to talk about!”

 . . . my response to round three:

We are still counting the votes in many jurisdictions . . . the mail-in ballots. In some instances (as in Arizona), the ballots to be counted exceeds the margin between the candidates. A significant majority of election deniers LOST, but a few won, which does not speak well for this once grand republic. Yes, the decided outcomes are much better than forecast, but key races remain undecided at present, and the U.S. Senate race in Georgia is headed to a run-off in December. Thus, no matter what happens with the count, we will probably remain in limbo until that race is decided. We need all the well-wishes and lucky we can muster up.

Well, my friend, you now know more than man American citizens. Far too many do not know and worse do not care. A goodly portion seek ignorance over knowledge. Such is the nature of the beast. I prefer knowledge, and I will always seek to learn until my brain functions cease.

Today, it the United States Marine Corps birthday—10.November.1775. Semper Fidelis!

Tomorrow is Armistice Day (our Veterans Day). I trust your commemoration events go well. Lest we ever forget . . . 

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

07 November 2022

Update no.1086

 Update from the Sunland

No.1086

31.10.22 – 6.11.22

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

 

To all,

 

As is often the case for me, I had the live streaming video up full screen on my desktop computer Tuesday morning [all writing work ceased] for the latest Falcon 9 Heavy launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket carried the U.S. Space Force Mission 44 classified payload. Unfortunately, heavy fog blanketed Cape Canaveral, so we could not see the engine start and liftoff on time Tuesday at 06:41 [T] MST {09:41 EDT (13:41 UTC)}. The USSF-44 payload was en route to a geosynchronous Earth orbit. Unfortunately, heavy fog obscured the launch pad and the 1.7M lbf thrust at sea level of the F9H rocket. F9H is not quite the Saturn V rocket at 7.6M lbf but still a very impressive vehicle once it was clear of the fog.

 

Jeanne and I both cast our votes by mail. We were automatically sent our ballots probably because we are old. Our ballot in Arizona had several offices with only one candidate running uncontested. If I could determine that even those uncontested candidates were election deniers, I refused to vote for them, and I did not add in a “write-in” candidate. To me, election deniers and proponents of the BIG LIE are unqualified to run for any public office. Further, the audacity of the fBICP was on graphic, printed display with just one of ten major propositions—Proposition 128. The voter description was:

A “YES” vote shall have the effect of amending the constitution to allow the state legislature to amend, divert funds from, or supersede an initiative or referendum measure enacted by the people of Arizona if the measure is found to contain illegal or unconstitutional language by the Arizona or United States Supreme Court. 

A “NO” vote shall have the effect of retaining existing law on the state legislature’s ability to amend, divert funds from, or supersede an initiative or referendum measure. 

The key words are: amend, divert, and supersede. This is exactly what the fBICP thinks of We, the People. This one proposition alone speaks volumes. The fBICP seeks autocracy dominated by them. After 235 years, the fBICP seeks to abandon a representative democratic republic as established by the U.S. Constitution. President Biden is spot on correct; democracy itself is paramount on the ballot.  We shall soon see what the majority of voters think of our Republic.

The ballot also had an accept or reject vote on 53 judges that had to be researched for a retention vote, and I had to reject a handful of that lot for one reason or another. This ballot took an inordinate amount of time to complete. But, it is done, and our completed ballots were posted by the suggested deadline a week prior to the election [8.November.2022]. Now, we wait.

 

In the category of something you do not see everyday, NASA’s Antares 230+ rocket with its CRS NG-18 payload, the 18th resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS), was on track to launch at Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The Antares launch had a five-minute launch window that opened on Sunday, November 6th, at 03:50 [T] MST {05:50 [R] EST}. NASA had to scrub the launch because of a fire alarm at the Northrup-Grumman Cygnus spacecraft control center in Dulles, Virginia, that required the personnel to evacuate from the building. The team was required to control the payload vehicle from the point of payload separation. NASA will try again on Monday morning.

P.S.: Antares launched nominally at 03:32 [T] MST, Monday, 7.November.2022, and the Cygnus supply vessel is in orbit and en route to the ISS. The vehicle is scheduled to arrive and dock with the ISS in two days.

 

My favorite, above all others—any genre, any level—artistic work of music is hands down Ludwig von Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in D minor, Opus 125. The symphony was first performed in the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna, Austria, on 7.May.1824, three years before the composer’s passing. The 9th was first performed in the United States in New York City by the New York Philharmonic in 1846, only four years after the founding of the orchestra. The latest rendition of Beethoven’s Opus Magnum was performed by 84-member New York Philharmonic with four soloist and a 120-member chorus. The event celebrated the newly renovated David Geffen Hall and was broadcast by PBS “Great Performances” (S50 Ep3) on 4.November.2022. As many time as I have seen and heard Beethoven’s 9thSymphony, it never ceases to brings tears of joy—a glorious piece of music.

 

The follow-up news items:

-- ‘Tis the season for stays. In the multi-dimensional legal battle with [the person who shall no longer be named] over his personal and corporate taxes [789 (at least)]. This time, Chief Justice Roberts issued a temporary stay order in the case of Trump v. House Ways and Means [598 U.S. 22A362 (2022)]. The stay applies to the DC Circuit’s mandate for the man to handover his tax records to the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Trump v. House Ways and Means [DC CCA No. 21-5289 (2022)]. With the Chief Justice’s assistance, it appears [the person who shall no longer be named] may well be successful in stonewalling the House investigation as the mid-term election is two days away and the new Congress is two months away.

-- As another stay was added, the Supreme Court vacated Justice Thomas’ stay in the case of Graham v. Fulton County [598 U.S. 22A337 (2022)] [1085]. The Fulton County prosecutor is investigating the BIG LIE [10221038] enveloping the 2020 election [982] in Georgia. The Court concluded that if Senator Graham had any specific issue regarding the Speech or Debate Clause (U. S. Const. Art. I, §6, cl. 1) during his questioning before the Special Purpose Grand Jury, he still had full access to the District Court to resolve the issue. Graham is scheduled to testify under oath before the Fulton County (Georgia) Special Purpose Grand Jury on 17.November.2022. Even if Graham does testify, it will most likely be quite some time before we see the consequences.

 

Defeated Brazilian president Jair Messias Bolsonaro is taking a page from his idol’s playbook and refused to concede his defeat at the polls [982]. Whether he attempts a coup d’état as 45POTUS did is yet to be seen—not a positive sign. We are watching.

 

The CBS 60 Minutes program, “Belief in the Ballot” (1st segment, S55, Ep7) featured the plethora of election deniers who are fBICP (GOP) candidates for high public office—governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and the vanguard of that group happens to be in Arizona. I urge everyone to watch at least that segment of that particular program regardless of your political beliefs or national origins, and ask yourself WHY?

 

We have many dramatic election subtexts going on in Arizona. Another unusual episode centers upon Cochise County, Arizona (southeast corner of the state) Board of Supervisors has defied state law and declared that they will perform hand count of all ballots in the upcoming mid-term election (8.November.2022). The decision is being challenged in court, so we will eventually understand why. The election devices in Cochise County may have been compromised by the fBICP as was done in Maricopa County simply because of the BIG LIE [982], or their reason may just be they have lost confidence in their machines. There are so many knock-on effects as direct and indirect consequences of the BIG LIE and the complicity of the fBICP that we have no way appreciate. It will take history some time to sort out what happened, why, and the ultimate effects on our representative democracy. 

Machines are ideal for repetitive tasks; human beings are not suited for repetitive tasks like counting votes and ballots. In such discussions, I am constantly reminded of Josef Stalin’s prescient words, “I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this—who will count the votes, and how.” We are headed toward Stalin vision rapidly rather than away from it. All of these election machinations are a direct result of [the person who shall no longer be named] and his fact-less, merit-less, BIG LIE. While I largely blame him directly, the complicity and acquiescence of the fBICP (former Republicans). He would be alone in the wind if it was not for the fBICP who sustain this man’s BIG LIE.

 

If I had to choose one image to summarize the political situation in the United States of America and where we find ourselves in at present, this one is the image I would choose.

 


 

If you have watched “The Handmaid’s Tale,” you know the story line. For those viewers and afficionados to the Hulu series, no more needs to be said of the dystopian future drama. For those who may be unfamiliar with the series, Gilead (Northeast United States) has seceded from and is at war with the remainder of the United States. Gilead is a paternalistic, religious-based autocracy. It is not just the “handmaids” who are forcefully relegated to being living birthing machines and are totally subjugated; even the “wives” of the elite “commanders” are subservient, 2nd class citizens. As depicted in the 1st season, the “ceremony” requires the commander’s wife to cradle the handmaid vessel in her lap between her legs as the commander impregnates the handmaid in a conventional manner. The resultant child becomes the property of the commander. The above image is exactly as I see our political situation, either we are free or we are not. While the residents of Gilead did not choose their governance, they must live by the dictated rules of the commanders. Many of the transgressions are punished by a public death on the wall. In this fictitious confrontation, I stand with June Osborne [AKA Offred, as in “Of Fred,” i.e., belonging to Commander Fred Waterford]. I choose freedom and liberty, as does June, determined by me, not by some elite group.

 

Iyet another important commentary on contemporary American society, I point to Bill Maher’s concluding commentary in his Friday evening show “Realtime with Bill Maher”—4.November.2022, S20 Ep33.  His opinion was spot on the money

 

On 12.July.2021, nine months prior to his invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin published his treatise titled: “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians.” He sought to rationalize and justify his plans to invade and re-subjugate Ukraine. It is an interesting read, and I do not dispute his selective rendition of history. What I find debatable is his interpretation of history and his selective representation that ignores many important and relevant facts. As I read his opinion, I am struck by his belief that it is all Russia, Russia, Russia. He refused to acknowledge that the Ukrainian people have a will of their own. Putin picks the history, interpretation, and ignorance to support his intentions. The process is not unique—Hitler did it; Bush43 did it, and Vlad is hoping he will get away with it. Contrary to Vlad’s presentation, this is not about Russia. It is all about whether Ukraine will be free, independent and sovereign. Putin is wrong. I stand with Ukraine. I also think President Biden is doing far better than his three predecessors in dealing with Russian hegemony. Putin closed his essay with:

Today, these words may be perceived by some people with hostility. They can be interpreted in many possible ways. Yet, many people will hear me. And I will say one thing – Russia has never been and will never be ‘anti-Ukraine.’ And what Ukraine will be – it is up to its citizens to decide.”

Putin’s words are particularly ironic when you watch, see, and hear about the atrocities being committed daily by Russian Army soldiers under orders from Putin. I do not perceive hostility; I see hostility. He has repeatedly proven that his words are worthless. His actions speak volumes.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1085:

Comment to the Blog:

“The election in Brazil has ended, and the only real question is whether the loser will try the same Big Lie strategy as 45POTUS.

“I’m concerned about the Supreme Court issuing stays of testimony. There’s no reasoning given and the Supreme Court is under suspicion by now.

“I wish Arizona and the USA well. I have done what little I can do.

“Reagan got a lot of use from Christian Nationalists, and Republicans have used them ever since. Neither group is concerned with collateral damage to the rest of us.

“There’s no point in responding to your hateful correspondent with fact and reason. They’re apparently the kind of person who eagerly seizes upon conspiracy theories to support their fears. I’m all the way across the political spectrum from them, and I see the Democrats’ flaws as policy matters, not criminal conspiracies.

“Hitler’s motives, or any such creature’s, are below the rational level of his mind.

“By way of values, I’m one of those old ‘60s hippies. I can see most issues as a choice between love and hate, unity and division, self and species. Humans creep toward love and unity ever so slowly, with setbacks as part of the process.”

My response to the Blog:

Yep, the Brazilian version of 45POTUS was defeated by a substantial margin, as 45POTUS was in the last election in the U.S. (2020). We shall see if Bolsonaro will be more responsible and respectful than [the person who shall no longer be named] with his electoral loss. Our disgusting U.S. version persists with the BIG LIE to this very day. And the far greater tragedy in our sordid affair is the election deniers who are subverting and corroding public confidence in the election process simply because of the BIG LIE, i.e., “it had to be stolen because I never lose.” His malignant narcissism and egocentricity are at the root of it ALL.

I share your concern precisely. I cannot imagine why the Supremes would stay testimony in either case. Just those stays alone leave me deeply nauseated about what lays ahead from the SCOTUS with respect to the various election interference investigations. I suspect they will not render judgment before January 3rd, which will add to the tragedy.

I have finished everything on my ballot except for the retention of judges (all 53 of them). I do not know many of them, so I must do google search as best I can. I am nearly done and will submit today. I pray the voters in Arizona will do their part to reject this bevy of insurrectionists and election deniers, but like I said before, Arizona voters repeatedly elected Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs among others (go figure). Anything is possible here. We shall wish and pray for the best.

I agree with your opinion regarding Christian Nationalists (which to me is just a fancier label for white supremacists). I think we are bearing witness to the American version of scorched earth, i.e., if the conservatives cannot have it their way, then they will burn the house down. The burden falls to the rest of us to defend the Constitution and what is left of this once grand Republic.

All voices are welcome in this humble forum . . . well, the majority of voices; I doubt I would allow [the person who shall no longer be named] to contribute. If any contributor wishes to voice their opinion respectfully, I encourage them to speak, and I try my best to respond sincerely and respectfully. I feel compelled to respond as best I can.

Perhaps so. But again, the burden falls to us to understand the motive as in any criminal investigation and trial. Why are they doing this?

I like your “creep toward love and unity.” It is a more optimistic view of the future.

 

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

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)