Tragedy and Comedy -
Lots of cursing in some of these...
Good episode of breaking points a couple days ago. Good info and take on the infrastructure deal passing so convincingly and why then, the 3.5 trillion dollar Bernie Bill will be a lot tougher to get passed. Podcast yesterday on Google news, this gal on Politico was saying a lot of it will get passed but I for one, am not so sure about that. Krystal and Kyle's (who was subbing for Saggar this week) take I thought was good - even McConnel voted yes on infrastructure and if Trump was President the Republicans would be patting themselves on the back over the bill - which is a stimulus bill which will benefit every one in the country, people and corporations included, of course, for a long time. Infrastructure has been a bipartisan issue for a long time now and is overdue. This was the very last section.
This stuff is sad. Adults banning other adults from social media...that is pretty funny. Youtube I see, still taking down videos people might find offensive "but Tom Green can hump a dead moose" as Eminem once famously said - while South Park goes on and all this real actual death and destruction are happening in the world. But you can't disagree or talk about the media/the West's "equality" rhetoric, while they tout freedom and free speech...
Second Thought(s!)
Lots of cursing, but also truth and realness. Tragically funny, is also tragically sad.
Kind of overly long but interesting...
Watch, listen actually near the end of this video: (tis the truth)
Was just talking about this a bit with my Grandma:
Related news:
Three US unions pull out of consumer group over Amazon funding - Three major unions have quit the board of the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, claiming funding from Amazon.com Inc. has compromised the group’s progressive mission. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/13/three-us-unions-pull-out-of-consumer-group-over-amazon-funding
I see Amazon now is getting into pharmacy as well. - Makes sense, is smart, but nasty, is like they want to take over everything. Everything they can anyway. Doesn't matter what the effects are and all the businesses they hurt and close down.
US labour official says Amazon union vote should be redone - The union has accused Amazon of illegally threatening staff with reduced benefits, compromising election’s integrity. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/3/us-labour-official-says-amazon-union-vote-should-be-re-done
But Amazon is a beast and very good at what they do: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/small-business/amazon-expects-to-spend-120-billion-at-u-s-suppliers-in-2021
Environmental:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/26/green-light-new-series-climate-crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/aug/04/queen-vegan-cheese-plan-change-dairy-industry
" What is your hope for the future?
My hope for the future is that humans are going to evolve to become truly humane beings – humane for the planet, humane for animals. That humans will evolve to become true leaders. Being a leader means that you take care of everybody and everything – that you are a steward, not an exploiter. "
Remote work and the environment article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/02/is-remote-working-better-for-the-environment-not-necessarily
Afghanistan and world news stuff:
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/13/covid-zero-china-jobs-galore-and-a-woman-rises-as-cuomo-falls
Happening today: Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes western Haiti, causing loss of life and damage in various parts of the country. - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/14/powerful-earthquake-strikes-western-haiti - Just 11 years ago a magnitude 7.0 earthquake killed between 220 and 300 thousand people. Of course, their president was assissinated a month ago. Tragic. So lucky to live in the U.S. Be nice to people and do good.
'They sold us out’: Afghans in disbelief over Taliban gains
Residents of Herat and Kandahar express shock and anger at the swift fall of their cities to the Taliban. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/13/they-sold-us-out-afghans-in-disbelief-over-taliban-gains - Just super sad. "“They literally sold us out, there was no government resistance,” one female resident of Kandahar told Al Jazeera, fighting back tears late on Thursday evening."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/6/afghanistan-taliban-provincial-capitals Taliban kills head of Afghanistan gov’t media department
Taliban assassinates top media officer in Kabul as clashes between the group and government forces intensify.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/14/taliban-launch-new-assault-on-northern-afghan-city-live
-I think I was stationed near here.
Taliban captures Pul-e-Alam, local provincial council member says
The Taliban captured the city of Pul-e-Alam, around 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the capital, Kabul, a local provincial council member said.
The Taliban fighters did not face much resistance, he told Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity.
The city is a key staging post for a potential assault on Kabul.
- No never mind, was SE of Kabul. Here's what we did and where...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_Operating_Base_Shank
- I remember getting off shift or before going on shift, helping tear down the base (with help from local Afghans and other soldiers from outside our unit) and it shrinking so much while we were there. Was there from Late July 2014 to March 2014. Kind of sad:
"11 hours ago (07:09 GMT)
Weapon seizures ‘massive boon’ for Taliban
The US spent billions supplying the Afghan military with the tools to defeat the Taliban, but the rapid capitulation of the armed forces means that weaponry is now fuelling the armed group’s battlefield successes.
The Taliban’s social media is awash with videos of Taliban fighters seizing weapons caches – the majority supplied by Western powers.
Footage of Afghan soldiers surrendering in the northern city of Kunduz shows army vehicles loaded with heavy weapons and mounted with artillery guns in the hands of the group’s rank and file.
In the western city of Farah, fighters patrolled in a car marked with an eagle swooping on a snake – the official insignia of the country’s intelligence service."
Another story: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/13/afghanistan-taliban-horrifying-human-rights-curbs-un
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I really like this site:
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/issues/
Nice! Agree: Declaration of Principles for Freedom, Prosperity, and Peace
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/declaration/
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Declaration_of_Principles.pdf
Agree: How to strengthen the US approach to artificial intelligence -
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LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/there-is-a-severe-dog-shortage-5116580/
https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/map-out-a-precise-five-year-plan-4486033/