Lightning aside, the eclair is a classic pastry fun food. Here are two web pages with recipes and directions to make your own fabulous deserts.
Miam miam
Saturday, June 8, 2019
Sunday, June 2, 2019
Why Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin Depend upon the Rule of Law
It's pretty clear that the Trump family, business, and administration
AND Vladimir Putin operate like crime families or drug gangs. They work
in private to avoid outside observation and they avoid paper records
which could be used as evidence against them. They use 'fixer's to
enforce their personal "law". They buy judges and rig events to get what
they want. They use money laundering and various other schemes that benefit the mob.
Generally, in a more primitive society such people would simply be identified and killed. But in a society (America, "The Western World", Western Civilization) we use the Rule of Law because it's more fair and just to more people and in more situations. We don't dole out death sentences based on the whims of one person and we use varying degrees of punishment to protect the public from criminals and to offer criminals a chance to give up their life of crime to return to normal life.
The mobsters are incredibly hard to pin down when they operate in private without paper records or recordings (video or audio). Since they know we use records and testimony in criminal court proceedings, they threaten those who might be able to testify against them or they may pay them off to stay quiet (see Stormy Daniels). They try to use mechanisms of legal society to their benefit, such as using a gambling casino as a vehicle to launder money. Another is the purchase and sale of high value items like real estate. One of Donald Trump's casinos paid a fine for money laundering and it is suspected a lot of his real estate operation is to manage money laundering.
How do you identify them? The same way we always identify the mobsters: people who are punished and live to tell the tale pass the word along. When the mobsters talk in public to intimidate people we can recognize that too.
How do you collect sufficient evidence to prosecute them? It takes a lot of manpower and sophistication, but it also requires that the laws not be an obstacle. The RICO act was passed for that purpose long ago. It isn't very effective when we try to identify criminal acts by people protected by a foreign state, such as when Vladimir Putin protects his people from subpoenas or extradition within Russia. In America the House of Representatives has the job of investigating an administration to identify things which are criminal or even inefficient and in need of repair. They have the manpower and sophistication and even subpoena power. Donald Trump has ordered administration officials to NOT comply with lawful subpoenas of the House. That's a violation of law by those subpoenaed and by Trump. However, he depends upon the Republican-controlled Senate or the Courts to protect him and his minions from punishment.
It is clearly a case of the mob in control of government. There have been some cases of this where state governments have gone rogue, but the federal government has been there to oversee them and to punish criminals. Now that the criminals have a significant control of the federal government it's not so easy.
The Mueller investigation was supposed to be a fair objective non-partisan investigation to investigate and disclose what the Russians did to interfere with or influence our elections and how any Americans may have worked with them. The report shows several ways the President tried to stop the investigation or to cover-up things which were done. The President tried to prevent this from being revealed even to Congress. Now he has the Attorney General lying about the content of the report and the AG has redacted parts of the report. The cover-up is underway. The report is weak on explanation of things Donald Trump and his close associates did to coordinate with or conspire with Vladimir Putin or other foreigners. If everyone can see Donald Trump is a mobster, then why can't the Mueller Investigation identifying it as such.
This departure from the Rule of Law will naturally have consequences which are bad. I don't predict specifically what they will be, but if having the Rule of Law was useful, then eliminating it will end that use and revert us to something besides a Democracy and proper government. That is what happened with Vladimir Putin in Russia. They have all the trappings of Law and Order and Government, but Putin is Czar and everyone knows it. Private citizens in Russia have been killed and nobody is found culpable, though everyone knows it was Putin who ordered elimination of his opponents. Now in America Donald Trump is talking about deporting people and ending Rule of Law protections for his political opponents. This is anarchy of a kind.
What will protect them without the Rule of Law? If you chop down all those awful trees, then what will protect the tree-choppers from the North winds?
Generally, in a more primitive society such people would simply be identified and killed. But in a society (America, "The Western World", Western Civilization) we use the Rule of Law because it's more fair and just to more people and in more situations. We don't dole out death sentences based on the whims of one person and we use varying degrees of punishment to protect the public from criminals and to offer criminals a chance to give up their life of crime to return to normal life.
The mobsters are incredibly hard to pin down when they operate in private without paper records or recordings (video or audio). Since they know we use records and testimony in criminal court proceedings, they threaten those who might be able to testify against them or they may pay them off to stay quiet (see Stormy Daniels). They try to use mechanisms of legal society to their benefit, such as using a gambling casino as a vehicle to launder money. Another is the purchase and sale of high value items like real estate. One of Donald Trump's casinos paid a fine for money laundering and it is suspected a lot of his real estate operation is to manage money laundering.
How do you identify them? The same way we always identify the mobsters: people who are punished and live to tell the tale pass the word along. When the mobsters talk in public to intimidate people we can recognize that too.
How do you collect sufficient evidence to prosecute them? It takes a lot of manpower and sophistication, but it also requires that the laws not be an obstacle. The RICO act was passed for that purpose long ago. It isn't very effective when we try to identify criminal acts by people protected by a foreign state, such as when Vladimir Putin protects his people from subpoenas or extradition within Russia. In America the House of Representatives has the job of investigating an administration to identify things which are criminal or even inefficient and in need of repair. They have the manpower and sophistication and even subpoena power. Donald Trump has ordered administration officials to NOT comply with lawful subpoenas of the House. That's a violation of law by those subpoenaed and by Trump. However, he depends upon the Republican-controlled Senate or the Courts to protect him and his minions from punishment.
It is clearly a case of the mob in control of government. There have been some cases of this where state governments have gone rogue, but the federal government has been there to oversee them and to punish criminals. Now that the criminals have a significant control of the federal government it's not so easy.
The Mueller investigation was supposed to be a fair objective non-partisan investigation to investigate and disclose what the Russians did to interfere with or influence our elections and how any Americans may have worked with them. The report shows several ways the President tried to stop the investigation or to cover-up things which were done. The President tried to prevent this from being revealed even to Congress. Now he has the Attorney General lying about the content of the report and the AG has redacted parts of the report. The cover-up is underway. The report is weak on explanation of things Donald Trump and his close associates did to coordinate with or conspire with Vladimir Putin or other foreigners. If everyone can see Donald Trump is a mobster, then why can't the Mueller Investigation identifying it as such.
This departure from the Rule of Law will naturally have consequences which are bad. I don't predict specifically what they will be, but if having the Rule of Law was useful, then eliminating it will end that use and revert us to something besides a Democracy and proper government. That is what happened with Vladimir Putin in Russia. They have all the trappings of Law and Order and Government, but Putin is Czar and everyone knows it. Private citizens in Russia have been killed and nobody is found culpable, though everyone knows it was Putin who ordered elimination of his opponents. Now in America Donald Trump is talking about deporting people and ending Rule of Law protections for his political opponents. This is anarchy of a kind.
What will protect them without the Rule of Law? If you chop down all those awful trees, then what will protect the tree-choppers from the North winds?
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Friday, May 24, 2019
"Green" Technologies Continue to Appear
Science, education, and development of technologies has made the world a better place. Today there is development of various ways to collect, hold, and use cheap clean energy or to conserve it. I regularly post about new developments which I think are likely to become common and hugely beneficial. Today I have seen an article about wood treatment which is fantastic. It's like the development of new kinds of metals to use less weight, but retain strength, and add ease in forming shapes.
First up is the article about treating wood:
Converting waste to energy is another common idea, though it has not been used as often.
Battery technologies are developing to help us store energy and use it when we need it. Here are two links to a technology I think has some promise.
Here's a a new development of science, using nature as an inspiration to generate energy more efficiently.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Is it Time for a New AUMF?
After 9/11 Congress passed an Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) to fight the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us and anyone or any nation which helped them. Pres. George W. Bush violated that by sending the military to war in Iraq when there was no justification under either the AUMF or based on the arguments they gave that Iraq had nuclear weapons or a nuclear weapon program. Pres. Barack Obama sent the military to Afghanistan and destroyed al Qaeda there and killed Osama bin Laden. Then, in response to an al Qaeda offshoot called Islamic State (nicknamed also ISIS, ISIL, and Daesch) and began the war to destroy them. These were clearly authorized under the AUMF. Our assistance to the Saudi regime with their war in Yemen had to be authorized in some other way. Today Pres. Donald J. Trump has American forces in many places and fighting many foes who aren't clearly part of or a derivative of al Qaeda. The Republicans Bush and Trump have broken the law like George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon before them. No AUMF stops them because Congress refused to step in and stop them.
Today we have many reasons to believe the actions (or inactions) of Pres. Trump are influenced (or even directed) by other leaders (perhaps Vladimir Putin or Bibi Netanyahu or others). We can't trust he will direct the military to remain peaceful or to fight the appropriate battles. We need a new AUMF or simply a Congressional Resolution to clarify their support or lack thereof for current actions vis a vis the AUMF. Does Congress believe current military actions are justified under the current AUMF? It seems doubtful they could say yes.
It's time to specify the groups the old AUMF could justify fighting in order to limit its random use for any crazy idea the president may have.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Trump Corruption
Is it any wonder the Democrats don't want Pres. Trump to have access to billions of dollars to "build a wall" when you see stories like this?
Money meant for farmers is somehow diverted to Chinese or Brazilian firms who may be kicking back money to Donald Trump. If Congress can't investigate his finances, then he has a free hand to steal as much as he likes. That's not the way the presidency is supposed to operate. I can't imagine any Republican Congress would let a Democratic president have that same kind of free ride.
Collusion
from an article in The New Yorker magazine, Why Would Paul Manafort Share Polling Data with Russia?:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-would-paul-manafort-share-polling-data-with-russia
"Fabrizio is also longtime friends with former Trump advisers Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.[15]
In October 2016, it was reported in multiple media outlets that Trump was refusing to pay for Fabrizio's polling services, with the Federal Election Commission report showing that Trump's campaign was disputing nearly $767,000 that Fabrizio's firm said it was still owed for polling"
"We would report out to the senior team what markets those voters were concentrated in," Fabrizio told "Frontline." "In Florida, literally, if you changed four counties in Florida, twenty-nine electoral votes would have been off the table. Four counties."
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-would-paul-manafort-share-polling-data-with-russia
"Fabrizio is also longtime friends with former Trump advisers Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.[15]
In October 2016, it was reported in multiple media outlets that Trump was refusing to pay for Fabrizio's polling services, with the Federal Election Commission report showing that Trump's campaign was disputing nearly $767,000 that Fabrizio's firm said it was still owed for polling"
"We would report out to the senior team what markets those voters were concentrated in," Fabrizio told "Frontline." "In Florida, literally, if you changed four counties in Florida, twenty-nine electoral votes would have been off the table. Four counties."
The linkages are there in plain sight. Reasons for Impeachment are obvious. The only question is whether Senate Republicans will accept the obvious and act to remove Donald Trump from the presidency. Thus far they have not been interested in doing that.
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