Dec 182015
 

Yesterday, I had pictures of bright sunny skies and snowcapped mountains from around my house.  Today there was only a shroud of fog and gloom.  While I was enjoying a lunch with some lady friends, I looked up and it was snowing. Later, the snow turned to rain.  Tonight, we are likely to get freezing rain again and perhaps some snow.  When I came home, it was time for a cat nap.  Lona, I certainly enjoy your cat naps!

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:02 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes

The Nation — “There is stunning potential here,” said Gen. David Petraeus, then the head of US Central Command, speaking to The New York Times. US officials said that the deposits could sustain the Afghan economy and generate thousands of jobs, reducing corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Currently, with 60 percent of the country’s budget provided by foreign donors, outside investment is crucial. Acknowledging the inability of the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to handle a burgeoning resource industry, the US government pledged to help implement accountability mechanisms. However, regulations like the mining law—revised in 2014 to bring greater transparency—have had little effect on illegal mining and the non-payment of royalties.

An Afghan boy works at a construction site behind a US Army soldier in Logar province, Afghanistan.

The warning signs were there. “This is a country that has no mining culture,” Jack Medlin, a geologist in the US Geological Survey’s international-affairs program, told the Times. During my visit to Afghanistan in May, I often heard from locals that the resource industry was never going to provide enough money to support the economy once foreign aid dried up. Afghan mining expert Javed Noorani told The Nation that President Ashraf Ghani is “more constrained in his actions against the criminal networks operating in the mining sector than President [Hamid] Karzai was. Today there is open plunder of gemstones by the partners in his government …

Sitting atop a vast store of minerals and gemstones, Afghanistan is unable, and perhaps unwilling, to effectively manage its resources.  When foreign aid comes to a halt and there is insufficient to support the country, what will happen to Afghanistan?  Will it descend into civil war, with countries like China coming in to pick up the pieces?

Daily Beast — A small European nation has stepped up where the Republican establishment, Beltway pundits and more than a dozen presidential candidates have failed.

Scotland is kicking Donald Trump’s butt.

Last week Scotland’s leader, Nicola Sturgeon, stripped Trump of his long-held ambassadorial role for the country of his ancestors. Today, her predecessor publicly denounced him as a “loser.”

Trump is a perfect example of how not to win friends and influence enemies!  Go Scotland!

Politicususa — It was bound to happen sooner rather than later, but although everyone knew it was coming it was still a little disconcerting to hear an official Nazi call for idol worship and victory at a political rally for the Republican frontrunner for the party’s presidential nomination. Even though the candidate is running a campaign founded on hate, fear, and anger that America is not an Aryan Christian nation, or a fascist dictatorship, it is now clear that Donald Trump’s supporters know his plan for America mirrors Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler’s rule; and they are wild for its implementation.  

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It is disgusting that all of this racial animus and fond memories of Adolf Hitler and Nazi’s Aryan dream cannot be laid solely at the feet of Donald Trump. He owns the recent incitement to violence against people of color and the wrong religion, and the blatant embrace of Hitler’s Nazi tactics, but it is years of Republican indoctrination and hate-mongering about Hispanics, African Americans, and now Muslims destroying “white” America at the heart of the violence.

"…Donald Trump’s supporters know his plan for America mirrors Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler’s rule; and they are wild for its implementation."  Do they not know that Hitler lost his war?  Seventy-three years ago, a matter of 3 or 4 generations, Americans were engaged in a war to defeat Hitler and fascism.  To use a paraphrase of George Santayana, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

My Universe

Furbabies - PrimoMy oldest boy, Primo, who thinks he is lord of the manor.

Furbabies - WinnieMy youngest boy by 4 minutes only, Winnie, who I also call "my son, the doctor"!

Furbabies - AnnieMy little girl, Annie, who is 4.5 months younger than the boys.

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  11 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 17/12/2015”

  1. Ai's got a sad   :- (

    None of your "Guys" portraits showed up – unless they all look like this, but in a picture frame: X

    • Same here on my computer.

      The pics you used in yesterday's scenic album showed up nicely.

    • Same here.  Windows 7.  It occurred to me to look in the image library, but I didn't see them there, unless they are all captioned.

    • I could see them last night after I posted but this morning, I too have what you have.  OK, I did them a different way.  I can see them on the post now so hopefully they will stay.  I really enjoy sharing my kids with people, but only their pictures and antics.

    • The pics showed up nicely this time around.

      Your kitties look big especially Winnie. 

      Thanks. Hugzzz…

  2. Nation: 
    What a mess. Looks as if nothing will be resolved anytime in the near future. So much war, corruption, indifferent people and organizations. 

    …"the most common sight, except for ruins, are graves."

    "Violence is a problem, but not for the Afghans." "I was born in a war, I grew up in a war, and I will die in a war."

    Beast: 
    Kudos to Scotland for Nicola Sturgeon for stripping Trump of his long-held ambassadorial role for the country of his ancestors. Today, her predecessor publicly denounced him as a “loser.” 

    Politicususa: 
    Those who support Trump have no idea what fascism is all about nor the history of Hitler. 

    "I'm worried about the crazies that aren't locked up in an asylum, supporting Trump." 

  3. Thursday 4:40 (5:05)  This sent me to the dictionary.  I apologize to any serious botanists, but admit it, peduncle sound dirty.

    Nation – I wouldn't limit it to countries like China.  If there are gemstones, all bets are off.  The kinds of gemstones weren't mentioned, but we all know courtries that are noted for particular kinds of gemstone, and besides the value of the stones themselves, have an interest in protecting their "brand," as it were.  Although since the tradeoff seems to include getting killed, that may limit the pillaging to larger countries with stronger militaries.

    Beast – Hooray for Scotland!  The Scots have a reputation for not caring much what other people think, and The Donald would apparently be one of those "other people."

    Politicususa – This has been creeping in for a long time.  (Did y'all read the sidebar article about Hitler telling the Republicans why they are wrong?  That was written over 3 years ago.)  Decent people will not abide white supremacy.  If the white supremacists  go much farther, there will be another world war, and we will be trounced.

  4. DK: Kudos to Scotland. We should do the same.

    Politicususa: Filled with hate, and racial bias. Scary, indeed.

    My Universe: Cute sweet kitties. Cats are wonderful little beings.

    Enjoy your day/evening, thanks, Lynn.

  5. Too busy to comment much, Lynn. I love the pictures of your fur babes, they look very content with the lives you provide for them. Let's hope Trump and his fascist base never get in the way of that. It gives me goose bumps to think what would happen if Republicans took over in 2016. I think Canadians might regret that Trump didn't build a wall across the border when all the libruls start to flee up North.

  6. Politicusa: Strasser was lucky to not simply be executed by Hitler, who ordered any number of others to be cleansed, in that manner.  See "Inside the third Reich," by Albert Speer.

    Many Kudos to Scotland!!

    The Nation: Sadly, Afganistan, like so much of theMiddle East, has not really emergrd from its tribal traditions.  The history of that entire area indicates that the concepts of Democracy, currently under assault here, of participatory governing, are otherworldly there.

    I expect that any chance that mining for gems there will not become a source for gang warfare is very small.

     

  7. We had 70 degrees here on Wednesday, rain on Thursday, snow flurries on Friday, and cold, cold, cold today.  Go figure!

    The Nation:  I pity the people of Afghanistan.  They have been under siege for years.  First the Russians, then the Taliban, then Karzi's government. It appears the latest goverment is just as corrupt.  They do need to leave the minerals in the ground until they have a viable plan to protect the environment and the people.  I hope they find a leader who can do that for them.  We certainly are not helping.

    Daily Beast:  Hurray for Scotland.  My maternal grandfather was second generation Scots living in the USA and he was a warrior, fighting for the rights of coal miners.  I have great respect for the Scots.

    Politcususa:  Sadly the last two generations have been taught very little history.  Nor have they been taught civics.  They are some of the most ignorant among our citizens.  Teachers have been required to teach "for the test" which means little education.  I very ignorantly believed we had won civil rights in the sixties and seventies.  Now a whole new group of racist,no nothings are in charge.

    My Universe"  Your babies are beautiful, and look quite healthy!  

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