The Calamity Juke Box Choice of the Day is Gary B.B. Coleman’s version of “The Sky Is Crying.” Calamity chose this because it is one of the saddest songs she could think of . Why, is Calamity sad? Calamity is broken hearted because half of the U.S. Senate doesn’t believe every American citizen should have easy access to the voting booth. Shame on Mitch McConnell.
Stephen Breyer was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Breyer has been a consistent defender of liberal priorities in cases involving abortion, marriage equality, voting rights, and other issues. There’s growing urgency on the left to see Justice Breyer step down from the court to be replaced by a younger liberal justice. This is only possible while Democrats are the majority party in Washington.
In early April, the progressive group Demand Justice ordered a billboard truck to be driven around the Supreme Court building featuring the words “Breyer, retire.” The message was directed at Breyer, one of three remaining Democratic appointees on a court that has become increasingly dominated by conservative justices in recent years. Much of that anxiety is informed by recent history. Liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not retire when Democrats controlled the Senate during the Obama administration. Ruth Bader Ginsburg died from cancer at age 87, shortly before the 2020 presidential race. Republicans moved swiftly to fill her seat with Amy Coney Barrett. This cemented a 6-3 conservative majority on the court that legal experts say may soon undo many rulings that defined Ginsburg’s judicial career.
It was like something from a cold war spy novel. A national government, without a great record on human rights, tricks a commercial airliner from another country into landing there, claiming there was a bomb threat. Absurd as it sounds, this is exactly what happened to Roman Protasevich. Protasevich is a Belarusian journalist and dissident critical of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. The critic was taken, with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, from a Lithuania bound Ryanair flight on May 23rd. Lukashenko was no doubt angered by the reporting of Nexta a news outlet founded by Protasevich and Stepan Putilo that has focused recent coverage on anti-Lukashenko rallies after the disputed election in 2020.
The hijacking event was met with shock around the world. Many news outlets seemingly uncomprehending that such a thing was even possible. As though dogs had suddenly started reciting Shakespeare in Latin. It seemed like a relic from a different age, as though time runs in a neat line, drawing a straight path from then to now. Letting one take comfort in the idea that the badness has past. The sad truth is, history is more a set of ever repeating cycles, with little indication as to when things might come back around. The mentions of the Cold War and Soviet tactics disturbingly apt.
The ongoing digitization of all aspects of modern life should be concerning. Governments world-wide are facing new challenges to keep both business and government secrets private in an increasingly threatening world of cyber criminals, state sponsored terrorists, and cowboy hackers. With increasing online and data usage, government databases have become primary targets for hackers and other cyber terrorists and criminals. Recent events have shaken the U.S. government and citizen confidence. Hackers can compromise data and as Chris Krebs said recently, ransomware attackers are the greatest threat to our digital world. Krebs served as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the United States Department of Homeland Security from November 2018 to November 2020.
Cyber warfare is defined as actions by a nation-state to penetrate another nation’s computers or networks to cause damage or disruption. It may also include non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, private companies, political or ideological extremist groups, criminal organizations, and activists. Cyber attacks have been a cause of concern for years, as the frequency of data breaches has increased along with their complexity and (economic, military, and political) implications, including elections and military catastrophe an ever growing possibility.
An end of an era is approaching. Numerous factions of Israeli political parties have come to an agreement to oust Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu within the next two weeks. The world is holding its breath. Netanyahu and his hard line anti-Palestinian policies have been the face of Israel for at least the last fifteen years. From handsome war hero, to dynamic politician, to accused criminal Bibi has few supporters left. Netanyahu has been clinging desperately to power to also avoid prosecution for multiple corruption charges. Dave has a rant on this situation, just like most others.
https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2019/03/12/benjamin-netanyahu/
Calamity News and Politics Vlog Cast this week is about the escalating violence of police officers around country. Police Brutality is out of hand. “Just Dave” is really upset, and so is everyone else in the country with a soul. Calamity doesn’t like it when Dave gets upset. The heartbreak of the recent murders by police is more than our man can handle. If tears would fix the problem we could have already fixed it. End police brutality. The fear of the police by the people of the community needs to stop.
Please don’t share bad, or fake information. Be sure what you are sharing is accurate. Don’t be part of the problem. The IFLA (The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) has put together the above check list. Use it. Don’t pass on fake information.
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair, and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with honesty and integrity. There are four fundamental principles at the foundation of ethical journalism and the Society encourages their use in practice across all media.
Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting information.
Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues, and public members as human beings deserving of respect.
The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.
Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.
Having a car gives a person freedom. Recently, two close friends lost their driver’s licenses. In both cases, medical issues were the cause. It made me think about driving despite advancing age. The number of drivers who are 70 years or older is increasing. There have been significant strides in reducing deaths among elderly drivers. Over the last two decades the number of people aged 70 or above killed in car crashes has dropped by nearly 20%. In fact, today’s older drivers are involved in fewer crashes per mile traveled than those in any previous generation.
Today people are walking away from crashes that might have killed their grandparents. One reason for the dropping death count is that vehicles are safer than ever before. The side air bag was introduced in 2008. The benefit of the side airbag has been dramatic with deaths dropping significantly. Furthermore many older drivers today enjoy better health than driver’s of the same age decades ago. Such factors allow older drivers to function safely longer. However, there will come a time when you will need to consider giving up your car keys.
Many health conditions can compromise driving skills. Some of the most common conditions are cataracts, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep apnea, and diabetes. The decision to quit driving is a major life decision, it can have resounding effects. Emotionally the former driver may feel less competent and capable, more dependent and as such more vulnerable. They may become depressed. With that aside, the most important question to ask is it safe to keep driving?
1.) Has reading road signs become difficult?
2.) Are you anxious and stressed while driving?
3.) Have family or friends said they are scared to have you drive?
4.) Physical limitations ? (Such as not being able to look over your shoulder).
5.) Taking medications that cause drowsiness or side effects that impair driving ability.
If you said yes to any of the above questions and you want to continue driving consider the following suggestions.
Cataracts are often the cause of poor night vision. Speak to your opthamoligist and consider having the surgery. Speaking for my self personally it was one of the best things I ever did. I see better than I have in years. I had spent at least two years not driving after dark because of the vision issues.
Here is another place to talk to your doctor about ordering Physical Therapy. As we age, bad posture and overall weakness create problems. Again, speaking for myself, I was noticing more and more difficulty looking over my shoulder. I was also having trouble putting plates on upper shelves, etc, etc. The doctor ordered PT and after a couple weeks of stretching and strengthening I was able to resume doing many activities that I thought were things of the past.
If your medication makes you drowsy or interferes in your concentration you should talk to your doctor. Your doctor may be able to switch you to a medication without those debilitating side effects. In some cases your doctor can place restrictions on your license. A study found that older citizens successfully self regulate their driving after it becomes clear that certain restrictions are warranted. An examples would be no night driving. Here again work with your primary care physician to make sure you are taking medications that have the least side effects for you personally. Everyone responds differently and there are different meds that do the same thing that have less severe side effects.
A driver rehabilitation specialist can help a driver who has become anxious and uncertain about their continuing ability to drive safely. The specialist offers suggestions based on their assessment of the driver’s capabilities. For example he or she may suggest vehicle modifications that could help make the time behind the wheel less physically taxing.
The driving environment has changed dramatically over the last fifty years (since you got your first license). There are many new laws and there is much heavier traffic. Taking a class for older drivers can give a senior driver new confidence. Participating in a senior driving course could also qualify you for a car insurance discount.
The Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has identified several upgrades that are proven to help reduce crashes for older drivers: rearview cameras that can help drivers see better while backing up; automatic emergency braking systems; collision warning systems; and blind spot and lane-departure warning systems that help drivers avoid lane change crashes.
Being independent in our later years is important to us as individuals, to our families and our society. The longer you are able to drive safely, the longer you can be independent.
The purpose of the international day of celebration is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem. World Bee Day is celebrated on the birthday of pioneer beekeeper Anton Jansa, May 20, 1734. There’s good reason to pay attention to the bees. There are over 20,000 bee species and most are in decline. This includes the American honeybee. The honeybee is however a small fraction of the bee population.
Bees are keystone species — ecosystem engineers that are pivotal in supporting healthy habitats for birds, insects, and mammals in ways not always recognized. They pollinate wildflowers and other plants, which is crucial for maintaining genetic diversity of the ecosystem. They also help create and shape natural areas where other animals live and find food.
"If puppies and kittens don't make you smile, you might consider therapy." D. S. Mitchell 2015.
I Barely Have Time To Walk The Dog
Self-isolating has forced us to turn even more to telecommunication and social media.
The Major Cause Of Sex Trafficking Is Poverty
Many great charities, here are a couple that I support: Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, ACLU, and Planned Parenthood.
