To All,
Good Saturday morning February 18, 2023.
I hope that you have a great 3 day weekend
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History February 18 1846—Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft issues the General Order to change "Larboard" to "Port" for identification of the left side of a sailing vessel.
1865—In order for CSS Charleston, CSS Chicora, and CSS Palmetto State not to be captured by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren's squadron during the evacuation of Charleston, SC, Confederate Capt. John R. Tucker, orders the ships be set afire and blown up.
1942—USS Truxtun (DD 229) and USS Pollux (AKS 2) sink during a heavy storm in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, with the loss of 204 lives.
1944—The amphibious force under Rear Adm. Harry W. Hill lands troops on Engebi Island, Eniwetok, securing the island before the end of the day.
1945—U.S. Navy destroyers engage Japanese vessels off Iwo and Chichi Jima. USS Waldron (DD 699) is damaged after intentionally ramming a gunboat; USS Dortch (DD 670) sinks auxiliary submarine chaser Ayukawa Maru north-northwest of Iwo Jima; USS Barton (DD 722), USS Ingraham (DD 694), and USS Moale (DD 693) operating near Chichi Jima, sink Japanese guardboats No.35 Nanshin Maru, No. 3 Kyowa Maru, and No.5 Kukuichi Maru.
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This day in History
February 18
1478 George, the Duke of Clarence, who had opposed his brother Edward IV, is murdered in the Tower of London.
1688 Quakers in Germantown, Pa. adopt the first formal antislavery resolution in America.
1813 Czar Alexander enters Warsaw at the head of his Army.
1861 Victor Emmanuel II becomes the first King of Italy.
1861 Jefferson F. Davis is inaugurated as the Confederacy's provisional president at a ceremony held in Montgomery, Ala.
1865 Union troops force the Confederates to abandon Fort Anderson, N.C.
1878 The bitter and bloody Lincoln County War begins with the murder of Billy the Kid's mentor, Englishman rancher John Tunstall.
1885 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is published in New York.
1907 600,000 tons of grain are sent to Russia to relieve the famine there.
1920 Vuillemin and Chalus complete their first flight over the Sahara Desert.
1932 Manchurian independence is formally declared.
1935 Rome reports sending troops to Italian Somalia.
1939 The Golden Gate Exposition opens in San Francisco.
1943 German General Erwin Rommel takes three towns in Tunisia, North Africa.
1944 The U.S. Army and Marines invade Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific.
1945 U.S. Marines storm ashore at Iwo Jima.
1954 East and West Berlin drop thousands of propaganda leaflets on each other after the end of a month long truce.
1962 Robert F. Kennedy says that U.S. troops will stay in Vietnam until Communism is defeated.
1964 The United States cuts military aid to five nations in reprisal for having trade relations with Cuba.
1967 The National Art Gallery in Washington agrees to buy a Da Vinci for a record $5 million.
1968 Three U.S. pilots that were held by the Vietnamese arrive in Washington.
1972 The California Supreme Court voids the death penalty.
1974 Randolph Hearst is to give $2 million in free food for the poor in order to open talks for his daughter Patty.
1982 Mexico devalues the peso by 30 percent to fight an economic slide.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
… For The List for Saturday, 18 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 18 February 1968… Spend a day with LBJ as he faces and talks to young men he is sending to war…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
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Lost words
Thanks to Gay
Do you remember this word? Would you believe the email spell checker did not recognize the word Mergatroyd? Heavens to Mergatroyd! (Try it)
The other day a person of my age said something to her son about driving a Jalopy and he looked at her quizzically and said "What the heck is a Jalopy?"
OMG (new phrase)! He never heard of the word jalopy!! She knew she was old..... but not that old. Well, I hope you are Hunky Dory after you read this and chuckle.
About a month ago, I illuminated some old expressions that have become obsolete because of the inexorable march of technology. These phrases included "Don't touch that dial," "Carbon copy," "You sound like a broken record" and "Hung out to dry."
Back in the olden days we had a lot of 'moxie.' We'd put on our best 'bib and tucker' to' straighten up and fly right'.
Heavens to Betsy! Gee whillikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy moley!
We were 'in like Flynn' and 'living the life of Riley'', and even a regular guy couldn't accuse us of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop or a pill. Not for all the tea in China!
Back in the olden days, life used to be swell, but when's the last time anything was swell?
Swell has gone the way of beehives, pageboys and the D.A.; of spats, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and pedal pushers...AND DON'T FORGET.... Saddle Stitched Pants.
Oh, my aching back! Kilroy was here, but he isn't anymore.
We wake up from what surely has been just a short nap, and before we can say, Well, I'll be 'a monkey's uncle!' Or, This is a 'fine kettle of fish'! We discover that the words we grew up with, the words that seemed omnipresent, as oxygen, have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards.
Poof, go the words of our youth, the words we've left behind. We blink, and they're gone.
Where have all those great phrases gone?
Long gone: Pshaw, The milkman did it. Hey! It's your nickel. Don't forget to pull the chain. Knee high to a grasshopper. Well, Fiddlesticks! Going like sixty. I'll see you in the funny papers. Don't take any wooden nickels. Wake up and smell the roses.
It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter has liver pills. This can be disturbing stuff! ("Carter's Little Liver Pills" are gone too!) We of a certain age have been blessed to live in changeable times. For a child each new word is like a shiny toy, a toy that has no age. We at the other end of the chronological arc have the advantage of remembering there are words that once did not exist and there were words that once strutted their hour upon the earthly stage and now are heard no more, except in our collective memory. It's one of the greatest advantages of aging.
Leaves us to wonder where Superman will find a phone booth...
See ya later, alligator! After while, crocodile!
Okidoki
WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE FABULOUS 50'S...NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AGAIN...WE WERE GIVEN ONE OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS GIFTS:
.............OUR MEMORIES!!.....
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Thanks to Brett…..Catching up with what is going on in the world
Stratfor snippets - U.S., Finland/Sweden, Thailand, China, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Armenia/Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Senegal, Japan, Thailand, Colombia/Venezuela, Ukraine/U.S.
U.S.: White House Releases EV Charger Rules, Agreement With Tesla
What Happened: The White House announced new standards and rules for electric vehicle (EV) charging networks and a deal with automotive company Tesla to upgrade about half of its network of superchargers so non-Tesla vehicles can use them by the end of 2024, Reuters reported Feb. 15.
Why It Matters: These charging network rules and deals are aimed at solving one of the biggest issues with EV adoption: traveling long distances in EVs that usually have a relatively low range. The Tesla deal, in particular, will be impactful because Tesla's network of chargers is the second-largest in the United States. These moves are part of the United States' $7.5 billion EV funding package in the 2021 infrastructure law, which aims to facilitate the creation of more than 500,000 new EV chargers in the United States to support the government's goal of having 50% of new U.S. vehicles sold in 2030 be EVs.
Background: The White House also announced a range of other measures by other companies including car company rental Hertz Corp., oil and gas company BP, automotive manufacturer General Motors, and truck stop and travel center company TravelCenters of America.
Finland, Sweden: Finland Reportedly Agrees to Join NATO Before Sweden
What Happened: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg publicly admitted that Finland may join the military alliance before Sweden, the Financial Times reported Feb. 14. On the same day, Finnish newspaper Iltalehti said Sweden and Finland agreed that Finland can join NATO first in case Turkey continues to veto Sweden's accession.
Why It Matters: The decoupling of Sweden's and Finland's NATO accessions increases the possibility of Finland joining the military alliance in the coming weeks or months. Considering that Finland shares a long border with Russia, NATO sees Finland's accession as more urgent than Sweden's. The possibility of Turkey lifting its veto on Sweden's accession will increase after the Turkish general election in May.
Background: Finland and Sweden applied together to join NATO in May 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Turkey has said it will ratify Finland's accession, it is delaying the ratification of Sweden's accession, arguing that Stockholm harbors Kurdish activists. A recent incident in which a far-right group burned a copy of the Koran during a protest in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, further increased bilateral tensions.
Thailand: Government Delays Implementing Anti-Torture and Disappearance Law Until After Election
What Happened: The Thai Cabinet approved a decree postponing the implementation of two articles of the Act on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearances until Oct. 1, Benar News reported Feb. 14. The law would require police to record arrests and interrogations, as well as forbid forced disappearances.
Why It Matters: With the law now set to be enforced well after Thailand's May general election, the threats of torture and forced disappearances may deter undesirable political activity ahead of what is likely to be a contentious vote that could reignite mass protests. Uncurbed police powers will also provide the government with legal avenues to permanently sideline undesirable political groups and could help military-backed parties maintain political power amid electoral unpopularity.
Background: The law, passed on Aug. 24, 2022, was scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 22, but a delay was granted per a police request citing budgetary, equipment and training constraints. Thailand's election is scheduled for May 7 but could occur earlier if the prime minister dissolves the House of Representatives. In Thailand's 2020-2021 electoral protests (involving tens of thousands of demonstrators), Thai police were able to smash the movement and arrest participants, including leaders, with wide discretion, and authorities were then able to ban the opposition Future Forward Party.
China: Protests in Wuhan, Dalian Highlight Risk of Unrest Amid Economic Dip
What Happened: Several hundred protesters demonstrated in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Dalian against recent municipal cuts to healthcare benefits, and police were present in the hundreds, Hong Kong Free Press reported Feb. 15. This follows a Feb. 8 protest by thousands of elderly Chinese citizens — mostly retirees from the Wuhan Iron and Steel Corp. plant — during which attendees claimed they would be back on Feb. 15 if their health insurance concerns were not addressed.
Why It Matters: These protests highlight a persistent, heightened risk of unrest over economic issues in China, especially after China's nationwide Nov. 25-27, 2022, protests convinced Beijing to end its "zero-COVID" policy. Such economic issues are manifold as China's real estate crisis, dipping exports and low consumer confidence drag on the economy. The real estate crisis is limiting local government revenues and spurring reforms like those in Wuhan, which will continue to spur discontent among China's elderly and working class.
Background: The Wuhan reforms, implemented in early February, appear to have cut maximum insurance claims by 50-66%, and authorities have shown no signs of changing tack.
Kazakhstan: Tokayev Repeals Law on First President Nazarbayev
What Happened: Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev repealed a law that had granted former President Nursultan Nazarbayev the honorific title of "Elbasy" (Father of the Nation) and other guarantees and benefits, Mediazona reported Feb. 15. The country's Parliament had passed the repeal bill unanimously on Jan. 13, 2023.
Why It Matters: Kazakhstan's minister of justice indicated that the law's repeal will enable additional investigations into and asset seizures from members of Nazarbayev's family, which are likely and will be intended to boost the Tokayev administration's popularity. The repeal is therefore the latest reminder of the dangers to the region's authoritarian leaders of voluntarily stepping down. But Nazarbayev will retain his personal immunity from prosecution due to other laws, and the repeal does not constitute the complete rejection of Nazarbayev's legacy, as his "multivector" foreign policy remains popular and is current government policy.
Background: The now-repealed constitutional law was first adopted in 2010 and was a foundational piece of the framework intended to secure Nazarbayev's and his family's privileges in exchange for him stepping down in a succession process that commenced in 2019.
China: Housing Prices Arrest 16-Month Freefall as Xi Highlights Work of Rebuilding
What Happened: China's new home prices in major cities remained stable in January, marking the first time since August 2021 that prices have not dropped month-on-month, the South China Morning Post reported Feb. 16. This comes after a key speech by President Xi Jinping, published on Feb. 15, highlighted the systemic risks of real estate to the financial system and exhorted authorities to explore long-term rental properties and housing for the young and elderly.
Why It Matters: Stable home prices indicate that China's housing nosedive may be reaching its lowest point, and Xi's speech points to his plans to rehabilitate the sector for a healthier economy rather than bail it out entirely. Beijing's policy dilemmas — including how to redirect real estate investment to more productive destinations (like the stock market) and how to juice the economy post-COVID-19 without using the housing sector — highlight the years-long task of rebuilding the real estate market.
Background: If the government excises speculative investment from the housing sector and demand is solely reliant on housing "for living in," as Xi puts it, the long-term prospects for the sector will remain dim as China's population — and housing demand — declines.
U.S.: New 'Strike Force' to Combat Adversarial Use of Disruptive Technology
What Happened: U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced on Feb. 15 that U.S. agencies are forming a "strike force" to combat autocratic states' use of novel technologies to target U.S. public and private entities, Bloomberg reported Feb. 16. Monaco specifically highlighted the threat posed by the Chinese government, citing its intellectual property theft and cyberespionage practices.
Why It Matters: The announcement signifies internal efforts within the U.S. government to bolster interagency coordination on issues pertaining to emerging technology, which will likely improve the United States' strategic competitiveness in the cyber and technological space. Given the extensive issue of corporate espionage practices targeting U.S. businesses and institutions, this improved coordination across agencies will likely boost the U.S. government's detection, mitigation and prosecution of malicious cyber and technological activity by adversarial states and cybercriminals in the future.
Background: The announcement comes as a part of a broader push by the United States to bolster cyber and technological defense practices as emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, AI-enhanced chatbots and myriad other novel technologies grow in terms of malicious capability. It also comes as part of the United States' larger efforts to combat China's technology sectors, evidenced by sanctions against China's semiconductor and telecommunications sectors, as well as across other areas of Chinese technology.
Nigeria: President Extends Cash Swap Deadline Amid Riots
What Happened: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Central Bank to extend the deadline for the ongoing currency swap to April 10 as unrest over cash shortages escalates across the country, The Guardian reported Feb. 15.
Why It Matters: The extended deadline for the cash swap may alleviate some banking customers' urgency to get new naira, but the cash shortage and associated risk of unrest will likely persist ahead of the general election on Feb. 25. Violent and sometimes deadly protests will likely pose supply chain and personnel risks, while logistical challenges — including cash shortages in banks, reduced banking hours, and delayed payments for supplies and to employees — will also likely trigger business disruptions. The currency crisis will also exacerbate the already high risk of election-related unrest.
Background: Buhari also said that old 200 naira notes would be released back into circulation, and Nigerians would have until the new deadline to return them to the banks. Meanwhile, rioters attacked bank ATMs and blocked roads in Ibadan city, Benin City, Kwara state and Delta state, where police said youth protesters set two banks and vehicles on fire. At least three people died in riots in Benin City, while injuries and property damage were reported in other protests.
China: Beijing Steps Up Scrutiny on Foreign and 'Unauthorized' Media
What Happened: China's Central Propaganda Department claimed success and announced a continuation and expansion of its crackdown on undesirable media elements, the South China Morning Post reported Feb. 16.
Why It Matters: A constrained media environment further confounds efforts to analyze a litany of critical issues in the country, such as COVID-19 outbreaks and viral sequencing, protests, real estate, government policy, and popular sentiment. This opacity may cloud China's prospects of boosting its business environment even as the country attempts to bolster its private sector, as businesses face increased risks in advertising, public statements and social media activity.
Background: The government will focus efforts on busting those using news reporting to blackmail businesses, posing as accredited reporters, and disseminating "fake news" (particularly related to the Chinese Communist Party), according to a Feb. 15 statement. China's media crackdown targeting foreign outlets and citizen journalists began in 2022.
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Yerevan Sends Latest Draft of Peace Treaty to Baku
What Happened: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that his country presented Azerbaijan with a project for a comprehensive peace treaty, Al Jazeera reported Feb. 16. Pahinyan said the latest draft agreement would provide for monitoring mechanisms by both sides to prevent breaches of the peace deal.
Why It Matters: There is, for now, little indication that the proposed peace treaty text is capable of overcoming disagreements regarding the two outstanding sticking points in negotiations: the rights of Armenians in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region and the terms of the Zangezur transit corridor, which would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its autonomous Naxcivan exclave through Armenia's territory. Details of the proposed text may become available because the document was also handed over to the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group — Russia, France and the United States. Baku is unlikely to accept the text and could seek measures to increase pressure on Armenia, for example with renewed violent flare-ups on their common border and the continued blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Background: On Dec. 12, 2022, a group of Azerbaijanis blocked the motor road linking Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia through the so-called Lachin corridor. Ten days later, Pashinyan said Russian peacekeepers' failure to unblock the corridor was a violation of Russia's 2020 cease-fire obligations.
Pakistan: Austerity Measures Continue With Fuel Price Hike
What Happened: The Pakistani government hiked gasoline prices by 22.20 rupees ($0.08) per liter and diesel prices by 17.20 rupees ($0.07) per liter in order to deal with high import costs as the rupee continues to lose value, Reuters reported Feb. 16. The government also introduced a finance bill in Parliament to raise goods and service taxes from 17% to 18% and raise taxes on goods like cigarettes, air travel and luxury drinks to meet demands from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Why It Matters: Islamabad has been implementing austerity measures in order to convince the IMF to resume its $6 billion bailout program that has stalled since November 2022. The resumption of disbursements would help Pakistan shore up its dwindling foreign exchange reserves and avoid default. However, the price hikes and expected tax hikes in the coming weeks will put pressure on inflation, which is already very high at 27%, prompting social unrest and potential political volatility.
Background: The government hiked gasoline prices by 35 rupees ($0.42) per liter on Jan. 29, making the most recent hike the country's second in less than a month.
Sri Lanka: Electricity Regulator Hikes Power Tariff by 66%
What Happened: Sri Lanka's Public Utilities Commission, the country's electricity regulator, approved a 66% power tariff hike, CNBC reported on Feb. 16.
Why It Matters: Colombo is currently undertaking economic reforms comprising various austerity measures to meet the International Monetary Fund's conditions for the disbursement of a $2.9 billion loan provisionally agreed upon in September 2022. However, besides stringent reforms, Colombo also needs assurances from China that the country supports Sri Lanka's debt restructuring efforts before the IMF approves the loan. High commodity prices amid high inflation will exacerbate Sri Lanka's economic contraction and raise the risk of social unrest in the coming weeks.
Background: The hike is expected to cover electricity generation costs that have been very high due to the withdrawal of government subsidies. Trade unions in various sectors have criticized the austerity measures and organized strikes, but no such demonstrations have lasted more than one day.
Iran: Protests Spike Across Multiple Cities in Commemoration of Executions
What Happened: Videos circulated showing a resurgence of anti-government protests across several cities in Iran, including Tehran, Isfahan, Arak, Karaj and Izeh, AP news reported Feb. 17. Some of the protests were inspired by the traditional 40-day commemoration of the deaths of two protesters, who were executed on charges related to previous anti-government protests.
Why It Matters: Anger will likely keep stoking anti-government sentiment over the course of the coming year, with various triggers (like executions) sparking more protests. In the near and medium term, this unrest does not spell the end of the current Iranian government system. But in the long term, if these protests continue sporadically, they will have some sort of political impact.
Background: On Feb. 5, in honor of the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country's supreme leader pardoned tens of thousands of prisoners, including some recently-arrested protesters. Iranian authorities have also executed at least four anti-government protesters, and at least a dozen others have been charged with crimes against God, which could lead to their execution.
Senegal: Demonstrations Break Out at Opposition Leader's Trial
What Happened: Police fired tear gas to disperse supporters of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko after he left his court hearing in Dakah, Africanews reported Feb. 16.
Why It Matters: The case will determine Sonko's eligibility for the presidential election on Feb. 25, 2024, as ongoing libel and rape cases against Sonko — which he says are politically motivated — have the potential to disqualify him. All of Sonko's trial dates over the next year will carry a high risk of unrest, particularly if current President Macky Sall continues to draw out his announcement on whether he will run for an unconstitutional third term.
Background: After firing tear gas at demonstrators, security forces then forcibly removed Sonko from his car, and video footage of the incident is now circulating on social media. The next hearing date is March 16.
Japan: Next-Generation Rocket Fails to Launch
What Happened: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) H3 rocket failed to launch during a test after two of its solid-fueled boosters did not ignite, Agence France-Presse reported Feb. 17. JAXA has not said when it may reschedule the launch.
Why It Matters: The failed launch will further delay Japan's rollout of its next-generation H3 launch vehicle, which is designed to reduce launch costs. These delays will make it even more difficult for the rocket to compete with other commercial launch providers, including SpaceX.
Background: JAXA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. have been developing the H3 for a decade as a successor to their H-2A and now retired H-2B launch vehicles. JAXA experienced a similar H3 launch failure in August 2022, but before that, the agency's previous launch failure was in 2003.
Thailand: Prime Minister Indicates He Will Dissolve House Early
What Happened: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha indicated that he will dissolve the House of Representatives before its term naturally expires on March 23, Reuters reported Feb. 17. Prayuth did not specify the date he would dissolve the House, but Deputy Prime Minister Jurin Laksanawisit speculated that Prayuth will do so "no later than March 13."
Why It Matters: Dissolving the House so soon before its term naturally expires will trigger a change in party hopping rules; normally, a potential House candidate would not be able to stand for election for 90 days following a party switch, but if the House is dissolved early, that threshold becomes 30 days. After joining the upstart Ruam Thai Sang Chart (RTSC) party in January, Prayuth is hoping to peel away as many party hoppers from the ruling (and now rival) Palang Pracharath Party as he can — and potentially from other parties. These additional supporters would improve his party's odds of winning Thailand's upcoming general election, though RTSC is far behind in polling.
Background: As of now, the general election is set to occur no later than May 7. RTSC needs 25 of 500 House seats to nominate a prime ministerial candidate, who will be Prayuth. Several political heavyweights have already followed Prayuth to the RTSC.
Colombia, Venezuela: Countries Reactivate Trade Agreement, but Economic Boost Will Be Small Initially
What Happened: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian President Gustavo Petro reactivated a bilateral trade agreement on Feb. 16 that they first signed in 2011, DW News reported Feb. 17.
Why It Matters: The reactivation of the Colombia-Venezuela trade agreement will almost certainly boost the exchange of food products, plastics and medicines between the two countries, but this will only marginally benefit both economies. Given that the two countries lack significant trade ties due to years of frosty diplomatic and trade relations, it will likely be a few years before trade volume nears previous levels; at its height in 2014, trade between the two countries totaled $2.4 billion.
Background: After the left-wing Petro took office in September 2022, the two governments began an ongoing process of normalizing trade and diplomatic relations and reopening their shared border. The countries previously called off the agreement in 2019 amid international pressure on the Maduro government.
Ukraine, U.S.: Watchdogs Set to Deploy Staff to Ukraine War Zone to Track Arms, Aid
What Happened: Inspectors general from the U.S. Department of Defense, the State Department and the Agency for International Development intend to move some of the 177 auditors and investigators already scrutinizing military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine to work on the ground in the country, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 17. The inspectors general indicated that they have so far received no reports of major fraud or illegality involving U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Why It Matters: On the ground auditors and inspectors would help achieve more comprehensive oversight over the approximately $113 billion in U.S. government support of Ukraine that Congress appropriated in 2022, which will ultimately deter gross malpractice and make a major scandal that could critically undermine U.S. support for Ukraine less likely. The move will significantly help assuage a point of criticism among skeptics of U.S. aid to Ukraine and reflects preparations for continued support for Ukraine in the long term, which the move will ultimately help maintain. However, this increased scrutiny also increases the near-term possibility that major abuse could be uncovered, which carries a risk of somewhat undermining the bipartisan support for arms and aid Ukraine at a critical moment.
Background: On Feb. 15, a poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 48% percent of Americans favor the United States providing weapons to Ukraine, down from 60% in May 2022, less than three months into the war.
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Thanks to Micro
Points Worth Pondering
China claims that coronavirus came from an old stupid bat, but Nancy Pelosi denied having been involved.
If the current power grid can't handle a night of 20 degrees temperatures without rolling blackouts, how are we going to plug 100 million electric cars up at night?
Are there any countries that tax their citizens and send some of it to Americans?
Imagine, if you will, a world where every tweet and meme must be fact checked but not a ballot.
How to stop drunk drivers from killing sober drivers? Ban sober drivers from driving. That's exactly how gun control works.
Can we still order black coffee? Are brownies being taken off the shelf? Is White Castle changing its name? I'm sure Cracker Barrel is screwed. Can we still play Chinese checkers? Is that season still called Indian summer? No more Italian sausages? How far do you want to go with this foolishness?
*Heck of a job, Democrats! You've managed to bring back the 1918 pandemic, the 1929 depression, the 1968 race riots and the 1973 gas prices - all at the same time.
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Thanks to Carl
Paul Douglas went to Marine boot camp at 50. Then he earned a Bronze Star and 2 Purple Hearts in WWII When he was wounded, he took off his rank insignia so he wouldn't receive special attention.
BY JEFF SCHOGOL | PUBLISHED FEB 11, 2022 1:53 PM https://taskandpurpose.com/unsung-heroes/marine-corps-oldest-recruit-paul-douglas-world-war-ii/
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Thanks to Brett
Make Men Masculine Again - Allie Stuckey
Rape, murder, war – all have one thing in common: Men. The solution seems simple: make men less toxic – make men less masculine. In this video, Allie Stuckey, Host of "Allie" on CRTV & "Relatable" podcast, explains why demonizing masculinity is not the solution, but the problem.
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Not surprised!!
Thanks to GM ...and Dr. Rich
Great job Milley!
Maybe check w. NOAA next time?
A small, globe-trotting balloon declared "missing in action" by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10.
The club—the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB)—is not pointing fingers yet.
But the circumstantial evidence is at least intriguing. The club's silver-coated, party-style, "pico balloon" reported its last position on Feb. 10 at 38,910 ft. off the west coast of Alaska, and a popular forecasting tool—the HYSPLIT model provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—projected the cylindrically shaped object would be floating high over the central part of the Yukon Territory on Feb. 11. That is the same day a Lockheed Martin F-22 shot down an unidentified object of a similar description and altitude in the same general area.
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Thanks to Mugs
A pitiful situation, indeed! We've let the "Greatest Generation" down...........................
We pass this on in full agreement, but most of us are guilty of exactly the passive inaction that has led us down the slippery slope of accepting Saul Alinsky,s subtle, yet effective, outline for change, that brings us closer to socialism and the inevitable communism that follows behind it.
TELLING THE SAD TRUTH – NEVER SAID BETTER . . . . . AND FEARFUL
Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Franklin Graham was speaking at the First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, when he said America will not come back. He wrote:
* "The American dream ended "The first term of Joe Biden has been the final nail in the coffin for the legacy of the white Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest republic in the history of mankind.
A coalition of blacks, Latinos, feminists, gays, government workers, union members, environmental extremists, the media, Hollywood, uninformed young people, the "forever needy," the chronically unemployed that do not want to work, illegal aliens and other "fellow travelers" have ended.........Norman Rockwell's America.
You will never again out-vote these people. It will take individual acts of defiance and massive displays of civil disobedience to get back the rights we have allowed them to take away. It will take zealots, not moderates and shy, not reach-across-the-aisle RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) to right this ship and restore our beloved country to its former status.
People like me are completely politically irrelevant, and I will probably never again be able to legally comment on or concern myself with the aforementioned coalition which has surrendered our culture, our heritage and our traditions without a shot being fired.
The Cocker spaniel is off the front porch, the pit bull is in the back yard, the American Constitution has been replaced with Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" and the likes of Chicago shyster David Axelrod along with international socialist George Soros have been pulling the strings on their beige puppet and have brought us Act 2 of the New World Order.
The curtain will come down but the damage has been done, the story has been told.
Those who come after us will once again have to risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to bring back the Republic that this generation has timidly frittered away due to white guilt and political correctness.."
Got the guts to pass it on? You bet I do and just did….
IN GOD WE TRUST
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This Day in U S Military History February 18
1944 – Following the usual pre-landing procedures, an intense bombardment and air strike look place on Engebi beginning at 0843. Two battalions of Marines landed and overcame enemy resistance very quickly. By 1600 the Island was reported secured. During the attack by the Marines on Engebi, elements of the 5th Amphibious Corp Recon Company and the Scout Company were methodically occupying the smaller islands along the reefs. Japanese resistance of Engebi, although ferocious, was marked by an obvious lack of preparation. Numerous underground shelters and coral lined pill boxes were found as were sniper positions in coconut trees. However, so rapid was the Marine advance that few requests were made upon the ships for call fires. In the attack on Engebi our losses wore 78 killed, 166 wounded, and 7 missing, for a total of 251. The number of Japanese dead buried on Engebi was 934. Sixteen prisoners were taken. So heavy and accurate was the Navy and air bombardment that observers stated destruction was greater than that which had occurred on Kwajalein. Practically all structures above ground were demolished. A prisoner stated that about half the defenders were killed or wounded prior to the landings. During the afternoon of 18 February, advance preparations were made for the attack on Eniwetok Island. The 106th Regimental Combat Team of the 27th Division was designated to make this assault.
1944 – The Germans commit 26th Panzer and 29th Panzergrenadier Divisions to the attack on Anzio. Strong allied artillery holds off and blunts the attacks. Kesselring and Mackensen realize that the Allied beachhead cannot be wiped out. The Germans launched a more intense assault against the 45th Division at dawn and destroyed one battalion of the 179th Infantry before pushing the remainder of the unit back a half mile farther to Lucas' final defensive line by midmorning. Fearing that the 179th Infantry was in danger of giving way, Lucas ordered Col. William O. Darby, founder of the WWII era Rangers, to take command of the unit and allow no further retreat. The regiment held, later counting 500 dead Germans in front of its positions. Elsewhere, the 180th and 157th regiments also held their positions in spite of heavy losses during three days of German attacks. By midday, Allied air and artillery superiority had turned the tide. When the Germans launched a final afternoon assault against the 180th and 179th regiments, it was halted by air strikes and massed mortar, machine gun, artillery, and tank fire. Subsequent enemy attacks on 19 and 20 February were noticeably weaker and were broken up by the same combination of Allied arms before ground contact was made The crisis had passed, and while harassing attacks continued until 22 February, VI Corps went over to the offensive locally and succeeded in retaking some lost ground.
1944 – American forces continue their raid on the Japanese base at Truk. Over the course of the two days, US aircraft log 1250 sorties. The Japanese lose 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers, several other warships and 140,000 tons of shipping to air attack. The battleships Iowa and New Jersey sink 1 cruiser and 2 destroyers. In addition 250 Japanese aircraft are reported destroyed. American submarines sink several more vessels. The US forces lose less than 30 planes and damage is sustained to the carrier Intrepid.
1967 – J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb," dies in Princeton, New Jersey, at the age of 62. An expert in quantum theory and nuclear physics, he was enlisted into the fledgling U.S. atomic weapons program in 1941. In 1942, the "Manhattan Project," as the program became known, was greatly expanded, and Oppenheimer was asked to establish and direct a secret laboratory to carry out the assignment. He chose Los Alamos, a site in the New Mexico desert that he had visited earlier in life, and together with some of the world's top physicists began work on the bomb. On July 16, 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was exploded at the "Trinity" test site in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and only three weeks later the United States dropped the first of two bombs on Japan. Over 200,000 Japanese eventually perished as a result of the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Oppenheimer regretted the use of the terrible weapon he had helped build, and he worked with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to win approval for international control of atomic energy. The USSR refused to support the U.S. plan, and in 1949 the Soviets successfully detonated their first atomic weapon. The loss of U.S. atomic supremacy, coupled with revelations that Los Alamos scientist Klaus Fuchs had given nuclear secrets to the Soviets, led President Harry S. Truman to approve development of the hydrogen bomb. Oppenheimer strongly opposed development of the H-bomb, which was theorized to be hundreds of times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Japan. On November 1, 1952, the first "superbomb" was successfully detonated in the Pacific. In 1953, because of both his opposition to the hydrogen bomb and his admitted leftist leanings in the 1930s, Oppenheimer lost his security clearance and was ousted from the AEC. The case stirred wide controversy, and many people came to his defense. After leaving the government, he returned to teaching. He died in 1967.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
* FERNANDEZ, DANIEL
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry (Mechanized) 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Cu Chi, Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 February 1966. Entered service at: Albuquerque, N. Mex. Born: 30 June 1944, Albuquerque, N. Mex. c.o. No.: 21, 26 April 1967. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Fernandez demonstrated indomitable courage when the patrol was ambushed by a Viet Cong rifle company and driven back by the intense enemy automatic weapons fire before it could evacuate an American soldier who had been wounded in the Viet Cong attack. Sp4c. Fernandez, a sergeant and 2 other volunteers immediately fought their way through devastating fire and exploding grenades to reach the fallen soldier. Upon reaching their fallen comrade the sergeant was struck in the knee by machine gun fire and immobilized. Sp4c. Fernandez took charge, rallied the left flank of his patrol and began to assist in the recovery of the wounded sergeant. While first aid was being administered to the wounded man, a sudden increase in the accuracy and intensity of enemy fire forced the volunteer group to take cover. As they did, an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the group, although some men did not see it. Realizing there was no time for the wounded sergeant or the other men to protect themselves from the grenade blast, Sp4c. Fernandez vaulted over the wounded sergeant and threw himself on the grenade as it exploded, saving the lives of his 4 comrades at the sacrifice of his life. Sp4c. Fernandez' profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 18, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
18 February
1918: "Lafayette Escadrille" transferred to American forces as the 103d Pursuit Squadron and began operations on the front under tactical control of the French. The "Lafayette Escadrille" was a unit in the French military comprised of American volunteers who joined the fight before the United States entered World War I. (4) (24) The 95th Aero Squadron, the first proper US fighter unit, arrived in France. (5)
1921: Airmail pilot Carroll C. Eversole made the first emergency free-type parachute escape from a plane near Minneapolis, Minn. The jump took place at 800 feet from a De Havilhand DH-4, which had lost its propeller and had gone into a dive and spin. (24)
1930: Lt L. F. Schoenhair used a Lockheed Vega-Wasp 450 to set several world and American speed records with payload, including records of 185.49 MPH for 100 kilometers with a 500-kilo load, 176.0 MPH for 100 kilometers, and 168.27 MPH for 500 kilometers with a 100-kilo load. (5)
1938: WOMEN'S EVENT. Jacqueline Cochran received The General William Mitchell Memorial Plaque for her achievements in aeronautics, based on her speed records. (24)
1943: The first class of 39 flight nurses graduated from the U. S. Army Air Forces School of Air Evacuations at Bowman Field, Ky. (24)
1957: Through 20 February, the first national scientific symposium on problems with space travel held. (24)
1958: At the Arnold Research and Development Center, Tullahoma, Tenn., a wind tunnel test attained an airflow speed of 32,400 MPH for one-tenth of a second. (5)
1959: The 576th Strategic Missile Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., received the first Atlas D missile. (6)
1963: At the Atlantic Missile Range, the first dual launch of Hound Dog missiles succeeded. (6)
1965: USAF jets soloed for the first time without Vietnamese Air Force crewmembers in an attack against enemy targets in South Vietnam. The USAF flew Martin B-57 Canberras and North American F-100 Super Sabres against the Viet Cong near An Khe. (21)
1972: Pacific Air Forces assigned its first C-9A aeromedical aircraft to the 20th Operations Squadron at Clark AB, Philippines. The C-9s replaced the C-118s. (17)
1977: The Space Shuttle made its first captive flight atop a carrier aircraft, a modified Boeing 747. (16) (26)
1978: Rockwell International received an $18.9 million contract to build a spacecraft to carry the Teal Ruby experiment. This payload included a downward-looking infrared sensor with a mosaic focal plane to measure aircraft signatures and background flux at infrared wavelengths. (5)
1986: Through 22 February, the 129th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group and the 41st Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron used four H-3s, two HH-53s, and three C-130s to rescue 33 flood victims in the Russian and Yuba River valleys of Northern California. The helicopters also delivered over 3,000 sandbags to Army troops responding to the disaster site. (16) (26)
1994: Operation DENY FLIGHT. The USAF deployed aircraft, five KC-135s, to France for the first time in 20 years. The tankers flew from French bases to refuel aircraft flying over Bosnia and Herzegovina for the operation. (21) The last F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft left USAFE. They flew from Spangdahlem AB, Germany, to Nellis AFB, Nv. (16) (26)
1997: Operation ASSURED LIFT. Through 3 March, five C-130s from the 3d Air Expeditionary Group's 37 AS airlifted 1,160 African peacekeepers and 452 tons of cargo from various African countries to Liberia to restore order after a civil war there. (21)
1999: Operation DEEP FREEZE. The last US Navy LC-130 left Antarctica to end naval support DEEP FREEZE. Operational support switched in 1998 to the New York ANG's 109th Airlift Wing. (32)
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