I just mailed in my medicaid recert forms to the company that supplies me my health aide today.
They should get it tomorrow in Virginia location. There's difficulty I'm detecting in getting my medic-aide person, because I've got a terrific health aide.
Thanks, but I need some help now!
I was able to prove that there is such a thing as aprior knowledge. But if there is, how was the human ingrained with it? Another way of putting the same statement is, "Where does it come from?" "Who put it there in the skull of the human being?" Oh well, as the Christian Bible says, "We see through a glass darkly." (or some such!)
The causal connection that is shared with lower animals is the most obvious item. But the connections made by those studying the sky for millennia past knew the same thing--i.e., the human is 'given' with knowledge written in his brain.
The 'big bang' theory in astronomy is just another indicating-belief. There could be thousands, once the phenomenon is accepted and pursued scientifically. I don't know how extensive this realm might be, only there are these fragments of knowledge we intuitively "know" somehow. Epistemology is to my way of thinking the study of such a realm and access to this realm of knowledge.
Well, it's taken nearly my lifetime to catch just this glimmer of what we are impregnated with in this field of knowledge. I know it comes through feelings, not intellectual apprehension. But it is shared among all humans; and therefore, verifiable.
Enough now.
I think we're closer to achieving a longer period of peace in the history of the planet!--since mankind has arrived. We humans on this planet are making a difference.
This meeting of the major powers coming up will tell how close we are. Thanks to the military. You know, we've pushed dramatically ahead of every country in the world, and that's what's getting us so close. I can only tell you--hang on for the next turn in the roller coaster ride of existence! May God grant us the power to continue pressuring our leaders in this direction.
We've moved past infantry supremacy to air force and outer space exploration. The navy's role now is front and center as the world is, primarily, water-surface.
Merry Christmas.
I'm working as hard as ever! Peace on earth, goodwill for everybody.
Without a strong military to cover all the bases in the world, we'd be subject to what'er befall the planet! Mankind--"we want peace!"--needs to make the difference--my opinion.
You can hear it from across the Atlantic Seas--"We want UK back into the EU fold!"
But just now democracy needs strong leadership that the presence of the UK, together with the USA, should provide in the presence of serious threats issued by world autocrats and dictators, no matter what havoc be the cost they make upon the planet!
Carry on in the democratic spirit to spread goodwill and peace all over, you leaders of the democratic world!
P.S. It looks like the situation of starvation in Somalia is responding finally to the pleas of the United Nations for remedy to the conflict.
On December 10, 2021, the Cato Institute presented online the French Ambassador to the United States, Philippe Etienne, to speak on the topic of European Defense. Peter Goettler, President of Cato, welcomed him to the podium; and Justin Logan of Cato served as moderator with Professor Joshua Shefrinson, Boston University, and Rachel Rizzo, the Atlantic Council, offering their comments along the way.
The honorable Etienne referred to French President Emmanuel Macron's explication of the phrase European sovereignty to grasp the extent of European power in defending itself in the cause of peaceful co-existence. For in the context of international relations, the EU has withstood emotion and anger by exerting its power to check the Chinese thrust onto the world stage, the migration crisis, various challenges to the rule of law proffered by world autocratic leaders, while maintaining through it all an economic greatness to realize a steady economic growth foretelling a world future of prosperity for the many nations on this planet.
Its leadership in the world, the EU with NATO, has been noted by the present Queen of England, who in a recent talk praised both Europe together with the United States in calming the world to emphasize a quiet co-existence among all who will but seek it in the affairs of trade and tribe.
President Trump, in his assessment of NATO, seemed to laud this unitary approach to European military security commenting, Europe pays but a small price for what it gets in return!
The Ambassador also praised NATO in its current attempts to resolve the dispute between Russia and Ukraine by urging them to the peace table rather than to the military battlefield in settling what separates the two: If the oil pipelines that bring this commodity from Russia to western European countries should be controlled by Russian technocrats, perhaps that can be a matter of negotiation at the bargaining meetings between the two disputants.
In any case, the presentation by this Ambassador heralded the presence of a calm voice on behalf of prosperity at a time when there are loud cries from those who would foster division and chaos among us all.
I am hopeful that what will occur at the 2-day seminar on democracy is that mentors in democratic processes will make themselves available to national leaders of countries willing to experiment with democracy. Your citizens will love the experiment!
If only countries thinking about trying the democratic model of government will learn by partnering up with known democratic governments. This two-day experience offers such an opportunity.
Thank you, President Biden. I am so proud to participate as a citizen of the United States, one of those democracies in the world.
Answering this question as Russian troops stand at the border to Ukraine were the participants of this discussion--Rachel Rizzo, Atlantic Council, Benjamin Haddah, Atlantic Council, Kristi Raik, Director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, and Geovanna De Maio, Brookings; and the moderator, Thomas Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe. The event took place online December 8th, 2021, Wednesday, 10 AM.
Because of the timeliness of the topic due to the swarming of Russian troops at the border, the centralized point for discussion was what would be the response of NATO and would this military organization designed to protect the European nations that belong to it with the United States taking the lead differ in any announced fashion from what the individual states belonging to it take as a independent policy decision of theirs to the Russian's pending hostility toward Ukraine.
Frankly, no one seemed inclined to predict what the reaction will be by NATO forces. Several pointed to President Biden's claim that should Russia proceed to invade Ukraine, Russia would incur harsh sanctions, certainly; and noted that the United States is prepared to arm further Ukrainian forces.
Mr. Wright proclaimed, "Events are happening so fast!" But certainly, the United States is already acting in consort with the other several NATO members on the matter.
Why is the Russian President proceeding to act aggressively, endangering the peace of the region? Some discussants pointed to Russia's defense of the Syrian President as precursor to a massive move of stirring chaos in the world. The Ukrainian threat but yet another sign of Russia's stirring up fear of war wherever. Certainly, the discussants discerned Putin's build-up of forces is a deliberate act to shift the balance of power in Europe toward the East.
Several speakers raised the question how US foreign policy will be affected subsequently. It had been shifted to Asia, away from concerns in Europe. Will it somehow be shifted back? Especially, in light of other events occurring regionally in the East--Belarus and Poland squabbling over whether migrants should be allowed into EU territory, for example.
'Basically, the discussants were in agreement that the right of Ukrainians to be independent of Russian domination must be a central political theme to any series of actions the EU countries, severally, and NATO, as its defensive aggregate force, should take.
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My take to the discussion.
The discussion did not broach the seriousness of what Putin has done. To my mind President Putin has boxed his country in a corner in his extending both pipelines to Europe--through to Germany and across the entire length of Ukraine--beyond regions he has control presently. These oil pipelines are not in Russian territory; and they could be shut down easily before any more oil would reach its intended customers in Europe. His reach into Ukraine would grant him control of the pipeline to Europe through the heart of Ukraine, at least.
I listened carefully to the news-analysts summaries of the Putin-Biden talk today.
I came away with a sort-of-confirmation of my opinion: Putin wants control of that pipeline running through Ukraine. He could have raised vociferously before the point he now makes that Ukraine is within the Russian sphere of influence. Why raise the obvious now? Because he's hiding, in my opinion, his feeling of desparation: he wants control of that pipeline.
Maybe, he is also distrustful, now that Merkel's stepped down, that he has little control of the oil he destines for Germany!
Think of life as a continuum of adventures. That is to say, your life's experiences can be led by God, if you want Him to!
The communion service is the taking of the bread and the wine. It's a symbol that God is giving us the strength to carry on with the next sequence of adventures. It's a reminder that God is with us as we go on life's journey.
There's one feature of our life in Christ, as a member of His Kingdom, that is usually downplayed in most churches: God's physical presence in the Church. In typical cathedrals and churches in South America, the priest may symbolize the physical presence of God among their parishioners. Truly, a Priest, to my way of thinking, can display a facial glow of the eternal presence. So, You, the parishioner, may look at him, the cleric, and come upon the Spirit of God within the church!
I had forgotten this marvelous revelation I experienced while in South America--in the Catholic churches I attended some years ago. Truly, I felt that I had come upon a group of clerics who conveyed the Christian message of hope in their facial expressions! But now, I'm attending a little recognized Episcopal Church in Georgetown, where its interim Pastor, Rev. Rick, displays that religious fervor for adventure in life and the facial mien I attributed to some typical Priests I ran across in churches in South America. Such clerics seemed to know they were chosen for the part of being ministers so as to symbolize God's physical being within the church's walls! And, convey to us that we are walking throughout our life in Christ's footsteps.
President Putin has wanted to assert Russian prowess, but against Russians?
Eastern Ukraine is primarily populated by Russians, but I think they're not wanting to be annexed to Russia. On the hand, Crimea has not traditionally been Ukrainian territory. Russians there may want Russian citizenship.
The various schemes--like hacking corporation and business datafiles and programs, helping friendly leaders stay in power, e.g., in Syria and in Venezuela---have done little to increase Putin's international reputation. He, along with his political ruling friends have bogged down in the mire of few tangible changes and disturbances that increase mean to him greater power and prestige worldwide.
I think he's looking for a big score over Ukraine, what he regards as his Ukraine. I think he wants to retain that pipeline to Europe through Ukraine!
My opinion.
They want the woman who's pregnant to carry to term the baby--not a child, just a physical thing.
Traditionally in Christianity, a human being is composed of body, mind and spirit. There is no human being in just the physical, living body-tissue: except according to some right wing groups of various religions.
While some groups in the Southern states oppose the pregnant woman's right to abort the fetus, be it noted no such restriction is being placed on the medical profession acting on behalf of the state and society, should it be determined the pregnancy would give birth to a "seriously deformed" or "inhuman" baby etc.
No provision or promise is being offered to the pregnant female that an unwanted pregnancy would be accepted in her community, its needs being met from state funding. Nor is the Catholic Church making promise to educate a child from an unwanted pregnancy. The only responsibility being incurred by law is that of the mother--to carry the fetus to term.
Note that for millennia, pregnant women and mothers of babies did have the right to abort or terminate the human growth at that primordial stage of its existence.
I sense there's a hidden injustice in making the woman a scapegoat for an act that society fails to accept
its own participation in, viz., an unwanted birth.
The Hon. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Tree Area, was the welcomed speaker at a Brookings Institution online event, November 29, 2021 10 AM, last Monday.
Questioners and discussants were H.E. Landry Signe, Brookings and the moderator, Aloysius U. Ordu, also of Brookings on the topic "The State of African free trade agreement and strategies for greater integration."
As each contributed to the discussion, I felt the rush of enthusiasm emanating from the monitor! This new organization bringing together as many African nations that wish to participate in a free trade arrangement of its members for African states only! Of course there are many organizations around the globe that espouse reduced or free trade: notably, the World Trade Organization, the TPP organization of Asian countries, and NAFTA for North American countries under its new name. But this one is for African nations to benefit from and among themselves.
Off to one side is China's current incursion into the African Continent, bringing much needed investment and loan money, and technical expertise onto its shores. And there's yet the European nations who have spread their cultures onto African soil and made trading partners of the African nations they had colonized in previous centuries but now have become significant equals in trade and commerce with their European "progenies."
But now there's a coming of a business enterprise geared to bring together the whole Continent of nations whose rules and regulations are established ways trading partners are to act. Its rules may be extended to nations each trades with abroad. Mr. Mene noted that nearly all the countries that are to participate in this trade organization have agreed upon the multitude of rules they have formulated among themselves.
Hopefully, there will be many benefits that accrue to its participants. 1) improved governance procedures at home; 2) reduced or no tariffs upon goods in trade; 3) gradually, bring citizenries out of poverty;
4) prevent undue, perhaps unwelcome, foreign influences; and 5) establish a groundwork for subsequent projects among these cooperating African nations. But each will lose tax money generated by the several tariffs the countries will no longer collect.
Ultimately, the free trade organization should reduce the costs of doing business and engaging in commerce wherever. Be it noted, many countries are woefully in debt, which makes the Chinese partnership model beyond the realm of practicality for some African nations suffering already from poor GDP numbers.
Good luck!
Because they go back from whence they came! The founding fathers of the country could thereby avoid turning the country into an autocracy.
Right now, Congressional legislators are deciding whether to go for another term in office or return to private life--typically, in some business venture or in an educational institution.
But where would President Putin go should he return to a former position? Clearly with the Russian intelligence, known then as the KGB. As President of Russia, he is promoting the interests of government among the citizenry simply because that's what he's been trained to do--as any autocrat is bound to continue to do.
The problem with the lack of training in a business or training is that the leader is not promoting the affairs of the people but of a particular group that would control and direct the people for their own ends. Little wonder, that President Putin has several palaces--or, so it has been reported--scattered throughout the country. And he is said to have a coterie of plutocrats hanging on his coattails.
The Chinese President Xi looks forward to further honors and accolades in his quest to make the Chinese people his people, following his direction given his expanse of knowledge and training and social standing.
The career leader in government without distinction in business or some other social enterprise cannot simply have a gripe, then enter politics, make his contribution to society's largesse, and afterwards return to a life of productivity of goods and services--upon which his society is dependent for its growth and development as a people for centuries to come.
The international community has put up with the bloodshed initiated by the violence sweeping Ethiopia caused by the antics of its current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Such ruthlessness imposed, first in secret and now flagrantly open to the very city limits of the capital city, can only have its source in an attempt to control a country's resources in the hands of the country's central government. For Ethiopia is a developing nation whose source of hydroelectric power, the largest power plant in Africa, is the prize that will lure business and industry even as Egypt to its north is benefitting from the Suez.
The current central administration must not be allowed to plunder the country's potential toward growth and prosperity so to use electricity for its own ends and those of neighboring marauders, possibly from Eritrea, in on Abiy's scheme.
To pursue peace, why does not the international powers insist on shared power, a compromise between the traditional government of Tigray and the current regime?
The bloodshed must be stopped; and peace become the reigning shout of those who seek it. Not to condone with the attempts of the central government to starve the entire province of Tigray.
On November 15, 2021 online 10 AM-12 noon the Brookings aired a panel discussion and a keynote conversation. Discussants on the panel were Fiona Hill. Brookings, Mark Leonard, European Council on Foreign Relations, Constanze Stelzenmuller, Center on US and Europe--Brookings; moderated by James Goldgerer, Center on US and Europe--Brookings. In keynote conversation were the French Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr. Clement Beaune and Ms. Celia Belin, Bookings.
The topic is timely in that currently Poland is preventing emigres from the Syrian civil war, the Rohingya driven from Myanmar and Afghans fleeing their homeland from entering Poland. While the Belarusian President may have permitted these people to enter Belarus, both Poland and Latvia have kept most of them out. Anti-immigrant feelings seem strong in the EU.
In this situation, one is harkened back to the cold war, where NATO functioned as a military power to prevent Russia and its satellites from forcing their will upon the European democracies. Should, then, NATO become involved in this dispute pertaining to the migration of Eastern peoples into Europe?
No longer is Russia the USSR powerful Empire. Really, do the countries of western Europe have any powerful nation threatening any one of them? And, if not, ought there not to be a new understanding of the relations between the US and its friends in the EU and the country of England? Specifically, should the US participate in a defense of Europe in peacetime?
And these days, Russia is dependent upon selling its oil to Europe's conglomerate of states. It's current GDP is akin to that of Italy's and certainly not a financial giant it once was, despite its retention of nuclear status among nations.
What has come to pass since the rebuilding of Europe is that countries that represented the Allied Forces of WWII in Europe have drifted apart, noticeably with the severing of ties of England from the EU, most of whom fought against Germany at one time or another.
Nevertheless, participants in the panel discussion alluded to NATO's current role in protecting the sovereignty of Ukraine. And noted too, is the traditional role of Belarus as a good puppet to Russia's dominance in the region.
Could there be an escalation of the border issue between Belarus and Poland that would ever lead to armed conflict? Even to the point of bringing in the nuclear might of Russia to end the intransigence of Poland as as to permit emigres of the East passage through their country?
Nevertheless, Great Britain has sent troops to Ukraine to support it in its fight for independence, while, notes Ms. Hill, Biden is busy addressing issues of infrastructure that precludes the passage of his program through Congress in its entirety.
Some participants raised the point that the EU is really a partnership of countries with similar history and maintaining shared values. Because of that social binding, they will stick together, while the internal strife between Democrats and Republicans heats up over the 2022 mid-term election in the US!
In the keynote conversation that transpired after the panel disbursed, Mr. Beune urged NATO provide France greater responsibility in the planning and carryout of the NATO mission in Europe. What, however, he did not mention is whether along with a greater responsibility France would increase its contribution to the NATO budget. The US has been carrying much of the financial burden of providing a defensive posture to western Europe, now including Ukraine--as former President Donald Trump has argued.
I am taking my computer back for repairs at the store--Best Buy. I've been there before, and several times the repairmen visited my room. It would work for a few hours. Then, some problem or other makes it impossible to use my room computer any longer. I must call and ultimately set up another appointment to have it fixed, because I can't use it.
Added to that Google makes it impossible for me to use my accounts elsewhere than where I have them listed with me. For me, guest status doesn't work, probably because I am unable by their standards to verify I am me.
Other than it's difficult for me to use a computer nowadays, things are really terrific. Especially, I've got a great health aide!
This is to confirm that while working on a ransomware project--the FBI-international--I got hacked 3 weeks ago. The Best Buy people are helping; though if necessary, I'll buy a new desktop--one featuring Google. I've got two Google accounts.
I'm thinking of subscribing monthly to Just Answer tech services. I need to use my accounts at libraries as well at where I live--American University Library and the DC public libraries. I have had success with Just Answer tech support in the past in this matter, but was hoping I could get by with their services on an ad hoc basis.
Looks not, especially, after the hack.
Things are going better than I'm used to experiencing--maybe because I'm living now in DC!
That Yemen war has been lasting for 10 years. The Saudis are basking in all their newly acquired lifestyles, while the Yemen people suffer a country away. Yet both claim to be Islamic. Obviously, the Saudis are embarrassed by the presence of poverty one country from their lavish display of Muslim religious piety.
The Houthis are to be commended along with the Iranians in standing by an Islamic people under attack-- lacking compassion and care for human life. Please, combatants, pursue peace in the name of Allah. Bit the Saudis are battling on the side of Al Qaeda! (Wikipedia source)
Repairman scheduled next week or next month--they aren't reliable, I've found.
Meantime, I'm working. I've got access to this account of mine--how long it'll be working, I don't know. Anyway, I'll be using this account, if I can't use my other account, the latter established because I couldn't use the account I'm on now for many months!
Anyway, I'm making use of whatever account I can use at the moment. One usable account is better than sitting, waiting until I can proceed.
I've complained that I can't use my home computer, because of goof-ups I've had to adjust to. For these many years, that's what I've been told to do: complain and move forward however you can--but keep trying!!
"A New Path to Education Reform: The Next Chapter on 21st Century Skills" is the official title of the august group of educators participating in the Brookings' discussion of 1/13/21. It came out of a Brookings Policy Report on education, and formed the basis for the discussion. Helen Hadani of Brookings was the presenter; Emiliana Vegas of Global Economy and Development, Ted Hintersmith, author, Victoria Sullivan, formerly of the New Hampshire state legislature, Kethy Hirsh-Pasek, Temple University, and Elizabeth H. Edensheim of NYU--all participated.
I take it their point of view throughout the discussion was the need to reform educative institutions to incorporate the fundamental proposition that the world is forever changing and the education, no matter its level, must reflect how mankind strives to make this world even more livable for mankind than heretofore. That is to say, education must emphasize the changes in knowledge of that world and our efforts to make it a world more conducive to our betterment as its rational, conceptualizing inhabitants. Through our abilities as human beings we have that power to improve upon nature no matter the field of knowledge.
The discussion began by observing that the classroom is the same classroom of thirty years ago. But really, is that so? We've brought in audio-visuals, the internet, speakers from the community and business and other learning particulars, such as doing experiments, to bring the world into the classroom. What we are lax in doing to my way of thinking is that we haven't made room for the community at the curriculum table where, if they were there, they'd tell how the business world, especially, is geared to achieve projects--that the entire thrust of the quest for knowledge is to participate in a contemporary project to bring about change in how habits. Change in the automobile--today, going to the electric car, for example. That is, there's this year's change in the auto, followed by next year's model, etc. And the worker is invited to make his contribution in bringing about the new version in an ever-changing series.
So, what is missing from the classroom is an emphasis on change, on a departure from the old way, and its basis for the new way, with its new knowledge strands. Yet, it is precisely the graduate of the educational system who is being invited to become part of the new world that is producing the contemporary at this very moment in time.
By bringing together so many from different walks of life, Brookings is calling for an emphasis upon the recognition that we must engage in our world so as to keep up in the creation of what we want to be an even better world for us (as John Dewey, the American philosopher, argued.)
Bring into the classroom, therefore, not just the textbook of yesterday, but the contemporary magazines heralding change, e.g., Scientific American. Bring in the Shark Tank TV series where entrepreneurs are making use of new knowledge to make an even more hospitable new world for man to live in. Bring in speakers who tell how discoveries in applications of electricity are in the offing. So as to raise the question in these young minds of the students--what part are you to play! True, as these discussants pointed out, education is a lifelong process of involvement in innovation and welcome change, so long as we live.
In closing, these educators alluded to the fact that participating in your world is having fun from kindergarten to old age watching as the world spins.
It's what Congress is all about: Republicans and Democrats get together in conference to hammer out a negotiated bill that gives both sides some of what they each are trying to get.
It's what unions are talking to their management about to secure good working conditions and wages for their members.
You know, I think that since union membership has sunk after the 1950s, etc., there's not been enough emphasis given to the importance that groups, working for a common purpose, ought to spend time negotiating among them. That is to say, we need more of negotiations in our day-to-day transactions, so that Congress won't feel that it alone in the country negotiates settlements among its various factions!
One man rule is not the condition for negotiating: the potentate issues what he wants done; and it is up to his subjects to obey or else! But, democracies bring the various groups making up a society together and they all sit down and reason together--they negotiate--for the good of all concerned. Importantly, the factions are treated equally, all wanting that the process works to their interest and the interest of the society to which they belong.
We need to promote more the notion of negotiation among those representing different points of view, because it's an important feature that humans can do: to reason things to an amicable conclusion, compared with those in the animal world who don't have this capacity of settling differences through conversing together in negotiation.
