#what PLANET do the protected historic lands need to lose protection so the state can work w/ PRIVATE LAND OWNERSHIP to build these places?

[jvzebel-x]

🦋

[begoodstewards]

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day everybody. It’s the 50th anniversary, which seems a bit absurd considering Earth was here long before bipedal creatures started walking around naming things. It is flabbergasting to think that in 1970 our relationship with our home planet was so toxic that officially getting a single day to focus on repairing it seemed like a massive victory.

In the 200 years since the First Industrial Revolution we were already doing irreparable damage. Forests were clear cut at alarming rates, mountains were toppled and stripped of their substance, waterways were fished bare or polluted until they were uninhabitable, and the air was choked with smog and fumes. The Industrial Revolution brought more people out of poverty than any other movement in history, but it did so at the expense of our relationship with the earth.

In the last 50 years we have made great strides in mitigating the damage we inflict on the natural world. It’s a constant struggle, the balance between progress and conservation, but the 50-year trend shows we are heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, I cannot help but feel that we are addressing the symptoms and not the underlying root of the problem. The environmental movement is almost entirely about what we as humans do to the earth, and how to protect the planet from the human species. This good vs. evil paradigm leads to the politicization of any issue that hints at environmentalism.

The earth does not need our protection. It was here long before we were, and it will be here long after we are gone. We, as humans, need the earth. Using our ingenuity, we have invented ways to grow our population beyond that which our ecosystem could previously support. We have focused our efforts on technologies that allow us to get more from less so we can continue to become more prosperous. We have also created a bubble of consumption, but at some point, that bubble will collapse. Whether resource shortages, natural disasters, disease, or any of the other myriad disasters nature has up it’s sleeve our way of life is fragile and beginning to crack.

I have spent a lot of time, as I’m sure most of you have, over the last couple of months reflecting on my way of life. I think a lot about my grandparents, part of the Greatest Generation, that grew up in the Great Depression, fought the forces of evil during World War II, saw the moon landing and the development of penicillin, and witnessed the greatest advancement of technology and prosperity in the history of the world.  They taught me a lot about life and were massive influences on my worldview.

The stories that keep coming to mind for me right now are the ones from their childhood. They milked cows, worked the cotton fields, sewed their own cloths, cooked their own meals, played in the creek, and took long walks through the forest. These stories wrapped me in a fantasy world, a place similar to the world in which I lived as a child but quainter and in sepia tones. In middle school we were learning about the Great Depression when it dawned on me that they spent their formative years under the cloud of an historic economic downturn. I thought their experiences must be agonizing, like my grandfather’s memories of The War, which is why they hid them from me. When I asked them outright about their experiences during the Great Depression, I found that my assumptions could not be farther from the truth. All the stories about milking cows and jumping in the creeks were from the Depression era. They grew and raised their own food, built their own homes, made their own cloths. They were self-sufficient, and because of this they really had no idea that the Great Depression was even happening.

My grandparents found careers, my grandfather a carpenter and my grandmother a healthcare worker, and they moved to town. They built a modest ranch home in a nice neighborhood and made a decent living and their children grew up never wanting for much. Still, my grandparents tilled up a quarter acre in the back yard and planted a spring and fall garden every year. The flower beds surrounding the house would explode with color every spring, and the sweet gum and poplar trees would provide a glorious shade to cool off in the depths of August in the deep south. My grandmother would wash the disposable plates and put them back in the cabinet, and we ate cereal from re-used cool whip containers. This all seemed ridiculous at the time, and the grandkids would all giggle and poke fun. But, my grandparents knew what it was like to have to make the most of what they had, and the lessons from their childhood were not forgotten well into their nineties.

It’s amazing how a global pandemic can take the most complex aspects of our society and make them seem trivial, while simultaneously making the most basic aspects of human existence seem revolutionary. I think deep down that most of us realize how close we came, and still are, to total collapse. A lot of us are getting more exercise, planting gardens, and seriously reevaluating how we are using our resources. We are strengthening our relationship with the earth.

I started the Good Stewards of the Earth organization to help regular people get involved in outdoor recreation. I hoped maybe to one day lead hikes, give clinics, and possibly have a scout program. With all the goings on in my everyday life I haven’t had the time to make it much more than a title under which I collect pictures of me and the family out in the wild. I have also struggled to find a career that makes me feel that I am having a positive impact on society and nature. I work in the outdoor industry and I love my job, it has honestly gotten me closer to reaching that goal than any of my other careers. Still, I want to do more.

I believe right now is the time to grow the Good Stewards into an organization that truly benefits mankind, and to use my skill and passion to have a positive impact on the world. I want our focus to expand beyond outdoor recreation and to help people foster a relationship with the earth. I want to help people be more self-sufficient using skills I learned from my grandparents. I want to influence lawmakers and businesses to conserve our resources and make decisions that will make us less vulnerable to existential threats. I want to see a society where we benefit from our outstanding technological advances without losing sight of what makes us human.

Over the next few weeks, we will launch our new website, BeGoodStewards.org, and will begin drafting our mission statement and plan of action. We will begin a series of educational videos and blog posts too. We will start our search for a board of directors while filing with our Secretary of State’s office and petitioning the IRS for 501c3 status. We will also begin raising money to fund these endeavors. I’m also going to begin asking for help. If you can make a financial contribution it will be much appreciated, and if you have advice or encouragement that is even better. You can reach me at begoodstewards@gmail.com. If you have ideas or constructive criticism, please reach out. If you are inspired by our mission, please follow us on all forms of media and share our posts with your friends and family. Most importantly, join me in trying to be good stewards of the earth.

[xtruss]

Why You Should Plant Oaks

These large, long-lived trees support more life-forms than any other trees in North America. And they’re magnificent.

The genus Quercus is made up of trees that are very large and very long-lived, two things that help explain the oak’s power. At more than 500 years old, the Bedford Oak in Bedford, N.Y., may be only at midlife, by some estimates. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

— By Margaret Roach | March 31, 2021 | The New York Times

When I arrived years ago at the piece of land I now garden, I saw it as a blank canvas and set about madly planting things, imagining my efforts would bring every square foot to life. I did not understand then that the heavy lifting had already been done — and probably by some blue jay, or maybe a squirrel.

Douglas W. Tallamy, an entomologist and longtime professor at the University of Delaware, would have known right away what the giant old oak trees along the front property line meant to the place — and to any place.

“There is much going on in your yard that would not be going on if you did not have one or more oak trees gracing your piece of planet earth,” he writes in his new book, “The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees.”

It was caterpillars — especially the larval stage of moths like this one-spotted variant — that Douglas W. Tallamy credits with alerting him to the power of the genus Quercus. Caterpillars fuel the food web, and more species depend on oaks than on any other plant. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

Oaks support more life-forms than any other North American tree genus, providing food, protection or both for birds to bears, as well as countless insects and spiders, among the enormous diversity of species. Oaks also supply more of what he calls “fascinating interactions,” intimate details the book chronicles, month by month.

It was caterpillars — especially the larval stage of moths — that Mr. Tallamy credits with alerting him to the power of the genus Quercus. With 90-plus North American species and about 435 worldwide, Quercus is the Northern Hemisphere’s largest tree genus, made up mostly of trees that are very large and very long-lived, two factors among several that help explain the oak’s power.

When Mr. Tallamy began research 12 years ago to compare the relative ecological effect of native and nonnative plants, his team searched historical scientific records and made lists of host-plant genera, tallying how many caterpillar species were dependent on each. Why record caterpillar interactions? Not just because Mr. Tallamy likes them — he calls them “repurposed leaves that can walk” — but because caterpillars fuel the food web.

Oaks led by far, an insight that made them characters in his previous books, including the 2020 best seller “Nature’s Best Hope.”

“They are so important, critically important, in running our ecosystems, and that’s what attracts me,” he said. “Oaks are not just another plant.”

North American oak leaves vary greatly in shape and size, as this small sampling shows. Not all of them are the classic shape we think of as an oak leaf. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

Consider a few of the oak’s credentials.

Oak trees support 897 caterpillar species in the United States. At Mr. Tallamy’s 10-acre property in southeastern Pennsylvania, he has recorded 511 — dwarfing the number supported by other native trees there, including maples (Acer, interactions with 295 caterpillar species), ironwood (Carpinus, 77) and sweetgum (Liquidambar, 35).

Of the food eaten by insects, birds and other animals, 75 percent comes from a few key genera — and oaks lead the list.

Birds forage longer in oaks (which, again, is often about caterpillars — high-value food especially during breeding season, when they are prime baby food).

An oak can produce three million acorns in its lifetime — tons of protein, fat and carbohydrates — and a mature tree can drop as many as 700,000 leaves every year. The resulting litter is habitat for beneficial organisms, and the tree’s canopy and root system are important in water infiltration, helping rain percolate instead of running off, and purifying it in the process. Oak trees also sequester carbon

As Mr. Tallamy puts it: “A yard without oaks is a yard meeting only a fraction of its life-support potential.”

Yes, he’s aware: We have objections. Oaks are too big. They produce all those leathery leaves that don’t decompose fast enough for our neatnik liking. And in those years when the acorn crop is particularly heavy — known as mast years — we can’t walk anywhere near the trees without losing our footing.

But Mr. Tallamy seeks to quell those reservations, so that we’ll make room for at least one tree (or better still, two or three).

Blue jays and oaks have an ancient mutualism; their ancestors evolved together, about 60 million years ago, in Southeast Asia. Blue jays carry acorns up to a mile from the parent oak, burying them as a future food stash. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

Jays and Oaks: a Long, Productive History

When Mr. Tallamy and his wife, Cindy, moved to their home 20 years ago, the land had long been mowed for hay, a practice they discontinued. No longer suppressed by the tractor, invasives emerged, and the couple began removing them. The next spring, they noticed that in many disturbed spots created by the uprooting they had done of unwanted multiflora rose and autumn olive, oak and beech seedlings had sprung up — but from where?

“We had no white oaks or beeches on our property and no mature trees nearby from which squirrels could have moved seed,” Mr. Tallamy writes.

A chance magazine photo of a jay flying with an acorn in its beak sent him digging into the literature. And sure enough, the ancient mutualism between jays and oaks was well documented.

Oaks and jays evolved together about 60 million years ago, in what is now Southeast Asia. Jays grew so adapted to life alongside oaks that a small hook at the tip of their bill “is designed to rip open an acorn husk,” Mr. Tallamy writes.

The bird’s expanded esophagus (a gular pouch) can hold up to five acorns — each one buried in a different spot, to be eaten later. Except some are forgotten and never retrieved. And you know what comes next: Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

“The diversity and abundance of the little creatures that reside in the leaf litter that accumulates beneath an oak is astounding,” writes Mr. Tallamy in “The Nature of Oaks,” “and easily exceeds counts in the millions.”Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

An Ode to Oak-Leaf Litter

Because they contain concentrations of lignins and tannins, natural chemicals that retard breakdown, oak leaves decompose slower than most tree leaves. Mr. Tallamy hopes gardeners see them as “priceless litter,” not debris to vacuum, shred or, worse, burn.

“The diversity and abundance of the little creatures that reside in the leaf litter that accumulates beneath an oak is astounding,” he writes, “and easily exceeds counts in the millions.”

What are they doing, all those arthropods? Some are overwintering, taking shelter until fairer days (which is why Mr. Tallamy advises us not to start our cleanup too early). But others are detritivores, nature’s cleaning crew, without whom the system collapses. Many fungi, too, make a home in oak-leaf litter.

“If leaf litter disappears, so do the decomposers,” Mr. Tallamy writes, “as well as the fungi and bacteria many eat, and the mycorrhizae that enable plant roots to absorb the nutrients they need.”

Oak-leaf litter has other superpowers as well — practical ones that speak to gardeners facing either of two fierce, fast-spreading invasives: Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) does poorly in areas with a heavy layer, and oak litter also seems to deter soil-eroding Asian jumping worms.

A white oak (Quercus alba) in autumn, as the leaves fade. Some oaks hold onto their faded foliage all winter, a phenomenon called marcescence that may help protect buds on branches from predators, direct more snow (and water) to tree roots and create a nutrient-rich mulch as spring arrives. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

When Leaves Don’t Fall

You may have seen it: an oak tree whose dry, brown leaves stay put all winter. The phenomenon, called marcescence, is more common in younger trees (and also seen in the oak’s botanical cousin, the beech).

Why do they hold onto that excess baggage? If you’re an animal like a deer or an elk, the dead leaves taste bad and any that do fall will rustle or crunch if you walk on them, alerting predators to your presence. So perhaps those leaves protect new buds on lower branches by discouraging animals from grazing.

But what about the dead leaves on higher branches? Earlier in the oak’s 60-million-year history there were taller predators, like mastodons, that may have been deterred as well.

Or perhaps marcescent leaves help oaks growing in poor soil by catching snow, directing more water to the root zones, and eventually falling to create a nutrient-rich mulch just when the trees need it most, as spring arrives. Or all of the above. No one knows for sure.

Whether to outpace predators or improve pollination efficiency, oaks sometimes produce a bumper crop of acorns, a phenomenon known as masting. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

The Boom of Mast Years

If you’ve seen a wall-to-wall carpet of acorns beneath an oak, you’ve probably witnessed that individual’s contribution to a mast year, not an isolated event. Mast years are often synchronous: In the fall of 2019, red oaks from Massachusetts to Georgia produced vast crops of acorns.

But why? Is it a way of exceeding predators’ demands, insuring that some seeds are left to grow? Or perhaps an unpredictable harvest, year to year, controls predator populations, which may surge and then decline when a subsequent crop can’t sustain them. Or did masting evolve to improve pollination for these mostly wind-pollinated trees, outsmarting the vagaries of wind by producing so much pollen it can’t miss? Again, maybe all of the above.

Oaks support more life-forms than any other North American tree genus. Mr. Tallamy urges us to plant native oaks from acorns — or leave self-sowns like this white oak seedling to mature. Credit...Douglas W. Tallamy

Now Go Plant Some Oaks

Mr. Tallamy’s call to action: convincing us to plant oaks, preferably from acorns.

“Acorns are easy, free and plentiful,” he writes, “and they will grow into healthier trees than if you transplant established trees.”

Or rather than pulling up those volunteer seedlings, why not leave one in place and protect it from animals with a wire cage while it gains a foothold? Several trees spaced 10 feet apart will interlock their roots, forming a grove, each better anchored than it would be standing alone.

In “Nature’s Best Hope,” Mr. Tallamy coined the term Homegrown National Park — the notion that each person’s contributions of native plantings, led by oaks, could add up to substantial conservation corridors. His new Homegrown National Park website encourages us to add our own efforts to an interactive map; more than 5,000 people already have.

There’s a payoff for the environment, yes, but also for each of us, in the bonds of personal connection. He feels it, down to the last acorn.

“The oaks in my yard are not just oaks, they are vibrant communities of hundreds of species,” Mr. Tallamy said. “We planted them from acorns — so we enabled all this life by planting those oaks, and we did it in just a few years. You really can bring all this life to your yard just by planting this one genus. We really need oaks, and need to treat them with reverence.”

[dailynewswebsite]

Fantasy Football Week 7 Rankings: Russell Wilson vs. Kyler Murray highlights matchups to prep for

The Guardian

Ryan Fitzpatrick is main the happiest march to obsolescence in NFL historical past

The Dolphins quarterback is preserving the starter’s spot heat for Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. However like a lot of his profession, he’s doing so with fashion and skillWhen Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made his NFL debut through the remaining drive of Sunday’s 24-Zero annihilation of the New York Jets, nobody appeared happier than the person he’ll at some point exchange, Ryan Fitzpatrick. The 37-year-old led the sparse house crowd in an ovation with a smile so massive it nearly outdid his magnificent beard. And why not? Fitzpatrick is aware of that is his group solely briefly. He accepts and embraces it. However within the meantime, he’s balling. Fitzpatrick is seventh within the league in QBR and will stay in that territory after tossing three touchdowns towards the Jets. (He additionally threw two interceptions, certainly one of which was the 0-6 Jets’ few highlights of the season.) His 70% completion charge is the best of his profession and he’s helming a scrappy group coming off back-to-back blowout wins. The Dolphins are a pleasure to observe nowadays with a lot of the enjoyment rooted in Fitzpatrick. After Miami topped Jacksonville in Week 3’s bonanza of facial hair quarterbacks, Fitzpatrick was elated. “I really feel just like the luckiest man on this planet typically, attending to go outdoors and play soccer with my mates,” he informed reporters. Fitzpatrick has a refreshing happy-to-be-here side to his profession however he’s additionally sensible, robust and helpful sufficient to be an ideal cease hole for any franchise. Simply ask the Rams, Bengals, Invoice, Titans, Texans, Jets, Bucs and now Dolphins. Fitzpatrick won’t ever be the tallest or quickest in a quarterback room, however nobody will prime his willpower. Fitzpatrick’s journey was detailed by Yahoo this this summer season, a journey that concerned battling to win beginning quarterback job at Highland Excessive in Gilbert, Arizona, then transferring up the depth chart at Harvard, earlier than consistently having to reprove his price to a litany of NFL franchises. Some quarterbacks are branded as starters, some as backups. Fitzpatrick is in his personal distinctive class the place he so generally emerges because the starter that you just lose monitor of whether or not or not it was by design.Fitzpatrick is a wonderment not due to his stronger-than-you-think arm, his escapability, and even his endless beard. It’s his self-awareness. It’s his skill to know that he’s a placeholder but take the sector like he owns the group. It’s his skill to encourage his teammates. “Fitz is only a healthful particular person. The way in which he’s out on the sector is identical means he’s off the sector,” Tagovailoa informed ESPN this week. “I don’t suppose there’s actually a definite change in who he’s. I imply, what you see out there’s actually who Fitz is. He’s a coach. He’s a mentor on and off the sector. However he’s additionally a really, very family-oriented particular person. Very loving. Very caring for guys. And he’s humorous, too. He’s actually humorous.”It’s uncertain that Aaron Rodgers will likely be leaping for pleasure when Jordan Love takes the sector nor would most quarterbacks once they can see their current turn into their previous within the flesh. However Fitzpatrick is a unique breed. His pleasure for Tagovailoa’s entrance illuminated his objective as each a bridge and a mentor. Like Patrick Mahomes with Alex Smith, Tagovailoa entered the NFL in an idyllic state of affairs. In Fitzpatrick, he acquired a mentor that not solely leads by instance however who genuinely needs the child to succeed. It’s one factor to look at how a lot time a teammate places into movie research, it’s one other when that teammate additionally cares about you as a human and needs to information you thru the whole thorny panorama that’s the NFL. That’s Fitz. Each every so often, it seems like Fitzpatrick is destined to be the man underneath middle. However the baton will likely be handed off, and probably quickly. Till then, Fitzpatrick will hold partaking in a quarterback arc that’s charmed and uniquely his. Stat of the weekThe Patriots are underneath .500 this late within the season for the primary time since 2002. For many groups a 2-Three file wouldn’t be trigger for panic. It would even be trigger for celebration when you reside within the NFC East. However this season has been a serious pivot for the Patriots who had a reserved seat within the playoffs for the final 20 years. The Pats had been sloppy on each side of the ball in a 18-12 house loss to the Broncos. Cam Newton, now recovered from Covid-19, was sacked 4 instances and had no offensive weaponry or safety. There may be the apparent excuse of little to no follow time given the ability’s Covid-19 closure over a lot of the previous two weeks. However in contrast to the Titans, who overcame the identical hurdles and crushed the Payments final Thursday, the Pats don’t look like a group with a lot depth or overwhelming expertise at this level. MVP of the week> THAT’S ROYALTY!

> > 94-yard TD run for @KingHenry_2 > >

: Watch HOUvsTEN on CBS pic.twitter.com/44iVQKCwVR> > — Tennessee Titans (@Titans) October 18, 2020Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans. All hail King Henry who placed on a clinic in Tennessee’s scintillating 42-36 additional time win towards the Texans. When JJ Watt strip-sacked Ryan Tannehill, a turnover that resulted in a landing and Houston taking the lead, it appeared like a serious momentum shift. However Henry answered with a jaw-dropping-how-does-a-man-that-big-have-those-jets 94 yard landing. Henry was additionally instrumental in additional time, barreling upfield on a 53-yard display screen after which scoring the game-winner on a direct snap. Henry ended with 212 dashing yards and have become the primary participant in NFL historical past with 200-yard video games in three consecutive seasons. May he be probably the most harmful rusher since Adrian Peterson in his prime? Video of the week> Aaron Rodgers took a tough hit ultimately zone, then he instantly obtained up and hit them with a “double pump.” Absolute savage

pic.twitter.com/fjDOyKSnrz> > — FOX Sports activities: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 18, 2020 Aaron Jones ran in a one-yard landing within the first quarter for Inexperienced Bay but it surely was the opposite Aaron who actually felt the second. Sure, Aaron Rodgers carried out the Hingle McCringleberry extreme celebration sketch, a fictional soccer participant made well-known from Key and Peele. Quote of the week“We’re one of the best protection on this league” – Bears inside linebacker Danny Trevathan.It’s laborious to argue with Trevathan after the Bears’ protection turned in one other dominating, opportunistic defensive efficiency, topping Carolina 23-16. They had been flat out stifling as the sport progressed, particularly the run stuffers. As Kevin Fishbain of the Athletic factors out the Bears allowed Panthers rusher Mike Davis to gather 40 yards on eight carries. However after that they held him to 12 yards on 10 carries. The Bears now sit at a really wholesome 5-1 and the protection saving the offense appears to be a theme for Chicago this season – and nearly all of their seasons. Elsewhere across the league– The arrival of Tom Brady put a whole lot of deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense however their protection is among the finest within the league. They made Rodgers look unusual, whereas they harassed him all afternoon because the Bucs inflicted the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ first lack of the season. Certainly, the Bucs protection was so dominant that Rodgers was pulled within the fourth-quarter to guard him from additional punishment.– After accidents to the Jags’ first 4 kickers this season, they reached deep into the pile and pulled out … somebody who had by no means tried a subject aim at any stage. Jon Brown was a soccer participant at Louisville earlier than transferring to Kentucky to play soccer the place he grew to become a kickoff specialist. However even with out the expertise, Brown drilled his first-ever try like a seasoned vet, although he did miss a 32-yarder later in Jacksonville’s 34-16 loss to the Lions.– Steelers-Browns didn’t fairly reside as much as its Sport of the Week billing. Pittsburgh clobbered Cleveland 38-7, once more showcasing their elite wideout scouting with James Washington becoming a member of Chase Claypool as a pressure. The Steelers protection, aided by a key Minkah Fitzpatrick interception, regarded much more stout than final week. Steelers-Ravens in Week eight must be on everybody’s calendars.– Interim Texans head coach Romeo Crennel had the controversial teaching transfer of the week. The Texans scored with 1:50 left and took a seven-point lead. As an alternative of kicking it to place Houston up eight, Crennel rolled the cube and tried to go for a win with a two-point conversion.– The NFL woke to nice information in Sunday, when zero Covid-19 checks got here again optimistic.– Presumptive No1 total choose Trevor Lawrence carried out his newest masterpiece Saturday, his ridiculous arm and determination making guiding Clemson to an historic 73-7 rout of Georgia Tech. Already up 52-7 on the half, Lawrence left the sport after one second-half sequence with 5 touchdowns, 405 yards, and all quarterback-deficient NFL groups salivating.– Vikings followers, how are you feeling about Kirk Cousins’ $66m assured contract extension? Yikes. He threw three touchdowns in Minnesota’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons … and in addition three interceptions. “The truth is that if the tempo I’m on when it comes to the interceptions, if that had been to proceed, I received’t end the season,” Cousins stated. He’s proper.

from Growth News https://growthnews.in/fantasy-football-week-7-rankings-russell-wilson-vs-kyler-murray-highlights-matchups-to-prep-for/ via https://growthnews.in

[allyklapak]

The truth is in the soil

The United States food industry has wreaked havoc on the land, the environment, the economy, and the health and posterity of the public almost undetectably for years. This truth is obscured from the public through crafty legislation, oppressive corporate manipulation, and exploitation our country’s socioeconomic disparity. Often those in the agriculture business are forced to turn to unsustainable practices in order to turn a profit in the increasingly competitive market. Through harmful farming practices, the soil layer that encompasses the planet and fundamentally supports life on Earth, undergoes constant abuse nearing its irreversible tipping point. The importance of soil must be analyzed to underscore the necessity of agricultural reform. The complicated political interconnectedness then raises further questions into the ethicality of corporate practice in other areas of the food industry. Ignorance may seem like bliss, but exposure to these uncomfortable truths is pertinent to wage an informed usurpation in this specialized market.

  Soil is rarely recognized for the crucial role it plays in supporting the ecosystems of the world. Rarely do humans look down and contemplate the origins of such a vital resource. Soil primarily forms by way of glacial, wind, or water erosion picking up nutrients and mixing the elements to create a paradrill basis for new soil. [1] This new soil often partakes in the cyclical life of plants which provides support for growing specimen then subsequently takes in minerals from the decomposed plant matter after they die. [1] The biodiversity that exists beneath the soil’s surface varies between the broad spectrum of soils types that exist. [1] Depending on the geographical surroundings and age, soil may be characterized in one of many groups including entisol (baby soil), aridsol (desert soil), mollisol, alfisol (forest soil). [1] Evidently, the United States possesses the latter two in greater supply than other parts of the world. [1] However, our ill-fated agricultural practices squander this fortunate advantage we possess. In a broader sense, soil serves as an “Interface between biology and geology”. [1] This remarkable attribute is how soils contribute to the living work in a more profound way than just being dirt beneath out feet. This underground realm is home to a variety of bacteria that facilitate processes such as photosynthesis and chemical breakdown for plants. [1] Not only do these microscopic organisms break down chemicals into a usable form for plants, but they also serve humans through processing chemicals we cannot. [1] For example, life that exists within soil allow for oxidation reduction, mine phosphorus from rocks into the only usable form for humans, and can convert nitrogen into the usable form in the roots of plants. [1] The presence of these microorganisms and their pivotal role in the delicate chemical cycles of our ecosystem prove their invaluable nature. [1] There is not substitute for these indispensable habitants of the soils is we must foster their stable population by protecting the health of the soil in which they exist. Without proper hydration and movement, soils may not breed these necessary living members and the entire system is disrupted.

  The pertinence of soil is more evident in the sense of agriculture and food production. To successfully grow a healthy harvest, your seeds must have a healthy soil to grow from. This is a more short-term presentation of the effects of soil quality and provide more influence due to the economic implications that may be associated. Present practices have taking to growing a less diverse assortment of crop in order to fulfill the demand of high output stable crops like corn and wheat. [1] However, this strips the earth of an important biodiversity and has historically contributed to the rise of soil depleting practices for the sake of efficiency. [1] Implementation of fertilizer has enables companies to depend on spraying their land with chemicals to deter pests that may threaten the crop yield. [1] These nitrogen rich fertilizers were engineered subsequent to the Haber and Bosch reactions in regards to WWII bombs. [1] Fertilizers have come to dominate the agricultural practices of the Unites States and often lead to over saturated nitrogen levels in soil which disrupts the natural carbon dioxide breakdown system. [1] The industrialization of farming techniques, known as the Green revolution, enhanced the use of fossil fuels, water, and mechanization in agriculture. [1] Irrigation methods have drowned soil and exacerbated the issue of erosion which has cost farmers 1/3 of their soil. [1] Plowing soil makes the physical erosion of soil worse and does not replicate the benefits of tilling soil. [1] Most importantly, these modern practices do not adhere to the Law of Return which requires humans to return what they have taken in order to maintain a balanced system. [1] Abandonment of this key principle underscores the detrimental influence of capitalism. Farmers will over harvest and be in a nutrient deficit as they are reluctant to return anything back to the Earth. When you take away crop output, the soil loses all of the energy that has been transformed within those crops and the fast turnaround times demanded by the competitive market do not allow for the soil to naturally replenish these important features. This is highly counterintuitive as for the sake of efficiency, stripping the soil of what it needs to produce hearty crops will hurt the farmer in the long Run. Their soil will continue to weaken and more money will be poured into bandage the issues with more fertilizers, chemicals, and machines rather than reverting to return techniques that will actually restore the soil. Less effective soil produces a lower quality crop and traps the farmer into a catch-up cycle that can only end in economic and environmental failure. I volunteered at farm for three summers and saw these concepts applied in real life. The tiny suburban farm had utilized these harmful practices for decades and were finally facing the negative results. The soil was nearly unusable and the property changed hands several times before someone was willing to take on the task of revitalizing the soil to produce a profitable harvest. The summers I volunteered, shocked me as I would see the farm stand import produce as we could not grow our own. As disheartening as this was, this a necessary lesson to be learned and I warn the agricultural industry to make adjustments while they still can to avoid this costly and long period of regrowth.

  The greater food industry is riddled with similar environmentally negligent practices with repercussions that hurt not only long-term business interests but also the health and safety of the consumer. A handful of corporations possess a monopoly on agriculture and the meat industry. They are able to use this economic dominance to cut corners, buy the silence of their workers and legislative exemptions for the sake of efficiency. This is most prominent in the meat industry, where the cruel customs of these corporations require animals to be brought up in mass quantity like a factory. Corporations manipulate workers into silence by coercing them into an inescapable debt. [2] This unethical habit of holding someone’s livelihood over their head to force cooperation should be banned through legislation, but often legislatures are in the pockets of the CEOs responsible. [2] I find it disgusting how these companies are able to exacerbate the economic class divides within the United States by oppressing their own workers. Additionally, these companies source impoverished immigrants to do the unethical work they prefer to keep under wraps so that they can use documentation status as a coercive device. [2] Manipulation of society does not end within the company but seeps into the mouths of consumers. By enforcing cheap practices that often exploit the use if easily available crop supplies like corn, companies have modified foods to sell to the American public. [2] Unsustainable methods are cheaper in the short term due to their efficiency so the struggling middle and lower classes face little choice but to opt for these cheap and readily available options rather than spend larger percentages of needed income on healthier alternatives.

Word Count:1324 Discussion question: It is clear that the consumer is often manipulated by corporations for the sake of profits. How can this issue if corporate and ultimately governmental corruption be addressed so that great change can be achieved?

Koons, Deborah, director. Symphony of the Soil. Youtube, Distribbor, 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntJouJhLM48.

Food, Inc. [Los Angeles, CA] :Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2009.

[americanlibertypac]

Video and Full Text of Trump Address to Congress

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJuvNMLBcQk]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America.

Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation’s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains. Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.

That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.

A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.

A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.

And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.

What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.

Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.

All the nations of the world — friend or foe — will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.

In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding — 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.

It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?

I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.

For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.

We’ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit — and so many other places throughout our land.

We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross — and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.

And we’ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.

Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.

But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus — as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.

Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first … because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.

Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.

Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.

Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.

Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.

It’s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I’ve made in keeping those promises.

Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We’ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.

We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job?crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines — thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs — and I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.

With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.

I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth — and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed –- but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.

As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.

To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.

We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.

It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.

We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America — we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.

That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe — and to keep out those who would do us harm.

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS — a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court — from my list of 20 judges — who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.

Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.

Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.

We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.

In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.

We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.

And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.

Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.

But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy — making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.

My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.

We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes — but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it’s good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me — without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it — that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

They weren’t even asking for change. But I am.

I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the “abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people.”

Lincoln was right — and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.

I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.

Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America’s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –- enter the middle class.

I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.

If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.

Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program –- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States — financed through both public and private capital –- creating millions of new jobs.

This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.

Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.

Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State — it is unsustainable and collapsing.

One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all.

Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?

We now know that all of those promises have been broken.

Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.

So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.

Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.

Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.

My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women’s health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.

True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.

An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She was not expected to live past 5.

On receiving this news, Megan’s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan’s life. Today she is 20 years old — and a sophomore at Notre Dame.

Megan’s story is about the unbounded power of a father’s love for a daughter.

But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan’s life, from reaching those in need.

If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.

In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles.

But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.

Education is the civil rights issue of our time.

I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.

Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.

We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.

But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.

The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.

In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.

This is not acceptable in our society.

Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.

But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement.

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.

Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they’ll come home safe and sound.

We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.

And we must support the victims of crime.

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.

Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.

Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.

Jamiel’s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.

Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.

Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.

To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.

Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win.

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.

Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.

The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater.

And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.

We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation.

I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, “Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.” Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom –- we will never forget him.

To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.

Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.

We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.

But our partners must meet their financial obligations.

And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.

We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.

Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people –- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict — not more.

We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.

The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.

America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.

We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world.

Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.

On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America’s centennial. At that celebration, the country’s builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.

Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.

Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light.

Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.

Imagine the wonders our country could know in America’s 250th year.

Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.

Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.

American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.

Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.

And streets where mothers are safe from fear — schools where children learn in peace — and jobs where Americans prosper and grow — are not too much to ask.

When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.

This is our vision. This is our mission.

But we can only get there together.

We are one people, with one destiny.

We all bleed the same blood.

We all salute the same flag.

And we are all made by the same God.

And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.

The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.

We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.

The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.

And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears –-

inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past –-

and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and —

Believe in yourselves.

Believe in your future.

And believe, once more, in America.

Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.

[whatudottu]

Okay, this is take 2, and I’m starting from complete scratch. Now, however, since I’m writing this in notes INSTEAD of tumblr, I’ll be taking the time to think through thoughts a little more cohesively.

Starting of with mentioning not only Petropia, but how each element of the planet helps contribute to Petrosapien biology AND culture.

Petropia is definitely not a spherical planet, and even though Earth itself isn’t perfect, this is super wild. But planets of a more... oblong let’s say, shape and appearance can exist.

From what I have heard, however, this means that Petropia would need a super fast rotation speed.

For those who’ve read my Kinet/Kineceleran post about their Earth sickness, you may be thinking that if this was the case, Petrosapiens too would have a significantly faster sleep-wake cycle. What differs between Kinecelerans and Petrosapiens however, despite their already significant differences, is their natural lifestyle. Many times in canon, through pop-ups and reboots Alien Homeworlds series, Petrosapiens are stated to be subterranean.

Now, unlike bats that would live in caves and travel into the open to eat fruit and bugs, Petrosapiens do not require to live on the surface. They would be functionally nocturnal, yes, but inherently everyone would be. Perhaps to the point where a full, brink of death, sleep may not actually be required.

Why would they have eyes, you ask, if they traditionally live underground? Well well well, this question comes back to the planet.

Crystals, even if they do block out a majority of the light, are a little bit more transparent than dirt and earth, especially metal. Many gems are luminescent, and is quite often the distinction from fake to real stones, but can y’all guess what specific lights make these gems ‘glow’? If you guessed UV, then you’d be spot on!

And guess what type of light suns produce the most of? That’s right babes, ULTRA VIOLET!

Instead of a pitch black subterranean culture, with no need for the development of eyes, the planet is lit with its own interaction between sun and crystal and glows. Environments closer to the surface may have more of the natural sun colour, but the deeper you go, the more it’s lit like a black light, with glows not typically present under the average white light.

This in conjunction with the speedy rotation of the planet, could mean that a lot of the time there’s a consistent glow. I will say that this is part of the reason why Petrosapiens may not have a sleep-wake cycle at all, even if they do happen to rest. If there is no technical night, what point even IS there to sleep.

This can also mean that Petrosapiens are cable of seeing UV lighting too, if not replacing some that humans may have. Also, the evolution of eyes can also lend to comparisons with nocturnal eyes in Earth creatures. Look at the cat, then look at Diamondhead.

Occasionally, especially notable in the first episode, Diamondhead’s eyes occasionally glow. But that may not be the case. Since Petrosapiens are evolved to have eyes, even if they live a life underground, they may have similar ‘nocturnal’ evolutions as according to convergent evolution. The glowing eyes, merely a reflection of light to help see more, just like a cat’s.

Now, silicon-based lifeforms (i say as present me, kicking past UAF biology hating me in the shins for discrediting that) may not follow the same rules and requirements as carbon-based. But theorising any spectacular differences may serve only to alienate (hah) and create fancy of sci-fi. As the saying goes, know the rules before you break them.

Not that I know the rules completely but I mean...

Speaking of, the planet. Speed may be the primary contributor to the odd shape, and crystals manage to light up the lower environments, but let’s combine the two. Petropia is made of one of the toughest materials in the known universe, and if canon suggests anything, it’s resistant to both ageing and damage.

Damage is an obvious one. Petrosapiens are a rather enduring species, through body and now mind thanks to the sleep headcanons. But if Eon can’t turn their crystals to dust in how many centuries/millennia it takes to dust off a To’kustar, age comes as a second resistance.

This damage and age resistance may not be as much of a factor against the blank void of space, but it certainly impacts on the parts of the planet with an atmosphere. It’s lasted for long enough to evolve a sapient species, after all, and though some chunks of the planet have separated, Petropia’s strength and shape come from its resistant materials.

Speaking of, though Petrosapiens do age and subsequently die of it, it’s more so in line with how lobsters age. A Petrosapien, a being made out of the elements of the planet that they live on, are almost completely resistant to external damages. The only reason why they can and will die is because of their internals. You can not control the speed at which Petrosapiens die (unless you kill them yourself).

Death from ageing simply means that the internal organs grow weaker over time, growing unable to sustain and maintain crystal development, and if not ceasing production, may instead create weaker and easily breakable crystals. This is why drugs have such a negative impact on a Petrosapien, as I headcanoned in my dark hc/ oc talk duo. You are actually bypassing the natural external resistant and forcing yourself to age faster by killing off the only thing that makes your mortal.

Another death can occur from pressure, and that can be easily prevented thanks to the atmosphere. I mean, unless they want their insides to be liquor inside their crispy outer shells, something to prevent their insides from smooshing/ripping apart would be handy.

In canon, Petrosapiens apparently have a nose, so they most likely need air. It doesn’t mean oxygen, but it can certainly mean that an atmosphere would be in their best interest. The oblong shape of Petropia does have some interesting effects on the atmosphere though, and while a subterranean lifestyle can avoid most of these, surface life is more subject to these challenges.

Now, depending on what side you look at it from, Petropia can suddenly appear to look like a flat planet. Annoying as that is, a video by Artfexian does point out that the atmosphere of a flat planet may have some issues. Since Petropia isn’t just a coin floating in space, and has a little more reason put into it as to why it’s shaped the way it is, there’s some left over logic we can apply to this hypothetical.

Here goes. The speedy rotation of the planet may pull a majority of the atmosphere to the sides, leaving the tips of the planet to either scrape the outer atmosphere, or even breach it and go into space. The atmosphere of the north and south of Petropia however, would be a lot more protected given the mountainous landscape, than the sides of the planet. Protected from what, however.

Solar winds, that is!

The fast rotation of the planet may incidentally blow away the atmosphere off the sides, which would be uninhabitable. A magnetic field may be the most beneficial way to prevent solar swept atmosphere, but even though Petropia is densely made from crystals, I don’t believe that it has a metallic core.

What prevents the surfaces of the north and south of Petropia from losing their atmosphere is largely dependent on the mountainous peaks. Often facing away from the sun, with minimal axial tilt, the atmosphere is protected like glass to a fishbowl. The atmosphere DOES however suffer from a frayed edge, so life in the mountains is strictly discouraged.

But then this brings about another question.

If the north and south sides of Petropia are liveable, but the core, the mountain peaks and the sides of the planet are inhospitable, how do they interact with each other.

Without tech, they CAN’T!

For however long the species has lived, only in recent times has the surface been known to exist. For eons before that, many Petrosapien’s have learnt that going deeper is a danger to themselves, and stopped trying to go further. The ends of their world start from the roof and the floor and historically have not gone beyond.

Given their nocturnal-like lifestyle, they also never had much of an incentive to travel to the surface. For most, their ‘sky’ is the glowing crystal roof, lit from UV rays and whatever filtered light that Petropia’s atmosphere turns its whatever sized/coloured sun into. And more even longer, Petrosapiens had no planetary based resources for technology to naturally develop.

So, when tech did arrive, it was introduced by the people seeking to mine Petropia for its ‘valuable’ crystals.

Now, I’m not saying that the Plumbers were the one to gather more wealth. But opportunistic wealth hunters may have forced a lot of Petrosapiens into life on the surface. As soon as news spread that Petropia housed not only life, but SAPIENT life, the Plumbers did indeed intervene.

The Plumbers or the Intergalactic Enforcers, whichever takes notice first. And since opening up the surface is a little more significant to Petrosapiens than life of Earth living beneath our feet (i mean come on, we know more about outer space than we do the ocean), Petropia was thrust head first into the world of aliens.

Technology was not their natural invention, so a lot of their words for the tech came from what they heard the foreigners call them. A lot of new materials were imported, and even if Petrosapiens began developing tech on their own, it would still not be natural. A lot of Petrosapiens upset with the changes retreated deeper into the planet, while others ascended and built lives on the surface.

The once unused mountain tops served as interplanetary landing pads, with elevators constructed to get up without requiring a space launch. Spacesuits were made and Petrosapiens began to explore the uninhabitable sides of their planet. And finally, north and south Petrosapiens begin to learn about one another.

Now, there could very well be another species separate from Petrosapien on the other side, Subsapiens and/or Antrosapiens. Subsapiens could be named because their side of the planet had not been opened, Antrosapiens could be named because they are the opposite. North and south Petrosapiens could merely be the equivalent of Murk vs Perk Gourmands, genetically different enough to qualify as different species, but similar enough to fulfill the same niche of the planet, partitioned because of their geological separation.

Either way, one side was most likely the only side that was opened by interplanetary intervention, and the other side was recently introduced. Their cultures have significant differences, while simultaneously sharing many similarities. While the first surface Petrosapiens may tell cosmic horror stories of their sky parting, malignant forces mining for the lives and homes of the people, the other may be more ‘holy’ and benevolent, the sky opening its gaze to their future.

Since I have no preference of which side is opened first, north or south, the species is separated into Cardinal Petrosapiens and Auxiliary Petrosapiens, if in fact I settle for the Murk-Perk dynamic. These names can change, it’s just a starter name pair.

Yes, I rewrote this. No, it’s not the same.

...But now that I look at it, it flows a little better. Sure there’s a back and forth, but at least it ain’t a stitched together string of planet talk and species talk.

[jaybeeart]

Graphic Design - Advocacy Campaign

Research

●  Honey bees must gather nectar from two million flowers to make one pound of honey (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  The average bee will make only 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts”).

●  A colony of bees consists of 20,000-60,000 honey bees and one queen. Worker honey bees are female, live for about 6 weeks and do all the work (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  The queen bee can live up to 5 years and is the only bee that lays eggs. She is the busiest in the summer months, when the hive needs to be at its maximum strength, and lays up to 2500 eggs per day (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Larger than the worker bees, the male honey bees (also called drones), have no stinger and do no work. All they do is mate (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey has always been highly regarded as a medicine. It is thought to help with everything from sore throats and digestive disorders to skin problems and hay fever (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey has antiseptic properties and was historically used as a dressing for wounds and a first aid treatment for burns and cuts (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  The natural fruit sugars in honey – fructose and glucose – are quickly digested by the body. This is why sportsmen and athletes use honey to give them a natural energy boost (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey bees have been producing honey in the same way for 150 million years “(20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey lasts an incredibly long time. An explorer who found a 2000 year old jar of honey in an Egyptian tomb said it tasted delicious (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  When a bee finds a good source of nectar it flies back to the hive and shows its friends where the nectar source is by doing a dance which positions the flower in relation to the sun and hive. This is known as the ‘waggle dance’ (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey’s ability to attract and retain moisture means that it has long been used as a beauty treatment. It was part of Cleopatra’s daily beauty ritual (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Honey is incredibly healthy and includes enzymes, vitamins, minerals. It’s the only food that contains “pinocembrin”, an antioxidant associated with improved brain functioning (“20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!”).

●  Biologists have found more than 150 different chemical residues in bee pollen, a deadly “pesticide cocktail” according to University of California apiculturist Eric Mussen (“Save the Bees”).

●  Scientists know that bees are dying from a variety of factors—pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming and more (Save the Bees).

●  Typically, a bee hive or colony will decline by 5-10 percent over the winter, and replace those lost bees in the spring. In a bad year, a bee colony might lose 15-20 percent of its bees (“Save the Bees”).

●  Common sense actions can restore and protect the world’s bees. Here’s a strong start:

Ban the seven most dangerous pesticides.

Protect pollinator health by preserving wild habitat.

Restore ecological agriculture (“Save the Bees”).

●  Avoid chemicals belonging to the neonicotinoid family at all costs, as they are especially harmful to bees (“How to Save the Bees”).

●  Flowers help feed bees and other valuable pollinators. Not only will you be helping save the bees by planting bee-friendly plants, but you’ll helping your garden as well. Some tips:

Avoid hybrid flowers, which may be sterile and have little or no nectar or pollen

Skip the double flowers, which lack pollen

Make sure you’ll have blooms for bees year round.

Plant flowers in patches - bees like to focus on one flower type at a time

Leave an undisturbed plot for ground-nesting bees

Visit our bee garden page​ for more information (“How to Save the Bees”).

●  Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while their natural wood cavities make excellent shelters (“How to Save the Bees”).

●  A fun activity that can also help save the bees is creating a bee bath. Fill a shallow bird bath or a small dish or bowl with clean water, and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they poke out of the water. Bees will land on the stones and pebbles to drink the water as they take a break from foraging and pollinating (How to Save the Bees).

●  Bees are renowned for their role in providing high-quality food (honey, royal jelly and pollen) and other products used in healthcare and other sectors (beeswax, propolis, honey bee venom) (Marko).

●  The greatest contribution of bees and other pollinators is the pollination of nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90% of the world’s food. A third of the world’s food production depends on bees, i.e. every third spoonful of food depends on pollination (Marko).

●  According to the estimates of an international study conducted in 2016 by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services​, the annual global production of food that depends directly on pollination was worth between $235 and $577 billion (Marko).

●  By doing so, they protect and maintain ecosystems as well as animal and plant species, and contribute to genetic and biotic diversity (Marko).

●  A bee can still receive a toxic dose a long time after the plant has been treated. Neonics also spread and contaminate soil, air, nearby hedges and water nearby (“Why Are Bees in Danger”).

●  Once the varroa mite has entered a colony, it can kill the whole colony in 2-3 years (“Why Are Bees in Danger”).

●  An estimated 97% of wildflower meadows disappeared from England and Wales between the 1930s and 1980s; this has contributed to a profound impact on our wildlife, including bees (“Why Are Bees in Danger”).

●  At Soil Association we campaign for more sustainable farming to support our bees and other pollinators for current and future generations (“Why Are Bees in Danger”).

●  Why we need to protect:

Plants need bees to pollinate, making bees indispensable pollinators of most ecosystems. There are 369,000 flowering plant species, and 90% of them are dependent on insect pollination. A honeybee can usually visit 50-1000 flowers in one trip; if bee takes ten trips a day, a colony with 25,000 forager bees can pollinate 250 million flowers in a day (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Bees are a keystone species, with other species dependent on them to survive. Many species of animals depend on bees for their survival because their food sources, including nuts, berries, seeds, and fruits, rely on insect pollination (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Pollination not only makes food available for other organisms but also allows floral growth, which provides habitats for animals, including other insects and birds (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

As pollinators disappear, the effect on the health and viability of crops and native plant communities can be disastrous. We simply cannot survive without bees (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Pollinators contribute billions to the world economy. The global crop production pollinated by bees is valued at $577 billion. Pollinators contribute $24 billion to the U.S. agriculture industry, making up a third of the food consumed by Americans (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

● Threats:

Widespread use of pesticides, neonicotinoids and GMOs (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Climate change (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Loss of habitat, including land use changes, habitat fragmentation, loss ofbio-diversity (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Bees forced into service; monoculture (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Pests, diseases, viruses, and mold (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

● How to help:

Urge Congress​ to pass the ​Saving America’s Pollinators Act​ and to protect the Endangered Species Act​ (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Sign ​Earth Day Network’s Pesticide Pledge​ to help reduce the amount of pesticides that are killing insects like pollinators (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Become a beekeeper​ or plant a bee-friendly garden with native wildflowers and plants (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

Learn how to go green, protect the environment and fight global warming with our ​45 easy-to-follow tips​ (“What You Need to Know About Bees”).

●  At Planet Bee, we make it easy by combining Environmental Literacy, STEM Learning, and the power of Individual Actions to create a green-minded generation (“OUR IMPACT”).

●  Following taking individual action, we wrap up our lessons by leading every class through a discussion focused on what we can each do in our daily lives to support bees and other pollinators (“OUR IMPACT”).

●  Our 2018 evaluations show that over 80% of our students are confident in an action they can take for the bees after participating in a Planet Bee lesson (“OUR IMPACT”).

●  The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) is a collaborative group of scientists, government agencies, NGO’s, private industries and agricultural and environmental concerns that work together to bring the plight of pollinators to national attention and to be the most trusted resource for information and behaviors in support of pollinating animals and the plants with which they interact (“Bee Issues”).

●  Nosema ceranae: ​This microscopic fungus can weaken or even kill colonies when the majority of workers become infected (“Bee Issues”).

●  Thus far, more than 20 honey bee viruses have been identified (“Bee Issues”).

●  Honey bee colonies are headed by a single queen who mates with an average of 12 males,

and thus honey bee colonies are extremely genetically diverse (“Bee Issues”).

●  In the United States, more than one-third of all crop production – 90 crops ranging from nuts to berries to flowering vegetables - requires insect pollination (Bartuska).

●  The number of honey bee hives in this country has decreased from 6 million in the 1940s to about 2.5 million today (Bartuska).

●  Our Agricultural Research Service is conducting research to improve the nutritional health of bees, to control the ​Varroa​ mite and other pests and pathogens, and to understand the effects of pesticides on colonies (Bartuska).

●  In 2011, EPA began expanding the risk assessment process for bees to quantify or measure exposures and relate them to effects at the individual and colony level (“How We Assess Risks to Pollinators”).

●  EPA has begun to employ its new risk assessment framework for bees as part of its regulatory decision-making process for all pesticide chemistries (“How We Assess Risks to Pollinators”).

●  The new framework:

Relies on a tiered process.

          ■ The lowest tier (Tier I) is intended to serve as a screening tool. It employs conservative assumptions regarding exposure (i.e., assumptions that are likely to overestimate exposure) and uses the most sensitive toxicity estimates from laboratory studies of individual bees to calculate risk estimates.

          ■ Higher tiers (Tiers II and III) rely on characterization of risk based on measured exposure values and colony-level effects studies and so are more realistic.

Focuses on the major routes of exposure, including contact exposure (e.g., from overspray or direct contact with the pesticide on the plant surface) and dietary exposure (e.g., from consumption of contaminated pollen or nectar).

Distinguishes different types of pesticide treatments, such as compounds applied to plant leaves or seed/soil-applied (systemic) compounds (“How We Assess Risks to Pollinators”).

[biofunmy]

Should Neil Armstrong’s Bootprints Be on the Moon Forever?

[Read all Times reporting on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. | Sign up for the weekly Science Times email.]

When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin visited the moon 50 years ago, they left roughly 100 objects behind, including a portion of their lunar lander, the American flag and, yes, various kinds of trash.

Those objects are still there, surrounded by rugged bootprints marking humanity’s first steps on another world. But that site, called Tranquillity Base, may not be as enduring as the legacy those prints represent.

“Is there anything stopping you from just driving over Neil Armstrong’s footprints?” said Steve Mirmina, a specialist in space law at Georgetown University. “No. There’s nothing. There’s no rule, there’s no U.S. domestic law, or no international treaty obligation to preserve them.”

In other words, anyone capable of visiting Tranquillity Base could alter what many believe to be an indispensable part of humanity’s heritage, a place that is analogous to archaeological sites on Earth.

“Where the objects are, how they’re sitting there — that tells the actual real story and history of humans on the moon,” said Michelle Hanlon, a space lawyer and co-founder of the nonprofit organization For All Moonkind, which is developing an international framework for lunar site preservation.

You would not even have to go there to obliterate Armstrong’s footprints.

“Send a robot,” Mr. Mirmina said. “Just use some joysticks on the ground and drive over them.”

[Sign up to get reminders for space and astronomy events on your calendar.]

Losing lunar historical sites is not an abstract concern. With a few crucial exceptions, what happens off-world stays off-world, and activities on the lunar surface are largely unregulated. Various private space actors have already demonstrated a proclivity for celestial shenanigans: Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, launched his car into space. Rocket Lab, the builder of small rockets, shot a disco ball-like object into orbit from New Zealand. And Vodafone has hinted at building a cell tower on the moon.

More seriously, a modern-day space race between governments and private companies is fast-tracking plans to return both humans and robotic landers to the lunar surface. One of those companies, PTScientists of Berlin, announced a plan to land near — and examine — the site of Apollo 17, where humans last traipsed across the lunar surface. Now, some are saying, it is time to get serious about preserving humanity’s heritage on the moon.

Preserving things that belong to no one

On Earth, multiple layers of legislation, both international and domestic, protect many sites of humanity’s heritage, an array including the megaliths at Stonehenge, Yosemite National Park and the recently listed Smith-Carter House in Madison, Tenn.

In space, it is different. As decreed by the United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty in 1967 — signed by a multitude of nations while the United States and Soviet Union battled for primacy in orbit — space “shall be free for exploration and use by all,” with open access to all areas of celestial bodies.

Put simply, space is the province of humankind. No nation can “own” it or claim it, by means of use or occupation or otherwise.

That complicates setting up protected areas or restricting activities in or under the six Apollo landing sites. Or the spot where the Soviet Luna 2 spacecraft landed in 1959 and became the first human-made piece of hardware to touch another world. Or the site where, in January, China’s Chang’e-4 spacecraft achieved the first landing on the far side of the moon.

“Arguably, by saying, ‘Oh, this bootprint is an artifact, don’t step on it’ — the U.S. would be making a territorial claim to the area where that bootprint is,” Ms. Hanlon said. “And as you can imagine, that would not be a very diplomatic thing to do.”

To be clear, she added, individual objects on the moon remain the property of the nations that put them there; that is laid out in Article VIII of the Outer Space Treaty. (So, fair warning, retrieving and selling the golf balls Apollo 14’s Alan Shepard lobbed into oblivion or painting a smiley face on China’s Yutu rover will most likely land you in a world of trouble.)

But so far, there has not been an easy way to preserve the landing sites as they are, with moon buggy treads and footprints intact, in the way an archaeologist of the future might want to study them. Amending the Outer Space Treaty could take decades, and there is no other obvious route to an international agreement.

“We lose so much on Earth inadvertently,” said Beth O’Leary of New Mexico State University, an archaeologist who has proposed preserving humanity’s off-world history. “Here, we have the opportunity to plan for what to preserve for the future — it’s always bad to do things kind of in hindsight.”

How NASA tried to protect the Apollo sites

That does not mean people have not tried to protect humanity’s lunar heritage.

Attempts to classify the Apollo landing sites as American national parks failed precisely because that would violate the Outer Space Treaty. And the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which designates world heritage sites, usually considers nominations only by countries exercising sovereignty over their proposed site — which can therefore only be on Earth.

In July 2011, NASA issued a nonbinding set of recommendations aimed at preserving the six Apollo “heritage” sites and their associated artifacts. At the time, private teams were racing to be first on the lunar surface to claim the Google Lunar X Prize, and one of the contest’s bonus prizes would go to a spacecraft that visited an Apollo site.

Experts fear future visitors to the moon could be similarly motivated, and with perhaps less oversight.

“If you’re a couple of college students and you have a rover and iPhone, of course you’re going to want to drive around and go to the Apollo landing sites,” Mr. Mirmina said. “You’d want to take a photo of the first footprints, maybe see if the flag is still standing, or take a photo of all the bags of poop that NASA left behind on the moon.”

Thus NASA laid out guidelines for preserving those locations, including restrictions on overflights, boundaries for touchdown and a prohibition on close visits to the Apollo 11 and 17 sites because they “carry special historical and cultural significance.”

Then, the space agency reached an agreement with companies vying for the moon: They would need to abide by NASA’s guidelines if they wanted NASA support.

“It’s carefully written, and NASA actually found some fairly clever ways of trying to enforce that,” said Henry Hertzfeld, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University.

Last year, the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House issued its own document outlining the necessity of securing those sites. But Dr. Hertzfeld says it is a long road to building a functional and enforceable international legal framework for preservation.

Yet in May, Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan, introduced a bill, the One Small Step to Protect Human Heritage in Space Act, which directs any federal agency that issues licenses for lunar activities to require that companies comply with the 2011 NASA guidelines. The bill, co-sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, is headed for a vote in the full Senate.

“These are the first archaeological sites outside of planet Earth and as we move toward being a spacefaring society and civilization, it is only right that we protect those giant leaps,” Mr. Peters said. He added that “once they’re degraded, they’re lost forever to humanity.”

What is preserved, and who decides?

While many key moon sites are American, proponents say the endeavor to preserve lunar sites will not — and cannot — be America-centric.

“This is a very human story and we want people all over the world to embrace it as a human story,” Ms. Hanlon said.

But the fact that so many sites are the result of American achievements might portend trouble.

Restricting access to historical sites on the moon might “limit the freedom of exploration,” Mari Eldholm, government relations manager for PTScientists, said in an email, and could also be seen as one country appropriating something that belongs to all of humanity.

PTScientists is designing a mission to the Apollo 17 site. As envisioned, that mission would employ a lander and two lunar rovers. One goal would be investigating how Apollo artifacts have been affected by nearly 50 years in the lunar environment, which necessarily involves altering the site’s present state.

And right now, PTScientists could modify the Apollo 17 terrain in any way it wants — although Ms. Eldholm said the company would do its best to follow and respect NASA’s guidelines. But she emphasizes that an international conversation about balancing lunar preservation, exploration and freedom is essential.

“We believe there is a need for a discussion on who decides, and what, to preserve,” she said.

But there is no simple way to address preservation in today’s international arena.

“You get into the world political situation today and it’s not one of making treaties,” Dr. Hertzfeld said. “You’ve got more nations that are technically capable of accessing space, and doing a lot up there.”

Ms. Hanlon — whose group, For All Moonkind, continues raising the issue at United Nations assemblies — says that trying to protect those sites is worth the effort. Losing these records of humanity’s first accomplishments in space would be devastating for future generations, she said.

“We’ve done it wrong so many times on Earth, but we have a lot of examples and experiences to work from,” she said. “I think we can do it right on the moon and other celestial bodies.”

Sahred From Source link Arts

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[republicstandard]

A Letter to my Leftist Daughter in Law...

Dear Daughter-In-Law,

I have been sitting on this for a while to make sure that what I say is what I want to say so here goes.

You say you know what cognitive dissonance is but the question is where do you apply it.  That to my mind is very important.  So by application maybe not.

You have stated that you do not have the time to do exhaustive research and I would agree with that, but you do get information somewhere.  Do you know the efficacy of your aggregating source(s) or, more to the point, their sources, and do you take the time to eliminate their built-in bias?  Yes, I have mine.

I do not feel that you need to research facts and figures as I believe that the truth lies before you and you need only uncover it.  So my real question is; are you ready to get at the real truth and the fundamental question is:  What is the primal drive for all living things here on earth and if in other places I suspect there also.  It is also the drive behind all of the news of today.

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The answer is reproduction.  More to the point, reproduction of one's self.  From the smallest of life forms to us, it drives all activity. Our conscious brains may seem to change that in some cases, but it drives everyone and everything.  For this to happen, it takes resources and every living and maybe not living things like prions seek those resources and in sufficient abundance to make reproduction happen.  This includes the successful growth and maturity of this effort so that it may continue to reproduce.

There are many schemes to this effort but again with only one result.  Now here comes the problem and that is that resources are relatively scarce even when there is a seeming abundance.  A petri dish full of nourishment and one amoeba will quickly prove my point.  A single dish or single Earth; no difference.  When you seek resources and claim them, there are less available for others.  Add to this when you consume others may not have the opportunity to reproduce.  So when the farmer plows the ground, a rabbit may lose habitat.  The horror to the rabbit (though probably not recognized) is that genes get eliminated from the gene pool.  With humans who are inherently slow reproducers (relatively few with an extended period to maturity), it is generally recognized.

Humans are driven to many types of behavior, but how much of all of this effort is towards reproduction, I would say most of it.  So, now to you; what drove you to seek a fertility clinic when you knew that there is a surplus of humans on this planet and that the surplus is the cause many problems that are only to get worse. If you answer this question honestly, then you know that you have already read the answer in the preceding statements.  If you solve the problem with a close approximation of my response, then continue, if no, then no production of facts will ever allow you comfort with my view of the world and you need to find something else to read.

If you are still with me, here we go.  If you went through an exhaustive drill to pregnancy and you understand the primal drive that brought forth your genetic heritage how do you relate this act on your part to the rest of the world?

Humans as rational beings invest tremendous effort into bringing their offspring to maturity and reproductive status. They must protect, educate and provide a cultural belief system.

Out there, everywhere is the competition.  Who is the competition?  The competition is everyone (and everything) who wants to displace your efforts with theirs.  So a woman who travels 1000 miles for resources is a strong competitor who may displace you as a competitor and certainly will if you voluntarily give up your resources.  You may not see resources as scarce but they are limited especially if it is your hard-won resources that are going to her with no or little effort on her part.

Gauging on our past conversations, I would guess that you would say there are resources available for all.  Well maybe in the short run absent an economic collapse or world war (both likely short term events based on the 80-year war cycle that is historically accurate).  But consider the exponential growth of the world population.  How long before there are so many people that there are not enough resources for your child or grandchildren or great-grandchildren if not then when, so the answer has to be NO.  There are not enough resources for anything less than a stable population – longer term.

So, why would you strengthen your competitors' chances by diminishing your own?  In this, your emotive brain is your enemy.  You have been culturally conditioned to feel sorry for and companionate to those you think are in need.  The real questions here who conditioned you (mom and dad were also conditioned, not to be seen as the source) and what were their motives and goals.  Along with that, should you not look to your own and family needs first – the primal need.

The answer to the question is relatively simple.  Those who would be superior to you, gather more resources to their efforts and otherwise displace you on the ladder of reproductive success (eliminate your genes from the pool).  The previous answer requires you to think hard and identify those who originated your ideas and where they reside in relation to you.

Remember the great drivers for primal success: Reproductive superiority, Resource superiority and Power Over/Control of the competitors.

So the second answer is also before you, but you must answer it yourself, and I know you have enough information right now to answer the question.  However, in considering the answer, remember that real altruism probably does not exist except in the case of people who know that they cannot reproduce.  That it is also likely limited to immediate family or tribe.

So, let us look at a few competitive strategies. Abortion, in the 2012-2014 period in New York State there were approximately 280,000 abortions and 265,000 live births.  Now states are making legal or contemplating making lawful what is effectively infanticide.

Competition gone.

Telling women that they can have it all.  College, jobs, and family all of it successfully.  However when you are working long hours and commuting there is no time for all of it.  So how many women are 40+ and fertility is gone.  What this does is eliminate the brightest and most capable.

Completion eliminated.

Grooming permanently eliminates competition.

FYI, according to the latest FBI statistics 68% of white women raped are by Black men.  While Hispanics and Semitic (Moslems) and counted as white the estimated percentage rises to over 80%.  Asians don’t show up.  Rapes of black women by white men – no category, as some of the past years had none reported.

War eliminates the best male breeding prospects along with other destruction.

Social causes,  convincing all to have no or one child.  China, Japan, and Western Europe are under this problem, along with Whites in this country.  I was convinced of this and did not realize I was being suckered by those who would eliminate me from the gene pool.  So two children instead of the needed three.  All of my customers in rich bitch land had three or more, so you see that they knew more than I did.

Add to all of this the encouragement of becoming a nonproducer.  Gays, Lesbians, Rabid Feminists, and those suffering from the false syndrome of  "there are no good/decent men out there."  Men are driven by female behavior, so if a guy is rejected continuously, he walks away - forever.  Men in most corporations are terrified of the women they meet and work with.  They see them as both competitors, and career destroyers as any hint or complaint will see them out.  Men also know that before a judge they will get no justice as the system is biased.  Besides, there are enough bar hookups to keep a so-called desirable male occupied.  So the desirable male sexes his brains out but never reproduces.  After all who wants to be a meal ticket for a less than desirable female (reverse hypergamy).  Dating sites on both sides of the coin are filled with deceivers.  Believe me in the truth that no male will seek out a woman with someone else’s child.  I saw a study in England where there is a 24 hour DNA test that some 20% of husbands found that the child of their marriage was not theirs and in one area the number is 30%.  All of the above destroys the competition and drives all men away.

Men also know that the more partners a woman has the more likely divorce, or break up.  And the worse a marriage partner.

Denigration of marriage, religion, social convention, and traditional roles.  The unwed mothers of the welfare state birth and raise feral children.  I watched a long video produced by a Black group that talked about how even when a man wanted to be part of raising a child and contributing to that child they are more often than not slapped with a restraining order to stay away.

Hypergamy, as currently practiced where instead of marrying up the woman breeds up and seeks a beta male as a provider for her bastard.  Goodearnest men are rejected by those who consciously or unconsciously practice this.  No man wants to be deceived into raising another’s child. Men sense this and walk away.  So when this is encouraged women write their ticket to misery.

Good news is not easy to find.

So now we come to the potential support or your ability to follow the prime directive your family and tribe.  Your family and clan whether you wish to acknowledge it or not are as follows: white, primarily western European and mostly Christian.  The current location is North America.  Parts of our family are here for over 100 years, not founders but long enough.

Now there is a movement long in coming to dispose you of your right to exist and follow the prime directive.  It is couched in political terms like socialism, globalism companionate something or other, but in truth, it is part of a war against your existence.

Rhodesia was the first battle, whites did not fight in racial terms and lost trying to reason and negotiate.  South Africa the same thing.  Now Rhodesians, South Africans and lately added White Namibians are added to the coming genocide.  I suspect the Paks and Indians will soon be added.

The battle for Europe is fully engaged.  Russia and most of Eastern Europe have said no to the invaders.  Some others like Denmark and Italy are fighting back.  England is on the cusp, no Brexit and they are done.  Brexit and there is a possibility that they may prevail.  The rest of Europe is being destroyed by white politicians who have bought into the elitist tripe.

Which brings me to the promoters of this war against white humanity.  It is the elitists who think that they will survive and rule if only they can eliminate the only group capable of competing – white people.  So we have endless wars to bleed out the whites and weaken them and breed the intelligence back to sub 80 IQ.

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In their case the effort to keep their genetic material pure goes as follows.  Exclusive communities, private secondary schools, select colleges, social engagements you will never know about, exclusive resorts, private medicine, start halfway up the corporate ladder, mentors and all of the rest.  They keep themselves away from you and you never even know that they exist.  On the reproductive front matchups are carefully engineered.

So, when you feel sorry for the invaders you are enabling the genocide of our family and tribe.  The invaders are not here to help you they are here to supplant you.  So everything you do for them is a thing against you.  Do you not have a right to exist hard won and fought for?  Do you not want your family line to go on?  Do you want to be driven to the level that brought about the Yellow Vests in France?  The elites crushed the middle class that lived outside the metropolitan areas and brought them to misery and poverty, and they are revolting in their manner, but it is too little and too late.  In truth for them, anything short of a civil war will not be enough.

So when you ask me why I say build the wall, throw the invaders out (men, women, children all 50,000,000 of them) you now know why.  I am selfish for me, you and my grandchildren.  I want us to go on and our tribe.

I am getting too old to defend you from what I will guarantee is coming.

from Republic Standard | Conservative Thought & Culture Magazine http://bit.ly/2GDV1lp via IFTTT

[marketerarena-blog]

Patagonia’s Fight for Public Lands

In April, 79-year-old Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia Inc., stood up in front of 500 hardcore hunters in downtown Boise, Idaho, and told a story about his daughter accidentally hitting a deer with her car on prom night. As a lifelong hunter, Chouinard had repeatedly impressed upon her since a young age that wasting meat was a grave sin, so she took it upon herself to frantically drag the deer carcass into her car for butchering.

  Never mind that she was in her outfit for the evening—“dressed to the nines,” as Chouinard described it—and never mind that scavenging roadkill is illegal in California, where they lived. So when the cops showed up, the patrolman had to insist to her, “Ma’am, just leave that deer alone, you can’t take it with you,” says Chouinard, laughing and drawing a huge applause from the crowd.

Life Advice from Yvon Chouinard

He told this story, among others, at Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ annual Rendezvous, a three-day meeting for the conservation group, which has focused much of its efforts on protecting wild spaces.

Meet the Resistance: The Hunters Fighting For Public Lands

Chouinard was on hand to throw his celebrity behind a growing partnership between the hunting and outdoor-recreation communities—two groups of people that, historically, haven’t exactly gotten along.

Are American Hunters the Last Great Hope for Conservation?

But with a shared concern for public lands over issues of poor management, lost protections, and potential sell-offs, the two groups had recently teamed up to push back. For Patagonia, it’s just another front in a battle with the Trump administration, which includes a lawsuit against the Interior Department for shrinking two national monuments in Utah. But in many ways, this partnership was one of the more unlikely acts for the company, considering that much of its consumer base is made up of left-leaning activists who buy brands based on their ethics. Yet teaming up with groups like BHA and hunting brands like the performance-apparel maker First Lite—which, much like Patagonia, has conservation embedded in its DNA—is a testament to how serious the company is. We sat down with Chouinard and First Lite co-founder Kenton Carruth in Boise to discuss the unexpected merger.

Are you ever worried about alienating certain supporters by aligning with hunters?

Yvon Chouinard: Well, there’s wackos on both sides. I mean, we get attacked by animal-rights activists all the time for using leather, for using wool, for using down. And then you’ve got slob hunters everywhere. But you know, I’ve been a hunter all my life. I own a bunch of guns, and they’re not for protection, let me tell you.

So the risk is worth it?

YC: Since I was 6 years old, I’ve been on public lands. When I was a kid in the San Fernando Valley, I ended up down at the L.A. River, digging frogs and catching crawdads. My first fishing trip, I bought a bamboo pole and put a line on the end of it with a worm. It was all public lands. It drives me crazy that now, in Jackson Hole, a kid can’t fish the river from the bank. You have to float it. The homeowners own it to the middle of the river. How can a kid grab a pole and a can of worms and learn to fish anymore? You can’t. Everything is privatized.

Kenton, why take the risk with First Lite in fighting certain policies from this administration? Hunters generally lean conservative.

Kenton Carruth: Probably every happy memory I have from the time I was a little kid is associated with public lands, riding a mountain bike, fishing, or backcountry skiing. And if you lose those places, then all of a sudden it becomes some serfdom, where you’ve got a king who owns all the deer and elk. It’s a huge resource that we need to protect, however we can. There are people and forces out there that don’t want hunters and hikers and all these user groups to get together and talk. They want to keep everybody separate, because then it allows them to push their agenda.

By forces, you mean oil and gas interests?

KC: Yes. Oil and gas, and people who really want to acquire these lands for financial gain. Nothing makes them happier than when hunters and hikers don’t get along with each other, because once you fragment them, then you fragment the base of the whole movement.

Why isn’t there more cooperation?

YC: You need a Pearl Harbor. We never would have gotten into World War II if it hadn’t been for that. It had to be right there on American soil.

But it seems pretty clear that this is a Pearl Harbor moment with this administration.

YC: Yeah, it is. It’s an evil enemy. I call it evil because, these people in the administration, they all know global warming is happening. Nobody is dumb enough to actually not know. But they’re purposely not doing anything about it for the sake of making more money. And when you’re doing something that you know is wrong and evil, then you’re evil. Pretty simple.

Climate Engineering: A Last-Ditch Plan to Save the Planet

Do you ever worry about getting too political?

YC: I don’t want to be involved in politics, but somebody’s got to balance out the Koch brothers and the Mercer family. They’re working their asses off on the other side, so we gotta do something. I mean, I hate lawsuits. It’s just a lot of money to lawyers. But that’s the only thing this administration understands.

What about from the other side, Kenton? Hunters and anglers were fairly supportive of the appointment of Secretary Zinke to the Department of the Interior.

KC: It’s damage control at this point. The wishes of a very small percentage of the population are being pushed upon the rest of us, and Zinke is facilitating that. I don’t think, whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, this is what you signed up for.

What do you mean?

KC: Special interests have an agenda, a very well-choreographed agenda. It’s get the land in state control, and as soon as the state runs out of money, it’ll sell the land off. That’s it. Republicans and hunters hear, “Oh, big government. We want to shrink the government.” And that’s fine, but this issue is unique. And it’s being fought by people who don’t have your best interest in mind. And that’s why we as hunters are sitting here with companies like Patagonia that maybe we didn’t always see eye to eye with in the past. I’ll tell you the interesting thing about hunting, too: It’s not very often that you find a true hunter who isn’t an environmentalist. It makes you an activist. It makes you have a passion.

YC: I don’t think there’s anyone in the administration who’s been outside, including Zinke. Zinke is all hat, no cattle. He’s no cowboy, I can tell you that.

Another commonality between hunters and outdoor enthusiasts is ethics around food. Patagonia has invested millions into Patagonia Provisions, the agricultural arm of the company. When did your food awareness become so prominent?

YC: Well, I’ve had food in the back of my mind for 50 years. When the United Nations says that we’re going to need 20 to 70 percent more food by 2050, that’s only a few years from now. Seventy percent more food! At the same time, we’re going to have 30 percent less topsoil. We’re not going to have any water either. You can look at this as a monster threat or an opportunity.

What’s the opportunity?

YC: Well, I’m focused on global warming, because that’s the big thing that’s hanging over the planet. There have been enough scientific studies that say if we just change the way we do agriculture, we could capture all the carbon we’re emitting. We could still drive our gas hogs and stuff. So I’m convinced that our only hope is capturing carbon through agriculture.

Climate Change is Sabotaging Climate Change Research

Is this why you’re so excited about the food side of Patagonia? YC: Of course. Like right now, we use only organically grown cotton. But that doesn’t do the world any good. All it does is cause less harm. We should be growing food on those fields instead of making torn-up jeans. With Provisions, every ingredient is going to have to be grown regeneratively and organically. Regenerative builds topsoil and captures carbon. It’s a no-till process. And so we’re creating a new certification that is “regenerative organic.” It solves a lot of problems. It’s basically a matter of going back and working with nature instead of working against it. The whole of life on Earth is dependent on six inches of topsoil. That’s it. That’s what makes this planet unique. And we’re losing that topsoil like crazy.

So is Patagonia becoming a food company?

YC: Well, if you ask me why I’m in business, I’m in business to save the planet. It may sound corny, but that’s the reason we’re here.

https://askfitness.today/patagonias-fight-for-public-lands/

[takebackthedream]

SCOTUS Just Took Away Your Right to Vote. Did You Notice? by Jessica Juarez Scruggs

The Supreme Court just gave a green light to racist voter purges. Their 5-4 decision to allow Ohio to take any voter off the rolls who hasn’t voted in two years and doesn’t return a postcard mailed to their house hands a dangerous new tool to the enemies of democracy in America.

Granted, efforts to exclude the poor and people of color from voting – from only allowing white male property owners to vote, to poll taxes and night riders, are nothing new in the United States. But this Supreme Court decision will enable Ohio to disenfranchise thousands of voters every year, and other states are sure to follow.

This ruling by the court’s conservative majority with Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s newly minted Justice casting the deciding vote, comes despite the fact Congress explicitly protected all citizens’ right to vote – and not to vote – through the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which took effect in 1995.

The NVRA and its later amendments clearly ban states from punishing infrequent voters by removing them from lists of registered voters, in light of the historical exclusion of low-income and minority voters through such measures.

Voting-rights advocates took Ohio to court to challenge the state’s purges of voting rolls, citing the NVRA, and won in lower courts. Unfortunately, the Court’s conservative justices have now ruled that since Ohio only used lack of voting as evidence that the person had moved, not as a punishment, these purges are allowed.

So now, according to the highest court in our land, Ohio can lawfully strip its citizens of their right to vote because they forgot to return a single prepaid postcard.

Straining Reason

This ruling strained the patience of the Supreme Court’s more reasonable Justices. As Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted in her blistering dissent,

The Court errs in ignoring this history and distorting the statutory text to arrive at a conclusion that not only is contrary to the plain language of the NVRA but also contradicts the essential purposes of the statute, ultimately sanctioning the very purging that Congress expressly sought to protect against.

Congress enacted the NVRA against the backdrop of substantial efforts by States to disenfranchise low-income and minority voters, including programs that purged eligible voters from registration lists because they failed to vote.

This latest ruling means thousands of Ohioans will lose their right to vote, without ever knowing they have lost until they show up the polls on Election Day and are turned away, told they are no longer on the rolls.

A Targeted Attack

In the runup to the 2016 elections, Ohio purged more than more than 200,000 voters. That’s more than the razor-thin national margin that handed Donald Trump the presidency. Six states already have similar, though less extreme, voter-purge laws on the books, and many more may now follow suit.

Ohio’s claim that it uses voting to find out who has moved not only defies logic, it obscures the true motives of their suppressing voters. This is not a simple matter of keeping voting rolls up to date: it is a targeted attack, which disproportionately – and intentionally – harms low-income communities and people of color.

As Justice Sotomayor went on to note in her dissent, since 2012 “African-American-majority neighborhoods in downtown Cincinnati had 10 percent of their voters removed due to inactivity,” while only 4 percent of voters were removed in a suburban, majority-white neighborhood.

For one, we already have a simple way to check if someone might have moved: the USPS’s national change of address service. In addition, there are many, many reasons besides moving that a voter might miss elections, including the responsibilities of work and childcare or simply not seeing anyone on the ballot worth voting for.

Undermining the Vote

In 2016, the single largest group of voters weren’t Trump supporters or Clinton supporters: they were non-voters. The U.S. Elections Project estimates 100 million eligible voters did not turn out to vote in the 2016 election. That’s nearly half of all who are eligible to vote.

As Duke University professor Nancy MacLean points out in Democracy In Chains, her excellent study of the Koch brothers’ decades-long campaign to undermine the institutions of American democracy, our country’s billionaire class has long known their agenda has no chance in a fair fight. So they have pulled every trick in the book to suppress the vote, including by stacking the courts – all the way up to the Supreme Court – in their favor.

A Pew Research Survey found non-voters in the U.S. are younger, poorer and less white than frequent voters. These same people are significantly more likely to back progressive ideas and candidates. In other words, they are exactly who we need to engage to take back our government.

Something To Vote For

This year, more women and people of color are running than ever before. Up and down the ballot, inspiring progressive candidates are stepping up and running boldly progressive campaigns.

So finally, in many states and races, we do have something worth voting for – but if we aren’t careful, that won’t be enough. As a movement, we must fight voter suppression in the courts, in legislation and in the streets.

No matter what the Supreme Court rules, we can – and must – turn back this latest wave of voter suppression by registering voters, knocking on doors, driving our neighbors to the polls and by showing every politician who resorts to racist trickery to keep people from the polls that we are prepared to use our right to vote before we lose it.

If we are ever to have the kind of government we need – a government that puts people and planet over profits, that ensures workers earn decent wages and can afford housing, healthcare and a good education, ends mass incarceration and puts justice back in our criminal justice system – it will take every vote, and every voter. Especially infrequent ones.

We have to fight to ensure all voices are heard, especially those silenced for too long.

[blograzorwit]

Jest A Minute (24/2/2017) from Subroto Mukherjee

Parties win, parties lose. Parties sweep in , parties sweep out. Parties come, parties go. But our problems DON'T go away! *** Call Me Nostra-Damn-Us----------------------------------------- You know Nostradamus was a renowned French astrologer who made some astonishingly accurate predictions about the future. Well, call me the modern-day Nostradamus. Oh, not because I predicted the current poll outcome correctly -- but because I DID NOT. After all -- hey -- even the great Nostradamus made some big blunders in his forecasts and ended up with egg splattered on his face! For example, Nostradamus had predicted that Napoleon would conquer England and rule England as it's king. Ha, that never happened. In fact, the very opposite occurred. The great general and emperor Napoleon met with crushing defeat in Waterloo -- and got ignominiously flushed down the loo! *** Rising To The Lofty Occasion------------------------------------------------- In a leading newspaper, someone has written about the dearth, and the state, of ladies loos at the mega air show held in Bengaluru recently. At this spectacular show, while the most modern flying machines soared to the heavens, the toilets on the ground also did their best to rise to the same lofty heights -- the toilets stank to high heaven! *** RAPEtiles--------------------- In Kerala, a well-known film actress was raped in her own car! Looks like in that state it might not be bad if a woman finds herself alone in a secluded spot. But real bad if she finds herself alone with her driver! And this is not a stray incident either. Such brutal crimes have now become a daily shocker in this country! And what's worse, the law appears to be a mere mute, blind and impotent by-stander to such outrage! I tell you, even if wild apes from the Planet of Apes were to visit us, they'd recoil in horror : "Bloody hell, where have we landed? In the Planet of Rapes?" Kerala is known as God's own country. Not anymore. I bet even God has now disowned His own country. But in case you are planning to visit that lovely, lush, green holiday paradise, please do so. Only thing, beware of the new species on the prowl out there -- a loathsome new species of reptiles called RAPEtiles! *** Beware of Hogwarts------------------------------------- Some ladies are now speaking up in public to express their disgust at their encounters with the casting couch in our showbiz. Yeah, if you are a newbie trying to find your way around the fairy-tale woods of Bollywood -- be warned! Your experience here could be something straight out of a fairy tale. For instance, like Little Red Riding Hood, you might innocently get into bed -- only to find a big bad wolf hiding under it! Yeah, sure, from the outside showbiz might look like a fantastic dream world, a wonder world dreamed up by some wizard from the Hogwarts School of Magic. And it's HOG-WARTS indeed. Because once you step in here, you might well meet some HOGS with the most ugly WARTS out to hug and hog you! *** Pandemonium in Parliament-------------------------------------------------- If you think our politicos are all talk and no action, then perhaps you missed those scenes in the Tamil Nadu assembly the other day. It was action, action, all the way.   Hey, if the West can take pride in its flying cars, we take pride in our politicos who can perform miracles. Thanks to some MLAs in the Tamil Nadu assembly, we saw a miracle come to life -- flying chairs! You know what we need in state assemblies? More politicos like Dr Manmohan Singh. I mean, someone whose speeches are enough to put everyone to sleep. So -- no riots! *** Politically speaking, India is the most interesting country in the world. And right now with 5 states in the poll mode, I love some of news coming in from there. *** In Meerut, langurs are being used to guard EVMs. Cool. I just hope those EVMs are not being used to elect langurs to power! *** Promises, Promises, Only Promises--------------------------------------------------------- The BJP has promised UP farmers that if the party comes to power in that state, the party will waive all the loans of farmers. And the UP farmers are happy. Oh, not because they believe in such election promises. The farmers know such promises are crap. But the farmers are happy. Happy because they can at least take such crap and use it to fertilize their crop fields! *** No denying this. The BJP is the most promising party these days. But promising only in the sense that they are making the most promises. And they can very well afford to make all the promises simply because even they know only too well that they won't come to power in UP. *** Our Great And Not So Great Modi-ji-------------------------------------------------------- Our great leader Modi-ji deserves to be praised for two things. The campaign he initiated to clean up the country. And the scheme he introduced so anyone could open a bank account. Before this, a poor person who went to the bank to open a bank account was treated like dirt.   It's unpardonably shameful the way banks treat our citizens who are poor but honest while crooks in high places (like Vijay Mally) can merrily steal zillions from banks! But Modi-ji's demonetization was not a great idea at all. It certainly was not the best way to flush out black money or to flush away corruption and fake currency. Just the way the best way to warm milk is not to light a bonfire under the udder of a cow! *** India's only volcano, which is on the Andaman Islands, is rumbling. An ominous sign! Is it going to erupt? If it does, I am going to blame Mother Nature for acting like a terrorist and planting a time bomb on that island disguised as a hill! *** Top That, You Louts!---------------------------------- Onek To Holo Abar Tobey Moro! This is the title of a Bengali film just released To translate : Enough Is Enough Now Drop Dead! I tell you, uncultured louts and loafers appear to be crawling out of Kolkata gutters and invading its film industry. But -- hey -- this title has so inspired me, I can't wait to make a very romantic Bengali film. Its title will be -- Ogo Amar Priyo Golai Dori Diyo! To translate : Oh My Beloved May The Noose Be your Garland! Ha, now let me see which Tollywood lout and loafer can top that! ***   You Are Fired-------------------------- To deter the growing menace of poachers, forest rangers at our Corbett National Park have been given orders to shoot at sight. So, our forest guards will shoot at the sight of poachers and the poachers will try to scoot at the sight of the forest guards. Yes, since poachers have become hell for our protected wildlife, our forest rangers have to act like Trump and give hell to poachers : "YOU ARE FIRED!" *** If Only The Phone Could Talk . . .-------------------------------------------------------- Hitler's personal war-time red-colored phone was just auctioned for a whopping sum. What's the big deal about this red, old-fashioned, rotary phone? Well, OK, maybe it does hold some historical significance. Just imagine, if this phone could talk, what all intimate things it could reveal about Hitler -- about his love life with ladylove Eva Braun, for example! After all, in Hitler's war-time bunker, this phone used to sit on the bedside table right next to the bed on which the great dictator dictated his favored Kama Sutra positions to Eva! Hoo-boy, no wonder this phone is a deep red in color -- I bet it went all red from the sheer embarrassment of what it witnessed! ***    

[stopkingobama]

Video and Full Text of Trump Address to Congress

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJuvNMLBcQk]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America.

Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation’s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains. Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.

That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.

A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.

A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.

And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.

What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.

Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.

All the nations of the world — friend or foe — will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.

In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding — 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.

It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?

I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.

For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.

We’ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit — and so many other places throughout our land.

We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross — and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.

And we’ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.

Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.

But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus — as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.

Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first … because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.

Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.

Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.

Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.

Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.

It’s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I’ve made in keeping those promises.

Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We’ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.

We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job?crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines — thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs — and I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.

With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.

I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth — and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed –- but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.

As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.

To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.

We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.

It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.

We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America — we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.

That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe — and to keep out those who would do us harm.

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS — a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court — from my list of 20 judges — who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.

Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.

Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.

We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.

In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.

We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.

And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.

Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.

But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy — making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.

My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.

We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes — but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it’s good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me — without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it — that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

They weren’t even asking for change. But I am.

I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the “abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people.”

Lincoln was right — and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.

I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.

Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America’s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –- enter the middle class.

I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.

If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.

Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program –- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States — financed through both public and private capital –- creating millions of new jobs.

This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.

Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.

Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State — it is unsustainable and collapsing.

One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all.

Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?

We now know that all of those promises have been broken.

Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.

So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.

Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.

Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.

My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women’s health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.

True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.

An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She was not expected to live past 5.

On receiving this news, Megan’s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan’s life. Today she is 20 years old — and a sophomore at Notre Dame.

Megan’s story is about the unbounded power of a father’s love for a daughter.

But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan’s life, from reaching those in need.

If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.

In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles.

But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.

Education is the civil rights issue of our time.

I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.

Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.

We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.

But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.

The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.

In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.

This is not acceptable in our society.

Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.

But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement.

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.

Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they’ll come home safe and sound.

We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.

And we must support the victims of crime.

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.

Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.

Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.

Jamiel’s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.

Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.

Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.

To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.

Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win.

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.

Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.

The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater.

And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.

We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation.

I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, “Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.” Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom –- we will never forget him.

To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.

Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.

We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.

But our partners must meet their financial obligations.

And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.

We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.

Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people –- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict — not more.

We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.

The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.

America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.

We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world.

Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.

On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America’s centennial. At that celebration, the country’s builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.

Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.

Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light.

Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.

Imagine the wonders our country could know in America’s 250th year.

Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.

Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.

American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.

Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.

And streets where mothers are safe from fear — schools where children learn in peace — and jobs where Americans prosper and grow — are not too much to ask.

When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.

This is our vision. This is our mission.

But we can only get there together.

We are one people, with one destiny.

We all bleed the same blood.

We all salute the same flag.

And we are all made by the same God.

And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.

The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.

We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.

The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.

And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears –-

inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past –-

and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and —

Believe in yourselves.

Believe in your future.

And believe, once more, in America.

Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.

[chicojimj]

Transcript of Donald J. Trump speech/Feb 2017 TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America: Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation's path toward civil rights and the work that still remains. Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms. Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice --- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present. That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning. A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation. And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp. What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit. Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead. All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free. In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding -- 250 years since the day we declared our Independence. It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children? I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future. For too long, we've watched our middle class shrink as we've exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. We've financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit -- and so many other places throughout our land. We've defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross -- and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate. And we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled. Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds --- families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns. But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus -- as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country. Finally, the chorus became an earthquake -- and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need. Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve. Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land. Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop. And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity. Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people. It's been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I've made in keeping those promises. Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs. The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers. We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials --- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government. We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job‑crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners. We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines -- thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs -- and I've issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel. We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership. With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams. To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime. I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation. We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth -- and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted. At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed --- but that can't happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders. For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime. As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised. To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders? Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism. According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home --- from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center. We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world. It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe -- and to keep out those who would do us harm. As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS -- a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet. I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran's ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel. Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court -- from my list of 20 judges -- who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination. Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited. Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force. Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps. More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working. We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years. In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined. We've lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we've lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars. And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters. Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history. But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy -- making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave. Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world. My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class. We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers. Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes -- but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing. I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House. At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it's good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me -- without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it -- that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent. They weren't even asking for change. But I am. I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE. The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the "abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people." Lincoln was right -- and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore. I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers. Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others --- have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America's taxpayers many billions of dollars a year. Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages, and help struggling families --- including immigrant families --- enter the middle class. I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation's security, and to restore respect for our laws. If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades. Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program --- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding. America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country --- twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate. To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States -- financed through both public and private capital --- creating millions of new jobs. This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American. Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare. Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do. Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State -- it is unsustainable and collapsing. One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges --- leaving many Americans with no choice at all. Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan? We now know that all of those promises have been broken. Obamacare is collapsing --- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice --- it is a necessity. So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster. Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans: First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges. Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts --- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government. Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out. Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance -- and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately. Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines --- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care. Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope. Our citizens deserve this, and so much more --- so why not join forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people. My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women's health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure. True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future. An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all. Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She was not expected to live past 5. On receiving this news, Megan's dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan's life. Today she is 20 years old -- and a sophomore at Notre Dame. Megan's story is about the unbounded power of a father's love for a daughter. But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan's life, from reaching those in need. If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan. In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles. But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind --- and the souls --- of every American child. Education is the civil rights issue of our time. I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them. Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work. We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha. But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence. The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century. In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone --- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher. This is not acceptable in our society. Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job. But to create this future, we must work with --- not against --- the men and women of law enforcement. We must build bridges of cooperation and trust --- not drive the wedge of disunity and division. Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters -- and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they'll come home safe and sound. We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement. And we must support the victims of crime. I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE --- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests. Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them. Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis. Jamiel's 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine. Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands --- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis --- were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations. Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you. To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know --- we will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory. Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and --- if they must --- to fight and to win. I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history. My budget will also increase funding for our veterans. Our veterans have delivered for this Nation --- and now we must deliver for them. The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater. And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform. We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero --- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation. I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies." Ryan's legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom --- we will never forget him. To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform. Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe. We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism. But our partners must meet their financial obligations. And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that. We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific --- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost. We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations. Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people --- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict -- not more. We must learn from the mistakes of the past --- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world. The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding. America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict. We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world. Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free. On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America's centennial. At that celebration, the country's builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations. Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time. Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light. Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen. Imagine the wonders our country could know in America's 250th year. Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people. Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope. American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream. Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect. And streets where mothers are safe from fear -- schools where children learn in peace -- and jobs where Americans prosper and grow -- are not too much to ask. When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans. This is our vision. This is our mission. But we can only get there together. We are one people, with one destiny. We all bleed the same blood. We all salute the same flag. And we are all made by the same God. And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began. The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us. We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts. The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls. And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action. From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears --- inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past --- and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts. I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and -- Believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America. Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.