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TODAY’S COLLEGE CROWD – I DON’T GET IT

November 28, 2023 By: bob Category: Culture, Humor, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

Image result for pro hamas rally's on colege campus's

University of Arizona Pro-Hamas Students Claim they were Too Unsafe to Protest

I have to admit that I am completely “Befuddled” by todays college students who pay thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars a year to attend Universities to indoctrinate them with theories  and political ideologies which are in obvious and apparent opposition to everything we are told they believe.  Namely, the majority of College Students would appear to completely believe in a WOKE culture dedicated to the LGBTQ+ life along with Transgender and Multi-Gender at will “realities” along with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.  Add to that the demand for Abortion on demand up through the ninth  month of pregnancy, and in a couple of states, the peri-natal period following live birth. 

I DON’T GET IT

These “Progressives” who believe you can be a “Guy” on Tuesday, a “Girl” on Wednesday and a non-Binary Leprechaun on Thursday and whose cultural values reject Christianity in large measure because they believe Christian teachings and moral code is too strict for their chosen lifestyle, seem to have chosen to set sail on the “Good Ship Hamas”.

Hamas, who on their best days are the illegitimate sons of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its absolute ruler, the Ayatollah Khomeini, a man who rules with the dictates of Islam as pronounced in the 7th Century.  That is a world in which women have no rights other than to be the “Chattel” property of men.  A system where women by custom can be “circumcised” to be sure they never take pleasure in their relationship with the men in their lives.  Daughters can be executed without penalty by their fathers if the father feels they have dishonored the family.  It is a “Man’s World” in an absolute way.  

In Iran, and some/most other Islamic based communities, the LGBTQ+ lifestyle is forbidden by law.  It was once joked that the life expectancy of an openly gay male in Iran was about 38 minutes.  

Hamas males consider women little more than breeders for the next generation of Terrorists.  They also look on women and children as handy shields in a firefight and consider them little more than propaganda “cannon fodder” in their war against Israel.

So why do America’s “Progressive” Students want to hitch a ride on the Ship of Hamas?  Because they have been fed a load of crap by their overpaid far left political professors who have told them the lie that the Palestinians are the victim of Israeli Colonialism.  Palestine was first given the name by the Romans when they conquered territory which was occupied at that time by the Jewish people and Hebrew claim on the land goes back to Father Abraham.

Israel is, and has been willing to live in peace with their Palestinian neighbor in a “Two State” solution in peace and prosperity for both sides.  Hamas totally rejects this and demands the total destruction of the State of Israel.   This is a fact, not propaganda.

So why the outcry from our mis-educated and over-indebted College Youth and other “Hate America Activists”?  Follow the money.  People like George Soros who will pay any price to destroy an America he hates and funds these activists while they are being fed lies.

If protestors really want to Free Palestine, they should be be asking that it be freed from the Barbaric Rule of Hamas.  Both the Palestinians and Israel are victims of the Terrorism of Hamas who treats the citizens of Gaza as serfs or slaves.

Like I said, I don’t get it.  How can an “educated” population group who say they are socially so “Progressive” align themselves, and partner with, a people who are historically and socially so “Regressive” and opposed to the values the so-called “Progressives” say they champion and espouse.  In my mind it makes them either hypocrites or just plain dumb.

Bob Bandy – November 2023

 

BLOOMBERG “FINISH THE JOB ON COAL”

November 09, 2023 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

Behind a $500 Million Donation to ‘Finish the Job on Coal’

Behind a $500 Million Donation to

‘Finish the Job on Coal’

Kevin Stocklin – Epoch Times – November 5, 2023

The following are excerpts from the above article which I am reprinting with only a few comments following the excerpts as the above writer pretty much “says it all” regarding the consequences of following the direction of the “Manmade Global Warming Junkies” (my phrase).

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Billionaire philanthropist and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged $500 million in September toward shifting electricity production in the United States to wind and solar energy and shutting down its coal- and gas-fired plants.

However, some experts say that Bloomberg’s millions, together with the billions being spent by the Biden administration, are paving a road to ruin.

The donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies, which adds to the $500 million Mr. Bloomberg pledged in 2019, aims to “finish the job on coal” and “accelerate the clean energy transition to reach the goal of 80 percent of total electricity generation” from renewables, according to an official statement.

“With 372 of 530 coal plants announced to retire or closed to date—more than 70 percent of the country’s coal fleet—this next phase will shut down every last U.S. coal plant,” Bloomberg Philanthropies stated.

The effort also aims to “slash gas plant capacity in half, and block all new gas plants.”Many of those who study America’s electric infrastructure say this is taking us down a dangerous path.

German energy economist Lars Schernikau has assessed the results of his country’s “Energiewende” (energy transition) and warns Americans to not follow Germany’s example.

“Wind and solar do not seem to work; otherwise, after 20 years of ‘Energiewende,’ power prices would be lower and Germany would not be in trouble,” he told The Epoch Times.

Germany spent hundreds of billions of euros to build wind and solar facilities since 2002, doubling its power generation capacity and boosting the share of renewables to 60 percent from about 10 percent. However, its electricity production has been flat, while the cost of electricity skyrocketed.

Wind and solar don’t increase output proportionately because of their significantly lower “capacity factor,” or the percentage that’s actually generated versus capacity built.

 The capacity factor for wind and solar is significantly lower than that for nuclear or fossil fuels. (Energy Information Administration)

For all the billions spent, Germany’s “Energiewende” has delivered an increasingly unreliable electric system at a cost to consumers that’s higher than virtually every other developed country. The process of shuttering coal and nuclear plants has left the country at the whim of the weather and unfriendly neighbors, such as Russia, and also dangerously short of dependable power that can be adjusted to meet fluctuations in demand.

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The entire article is available on Epoch Times at the date shown above.  My only closing comment is that our own governments drive to pursue solar and wind power for all of our nations energy needs is in the opinion of many knowledgeable and thoughtful experts a “fools errand” that will lead us down a path of ever more expensive and unreliable energy for our day to day needs under all weather conditions.  To quote another excerpt from the article:

“We’re following people here that are pied pipers,” physicist and energy analyst John Droz told The Epoch Times, referring to the literary character who led children to their doom through delusive enticement.”  “This whole business of promoting renewables as a solution is completely unproven, scientifically.”

Too close I can only say this whole “Climate Change” madness is largely based on junk science which I have written about in the past.  Go to:

https://www.stoppullingthewagon.com/?s=junk+science+ala+carte

Bob Bandy – November 2023

 

BLACK LIVES MATTER – ANOTHER PATH

October 27, 2023 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

Black Lives Matter Leader Stands Behind J6 Prisoners, Endorses Trump

Mark Fisher, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Rhode Island. (Courtesy of Mark Fisher)

Black Lives Matter Leader Stands Behind J6 Prisoners, Endorses Trump

Epoch Times – October 20, 2023 by Matt McGregor

Like many others I was disappointed, frustrated and yes, angry with the Black Lives Matter organization and what it became.  While everybody I know truly believes that Black Lives do indeed matter the organization itself deteriorated into a mostly fund raising group that too often used intimidation, violence and political rhetoric to raise vast amounts if money.  Most of us waited to see the “good” being done with this money within the “Black” community only to find little or no life enriching programs or even charitable work demonstrated in any meaningful way.  Instead we found the leaders of the organizations moving into mansions and “hiring” friends and family members into grossly overpaid positions while most of the millions (billions?) of dollars raised seem to just vanish.

This article by/about Mark Fisher by Matt McGregor in Epoch times I find thoughtful and a new path being laid out by Mark Fisher that I can endorse and support.  While I may not agree with him 100% in all that he says, I find his desire and goals a potential “new beginning” for an organization I believe most any of us could support. The entire article is lengthy and you can find it on the Epoch Times but I am sharing below some excerpts which I feel show his “heart” and his vision for a “New Path” for a reformed Black Lives Matter organization worthy of widespread support.  You may agree or not agree but will find what he has to say thoughtful and worthy of sincere consideration.  The excerpts follow:

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Black Lives Matter Leader Stands Behind J6 Prisoners, Endorses Trump

The founder of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization is voicing his support of Jan. 6 prisoners and not shying away from endorsing former President Donald Trump as “the best candidate we have.”

Mark Fisher—who stepped down from his leadership position at BLM Rhode Island, which he co-founded, and is now founder and executive director of the Maryland-based BLM Incorporated—has stood in solidarity with leaders of the Proud Boys and led vigils of prayer for the people he believes to be political prisoners.

“They’re lambs led to slaughter to be sacrificed as an example for all who might want to dissent in the future,” Mr. Fisher told The Epoch Times. “This is what the government does to those who express independent thought and want to stand up for what they believe.”

What he sees in the vindictive treatment of the J6 prisoners are similarities to how black people have been treated, he said, and his aspiration in establishing that connection is to find common ground.

“One of the things I highlight when I speak to them is that they have a whole new understanding now of what black people have been going through with the over-policing, the police brutality, and the unfair treatment in the two-tiered justice system and how oppressive and overreaching it is,” Mr. Fisher said.
Just as legacy media has distorted what happened at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by accusing Trump supporters of a violent insurrection, Mr. Fisher said BLM has been blamed for the 2020 summer riots, though there were outside parties like the far-left extremist group Antifa that were a source of chaos.

“Antifa had a lot to do with the riots of 2020, and there were a lot of anarchist groups who just wanted to take advantage of the moment and were out for destruction,” he said.

Black Lives Matter had been around years before George Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis in 2020, Mr. Fisher said. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder in the case.

“That’s when it became a political movement and the national and global center of attention,” Mr. Fisher said. “The media made us its darling, which it loves to do, and it was able to make us its scapegoat when things started to go south.”

Mr. Fisher, a Christian who has a degree in theology with a background in being a pastor, expressed contempt for both the government and the media.

“I don’t trust the federal or state government as far as I can throw them, and the media is trying to stop us from uniting,” he said. “It’s the same media that caused the division between all of these marginalized groups in the first place to keep us at each other’s throats.”

According to Mr. Fisher, people have misunderstood the original intent of BLM’s mission.

The name of the organization itself has led to anger.

“It’s not black lives are better,” he said. “It’s not black lives are greater or black lives matter more. It’s just simply black lives matter. That statement itself is so loaded that people have processed it differently through their own lens and experience.”

To not see the significance of the statement from the perspective of a black person is to fail to see it through a lens of compassion, he said.

Mr. Fisher denied the framing of BLM as a Marxist organization.

“Black people want the same thing that white people want,” he said. “We want life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We want to make money and have a family. Do those sound like Marxist principles? To me, those are fundamentally American, entrepreneurial, and capitalist principles. We want to acquire wealth and leave something—as the Bible teaches us—for our children.”    …….

Mr. Fisher didn’t speak highly of the Democratic Party.

“It’s a racist party with racist policies that negatively impact black families,” he said. “Black people are stuck on that plantation, mentally. They’re slaves in their own minds because they refuse to see the big picture and how we’ve been used and abused by the Democratic Party with policies that are absolutely antithetical to what black people yearn for in this country, which is life, liberty, freedom, the pursuit of happiness, and a family to raise.”

Mr. Fisher equally distrusts the Republican Party, which he said is its own corrupt institution.

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The above are only excerpts admittedly taken from the total context but the complete article is too long for this forum and the above excerpts are meant to give a flavor for his thoughtful and well documented plans for a reformed BLM organization.   Clearly an article worth careful consideration and discussion.  You may want to read the entire article which you can find at The Epoch Times site for the date given above. 

Something to think about.

Bob Bandy – October 2023 

 

JESSE WATTERS AND THE GRIFTERS

October 02, 2023 By: bob Category: In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

GRIFTERS – THE CLINTON CRIME FAMILY

 

On a recent telecast Jesse Watters made an announcement (also noted in other mainstream media) that Bill and Hillary Clinton had announced they were going to put the Clinton Global Initiative to work for the restoration of the parts of the Ukraine destroyed by the Russian Army.  During his broadcast Jesse correctly labeled the Clinton’s as Grifters.   

One can only hope that the Clinton’s do not accomplish in the Ukraine what they did for Haiti.  Port-Au-Prince in Haiti was devastated by a massive 7.0 Earthquake in 1993.  At that time over 13 Billion Dollars was pledged to help rebuild the City and surrounding area.  Several Billion of these dollars were “funneled” (more accurately – Flushed) through the Clinton Foundation to rebuild housing and infrastructure in Port-Au-Prince.  Very little housing was rebuilt and the infrastructure remains a shambles to this day but the money disappeared – “Poof”.

I wrote about this back in February of 2018 with the above title “GRIFTERS – THE CLINTON CRIME FAMILY”.  The complete context of that article follows.

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GRIFTER’S – THE CLINTON CRIME FAMILY

I have often been amused at our tendency as a people to create cultural Icons out of some pretty unsavory individuals.  Black Beard the Pirate, Pancho Villa, Billy The Kid, Bonnie & Clyde and more recently, the Clinton Crime Family.  

Coming to us out of the State of Arkansas, a state of some three million citizens, they have left behind them a trail of abused women, phony cattle and land “deals”, death by “suicide” (Vince Foster – White House Counsel), heart broken interns, perjury, etc. etc.

Remember when Hillary said that she and Bill “Came out of the White House not only dead broke but millions of dollars in debt”.  Her words, not mine.  Ever wonder where all the money came from to turn them into millionaires in just a few short years?

When Port-Au-Prince in Haiti was devastated by a massive 7.0 Earthquake in 1993 over 13 Billion Dollars was pledged to help rebuild the City and surrounding area.  Several Billion of these dollars were “funneled” through the Clinton Foundation to rebuild housing and infrastructure in Port-Au-Prince.  Very little housing was rebuilt and the infrastructure remains a shambles to this day but the money disappeared – “Poof”.

The Clinton Global Initiative is presented as a way to provide aid to Africa for such things as fighting diarrhea and other health problems – a worthy cause.  What little information about the finances of the organization has been made public has shown that less than 10% has gone to actually helping the people of Africa and the rest of the money has been spent on “Administrative” and other costs – translation – funding the Clinton’s lifestyle.  “Poof”.

While Hillary was serving as Secretary of State somehow millions of foreign dollars (Saudi Arabia, Morocco, others) got “donated” to Clinton “Charities” and Bill was paid Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars for twenty minute speeches as he traveled, First Class, around the world in a quest to interview new “Interns” for Hillary’s upcoming, “in the bag” Presidency which was being engineered  by the Democratic National Committee (exit Bernie Sanders) and members of upper management at the (in)Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation with the State Department playing a supportive role in the wings.

Everywhere the Clinton’s have been they have left behind broken lives, ruined careers, lies, deception and a talent for evading justice themselves.  In the process they have convinced millions of gullible voters that they “really care”.  They do care.  About themselves.

In my mind we all must take some blame or credit, you choose, for making “Rock Stars” out of those who destroy the lives of others while enriching themselves.  

Still, it troubles many of us how some individuals can live their lives doing things that most of us would not only have our lives and reputations destroyed for doing, but would also find ourselves confined for long prison sentences, while folks like the Clinton’s and their ilk, are hailed as “Celebrities” and “Folk Hero’s”.

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History has a way of repeating itself – Especially with Grifters

Bob Bandy – October 2023

 

CALIFORNIA $44,000 HOMELESS BONANZA

September 19, 2023 By: bob Category: Culture, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

Jerry Washington exits his tent at an Urban Alchemy Safe Sleep Village.

photo – Los Angeles Times

FOR POLITICALLY “CONNECTED” CONTRACTORS – CALIFORNIA’S HOMELESS CRISIS IS A WINDFALL BONANAZA

 

Messenger News – 9-15-23

Los Angeles officials prioritized speed over cost while building a new city-sanction tent village for homeless people in East Hollywood, reportedly shelling out $44,000 for each individual tent — about the price of a new Tesla Model Y.

All told, it cost about $4 million to put up fencing, bathrooms, and staffing facilities for the village. Catering services and 24-7 staffing cost an additional $3 million per year, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Despite the high costs, the site is only temporary. It’s located on a parking lot that will eventually be turned into public housing. But because it will take years for construction to commence on that project, the city decided to fill the space with tents in the meantime.

Urban Alchemy, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, maintains the camp village, but not without controversy.

When the nonprofit launched with a small grant in 2018, it mostly hired former prisoners because they had the “ability to read people in unpredictable situations.” Lawsuits have since accused some of these employees of abusive behavior.

The nonprofit brought in $51 million in 2021 after expanding into Austin and Portland

Urban Alchemy says it’s offering a practical solution to build quick and affordable housing for California’s 172,000 homeless people, while also offering more intangible perks, like safety and autonomy.

The tents in the East Hollywood location are of higher quality than anything someone could buy from a typical camping store. They have raised wooden platforms, full beds, and storage lockers. The site has reportedly been close to capacity since opening in February 2022.

The nonprofit Coalition for Responsible Community Development, meanwhile, set up an office across the street to attract people who might be interested in reentering the workforce.

The nonprofit already oversees several camp villages across the state with varying styles. The residences at a tent city in Culver City are made from sturdy white canvas, while those in South Los Angeles are more humble, resembling store-bought camping gear.

Only about 2% of the guests have since moved on to permanent housing, a statistic Urban Alchemy blames on a lack of affordable housing in the city, according to the Times.

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It is hard for me to add to the above.  These multi-million dollar homeless “solutions” are really only an endless “Cash Cow” for our politicians and their “well connected” supporters.

Do you want to speculate what these pristine white tents will look like after a couple of months of occupancy by drug and alcohol addicted vagrants? It has been my experience in life that, not in every case, but in general, people show the same care and discipline in caring for the place where the lay their heads at night as they do in managing their own day to day lives.  What do the areas these homeless vagrants have occupied so far look like?

Reminds me of the spoof I wrote some months back about Mayor Conrad Blowhard which follows:

A SPIN CITY NARRATIVE

Conrad Blowhard is the Mayor of Spin City, California.  His city has become infested with homeless encampments and vagrants numbering in the thousands.  To some this would seem a problem but Mayor Blowhard sees an opportunity.  

He will convince his City Council that in an effort to help the homeless and decrease their numbers on the cities streets and alleys he would like them to pass a funding bill in the amount of 80 Million Dollars with the proceeds dedicated to renovating a dilapidated, nearly abandoned hotel down on “Skid Row” and convert it’s 80 rooms into housing for the homeless.  The City Council passes the funding request and pats themselves on the back for “caring” about the homeless.

Closed bidding contracts are let out to major contractors who are supporters and donors to the Mayor for the work to be done.  A ceremonial event is held at the Foggy Bottom Hotel with the Mayor swinging a sledge hammer through a faded door of a shoddy 200 square foot room in front of live television cameras.  Everybody applauds.

Work begins.  Some effort is made to rid the building of most of the rats, termites and other vermin which infest it.  The leaking roof is patched.  Contractors workers “freshen up” the rooms with new paint, carpet, updated (cheap) fixtures from China and new window coverings.  Cost per room renovated is $400,000.  In addition, the hotel gets a new name:  “NEW BEGINNING’S” and a single fresh coat of exterior paint. 

Grand Opening Day arrives.  Brass Bands and Ribbon Cutting.  Mayor Blowhard and City Council members make grandiose speeches about how they have solved the cities Homeless Crisis.  A few ragged homeless people are seen entering the building to take occupancy of their renovated 200 square foot “apartments”.

The Mayor’s handpicked contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers go out and spend their profits on new boats, sports cars and luxury vacations but not forgetting to “tithe” back some of those profits to the Majors campaign re-election coffers.

The 80 “new” tenants of the once dilapidated hotel settle in and begin the task of de-renovation on the hotel to turn it back into a Skid Row Manor.  

The whole process is “spun” as a huge success and praise and credit is layered on all who participated in the project.  What could possibly go wrong.  Housing was provided, at least temporarily, for 80 homeless people for only 80 Million Dollars.  “WINK – WINK”.

P.S. I would like to give inspirational credit to Michael J. Fox and his long ago television series “Spin City”.

Bob Bandy – September 2023

IRS LAUNCHES TAX CRACKDOWN USING AI

September 14, 2023 By: bob Category: Culture, Humor, In the News, On Bob's Mind, Something To Think About

IRS Launches 'Sweeping, Historic' Tax Enforcement Crackdown Using AI

photo – Epoch Times

EVERY DAY – I find myself thinking that our government cannot become any more overbearing and intrusive in our lives than it was last night when I went to bed.  EVERY DAY – they find some new way to make my life more fearful of a ruthless totalitarian regime bent on making my day to day existence less content with endless mechanisms to pick my pockets of the few remaining, hard earned pennies left to me after a plethora of taxes on anything and everything.  This from a Federal Bureaucracy that cannot stop spending money and have our nation on the verge of 33 Trillion Dollars in debt. A debt which they cannot even pay the interest on.

Now they are going to unleash on us “Artificial Intelligence” to “sniff out” every possible corner of our lives for the very last bit they can glean to steal from us and waste.  This in preparation for the implementation of unwanted (by the public) a forced “Digital Currency” which they can monitor and control your spending with.  To the last “Nickel”.  The government will be able to control what you can, and cannot buy with a few clicks on some bureaucrats keyboard.  “Hey Bob”, you’ve been eating too much ground beef!  We will fix that – for your own good – of course!”

Hello George Orwell’s “Big Brother”.  Goodbye peace and privacy.  

And just last evening I hear on the news that our government is heading to a “Universal” “Global” Digital Identity Card which will contain every bit of information about you.  This card will be able to be read by government agencies and bureaucrats around the world.

WE CAN ALL BECOME DIGITS IN THE WORLDWIDE PROLETARIAT DATABASE!  

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IRS Launches ‘Sweeping, Historic’ Tax Enforcement Crackdown Using AI

Tom Ozimek – The Epoch Times – September 9, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that, thanks to a new funding boost, it’s launching a “sweeping, historic” tax enforcement initiative using artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies to catch tax evaders more effectively.

“There is a sea change taking place at the IRS in every aspect of our operations,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a Sept. 8 statement, which notes that the tax agency has completed a top-to-bottom review of its enforcement efforts and is girding to catch people “abusing the nation’s tax laws,” thanks in part to cutting-edge tech.

“The changes will be driven with the help of improved technology as well as Artificial Intelligence that will help IRS compliance teams better detect tax cheating, identify emerging compliance threats and improve case selection tools to avoid burdening taxpayers with needless ‘no-change’ audits,” Mr. Werfel said.

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Don’t you feel better knowing that your government is constantly looking for ways to help you?  Happy dreams!

And to think, just a few years ago I coined the phrase “Clowns, Criminals and Lunatics” to describe those we have elected to lead us.  I am now thinking that label is too kind.  Makes me want to sleep with one eye open….  as if that would help!

Bob Bandy – September 2023