You read that correctly there is a new cold war. China is becoming increasingly aggressive towards its neighbors. It is claiming more and more islands based on distant history. Its communist government regularly ignores international maritime conventions.
Japan has been forced to build installations on uninhibited islands to prevent China from taking them. China is running armed ships into Japanese waters without notice. Realizing that its neighbor has become a threat Japan has begun a military build up.
Taiwan has also begun to take its own defense seriously. China protested strongly a recently inked sale of F-16 fighters to the island nation and now the Taiwanese are promising to build their own fighters and submarines.
Vietnam and the Philippines are likewise feeling threatened by Beijing. Joint military exercises between Russia and China were clearly meant to intimate South Korea.
And now the killing of a American carrier is thinkable. Isn't this a cold war? If you read that article you'll discover our carriers can't operate close enough to the area without becoming a target. Our carrier based planes don't have the range. By default our missile subs have become the biggest deterrent to Chinese aggression.
Between 1997 and 2016 U.S. submarine production dropped by 80%. During that time we lost the industrial base required to build the subs we need today. Because of that General Dynamics is struggling to meet the new demand.
Our European allies have grown soft and can offer little support. The free nations of the Pacific are acknowledging China's regional ambitions. If we fail to act the communist government of China will begin to gobble up it's smaller neighbors and that will directly affect the United States.
Just announced: Japan passes record defense budget.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Dorian - You Can Help
On August 19th I dropped by the local Red Cross collection site to donate blood. As a truck driver I have delivered relief supplies into hurricane affected zones. I've seen the devastation. So when this time of year rolls around I make sure to get out and give blood.
In better times I donate during DragonCon but with my recent difficulties I wasn't going to be able to attend. The good news is there is a app that makes it easy to find a local blood drive and give.
You can schedule your donation then follow it through each step. My donation was ready for use today. Great! And the app informs me that I'm eligible to give again in October.
Giving the gift of life has never been easier.
In better times I donate during DragonCon but with my recent difficulties I wasn't going to be able to attend. The good news is there is a app that makes it easy to find a local blood drive and give.
You can schedule your donation then follow it through each step. My donation was ready for use today. Great! And the app informs me that I'm eligible to give again in October.
Giving the gift of life has never been easier.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Epstein and FBI Secrets
Even before his shocking death in a NYC jail the case of Jeffrey Epstein was full of intrigue. The so called Lolita express, Pedophile island and a list of big names has made for plenty of bombshell headlines. His pedophilia was demented. How was he able to get away with it so long?
In 2008 Epstein got a sweetheart deal after pleading to trafficking a minor. The plea came after a Non Prosecution Agreement was offered that protected Epstein and any co-conspirators from future federal charges. I think it's fair to ask why such a deal would ever have been made. According to reports, the United States attorney Alexander Acosta has said he was told to back off.
Since 2016 we have learned that there were people in the FBI willing to act on their allegiance to the Democrat Party. Hillary Clinton's illegal email server, an open secret, was ignored. Clinton was exonerated in a piece of political theater meant for public consumption. Then an investigation was opened into possible collusion between then candidate Donald Trump and Russia based on a phoney document. Clearly there was a bias in the actions of the FBI.
Label me a conspiracy theory nut but how much of a stretch is it to think that Democrat friendly officials in the DOJ and FBI had known about Epstein's activities for some time. If someone told Acosta to back off, who was it? Who knew? Comey? Rosenstein? Mueller? McCabe?
Did the millionaire investor's recent arrest come as a result of regime change at the DOJ? That would seem possible. If true, there might be a lot of people beyond the Epstein investigation that are worried their secrets will no longer be kept.
In 2014 my brother reported on a Hollywood pedophilia scandal involving Democrat donors. Despite rumors of pool parties with young twinks there has never been, to our knowledge, an investigation. There have been rumors for years involving powerful men in Hollywood and young people they might have molested. Were these big name Hollywood types protected because of their political allegiance? Hollywood is one the biggest sources of campaign contributions on the political landscape and it belongs to Democrats.
It's seems like the partisan culture at work during 2016 election season within the DOJ and FBI may have been at work for a longer time than anyone has suspected. How many investigations might have been affected? How many criminals have gone on to commit more crimes?
Have you wondered why nothing has happened to the bad actors behind the spygate scandal? When dirty cops, prosecutors and judges are prosecuted and convicted any case they touched could be tossed. The scale of this partisan corruption is huge and potentially goes back more than a decade. It's no surprise that Comey, McCabe and Strzok have been so defiant. The fallout from a prosecution would be like a wildfire. That's why we'll never know the extent of the problem or see a prosecution.
My final thoughts in a moment. I'm currently out of work with health problems. I've been out of work for over a month. My Gofundme Kirby's Medical Fundraiser fully funded will help me get through this. You can support me by sharing my story and donating if you can.
James Comey was the central player in the 2016 election season. From the free pass given to Hillary Clinton to the strategic media leaks meant to damage President Donald Trump, Comey's activism is front and center. And while he was running the show he certainly had plenty of help.
Alexander Acosta resigned as Labor Secretary and the story died. We need to know who might have wanted him to back off in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to have him testify. The origins of the group that worked so hard to affect the 2016 election must be explored. This is the only way to make sure that all of these partisans have been removed from power.
Protecting pedophiles because they're political donors? That's just sick.
In 2008 Epstein got a sweetheart deal after pleading to trafficking a minor. The plea came after a Non Prosecution Agreement was offered that protected Epstein and any co-conspirators from future federal charges. I think it's fair to ask why such a deal would ever have been made. According to reports, the United States attorney Alexander Acosta has said he was told to back off.
Since 2016 we have learned that there were people in the FBI willing to act on their allegiance to the Democrat Party. Hillary Clinton's illegal email server, an open secret, was ignored. Clinton was exonerated in a piece of political theater meant for public consumption. Then an investigation was opened into possible collusion between then candidate Donald Trump and Russia based on a phoney document. Clearly there was a bias in the actions of the FBI.
Label me a conspiracy theory nut but how much of a stretch is it to think that Democrat friendly officials in the DOJ and FBI had known about Epstein's activities for some time. If someone told Acosta to back off, who was it? Who knew? Comey? Rosenstein? Mueller? McCabe?
Did the millionaire investor's recent arrest come as a result of regime change at the DOJ? That would seem possible. If true, there might be a lot of people beyond the Epstein investigation that are worried their secrets will no longer be kept.
In 2014 my brother reported on a Hollywood pedophilia scandal involving Democrat donors. Despite rumors of pool parties with young twinks there has never been, to our knowledge, an investigation. There have been rumors for years involving powerful men in Hollywood and young people they might have molested. Were these big name Hollywood types protected because of their political allegiance? Hollywood is one the biggest sources of campaign contributions on the political landscape and it belongs to Democrats.
It's seems like the partisan culture at work during 2016 election season within the DOJ and FBI may have been at work for a longer time than anyone has suspected. How many investigations might have been affected? How many criminals have gone on to commit more crimes?
Have you wondered why nothing has happened to the bad actors behind the spygate scandal? When dirty cops, prosecutors and judges are prosecuted and convicted any case they touched could be tossed. The scale of this partisan corruption is huge and potentially goes back more than a decade. It's no surprise that Comey, McCabe and Strzok have been so defiant. The fallout from a prosecution would be like a wildfire. That's why we'll never know the extent of the problem or see a prosecution.
My final thoughts in a moment. I'm currently out of work with health problems. I've been out of work for over a month. My Gofundme Kirby's Medical Fundraiser fully funded will help me get through this. You can support me by sharing my story and donating if you can.
James Comey was the central player in the 2016 election season. From the free pass given to Hillary Clinton to the strategic media leaks meant to damage President Donald Trump, Comey's activism is front and center. And while he was running the show he certainly had plenty of help.
Alexander Acosta resigned as Labor Secretary and the story died. We need to know who might have wanted him to back off in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to have him testify. The origins of the group that worked so hard to affect the 2016 election must be explored. This is the only way to make sure that all of these partisans have been removed from power.
Protecting pedophiles because they're political donors? That's just sick.
OR
Thursday, August 1, 2019
My Funder
In my previous post I spoke of the wonderful work of Bill Pulte and the awareness of charitable giving that's being raised by it. Inspired by his generosity thousands are joining in to help people when they most need it. I also need to mention @codeofvets for the wonderful work she has been doing on behalf of #Veterans in need. So, now just a short post about my fundraiser and the considerations I put into it.
My Funder is not about covering all of the costs that I will incur. My best estimation is that fully funded three thousand dollars will sustain me until I can get back to work. No frills, just keeping up a meager existence throughout this medical process. If I had to guess, the real cost of my medical treatment and lost wages would land near the ten thousand dollar mark. By keeping the fundraiser amount lower I hope people would be more inclined to give.
Mine is not a case that draws universal sympathy. Mine is a case of someone deprived of making a living by a faceless and unfeeling bureaucracy. It's the most unspectacular problem someone can face. This isn't something that grabs another person by the heart strings. As a result, my fundraiser doesn't grow in leaps and bounds. It requires constant promotion to gather donations and that is why I always ask people to share my story on their social media.
After being diagnosed as type two diabetes several years back I took control of my diet to avoid complications. This year's physical my A1c was 5.9 without medication and my weight was down 25lbs to 175lbs. To my complete surprise the doctor suggested that I should have a sleep study done.
Consider that for a moment. I hadn't been asked for a sleep study when I weighed a little over two hundred pounds. Now having lost weight and bringing my A1c into a normal range the doctor requires yet another test. Why? Because after all of these years of constant unrelenting test this is one that hasn't been done. It's really just that simple. Let no good deed go unpunished.
Perhaps I strayed a bit from my intended topic, I apologize. I wanted to add some context to my story. I wanted to illustrate why I'm saying that I set the limit for my fundraiser on the lower side. Let me further demonstrate the lengths to which this excessive testing goes.
Last year the cardiologist that I was using ordered a heart catheter after my stress test came back normal. Why? Because he could. When the heart catheterization came back with no issues he went on to order a electrophysiology study which comes in at a tidy 80k. I then consulted a VA doctor about this and he said don't do it. He said this test was for an irregular heartbeat and since I had never had a irregular heartbeat there was no grounds to support asking for that test.
Have I set the goal for my fundraiser too low? Do you think my fundraiser is worthwhile? The comments section is open. Would you like to see more posts? The first $50 donation will have me working away at another post!
Thanks,
Kirby McCain
My Medical Fundraiser
My Funder is not about covering all of the costs that I will incur. My best estimation is that fully funded three thousand dollars will sustain me until I can get back to work. No frills, just keeping up a meager existence throughout this medical process. If I had to guess, the real cost of my medical treatment and lost wages would land near the ten thousand dollar mark. By keeping the fundraiser amount lower I hope people would be more inclined to give.
Mine is not a case that draws universal sympathy. Mine is a case of someone deprived of making a living by a faceless and unfeeling bureaucracy. It's the most unspectacular problem someone can face. This isn't something that grabs another person by the heart strings. As a result, my fundraiser doesn't grow in leaps and bounds. It requires constant promotion to gather donations and that is why I always ask people to share my story on their social media.
After being diagnosed as type two diabetes several years back I took control of my diet to avoid complications. This year's physical my A1c was 5.9 without medication and my weight was down 25lbs to 175lbs. To my complete surprise the doctor suggested that I should have a sleep study done.
Consider that for a moment. I hadn't been asked for a sleep study when I weighed a little over two hundred pounds. Now having lost weight and bringing my A1c into a normal range the doctor requires yet another test. Why? Because after all of these years of constant unrelenting test this is one that hasn't been done. It's really just that simple. Let no good deed go unpunished.
Perhaps I strayed a bit from my intended topic, I apologize. I wanted to add some context to my story. I wanted to illustrate why I'm saying that I set the limit for my fundraiser on the lower side. Let me further demonstrate the lengths to which this excessive testing goes.
Last year the cardiologist that I was using ordered a heart catheter after my stress test came back normal. Why? Because he could. When the heart catheterization came back with no issues he went on to order a electrophysiology study which comes in at a tidy 80k. I then consulted a VA doctor about this and he said don't do it. He said this test was for an irregular heartbeat and since I had never had a irregular heartbeat there was no grounds to support asking for that test.
Have I set the goal for my fundraiser too low? Do you think my fundraiser is worthwhile? The comments section is open. Would you like to see more posts? The first $50 donation will have me working away at another post!
Thanks,
Kirby McCain
My Medical Fundraiser
Perspective of Crisis
Recently a very good thing has begun to happen, the little man is being noticed.
#TwitterPhilanthropy is a movement led most notably by @pulte or Bill Pulte. He and his followers assist people who need help with a variety of adverse circumstances. Every day people that have a medical crisis, facing homelessness or need help with housing and utilities are being helped by this movement of charitable giving. As someone that is facing hard times I wanted to take a moment and share my experiences of fundraising and working to overcome my present situation.
I'm a CDL truck driver diagnosed with atherosclerosis. I had triple bypass surgery in 2008 and in 2016 had a endarterectomy and stent to correct stenosis of the left carotid artery. Due to my medical history I must be certified annually to continue driving. Now doctors are focused on my right carotid.
The tricky part of this situation is that I still have my job so I can't draw unemployment. If ever there was a crack to fall through this is certainly one. I have short term disability that I pay for on my insurance but it doesn't kick in until forty-five days. In the meantime I'm paying copays and other medical expenses on top of basic living expenses.
For thousands like me you're living life on a string. What might be a minor annoyance in your regular life can threaten you with homelessness or worse. Inability to pay a phone bill makes it many times more difficult to get a job or stay in touch with doctors. Maintaining housing and transportation can be giant hurdles. Things we routinely take for granted. It's no surprise that so many have turned to social media and crowd funding as a means of survival.
My day starts early. I check my social media and make a post or two to promote my fundraiser. Then I'm off to doctors or the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Today I received my Family Leave and short term disability insurance paperwork so I'm busy getting that filled out so I can get it in the hands of the doctors for completion. For those in crisis everyday is a challenge and an opportunity.
Note: upon taking the family leave act and disability forms to my private physician I was informed that they charged $35 per form filled out. I mention this to illustrate the ongoing expenses that I face in trying to resolve this problem.
With thousands of people in need, getting noticed and distinguishing yourself from internet panhandlers is both crucial and difficult. At 62 I can assure you that I'm not the most savvy social media person you might encounter. In order to assure people of the validity of my situation I update regularly often with photos of my most recent hospital bracelet or just simply checking in on Facebook when I'm at the hospital.
For thousands of people my situation is their situation. A struggle to avoid catastrophe. Treading the waters of uncertainty. In my darkest moments I worry about homelessness and by extension so do the many thousands of people that are living in crisis. One day at a time I remain focused on resolving the problem. Everyday twenty four seven is about staying positive and maintaining hope.
When some kind soul donates or shares my fundraiser it lifts my spirit away from the dark ponderings about the uncertainty in my life. It's often difficult to express the gratitude I feel but it is real. It restores my faith in God and humanity. It gives me the courage to keep going. It's more than money it's a testament to caring. And to everyone that has cared enough to share in the burdens of another person's struggles I say thank you and may God bless you.
Kirby McCain
My GoFundme Medical Fundraiser
#TwitterPhilanthropy is a movement led most notably by @pulte or Bill Pulte. He and his followers assist people who need help with a variety of adverse circumstances. Every day people that have a medical crisis, facing homelessness or need help with housing and utilities are being helped by this movement of charitable giving. As someone that is facing hard times I wanted to take a moment and share my experiences of fundraising and working to overcome my present situation.
I'm a CDL truck driver diagnosed with atherosclerosis. I had triple bypass surgery in 2008 and in 2016 had a endarterectomy and stent to correct stenosis of the left carotid artery. Due to my medical history I must be certified annually to continue driving. Now doctors are focused on my right carotid.
 |
| Left carotid surgery |
My day starts early. I check my social media and make a post or two to promote my fundraiser. Then I'm off to doctors or the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Today I received my Family Leave and short term disability insurance paperwork so I'm busy getting that filled out so I can get it in the hands of the doctors for completion. For those in crisis everyday is a challenge and an opportunity.
Note: upon taking the family leave act and disability forms to my private physician I was informed that they charged $35 per form filled out. I mention this to illustrate the ongoing expenses that I face in trying to resolve this problem.
With thousands of people in need, getting noticed and distinguishing yourself from internet panhandlers is both crucial and difficult. At 62 I can assure you that I'm not the most savvy social media person you might encounter. In order to assure people of the validity of my situation I update regularly often with photos of my most recent hospital bracelet or just simply checking in on Facebook when I'm at the hospital.
When some kind soul donates or shares my fundraiser it lifts my spirit away from the dark ponderings about the uncertainty in my life. It's often difficult to express the gratitude I feel but it is real. It restores my faith in God and humanity. It gives me the courage to keep going. It's more than money it's a testament to caring. And to everyone that has cared enough to share in the burdens of another person's struggles I say thank you and may God bless you.
Kirby McCain
My GoFundme Medical Fundraiser
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