Saturday, September 11, 2021

Mochika

 The world of science includes all species and we lost someone this week.  Mochika.  Andy Rose and Aya Elamroussi (CNN) report:

The world lost one of its oldest penguins over the weekend at the Oregon Zoo. Mochica, known as Mo, was 31 years old.
He was America's oldest male Humboldt penguin and lived his entire life at the zoo in Portland until he was euthanized Saturday because of old-age ailments.
"He had a mature cataract in one eye, old-age haze in the other, bilateral arthritis in his hips," said Travis Koons, who oversees the zoo's bird population. "He was just a very old bird. It was hard for him to see, and at times difficult for him to walk."


Glenn Garner (PEOPLE MAGAZINE) adds:

Although the staff did everything to ease Mochica's discomfort, including adding medications into his breakfast and scheduling regular laser-therapy sessions, his condition eventually deteriorated. The zoo's veterinary and care staff made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the penguin on Saturday.

Mochica, who hatched at the Oregon Zoo on July 6, 1990, preferred the company of people over fellow penguins, often opting to spend time in the keepers' quarters over the Penguinarium. Koons said Mochica was one of the zoo's "greatest ambassadors," greeting thousands of guests on behind-the-scenes tours over the years and helping raise awareness of the Humboldt penguin, which has been declared a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.


The Oregon Zoo posted this video.



And Joe Hernandez (NPR) notes:

Mochica lived more than a decade past the typical, 20-year life expectancy of Humboldt penguins.

According to Guinness World Records, the oldest penguin in captivity is a female gentoo penguin named Olde who was 41 as of this April .

Now, Koons says he hopes Mochica's legacy will be the continued conservation of Humboldt penguins, of which there are only an estimated 12,000 breeding pairs left. According to the International Union for Conservation, Humboldt penguins are "vulnerable" to extinction.


A sad loss. 


"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Friday, September 10, 2021.  Donald Trump should be publicly shunned for the latest revelation, others played a role in that as well, elections gear up in Iraq, and much more.


ALJAZEERA reports:


A former Pentagon spokeswoman has said the White House under former President Donald Trump had pressured the military to downplay injuries sustained by 110 US troops following a 2020 Iranian missile attack on a base in Iraq.

Alyssa Farah, speaking on the One Decision podcast, said there was pressure from the White House to downplay the success of the attack on the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, which came in retaliation to the US killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at the Baghdad airport on January 3.


There are so many issues with the above.  


First, it's wrong to 'downplay' (lie) the number of people wounded and/or killed.


Second, Donald Trump needs to be condemned for that.


Third, others need to be condemned to.  That would include Joe Biden who is currently president, it would include Barack Obama who was president before Donald.  There's really not a difference between lying about that and refusing to provide an accurate count of how many troops are in Iraq or wherever.  I don't believe Bully Boy Bush.  He did something similarly dishonest by trying to keep the coffins of the fallen hidden so let's condemn him for that and let's grasp that when you hide the truth, each step of the way builds up to something bigger.  


Donald Trump should be condemned for that.  I would hope it would impact his money raising ability -- he's still sending out pleas for money.  Like his July 9th e-mail begging entitled "I need YOU" which opened:


The RADICAL Democrats and their friends in BIG TECH are doing everything in their power to SILENCE real Americans like you and me.


For the record, I don't support Big TEch's censorship efforts -- or censorship -- but I've yet to use that opposition to beg for money.  Oh, excuse me, ask you to buy a 'membership'  in TRUMP LIFE MEMBERSHIP.


Donald needs to be condemned.  But we're still not done with the above topic.  Fourth, yes, we're on fourth, does life matter?  Because they've all undercounted civilian deaths and undercounted them while pretending they weren't keeping a count.  "We don't do body counts" or some other foolish lie Donald Rumsfeld said early on in the Iraq War.  But they did od a body count.  Nancy A. Yousef broke that story and most people don't know about it.  We corrected Phyllis Bennis when over six weeks after the fact she went on radio to complain about the US not keeping a body count.  They did keep one.  They just pretended they didn't.  Nancy broke that story -- which we treated as the major report it was -- the last day KNIGHT RIDDER existed before being consumed by the awful MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS which had whored like all the other outlets in the lead up to the war but then, having bought (silenced) KNIGHT RIDDER, paraded around two male reporters (overlooking the female reporter who'd also pushed back against the officials pin) as they promoted their paper chain -- again, the paper chain that existed in 2002 and could have done actual reporting but didn't.  


It has been accepted -- and it shouldn't be -- that we have no right to know about civlian deaths.  We have every right to know.  We're the ones paying off the financial costs of war, we and about the next three generations -- at least.  The government works for us -- maybe it's past time we sat Congress down for a performance evaluation?


Each step of disrespecting life leads to where Trump took us.  It wasn't an accident.  It was a steady progression.


Fifth, Alyssa Farah?  Are we going to try her for treason?  Are we going to go after her?  No, I don't think we should.  But is there a great deal of difference between the exposure she just made and what Julian Assange, as the publisher of WIKILEAKS, revealed?


Last year, Paul Daley (GUARDIAN) reported:



US prosecutors have failed to include one of WikiLeaks’ most shocking video revelations in the indictment against Julian Assange, a move that has brought accusations the US doesn’t want its “war crimes” exposed in public.
Assange, an Australian citizen, is remanded and in ill health in London’s Belmarsh prison while the US tries to extradite him to face 18 charges – 17 under its Espionage Act – for conspiracy to receive, obtain and disclose classified information.
The charges relate largely to the US conduct of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Assange’s publication of the US rules of engagement in Iraq.
The prosecution case alleges Assange risked American lives by releasing hundreds of thousands of US intelligence documents.


Dean Yates was the head of REUTERS' Baghdad beureau when the July 12, 2007 attack took place killing REUTERS journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh -- the attack carried out by the US government.  Daley quotes Yates stating, "What he did was 100% an act of truth-telling, exposing to the world how embarrassing Collateral Murder is, how shameful it is to the military – they know that there’s potential war crimes on that tape."
  


Alyssa Farah has done nothing wrong by sharing the information she did.  She should be applauded.  By the same token, the actions Julian Ssange exposed were the actions of others, not of Julian's.  We should be outraged by what our government attempted to hide not outraged at Julian for getting the truth out there.  

Aleksmit Tweets:

Stop torturing Julian Assange❗ Journalism is not a crime. #FreeAssangeNOW
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8:20 AM · Sep 3, 2021

Earlier this week, Richard Medhurst spoke with Julian Assange's father.



And below is Kevin Gosztola (SHADOW PROOF) reporting on the big news this week.





Donald Trump deserves to be condemned for the revelations but  but if we're condemning him for hiding the truth, why are so many -- including the US government -- attacking Julian Assange for freeing the truth?

Is fair fair or just fair for some?  Let's stay on that topic of a second more.  PRESS TV reports:

Iraqi authorities have decided to double the number of visas issued for Iranian nationals heading to the holy city of Karbala to commemorate Arba’een, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam.

The media bureau of the Iraqi prime minister’s office said in a statement that Mustafa al-Kadhimi had ordered officials to increase the quota for pilgrims from 40,000 to 80,000, including 60,000 for Iran.



I've got no objection to anyone taking part in their religious traditions or practices.  I have no problem with grown adults deciding to go on a pilgrimage (and take their children along with them) if they want.  But I'm bringing the above up because the western media has still not taken accountability for the way they tried to shame the Pope for visiting Iraq.  They framed the story that way from the moment the trip was announced.  How dare he!  We're in a pandemic!  How dare he!  Well, that year, the pilgrimage took place and did so without any outcry from the western media and it's happening again with no outcry.  



Is it that the media thinks this is safe but a Sturgis Rally isn't?  If so, what's the difference?  I don't know but I do know that they went to town on the Pope -- so much so that I was offended.  And I know a lot of Catholics were and remain offended by the way the media slammed the Pope for that visit.


A cardinal said on Tuesday that Pope Francis’ historic visit to Iraq in March had a profound impact on the country.

Delivering his testimony at the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 7, Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako explained that the pope’s trip had changed the atmosphere in the Middle Eastern country.

“The pope touched the hearts of all Iraqis by his messages, especially Muslims. And now, something has changed in the streets, in the mass, the population,” he commented.

“Christians are proud of that and now they are very appreciated also.”

In his testimony at the Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center, the main congress venue, the 73-year-old leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church recalled the landmark meeting between the pope and Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.


I didn't slam the Pope.  I applaud him for visiting Iraq.  I applaud the pilgrims who will be practicing and celebrating their religious beliefs.  But let's not pretend that the western media did the same.

While we're on PRSS TV, let's note their report on the Iranian attack on Kurdistan (northern Iraq):

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has pounded the positions of terrorists in northern Iraq days after warning against anti-Iran movements, Tasnim news agency reports. 

The IRGC Ground Force used suicide and combat drones as well as smart and precision-guided artillery on Thursday morning to target the terrorists in the semi-autonomous region's rugged mountains.



We already noted that act of war in yesterday's snapshot.  We're noting it again because PRESS TV reporting on it allows us to note that Iran did come up in yesterday's US State Dept press briefing as a trained monkey brought up Iran to pose such talking points as "What if the Iranians do not want to restart the talks in Vienna?"  But no one asked about Iran bombing their neighbor Iraq.  No one in the room.  In fact, most US outlets haven't even bothered to report on it.

Before we jump to a different topic -- "suicide drones"?  I saw that in yesterday's report but thought it was a mistake due to deadlines.  PRESS TV is using the term today.  A suicide bomber is someone with a bomb strapped to them who takes their own life in the explosion.  I get that a drone could have a bomb strapped to it but it is not a suicide drone -- (a) it doesn't have a life to give and (b) it's not making the decision.  A dog has a life.  But if you strap a bomb to a dog -- even a trained dog -- and send it into a crowd, that doesn't make it a ''suicide dog.'' The dog's not going there to blow people up or to take its own life.  I don't get the usage of "suicide drone."

Iran now joins Turkey in bombing Kurdistan.  Both countries are engaging in illegal actions.  Yousif Musa (RUDAW) reports:


Villages and resorts in northern Duhok province have lost more than a million dollars this summer because of Turkey's offensive against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Villages have been evacuated and damaged, and resorts are empty of tourists.

“We invested $7,000 in this [house] but Turkey damaged it and now it is gone,” said Ali Muhsin, a former resident of Bihere village located within the Zakho sub-district.

Bihere, along with 21 other villages, has been affected by Turkish military operations that were launched in April, according to the mayor of Zakho’s office. 

“We fled to Darkar, selling our 600 goats,” Muhsin added. 

When Turkey bombarded the yard of his house in May and injured his brother, they and five other families fled the village. Since then, no one has returned, except for brief visits to their property.

Additionally, 28 resorts have been affected by the bombardment, the Sharansh waterfall being one of them. It used to see 20,000 tourists annually, however, that was not the case this year. 


RUDAW also Tweets:

Iraq elections: Nearly 4.7 million voter cards printed before 2014 and 2018 elections but never picked up by registered voters are being destroyed to prevent electoral fraud - UNAMI 📸: UNAMI/Facebook
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3:47 AM · Sep 10, 2021



 October 10th, elections are supposed to take place in Iraq.  ARAB WEEKLY offers their take on the present situation:

Iraq’s Al-Fatah Alliance, which serves as a political umbrella for Shia militias led by the Badr Organisation, announced the name of its candidate to head the next government in the country, prompting an early race for the premiership among Shia forces and political parties ahead of the October 10 parliamentary elections.

Al-Fateh Alliance parliament member Naim Al-Aboudi said that Hadi al-Amiri is a frontrunner to head the next government, a position that can only be held by a Shia, according to Iraq’s power-sharing agreement.

Amiri heads the Badr Organisation, which was established in Iran during the Iran-Iraq war to fight alongside Iranian forces against the Iraqi army.

The head of the Badr Organisation leads the Al-Fateh Alliance, which brings together the majority of the Shia militias that make up the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), particularly those who announced their loyalty to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“If we get the seats that qualify us to ally with the political blocs, we will participate and we will present our candidate in a clear and unambiguous way. Those who will support us are welcome and those who oppose us can join the opposition,” Aboudi said,

The MP’s statements seemed to be an attempt to take the pulse of the other Shia forces, who have joined the race for the leadership of the next government, at a time when Iraqis are questioning the significance of the elections, which will likely restore the same political forces and faces that have been long accused of corruption and mismanagement.


 
Halgurd Sherwani  (KURDiSTAN 24) notes this regarding the upcoming elections:
      

Anyone caught removing, tearing down, or vandalizing election campaign billboards could face imprisonment or a fine, or both under Iraq's election law. 

As Iraq's parliamentary elections in October nears, candidates are scrambling to win enough votes to get into parliament. Competition becomes sometimes so fierce that political billboards and posters in public spaces have been torn apart. 

Most of the time, the perpetrators of such vandalism are not apprehended. Nevertheless, candidates accuse their rivals' followers of complicity.

Under Article 35 of the election law, anyone caught ripping apart or vandalizing an electoral candidate's billboard could be punished with imprisonment for at least a month but no longer than a year, Joumana Ghalad, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), told a press conference on Wednesday.

The law also allows judges to fine offenders with no less than a million Iraqi dinar but no more than five million. Also, both punishments could be applied simultaneously, Ghalad explained.

It's a pity Big Tech can't be fine.

The following sites updated:





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