Through most of 2008 this was a parody site. Sometimes there's humor now, sometimes I'm serious.
Thursday, June 02, 2022
When Jupiter aligns with Mars
When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius Age of Aquarius
Sorry, couldn't resist noting The 5th Dimension and their massive number one hit (merging two songs from the musical HAIR). Why?
Jupiter aligns with Mars in the song. CNN reports:
Don't forget to look up this weekend to see the start of a rare, five-planet alignment grace the night sky.
Beginning
in the early morning hours of Friday, June 3, the five planets of
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will align in planetary order.
This
rare phenomenon has not occurred since December 2004, and this year,
the distance between Mercury and Saturn will be smaller, according to Sky & Telescope.
Stargazers
will need to have their binoculars handy along with a clear view of the
eastern horizon to spot Mercury near the start of the month, the space
magazine said. As June progresses, Mercury will become brighter and
easier to see, according to Diana Hannikainen, observing editor of Sky
& Telescope.
Planet parade. Planet party. Planet-palooza.
Whatever you want to call it, there will be a lovely lineup of planets
visible across the early morning sky in June. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and
Saturn are the stars of the show, but you might get lucky and spot
Mercury, too.
Your first prime viewing
opportunity comes early on the mornings of June 3 and 4. "All five
naked-eye planets will line up in the dawn sky in June. Not only that,
they'll also be in their proper order from the sun," Sky & Telescope
said in a statement Tuesday.
Venus
through Saturn should be easy to see if the sky is clear. Mercury is
the wild card. Sky & Telescope recommends using binoculars and
finding a place with a clear view low toward the east. Just be sure to
get out there at least 30 minutes before the sun rises. Check with Timeanddate.com to find your local sunrise time.
The planet-fest will continue on through the month. A NASA graphic from the agency's What's Up skygazing guide shows what to look for in mid-June at around 45 minutes before sunrise.
So that's something to look for this weekend.
And let me go back to The 5th Dimension, one of the great groups of the sixties and seventies. They had a lot of hits -- including with Laura Nyro songs -- including "Wedding Bell Blues" (another number one), "Save The Country," "Soul Stoned Picnic," the Mamas and the Papas "Go Where You Wanna Go," "Up, Up and Away," "Sweet Blindness," "Working On A Groovy Thing," "California Soul," "Last Night (I Didn't Get To Sleep At All)," "Blowing Away," "One Less Bell To Answer," "Never My Love," etc. Two of the group's members were Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo. They have been married for decades, they've had hits as a duo after leaving The 5th Dimension (such as "You Don't Have To Be A Star") and they recently released a new album, BLACKBIRD: LENNON-MCCARTNEY ICONS. Kat reviewed it here. It's a great album. They still have a ton of magic in them. Here's their cover of "Blackbird."
Thursday, June 2, 2022. As the US economy continues to suffer, Joe /Biden wants to again give more money to Ukraine
The website BREAKING DEFENSE asks, "Iraq says its spending big on artillery and jets. Can it afford them?"
With so few jobs to be found that protests have already started this
time of the year, with so many Iraqis living in poverty, even more
living in poverty conditions because of the lack of basic public
services (potable water especially this time of year), there are many
reasons to ask that question.
Sadly, BREAKING DEFENSE's only concern is whether or not the US defense industry is going to get paid on time.
Rest
assured, provided the crooked politicians don't steal everything --
the way they usually do -- payment should not be an issue.
The Iraqi Ministry of Oil revealed on Wednesday the initial statistics of its exports of crude oil and the revenues of May 2022.
In a statement issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, the State
Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) which is the Iraqi national
company responsible for marketing Iraq’s oil, exported more than 102.3
million barrels of crude oil with revenues exceeded 11.43 billion US
dollars.
The statistics indicated that the exported quantities of crude oil
for May from oil fields in central and southern Iraq exceeded 98.9
million barrels. Moreover, the quantities produced from Kirkuk oil
fields and exported through Ceyhan Port exceeded three million barrels.
So
excited about $100 barrel oil, they're gearing up for two new wells as
well as speculation that they might overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's
largest oil producer.
An yet the people live
in poverty. The month of May saw oil revenues of $11 billion in US
dollars and yet the government cannot take care of its own people. The
World Bank estimates that there are 40 million people in Iraq. There is
no reason, when you factor in the oil revenues, that every Iraqi
shouldn't be living high on the hog. But that is not the case.
The corruption is so immense that Iraq still can't pay its bills. THE NATIONAL explains:
Iraq has failed to pay $1.6 billion owed to neighbouring Iran for gas imports, which is needed to guarantee further supplies and prevent worsening power cuts, Baghdad authorities said on Wednesday.
Payment
of the debt was a vital requirement to ensure energy supplies were
available for Iraq's power plants during the intense heat of the summer
months, when electricity demand surges as people seek to keep cool.
The
failure to pay comes as Iraq’s oil revenue imports reached another
record high. Iraq's revenue reached $11.436 billion in May and has
surpassed $10bn every month since March.
Let's stay with oil for a moment because record prices impact not just the seller but also the buyer. Nick Beams (WSWS) reports:
Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of America’s largest bank, JPMorgan
Chase, has warned that an economic “hurricane” is about to hit the US
because of the war in Ukraine and the tightening of monetary policy by
the US Federal Reserve.
Two weeks ago, Dimon warned of “storm
clouds” gathering over the US economy. He escalated that assessment at a
financial services conference yesterday.
“I said they’re storm
clouds, they’re big storm clouds here. It’s a hurricane. That hurricane
is right out there down the road coming our way,” he said.
“We
just don’t know if it’s a minor one or Superstorm Sandy [the devastating
hurricane of 2012] … And you better brace yourself,” he told investors
at the conference.
He warned the Ukraine war would continue to put upward pressure on
oil prices, which could go to as high as $150 or $175 per barrel. At
present oil is over $120 after a spike following the decision by the
European Union to ban seaborne oil imports from Russia as part of its
tightening sanctions regime.
Dimon warned that oil prices would continue to rise over the longer term.
“We’re
not taking the proper actions to protect Europe from what’s going to
happen to oil in the short run. And we’re not taking the proper actions
to protect you all from what’s going to happen to oil in the next five
years, which means it almost has to go up in price.”
On avocados -- a super food. Thanks, Joe Biden. That's sarcasm. Have
you seen how much the price of an avocado has sky rocketed.
Joe sent all our money to Ukraine and now we suffer. You know what,
Joe, you pay your own bills first before you dig into the family funds
for charity.
What an idiot.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says we are now paying 7.6% more food than this time last year. Thanks, Joe.
For
months, as Americans have suffered, US President Joe Biden has been
giving money to Ukraine. He just did a forty million dollar package.
But it's another month and it's time for Joe to give away more American
tax dollars while the American people continue to suffer. From the US Defense Dept:
Attributed to Pentagon Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Media) Todd Breasseale:
Today, June 1, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the
authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued
at up to $700 million, tailored to meet critical Ukrainian needs for
today’s fight. This authorization is the eleventh drawdown of equipment
from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.
Capabilities in this package include:
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;
Five counter-artillery radars;
Two air surveillance radars;
1,000 Javelins and 50 Command Launch Units;
6,000 anti-armor weapons;
15,000 155mm artillery rounds;
Four Mi-17 helicopters;
15 tactical vehicles;
Spare parts and equipment.
The United States has now committed approximately $5.3 billion in
security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden
Administration, including approximately $4.6 billion since the beginning
of Russia’s unprovoked invasion on February 24. Since 2014, the United
States has committed more than $7.3 billion in security assistance to
Ukraine.
The United States also continues to work with its Allies and partners
to identify and provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its evolving
battlefield requirements.
Barack,
Joe, Victoria Nuland and others overthrew the duly elected leader of
Ukraine in 2014 and they've been stealing US tax dollars to keep the
Nazis they backed in place. Alexander Rubinstein (MP) notes:
As the United States undergoes a national mourning process over a
spate of mass shootings, American white nationalists with documented
histories of violence are attaining combat experience with advanced
US-made weapons in a foreign proxy war.
That’s according to the Department of Homeland Security, which has
been gathering intelligence on Americans who have joined the ranks of
the more than 20,000 foreign volunteers in Ukraine.
The FBI has indicted
several American white nationalists associated with the Rise Above
Movement after they trained with the neo-Nazi Azov Battaliion and its
civilian wing, the National Corps, in Kiev. But that was almost four
years ago. Today, federal law enforcement has no idea how many US
neo-Nazis are participating in the war in Ukraine, or what they are
doing there.
But one thing is for certain: the Biden administration is allowing the Ukrainian government to recruit Americans
– including violent extremists – at its embassy in Washington DC and at
consulates across the country. As this report will show, at least one
notorious extremist fighting in Ukraine has received extensive promotion
from mainstream media, while another who is currently wanted for
violent crimes committed in the US was mysteriously able to evade FBI
investigators looking into war crimes he previously committed in Eastern
Ukraine.
According to a Customs and Border Patrol document released thanks to a
May 2022 Freedom of Information Act request by a nonprofit called
Property of the People, federal authorities are concerned about
RMVE-WS’s, or “racially-motivated violent extremists – white supremacy”
returning to the US armed with new tactics learned on the Ukrainian
battlefield.
“Ukrainian nationalist groups including the Azov Movement are
actively recruiting racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist
white supremacists to join various neo-Nazi volunteer battalions in the
war against Russia,” the document states.
“RMVE-WS individuals in the United States and Europe announced
intentions to join the conflict and are organizing entry to Ukraine via
the Polish border.”
The document, which was drafted by Customs and Border Protections,
the Office of Intelligence, and other Homeland Security sub-agencies,
contains write-ups of interviews conducted by law enforcement with
Americans en route to Ukraine to fight Russia.
On May 24, 2022 a gunman entered a school in Uvalde, Texas and killed
19 children and 2 teachers. The cycle of thoughts, prayers and pretend
action continued but was even worse because of the short span of time
between the two events and revelations about police action, or rather
inaction, in Uvalde.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy
of Connecticut won kudos for his particular act of pretense on the
senate floor. Murphy’s performance was a bit over the top but that is
probably why it garnered so much attention. The senator seemed to be on
the verge of tears as he made an impassioned plea to his colleagues.
“What are we doing? … Why are we here? …This only happens in this
country and nowhere else. … Nowhere else do kids go to school thinking
they might be shot that day. … I’m here on this floor to beg - to
literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues. Find a
path forward here.”
Those are fine words from Murphy until one considers that on a
regular basis he advocates U.S. violence all over the world. In December
2013 he joined his colleague John McCain in Ukraine. They attended a rally
hosted by the neo-Nazi Svoboda party which was dedicated to
overthrowing the elected president. The ensuing violence after the coup
killed 14,000 people in the region that opposed the U.S. backed
government.
Murphy has been particularly vicious in his efforts to undermine the elected government of Venezuela.
“Maduro is evil, and the U.S. should pursue a strategy to undermine him
and prompt new elections. No one can defend what he has done to
Venezuela. But it’s quite a different thing for the U.S. to incite a
civil war with no real plan for how it ends.” Sound(Ssound familiar?).”
Murphy supports the sanctions that have killed thousands of Venezuelans
and very publicly defended overthrowing that government too, just as he
did in Ukraine. The overly dramatic senator should be asked hard
questions about the violence he espouses.
Let's wind down with this from The Green Party of Michigan:
THE OFFICIAL GREEN PARTY OF MICHIGAN NEWSLETTER!
Volume Two
June 1, 2022
Welcome
to EARTHFLOWER, the official newsletter of the Green Party of Michigan!
Find out what Greens are doing all across the state and in your
community! Here's your chance to participate! National, State and Local
meetings and events, press releases and official statements on relevant
issues, fun games, Green Party trivia and more! Look for this
informative newsletter on the first day of each month!
From
solid policies like the Green New Deal and single-payer improved
Medicare for All, if you're reading this, you probably realize that the GOP and the Democratic Party are
either unwilling or unable to bring about the positive change necessary
to turn things around in our communities. Either way, when they win, we
continue to lose.
The
purpose of this newsletter is to keep you abreast of the efforts of the
Green Party of Michigan, and inform you on how you can help our Green
Movement grow. If you haven't already, take a few minutes to join our
organization and help us continue to build a better choice for the
people of Michigan.
Green Party of the United States Annual National Meeting!
Registration NOW OPEN The
2022 Green Party Annual National Meeting (ANM) will be held virtually,
as the world's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was not yet ready to
guarantee a safe, in-person meeting during the planning process.
We
will miss the opportunity to share space with Greens from across the
country but we can take this virtual gathering as an opportunity for
national work on some of the most pressing challenges for this party. We
hope you will join us from July 22-24.
Important information for ANM Participants All
ANM Participants MUST REGISTER to receive instructions on how to
convene with us online. Please register by Friday, July 15th.
Registration
fees will include admission to all workshops and plenary sessions. Your
fees also provide for the infrastructure and staff necessary to produce
an online national meeting from multiple locations, plus online
workshops, news conferences and more.
We
will also dedicate resources to accessibility assistance, such as for
the vision-impaired, hearing-impaired, and lack of access to a computer
or Internet connection.
If you have other registration questions, email office@gp.org.
Introducing, the Green Party of Michigan 2022!
* Co-Chairs: Robin Laurain and John Anthony La Pietra:
THE GREEN PARTY OF MICHIGAN IS GROWING! DUE DATE, TWO WEEKS!
The
Cadillac, Ludington and Manistee Green Party (CLaM) will be launching,
June 14, 2022 @ 2pm! This event will be Zoom accessible. For more
details, contact Co-Chair Tabbi Krause. Look for them on social media here! Make sure to comment, like and share their content. Let's spread the word!
(Clinton/Eaton/Ingham counties) Monthly meeting: Third Monday of each month Contact person: Jim Becklund [white_dog_man@yahoo.com] Website: None Social media: Facebook
Co-chair/Contact,
Jim Becklund announced, with a unanimous vote, the Capitol Area Greens
have officially brought Shiawassee County into their fold! Adding
Shiawassee County will help increase numbers and strengthen their Local.
If you are a Green living in Shiawassee County, make sure to let Jim know you're ready to get involved! We are super excited to see this local grow and look forward to their continued success!
The
Capitol Area Greens say, "the United States Government has not done
nearly enough to combat the ongoing climate crisis." The Capitol Area
Greens and the Union of Concerned Scientists, encourage you to push for
the immediate transition to 100% renewable energy in the state of
Michigan! Contact Governor Whitmer and
state lawmakers today! Also, you can look for them among those marching
to the capital alongside the GPMIBC, on Juneteenth (June 19, 2022)! If
you see them, join em'!
(Kent/Allegan) Monthly meeting: Fourth Sunday of each month Contact persons: Charlotte Aikens/Gerard Akkerhuis [charlottesweb3210@gmail.com] Website: None Social media: Facebook
Exciting
news! The Local know as Kent County has now added the Greens in Allegan
County into their flock! With several registered Greens interested in
running for office in their local group, the Kent/Allegan Greens have
just announced an upcoming Nominating Caucus! Contact Charlotte for dates and details!
The
Greens in Wayne County are officially in recruitment mode and have
recently restarted in-person meetings for 2022! As the weather clears,
the WC Greens have a slate of social and tabling events planned
throughout May and June! Be sure to honk your horn or stop by and say
hello when you see them! They are also looking to elect new officers
next month! If you are a Wayne County resident and a Green Party member,
you already qualify! Give Co-Chair/Contact, Lou Novak a shout and let him know you're insterested!
(Calhoun/Hillsdale/Jackson counties) Monthly meeting: Fourth Saturday of each month Contact person: Monika Schwab moni.schwab@icloud.com
Co-Chair/Contact
Monika Schwab has reported, the South Central Michigan Greens have a
lot on their plate! Fresh from their recent MLK Dream Speech reading by
Co-Chair John Anthony LaPietra and the second annual May Day 2022 labor
history walk, tabling events are planned at the Jackson County Fair,
along with projects with the Jackson County animal shelter, a webinar
and much more! Contact Monika for more details and join the South Central folks at their next meeting or event!
(Macomb County) Monthly meeting: Second Sunday of each month Contact person: Sherry A. Wells/Jeff Sparling [sherwells@tm.net]
Social media: [Coming Soon!]
Exciting news out of Macomb County per Contact Sherry Wells! Macomb Green Party Co-Chair, Jeff Sparling is
running for Michigan House District #14, which includes most of Warren,
Centerline and 30 precincts in Detroit--the Macomb Greens are all on
board! A joint effort of election support with other Detroit area Greens
for that campaign is sure to create a lot of buzz! So be sure to look
for Jeff, Sherry and the Macomb Greens when you're out and about. If you
live in the area and want to volunteer, contact Sherry or Jeff! And make sure you're registered to vote!
Our newsletter space is limited. No updates from the local in your area in this newsletter? Let us know and we'll get em' directly for you!
CAUCUS NEWS: A Grassroots Resurgence!
BLACK CAUCUS
*The Green Party of Michigan Black Caucus will be in our state capital for the Juneteenth Celebration! The Black Caucus next
meeting will be on Saturday, June 18, 2022 @ 12:30pm (eastern). The
agenda will include affordable housing, police reform. black voter
registration drive and a proposal to restructure our system of public
safety
LATINX CAUCUS
*Due to scheduling conflicts, The Latinx Caucus relaunch has been rescheduled for July 13, 2022! Let us know if you're interested or plan to attending!
WOMEN'S CAUCUS
*The Women's Caucus will be relaunching with a membership drive on June 25, 2022 via Zoom. Want to join? Sign up when you see the notice!
YOUNG ECOSOCIALISTS
*The Young EcoSocialists of
the Green Party of Michigan (YESGPMI) relaunched on May 28, 2022!
Thanks to all who attended! Expect results from representative elections
next month. We're on a mission to begin training young Green Party
candidates for office and looking for mentors! Want to join us? Contact
us at: youngecosocialistsgreenpartymi@gmail.com for more details!
LAVENDER CAUCUS
*We are looking for volunteers to help launch a Green Party of Michigan Lavender Caucus! What is the Lavender Caucus?
NOTE: WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR AN AAPI, DISABILITY AND VETERANS CAUCUS. INTERESTED PARTIES CONTACT: membership@migreenparty.org
