Stroke Victim Refused Treatment By Hospital

       A middle aged mother of teenage girls recently had a stroke. She was taken immediately to a hospital, but was turned away and denied treatment by the hospital because the family was unable to prove at that very moment that they had the funds to pay for her hospital care. Valuable time was lost, and now the woman is permanently disabled. She may not have been had she been treated right away.

       It is well known that treating a stroke or heart attack victim soon after the occurrence is crucial to lessen the risks of permanent disability or death. How is it possible that a hospital turns away someone that just had a stroke, and sends that person out of the hospital and onto the streets? 

       A better question that should be asked is how can this be so common and widespread in so many countries of the world, and yet is almost completely ignored, let alone even heard of? Poor people are being further left behind in a world where power and wealth are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few. 

       In the Philippines, President Duterte signed into law Republic Act 10392, an amendment of the country's anti-hospital deposit law, which calls for higher penalties to hospitals and clinics that refuse to treat emergency room patients that cannot afford a deposit, advance payment or proof of their financial ability to pay the hospital bill.

       Will a law protect the poor in the Philippines? What about all the other countries where no such law exists but the practice of turning away poor people by hospitals and clinics is common? Even where there are laws prohibiting such a practice, it is meaningless if the laws exist only on paper and are not enforced.

        For this unfortunate middle aged mother of teenage girls, the damage has already been done.

       

The Cold War That Never Ended; Putin And The Nuclear Arms Race

        A generation of Americans, Russians and others grew up under the nuclear threat. Sirens went off weekly. Children practiced drills in school where they went beneath their desks in case of a nuclear weapons attack (which of course would be useless in the event of an actual attack). The Soviet Union and the United States were mortal enemies at each other's throats, but unable to budge one another because each held nuclear weapons that could completely obliterate the other side.
         It was hoped that with the end of the cold war, things would change for the better. In the cold war, the Soviets were protecting a flawed economic/political system, but that did not make them suicidal.
         In the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was economic hardship throughout Russia and the many countries that were under, or supported by the Soviet Union. This set the stage for what came next. Strong man rule emerged in Russia and elsewhere that benefits a few that have become extremely rich and powerful. They justify their rule by how they led Russia away from the economic collapse, but had Russia followed a different path, the country would be far more prosperous than it is now.
          Cronyism and oligarchy have not made the world safer. Unrestrained greed and corruption are never a good thing. Especially in a world increasingly impoverished and environmentally degraded.
          Russia and the United States are proceeding on a new nuclear arms race. Putin announced recently Russian advances in nuclear weapons that are even more destructive than what already exists, and what already exists can destroy all of human life on earth and most other life many times over. It is as though the cold war never ended, as another wasteful, stupid, insane new nuclear arms race begins.
           Putin has the power to stop it. But does he have the moral courage and strength of character to do so?
          
        
             

68 Killed In Venezuelan Prison Fire. Abby Martin And The Left

     A fire in a prison in Venezuela killed at least 68 people. Many so called leftists and progressives in the west are quick to condemn any injustice by the west, whether real or perceived. They are either silent or condone injustice, brutality, torture, corruption and incompetence if a regime is considered leftist, Anti American or anti west Islamic jihadist in nature.
     Several American so called leftists traveled to Venezuela. They excused the corrupt Venezuelan regime in power (corruption is fine with them as long as the fat cat thieves and murderers are on the left side). One remarked that the escalating violence in Venezuela was due to the actions of the opposition and the political support they receive from the United States.
         Much of the Venezuelan opposition are neither leftists or rightists. Many, in fact, are apolitical people that want nothing more than to live in a free society. They want to live where their leaders are not thieves that steal the national wealth. They are people that do not want to fear violence simply because they speak their minds. They are people that do not want to see the once prosperous Venezuela continue to collapse. They do not want to see the people of Venezuela continue to lack food, medical care and the basic necessities of life. (Read about Venezuelan people killing zoo animals out of desperation, malnutrition, children's stunted growth, etc.).
         Abby Martin, Corbyn (Great Britain) and others have a platform. They have the voices that the powerless people of Venezuela do not have. They have the ears of the corrupt so called leftist leaders in power in Venezuela.
         Do they not see how their support for the regime in power - the ones with the guns, weapons and real power, the ones that have done almost all of the killings while they loot the country- helps escalate the violence?
         68 dead from a prison fire in Venezuela due to miserable conditions in prisons, in jails, from illegal detentions, and more.
          Will Abby Martin and the other supporters of the Venezuelan regime finally stand up for the real downtrodden and oppressed of Venezuela? They can start by demanding accountability for the deaths of 68 prisoners.
     

Overfished, Over Exploited Oceans And The Silent Response

          Tracking the global footprint of industrial/commercial fishing reveals oceans overly exploited and overfished. Also, a number of vessels required to have tracking devices have been known to shut off their tracking devices when illegally fishing, including when fishing in protected marine areas.
          Tracking devices are not required for many smaller fishing vessels. It is impossible to know the full extent of overfishing. The known data for larger ships already reveals heavily overfished and stressed oceans. The problem is much worse when considering the fishing done by millions of unmonitored, unregulated boats and ships.
          It is problematic not knowing the full extent of overfishing. But the greater issue is the lack of enforcement in regulating and controlling overfishing. What happens in international waters is poorly regulated. In many ecologically important marine zones and coastal areas, the nations in control do not have the resources and means to protect and patrol these areas. Overfishing and damaging fishing practices are widespread. At times, payoffs to corrupt officials ensures harmful, illegal fishing continues.
         The extent to which marine resources are over exploited escapes the public eye. The damage to the oceans continues out of sight, out of mind, with little to no interventions to address this harm.
          Fish and other marine populations exploited beyond the point of no return means starvation and hunger for many. The full, irreversible effect of destroying the world's oceans will not be known until it is too late. It will be far worse than can be imagined.

Ocean Poisoning By Plastic

      The garbage patches of the oceans are larger than previously believed. This is unsurprising news. Garbage pours into the oceans by thousands of tons daily. There are many coastal cities and communities in developing and in undeveloped countries that dispose of their garbage by having it go directly into the oceans. Huge amounts of garbage are dumped into rivers and bodies of water that feed into the oceans.
      Billions of people rely on plastics, styrofoam and other non biodegradable materials, without having a way of properly disposing of these materials.
      Hugely profitable food, beverage, fast food and other companies have done nothing to change the materials they use, knowing full well their materials are destroying the oceans.
       Proper waste management is virtually nonexistent in much of the world, so the oceans become the recipient of the waste. The failure to adequately remove non biodegradable materials is a worldwide problem not confined to individual countries. Waste travels and poisons beyond borders.
       Synthetic clothing and other textiles release billions of particles and fibers of plastic and other oil based contaminants, largely through the washing process. These contaminants cannot be filtered out. Ocean poisoning by clothing and other textiles is completely unaddressed.
       There is no concerted, consistent (not an occasional) cleanup to keep rivers and coastal communities clean, especially in the underdeveloped world.
        There is no response by governments to address plastic and other oil based contaminants in coastal or international waters.
        Many people believe technology is the answer, and that technology can cleanup the mess that humans have created. Technology is of no benefit if it is the excuse to continue being lazy and destructive.
         Even if an ocean cleanup of garbage patches can work, what it will remove from the oceans daily will in no way equal the thousands of tons of plastics and other non biodegradable waste that enters the oceans daily. Furthermore, most of the plastic and other non biodegradable waste breaks down into smaller pieces that disperses and never makes it to the garbage patches.
         The ocean cleanup project is one small effort to make a dent in a huge problem, but is far from the answer in and of itself.
          Single use styrofoam, plastic straws and other products must be limited or better yet, banned.
          Proper waste management needs to be treated as a global problem and concern.
          Corporations must be held responsible for the waste that they produce. For example, many food, fast food and beverage corporations are hugely profitable. They are not held accountable for the expensive damage they incur from their contribution to ocean contamination.
          Synthetic clothing and other materials add to the poisoning of the world's waters. A global effort is needed to create synthetic materials that do biodegrade and to rethink how we cloth, dress, and use materials.
          Microplastics used in cosmetics, cleaning and other products must be banned.
           A massive, worldwide initiative should be undertaken to cleanup coastal areas, waterways and many other areas. This project can employ millions of people. There is enough money in the nonprofit world and private sector that can fund this necessary effort. Money is not lacking, only the will might be.
          Ocean poisoning by plastic and other non biodegradable materials is an under addressed catastrophe requiring interventions and actions far beyond what is listed here. Plastic poisoning of the oceans continues to be a disaster in the making.
         
     
     
       

Flight From Earth and Stephen Hawking's Final Warnings

     Stephen Hawking's issued final warnings to mankind before his death. He said humans must leave earth in the next 200 years if they want to survive. Others, including Elon Musk, are seeking to colonize other planets.
      First, there is no place to go. Even if there was a place to go, a species that ruins a planet as biologically rich and diverse as earth does not deserve a place to go.
      There is no future for mankind if people cannot stop poisoning and destroying this planet. There is no future if the nuclear demon is not kept in check.
      Artificial intelligence, unlike nuclear weapons and environmental degradation, is not a real and immediate threat.
       Rather than seek flight from earth, it is better to fight for this planet, its biological diversity and health.

Putin and Trump's Moment to Be Magnanimous

      Regardless if one likes or dislikes Trump or Putin, it will be a major accomplishment if these two men stop a new arms race from occurring.
      Nuclear war and continuing to destroy, degrade and poison the environment does not lead to a bright future.
       Let us hope that Putin and Trump, no matter how flawed they may be, will have the sense to not continue down the nuclear weapons path. If they can deescalate conflicts and reverse environmental degradation, that would be an added godsend. At the least, let us hope they lead Russia and the United States away from a new nuclear arms race.

Jeremy Corbyn On Putin And The New Nuclear Arms Race

      Corbyn insisted that the British Labour party is no supporter of Putin. He added, "However, that does not mean we should resign ourselves to a 'new cold war' of escalating arms spending, proxy conflicts across the globe and a McCarthyite intolerance of dissent."
      Putin was just elected for another six year term as Russia's president. Putin recently announced new advances in what mankind needs least - new, improved nuclear weapons. The old weapons already can completely destroy human life and most other life on earth. The new weapons change nothing in what is already known - a nuclear war between Russian and the United States is unwinnable, and everyone loses.
       Putin said that if Russia disappears, so will the world. The world is hostage to nuclear weapons and the few men that control the launching codes.
       In the passage of time, Putin, like every oligarch, like every dictator, like every single human being, rich or poor, big or small, will be nothing but dust in the wind.
       There are things in this world far greater than the political and religious affairs of human beings. It is too bad that strong leadership does not exist that seeks an end to nuclear weapons, a deescalation of conflicts, and that makes a strong effort to reverse mankind's environmental destruction of this planet.
       What Corbyn said in regards to how Britain should respond to Putin is exactly what he should be saying to Putin.

Drinking Bottled Water For A Daily Dose of Plastic

     Bottled water was tested from a variety of countries, and from a variety of leading brands. Plastic particles were found in 93 per cent of the bottled waters tested. The study was led by microplastic researcher Sherri Mason of The State University of New York at Fredonia.
     Plastic micro particles and fibers contaminate bottled waters from the industrial production and packaging process.
     Plastic particles appear to be less prevalent in tap water, although it is known that tap water can also contain plastic micro fibers and particles.
      Plastic is cheap to make. It is difficult and expensive to dispose of. Thousands of tons of plastic and other oil based contaminants enter the oceans daily. Something cheap and easy has turned into an inescapable environmental nightmare. Over 90 per cent of seabirds have plastic particles in their bodies. Plastic has entered the food chain, and is harming a variety of marine life, including dolphins, turtles, whales, fish and other animals.
     Water bottled in plastic is not the healthy alternative to tap water. The plastic bottle and bottle top contaminates the water it contains.
      Many drinks, not just bottled waters, are packaged in plastic bottles. Plastic is everywhere. It is poisoning ourselves and poisoning the oceans. Even though humans are highly advanced in some areas, humans remain a primitive species that have not learned how to properly dispose of their non biodegradable waste. Now it appears that the water inside of plastic bottles, once considered safer than tap water, is not the better bet.

Great Britain And The Nerve Toxin Attack

     Great Britain should not allow the Russian owned propaganda station, RT,  unrestricted access to the British audience. The United States should also restrict RT.
      If only Obama was a man of conviction whose red lines meant something. When the Syrian government used chemical weapons on its civilian population, Obama should not have backed down. He could have started a no fly zone, limiting the power of the Assad regime, while at the same time attacking the Islamic ISIS fanatics. Pressure should have been brought on Turkey to not leave their border open for every Islamic zealot on the planet to freely cross into Syria.
      The recent attack in Great Britain by a nerve agent that the Russians possess, make it clear that Putin is unrestrained. This includes in Syria, where he and Assad will not hesitate to use chemical weapons and carpet bomb the Syrian civilian population in rebel areas.
       Because the United States has a president most likely compromised by Putin, Putin believes he has a free hand to do whatever he wants.
        And so he wages war, supports Iran's military and North Korea, increases the power and corruption of his regime, and sets Russia on a new nuclear arms race, even though Russia can already destroy this planet many times over.
         If only the oligarchs, super rich and tyrants that rule this world could see how environmentally degraded and damaged this planet has become, and use the resources and power at their disposal to improve the lot of all of humanity, including the people of their nations.
         Trump may be Putin's handmaiden, but that does not mean the United States should be. Start by limiting RT, the anti American Russian propaganda station that supports all of Putin's corruption, all of Putin's wars, and all of Putin's nuclear weapons programs. RT says question more, but they never question or criticize Russia.
         

Bad Presidents And A Compromised Trump

     George Bush was an incompetent president that foolishly rushed into wars. Obama was an opportunist whose lack of conviction and whose concern for political expediency led to the unwise, untimely pullout from Iraq. He set red lines that meant nothing. What Bush started, and what Obama then mismanaged and failed to act upon, led to the genocide of the Yazidis, Middle East Christians and others.
      We do not yet know all that we have with Trump. But there are troubling red flags. Why is Trump incapable of criticism of Russia? The nerve agent attack in Great Britain, which Tillerson criticized Russia for, might be the reason Trump fired him via Twitter. (What competent person fires someone by Twitter?)
        Stormy Daniels was paid 130,000 dollars to keep her quiet. If Trump acted that way with Stormy Daniels, and there is reason to believe that he did -  his lawyer would not just hand a porn star 130000 dollars for nothing - then it is reasonable to assume that Trump acted in a like minded way in Moscow when he was there for the Miss Universe pageant he sponsored. Putin's Russia makes sure that prominent people that compromise themselves are caught on tape.
     
     

Easy To Confirm Putin Wanted Trump Elected President

     Did Putin want Trump elected president? All that has to be done to answer this question is review the programs of the Russian television network (RT), a wholly owned Kremlin enterprise. The so called progressives and leftists at RT, quick to condemn all things American and related to American interests (while supporting everything Putin does, including his wars, his corruption, and his aggressive nuclear weapons expansion that threatens all life on earth), were enamored with Trump. Putin wanted Trump, and so the phony leftists at RT wanted Trump.

      Proving the aforementioned to be true is as simple as reviewing RT programs prior to the election. A few people wondered at the time why RT eagerly pushed for Trump. Usually the answer was because Putin despised Clinton. It is not that simple. RT favored Trump when he ran against other GOP candidates.

       Why Putin wanted Trump, and got what he wanted, is unknown to most of us. Somebody somewhere, not just Putin, knows the answer. 

Elon Musk, Artificial Intelligence (A1), Nukes, Poisoned Oceans

      The head of Tesla Corporation, Elon Musk, said, "AI is far more dangerous than nukes. Far."
      Artificial intelligence is not anywhere near a threat to humanity as are nuclear weapons and environmental degradation. Furthermore, if people do not alter their conduct, the time will never arise in which human beings are capable of creating an intelligence capable of turning against humanity.
       If only the rich and powerful elites of this world devoted their time, resources and energy into stopping nuclear weapons, one of the greatest threats, and reversing the enormous environmental damage that is killing this planet.
        Plastics, Styrofoam, non biodegradable oil based trash pours into the oceans by thousands of tons daily. This threat alone, a major one in the family of major environmental threats, continues to be ignored and disregarded. It is not possible to continue to contaminate and poison the oceans and still survive as a species.
       

Excusing A Racist, Bigoted, Jew Hating Organization

      One of the excuses given to tolerate or ignore the bigotry of a certain hate group that masquerades as a religion is that it is a fringe group, and therefore it does not matter what they say or do.
       Resisting bigotry should not be dependent on where it comes from. Whether it comes from the White House itself, or from a fringe organization calling itself a nation, the response should be the same. Namely, no toleration for racism and antisemitism, regardless of the source of the bigotry. Furthermore, just because an organization is considered on the fringe does not mean it is not rich and powerful. Giving the perception that they are an underdog is slick marketing that only adds to their allure. Hitler was on the fringe when he started, and look where that led.

Pandering To Black Racism and Antisemitism

     There is a double standard regarding the toleration of hate groups, including religious hate groups, depending on skin color, political and religious orientation. Instead of consistently condemning or at least not tolerating racism and antisemitism, a blind eye or approving nod is often given. Tolerating racism from one group but not another is hypocritical and weak kneed.

       If someone truly opposes racism and antisemitism, then none of it will be tolerated, regardless of where it comes from. A black racist, a black Jew hater, is no better and no different than a white racist anti semite. Holding minority men and women of hate to a lowered standard is its own form of pandering racism. 

        

Enlisting Drug Addicts And Criminals Into A Religious Hate Group

     Excusing racism and antisemitism because the organization that promotes this hate has converted drug addicts and criminals into their hate movement is all too common. Drug addicts and criminals need help. They are vulnerable people that do not need to join yet another United States based hate group (of which some call themselves a nation). Unless the United States wants to join the list of countries destroyed from the interior by racial, ethnic or religious groups tearing at each other's throats, hate organizations in all their forms must be resisted.
     The hate groups have their ulterior motives. They are not about altruism. Drug addicts and criminals need all the help they can get, which includes not leaving them vulnerable to the hate groups eagerly trying to enlist them in their ranks.

Excusing Black Racism And The Harm It Causes

      Many people like to make excuses for bigots. If the bigot happens to be black, he or she often gets treated with kid gloves.
      Selectively tolerating, ignoring or accepting bigotry keeps open the door for all bigotry.
      Hatred and bigotry have made many men rich and famous. They feed off of hatred and anger, thereby keeping their followers enraged, dumbed down and dependent.
      Bigotry enslaves. It does not liberate. Narrow minded bigots offer easy answers to complex problems by their focus on a target to hate and demean. Their hate and often feigned anger keeps the spotlight off of themselves. No matter how corrupt they are, no one notices because the rage and energy is focused on the scapegoated target.
       Hate and bigotry are the weak man's crutch. Weak people are easily led and fooled.
       White racism can be blamed for bringing down many blacks. Black racism keeps them down.
     

Downward Spiral Of Hate

     When the response to hate and bigotry is hate and bigotry, then it is nothing but a downward spiral. If a downtrodden people embrace hatred and bigotry, then they have incorporated the very values of those that kept them down, ensuring they will stay down regardless of whether or not their oppressors are past or present.

Farrakhan- Keeping The Black Man Down

        Hate is a crutch. Trafficking in anti semitism is a tried and true way to win a following and make money. The weak minded Jew hater appears strong in his anger and hatred, which attracts an even larger following of sheep like followers that want to be told they have been victimized, and that there is an evil enemy they can blame. The scapegoat gets blamed for everything, and is used as cover for the weak man's own shortcomings, flaws and weaknesses.
        Strong men and women stand on their own two feet and do not rely on the crutch of hate. But these people are uncommon.
        The Farrakhan's are a dime a dozen on this planet. Hate filled weak minded people that need a scapegoat. And what better scapegoat to have than the oldest one in history- the Jew. Rather than becoming self reliant and responsible, having a scapegoat makes people weak and dependant.
        In Chicago, the center of the Nation of Islam, the Farrakhan message of hatred, scapegoating, victimhood and endless blaming feeds off of despair. It did not make Chicago stronger. It does not make the black community prosperous. It does not reduce crime, gangs or violence. It made Farrakhan, his family and his cronies prosperous and rich.
       Weak people love a scapegoat. That love comes at a heavy price. History teaches over and over where hatred leads. But it is too easy, too intoxicating for weak minded people to free themselves of the hate addiction.
        It is too bad that people are afraid to call out racism, anti semitism, and small minded petty bigotry when the person that preaches this childish, destructive nonsense is not white.
       The Farrakhans of the world, white or black, use religion as a cover for their weak minded hatred. They want people to believe that there are dark and powerful forces in this world that only they are capable of standing up to. It makes them look strong to their followers, who want to follow a strongman. They fail to see how weak men of hate are really. They need to create imaginary enemies that only they appear strong enough to stand up against. The stronger they appear, the more people will mindlessly follow.Their hatred ensures serious problems like deep seated poverty and the environmental degradation that imperils all of humanity will never be addressed.
       Their ego demands the worship and adulation of others. Bashing the Jew, the world's oldest scapegoat, is the easiest way to be worshipped and followed, no matter how many times history has taught where hatred leads.
       Unlike what they preach, the God or Allah they claim to worship is not a petty, small minded hate filled bigot like them.
       Education, respect for others, courtesy, kindness, courage, bravery -the old boy scout creed -is the path to self reliance, advancement, improvement and success. Not the bigotry of a demagogue in love with himself.
     
     

Polish Heroes, Polish Jews, And Whitewashing History

     There were Polish people that sacrificed their lives and took great risks to protect Polish Jews during the holocaust. These brave and honorable people must always be honored.
     Whitewashing the actions of Poles that actively helped the Nazis kill Jews, or that gleefully killed Jews on their own initiative do no honor to the true heroes.
     The horrific Nazi occupation of Poland and elsewhere in Europe does not excuse the actions of those that murdered Jews on their own initiative, or that were collaborators in the Nazi genocide. There is a long history of antisemitism in Poland and in much of Europe that continues to this day. The vitriolic reaction by many to the wish to not whitewash history is filled with old and ugly hatreds and stereotypes.
      Antisemitism remains alive and well. It is easier for people to have a scapegoat to hate and have as a crutch than to stand on their own two feet like strong men and women.
     

Russia Embraces Nuclear Nightmare And Oceans' Demise

       Environmental degradation presents an enormous threat to human existence. The thousands of tons of plastics and other non biodegradable waste that enters (and poisons) the oceans daily should be enough to inspire a serious response. Instead, the destruction of the oceans in a multiplicity of ways remains out of sight, out of mind, eliciting no serious response.

       So is it unusual that Putin announces new and expensive advances in nuclear weapons of mass killing and destruction, and the people in the audience and elsewhere clap enthusiastically? Will the pretend leftists and progressives at RT television raise a voice? 

       No, they will not. The nuclear ante has been raised, and despite all the lessons of the cold war and the dark cloud that hung over all of humanity, the whole thing is set to start again.

       If only the time and energy was spent cleaning up the oceans and ensuring mankind's future, instead of wasting it on new ways to obliterate everything.

       The people that want the nuclear weapons nightmare kept alive are quick to blame the other side. To strengthen, and not pull back from the nuclear nightmare, is pure folly.

Putin's Nuclear Weapons Legacy- Bringing Human Existence Closer To An End

     Putin announced new advances regarding Russian nuclear weapons, including nuclear weapons  that cannot be stopped. He said this will make other countries listen to Russia.
      The world already knows that Putin is one of the most powerful persons in the world, if not the most powerful. Every single human being exists on this planet for but a short period of time. Every one, no matter how rich, no matter how powerful, ends up in the same place as the poorest, least powerful person. Rich and powerful people, like all people, are like the passing wind. Here today, gone tomorrow.
       If only the rich and powerful like Putin could see how unimportant they really are, and contribute to the world only that which is enduring and good.
         Nuclear weapons do not make the world safer. They do not make Russia safer or more powerful. Even if Russian nuclear weapons are unstoppable and strike the United States, the nuclear fallout from those weapons alone will poison the planet. But it will not end there. The United States will strike back, and the exploding nuclear weapons of the United States and Russia combined will ensure the end of virtually all life on the planet.
          The super rich and powerful often live lives divorced from reality. This world faces enormous  problems that ensure a bleak future, including biodiversity collapse, poisoned oceans, and severe environmental degradation that result in extreme misery, poverty and hunger.
           Nuclear weapons are a complete waste of money and resources. They do not advance a country or the world, and only further mankind's haste to destroy itself.