IS FREE PRESS STIFLING BEGINNING ?

Is the Fourth Estate -- a press independent of government dictates -- a necessary vital check on truth and honesty in our form of government we expect our Presidential candidates to observe? 

Why aren't the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times Newspapers endorsing a Presidential candidate in this critical election year with the very state of our nation's democratic republic, constitution at stake?

Why would the practice of recommending candidates this election year suddenly be discontinued?

Do the billionaire owners of these two newspapers not respect editorial management's decision freedom? 

Are the billionaires aligning themselves defacto with one of the candidates?

Are we already seeing the beginning of the stifling of the free press? 

Isn't elimination of the press one of the goals of countries with dictators, autocratic leaders, despots who determine what constitutes news "facts" citizens receive?

Aren't these "facts" put forth as truth often actually lies from such leaders?  

Have we already been primed by one former President and candidate to accept lies as truth?  

Would we want such a leader to be the President of our country?  

DEMOCRACY SURVIVES WHITE HOUSE BETRAYAL

        "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history."

Covid-19 in Los Angeles County, California,  is continuing to surge as those who may have contracted the virus during the Christmas season holidays begin to experience the infection, needing to seek medical care.   Medical "triage officers" have been established in the event beds, doctors, nurses, staff are inundated to the extend service cannot be provided to all patients as needed.  

Countdown dates:                         2020 Presidential Election - Nov. 3rd 

January 6, 2021                U.S. Electoral College vote finalized, accepted in Congressional joint session -- as truth, law and order finally prevailed following sedition/coup attempt.

   ? ? ?                                Current Lame Duck President Exits the White House following unsuccessful sedition/coup attempt in Capitol. 

January 20, 2021 at noon:  President Joseph Biden is inaugurated.

Personal POV

I feel compelled to express my thoughts and opinions about the dangerous assault on our democratic republic January 6, 2021.   Be forewarned in the event you want to avoid reading what I have to say.  Likely you have had more than your share of feelings and thoughts about this situation, too, and may feel overloaded with it all.

I was repulsed, angered and saddened by the criminal actions evolving from the phony protest march turned mob in Washington D.C. that I viewed on television news coverage this past week. Our Congress was conducting their constitutionally required business when they were violently disrupted.  

Knowing how democracies are weakened, witnessing how this now Lame Duck President (LDP) for four years has been following steps to subvert our government to an autocracy, history has shown a violent coup event could be a very predictable possibility at some point.  I did not want to believe such would actually ever occur in my United States of America.  

I am heart-broken that our nation has been so dishonored by some misguided individuals who violated the very values they claim to be defending.  In fact, their violent actions served to undermine our democratic republic.   Perhaps some were seduced to act with extremist groups dedicated to destroying our form of government.  This now LDP promised years ago he intended to change our form of government, but did not some of his cult-like followers understand what this meant, or do they truly not believe in our democratic republic?   

These extremist groups care nothing about those mislead citizen's values if they were in fact seduced into their mob.  All continued to be incited by actions and words of our LDP.   His chaotic methods  have intentionally and systematically been  designed to position himself to become an autocratic leader who they blindly support.  

There are others who must share blame for the violence that occurred.  All those who the past four years enabled this now LDP are accountable for the Capitol Hill events Wednesday, January 6, 2021 and also have blood on their hands including for five people who died in this melee.  Voters should, at the very least, see that these enablers are not returned to serve in our government come election day, if not sooner.  

Regrettably, one political party in particular must bear the brunt of responsibility for not having reined in this LDP.   Too many of them failed to present as a needed trusted, respectable group, clearly not fulfilling their oath of office to protect our democracy and the best interests of the American people.   

Deserving to be removed from office are those who put forth LDP's repeated lies, false conspiracy theories, knowing they weren't true.  Some even continued to propagate those same lies that night after the failed coup attempt, as some legislative leaders persisted in debating acceptance of some certified votes for President-elect Joseph Biden's and Vice-President Kamala Harris' election.

Surely, the cult-like followers of this LDP must now realize he does not offer a democratic form of government, represent true patriotism, support our constitution or law and order.  Even in this LDP's current rhetoric about cooperation for transition to the newly elected administration his words are false.  

His promises to continue a drive toward authoritarianism is semi-disguised in a false claim that he is supporting our democracy and constitution.   If this LDP's four years of efforts to undermine American citizens trust in our system of government so we would turn to him as our savior was his expectation, he has failed this time.  Even if he doesn't return to try again later, there will be others who may be much more subtly adept at doing so in the future so we must be on guard.

Countries around the world have witnessed the strength of the majority of our people to preserve our values, democracy, republic, constitution, freedoms and way of life.  They have also seen first-hand our government's weaknesses which we are now especially challenged to rectify.

Those autocratic governments who oppose democracies will attempt to continue belittling and undermining our own.  Surely we have learned we must take much greater care in the future about who we vote into Congress and the White House to represent our nation's values.  We need to monitor well those we vote into governmental offices beginning at our local, county, state, national levels.  We must hold them accountable once in office.

Democracy is fragile as has been dramatically revealed by the end result of this LDP's actions and that of the mob he cultivated for four years.  He has periodically incited, then finally ignited them into an act of insurrection, sedition, a coup attempt.  While he did not succeed, the monied forces behind this leader, using him and he using them, including even those claiming to be religious people of god acting with the atheists, can be expected to continue their efforts to acquire power.

The intent to take over our government persists, to form into their mold in the years ahead -- ultimately jeopardizing individual rights and freedoms as occurs with all authoritarian governments such as Russia, China, North Korea, Iran (theocracy), Saudi Arabia (monarchy), Turkey,  numerous others including various European nations.  History shows us, too, how democracies devolve into autocracies such as occurred in the 1930's culminating in WWII necessitating a desperate but successful effort to preserve some freedom in the world.  

Americans dedicated in actions as well as words to following our constitution as a nation of laws and order in a democratic republic must exercise our responsibility to ensure we keep this system.  We do this by how we conduct our individual lives, tolerate and respect our differences.  None of the authoritarian governments have the individual freedoms we do.  I don't believe any Americans want to give up our freedoms but that would be the result of losing our democracy to such extremists as those who attempted the January 6th coup attempt.

We need to support The Fourth Estate -- our Press -- discern those who follow high journalistic standards to keep us informed with truth, facts.  This means exercising critical thinking to eliminate attending to those who pander in undocumented gossip, conspiracy theories, disinformation, alternate facts, fail to differentiate opinion from actual fact.

We would be wise to take as a grain of salt all we read or hear on social media sites as it is little more than gossip one might hear on any street corner or over the backyard fence -- a mix of fact and fiction, often warped and distorted, that must be later verified for viability through reliable respectable documented sources.  To do otherwise leads to wasting time and effort, confusion, anxiety and false beliefs, often leading some users to ill health from needless worry.  If we choose to focus on such sites with information disseminated unchecked, we do so at our own risk of being misinformed or worse.

Perhaps the day will come when these social media sites claiming they simply offer free speech will become more responsible purveyors of allowing primarily factual truthful information rather than mostly being exploiters of users to enhance their company's bottom line.  These social media sites do seem to have finally made some effort since the Jan. 6th assault on our nation to recognize they bear some responsibility for moderating what is allowed to be dispensed given the influence and power of the medium.  

We must recognize some of us, more than I ever imagined could possibly exist in this country, hold extremist views contrary to the values, beliefs, hopes and goals of our constitution and the majority of American citizens.  We must be ever more vigilant in the years ahead to protecting our democratic freedoms.  To preserve this nation and our rights we must continue to educate ourselves, then vote -- instill in the generations coming after us the critical importance they do the same.

Questions I ask myself and you probably have some of your own .....

--will those responsible for actions and enabling efforts to cripple or to destroy our democratic republic be held accountable?

--will we prevent such horrendous events in the future?

I believe our nation is poised for a golden opportunity to renew our nation's promise with our core ideals for self-government with liberty and equality for all as we seek happiness.  

FREEDOM PRESERVED -- LIVES ARE SACRIFICED

United States Navy Band plays taps – a 24 note melody, 150 years old – honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom -- especially remembered Memorial Day. 

"This version of taps was recorded by the United States Navy Band at the following locations: Display Ship Barry, Washington Navy Yard U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington, D.C. Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.”

The first war in my lifetime, WWII which began when I was a child, is forever imbedded in my memory.   I believe that without a doubt the existence of this country, free, as we know it to be, depended entirely upon our forces prevailing in that war's outcome. Fortunately, allied forces did prevail. 

Our challenge is to safeguard those freedoms with balanced powers among the branches -- executive, legislative, judicial as described in our constitution -- needing to be monitored by public support of a dedicated to truth non-partisan Fourth Estate press.

My only still living cousin who served as a Wave is 96 years old.  My older brother who served in the U.S. Navy submarine service survived the war, but like increasing numbers of aging veterans died in recent years.   

My only brother and sibling focused his later years on Internet searches for reports of naval subs, ships and crews who had been lost at sea during the war.   Some vessels with their occupants had begun to be located in the ocean depths those many decades later and some yet  today. 

My brother was well aware he could easily have been one of those lost at sea.   The enemy fleet had been alarmingly spotted streaming through the Pacific Ocean in the direction of Australia.   At the last minute his commanding officer determined his communication skills were most needed ashore, so reassigned him from the submarine he had expected to be aboard.  That submarine with crew stealthily launched but was never heard from again.   

Regrettably, we have had more wars, more lives lost.    A PBS News Hour special report reveals by clicking on that link how many Americans have died in U.S. wars.  We pay tribute to them all.

FOR THE BIRDS -- EVEN POLITICALLY

HUMAN EFFECTS -- on our environment.....

The Bald Eagle as the national symbol of the United States came close to extinction in the 1960’s.   A commonly used pesticide was finally determined to be weakening the eagles’ eggshells causing them to break so embryos could not even develop. Environmental pollution on the ocean floor travelled through the food chain dramatically demonstrating how interconnected creatures and human actions are.        

Thanks to Friends of Big Bear Bald Eagles referring me to this 13+ min. video narrated by Peter Coyote.  The spectacular colorful scenery features the eagles’ story of their Southern California successful reintroduction beginning in the offshore Channel Islands.  You can more fully appreciate the size and beauty of these magnificent birds soaring in flight, swooping to catch a fish, raising their young surrounded by spectacular scenery in this video.

FOR THE BIRDS -- and then some......

Mother Nature has thrown a wrench in the works with regard to the hatching of the highly anticipated Valentine’s Day pip watch at the Big Bear Bald Eagles nest. Over 5000 visitors were noted at the high point of live nest viewing, many participating in the ongoing live chat.  They were exposed to exciting egg defense from Ravens and sudden startling late-night intrusions from the mysterious Fiona, the flying squirrel, garnering aeronautic chases and wing slaps, respectively.

Disappointingly, there have been no pips (beginning egg-shell cracking initiated by eaglet inside) observed on either of the two eggs as of this writing.  Given the expired number of gestation days it is thought to be highly unlikely there will be new BB Bald eaglets this year – unless the parents attempt a second batch of eggs which has been known to occur with some eagles in a few instances. 

There are many unknown factors as to why these eggs aren’t hatching.  There’s always the possibility that the eggs weren’t fertilized, since unlike last year there was no visual verification of parental copulating, but that could easily have occurred off nest in the trees elsewhere.   Even if they did mate, eggs don’t always become fertilized or develop an embryo.  A number of theories have been suggested to explain why these particular eggs might not have developed to be viable for hatching, including weather conditions (though unlikely), but the actual reason is not known. 

Speculation is high as to how much longer the parental eagles will continue brooding by sitting on these eggs to keep them warm for the remote chance of possible embryo development, but that remains to be seen.  The eagles reportedly have no time perception to recognize their eggs viability has expired so may keep caring for these eggs, sometimes until the eggs begin deteriorating or break.  The longer they nurse these eggs the less likely the possibility they might start a second brood this season.

POLITICAL THOUGHT -- for the birds, some might think........

We must continue to seek out and support the credible Fourth Estate press reporters to bring us truth by exposing falsehoods, distortions of facts, suppression of reality.   We are challenged to exercise critical thinking in pursuit of making viable judgments as to who to trust in order to preserve our nation’s freedoms and values. 

Do we want to preserve democracy with the values and freedoms as we know them -- for the United States and the world?

Corruption continues to ooze out of this White House swamp’s septic tank with our paranoiac leader’s deep state conspiracy theories being propagated by him and some of his supporters to justify his increasing inappropriate applications of  excessive power.  Some people even believe these stories as factual which they fail to realize others are deliberately promoting to manipulate them for reasons of questionable motivation. 

Politicians with no expertise in the arena to which they’re being assigned continue to be appointed by this leader to be the top administrators of key governmental functions which can adversely affect this nation’s security and the safety of the American people. 

Increasingly individuals with views different than our leader’s are not being tolerated.  Some might wonder if discrimination and vindictive penalization is also being exercised by this leader and some of his followers.  

Overreach and possible misuse of executive power continues to occur with questionable interference in our nation’s system of law, order and justice.  Some might wonder if white collar criminals crimes are being minimized. 

Ongoing efforts to suppress facts to the American people, to shape citizens beliefs as occurs in autocratic countries like China, Russia, North Korea continues as directed by our leader.  Do we want four more years of this? 

IF ONLY OR WHAT IF -- FISHY -- EAGLET DIET

Big Bear Bald Eaglets Fishy Diet: 

   Continuing Up Date

Mama Jackie brings in a live fish - gives new meaning to sushi's sashimi.  Cookie whines, then feeding begins also with Simba.  Papa Shadow arrives with another fish.  Eaglets are rapidly growing in size -- dark feathers appear to be emerging from fluffy fuzz.   Weather conditions have been trending cooler than normal with periodic wind and unusual rain for May.   Quick real-time glances of the nest I’ve taken during stormy times reveal parental efforts to shelter eaglets but they’re much larger now and generally are exposed.   

Live 24/7 Video Cam:  https://youtu.be/5b2dUgK6VV4

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A question that persists for me:  
Is there something fishy continuing in the White House to undermine our democracy with the effort to centralize power there by weakening the other government branches coupled with neutralizing journalists (Fourth Estate) who report facts and truth? 

***

What If ..... If Only ..... Revisited .....

My recent May 5^th post and comments querying whether or not a spouse affects what one thinks of as success reminded me of this.  This is a refresh with some editing of a July 2007 post. 

Occasionally through the years, in moments of contemplation, I've thought about how an individual’s life might be different from the one they have, based on circumstantial changes in their activities, events, residences, other variables, earlier in their life.

What if, at various times, anywhere along the way, the twists and turns of choices and changes affecting them were made in directions other than the ones they did experience, thus leading to different outcomes or destinations?

I don't think about this for myself, generally, from a sense of regret. I think about it more from a standpoint of curiosity. I wonder how others view that question? 

I've thought, wouldn't life be interesting if we could just put on hold whatever our existence was at a given time. Then, we could go off on an alternate route, full well knowing we could come back to the place we were before if we chose, then resume life where we left off.  I guess that would require a quite different life dimension for each of us since we would be affecting so many other lives.  Perhaps that could be possible ..... in science fiction. 

As for myself, I experienced events at four or five years of age I would like to have avoided on both a personal and family level.    An accident that comes to mind I only recall based on the details my mother described to me.  I was perched behind the rider's seat reveling in the moment when my foot became entangled with the spokes of a moving bicycle wheel.   The wheel spokes penetrated my ankle, though thankfully left me with only a large scar present yet today. What if... I hadn’t tried to find a foot rest for my tired dangling little legs, which resulted in me instead catching my foot in those bicycle spokes?

What if, some other changes, experiences, relocations, in my life hadn't occurred? For example:

What if... my birth family had remained intact?   My experience of having my birth father remaining in our home could have offered me a different perspective on relationships.

What if... I had grown up and stayed in my birth city, or even the same state?   My circle of friends might have continued to be more centered on those there.   I did retain one life long friend until she died a couple years ago, even though we had both left.   But all the other friends I’ve made in subsequent relocations around the country I would never have known.

What if... my mother had not had some of the medical/sensory problems she developed? My life would have been affected differently if she had been able to return to her teaching profession, or even expanded differently on her other skills and artistic talents. 

What if... I had been able to continue my music, dancing classes, develop other potential career interests and attend the private university to which I aspired?   My life career choices might have been quite different.    

What if... I had never lived for a few years in the country exposed to nature as a major companion?   My appreciation and understanding of the environment and nature might stem from quite a different perspective as a primarily city girl. 

What if... I hadn't had to give away my dog when we moved?  My memory would be relieved of that emotional loss that I feel yet today.

What if... I had been allowed to accept the offer to ride a horse in Tucson, Arizona's annual western parade in that southwestern state to which we had just moved across country?   I would have treasured memories -- assuming there were no incidents with which this inexperienced rider might have had to cope – which is why my mother didn’t give me permission.   She apologized for this in later life – but I reassured her she probably made the wise decision. 

What if... a generous family member hadn’t offered to loan me the money to attend college in a day when there were no community colleges, scholarships were limited, student loans were unavailable?  I was so determined I would have explored other means.   I recall that  included the possibility of enlisting in a branch of the armed forces, despite the negative attitude of some in that time toward women in the military.  

What if... I hadn't made what later seemed like foolish mistakes on occasion?  What if... I hadn't had those instances in speaking when I "put my foot in my mouth"?   What if... I hadn’t met some of the people I’ve met, or I had met some others I didn’t meet?   What if... so many more "what ifs" that I could mention.

There is one interesting observation I've made over the years whenever I’ve heard most people engage in "What if...?" speculation as I've mentioned here previously. Invariably, whatever the past event or previous experience about which they are speculating, their assumption is that the result would have turned out better for them, "If only ...?"

How would my life have been different “if only…”?   Would my life have been “better” – whatever that means?  I wonder, do others ever consider the possibility the consequences just might have been much less desirable when they envision their “What if…” and "If only..."scenario?