OCTOBER 20 AND 21, 2018

NEWS AND VIEWS

“OVER THREE WEEKS AGO, EPA OFFICIALS PUT HER ON PAID LEAVE SHE SAID, WITHOUT EXPLANATION.” 1, MAYBE THEY ARE PLANNING TO DO SOMETHING THROUGH THAT OFFICE THAT THEY DON’T WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT, SO HAVE SIMPLY REMOVED HER. 2, MAYBE INFORMATION RELATING TO THOSE HISPANIC CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THEIR PARENTS IS INVOLVED IN THIS. 3, MAYBE SHE DID SAY OR DO SOMETHING THAT MADE TRUMP FEEL THREATENED, SOMETHING PERSONAL ABOUT HIM. 4, MAYBE TRUMP HAS A FAVORITE IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO’S A REALLY HOT TAMALE WHOM HE WANTS TO PUT INTO HER POSITION. 5, MAYBE SHE MADE UNWANTED SUGGESTIONS OR HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS HOLDING HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WITHOUT CONTACT WITH THEIR FAMILY. 6, MAYBE THEY JUST DON’T THINK SHE IS OBSEQUIOUS ENOUGH. SHE’S NOT A “YES WOMAN.” 7, MAYBE TRUMP IS PREPARING TO TOTALLY CLOSE OUT THE WHOLE EPA, AND SHE IS THE ELDEST AND, HE THINKS, THE MOST UNABLE TO DEFEND HERSELF. IF THAT’S IT, I THINK HE’S WRONG. 8, MAYBE SHE JUST MADE THE DEADLY MISTAKE OF ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

WHATEVER THE REASON IS, THIS IS ONE MORE OF THOSE HEARTLESS AND POINTLESS THINGS THAT HE DOES. HE REALLY IS A SORRY EXCUSE FOR A PRESIDENT. HE’S MORE LIKE A LOOSE AND WILDLY SWINGING WRECKING BALL THAN A PRESIDENT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/epa-ruth-etzel-administrative-leave-democratic-senators-demand-answers/
CBS NEWS October 19, 2018, 7:45 AM
Democrats demand to know why EPA children's health official was abruptly put on leave

A number of Democratic senators are demanding an explanation from the EPA about why it put a leading children's health expert on paid leave without warning. The director of EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection, Dr. Ruth Etzel, spoke out only on "CBS This Morning" on Monday. At least eight U.S. senators sent letters criticizing the EPA's move and said it raises serious concerns about the agency's commitment to children's health.

Since our interview with Etzel, many people have spoken out to support her, some calling her a hero for going public with her concerns about what's happening at the Office of Children's Health, reports CBS News correspondent Anna Werner.

"It's absolutely outrageous what's happening to Dr. Etzel," Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said. "Here is somebody who's been the champion for children at the EPA, who all of a sudden without any notice, is put on administrative leave."

Etzel is a top expert whose job is to advise the EPA on how its regulations might affect children but says in the current administration "our message is no longer welcome."

Over three weeks ago, EPA officials put her on paid leave, she said, without explanation.

"It's about silencing me because I know how to protect children and I've got a track record of doing it for the last 35 years," Etzel said.

EPA later said in a statement that there were "serious reports made against her by staff regarding her ability to effectively lead." But one former EPA regional administrator doesn't buy it.

"She was widely respected as a competent leader within the Environmental Protection Agency," said Judith Enck, who said she worked closely with Etzel during the Obama administration. "Everyone who has a child or grandchild in the United States should be concerned about this move," Enck said.

In a response to senators, the EPA did not give further explanation for its actions regarding Etzel. But Van Hollen said, "What's happened to Dr. Etzel is unfortunately a part of a much larger story of what's happening at EPA, which is an attack on scientists and an attack on science."

The EPA also told the senators there are no plans to cut funding or resources from the children's health office, but these Democratic senators tell us they are not comfortable with what they see happening at the EPA.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


WITHIN THIS LAST YEAR THERE WAS A NEWS INTERVIEW IN WHICH MISSING SARS WERE MENTIONED. THIS WOMAN MAY WELL HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE, BUT WHAT DID SHE MEAN BY SAYING SHE HAD SENT THE REPORTS TO BUZZFEED “FOR SAFE KEEPING?” COULD IT BE THAT SOME GUILTY ELEMENT FROM “THE DARK SIDE” IS STEALING THEM IN ORDER TO DESTROY EVIDENCE AGAINST THE TRUMP/RUSSIA ACTORS? IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I APPROVE OF WHAT SHE HAS DONE. I OFTEN THINK WHISTLEBLOWERS SHOULD GET AN AWARD AND NOT A JAIL TERM, AND THAT THE DIRTY DEALINGS OF THOSE IN POWER SHOULD BE PUNISHED INSTEAD. OF COURSE, IF SHE DID IT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, THEN SHE SHOULD BE FINED OR JAILED.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/treasury-department-leak-arrest_us_5bc84aabe4b055bc947da6a8
POLITICS 10/18/2018 07:25 am ET
Treasury Employee Charged With Leaking Documents Related To Mueller Probe
The senior government adviser was accused of giving banking reports involving Trump figures and an accused Russian spy to a reporter.
headshot
By Dominique Mosbergen

A Treasury Department employee has been charged with leaking to a reporter documents related to the special counsel’s probe into Russian election interference, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, 40, a senior adviser at the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, has been accused of “unlawfully disclosing” multiple Suspicious Activity Reports, or SARs, to a reporter. Such reports are issued by financial institutions and flag potentially illegal transactions.

The SARs that Edwards is accused of disclosing contained information related to several figures central to Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, his longtime business partner Rick Gates and accused Russian spy Maria Butina, officials said.

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ABC News
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@ABC
NEW: Senior Advisor at Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network charged with unlawfully disclosing Suspicious Activity Reports pertaining to Paul Manafort, Richard Gates, the Russian Embassy, Maria Butina, and more to a reporter, DOJ says https://abcn.ws/2CRHENN

12:28 PM - Oct 17, 2018
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The leaks allegedly began in October 2017 and had continued to the present. The criminal complaint did not name the news organization that had been in contact with Edwards, but referenced at least 12 BuzzFeed articles in which SARs were cited. The most recent article ― entitled “Here’s How A Major Western Bank Enabled A Suspected Russian Money Launderer” ― was published Monday. BuzzFeed hasn’t commented.

According to the complaint, Edwards saved copies of the SARs on a flash drive and had used an encrypted app to send photographs of the documents to the reporter.

“The majority of the files were saved to a folder on the flash drive entitled ‘Debacle — Operation-CF,’ and sub-folders bearing names such as ‘Debacle\Emails\Asshat’,” the complaint said. “Edwards is not known to be involved in any official ... project or task bearing these file titles or code names.”

Prosecutors said Edwards admitted to giving the SARs to the reporter, but identified herself as a “whistleblower” who shared the documents for “record keeping.” The Justice Department noted that Edwards filed an earlier, though unrelated, whistleblower complaint.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, This image provided by the Alexandria Sheriff’s Department shows a mug shot of Natalie Mayflower Edwards, a Treasury Department employee who has been accused of leaking confidential banking reports of suspects charged in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

Edwards was charged with unauthorized disclosures of SARs and conspiracy. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in jail.

Edwards was released on $100,000 bond on Wednesday, The Washington Post reported. She is due to appear in court in New York next month.

Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, said Edwards had “betrayed her position of trust.”

“We hope today’s charges remind those in positions of trust within government agencies that the unlawful sharing of sensitive documents will not be tolerated and will be met with swift justice by this Office,” Berman said in a statement.

The Trump administration has been intensifying efforts to weed out government leakers. Leak probes in the Justice Department had ballooned 800 percent under Attorney General Jeff Sessions, The Daily Beast noted in November.

On Monday, a former Senate Intelligence Committee staffer pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI in a separate leak investigation. James Wolfe admitted using an encrypted app to tell an unidentified reporter about a subpoena issued by the committee.


I AM SO GLAD TO SEE CITIES DOING SOMETHING ON THE LOCAL LEVEL TO PROTECT THEIR AREAS FROM OCEAN RELATED FLOODING. IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE THE CASE THAT SOME CITIES SHOULD SIMPLY MOVE ALL THEIR DWELLINGS AND BUSINESSES TO HIGHER GROUND. THERE WAS A TOWN ON THE MISSISSIPPI THAT WAS IN THAT SITUATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THEY HAD BEEN FLOODED REPEATEDLY.

I HAVE HEARD NO REPORTS OF BUILDING SEA WALLS, AS THE NETHERLANDS HAS DONE, BUT IT PROBABLY HAS BEEN DONE HERE IN THE USA ALSO. LOUISIANA AND OTHER GULF COAST AREAS WOULD BE GOOD CANDIDATES. THIS BLOOMBERG GRANT FOR CITIES WHO PROACTIVELY RESPOND TO RISING WATER WILL HELP, I’M SURE.

http://www.wbur.org/news/2018/10/21/boston-bloomberg-american-cities-climate-challenge-winner
Boston Joins Cities Winning Support For Climate Change Plans
October 21, 2018
The Associated Press

Boston is among 20 cities being awarded support for their work to reduce carbon emissions.

The city announced Sunday it has been named a winner of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge and will receive a support package valued at up to $2.5 million.

Boston says it will use the support to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and to help buildings become more energy efficient.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh says the city must accelerate its work against climate change amid the threat of rising sea levels and more intense storms.

Walsh recently announced a new plan meant to protect Boston's 47-mile shoreline in case of major flooding.

Other winners include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.

The award comes from the charitable arm of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Related:
Walsh Outlines Plan To Protect Boston Harbor From Flooding
'Scary' U.N. Climate Report's Recommendations Align With Boston's


WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT PLACES THAT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SEA THAT IS OFTEN MUCH TOO CLOSE, I THOUGHT ABOUT HOLLAND, OR THE NETHERLANDS. I ALWAYS PICTURE THE BOY PETER WITH HIS FINGER IN A HOLE THAT WAS ALLOWING SEA WATER TO TRICKLE THROUGH THE DIKE. THE WATER CONTROL SYSTEM ALSO USED WINDMILLS TO MOVE THE WATER BACK OUT.

THIS WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE IS SO MUCH LIKE A FICTIONAL DRAMA THAT I THINK I’LL CALL IT “THE WAR AGAINST THE SEA.” IT SHOWS WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE ALL THE WAY BACK THROUGH TIME, DOWN TO THE TIME OF ROME. THE ONLY THING THAT’S MISSING IS THE BOY NAMED PETER. I HAVE INCLUDED IT HERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT AS AMERICANS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING SERIOUSLY AT THINGS WE CAN DO IF WE AREN’T GOING TO LEGALLY RESTRAIN OUR LARGEST MANUFACTURERS AND POWER PLANTS FROM SPEWING OUT CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE.

BERNIE SANDERS SAYS WE NEED A CARBON TAX. I AGREE, BUT WE ALSO NEED LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR SOLAR POWER FACILITIES TO ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE FREELY DESPITE LAWSUITS AND OTHER PREDATIONS BY OIL, COAL AND NATURAL GAS INTERESTS, WHOSE GOAL IS TO DETER THEIR GROWTH. IT’S TYPICAL SHORT-TERM THINKING.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_control_in_the_Netherlands

Flood control in the Netherlands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ESTIMATE IMAGE -- Without dikes, the Netherlands would be flooded to this extent

Flood control is an important issue for the Netherlands, as about two thirds of its area is vulnerable to flooding, while the country is among the most densely populated on Earth. Natural sand dunes and constructed dikes, dams, and floodgates provide defense against storm surges from the sea. River dikes prevent flooding from water flowing into the country by the major rivers Rhine and Meuse, while a complicated system of drainage ditches, canals, and pumping stations (historically: windmills) keep the low-lying parts dry for habitation and agriculture. Water control boards are the independent local government bodies responsible for maintaining this system.

In modern times, flood disasters coupled with technological developments have led to large construction works to reduce the influence of the sea and prevent future floods.

History

The Greek geographer Pytheas noted of the Low Countries, as he passed them on his way to Heligoland around c. 325 BCE, that "more people died in the struggle against water than in the struggle against men". First-century Roman author Pliny wrote something similar in his Natural History:[1]

There, twice in every twenty-four hours, the ocean's vast tide sweeps in a flood over a large stretch of land and hides Nature's everlasting controversy about whether this region belongs to the land or to the sea. There these wretched peoples occupy high ground, or manmade platforms constructed above the level of the highest tide they experience; they live in huts built on the site so chosen and are like sailors in ships when the waters cover the surrounding land, but when the tide has receded they are like shipwrecked victims. Around their huts they catch fish as they try to escape with the ebbing tide. It does not fall to their lot to keep herds and live on milk, like neighboring tribes, nor even to fight with wild animals, since all undergrowth has been pushed far back.

The flood-threatened area of the Netherlands is essentially an alluvial plain, built up from sediment left by thousands of years of flooding by rivers and the sea.[2] About 2,000 years ago most of the Netherlands was covered by extensive peat swamps. The coast consisted of a row of coastal dunes and natural embankments which kept the swamps from draining but also from being washed away by the sea. The only areas suitable for habitation were on the higher grounds in the east and south and on the dunes and natural embankments along the coast and the rivers. In several places the sea had broken through these natural defenses and created extensive floodplains in the north. The first permanent inhabitants of this area were probably attracted by the sea-deposited clay soil which was much more fertile than the peat and sandy soil further inland. To protect themselves against floods they built their homes on artificial dwelling hills called terpen or wierden (known as Warften or Halligen in Germany). Between 500 BC and AD 700 there were probably several periods of habitation and abandonment as the sea level periodically rose and fell. The first dikes were low embankments of only a meter or so in height surrounding fields to protect the crops against occasional flooding. Around the 9th century the sea was on the advance again and many terps had to be raised to keep them safe. Many single terps had by this time grown together as villages. These were now connected by the first dikes.

After AD 1000 the population grew, which meant there was a greater demand for arable land but also that there was a greater workforce available and dike construction was taken up more seriously. The major contributors in later dike building were the monasteries. As the largest landowners they had the organization, resources and manpower to undertake the large construction. By 1250 most dikes had been connected into a continuous sea defense.

The next step was to move the dikes ever-more seawards. Every cycle of high and low tide left a small layer of sediment. Over the years these layers had built up to such a height that they were rarely flooded. It was then considered safe to build a new dike around this area. The old dike was often kept as a secondary defense, called a sleeper dike.

Aerial photograph of a white stone tower near the shore
The Plompe toren, the only remainder of the village Koudekerke

A dike couldn't always be moved seawards. Especially in the southwest river delta it was often the case that the primary sea dike was undermined by a tidal channel. A secondary dike was then built, called an inlaagdijk.[3] With an inland dike, when the seaward dike collapses the secondary inland dike becomes the primary. Although the redundancy provides security, the land from the first to second dike is lost; over the years the loss can become significant.

Taking land from the cycle of flooding by putting a dike around it prevents it from being raised by silt left behind after a flooding. At the same time the drained soil consolidates and peat decomposes leading to land subsidence. In this way the difference between the water level on one side and land level on the other side of the dike grew. While floods became more rare, if the dike did overflow or was breached the destruction was much larger.

The construction method of dikes has changed over the centuries. Popular in the Middle Ages were wierdijken, earth dikes with a protective layer of seaweed. An earth embankment was cut vertically on the sea-facing side. Seaweed was then stacked against this edge, held into place with poles. Compression and rotting processes resulted in a solid residue that proved very effective against wave action and they needed very little maintenance. In places where seaweed was unavailable other materials such as reeds or wicker mats were used.

Sea dike where on the sea side the water level is clearly many meters higher than the ground level on the land side

Sea dike keeping Delfzijl and surroundings dry in 1994

Another system used much and for a long time was that of a vertical screen of timbers backed by an earth bank. Technically these vertical constructions were less successful as vibration from crashing waves and washing out of the dike foundations weakened the dike.

Much damage was done to these wood constructions with the arrival of the shipworm (Teredo navalis), a bivalve thought to have been brought to the Netherlands by VOC trading ships, that ate its way through Dutch sea defenses around 1730. The change was made from wood to using stone for reinforcement. This was a great financial setback as there is no natural occurring rock in the Netherlands and it all had to be imported from abroad.

Current dikes are made with a core of sand, covered by a thick layer of clay to provide waterproofing and resistance against erosion. Dikes without a foreland have a layer of crushed rock below the waterline to slow wave action. Up to the high waterline the dike is often covered with carefully laid basalt stones or a layer of tarmac. The remainder is covered by grass and maintained by grazing sheep. Sheep keep the grass dense and compact the soil, in contrast to cattle.

Developing the peat swamps
At about the same time as the building of dikes the first swamps were made suitable for agriculture by colonists. By digging a system of parallel drainage ditches water was drained from the land to be able to grow grain. However the peat settled much more than other soil types when drained and land subsidence resulted in developed areas becoming wet again. Cultivated lands which were at first primarily used for growing grain thus became too wet and the switch was made to dairy farming. A new area behind the existing field was then cultivated, heading deeper into the wild. This cycle repeated itself several times until the different developments met each other and no further undeveloped land was available. All land was then used for grazing cattle.

Typical Dutch scene with a series of windmills along the waters edge
The windmills of Kinderdijk, the Netherlands

Because of the continuous land subsidence it became ever more difficult to remove excess water. The mouths of streams and rivers were dammed to prevent high water levels flowing back upstream and overflowing cultivated lands. These dams had a wooden culvert equipped with a valve, allowing drainage but preventing water from flowing upstream. These dams, however, blocked shipping and the economic activity caused by the need to transship goods caused villages to grow up near the dam, some famous examples are Amsterdam (dam in the river Amstel) and Rotterdam (dam in the Rotte). Only in later centuries were locks developed to allow ships to pass.

Further drainage could only be accomplished after the development of the polder windmill in the 15th century. The wind-driven water pump has become one of the trademark tourist attractions of the Netherlands. The first drainage mills using a scoop wheel could raise water at most 1.5 m. By combining mills the pumping height could be increased. Later mills were equipped with an Archimedes' screw which could raise water much higher. The polders, now often below sea level, were kept dry with mills pumping water from the polder ditches and canals to the boezem ("bosom"), a system of canals and lakes connecting the different polders and acting as a storage basin until the water could be let out to river or sea, either by a sluice gate at low tide or using further pumps. This system is still in use today, though drainage mills have been replaced by first steam and later diesel and electric pumping stations.

Round brick building of gothic architecture with steel beams protruding from the windows

De Cruquius is one of the three pumping stations that drained the Haarlemmermeer

The growth of towns and industry in the Middle Ages resulted in an increased demand for dried peat as fuel. First all the peat down to the groundwater table was dug away. In the 16th century a method was developed to dig peat below water, using a dredging net on a long pole. Large scale peat dredging was taken up by companies, supported by investors from the cities. These undertakings often devastated the landscape as agricultural land was dug away and the leftover ridges, used for drying the peat, collapsed under the action of waves. Small lakes were created which quickly grew in area, every increase in surface water leading to more leverage of the wind on the water to attack more land. It even led to villages being lost to the waves of human-made lakes.

The development of the polder mill gave the option of draining the lakes. In the 16th century this work was started on small, shallow lakes, continuing with ever-larger and deeper lakes, though it wasn't until in the nineteenth century that the most dangerous of lakes, the Haarlemmermeer near Amsterdam, was drained using steam power. Drained lakes and new polders can often be easily distinguished on topographic maps by their different regular division pattern as compared to their older surroundings. Millwright and hydraulic engineer Jan Leeghwater has become famous for his involvement in these works.


WHAT BIDEN ACTUALLY SAID HERE IS NOT THAT THE DEMS SHOULDN’T IMPEACH TRUMP, BUT THAT THEY SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED, AND I AGREE. IMPEACHMENT REQUIRES PROOF OF SOME KIND.

IF HE SHOULD GO UNCONTROLLABLY BERSERK, HOWEVER, I SAY USE THOSE NAVY SEALS WHO DISPATCHED BIN LADEN AND SEND THEM INTO THE WHITE HOUSE WITH THE DART GUNS USED TO INCAPACITATE ELEPHANTS, A YUUUGE STRAIGHT JACKET, AND A SECURITY TEAM OF THE NEAREST WELL-STAFFED MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY, AND JUST IMMOBILIZE HIM. THEN TAKE HIM TO THE NEAREST LOCKED HOSPITAL WARD FOR THE NATION’S SAFETY.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/impeach-trump-biden-i-hope-they-dont-if-democrats-retake-the-house-in-midterms/
By GRACE SEGERS CBS NEWS October 18, 2018, 11:23 AM
Biden on Democrats impeaching Trump: "I hope they don't"

Former Vice President Joe Biden said if Democrats retake the House of Representatives, "they don't" impeach President Trump. The comments came during an interview with "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell that aired on Thursday morning.

He called for Democrats to wait until the conclusion of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. "I hope they don't. I don't think there's a basis for doing that right now," Biden said.

"I think we should focus on all the terrible things that are happening now in terms of interest of the middle class people and working class people," Biden said. He criticized the Trump administration for "decimating" unions and "eviscerating" the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Biden also stated president Trump "seems to have a love affair with autocrats."

"There are so many things to attend to immediately. Let's see where the investigation takes us," Biden said.

In the interview, the former vice president also expressed confidence Democrats would gain the majority in the House in the midterm elections this year. He said that situation would inspire Republicans to "vote their conscience" and break with Mr. Trump more often on policy issues.

RELATED:
Watch more from Norah O'Donnell's full interview with former Vice President Joe Biden:

Biden says "absolutely, positively, without question" voter suppression is ongoing
Biden says Trump "seems to have a love affair with autocrats"
Originally published: October 17 at 6:00 pm

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.


HERE IS A REALLY BIG STORY THAT JUST HASN’T EXPLODED ON AMERICAN SOIL YET. I WONDER HOW MEXICO WILL HANDLE THIS. I NOTICE THE LEADERS OF GUATEMALA AND HONDURAS ARE PUTTING THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. THAT’S INTELLIGENT AND RESPONSIBLE, BUT THERE’S A NEED FOR MORE OF IT, AND MEXICO NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSIONS.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR COUNTRY DUE TO HUNGER, JOBLESSNESS, DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. THE NATIONS INVOLVED SHOULD SIT DOWN WITH ALL THE OTHER CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND WORK TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AT HOME, AND CREATE A WAY TO COOPERATE TOWARD STOPPING THESE MASS MOVEMENTS. IN ADDITION, THEY SHOULD STOP THE PEOPLE FROM LEAVING THEIR OWN TOWNS.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS CAN’T BE DONE BY MAGIC, BUT THERE MUST BE SOME INTERNATIONAL PACTS AMONG THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM TO VIEW THE PROBLEM AS A SHARED ISSUE RATHER THAN SIMPLY THROWING UP THEIR HANDS AND DOING NOTHING. I’M SURE TOMORROW WILL BRING MORE DEVELOPMENTS, BUT PROBABLY NOT IMPROVEMENTS.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hundreds-of-migrants-u-s-bound-caravan-cross-mexico-guatemala-border-2018-10-20/
CBS/AP October 20, 2018, 8:51 AM
Hundreds of migrants in U.S.-bound caravan cross Mexico-Guatemala border

TECUN UMAN, Guatemala -- A U.S.-bound caravan that once totaled more than 3,000 Central American migrants looked to be about a third that size Saturday morning, when its remaining members woke up on a bridge that divides the borders of Guatemala and Mexico and waited to get past a crossing guarded by hundreds of Mexican federal police.

Hundreds of migrants have already crossed, some legally, some not. It's unclear whether any have simply turned back.

Members of the migrant caravan burst through a Guatemalan border fence on Friday and rushed onto the bridge over the Suchiate River. Men and women, some with young children and babies drenched in sweat, began storming and climbing the barrier — tearing it down. They defied Mexican authorities' entreaties for an orderly crossing and U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of retaliation.

But they were met Friday by a wall of police with riot shields on the Mexican side of the bridge. About 50 managed to push their way through before officers unleashed pepper spray and the rest retreated, joining the sea of humanity on the bridge.

Police and immigration agents began letting small groups of 10, 20 or 30 people through the gates if they wanted to apply for refugee status. Once they file a claim, they can go to a shelter to spend the night.

Some migrants, tired of waiting, jumped off the bridge into the Suchiate River on Friday. They risked drowning over defeat. When asked why he wanted to jump, one 16-year-old said, "there are no jobs here."

Some organized a rope brigade to ford its muddy waters or floated across on rafts operated by local residents who usually charge a dollar or two to make the crossing.

As dawn broke Saturday, hundreds of migrants awoke amid garbage that had already piled up on the bridge. Without bathrooms, a foul odor wafted through the air.

Jose Yanez had slept with no blanket, but vowed to continue.

"From here, we're going on. From here, there's no turning back," said the 25-year-old farmer, adding that he makes 150 lempiras a day in Honduras, or about $6, and has no work benefits.

Other migrants managed to catch rest under tarps and plastic sheets.

Alison Danisa wept as she knelt on the ground, clutching her naked 11-month-old infant to her breast.

"We have suffered so much. She has a fever and we brought nothing," she said, showing the baby's bare bottom to indicate they had no diapers.

On Friday, a Mexican marine official with a loudspeaker approached the gate and told migrants they would be taken in trucks to "a humanitarian attention center" in Tapachula, a border city in the Mexican state of Chiapas. But the official did not say when this would happen.

APTOPIX Central America Migrant Caravan
This frame grab from video shows migrants bound for the U.S.-Mexico border waiting on a bridge that stretches over the Suchiate River, connecting Guatemala and Mexico, in Tecun Uman, Guatemala, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. TELEVISA VIA AP

Migrants have banded together to travel en masse regularly in recent years, but this caravan was unusual for its huge size, said Victor Clark Alfaro, a Latin American studies professor at San Diego State University. By comparison, a caravan in April that also attracted Trump's ire numbered about 1,000.

"It grabs one's attention that the number of people in these kinds of caravans is on the rise," Clark Alfaro said. "It is migration of a different dimension."

Elizabeth Oglesby, a professor at the University of Arizona's Center for Latin American Studies, said people join caravans like this because it's a way to make the journey in a relatively safe manner and avoid having to pay thousands of dollars to smugglers.

Late Friday night, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said in an address to the nation that a large group of migrants had "tried to enter Mexican territory irregularly, attacking and even hurting some elements of the Federal Police."

"Mexico does not permit and will not permit entry into its territory in an irregular fashion, much less in a violent fashion," he said.

PHOTOGRAPH -- A police officer helps a Honduran migrant, part of a caravan trying to reach the U.S., as she storms a border checkpoint to cross into Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico October 19, 2018. EDGARD GARRIDO/REUTERS

Mexican officials said those with passports and valid visas -- only a tiny minority of those trying to cross -- would be let in immediately. Migrants who want to apply for refuge in Mexico were welcome to do so, they said, but any who decide to cross illegally and are caught will be detained and deported.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez tweeted late Friday that he spoke with his Guatemalan counterpart, Jimmy Morales, and asked permission to send Honduran civil protection personnel to the bridge to help the migrants. "I also asked authorization to hire ground transportation for anyone who wants to return and an air bridge for special cases of women, children, the elderly and the sick," Hernandez tweeted.

Hernandez and Morales are expected to meet in Guatemala early Saturday to discuss the situation.

The U.S. president, meanwhile, has made it clear to Mexico that he is monitoring its response. On Thursday he threatened to close the U.S. border if Mexico didn't stop the caravan. Later that day he tweeted a video of Mexican federal police deploying at the Guatemalan border and wrote: "Thank you Mexico, we look forward to working with you!"

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called illegal migration a "crisis" and emphasized "the importance of stopping this flow before it reaches the U.S. border," while also acknowledging Mexico's right to handle the crisis in a sovereign fashion.

He also said, "We have to fix U.S. laws in order to handle this properly. This is an American burden and a uniquely American burden."

Oglesby, the professor at the University of Arizona's Center for Latin American Studies, disputed Pompeo's assertion that that there is a "crisis" of migration.

"The border is not in crisis. This is not a migration crisis. ... Yes, we are seeing some spikes in Central Americans crossing the border, but overall migration is at a 40-year low," Oglesby said.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


NEWS VIDEO UPDATE –AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS DEMANDING KHASHOGGI’S REMAINS FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUTOPSY. TRUMP IS UNWILLING AT THIS POINT TO CANCEL A HUGE ARMS DEAL WITH THE SAUDIS. VIEW THIS REPORT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/amnesty-international-calls-on-saudi-arabia-to-produce-jamal-khashoggis-body/


I WOULD BUY A TICKET, BUT I CAN’T STAND ON MY FEET FOR AN HOUR WAITING TO GET TO THE CASH REGISTER. WATCH THIS NEWS VIDEO.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mega-millions-jackpot-climbs-1-6-billion-after-no-ticket-sold-with-all-winning-numbers-drawing-2018-10-20/
CBS/AP October 20, 2018, 4:32 PM
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $1.6 billion after no one wins latest drawing

DES MOINES, Iowa — No one won the latest Mega Millions drawing, meaning the jackpot is now a staggering $1.6 billion. Mega Millions officials say no tickets matched all six numbers to claim the estimated $1 billion grand prize in Friday night's drawing.

The numbers were 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and Mega Ball 7. The next drawing will be Tuesday.

With the jackpot currently tied with the record-setting lottery jackpot and bound to grow before the next drawing, it is bound to become the largest prize in U.S. history.

The jackpot has been growing since July, when a group of California office workers won $543 million.

Odds of winning
Mega Millions is played in 44 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

It costs $2 to play the game, but the odds of winning the jackpot aren't good. The chance of matching all six numbers and taking home the grand prize is one in 302.5 million.

Who buys lotto tickets?
About two-thirds of Americans gamble. Last year, they spent $72.97 billion on traditional lottery tickets, according to Gallup.

On average, that's $206.69 per person. "Our obsession with lotteries, with gambling, is that unicorn feeling of, like, 'maybe it'll be me,'" CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger said. She points out that some people don't necessarily play to win.

"They just want to take a moment out of their day to consider how to dream big," Schlesinger said.

The average American spends about $223 per year on lottery tickets, according to a survey from LENDedu. Massachusetts residents have the biggest taste for playing the odds, spending almost $763 per year on lottery tickets, the study found. North Dakotans are on the opposite end of the spectrum, spending about $44 per year on the lottery, or the lowest average figure among residents of all 50 states.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


LOOK AT THIS SITE. IF YOU CAN’T FIND SOMETHING HERE THAT CHEERS YOU UP, YOU JUST AREN’T TRYING! HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITES. THE REASON I'M INTERESTED IN THESE IS THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO FIGHT UNHAPPINESS. THERE WOULDN'T BE SO MANY SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM IF THAT WEREN'T THE CASE. TWO COME FROM ANNE FRANK AND ONE FROM ANCIENT ROME: MARCUS AURELIUS. I THINK THAT BEING "HAPPY" IS NEVER TOTAL, BUT IT ISN'T USUALLY ENTIRELY MISSING EITHER. ONE HELPFUL LITTLE MIND GAME IS TO SAY "THINGS COULD BE WORSE."

FOR ME, AN ACCEPTANCE OF WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS COMES FIRST. THEN, LOOK TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT, AND THEN "COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS." WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT IT MAY TAKE AN EFFORT TO SEE WHAT HASN'T GONE WRONG YET, AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE. THEN DO SOME VERY BASIC THINGS LIKE REST, EAT, DRINK WATER, AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES I PERSONALLY WILL USUALLY BOUNCE BACK A BIT AND BEGIN TO FEEL BETTER.

THE PROBLEM WITH DEPRESSION IS THAT IT INTERFERES WITH THAT NORMAL CHEERING UP PROCESS. IF REST AND FOOD DON'T MAKE A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE, I BELIEVE IN GOING TO A PSYCHOLOGIST FOR TALK THERAPY AND GOOD ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION. THOSE DRUGS ARE NOT ADDICTIVE, NOR HARMFUL IF TAKEN AS PRESCRIBED, AND WALKING AROUND WITH AN UNCORRECTED CASE OF DEPRESSION IS LIKELY TO GET WORSE AND WORSE, LEADING TO SUICIDAL OR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. THE REASON I SAY VIOLENT IS THAT WHEN A PERSON, ALMOST ALWAYS A MAN, APPEARS IN PUBLIC AND JUST STARTS SHOOTING PEOPLE THERE WILL USUALLY BE A STATEMENT IN THE SAME NEWS STORY THAT HE HAD BEEN "DEPRESSED."

https://everydaypowerblog.com/quotes-about-being-happy/
70 Quotes About Being Happy Regardless of Where You are in Life
By Everyday Power Team

Our latest collection of quotes about being happy. Enjoy!

Being happy is extremely vital and something that every person ultimately wants in life.

Being happy leads to a wide array of benefits for our performance, relationships, health and much more.

Besides making us feel good about ourselves, happiness is a positive emotion that drives our ambitions and motivates us to wake up every morning to pursue our goals and dreams.

So how can we attain happiness?

For us to do this, we need to take personal responsibility for our own happiness.

We have to accept the fact that our happiness is our choice and something to be found within us.

Regardless of all the negative events that often occur in our lives, we can all maintain our happiness by learning to interpret whatever circumstances we deal with in a positive light.

Although external behaviors and events have the ability to trigger off negative thoughts, that can only happen if you allow them to.

Overall, happiness makes us healthier, more productive and ready to use our Everyday Power to reach our full potential.

Below are some inspirational quotes about being happy that will help you develop the ability to be happy under all circumstances.

Quotes about being happy regardless of where you are in life --

5.) “We don’t laugh because we’re happy – we’re happy because we laugh.” – William James

6.) “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”― Anne Frank

8.) “Be happy for no reason, like a child. If you are happy for a reason, you’re in trouble, because that reason can be taken from you.”― Deepak Chopra

9.) “The secret of being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of every day.”- Anonymous

10.) “Nothing can bring you happiness but yourself.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

11.) “The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are, and not who people think you are.” – Goldie Hawn

14.) “Be happy with being you. Love your flaws. Own your quirks. And know that you are just as perfect as anyone else, exactly as you are.” – Ariana Grande

15.) “Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad!”- Norm Papernick

17.) “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama

18.) “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”- Marcus Aurelius

22.) “Be happy with what you have. Be excited about what you want.” – Alan Cohen

23.) “If being happy is important to you, try this: instead of regretting all you lack, celebrate all you’ve got.” – Brian Vaszily

24.) “I just find myself happy with the simple things. Appreciating the blessings God gave me.” – DMX

26.) “Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.”― Hafez

28.) “Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.”- Rabbi Hyman Schachtel

29.) “Do not forget to hope and happy be.” – John McLeod

31.) “The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.” – Henry Ward Beecher

32.) “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”– Mahatma Gandhi

33.) “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama

34.) “Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”– Helen Keller

35.) “Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” – Margaret Lee Runbeck

37.) “We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.”– Anne Frank

38.) “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

39.) “Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.” – Walt Whitman

40.) “The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”- Allan K. Chalmers

41.) “You can never be really happy if you keep holding to those bad memories which makes you sad.” – Anurag Prakash

42.) “Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.” – Frank Tyger

43.) “One of the simplest ways to stay happy is by letting go of the things that make you sad.” –Tinku Razoria

44.) “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”– Albert Schweitzer

45.) “Happiness is where we find it, but very rarely where we seek it.” – J. Petit Senn

47.) “If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.”― Roy T. Bennett

48.) “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

49.) “I laugh as much as I can and cry when I have to, without apology. I think that’s happy.”- Maya Angelou

THAT’S ENOUGH OF THESE FOR NOW. GO TO THE WEBSITE AND READ MORE!