Hard To Write                                                                                           #379          

By Hank Silverberg     

Commentary

It is becoming extremely difficult to write an opinion blog on anything right now. The world situation is slowly getting worse, the polarization in the American population is growing, and if you express your opinion on just about anything, you are probably going to get attacked verbally or even physically by someone who is offended. 

A friend of mine advised me to stop writing about Israel or Iran, or the war, or even antisemitism  because it might make someone mad enough to do harm to me.  

So I could try something less polarizing, like baseball. But I found expressing support for the underdog Israeli team in the World Baseball Classic brought down the wrath of  the Jew-haters online who immediately attacked the team and me with antisemitic tropes. 

(My grand kid's Cat-Oliver) 

So this week I will comment on some great cat videos I saw online. 

Here's my comment: 

  Cute!

You gonna attack me for that?

 Now on to something else. 

News You May Have Missed!

Your right to get the truth from free, unencumbered media is under a threat again. The Trump appointed Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, is again threatening to revoke the broadcast license of some broadcast networks because of the way they are covering the war with Iran, without providing any clear evidence of breaking any rules. In a post on X, Carr wrote: “Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news — have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.”  

Referring to the 1934 Communications Act, he went on to warn that broadcasters must operate "in the public interest" and will lose their licenses if they don't. 

It's a response to complaints from President Trump on his Truth Social post which claimed The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and other media "actually want us to lose the war".   

The Journal had reported on Friday that five U.S. Air Force refueling planes had recently been struck or damaged by an Iranian missiles while on the ground at a base in Saudi Arabia. 

A similar plane recently crashed in Iraq killing all six crew members. 

But Carr's threat came after the White House blasted CNN for a report that said the Trump Administration had underestimated the impact of the war with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz--a chokepoint through which 20% of the world's oil supply flows.   

The FCC has very limited control of the content of cable TV networks which are not licensed the same way as broadcast stations, so Carr's threat may be nothing more than intimidation.  

The Radio Television and Digital News Association issued the following statement on X on Carr's threat: 

News coverage of a war has always been a flash point between journalists and presidents. But a threat to take away broadcast licenses over news coverage is very rare. Control of the media is also one of the premier moves of a totalitarian state.  

https://thehill.com/media/5784658-fcc-threatens-broadcast-licenses/

Media Rater Under Attack

The Trump Administration is continuing its assault on the free press in other ways. Since Trump's second term started, it has gone to court against the Associated Press (for not calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America), settled a lawsuit with

Paramount over CBS News/60 Minutes edits of an interview, sued The Wall Street Journal over its reporting on Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and is in court with The New York Times over restrictions on covering the Pentagon. 

Now the Administration has gone after a little- known company called NewsGuard, which issues credibility ratings about news organizations. The Federal Trade Commission has begun an investigation after accusing NewsGuard of trying to suppress conservative speech with its ratings. NewsGuard filed a lawsuit accusing the FTC of using its power to censor speech simply because the Administration disagrees with its ratings on the reliability of certain news sources. NewsGuard uses veteran journalists to examine thousands of news organizations and websites, and rates them based on the credibility and reliability of their journalism. It is marketed to advertisers who want to associate their products with reliable sources instead of fake or propaganda oriented ones. But it also provides a good source for the average consumer looking for accuracy in the media.  

Why did the Trump Administration take this action? An Associated Press story says it started after Trump promoter Newsmax was given a 20 on a scale of 100 in NewsGuard's ratings. The rating said the Newsmax website was unreliable because it severely violates basic journalism standards. NewsGuard was started by Court TV founder Steve Brill and a former journal publisher Gordon Crovitz. According to the NewsGuard website, they also track AI generated news and misinformation.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/a-media-rating-company-says-a-trump-agency-is-threatening-its-livelihood/ar-AA1YF7Qx?ocid=Peregrine&cvid=69b6d7e5859449749a5d2fcab70665f7&ei=14

Dumbest Quote of The Week!

This week's dumbest quote comes from the President's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt. I don't really have to explain it. She was asked about the impact the war has had on gas prices. 

"Once the national security objectives of Operation Epic Fury are fully achieved, Americans will see oil and gas prices drop rapidly, potentially even lower than they were prior to the start of the operation." 

So, Ms. Leavitt, what are those objectives? No one, not you, the DOD Secretary, nor the Secretary of State or the President seems to know the answer to that question. 

And anyone with any knowledge on the oil industry can tell you it's going to take MONTHS for the oil market to recover, if and when the war is over. 

Expect gas to reach $6 a gallon in some places and over $4 a gallon in most of the country, and that's in the short run. Expect them come back down slowly once the war does end.     

(You suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes. 

                                               

                                                                                                                                 #378

The Truth 

By Hank Silverberg 

           

One of the more difficult things for many people to understand is how an event that happened just five years ago, that most of us saw on TV as it was happening, can get so distorted with myth and conspiracy theories that a state legislature has to pass a bill requiring that the truth about the event be taught in schools.  

But that is what has happened here in Virginia where many federal workers live. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the bill this past week that prohibits schools from teaching falsehoods about the 2021 attack on the Capitol in Washington, DC. 

The bill says school instruction must: "Describe the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol as an unprecedented, violent attack on United States democratic institutions, infrastructure, and representatives for the purpose of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election."

Not surprisingly, that legislation passed the State Senate in a 21-19 vote with all 19 Republicans voting "NO". 

State and local police from Virginia, and eventually the Virginia National Guard were all called to the Capitol that day to help overwhelmed first responders, so the issue hits home here more than in many parts of the country, though New York's legislature is considering a similar bill.  

To be clear, teachers don't have to bring the subject up at all, but if they do, they are required to report the facts on what actually happened, not the revisionist version which calls the event a "patriotic, peaceful, protest".

More than 1,500 of the "protesters" were charged and convicted of crimes from that attack, including hundreds charged with beating up police officers during the assault. They were all later pardoned by President Trump. 

More than 140 police officers were injured during the melee on January 6th, 2021. One died of a heart attack and four others committed suicide or died from some other injury as a result of that day.    

Congress passed a law in 2022 creating a plaque honoring those who protected the Capitol during the attack, but there was Republican opposition and the plaque was hidden away.  The narration had  changed, fed by social media and conspiracy theories. Many on the right started to memorialize  Ashli Babbit, the one "protestor" who was killed by police, instead of the officers who were attacked.

(The Plaque before it was hung up) 

That plaque was finally installed this past week, put up with no fanfare at 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning. It reads:

 "On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on January 6, 2021. Their heroism will never be forgotten."   

This entire story is a good example of the dangers we now face with disinformation, a polarized political climate, and people's inability to understand the truth when it is staring them in the face.  

Pass on the truth to the next generation. Don't let the revisionist win.   

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-legislation-prohibiting-schools-jan-6-falsehoods/

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5773634-law-enforcement-capitol-jan-6-plaque-installed/

News You May Have Missed!

 Remember Voice of America, the government-run radio network that helped spread fair and balanced news to places around the world that has no free press since World War Two?  

The Trump Administration gutted VOA, cutting out oversees services like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, critically damaging its mission. Kari Lake was appointed to basically phase out VOA, to allegedly save the taxpayers money. She argued that there are other ways to disseminate news and information around the world.  The network was left with a small staff, its mission uncertain. 

Now, a federal judge has ruled that Lake did not have the authority to dismantle VOA because she did not get Senate confirmation for her job. He said there are laws that guard against unqualified government appointments. 

Several members of VOA's staff who had been laid off filed the lawsuit. But it's not clear at this point what effect the ruling might have on the future of VOA or more than 500 employees who had their careers interrupted.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/federal-judge-rules-trump-administrations-actions-to-dismantle-voice-of-america-are-illegal/ar-AA1XKihc?ocid=BingNewsBrowse

Fox News Gets Caught!

Fox News is apologizing for an error on its broadcasts on Saturday. President Trump, the Vice President, their wives and several members of the Cabinet were in Delaware, at Dover Air Force Base to greet the remains of the six service members killed in the war with Iran. Those ceremonies, which often include family members of the war dead, are always dignified. But President Trump took some harsh criticism for wearing a white USA baseball cap and not removing it when the coffins came out of the plane as custom requires. Trump also wore a dark suit and a red tie. 

Most news organizations had video of the event, but viewers noticed something different about the Fox coverage. On that broadcast, Trump had no hat and was wearing a full overcoat. 

Someone had pulled out video from a previous, similar ceremony with Trump not wearing a hat,  and edited that in for the coverage of Saturday's event.  Was this an attempt to divert criticism of Trump for wearing the white USA cap, which sells for $55 on his merch website? There was no explanation of the obvious edit from Fox News.   

  

 (You suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes. 

                                               

WAR!                                                  #377

By Hank Silverberg

On the surface, getting rid of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a good thing. He has been the devil for the last 40 years, oppressing his own people and supporting proxy terrorist around the world, including Hamas, the worst of them all. Thousands of Israelis, Americans, Iranians and Gazans have died, directly or indirectly because of him. 

But watching the attack on Iran unfold over the weekend, the big question on everyone's mind was "why now?"

The U.S. had been negotiating with Iran over its potential nuclear weapon's program, which was quickly restarted after President Trump killed a previous deal during his first term and restarted again after air attacks last June that the President said had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capability. 

So now Trump has some explaining to do.   

What was the imminent danger that allowed him to act without the consent of Congress? It's the same question many in Congress have been asking about his assault on Venezuela back in January.  

Both appear to be a violation of the War Powers Act, specifically passed after the Vietnam war to prevent such shoot-from-the-hip reactions.  

Mr. Trump needs to explain the direct imminent threat or he is going to find strong opposition across the country for continuing any war with Iran. It could be seen by many as an effort to divert from other divisive issues like ICE excesses and the Epstein files, or to impact the upcoming midterm elections.  

Then there is the issue of our goal. Okay, Khamenei and some of his thugs are dead, but like the power vacuum we saw in Iraq after the elimination of Saddam Hussein, the chaos can be worse. 

Mr. Trump campaigned on a promise of "no more endless wars", and yet here we are in a war with no clear-cut path for how to end it.

One other big aspect of this war is the impact on complex Middle East politics. There is a strong indication that both Israel and Saudi Arabia were pushing Trump to do what he did. It is rare they agree on anything. And the Gulf States, like the UAE, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait wanted to stay out of any conflict, but they were forced into it when Iran's retaliation included attacks on them because they have U.S. military bases.    

The risk of a widening war always exists. Shrapnel has been falling on Jordan, which lies between Israel and Iran. And in Iraq, the fragile peace between Sunni and Shiite militia is again threatened because they have support from opposite sides.    

Israel, under intense criticism for its mass destruction of Gaza, may get some praise for ridding the world of the likes of Khamenei, and Hamas will certainly be further weakened by this new war, but the Israeli people are in bomb shelters again and most of those people shouting "free Palestine" will have difficulty understanding the complexity of it all. 

 

And finally, there is the impact on the global oil market. Prices will go up around the world, and as history proves, we will feel it here in the U.S. at the gas pump. Iran is also a major supplier of oil for China, and any military action in the Persian Gulf and the shutting down of the Straight of Hormuz will disrupt the flow, putting China into play. 

Sometimes good things have bad consequences and frankly, the Trump administration never looks at the big picture. That has proven to be bad news for everyone in the last year.  And it will create a great deal of stress within the administration, in Congress and across the country as the inevitable casualties among U.S. military personnel mounts.  

I will point out again that President Obama had a deal with Iran to stop nuclear weapons production, and Iran had been complying with it until Trump canceled it during his first term. 

History has proven that just dropping bombs never works. It won't work this time, either.   

Back To The Drawing Board For Artemis?

There's been another setback for man's return to the Moon. NASA'S Administrator, Jared Isaacman, is saying that the agency's plans to put a man on the Moon by 2028 are not realistic, and another preparatory mission is needed first to lay the groundwork. So, there will now be an additional

(Artemis two on luanch pad, NASA)

flight in 2027 where the astronauts will dock with a new commercial Moon lander in low Earth orbit. They will test navigation, communications, propulsion and life support systems. CBS News is reporting that the announcement came two days after the release of a report from an advisory panel that said the existing plans are too risky. 

Apparently, the original plans to land on the Moon by 2028 involved the use of too much untested technology all at once. 

NASA does still plan to launch the Artemis II mission in April once engineers fix a helium pressurization problem on the rocket's upper stage.

That mission will send four astronauts around the Moon and bring them home safely.  

But now it looks like there will be at least two other missions with new equipment before man steps foot on the Moon again. 

Twelve men walked on the Moon during the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972, but the program was then cancelled for cost reasons. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-artemis-moon-program-overhaul/

ICE Cops Posing As NYPD

This was bound to happen, and it's the main reason Democrats and others have been attacking some of the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The NYPD responded to a call on the Columbia University campus about two men wearing dark clothing who were  hanging around a dormitory. When the NYPD arrived, they found two ICE agents who had gained access to the building claiming they were "police" looking for a "missing child". They then arrested Ellie Aghayeva, a student from Azerbaijan, who they claimed had overstayed her student visa. The incident has highlighted the lack of transparency in ICE arrests. The Department of Homeland Security says they had badges around their necks and had announced they were federal agents. But such deceptive practices,  like claiming to be searching for a missing child, are not considered good police work and often damage law enforcement credibility. 

The student was later released after the city's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who happened to be in D.C. at the time, spoke with President Trump about the arrest. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-says-dhs-agents-detained-student-residential-build-rcna260808

 (You suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes. 

                                               

Antisemitism Comes In Many Forms                        #376

By Hank Silverberg

 I am having a great deal of trouble understanding fully the distinct rise in antisemitism in America. 

Let's be clear. I am not naïve. The bigots have always been here. They pick on Jews, and often other minorities, because somehow it makes them feel better about themselves. There is someone else to blame for their misfortune in life-- Jews, Blacks, immigrants. That has always been here, and probably always will be. 

But it is the war between Israel and Hamas that has brought on this new wave, and it is clear A lack of education and internet propaganda is driving it. 

Here's a good example: what happened with the Israeli bobsled team at the Olympics. Just being there was an accomplishment for Israel, which traditionally doesn't send athletes to the winter Olympics. There's not much snow in Israel. The bobsled team was out of contention in something like 24th place and was not going to qualify for the finals. The team was made up of four Israelis, three Jews and a Druze. Druze, who are Arabs are a minority in Israel, about 143,000 people out of a population of 9.3 million. The Jewish bobsledders made a mistake and lied to the Olympic committee, claiming one of them was injured. That was so their Druze teammate, the alternate, could become the first of his people to compete in the Olympics.

 When the Israeli Olympic committee found out, they immediately withdrew the bobsledders from competition. A lie, no matter how well intended it was, was not permissible to the Israeli Olympic committee. This was before anyone else was aware of the move. So what was the reaction when word got out? An immediate response of "Jews lie, Jews steal, typical Israeli deception."

It was much milder antisemitism than we have seen after the war in Gaza. There the world has quickly forgotten that the war was started when Hamas invaded southern Israel, killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages, some of whom they raped,  starved and then murdered over the course of two years.  

The war is not Jews against the Palestinian people. It's Israel, a recognized Democratic state, against Hamas, a terrorist organization that has killed many of its own people and Israelis for decades.

That war is the main drive for antisemitism in the United States and Europe right now. 

We have heard words like "Colonialism" and "Genocide" and "Zionist" misused in a propaganda war not against Israeli policy, but against all Jews everywhere. This despite opposition to the broad scope of the war, both in Israel and among many Jews worldwide.

So for those of you confused by it all, let me clarify a few things.  

 First, as noted above, the war is NOT against Palestinians. It's against Hamas. 

Second, Jews did not "colonize" Palestine. The land the British had designated as Palestine during World War Two had a Jewish population for 3,000 years, and before 1948, the Jews who lived there were called Palestinians. 

Third, "Genocide" is not a brutal war against an attacker, but rather the stated, organized, intentional murder of an entire people by a nation state. That is NOT what is happening in Gaza or the West Bank. 

Fourth, "Zionists", believe in the right of the Jewish people to sovereignty in their own historic homeland. Zionism arose in the late 19th century in response to the systemic persecution of Jews in Europe and desire for Jews dispersed across the world for centuries by conquest, decree or racism   to return to the home of their ancestors.  

All of  these terms have been misused and abused in propaganda and have mislead millions to discriminate against Jews everywhere.

There needs to be some strong education of the public on how these words have been distorted and have swayed public opinion. Otherwise the bigots win. 

One final thought on this. An anti-Semite is also likely to be a racist and spread hate against anyone different from them.  

News You May Have Missed!

New Memorial at Slave Auction Site

 It's Black History Month. With Donald Trump in office it's getting very little attention. But there is recognition in cities and counties across the country. In Fredericksburg, Virginia, site of a major battle during the Civil War, the city has decided on a permanent memorial at the intersection of William and Charles Street in the heart of downtown. It will 

(I took this in 2017) 

highlight a painful chapter in the city's history. That site is where a slave auction block stood from 1843 until 2020, when it was removed after some debate. It was taken down after Vice Mayor Charlie Frey, who is Black, witnessed a mock slave auction there in 2017, and some local merchants felt uncomfortable with its presence. An interpretive sign replaced it when the actual slave block was moved to a display at the nearby Fredericksburg Area Museum. Now the city is planning a permanent memorial that will encompass all four corners of the intersection. It will include a 19-foot tall inverted obelisk of black brick in the image of the Washington Monument with interpretive signage.   

https://wtop.com/virginia/2026/02/memorial-planned-for-site-of-now-removed-fredericksburg-slave-auction-block/

 

Delay For The Moon Launch

There's been another delay in NASA's attempt to go back to the Moon. In a post on X on Saturday, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman indicated a problem with the rocket's upper stage will require
rolling it off the launchpad at the Kennedy Space

(Courtesy NASA)  

Center in Florida to make repairs. And that will make the March launch window impossible. The next possible window for the Artemis Two launch will be April 1 to April 6.  The mission will send four astronauts to the Moon, around it, and then back to Earth over ten days. It's the first such mission since the Moon landings more than 50 years ago. 

The astronauts had completed a smooth dress rehearsal of the countdown last week, and it went well. But then NASA found  an unexpected problem with the helium flow to the spacecraft. 

This mission is seen as a vital link in the planned manned missions to Mars set for the 2030's.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/21/science/nasa-artemis-helium-flaw.html

Dumbest Quote Of The Week!

This week's dumb quote goes to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who stupidly let himself be interviewed by right-wing, anti-Semitic lunatic, Tucker Carlson. 

Carlson set Huckabee up by claiming the Bible had given the descendants of Abraham land that today would include most of the Middle East.    

Huckabee responded: 

"It would be fine if they took it all."  

This, of course, attracted an immediate hostile response from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. 

"The ministries reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty whatsoever over the Occupied Palestinian Territory or any other occupied Arab lands."

Israel has never made such a claim. Huckabee, an Evangelical Christian, has been a strong supporter of Israel based on "end times" theology. That theology has always made Jews feel uncomfortable, though Israel has always been thankful for Evangelical support. 

Jerusalem, under Israeli control, plays a major role in end times rapture and tribulation theology along with the second coming of Jesus. 

 (You suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes. 

                                               

Artificial Intelligence Could Spell Disaster  #375

By Hank Silverberg 

Commentary

What I am about to write could anger some people. And others will think it's an exaggeration, but there's a big chance that Artificial Intelligence could change the world so much that 2046 will bear little resemblance to 2026.  

AI is a mass fake. Everything it touches becomes artificial. It has placed doubt on everything from a  7th grade English class essay to pictures of Nazi death camps during the Holocaust. 

Promoters say AI is just a tool to help humans do things better, more efficiently and with less stress, when it actually is damaging individual creativity, our ability to communicate one-on-one, and our ability to find truth in mass communication. 

Let's be clear. I am not talking about robots designed to build cars or vacuum the floor. We have dealt with automation and mechanical changes for the last 100 years often awkwardly, but without disasters. I am focusing on human brain power, the ability to reason, understand information, and continue the general human empathy and commerce that makes life worth living. 

AI is a jumble of real information, interpreted by algorithms and false information that turns fact into fiction and fiction into fact. It is not always intentional. AI after all, is a machine, and for now--at least--can only spit out data that has been programmed in. Used nefariously it has already had a major impact on our politics, commerce and lifestyle. Historical facts are jumbled around, real life-like video of famous and not-so-famous people is produced to make them say and do things they have never done. But those people developing AI say this is just the beginning. Soon those AI robots that interpret a dance and mimic it, will be able to choreograph their own steps. For now, AI can write papers and produce art based on information  provided by humans and simply rearrange it. And it's often stolen from its human creator without credit or compensation.  But it's only a matter of time before an AI produces its own work with no human input at all. Some newsrooms are already using AI to restructure information gathered by people. Some folks are taking old photographs and using AI to change the context and distort the reality. I saw one this week: a Nazi photograph of the massacre at Babi Yar taken in 1941. An AI had been used to enhance the photo, and already people reading the on-line post were questioning the authenticity of not just the photo, but of the event itself.  

So we are already in trouble. For now it's nefarious humans using AI to deceive you or mislead you. But how long will it be before the human mind becomes a subject of Artificial Intelligence, at first just maneuvered by it, and then controlled by it? That could be just 20 years away. 

What can we do about it?  Frankly, I'm not sure. But I will not be using AI for anything, keeping my mind and actions free from any manipulation. And I will question the source of anything I see, hear or read. You should, too.  

News You May Have Missed!

Did Vladimir Putin strike again? Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died two years ago in a remote prison. Now comes some documentation that he was poisoned with a deadly toxin found in South American dart frogs. 

Five European governments issued a statement on Saturday saying they are confident that Navalny was poisoned and that the Russian government was 

(biographieonline.it)

the likely suspect in his murder. The conclusion came after an analysis of his body confirmed the presence of "epibatidine," which is found only in a wild South American frog that is not found in Russia. Russia claims he died of natural causes while serving a 30-year sentence in a high security prison above the Arctic Circle. 

Navalny's wife blamed Putin. Navalny was an anti-corruption campaigner and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests before he was arrested. He had survived one assassination attempt in 2020, and he later said Russian security agents had targeted him again.  

It is not the first time Putin has been accused of murdering his political opponents within Russia. 

    https://time.com/7378735/navalny-poison-frog-toxin-russia/

The Final Frontier

There's been a lot of attention paid recently to the impending launch of the Artemis II mission to the Moon coming up later this year, but it is not the only game in town. Last week, four people were launched into orbit on NASA's Space X-12 headed for the International Space Station, and they docked there on Saturday. Included are Americans Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French Astronaut Sophie Adenot and Russian Cosmonaut Andrew Fedyaev.

(ISS, Curtesy, NASA)  

They will stay on the ISS for eight months doing scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit and ways to produce food in space. They replace the crew which left the ISS a month early because of a sick crew member. There are now seven people in orbit on the space station. Meanwhile, NASA is preparing Artemis II for a ten-day mission in March to the Moon and beyond with four astronauts.  

https://www.npr.org/2026/02/14/nx-s1-5714583/nasa-spacex-crew-12-iss

Dumbest Quote of The Week!

There is a tie this week for dumbest quote between President Donald Trump and his Attorney General, Pam Bondi. Let's start with Mr. Trump, who most people know by now puts very little thought behind many of his statements. He is apparently not pleased with the current deal for the construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge between Detroit and Ontario, which is half finished. Despite a joint agreement that splits Canadian steel and U.S. steel and workers that come from both sides of the border, Trump thinks the U.S. is getting a raw deal. So he lashed out at Caninfada with this bizarre comment:

 "Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China — which will eat Canada alive...The first thing China will do is terminate all Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate the Stanley Cup."

  What is really behind his rant on the bridge? Apparently, when it is finished it will draw traffic  and revenue away from another nearby local bridge where the tolls are collected by a friend of Mr. Trump. That friend apparently had a conversation with the President last week just before his rant against Canada.  

As for Bondi, her dumb quote came during her "testimony" before the House Judiciary Committee looking into the Epstein files. She was pushed hard by Democrats on why so much information has been redacted and why it's taking so long to get all the files released, and the procedure for how it can be reviewed by Congress. But in an attempt to change the narrative, in frustration Bondi blurted out: 

     "The Dow is over 50,000 right now! The S&P at almost 7,000 and the NASDAQ smashing records. Americans' 401Ks and retirements are booming. That's what we should be talking about!"

The diversion effort failed. The comment had no relevance to the committee hearing, and the Democrats kept pressing. Coincidently, the Dow dropped below the record 50,000 mark while Bondi was testifying.  

The administration continues diversion tactics even though the President's approval rating continues to fall and the mid-term election approaches. 

(You suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes. 

                                               

 Why I Didn't Watch The Super Bowl         #374

By Hank Silverberg 

Commentary 

No, I did not watch the game, nor any of the hype leading up to it. First, I'm not a football fan, so I have no attachment to the sport, and I have not watched it in the past either. 

But this year, with all the nastiness about Bad Bunny and the halftime show, I was particularly turned off. In the past I have turned on just the half- time show, like when Sir Paul McCartney was the performer. Or Bono. But who wins, who loses the game, or the halftime show nonsense is irrelevant to me, and frankly, I think much of the country. Sure, fans in New England and Seattle cared. But for the rest of the country the game is just a reason to  invite friends over, drink beer, eat chicken wings and have some fun. Great. No problem. So why bring politics into it? 

Because this is the era of Trump, where everything becomes political. I have heard from people who will root against the Patriots simply because their owner, Robert Kraft, is a big Trump supporter and donor. I have heard others who will boycott the game because they don't think the halftime entertainment should be in Spanish (Bad Bunny), or because Green Day, the other act performing, has been very vocal in their opposition to Trump and ICE raids.  

I have to say, there is one thing about the Super Bowl that had me laughing. The alternative half- time show put on by Turning Point USA with Kid Rock as the headliner, was totally hypocritical. TP has touted its moral principles and claims the high ground on ethics and faith. Have they seen these lyrics from a Kid Rock song from 2021??

"Young ladies, young ladies, I like 'em underage, see.

 Some say that's statutory, But I say it's mandatory" 

No moral high ground there for  TPUSA. Just more hypocrisy. 

One more comment about this week's political nonsense before I get to real news. 

Several members of the USA Olympic team are being criticized by the right for saying negative things about the current immigration policy and ICE raids while in Italy for the games.  The hypocrites on the right are saying they should be brought home and banned from the team.

For pete's sake. Being able to criticize our government without retribution is what separates us from countries like China and Russia. There's nothing more American than speaking your mind on public policy and the faults of our leaders. So MAGA, GET OVER IT . Go Team USA! 

News You May Have Missed!

Democracy Dies in Darkness?

That slogan has been on the masthead of The Washington Post  since 2017.  But the venerable newspaper, which helped bring down Richard Nixon after Watergate and has provided balanced coverage to the Washington, D.C. readers since 1877, is now nothing more than a shell. Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of the Post, turned out most of the lights, darkening the future of the newspaper last week when he fired the entire sports department and one-third of the staff, including dozens of reporters. It was done in a cold-hearted way. First an announcement on a Zoom call, then to each employee by e-mail. One of the reporters, Lizzie Johnson, was fired while in Ukraine covering the war with Russia.

Then we got word on Saturday that Will Lewis, the CEO who was nowhere to be found as the layoffs were occurring, has also resigned. He had been brought in three years ago by Bezos to turn the newspaper around. 

Supposedly the layoffs were made to save money for a newspaper which has struggled to stay profitable ever since Bezos took over. Print newspapers, in general, are struggling across the country under pressure from new technology and the internet.

But the "revenue loss" explanation was hard to swallow for the employees and the public after Bezos spent $75 million to produce the "Melania" movie, and he continues to be one of the richest men in the world. Critics noted he has turned down several offers from others to buy the Post.

The Post will now concentrate on news out of the White House and Congress, but the people of D.C. will suffer the most from the loss of local news coverage. 

 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/washington-post-publisher-lewis-resigns-235553592.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

History Erased

Revisionist history is one of the first things an authoritarian government tries to do as it consolidates power. And that is being done now by

the Trump administration with almost no one noticing. Here's an example: The State Department is wiping out the post history of its X accounts from before President Trump's second term began, including those from U.S.  embassies and from the Biden and Obama administrations. They had all been archived for historical content. Posts from Trump's first term are being erased as well. The public archive of such posts is now gone, making it harder for anyone to find any reference to past policy. 

 A spokesperson for the State Department told NPR the move is meant "to limit confusion on the U.S. Government policy and to speak in one voice to advance...the administration's goals and messaging." 

This is just the latest in an effort to purge history from government websites which began as soon as Trump took office for his second term. Just last week, the CIA took down its World Factbook, a global reference guide that has been available to the public on the internet since 1997. 

    https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-state-department-is-scrubbing-its-x-accounts-of-all-posts-from-before-trumps-second-term-205515745.html

Dumbest Quote of The Week!

This weeks dumb quote goes to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in her response to reporter's questions on the meme the President posted that pictured Barak and Michelle Obama as apes. She said: 

“Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

Well first, most of the American public does not like racism coming from the thoughts of the President, which is what the post was. So it did matter. Later Leavitt tried to claim that the post pictured Trump as "The Lion King," and the others as characters in the movie. But there were no apes in "The Lion King".

Then came the explanation that the meme was posted by an aide and not by the President. That leads to the question, why does an aide have access to the President's personal media account, and has this aide been fired for this post? I'm not sure a reporter asked that question. I'd love to hear the answer. 

  (Your suggestions and comments  are welcome)

My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:  HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)                       

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796

My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes.