I'm not sure how I got onto this, but I have been asked a few questions now and then concerning this. For those of you not interested, I won't be covering taxes again for some time. So, now let's discuss food prices.....kidding!
About the kids: Elizabeth and Chris are in the process of transforming a school bus into a large RV, and its not the one I have in my backyard that Mona and I use for storage- it has no engine. John continues working for both the feds and the City of Whittier, nearly around the clock, as a police officer. He gaining a lot of experience through both jobs. He and Kelli are wrapping up a house deal for a nice sized home in the resort town of Girdwood. A very nice community. All six of their kids are reportedly doing fine and you can contact them for details. James is still on his TDY (a roughly 6 month assignment to Qatar in the Middle East, while the family remains in Monterrey ( I hope that's how it's spelled), on California coast. All three girls reported to be doing fine, but missing Daddy of course. Joshua remains in Washington D.C. working for the FBI/police force. He's received a lot education by watching all the demonstration and keeping the protesters off federal property and I've heard his drive to and from work can be quite slow at time due to the summer traffic.
Micah and Brady, and children are still in Soldotna, 70 miles west of Moose Pass. All the grandchildren continue to grow fast, but I don't see them that often as I dislike traveling, especially when the construction season hits.
At the house we remain at 10 adults and two great grandchildren, 6 dogs and 2 cats. I refuse to allow birds in the house, wouldn't be fair to the cats....or the birds. This is the time of year the men get busy bringing in firewood, enough to last next winter I hope. Forrest Service drops acres of trees to thin the woods out to help prevent fires being ignited by lightening or campers, then our crew just moves into to cut the logs up for transport to the house, where more cutting continues and then placed undercover for storage. Another two months and we'll probably be burning wood everyday to keep the house warm. A lot of work for the men, but so much cheaper then burning smelly fuel oil.
My writing continues, currently working on the rewrite of Book # 2 of the Arizona Ranger Series, "Indian Wars". Book # 3 is drafted also, and Book # 4 is in note stage. No blockbusters yet, but I continue to forge ahead. 5 Books out on sale, 6th book soon to become a reality, "Homeland Security". I'd appreciate all your prayers.
You've already reviewed my official disclaimer for my news reports numerous times, so I'm just going to jump in with my news site.
WHITE HOUSE INSIDER: Report- "The FBI's lack of curiosity about a foreign power getting 30K Hillary Clinton e-mails is astounding."
GATESTONE INSTITUTE NEWS: "Latest 'Apartheid Fatwa'." With new Fatwa decree by "Under Fatwa by the Grand Mufti, President of Palestine is banned from allowing Muslims from doing real estate transactions with Jews. If the Jewish People had done this, Israel would've come under attack by the media, but not when it's done by the Palestinian Muslims. "We will kill you, punish you in many ways, if we catch you selling land or homes to Jews." Major media seems to be ignoring this recent ban.
JERUSALEM ONLINE: Norwegian Hospital against circumcision , refusing to provide non-medical procedure to boys under 3 yrs old. ALSO- Israel study finds positive emotions may shrink cancer tumors.
THOUGHTFUL MIND QUOTE: "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." Mark Twain.
RESTORING LIBERTY NEWS: "Sarah Palin issues challenge to CBS after disrespectful 'fake' interview. Palin challenged CBS and Showtime after she walked out of a fake interview she was 'duped' into agreeing to."
JERUSALEM POST: "U.N. warns of 'precarious Gaza situation', after Israel bans gas, fuel imports." ALSO- Iran files suit against the U.S. for sanctions at World Court. ALSO- Palestinian Authority calls on the world to stop Israeli attacks on Gaza, yet the PA continue their own attacks on Israel, that Israel is defending themselves from. ALSO- Ireland's senate votes to criminalize the import and distribution of Israeli products manufactured in post-1967 territories- with up to 5 yrs in prison and max fine of 250,000 Euros for violators. ALSO- Spain's third largest city- Valencia, has declared a boycott against Israel, saying they are an Israeli Apartheid - free zone.
NEW YORK TIMES: "In India, summer heat could soon be unbearable literally!" "Temperatures and humidity levels rising to levels the human body can't tolerate."
MOSCOW TIMES: Hawaii becomes first U.S. State to ban sunscreens that can be considered harmful to corral reefs. (Yes, this was in a Russian newspaper).
Spain News/Local: "Spain overtakes Italy as the sea route destination for migrants. Spain now top destination for Mediterranean Sea crossing. ALSO: Spanish bid for gender-neutral constitution has sparked a row in Spain.
JAPAN TIMES: Japan has amassed enough plutonium to make 6,000 atomic bombs, in part of its program to fuel its nuclear plants. But there is concern their stockpiles are vulnerable to terrorists and natural disasters. (Yes, Fukishima is still leaking into the ocean- every minute of every hour in the day. Odd how Japan once passed laws to prohibit any atomic plants in their country.)
RUSSIA NEWS: Russia continues to pursue Jehovah's Witnesses, (Russia doesn't want them in their country).
HONG KONG NEWS: Hong Kong is set to ban its Separatist Party. ALSO- India has ordered all Mother Teresa's Car Homes to be inspected. (No explanations given if there were problems identified or not.
JAPAN TIMES: Over 250 schools in Japan damaged in rain disaster, with damages estimated at 53 Billion Japanese currency. ALSO- Tokyo to provide 2,000 housing units for those people displaced by the heavy rain/typhoon.
NORTH KOREA NEWS: Government announces a large scale prisoner amnesty to take place in August, 2018.
GERMANY NEWS/The Local: Police open investigation after far-right crowds began shouting to "sink" a refugee boat. ALSO- A police officer punched an Israeli Academic in the face, mistaking him for an anti-Semite.
EGYPT NEWS/The Local: Egypt issues ultimatum to HAMAS, demanding they stop using flaming kites against Israel. ALSO- Egypt and Israel close the crossing the have with Gaza, isolating it.
AMERICAN CONSEQUENCE NEWS REPORT: When the U.S. Government created Social Security, it was seen as an anti-poverty insurance program- not a way to pay for your entire retirement. It began with only 2% payroll tax and "never" to take more than 6% of a worker's pay. That promise was broken and is currently holding at 12.4%. In 1960, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that citizens have no legal right to Social Security and is now thought to run out in 2034. Medicare is due to become insolvent in 2026 (Yup, that's only 6 yrs away.)
JERUSALEM ONLINE: "War is Coming?" Israeli Defense Force drills for large-scale military -operation in Gaza. ALSO- PETA condemns HAMAS for their use of "Terror Falcons".
PATRIOTIC NEWS: "22 girls from a Texas Middle School were stripped searched", A report of a missing $50 came about while the 22 girls were on a field trip. They were searched by their teachers and when the $50 wasn't found, the police were brought in, who then searched the girls undergarments thoroughly, and without their parent's permission. But none of the girls had the money, but they were traumatized by the proceedings and the police failed to search any of the teachers, because union laws prohibit that. ( The police could have used a search warrant from the courts, but never applied for one.)
JERUSALEM POST: Controversial Jewish Nation-State Law was voted into reality, declaring Israel is now the Nation-State of the Jewish People and Jerusalem was made the official state capitol.
NEW YORK TIMES: Turkey's President Erdogan makes it officially clear he will wield unchecked authority in all walks of life in Turkey. ( This is what a dictatorship is all about.)
WASHINGTON FREE BEACON NEWS: New York Times uses 10,000 words to profile Billionaire George Soros, but fails to list Soros' $3 million investment he made into the New York Times earlier this year.
GLOBAL TIMES: Chinese Army Special Forces trains in Tibet for ground techniques and their helicopter pilots handling the severe terrain. ALSO- New Chinese radio-station opened in Dubai. ALSO- France voting to ban mobile phones in schools, starting in September of this year. ALSO- European Union warns it will retaliate if U.S. imposes an auto-tariff. ALSO- German police investigating a report that Germany's National Democratic Party is promoting "protective zones" for neo-Nazi and anti-Jewish groups. ALSO- India's top court orders the government to stop the lynchings- 22 people have been hung by mobs this year.
FRANCE NEWS/ 24 NEWS: French court rejects lawsuits by the victims of the 2015 terrorist Paris attacks.
GERMANY NEWS/The LOCAL: France and Germany to increase defense spending amid fears that President Trump may pull U.S. Military troops out of Europe.
BLAZE NEWS: New report states that North Korea has more modern-day slaves than any other nation.
MOSCOW TIMES: Russians raise their fists in protest against Pension Reform- stage protests, as government wants to hike up the retirement age.
EGYPT NEWS: Satellite images show heatwave has turned Britain from green to a scorched brown.
That all there is for today, and this last weeks news stories. I am hoping these story leads might be items you may not have heard of and might find interesting.
House is quiet now, giving me some peaceful moments to work on my writing. We are just in the beginnings of renovating, as the budget allows, are upstairs bedrooms. One of the bedrooms is being turned into my office so I can write in peace, also the return of my mini-police museum spread around the walls. I have over a thousand items from police patches, artwork, all kinds of figurines, toys, gear, which have been packed away for several years now. This will then enlarge the living room and might allow us room for a dining table. Once its done, stop on by and I'll show you my 40 yrs of collecting stuff.
A pray all is well for all of you, and may the Lord bless your day. Bye now- BILL