Drone Attacks on Russia

Dwindling military resources and a dearth of new targets have left Russian President Vladimir Putin struggling to respond to a rise of troubling drone attacks on Moscow.

Several analysts have noted in recent days that Putin has attempted to downplay dramatic attacks on the Russian capital – for which Ukraine has explicitly denied any responsibility, at least publicly. 

The attacks have gained widespread attention on social media, particularly in Russia, with some observers suggesting that they were the result of a false-flag operation orchestrated by the Kremlin to force national support for a new round of military conscriptions it likely needs.

Yet Putin’s response appears to discount that theory.

Instead of maximizing the attacks for propaganda purposes, the Russian leader’s reaction appears to be an attempt “to avoid exposing the limited options he has to retaliate against Ukraine,” the independent Institute for the Study of War concludes in a new analysis note.

The analysis points to Putin’s explanation earlier this week that Russian forces struck the Ukrainian military intelligence headquarters two or three days previously.  READ MORE...

What Does the Vice President Do?

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Wednesday, a history-making event in which the first Black, South Asian and female vice president will take her oath of office from the first Latina justice. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


On Jan. 20, Kamala Harris will become vice president of the United States – the first woman, the first person of South Asian descent, and the first African American to do so. Harris will also become the first vice president to have graduated from a historically black college or university.


Each of these achievements is significant in its own right. However, the vice presidency itself has traditionally been a relatively insignificant position, though the office has become more influential in recent years.

The 'Most Insignificant' Office?
The role of vice president is only mentioned in the U.S. Constitution a handful of times. Article I, Section 3 says that the vice president "shall be President of the Senate but shall have no Vote" except in the event of a tie. Normally, ties are rare, but the vice president's power to break them will likely become relevant to Harris as Democrats, and independents who caucus with Democrats, are expected to control only 50 of the 100 Senate seats.


The beginning of Article II, Section 1 explains how vice presidents are elected, which was later revised by the 12th Amendment. The end of that section states that presidential power "shall devolve on the Vice President" in the event of the president's "Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office." Finally, Article II, Section 4 states that vice presidents – like presidents – can be "removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."


So, other than staying out of trouble to avoid impeachment and waiting around for the president to need a replacement, vice presidents are really obligated only to occasionally cast a tie-breaking vote. This means that the great majority of the time, vice presidents have no real job to do.


John Adams, the first U.S. vice president, once complained to his wife that the vice presidency was "the most insignificant Office that ever the Invention of Man contrived or his Imagination conceived." However, not all have been upset about such inactivity. Woodrow Wilson's vice president, Thomas Marshall, quipped after he retired: "I don't want to work … [but] I wouldn't mind being Vice President again."  READ MORE...

BUY LOW SELL HIGH IS THE FIRST RULE OF INVESTING BUT WHAT IS THE FIRST RULE OF OBESITY?

IT'S BEEN TWO DECADES since federal health officials said the U.S. was experiencing a "growing obesity epidemic" that was putting millions of lives at stake – but the situation has gotten significantly worse since 1999.

At the turn of the century, 30.5% of American adults were obese, meaning they had a body mass index of 30 or higher. That rate largely increased through 2015-2016, helping to fuel related health issues like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers – all of which are among the leading causes of death in the U.S.

According to data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate reached 42.4% in 2017-2018 – surpassing 40% for the first time. Although the increase was not significant between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, the new data represents a failure to meet the federal government's public health goals set for this year.  Source: US News & World Report February 2020

Based upon this new data (2 months old) I would say that AMERICANS LIKE BEING FAT!!!