Unimaginable Savagery of Hamas Terrorists

Hamas terrorists unleashed a barbaric attack on Israel, murdering 1,300 ordinary civilians, including 30 Americans.  The sheer scale of the horror shocked most of the civilized world. Babies decapitated. Elderly gunned down in their beds. Families burned alive in their houses. Women raped and kidnapped. 

Young concert goers were senselessly slaughtered after killers floated from the skies on paragliders.  Two Holocaust survivors were shot in cold blood. Terrorists on motorcycles sprayed cars with bullets and then kidnapped the occupants.  More than 4,500 Hamas rockets exploded in a quiet residential area.

For perspective, the massacre of 1,300 people in Israel is the equivalent to more than 35,000 civilians casualties in the U.S. That's ten, 9/11 attacks.  After 9/11, Americans united in support of military action against the terrorists. The same national resolve is fueling Israel's strategic preparations for war.   

Unlike past Hamas incursions, this surprise invasion was meticulously planned and executed with military precision. Hamas killers breeched a virtually impenetrable concrete barrier separating Gaza and Israel. Some 1,500 heavily armed Hamas thugs invaded Israel, creating mass panic. That was their goal. 

Terrorists videotaped their heinous butchery and posted the images on social media.  The invaders also sent photos and videotapes to friends and families of victims. These sadistic killers are not "militants" or "soldiers" as portrayed by some media.  They are terrorists.  Period. 

News organizations self-censored the most gruesome images. Palestinian defenders and Hamas jihadists complained Jewish leaders were exaggerating the carnage.  An outraged Benjamin Netanyahu was compelled to release graphic photos and videos online to rebuke the deniers and propagandists.

The attack bears the fingerprints of Iran, although the State Department used parsed language to point out there was no "direct evidence" the Islamic Republic was involved.  Yet U.S. officials readily acknowledge that Iran is complicit in funding Hamas and providing it weapons and training. 

It strains credulity to suggest the Iran's ruling Islamic mullahs did not green light the attack. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the Islamic Republic's elite military arm, regularly trains state-sponsored terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, according to intelligence sources.

Recent U.S. policy towards Iran has favored rapprochement and diplomacy in an effort to bring stability to the Middle East. The pursuit of peace is always preferable but Iran's malevolent words and its behavior make it clear the regime will never change under the current extremist leaders. 

The United States must course correct and implement every means possible to isolate Iran.  Deny the regime any funding.  Cut off its oil shipments, especially to China, the main buyers of Iran's crude. Launch a maximum campaign to pressure China to stop supporting the Iranian economy. 

Credit the Biden Administration for sending a flotilla of carriers and warships to the Mediterranean to deter a widening war against Israel. Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon, is stepping up rocket attacks and shelling in the north of Israel.  Lebanon's military has missiles that can reach Tel Aviv. 

One of the first priorities must be the release of potentially 13 Americans held hostage in Gaza. Terrorists have threatened to murder hostages.  President Biden should announce America will hold Hamas responsible and will hunt down and kill any terrorist who harms a U.S. citizen.    

Even in these darkest of times, the ugly face of Antisemitism has been unmasked, both in the U.S. and abroad.  It is a reprehensible,  grim reminder of the Nazi's campaign to demonize Jews, paving the way for public acquiescence to the Holocaust.  Leaders must condemn those who applaud Hamas's attacks. 

Black Lives Matter chapters across America manufactured an image of a Hamas paraglider descending over Israel with the caption: "We stand with Palestine."  Not one corporate funder of BLM condemned the organization.  African-American leaders need to hold BLM accountable.

Four congresswomen criticized accusing the U.S.  of aiding and abetting "apartheid",while condemning Israel's response to Hamas violence.  Not one castigated Hamas for its inhuman brutality. The Hamas apologists are: Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. 

College students at campuses across the country rallied behind Palestine, which amounts to veiled support for Hamas.  A student group at a Wisconsin college chanted, "Glory to the Murderers." Yes, their numbers were small, but college administrations were slow to denounce their actions.

Billionaire CEO Marc Rowan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a mega donor, demanded the college's leaders resign and rallied donors to shut their checkbooks. He was understandably upset after the UPenn president and provost failed to condemn the "hate filled" student protests at a Palestinian event. 

There were also demonstrations in many America cities, including in New York City, supporting Palestine and blaming Israel for the Hamas attacks. Simultaneous protests broke out in Atlanta, Chicao, Denver, San Diego, Washington, D.C. and other cities. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams made a powerful speech declaring Israel had a right to defend itself after the unprovoked attacks and said "we are not right" with Pro-Palestinian protests celebrating Hamas  in the nation's largest city. He was a lone voice among mayors across the country.  

In Australia, a crowd of 1,000 rallied near the Sydney Opera House, screaming "Gas the Jews."  In London, thousands of pro-palestinian protestors congregated near the Israeli Embassy, chanting "Israel is a Terrorist State." 

There were scores of demonstrations supporting Israel too.  But inevitably counter demonstrators backing Palestine and decrying Israel showed up at some, spoiling for a confrontation.  Heightened police presence is visible in the U.S. and the world as tensions rise.  

The media, often sympathetic to Palestine, is wringing its hands over Israel's bombardment of Gaza. The media fail to inform Americans the majority of Palestinians support Hamas terrorists and its leaders.  Palestinians regard Hamas as freedom fighters trying to take back disputed territory in Israel. 

The United Nations, a body known for its disdain for Israel, is already trying to head off an Israeli military response to attacks on its soil. Hamas is counting on worldwide condemnation of Israel so it can continue to stockpile weapons for an increasing number of bloody attacks.  

Hamas will resort to its playbook of using human shields once the ground war begins. Weapons, munitions and terrorists will relocated to hospitals, schools and residences.  Hamas wants civilian casualties. They have no regard for human life.  Innocents will be sacrificed in the name of jihad. 

The United States cannot bow to outside pressure.  Leaders must allow Israel to punish the perpetrators, just as the U.S. did after 9/11.  There can be no security for Israel until it roots out terrorists, who have traumatized its citizens for decades by killing Jewish civilians.   

Looting Surging In Major American Cities

A nation was stunned by videos of roving flash mobs smashing store windows and hauling off merchandise in Philadelphia.  Gangs of young adults, working in tandem, roamed the city in a caravan, stealing with impunity last week.  Overwhelmed police could not stop the brazen crime wave.

The rampage occurred after a peaceful demonstration to protest the decision to drop charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a young adult.  The mayor and police were emphatic: the burglaries and thefts were unrelated to the shooting and the nonviolent protests.

Philadelphia's nightmare is just the latest in an outbreak of unbridled criminal looting.  Stores in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Portland and Los Angeles have been victimized by thieves almost daily.  Retail theft has become an epidemic that is prompting businesses to shutter stores. 

Big box store Target recently announced it was closing nine stores in major cities, citing violence, theft and concern for the safety of its employees.  Clothier Lululemon, Walmart, Starbucks, Walgreen's, CVS and Nordstrom have closed stores in areas hard-hit by repeated looting and theft. 

Some businesses, including Lululemon, have ordered employees to take no action as stores are emptied by shoplifters and mobs.  Two Lululemon employees who confronted thieves were summarily fired by the company. The message to thieves is clear: We invite you to steal merchandise.   

The perpetrators for the most part are not individual shoplifters. These are criminal enterprises operated by individuals that steal merchandise and fence the ill gotten goods for cash.   This doesn't reflect tough economic times; it is increasingly a lucrative cash business for crime networks. 

The price tag for retail theft is $112 billion so far this year, according to a retail security survey conducted by the National Retail Foundation.  That figure compares to $94 billion in 2021. Most police departments do not have a separate category to distinguish looting from robbery and larceny. 

New York Congresswoman Alexander Ocasio-Cortez has characterized the thieves as individuals who just want food to eat.  The only people going hungry are the scores of  retail employees who lose their jobs in the aftermath of store closings. 

In Los Angeles, a group of thieves ransacked a Nike store, carting off trash bags full of high-priced shoes. In San Francisco, mobs attached Victoria's Secret and Swarovski a few years ago, leaving a trail of bras and pushed jewelry boxes littering the sidewalks in their getaway.   

Police and retailers blame the lack of prosecution of thieves and the implementation of laws that make shoplifting de facto legal. California's new penal code 459 made pilfering a misdemeanor if the pilfered merchandise was valued under $950.  

California Governor Gavin Newsome recently signed a new law making shoplifting a felony IF it is carried out by a organized ring of criminals intending to resell the goods.  That's a big IF.  The state's prosecutors often decline to bring shoplifting charges or allow individuals to walk free after booking. 

Unfettered looting isn't confined to California, as the scene in Philadelphia testifies.  Criminal looters have struck in New York City, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Tampa, Bellevue (Washington), Portland and others. Looting is likely the fastest growing crime, but no data exists to verify it.    

Looters encourage other young adults to join in, posting on social media live video of their criminal escapades.  The thieves even single out which stores have insurance to cover losses, making the crime appear harmless because after all, theft really doesn't cost the business in the long run.  

Looting sprees are an outgrowth of the George Floyd riots in the summer of 2020, More than $1 billion in damages caused by arson, vandalism, and looting occurred  in the wake of 10,600 "peaceful" demonstrations that erupted in the wake of Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis policeman.

While hundreds were arrested nationwide during the riots, the crime of looting went mostly unpunished.  Some mayors, including Baltimore's chief executive, ordered police to stand down and let the looters vent their frustration at the Floyd killing.  Criminals got the message.  Looting will go unpunished.

Social justice proponents like to blame the pandemic.  That's a coincidence, not a cause.  The Floyd riots ignited during the pandemic.  That was the trigger for violence, arson, attacks on police and looting. Blaming the pandemic for looting lacks credible evidence. 

Executives of retail stores from Walmart to Walgreens are encouraging police and prosecutors to crack down on these organized thefts. Retailers warn they'll be forced to raise prices and close more stores without help to address the growing threat.

Some sates are enacting tougher laws to make looting and shoplifting with intent to sell a felony.  Others are beefing up police presence in retail districts.  That's a start.  Law enfacement needs real time data, which means tracking retail theft as a separate category at the national level.

Retailers also need to do their part.  Their warnings about store closings are ignored by the mobs.  Don't just wring your hands about the losses and pass on the increase to consumers in the form of higher prices. Issue ultimatums to cities: Stop the looting or we are leaving.

In light of America's other deeper crime issues, this one is imminently solvable.    

  

Scrutinizing Those US Economic Numbers

Flurries of numbers shower Americans each month when the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unveils the latest economic data. The blizzard is left to the media and financial experts to interpret.  Too often, Americans are fed headline numbers and little else, instead of contextual clarity. 

Confusion has persisted about U.S. economic numbers since the Bureau of Labor began collecting and publishing employment and payroll data in October, 1915.  Over time, the methodologies and terminology have changed, adding to the public bewilderment.  

A looming presidential election likely will turn on economic issues, underscoring the importance of understanding the data.   Wall Street and the media appear to have little interest in peering beyond the numbers, based on current reporting and the rose-colored economic forecasts.

Amid the dizzying amount of economic data, here are some current headline numbers that are ripe for interpretation  

The pace of inflation is cooling.

The BLS reported inflation for August rose 0.6%, based on the Consumer Price Index.  The monthly increase follows 0.2% upticks in July and June. August numbers indicate that inflation may be heating up again. The government is quick to point out gasoline prices accounted for the lion's share of the gain.

The media dutifully reports the monthly data in headlines without the same attention to the 12-month change in inflation.  Prices have increased 3.7% since last August. That is higher than the 3.2% increase in July and 3.0% in June.  Clearly, inflation is proving to be stickier than experts forecast.

To justify the narrative that inflation is slowing, the media and Wall Street remind Americans the current inflation is lower than the 8.0% inflation rate for calendar year 2022.   True but hardly comforting to consumers. 

Whenever the CPI drives up inflation, the media and Wall Street turn to so-called core inflation, the preferred measurement for the Federal Reserve. Core inflation excludes prices for food and energy because of volatility.  Core inflation inched up 0.3% in August, which is 4.3% higher than August, 2022.

For average Americans, the core inflation number might as well be an unlisted telephone number.  Americans don't have the luxury of excluding energy and food from their budget.  

For further context, consider that inflation has risen 16% since January 2021, when prices roared at historic levels.  Most consumers cannot quote that number, but they know their household budgets have been impacted more than the 0.6% August increase.   

Workers wages are continuing to rise.

Americans' wages are riding an upward trajectory.   Beginning in April of 2021, wages and salaries have risen steadily more than 3.4% every month,  hitting 6.7% in July of 2022.  That same month inflation was 8.5%.  The latest available data for June shows wages and salaries climbed 4.7%.

February marked the first month since 2021 that wages grew faster than inflation, according to data compiled by Statista. 

For hourly workers, the wage growth has failed to keep up with inflation for most of this year.  June marked the first month weekly earnings rose faster than inflation.  The latest data from July revealed average hourly wages are up 1.1% on an annual basis.  

Hourly workers are falling further behind the inflation rate, which is the reason there are mushrooming demands from unions for higher wages.   

Rising wages is usually a positive sign, but inflation has made today's dollar worth less.  The BLS calculates that a dollar today only buys 88.6% of what it did in 2021. Inflation is sapping Americans purchasing power.  

Job growth points to a healthy economy.

The economy added 6.7 million jobs in 2021, the largest annual total in U.S. history. That was followed by an impressive gain of 4.5 million last year.  Year-to-date the economy has created 1.6 million jobs. That's a total for 12.8 million jobs in less than three years. An estimated 72% of the job growth represents jobs lost during the pandemic.   

Average monthly job growth has moderated this year, despite the addition of 1.6 million jobs.  The average monthly growth rate this year is 258,000 compared to nearly 400,000 last year.  In the most recent report, the economy added 187,000 jobs in August.  Job growth is decelerating.   

Last year's booming job market wasn't as robust as the monthly numbers published by the media.  That's because the BLS adjusts the figures each month.  The trend has been that the adjustments wind up reducing actual job growth.  The media usually downplays the data or ignores it.

For example, in March the BLS revised the job growth downward by 306,000.  Do you recall reading or hearing that number?  June and July numbers were reduced by a combined 110,000.  Over the last three months, the economy recorded a modest average monthly gain of 150,000 after adjustments. 

Unemployment is at historic lows.

In the latest report, the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.8%.  The rate inched up from July's 3.5%.  That still reflects a healthy job market.  However, the BLS headline number for unemployment rate is just one indicator of employment.  And it may not be the best. 

A person out of work may not be counted as unemployed. The BLS unemployment figure does not include the following: 1. Millions of so-called discouraged workers. 2. The underemployed--part-time workers who prefer a full-time job. 3. Those who don't have a job but claim they have looked for one in the past four weeks.

To get an honest picture of the employment landscape, the BLS publishes a U-6 unemployment figure that measures the total number of employees who are part of the labor force, but without a job. For example, the U-6 rate was 7.2% in August, slightly higher than the July figure of 7.1%. 

However, you will never read or hear about the U-6 data because it is entombed  in rows of tables that are included in the monthly BLS unemployment report. 

By now, you may be shaking your head and asking: "Does any of this really matter?"  This writer believe it does.  We are a nation of economic illiterates, unfortunately.  (Excluding of course you dear reader.) That matters when the economy is the top issue with voters in most years.

Americans don't have to be economic experts.  But an informed voter is best for our democracy. And the media and Wall Street are flubbing their responsibility to provide context and interpretation to help Americans digest the government data.

Wray's Federal Bureau of Intimidation

The FBI's already tarnished public image is deteriorating. Recent incidents are shining a light on the agency's increasing targeting of Americans for activities the bureau has labeled as domestic terrorism. In the latest revelation, the FBI spied on Catholics in a clear violation of the First Amendment.  

During the last 18 months, the FBI has used its assets to go after Americans speaking out at school board meetings, coordinated with social media companies to suppress speech, illegally spied on a political campaign and surveilled black activists. The conduct is taking a toll on trust in the FBI.

The latest NBC News Poll, conducted in July, found that only 37% of registered voters surveyed had a positive view of the FBI.  In the same poll in October of 2018, more than half of Americans (52%) viewed the FBI favorably.  That's a precipitous fall that should concern FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Apparently, it doesn't.

How else can you explain Wray's testimony before a Congressional committee about reports the FBI targeted so-called "radical traditionalist" Catholics as potential domestic terrorists? 

The director testified in July before the House Judiciary Committee about the disturbing allegation.  A smiling Wray under withering interrogation assured members the FBI's action was limited "to a single office" in Richmond, VA. He claimed it was a regrettable blunder that he immediately halted.  

The clamor died down until House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan requested an un-redacted copy of the Richmond office's memo.  The agency document divulged the Richmond office relied on information from field offices in Los Angeles and Portland for contributions to the threat assessment.

The new information proves that Wray's statements  were inaccurate. And that's being overly charitable. The agency's actions were not limited to a single office.  If multiple offices were involved, how could the FBI director be so ill informed about his department's probe?

The FBI memo reviewed by the committee reveals "radical traditionalist" Catholics" were targets over concerns their beliefs may be interpreted as violent views.  Volatile issues cited in the memo include views on "abortion rights" and "LGBTQ protections," writes the National Catholic Register.

The FBI memo appears to imply that being pro-life or holding beliefs that there are only two genders (male and female) are tangentially related to violent, extremest views, which threaten public safety. This  appears to criminalize the doctrine of the Catholic Church.  

Included in the memo is an Orwellian recommendation that FBI agents attempt to recruit traditionalist Catholics to keep tabs on so-called "radical traditionalists" in their congregation.  The FBI conduct smacks of Soviet-style efforts to intimidate houses of worship that don't embrace government dogma.    

Let's make it clear what is going on at the highest levels of government in Washington. If your beliefs run counter to government doctrine, then the FBI considers you a potential terrorist threat. The chilling inference is that religious theology must align with the federal government's doctrine.   

The FBI's action is a direct threat to the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion and sends a frightening message about the practice of faith.  Whatever your political affiliation, this is a stunning abuse of power.  Do you want the FBI criminalizing Americans religious beliefs? 

What's ironic is the FBI appears to have no interest in investigating the rise in attacks on Catholic Churches. Last year there were at least 272 incidents in 43 states, including arson, vandalism, the beheading of statues, smashed windows and gravestone defaced with swastikas and anti-Catholic slurs. 

The spike in violence appears to have escalated after the leak of the Supreme Court's draft proposal to overturn Roe V Wade. In anticipation of the final decision, abortion activists unleashed a wave of angry protests against pro-life pregnancy centers and Catholic Churches. 

The result was an increase in anti-Catholic rhetoric from politicians, government officials and activists. It is ironic, since Pew Research polls have shown 56% of Catholic believe abortion should be legal. That is almost the same percentage of all Americans (61%) who support abortion. 

Instead of snooping on Catholics, the FBI should be dedicating resources to address the rising attacks against all churches.  A recent Hostility Against Churches report, authored by the Family Research Council, found that incidents in the first three months of this year are three times higher than last year. 

The research council study identified 420 incidents, including gun-related incidents and bomb threats from January 2018 to September 2022.  The FRC warns the "anger and division" in American society endangers not only churches but erodes religious freedom.

Christians aren't the only ones being targeted. Antisemitic incidents skyrocketed 36% last year. A report from the Anti-Defamation League found there were 3,697 incidents of harassment, vandalism and assaults targeting Jewish people and communities.  

The report concludes that public officials, including some in Congress, famous artists and social media stars have been "instrumental in normalizing longstanding antisemitic tropes."  To some, lack of action by federal law enforcement implies the threats do not rise to level of FBI concern.  

Christopher Wray needs to be hauled before Congress and questioned about what the FBI is doing to stop the rising violence against religions and religious people.  The FBI's mission is to uphold the Constitution, which guarantees the right to practice religion free from intimidation.

Americans religious beliefs are not subject to FBI oversight.  Period.  

A Nostalgic Trip Back To The Golden 50's

The age odometer on the dashboard of my life clicked to 77 in June. When you've clocked that many years, it's natural to peer into life's rearview mirror.  As people of a certain age understand, you are prone to experience waves of nostalgia even as you appreciate today's advantages.

The year I was born, 1946, marked the starting point of the largest baby boom in U.S. history.  In a 19-year stretch from 1946 to 1964, more than 76 million births were recorded.  Population data estimates there are 65 million boomers still celebrating birthdays. Congratulations if you're in that exclusive club.

My earliest memories, although somewhat hazy, go back to 1950.  My parents and my oldest sister Charlene were living in a two-bedroom home in Jennings, Louisiana, population 9,663.  America's small towns were its beating heart. Only five cities topped 1 million in population. 

I have no idea what our two bedroom home cost, but the average home in 1950 sold for $23,450.  That was a princely sum, considering average annual wages were $8,450.  My Dad purchased our first new car, a Ford, in the 50's. Cars sold for an average of $1,510.  Gas cost 18 cents a gallon and a station attendant pumped your gas.

When Mom shopped for food, the price she paid for groceries would shock today's younger generations. The average cost of a loaf of bread was 12 cents. A pound of hamburger meat was 30 cents.  The average American family spent about $800 on food... in an entire year.  

The buying power of $1 in 1950 would equate to $12.66 today.  Do the math and it means $500 would be the equivalent value of $6,330.06 today.  If you find yourself yearning for the good old days, today's comforts we take for granted were either nonexistent or unaffordable for most families.

Our home was cooled by a window fan in sweltering, sticky Louisiana summers. No one complained because at least we had a fan.  There were only 76,000 air conditioners installed in the 1950's.  It wasn't until 1973 when the majority of U.S. households had central air conditioning or a window unit.

Schools opened windows during early fall and some rooms had an oscillating fan. Flies were frequent visitors to our class. It didn't impact anyone's ability to learn. Mom packed a lunch every day, because it was cheaper than paying to eat in the cafeteria. There was no such thing as a free school lunch.  

Every school day began with the Pledge of Allegiance, a tiny hand over your heart.  Students weren't the only ones saluting the flag. America was awash in patriotism.  There was a good feeling about the country, a belief they God had blessed the USA.  Will America every be like that again? 

Our home was equipped with a social network: a black telephone.  It wasn't uncommon in 1950 to share a line with another home or two. Most folks were polite enough not to interrupt a conversation on their party line.  About two-thirds of the 43 million households in America had at least one phone. 

Historians refer to 1950 as the golden age of crime because there were so few offenses.  FBI data does not go back that far, while other sources date to 1960.  In a sign of few crimes, no one locked the doors to their homes or cars. Today's generations will never know the tranquility of that era.   

In 1950, only nine percent of households had a television set. Families streaming service was free: programs on radio.  I listened to cowboy stories over the airwaves.  My favorite was "The Lone Ranger," which debuted in 1933 and ran until 1956. You needed an imagination to "see" horses, cattle and holstered pistols. Television robbed future generations of their cognitive imagery ability.  

At some point in the late 50's, a black-and-white television the size of a small refrigerator graced our living room.  Reception was always dicey.  Those rabbit-ears--two long antennas--captured the airwaves and turned it into sound and picture.  The picture often was fuzzy, a hazard of nascent technology.

Despite the poor quality, each home with a television attracted neighbor kids, who soon begged their parents to buy one of those new fangled devices.  Neighbors often dropped by to take a peak to see what all the fuss was about.  By 1960, 90% of homes had a black-and-white magic box.

With seven kids to clothe, the Roy family annual fashion budget wouldn't touch the cost of an iPhone.  Most clothes coast below $5, while a men's world suit cost $45, impractical in the South. My brothers and sisters often wore hand-me-downs.  As the oldest, I escaped that predicament. 

However, I do remember wearing jeans with patches to school.  And I was one of the lucky kids.  Some boys wore pants with more holes than a West Texas oil patch.  Searching through my memory bank, I think I owned two shirts. That was my wardrobe for the entire school year in the early 50's.

When I spin tales about my growing up experiences, my four grandkids find my description hard to fathom.  No internet. No Nextflix. No Nintendo.  No cell phone.  Less anxiety. They can't imagine it.  (And no, I don't tell them I walked 5 miles in the snow to get to school.) But I did ride my bike to classes for a few years.

Once our 11-year-old granddaughter Megan playfully asked: "PaPa, did you ride a dinosaur to school?" I think she was joking, but perhaps not. With age and experience, you appreciate the memories of the way things once were. But I don't want to return to a time without air conditioning. 

But honestly, I'm sad that today's younger generations will never experience what's it's like to have less in life and still be content. That might give pause to those who believe having more brings happiness. Hardships help you appreciate today's standard of living. That's why I will always value the 1950's.

Artificial Intelligence Heralds Profound Changes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a disruptive technology that offers the promise to usher in the next industrial revolution.  However, despite the boom in AI applications,  there are deepening concerns that the technology may negatively impact jobs, national security, privacy and spread misinformation. 

AI is the next evolution in machine learning.  AI technologies enable computers to perform a variety of advanced functions, including the ability to understand and translate written language.  It is capable of creating new content such as text, images or audio as well as analyzing vast amounts of data.  

That's a laymen's definition of the technology.  AI is a board field that encompasses many different disciplines, including computer science, data analytics and statistics, hardware and software engineering, linguistics, neuroscience and even philosophy and psychology.  

AI burst into the American consciousness with the release of ChatGPT, free app developed by OpenAI, an AI and research company.  The app facilitates an almost human-like conversation with a chatbox that answers questions and can assist with tasks such as composing emails, essays or even creating poetry. 

Released in November of last year, CatGPT is the fastest-growing app in history, garnering more than 100 million active users.  Nearly every teenager has downloaded the app on his or her wireless phone.  This writer has been experimenting with the app for months.  Think Apple's Siri on steroids.

One measure of the AI boom is the stock price of firms operating in the AI space, including tech giants Microsoft, Goggle and Open AI.  No firm has benefited more than Nvidia, which has ridden the wave to a 222% increase in market value.  Nvidia makes a powerful chip that's become the workhorse for AI.

AI has attracted the interest of Congress and a legion of critics and champions.  Yet there is no denying there are many innovative applications for AI to automate workflow and processes, reduce human errors and eliminate repetitive tasks.

AI is being deployed in the healthcare industry at a dizzying rate. Since health cost are nearly one-fifth (19.7%) of the total U.S. economy, the potential value of AI in healthcare from the administrative side to the delivery of healthcare has enormous potential to reduce costs and improve efficiency.  

The technology is already being used by the Centers for Disease Control to analyze public health data.  Increasingly, AI is being deployed to assist in analyzing imaging data from MRI's and CT cans. AI can handle some tasks preformed by radiologists, a profession in the throes of declining specialists.

In one example, AI is being used to analyze cell images to determine which drugs are most effective for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.  Conventional computers are too slow to spot changes in neurons when patients are treated with different drugs.

That's just for starters.  AI is being deployed in medical training, to assist medical professionals in clinical settings, remote monitoring of patients and for diagnostics.  One AI software can detect current issues and predict the patient's likelihood of developing the breast cancer in the next several years. 

Beyond healthcare, virtually every industry is looking at ways to incorporate AI into their business. Microsoft and Google are working to integrate cutting edge AI into their search engines.  Engineering firms are finding ways AI can make their teams more effective.  

The software industry is exploring ways to use AI can eliminate the need for certain tasks generally performed by early career or junior programers. Digital news platforms are employing AI to create stories, edited by news people.  Schools are eyeing ChatGPT as a tool for students and teachers.

There is no question AI potentially will replace some workers, especially with accelerated advancements in the technology and industry's rapid integration of AI into their businesses. 

Another issue virtually unreported is the energy and resource drain that will be created with the growth of AI. A report rom the School of Engineering and Applied Science at University of Pennsylvania raises concerns as AI applications begin to scale up exponentially.

An estimate from the Semiconductor Research Corporation predicts the increasing deployment of AI will "soon hit a wall where our silicon supply chains won't be able to keep up with the amount of data created." Computer memory is stored on components made from silicon.

Companies operating AI systems store data in massive facilities all over the country.  These facilities carbon emissions doubled between 2017 and 2020.  These centers consume on the order of 20 to 40 megawatts of power, roughly enough to power 16,000 households with electricity. 

Like many technologies, there is a dark side to AI.  Google's CEO Sundar Pichai is among a growing number of business leaders flagging the capability of the technology to fabricate imagines of public figures and average Americans that are nearly indistinguishable from reality.  

Imagine in a political election AI is used to produce a video and audio fake of a candidate making racist or anti-American statements.  What if the forgery goes viral on social media before it can be detected? These so-called deepfakes have nabbed the attention of the Department of Defense.

In the context of national security, a fake could dupe military or intelligence personnel into divulging sensitive information to an adversary, posing as a trusted colleague.  The Pentagon recently awarded a contract to a startup DeepMedia to design a deepfake detection computer. 

Many in Congress have been calling for guardrails to regulate AI. Before Congress could act, the White House announced  that seven of the nation's top AI developers agreed to guidelines aimed at ensuring the "safe" deployment of AI.  

Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and Inflection agreed to the outline. The guidelines are voluntary and there are no penalties for violating the open-ended agreement.

Regulation often can restrain new technologies in the U.S., while foreign competitors are unleashed to push forward and leapfrog American companies. However, in this instance, there needs to be some rules to prevent the misuse of a relatively new technology by a few bad actors. 

Once AI becomes embedded in every business, it will be too late to govern the technology's applications without major business and political upheaval.  

Democrats Plot To Demonize Justices

A Supreme Court ruling overturning race-based college admissions has reignited smoldering Democrat attacks on the nation's conservative justices.  The incendiary offensive, mobilized by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, aims to delegitimize the court and undermine its decisions.    

Democrats are threatening impeachment against Justice Clarence Thomas while calling for ethics rules stricter than the ones that apply to Congress. A Schumer disciple, Sen. Ed Markey, is championing expanding the size of the Supreme Court to allow President Biden to pack the court with leftist judges.  

Although President Biden has been lukewarm to increasing the number of justices, nonetheless he blasted the court's decisions  as "not normal" and criticized the judges "values system as different."  The outrage is calculated to make the Supreme Court a voter issue in the upcoming presidential election.

The simmering hostility was sparked last year when a leak of a preliminary draft court decision on a case to overturn Roe v. Wade. Even before the court's official ruling, Schumer stood outside the Supreme Court building and railed against Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

"You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price.  You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions," Schumer hectored.    

Abortion activists, clearly motivated by Schumer's bombast, released the home addresses online of conservative justices.  Protestors showed up at residences, shouting obscenities and brandishing menacing signs. 

The marshal of the Supreme Court pleaded with officials in Maryland and Virginia to enforce state and local laws that "prohibit picketing outside the homes" of justices and their families.  The two governors punted the decision to federal law enforcement, which never acted to end the unruly protests. 

It was shameful to allow such intimidation of justices.  It nearly boiled over when police arrested an armed man near the home of Justice Kavanaugh who had traveled to Maryland with the intent of harming the jurist.  Democrats never made any apologies for their role in fueling the threatening tactics. 

Imagine if the court was considering a challenge to gun ownership and protestors showed up at the private residences of the three liberal justices.  Does anyone believe that the FBI would have failed to disburse the crowd?  Agents would have removed the protestors post haste. 

It is even more preposterous that the marshal for the court was never able to identify who leaked Justice Samuel Alito's draft opinion.  This was a major breach of court decorum.  The leak had to be initiated by a sitting justice or a court clerk.  Yet no one could identify the leaker? That's not credible. 

Once the abortion decision was handed down overturning Roe v. Wade, Democrat surrogates initiated a smear campaign against against Justices Thomas and Alito. The hatchet job has been carried out by ProPublica, an obscure leftwing publication. 

The muckraking online news site is the brainchild of Herb and Marion Sandler, billion former mortgage bankers of Golden West Financial Corp., which collapsed during the subprime mortgage meltdown. The two Democrat donors pledged $10 million a year to fund ProPublica in initial funding.  

Billionaires George Soros and Paul Steiger are also financial backers of the slandering website, headquartered in New York City.  On its IRS disclosure form in 2021, the nonprofit listed $35 million in donations. Financials for 2022 show more than $9.9 million came from two undisclosed donors.    

With that background, it is hardly a surprise ProPublica placed a bullseye on Thomas and Alito, revealing the justices accepted private trips with wealthy patrons and had alleged financial entanglements. Their investigation claimed these same patrons had cases before the Supreme Court.

Neither justice recused themselves, the website reported. ProPublica's allegations were amplified across the mainstream media echo chambers. Democrat Senator Dick Durbin said the revelations were cause for possible impeachment of the justices.  

(Parenthetically, members of Congress indulge in the same sort of behavior that ProPublica accused the justices.  They regularly take trips on donors private planes, vote on legislation that donors advocate and own stock in companies with a vested interest in legislation.)

ProPublica's vilification strategy worked until The New York Post broke a story pointing out that Justice Sonia Sotomayor didn't recuse herself from multiple cases involving book publisher Random House and its subsidiaries, which paid her more than $3.6 million for her 2013 memoir. 

Justice Sotomayor's liberal colleague at the time, Justice Stephen Breyer, recused himself from the case.  He also had received money from Penguin Random House.  Whoops.  And just like that--BOOM--the mainstream media's interest in justices' ethics momentarily fizzled.

But the media campaign against the justices is picking up steam again as senate Democrats are plotting an impeachment strategy with an eye toward invigorating their base prior to the presidential election. Courts are certainly fair game for  legitimate criticism of their decisions.  

But the constant drumbeat of belligerent verbal aggression undermines the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and ignites an open hostility to individual justices, threatening their safety.  This behavior regularly happens under authoritarian governments.  It has no place in America's democracy.