10 Smart Money Rules

10 Smart Money Rules

Rules about money, or at least 10 tips to be smarter with it.

10 Smart Money Tips 

By D.S. Mitchell

Here are 10 truisms for investing and life.  Allan Roth, a long time financial planner and writer, states the following 10 things must be considered before you open your wallet.

10 Smart Money Suggestions

Suggestion 1: Always remember sales people, whether at your local Walmart electronics department, or at the Mercedes dealership, are trained to manipulate your emotions.  Let your emotions cool before deciding to buy that luxury car, or that new 60 inch screen television.

Suggestion 2: Never buy an investments you do not completely understand. There’s a lot of hype out there for all variety of investment vehicles. It is critical you understand what you’re buying, how much it costs, and why it is the right for you. 

Suggestion 3: Nothing is free. You probably at some point in your life have received an invitation to a free lunch so you can learn about a new way to increase your wealth, or buy a timeshare. It is a sales trick to market expensive products for juicy profits. Stay away.

Suggestion 4: Put yourself in the seller’s shoes before buying before making a purchase. You can protect yourself by reflecting on two key questions. 1) What’s in it for the person selling the product? 2) How does the company behind the product make money? Reverse roles and consider how someone is profiting from your purchase. Why does that free subscription, for example, require  a credit card number unless the seller expects that you’ll forget to cancel at the end of the free trial period.

Suggestion 5: Temper your ego. Never believe you are too smart to fall for a bad investment(s). Realize from the start anyone can be tricked, swindled, or convinced to buy a bad investment. Going back to suggestion 1, sales people are trained to play you like a fiddle. Sir Isaac Newton, an intellectual genius, lost his fortune by investing in a hot stock of the day.

Suggestion 6: Get it in writing. During a sales pitch, promises are often made;  a refundable deposit, cancel at any time, but if you didn’t get it in writing you probably have no recourse. Always read the disclosure statement, does it match what the salesman told you? Even an email promise from a salesperson can give you potential recourse.

Suggestion 7: When it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. Greed however often overrides our native common sense. You’ve seen the free phone, free tablet, free wrist phone-most of those offers require a contract, if you leave the contract you pay for those freebies.

Suggestion 8: Avoid limited time offers. The limited time offer is designed to trigger your instinct for action before the logic part of your brain kicks in. Beware of that ticking clock-it is a powerful sales tool.

Suggestion 9: Regulators rarely order a consumer be reimbursed for losses. It is better to make the right investment choice to begin with than counting on a watchdog to bail you out.

Suggestion 10: Never forget that other people want to separate you from your money.

 

 

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Saving money at the grocery store is getting harder and harder on the pocketbook Here are a few tips on how to a little bit here and there, hoping it ads up to something.

Tips to Save Money at the Grocery Store

By D. S. Mitchell

Editor: Here are a few tricks I found on the internet to help cut costs at the grocery store in these high cost times. I’m not sure about you, but the only time I really feel the pinch is at the supermarket. I’m good at the gas station, I don’t freak out at the cannabis store, I’m okay at the drive thru, but holy Zeus I about lose my mind at the grocery store.

Folks, the price of eggs at my local Walmart has hit stratospheric levels; while at my friendly neighborhood Safeway, the price of eggs has barely budged. So, I buy my eggs and fresh flowers at Safeway and my thick cut smoked bacon and my thin sliced rib eye steaks at Walmart. I also hit the dip and weigh barrels at Winco. I also regularly shop my local Growers Market where everything is always so fresh and flavorful. Enough. I promised some money saving tips at the grocery store, and here they are.:

Experts Tell Us

Experts tell us it all starts with the right sized cart. If you are doing a weeks shopping grab a full sized cart, however if you are not, grab a small cart. Statistics indicate the average shopper buys as much as 40% more when using the larger cart. However, don’t think one of those hand baskets is the answer, in fact, studies show shoppers tend to buy tempting sugary treats when they are carrying the handheld basket.

Wednesday is Best Day to Shop

I just got back from this weeks grocery run. To save money on groceries, I usually shop on Wednesdays. There are noticeably fewer shoppers, unless that Wednesday happens to fall on the first of the month, LOL. On Wednesdays you can usually count on fully-stocked shelves and freshly delivered produce. AND, the sale specials start in most stores on Wednesday. I shop on Wednesdays to beat the crowds and save a little money. ***Stay away from the grocery store on weekends, they’re busy and frequently sale items are out of stock or picked over.

Seasonal Delights

Eat locally grown produce whenever possible, it will give you the best value in price and flavor. Be sure to go to your local Farmer’s Market not just the big supermarkets. In March you’ll see good prices on broccoli, brussels  sprouts, cauliflower, and lettuce. In April look for asparagus, rhubarb and peas. Strawberries are usually cheaper in June than in May. Year round  bargains include celery, and potatoes.

Limit Trips

I shop for two, but I shop alone. Whenever my roommate comes along I spend a lot more money than when he does not.  Today I spent $133 and got most of what I wanted, I only forgot the toilet paper and the paper towels. If Dave had been along I have no doubt I would have spent well-over $200; and still would have forgotten the paper towels and TP. Furthermore, it’s a good time to mention, write a list, and stick to it. People who shop with a list spend less time in the store and make significantly fewer impulse buys. I use a paper list, I’m old. If you prefer, use your phone. There are some great apps that match items on your list with store specials, coupons, and rebates. As important as a list is; limiting your trips to the store is just as important. DO NOT make frequent trips to the grocery store because every time you do, you spend money you didn’t need to spend, in addition to the gas to get there and back, and the energy you expended on that trip you could have used to plant those spring primroses.

Costco Sharing

My daughter and I shop together at Costco every couple of months and then divide up our purchases in their parking lot. The advice here is to also watch the sales at the regular stores because they are often better than you might get at the warehouse stores.

Cut the Candy, Chips and Sodas

Government statistics tell us that the average American family spends 25% of their grocery dollars on “processed foods, sweets, and sodas.” Try to cut back on such unhealthy choices; instead of getting chips-go for some crunchy carrots and celery. I know. I know. Such foods are great, they just need a little prep. So I suggest you do it as soon as you have the rest of the groceries put away. A few minutes scraping and slicing will provide a crunchy healthy snack versus a cheezy Dorito heartattack. Nothing is easy; but such small behavior changes are guaranteed to save you big dollars over a year, and you’ll probably lose some weight and lower your cholesterol.

End Cap Displays

Don’t fall for those big beautiful end cap displays. Those are usually not sale items; they are intended to trigger your impulse buying gene.

Store Brands vs National Brands

In most cases name brand and store brands taste the same, and can save you anywhere from 15% to 30%. In fact, the store named products are often made at the same time and place as national brands, the only difference the private label.

Unit Pricing

Small packages are usually the worst deals. But the biggest size doesn’t guarantee the best deal. What is important here is for the consumer to check for the unit price below the item on the shelf, it will give you the price per ounce or liter or other measurement so you can quickly compare prices in a logical way.

Holiday Hoarding

Some of the best meat and poultry prices can be found around the holidays. Stock up.

Group Bennies

If you are a vet, or a senior, be sure to ask if the store offers extra savings for your particular groups. Don’t hesitate to ask if they stack benefits; meaning can you maximize your savings by using your AARP card and your VA card. Once in awhile a company is allowed to stack discounts which gives a big discount.  Sometimes the discounts are limited to specific days of the month, rather than everyday. But, be sure to ask, and make note of it and try to shop on those days.

Misfits and Oddities

Some stores advertise great prices on produce known as oddballs and oddities. The price you pay for that oddly shaped zucchini may be 30% cheaper than it’s more perfect cousin. Also, by purchasing these imperfect fruits and veggies we can cut down on food waste.

Buying Gas at a Discount

Gas back programs are offered in my area at Safeway and Fred Meyers. The retailer discounts are based on customer shopping habits. A regular customer may save anywhere from 10 cents to $1.50 per gallon at the store’s gas station.

Buying Staples 

Shopping for staples is a weekly process, not a once a year event. I always, always, make sure I have fresh fruit, particularly bananas, honey crisp or Fuji apples, and various fresh berries. Things that are snack friendly, from the hand to the mouth made easy. Then I must have a bag of frozen mixed berries, for spontaneous smoothies. Veggies like kale, romaine, spinach, arugula are standards in my cart, perfect for a late afternoon salad. I always make sure I have onions, potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower on hand. Lemons are another essential for me. I squeeze them in my water, tea, and even over my salads. Also fabulous on chicken, and fish. Cheese is another staple at my house. I always have parmesan and cheddar cheese in the fridge. And I always make sure I have sliced cheese for a quick sandwich. Still in the dairy section I grab a couple pounds of butter and a gallon of whole milk (for morning coffee). I don’t do almond milk or cashew milk or any other non-dairy milk substitute, that’s just me. I’m not sure if you consider Greek yogurt a kitchen staple but I do. I watch for sales. In the meat department I watch for sales on hamburger, boneless chicken breasts, beef steaks, and pork. I try to keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand, great for salads and pasta. Speaking of pasta I always watch for specials on my favorite pasta sauce. Spaghetti is a life saver for surprise guests.

More Staples

I barely slow down in the cereal department, but I do buy Old fashioned oats and steel cut oats – I never buy instant since you get more nutritional and heart benefits in old-fashioned and steel cut oats. I make sure I always have a box of pasta on hand and a bag of brown rice. And nuts. I use nuts in a lot of my recipes. Not only do they taste great, but they have a lot of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, walnuts, and pecans are my standby favs. I love Beans black bean burgers, vegetarian chili, topping a salad with them, pureeing into hummus or just heating them and eating them with a spoon. I usually buy them in the 1-2 pound dry packages and cook them up in the crock pot. I always have several cans of diced and whole tomatoes. I use them in nearly everything. I can’t live without eggs or olive oil. Here again keep your eye open for special prices on these basic food items. Bread is not on my grocery list. I stopped eating bread about 10 years ago, and have never looked back. Although I have a pantry full of spices, I make sure I always have the ones I use most on hand, cinnamon, vanilla, cumin, oregano, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and sea salt. Lastly, I am always on the alert for big discounts on baking items like flour, white sugar, and brown. My family loves it when I make cookies.

Finally

The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that the average American throws away at least $2,500 worth of food annually. That is about 1/4 of what we spend on food! Time to cut down on waste. One of the ways to do that is to plan your meals for the week and buy according to what you have decided to make. It is important at the beginning of your shopping week to make an assessment of what you already have and what needs to be eaten quickly. Then buy any remaining ingredients to make up those items into eatable meals. After you have cleared your kitchen of items that were about to perish finish out your weeks menu with family favorites and good for you treats. “Waste not, want not,” as my mother used to say.

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

March is Women's History Month. Let's celebrate the many accomplishments of our sisters.

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History”

 

By Cate Rees-Hessel

 

Vote, Vote, Vote!

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s all remember to vote blue in order to keep women safe. I must, of course, stress the significance of this year’s theme: “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” 2024’s presidential election must go down in history as a victory for our nations female population, with a vote for President Biden and our first female VP Kamala Harris. Our president has fought to preserve women’s rights, he wrote the Violence Against Women Act, and reinforced his commitment to our issues during his awe inspiring state of the Union address. Joe Biden is a a pro-choice man of God who treats women with respect. His wife Dr. Biden is an empowered woman of faith.

Two Steps Forward…

This year’s Oscars, also during this historic month, has the “Barbie” movie nominated for Best Picture but we have a long way to go, since the movie’s star and producer failed to be nominated for Best Actress. Barbie joins the ranks of female hero films like “Legally Blonde”, “Miss Congeniality”, “Princess Diaries”, “The Miracle Worker”, “Sophie’s Choice” and “Norma Rae”, to name a few. We must not back down in our fight for equal rights. Ladies of all nationalities, races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds are celebrated during March, as we join hands across our country to recognize the very important role all women play in history.

A Seat at the Table

From the beginning of time, the Bible and other literary works have recognized the strength of women. From childbirth to picket lines, women have shown they are powerful. Mothers, homemakers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, factory workers, service employees – all play significant parts in American history. Gloria Steinem said, “Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That’s their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood.” Shirley Chisholm, the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, declared, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

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Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

It is amazing what tid bits of information can be found in a pile of old magazines

Believe It or Not, There’s a Word for That!

By D.S. Mitchell

Basement Cabinets

I was cleaning out an old cabinet that had been relegated to a darkened corner of my basement when I uncovered a treasure trove of nearly 500 fossilized Reader’s Digest, Vogue, Glamour, O, Style, and AARP, magazines. Yes! What a glorious way to spend a rainy Thursday, scrounging through  dusty boxes of outdated magazines,  I laughed. I gauged how long it would take me to flip through every page of this unanticipated bonanza and figured I could do it in a single day, if I devoted myself to the task fulltime. Obviously, I’ll need pee and refueling breaks.

Pretty Packaging

Why would I be so interested in old magazines, you ask. First of all, I love touching that slick paper that they used to make magazines out of. Second, I love the fact there is this encyclopedia of near useless information, wrapped up in astoundingly pretty packaging. Just Awesome! Anyway, my ulterior motive was to find a few interesting filler topics for my calamitypolitics.com website. I found a motherlode. The first one I decided to share with my readers came from Reader’s Digest, the September 2017 issue (there was no writer credit given in the magazine). A great piece on “whatta’ ya call this?”  In alphabetical order,

  • aglet (aiglet): an aglet or aiglet is a small sheath, often made of plastic or metal, attached at each end of a shoelace, a cord, or a drawstring. An aglet keeps the fibers of the lace or cord from unraveling; its firmness and narrow profile make it easier to hold and easier to feed through eyelets, lugs, or other lacing guides
  • ferrule: the circular metal part holding the eraser to a pencil
  • glabella: the area of skin between the eyebrows and above the nose. The term also refers to the underlying bone that is slightly depressed, and joins the two brow ridges
  • lunule: the white or wedge-shaped part of the fingernail
  • peen: the round or wedge-shaped end of a hammer-i.e., the part that doesn’t hit the nail
  • petrichor: the way it smells when rain falls on parched earth
  • philtrum: the vertical groove between the base of the nose and the border of the upper lip.
  • phosphene: the light you see when you close your eyes and press your fingers to them
  • punt: the indention in the bottom of a wine bottle, a punt is also a wooden boat with no keel, stem, or sternpost, and is constructed like a ladder, and it’s even a football kick
  • rasceta: the lines and wrinkling on the inner surface of the wrist
  • souffle cup: a paper of plastic cup for ketchup, mustard, and other condiments
  • Snellen test: the test during an eye exam involving reading from large to smaller letters
  • tittle: a small written or printed stroke; the dot over a lower case i or j
  • wamble: a weaving or rolling motion, stomach rumbling

That was fun. Did you learn anything? Of the fifteen listed I knew only one.

The Electoral College Stinks

The Electoral College Stinks

If we want real democracy in this country we need to get rid of the Electoral College

The Electoral College Stinks

Support the National Popular Vote compact, it makes sense if you believe in democracy.

By D. S. Mitchell

Losing While Winning

I believe whoever wins the most votes should become president of the United States. Unfortunately, with the Electoral College system that is not what happens. Twice in the last five elections the candidate that became president of the United States lost the popular vote. Donald Trump, won by less than 80,000 votes in four key electoral college states. He simultaneously lost the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. That means the guy who came in second was elected in 2016 (Trump), 2000 (Bush), 1888 (Harrison), 1876 (Hayes), and 1824 (J.Q. Adams), thereby altering history. Does anyone doubt that a Hillary Clinton presidency would have looked very different than the Trump presidency that we got.

The GOP Solution

The Electoral College system has become a powerful tool for the Republicans in their effort to lock in one party control of government. Elie Mystal, in an Editorial from a couple of years back, in The Nation magazine, wrote the GOP’s ultimate solution to the country’s changing demographics is to “forge a new theory of government where the rule by a white minority can withstand the popular will.” The nature of that effort was clear during Trump’s first impeachment trial. Republicans desperate to acquit Trump married themselves to a group of discredited legal theories, perhaps appropriate in a banana republic, but certainly not fitting for one of the world’s longest surviving democracies. The Senators embraced a view of executive power and privilege, that ultimately denies our democracy and anoints a king; which coincidently meshes nicely with Trump’s “permanent immunity claims.”

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Diagnosis: Diabetes

Diagnosis: Diabetes

A diagnosis of diabetes can be a scary thing, but with life-style changes the condition can be improved, or even reversed. Patients do not need to face years of fear, guilt, and drugs.

Diabetes is a scary diagnosis. Make some life style changes and change the prognosis.

Diagnosis: Diabetes

By D.S. Mitchell

A Public Health Emergency

One in ten Americans is living with Type 2 diabetes; that’s approximately 38 millions people. Some might call that a public health emergency. With diabetes comes other life altering diseases; cardio-vascular disease, kidney failure (dialysis), stroke, neuropathy, blindness, and lower limb amputation.

Medical Treatment

Many diagnosed diabetics are on high doses of injectable insulin and multiple oral anti-diabetic medications. Insulin is a hormone that transports sugar out of the blood and into the body’s cells. With diabetes the body can’t manufacture the hormone (Type 1-sometimes called childhood diabetes) or the more common Type 2 diabetes, where the body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects. In both cases, insulin injections are the standard fallback treatment.

Change Your Tactics

It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of accepting the “inevitable” some patients decide to implement strategic behavioral tactics that have shown to improve the condition and even reverse it. Said more simply, if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you can turn it around. What follows are seven behaviors that can make a difference in your life and your battle with diabetes.

  1. Lose Weight: Do not under estimate the impact of gaining, (or losing), even a few pounds. The physiology of diabetes causes the body to ineffectively regulate blood sugar levels because at the heart of diabetes is “insulin resistance.” With insulin resistance the pancreas is forced to manufacture more and more insulin in an effort to transport sugar from the blood to the cells. What is often misunderstood is that insulin whether manufactured in the body or taken as a medication promotes fat storage and weight gain. It becomes a vicious circle, gain a few pounds and the weight gain will force the body to produce more insulin which in turn causes more weight gain-and so it goes. The good news, however, is that even a 10% weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity by 60%.
  2. Keep Up Your Fluid Intake: Hydration is a pretty big deal, don’t ignore it. With dehydration comes a concentration of sugar in the blood.  Studies show that patients who drink less than a half liter of water per day increased their risk of elevated blood sugar compared with those who drank more. Water, milk, herbal tea all work. Caution for coffee lovers; caffeine is dehydrating, limit the intake to a maximum of three cups per day.
  3. Stay Vaccinated: Many believe that COVID is behind us. Well, for folks with immune suppression, over the age of sixty, obesity, and diabetes the threat remains serious. In fact, studies indicate that COVID damages the pancreas and causes system wide inflammation, which in turn increases insulin resistance. New studies link COVID to new cases of diabetes. If you are in one of the high risk groups get vaccinated and stay boosted. Vaccinations lead to milder cases of the disease which should indirectly result in decreased COVID impact on pre-existing diabetics.
  4. Increase Protein Intake: Protein at every meal, not just dinner. Protein maintains muscle and contributes to blood sugar regulation. Fill your plate with fish, white meat chicken, lean cuts of beef and plant based protein sources such as beans, nuts, quinoa.
  5. Bite-sized Bits of Activity: “Exercise snacking” means spreading short bursts of activity throughout the day. A fifteen minute walk, two or three times per day, may do more to help control blood sugar than one long workout. Remember the 10,000 steps recommendation? In that study there was a link between exercise and improved diabetes control. The goal is to mix various types of exercise. Schedule exercise periods for yourself each day. You might start the day with a fifteen minutes block of strength training, using weights, resistance bands and body-weight moves. Mid-morning do fifteen minutes of aerobic activity such as fast walking, swimming, jogging, or tennis. After lunch try fifteen minutes of stretching which improves joint flexibility, balance, and reduces chances of injury.
  6. Read Labels: Do not focus on sugars, but rather read labels for the “Total Carbohydrate.” This term incorporates both naturally occurring sugars and those added. Women should aim for 30-45 grams of total carbs per meal, and men 60 to 75. A typical reaction after hearing a diabetes diagnosis is to eliminate sugar and carbs. Such behavior can result in nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and dangerously low blood sugars. Consider talking to a Registered Dietitian and setting up a realistic eating plan. Many insurance plans pay for such training. Ignorance is not helpful, your quality of life depends on understanding how you can best help yourself.
  7. Finally: Losing weight, changing eating patterns, and exercising, are things that a newly diagnosed diabetic, or a long time diagnosed diabetic can do to reverse the disease. However, even with all those interventions, there may still be times when insulin and other diabetic medications have a role to play. Pregnancy is such a situation. Pregnancy frequently elevates the expectant mom’s typical blood sugars, just proving insulin has a secure place in the treatment of diabetes.

 

Creating Your Legacy

Creating Your Legacy

Leaving your legacy and how we contribute to the world is different for each of us.

Creating Your Legacy

Editor: In southern Oregon we have a local publication that circulates to about 100,000 customers called the “Sneak Preview.” It’s an awesome circular that provides valuable local information; both historical and current. Steve Roe, (Roe Motors) our Grants Pass, Oregon, Buick and GMC dealer writes for the publication. I find his articles interesting, informative, and usually inspiring in some way. I didn’t call him and ask about using a portion of his recent article on legacy building, but I will definitely do that tomorrow. Thank you, Steve Roe for your commitment to family and community. D. S. Mitchell

Leaving A Meaningful, Lasting Legacy (an excerpt from Steve Roe’s, March 1, 2024, Sneak Preview  article.)

By Steve Roe

The dictionary defines legacy as “the long lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.”

Leaving your legacy and how we contribute to the world is different for each of us. We want to know that our life matters to others. Once we know what we want our legacy to be, we can start  building it by living in a way we want to be remembered. Leaving a legacy is limited only by our imagination and what is valued by others. Our generosity can include:

  • Donate: Giving your time, talent, and treasures depending on what matters to you. It can be as big or small as you want because every cent or minute really does matter.
  • Mentor: Being a resource to others in our community that may need guidance or a listening ear.
  • Volunteer: There are dozens of ways to help others by volunteering. It can be a great way to bond with our families and teach others the value of giving back.
  • Pay it Forward: With only a little effort, you can brighten someone’s day. Little gestures can go a long way. Doing kind things for others can help them while giving you that great feeling of giving.

There are a lot of people in need and a little kindness accompanied by a smile can be a big help.

Home Care; My Personal Experience

Home Care; My Personal Experience

Home Care Workers keep people with aging and disabilities in their homes

Home Care; My Personal Experience

Editor: Home Care programs administered through state and federal services are helping struggling families keep disabled family members living at home vs being placed in a nursing home. The following article is a reprint of an article written by me, nearly a decade ago. I will be publishing an update on the state of Home Care in 2023 sometime within the coming week.

By D. S. Mitchell

Caregiver Risks

Most of the people called on to help an ill or disabled family member have no training in being a caregiver. Not only that, but many spouses, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters have their own health problems and physical limitations. The risks of being a family caregiver is premature aging, sickness, death, depression, anger, resentment, and potential financial loss. Aside from that, it can be rewarding and more worthwhile than anything you will ever do.

Financial Resources Make the Difference

Receiving affordable or free home care may be what makes the difference between a family member being able to stay in their home or being moved into an assisted living facility or nursing home. One in five Americans provide unpaid care to family members so they can continue to live in their home, according to a recent AARP report.

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Animal Witticisms

Animal Witticisms

Some of the funnies road signs can be found at veterinary offices.

Animal Witticisms

Editor: Alexis de Tocqueville came to America from France in 1831. He was a young, wealthy, aristocrat, budding writer, social observer, and philosopher. He went on to author one of the most definitive studies of America and her people ever written, “Democracy in America.” While touring the young country, he noted numerous uniquely American traits; two carry-overs from those long ago times were, the “intent self-interest” of the average American, and secondly, that Americans are “not a happy lot.” Well, that reassures me; nothing much has changed in the last nearly 200 years. Americans do however, have witty road signs to change that scowl to a smile. Here we go:

 

By D.S. Mitchell

Silly Road Signs

  1. Holly Ridge Veterinary Hospital: I used a spot remover on my dog . . . .  He disappeared.
  2. Highland Road Animal Hospital: My alarm doesn’t have a snooze button . . . .  It has paws.
  3. Grants Pass Vet Clinic: Someone made a joke about my three-legged cat . . . .  Major faux paw.
  4. Washoe County Veterinary Services: Against animal testing. They get nervous and mark all the answers wrong!
  5. Portland Veterinary Clinic: Q: What animal has more lives than a cat?  A: Frogs, they croak every night!
  6. St. Joe’s Veterinary Hospital: Free belly rubs with each exam . . . . Sorry, pets only!
  7. Carroll County Veterinary Clinic: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to see it . . . you can bet a chihuahua 500 miles away will bark at it.
  8. Seaside Animal Clinic: Our dog swallowed a bag of scrabble tiles . . . . the vet is checking him out, no word yet!
  9. Sandy Animal Clinic: Why was the cat sitting on the computer? . . . .  To keep an eye on the mouse!
  10. Warrenton Veterinary Hospital: For a man to truly understand rejection . . . . he must first own a cat.
  11. Astoria Paw and Claws: Why don’t cats play poker in the jungle? . . . .Too many cheetahs.

Well folks, enough of that shit. Have a great day. Be glad you’re an American. We may have our problems, but we’ve got the veterinarians to keep us smiling.

Russian Dissidents Keep Dying

Russian Dissidents Keep Dying

Putin Critics Keep Dying

A String of Violent Deaths Follow Putin and Associates

 

By D.S. Mitchell

 

Complete Control 

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s opponents continue to disappear in a pattern of bizarre and sudden deaths. Many of those that have opposed Vladimir Putin during his near 25 years in power have met violent deaths. Alexei Navalny, a striden critic of Putin is his most recent presumed victim. Navalny supporters and many foreign leaders categorically state Navalny’s death was murder. There is no doubt that Navalny was a prisoner under the complete control of the Kremlin. We all know he was banished to a prison camp in the Arctic Circle, where it is known he was regularly thrown in isolation, exposed to the winter elements, beaten, and starved.

Shootings, Exotic Poisonings, and Plane Crashes

The number of Russian dissidents dying is growing. All are suspected victims of Putin and his Kremlin killers. The means of execution has varied; shootings, exotic poisonings, and quite theatrically a plane brought crashing to earth. Many of these deaths are still listed as accidents and suicides. The real question is, how many of his enemies has Putin actually killed; the answer to that question, will  probably never be known.

Alexander Litvinenko

Alexander Litvinenko, was an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and and an outspoken
critic of Vladimir Putin. The FSB is a Russian internal security and counterintelligence service that was created in 1994 as a successor to the old Soviet-era KGB. The FSB is responsible for counterintelligence, antiterrorism, and surveillance of the military. Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 with his family and sought asylum in London.
Soviet Era Poisons

In 2006, Litvinenko died of polonium-210 poisoning in a London hospital. His killers, were accused of spiking his tea with the deadly radioactive isotope. Before his death, Andrey Litvinenko told reporters that the FSB security service was still operating poison laboratories dating from the Soviet era. The accused killers, Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun had links to the intelligence services. Despite strong evidence against Lugovoy and Kovtun; Russia refused to extradite them for trial.

Justice Delayed

In September 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Russia was responsible for the assassination of Litvinenko and ordered Russia to pay Litvinenko’s wife €100,000 in damages plus €22,500 in costs. The ECHR found beyond reasonable doubt that Lugovoy and Kovtun killed Litvinenko and that Putin probably ordered the assassination.

Natalya (Natasha) Estemirova

Natalya (Natasha) Estemirova, was a human rights defender in Chechnya, documenting kidnapping, murder, rape and other atrocities. On July 15, 2000 she and a close friend were abducted and murdered. Putin has long been associated with her and her friend’s death. 

Yuri Shchekochikhin

Schekochikhin was Deputy Editor of the free newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Schekochikhim was also a writer, a State Duma deputy and a member of the Commission against Corruption. On 3 July 2003, Yuri Shchekochikhin died 12 days after being hospitalized in a Moscow clinic, at the age of 53, of what doctors said was an “acute allergic reaction.”

Sergei Skripal

In 2018, at least a dozen people in the small town of Salisbury, England, were sickened and one died when inadvertently exposed to the nerve agent, Novichok.  Authorities believe it was caused when two agents from the Russian GRU military intelligence agency carelessly handled the toxin causing it to be left on surfaces in their hotel room, a taxi cab, a pub booth, and on an air plane seat. The apparent target of the assassination attempt was, Sergei Skripal.

Doorknob Tampering

Skripal had been convicted in Russia of treason. Skripal was a double agent who worked with UK intelligence for multiple years and whose release to the west came in a prisoner exchange. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were nearly killed when they came in contact with the neurotoxin Novichok which had been smeared on the doorknob of their home in Salisbury. The two Skripals spent many weeks recovering in hospital, but survived. Relations between the Kremlin and the UK were severely damaged by the Skripal attack and murders of several high profile Russians living in exile.

Yevgeny Prigozhin

Known as “Putin’s Chef,” Yevgeny Prigozhin caught the attention of the world in June 2023 when his Wagner paramilitary group, in what appeared to be open mutiny, left the front lines of the battle in Ukraine and headed in military procession toward Moscow. Prigozhin was outraged at Kremlin officials, whom he believed were endangering his troops with errant missile attacks. On the way to Moscow Prigozhin’s mercenaries seized the city of Rosrov at which point the march to Moscow was halted and negotiations for a truce started.

A Deadly Truce

Prigozhin appeared to have negotiated a truce with the Kremlin, agreeing to evacuate his Wagner troops to Belarus and to focus the group’s activities outside Ukraine. In August 2023 he was in Moscow to finalize the details of the agreement. After leaving the meeting, somewhere north of Moscow, he and several of his top aides were killed when an explosion aboard his Embraer Legacy 600 business jet sent the plane spiraling to the ground, killing all on board. Soon after, Putin signed a decree forcing Prigozhin’s Wagner troops to swear an oath to him and Russia’s national flag.

Boris Nemtsov  

Boris Nemtsov, a major domestic rival of Putin, died in 2015 right before an opposition rally. Nemtsov was shot in the back of the head four times within blocks of the Kremlin on his way to the rally. Nemtsov was a vocal opposition leader who had served as Deputy Prime Minister under Boris Yeltsin and was seen as a potential successor. A joint investigation by the BBC and the Insider uncovered that Nemtsov had been followed by FBS agents for over a year prior to his murder. The investigation revealed that the agents shadowing Nemtsov were suspected of poisoning several Kremlin critics. Five men of Chechen origin were arrested over the attack, but those close to Nemtsov believed that Putin had given the order.

Anna Politkovskaya

Anna Politkovskaya was one of Russia’s most prominent journalists before her death. The Novaya Gazeta (now Novaya Gazeta Europe) reporter was loudly critical of Putin and Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. The journalist and human rights activist, was gunned down in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006. She regularly criticized the Kremlin, particularly regarding policies related to Chechnya. A probe into her death failed to determine who killed her. Her brazen murder had a chilling effect on Russia’s media, causing many free newspapers, including the Gazeta, to flee Russia and publish from outside the country. Putin called for her killer(s) to be arrested, but slammed Politkovskaya herself as contributing “very little” to Russian life.

Boris Berezovsky and Friends

Even rich oligarchs haven’t been safe from Putin’s wrath. It seems multiple Russian executives have died under mysterious circumstances, including suspicious suicides and unexplained falls from tall buildings. Boris Berezovsky was a Kremlin insider turned strident Putin critic who had gone into self-imposed exile in the UK in the early 2000s. In 2013, Berezovsky was found hanged in the bathroom of his Ascot residence. The case remains officially a suicide. An associate of Berezovsky, Nikolai Glushkov another Putin critic was found suffocated in his London home. Georgian billionaire and political opponent of Putin, Badri Patarkatsishvili, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in his Surry, Uk home where he too was living in exile. Further, on Jan 11, 2007 — A founding father of the one-time Yukos oil empire, Yury Golubev, was found dead in his London apartment.

Opposition to Ukraine Invasion

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