Red Notice

(A TRUE STORY OF HIGH FINANCE, MURDER, AND ONE MAN’S FIGHT FOR JUSTICE) BY BILL BROWDER As a young man entering finance he was given an assignment to advise a client in Russia on investing in a company. His advice was to buy all the stock they could as the assets he discovered far exceeded the asking price. As a result of this experience he realized that after the breakup of the USSR and reverting from Communism to Capitalism that as a rule there were many different companies undervalued. He formed his own investment company and acquired startup funds from investors and moved to Moscow. The Russian Government had given 150 million citizens a voucher worth $20. They were exchangeable for 30% of nearly all Russian Companies. The valuation was ridiculously low about $10 Billion. The people would part with them easily. Any investor could buy them. Browder and his investors made Millions quickly. On a trip back to Russia from his home in London he was not allowed to enter. Realizing what was happening he was able to get his funds out of Russia. A Russian citizen who had done legal work for him was arrested, tortured and eventually died in captivity. From this point on Browder devoted his life to bring to justice those responsible. He has little regard for Putin and believes he was directly involved. The man’s name was Sergei Magnitsky. Browder was able to convince members of Congress to enact a law penalizing those Russians responsible. The Magnitsky Act was signed into law by President Obama in December, 2012. This was followed by the European Union enacting the same law. Putin retaliated by banning adoptions of Russian children. The definition of “Red Notice” is; a communication issued by Interpol requesting the arrest of wanted persons, with a view to extradition. Mr. Browder’s life is in jeopardy. He believes that the publishing of this book provides a measure of protection.

Sapiens

(A Brief History of Humankind) By; Yuval Noah Harari The author starts at the beginning and brings us to the present with concerns about where it will all end. You have no doubt learned about how humans began. It is well researched and I recommend reading if this is something of interest to you. Other than history the parts that got my attention were the following; 1- He does not believe there is a God ruling over us, whatever God you choose to follow. 2- He believes that all of creation is important including animals. Today animals are regarded as another item in inventory without feelings or of value. Factory processing denies them the short life that they might have enjoyed being raised on farms as they were in the past. 3- We just don’t realize how lucky we are in this Century. The loss of life due to warfare is miniscule compared to the 20th Century. 4- We are on the cusp, with the ability to create super human beings. There are many examples of cloning. Just last week we learned that they were able to take the DNA of a dead white rhino and inseminate into a female as they attempt to keep this species from extinction. On 60 minutes several weeks ago a humans brain connected to the Internet was able to answer a complicated math problem within seconds. Somewhere the attempt will be made. It is just a matter of when or where. Lastly our Earth as we know it may cease to exist due to nuclear destruction or severe climate change. It can be either a great future or the end of civilization. Humans are in control. Jack B. Walters September 15, 2019

The Soul of America

(The battle for our better angels) By; Jon Meacham Jon Meacham is an outstanding researcher and writer. He has written a number of books for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. This book was published in 2018 and was offered as a program at OLLI this summer which I attended. I am going to list the Chapters with a short synopsis contained therein. TO HOPE RATHER THAN TO FEAR “This book is a portrait of hours in which the politics of fear were prevalent-a reminder that periods of public dispiritedness are not new and a reassurance that they are survivable. In the best of moments, witness, protest and resistance can intersect with the leadership of an American president to lift us to higher ground. Progress in American life, as we will see, has been slow, painful, bloody, and tragic. Yet the journey has gone on and proceeds even now.” THE CONFIDENCE OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE This section starts with the confidence the founders had in electing George Washington as our first president. The fear was of a president overwhelming Congress. It explores the first president from the common man, Andrew Jackson. Prior to him they had all been from the original States. Then Abraham Lincoln and how he took us step by step towards freeing the slaves. Had the South re-united in the union they would have kept their slaves except not in new States being created? He follows with Teddy Roosevelt, F.D.R and ends with Lyndon Johnson finishing the Civil Rights issue in 1964 and 1965. THE LONG SHADOW OF APPROMATTOX This chapter covers the hundred years after the Civil War, the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan and keeping the former slaves in near bondage. This was a truly sad chapter in our history. Many presidents attempted to resolve without success. WITH SOUL OF FLAME AND TEMPER OF STEEL This chapter is devoted to Teddy and his bully pulpit and progressive promise. A NEW AND GOOD THING IN THE WORLD Women finally are given the right to vote under President Wilson. The Klan is covered more in depth. THE CRISIS OF THE OLD ORDER The Great Depression, Huey Long, the New Deal, and America First. HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF DECENCY? Making Everyone Middle Class, the G.I.Bill, McCarthyism and Modern Media WHAT THE HELL IS THE PRESIDENT FOR? Segregation Forever, King’s crusade, and L.B.J.in the Crucible. THE FIRST DUTY OF AN AMERICAN CITIZEN This Chapter follows courageous steps taken by Presidents that they believed were necessary even if not popular. Truman, Reagan, Kennedy are mentioned prominently. The book ends as follows; “For all of our darker impulses, for all of our short comings, and for all of the dreams denied and deferred, the experiment begun so long ago, carried out so imperfectly, is worth the fight. There is, in fact, no struggle more important, and none nobler, than the one we wage in the service of those better angels who, however besieged, are always ready for battle”. This is an excellent book worthy of reading.

Utility forgiveness program

Surprise, surprise Who would have ever thought that allowing electric customers to not need to pay their bills when the temperature is high would result in many choosing to not pay? The total to date is $340,000. When they finally decide to pay there will be huge costs accumulated. The forgiveness program was approved by the Industrial Commission after a woman died when her electricity was turned off for being delinquent in paying her bill. This was tragic of course. In their infinite compassion they failed to assure the utilities that the taxpayers would cover the cost of unpaid bills. Now being pleased with their efforts so far they intend to add forgiveness in the winter months as well. We keep our living space at 83 degrees and sleeping area 80. Still our bill last month was $226 which we paid on time. Neither of us own smart phones but I would suggest that those who aren’t paying their utility bill have them for each member of the family. Nowhere in the Constitution is it mandated to provide comfortable temperatures in every home. If in the judgement of the Commissioners that this benefit should be granted then the least they can do is provide financial relief to the utilities.