LATEST: Montreal also voting on gun ban

Montreal will vote today whether to adopt a resolution that would echo the Toronto City Council’s call for new federal gun controls. It is reported...

"Following the shooting deaths of two people in Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood by an attacker with an illegally obtained handgun in late July, the Toronto City Council adopted a resolution supporting several federal and local gun restrictions. The measure called for a nationwide ban on all handguns and semi-automatic firearms, a prohibition on the at-home possession of firearms, shuttering the remaining shooting ranges and gun clubs in Toronto, and a local ban on the sale of handguns and “handgun ammunition” within the city."

And a pathetic U.S. Congress still pees its pants because the National Rifle Assn. and Wayne LaPierre refuses to allow even any thoughts of gun legislation so they refuse to even consder a U.S. gun ban.

Guns across U.S. border spurring Canadian gun violence

Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control and a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto exclaimed, "historically in Toronto about two-thirds of handguns used in crimes came from the US." She added, "if you look at Chicago, which is the same size as Toronto, Chicago had 10 times as many gun murders last year as we did." But it's getting steadily worse in Canada and you might say there could also be a copycat effect; monkey see Americans getting away with rampant gun violence, monkey figure they can do the same in Canada. Gun nuts have no conscience nor control.

And there are more handguns in Canada today; 660,000 before 2013 to 840,000 in 2016, firearms which, by the way, require licensing.. But the reactions are exactly the opposite to gun violence in Canada from the U.S. Our cowardly morons in Congress say "Our thoughts and prayers are with you," and leave it at that. Immediately Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government proposed new legislation for stricter background checks and record controls. And Toronto City Hall is voting on a ban on handguns in city limits. Take that Wayne LaPierre and your stinkin' NRA.

"Truth isn't truth," says Rudy Giuliani

Will Don McGahn flip on Trump?

This the perfect opening for a piece on another of Donald Trump's lawyers that apparently has a wealth of information on his boss, and thinks it is something special investigator Robert Mueller should know. The article I am reading from a very reputable source is anything but clear on what Don McGahn has revealed or will talk about in the future. The implication is that Trump actually condones what McGahn is doing, urging him to testify from the beginning. Giuliani's comment about truth is, of course, his typical confusion with reality.

It is known that McGahn has "knowledge of intense encounters" with Donald Trump and his cooperation stems from earlier advice from T-rump's previous attorneys. William Burck, McGahn’s lawyer, even credits Trump with a commitment not to interfere. The problem with this is that you can never believe what Donald Trump says. And here's a good reason why...

"McGahn also told Mueller how the president tried without success to get his then staff secretary Rob Porter to warn McGahn that he could be fired if he didn’t deny the Times article that said the president ordered him to fire Mueller."

One former administration official said that Trump  "did not immediately grasp the difference between the White House lawyer and his personal lawyer" when it is in fact McGahn's "job is to protect the office of the president, not Trump the individual."

Will Catholics re-think their religion?

Let me get this straight right here. I am a firm supporter of the LGBT community; 101%! But it seems perfectly obvious to me that the priesthood must attract more than its share of gay men. And there is nothing wrong with that except, some of them are either pedophiles or turn to pedophilia later partly because of the stupid church law against priests marrying. And yet another ridiculous law that women cannot be priests. This rigid doctrine isn't working and being another firm supporter of Pope Francis, I thought something would change under his leadership. By the way, I am not a Catholic.

Sexual abuse in the Catholic church is completely out of control and with a hierarchy in place to protect the abusers, and at best just move them from one diocese to another where they continue their shenanigans, most of the time unmonitored because the new position doesn't have information on past offenses. It's like pedophilia in perpetual motion. And it isn't always gay; in many cases it involves young girls. I know that Catholics are cautioned never to question the church, and that may be worst problem right there. If there was ever a time the Catholic church should be questioned, it is now.

But who will do it?

High ranking naval officer is Trump's latest critic

Retired Adm. William McRaven

The architect of the Bin Laden assassination "issued a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump's decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan." Retired Adm. William McRaven defended former CIA Director John Brennan as "one of the finest public servants I have ever known, a man of unparalleled integrity." Donald Trump, who qualifies for none of that description, responded by threatening to yank more security clearances for all others who chastise him. McRaven volunteered to "have his own security clearance revoked in an act of solidarity."

McRaven said...

"Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency."

This is truly pathetic when coming from a top navy man who is talking about his former commander-in-chief. Other top officials and military officers said the same. Brennan put it this way...

"This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent," Brennan tweeted after the announcement.

McRaven made a parting comment about Donald Trump...

"Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation."

Good God, how much more of this can we take before this whole country implodes?

Can we turn dead malls into homeless shelters?

This is a great idea from Facebook for making use of the abandoned shopping malls around the country to give the homeless a place to live and receive decent food. The malls are there throughout the U.S., many already closed. In December 2017, CNN Money predicted 300 out of the 1,100 malls that now exist will close over five years. What happens is the anchor store closes, which brings down the smaller shops one by one until the mall becomes a ghost town. The facilities are still there like the food courts to convert to cafeterias and the stores to small apartments and business amenities.

This would require a philanthropic entrepreneur with enough money to get the job done. Maybe Warren Buffett and Bill Gates could team up and put their foundations behind something like this to solve one of this country's biggest problems, one a rich country like the USA shouldn't have. The renovation could include medical facilities, daycare for homeless mothers, financial centers for counseling and aid. There is no end to the possibilities of something that could be done about what has plagued this country for years. Think about it and let me know what you think.

More on this later.

Trump axes ex-Obama officials security clearance due to his criticism

Trump and a determined John Brennan

"Don't piss me off" should have been Donald Trump's 2016 campaign slogan. This dufus cannot tolerate criticism of any kind and retaliates for anything said or done that doesn't either promote or praise him. Check out this site where you will find a list of those who either resigned or were fired by Trump. But the security clearance thing is new and the Oval Office lunatic just revoked the security clearance for John Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Trump said the former Obama CIA chief has displayed “erratic behavior." Translated, he spoke ill of Trump.

Sarah Sanders in delivering the latest bomb citing instances where Brennan supposedly exhibited this behavior. The media has refuted this statement with facts and Brennan commented, nothing will stop me from criticizing the Trump administration. There are several more, all of which have somehow castigated T-rump, all but one from the former Obama administration. In the same CBS news article this observation...

"Brennan has been extremely critical of the president. He called Mr. Trump's joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the Helsinki summit last month "nothing short of treasonous."

In a tweet from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky...

"Is John Brennan monetizing his security clearance? Is John Brennan making millions of dollars divulging secrets to the mainstream media with his attacks on @realDonaldTrump ?"

And this is a Republican who apparently agrees that Trump is off the deep end, as usual. The decision to revoke the clearance came a day after Brennan, who headed the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency under Democratic President Barack Obama, leveled a blistering attack against Trump for the president’s tweeted criticism of former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman...

“It’s astounding how often you fail to live up to minimum standards of decency, civility, & probity. Seems like you will never understand what it means to be president, nor what it takes to be a good, decent, & honest person. So disheartening, so dangerous for our Nation.”

Damn! That says it all!