TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Bicyclist injured in crash with vehicle

American political leaders where they can or cannot go.

• “Russia Expects a Visit From China’s Xi Jinping in the Spring”

How about if we tell Xi not to visit Russia?

Speaking of which…

• “Putin Has a Problem: His SoCalled Allies Won’t Help Fight in Ukraine”

It appears that Mad Vlad is more isolated than ever as countries he counted on for reinforcement have slithered away from his Peter the Great delusions of grandeur and empire building.

Let’s start with Belarus, whose iron-fisted tyrant Alexander Lukashenko assisted poisonous Putin by allowing the Russian army to launch across his border into Ukraine but has fallen short of committing his own troops. This is because he is widely despised in his own country and knows that body bags returning home would further loosen his dictatorial grip.

Alphabetically, next is China, which is tightly focused on its own internal concerns (in addition to global conquest) such as a declining economy, recurrent bouts of Covid and civil unrest caused by both—and a desire to annex Taiwan. Moreover, China is delighted to see Russia deplete its military, which will work to its advantage when it makes a move on disputed border territories and probably why—reports The Wall Street Journal—“Chinese stateowned defense companies are shipping navigation equipment, jamming technology and fighterjet parts to sanctioned Russiangovernment owned defense companies.”

India is a natural ally to Russia against China’s territorial challenges but has shrewdly taken advantage of acrimony and sanctions, as one of Russia’s few remaining clients, to purchase oil at a discounted price. Not so much support as exploiting the situation to their own benefit.

Iran, though delighted to sell drones and other military technology to Russia, has yet to recognize Putin’s annexations of Ukrainian regions. The Iranian leadership is mostly consumed with enmity and inevitable war with Israel and the United States.

Kazakhstan refused Putin’s request for troops and is now looking to align with China and Turkey to protect its economic and territorial integrity.

North Korea’s moral support is insignificant, perhaps useful only as a nuclear proxy/decoy.

Historically, Serbia is a natural ally to Russia and the private Wagner group has seen much success recruiting Serbian mercenaries to pick up arms against Ukraine. But Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has demanded they stop and warns of legal consequences for Serbs who join up. He has also condemned the invasion, mindful that Serbia desires to join the European Union.

Syria has its own troubles with Turkish leader Recep Erdogan and, far from sending troops to Ukraine on Russia’s behalf, will need all the manpower it can muster if they go to war with Turkey. Russia, meantime, is of no help to them, having transferred much of its military force— placed there to prop up dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime—to the

ROBERT ERINGER

frontlines in Ukraine. Thus, each has let the other down.

If extraterrestrials are watching from on high, they must think we’re all nuts, as in, planet Earth is the galaxy’s insane asylum. And maybe this was why…

• “Putin ‘is Buzzed by ColorChanging UFO’ Spotted by FOUR Russian Planes”

Perhaps aliens are planning to abduct the dastardly dictator with a view toward dissection (while still alive) as…

• “Putin Threatens West For Giving Leopard Tanks to Ukraine” Putin changed Volgograd’s name back to Stalingrad (after his hero) for one day and announced: “Those who hope to defeat Russia on the battlefield do not understand that a modern war with Russia will be very different. It won’t be limited to the use of armored hardware.”

Another empty portent or is putrid Putin prepared to go postal?

• “Republicans BLOCK Omar From Foreign Affairs Committee” Rep. AOC (D-NY) wigs out and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) sobs.

Oh, boo-hoo. This was not about Omar’s religion or that she is “a woman of color,” as emotionally incontinent AOC would have you believe. Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell were booted off the Intelligence Committee and neither are Moslem nor men of color.

Ilhan Omar never should have been on the House Foreign Affairs Committee due to her anti-Semitic bigotry and public indiscretions.

Voters elected Omar to the House, fine. But majority House members decide who sits on which committees, just as Nancy Pelosi as Speaker decided to reject two GOP members from sitting on a committee investigating the 1/6 “insurrection,” thereby transforming it into her own cozy kangaroo court.

• “King Charles to Respond to Harry’s ‘Spare’ in Tell-All Interview”

Charles would be well advised to heed the wise words of 19th century British constitutionalist Walter Bagehot who wrote the definitive book on monarchy and insisted royals must remain above the fray and preserve their mystique in order for royalty as an institution to survive.

In this digital age of (anti)social media, there is a tremendous urge to be visible — and perhaps some Buck House courtiers advise in favor of engaging the modern world in this manner.

But Bagehot had it right: Remain above the fray, retain mystique.

Meanwhile, sources tell us that Harry has preconditions for attending his dad’s Coronation: “Harry doesn’t want to attend the Coronation, behave himself, then be stripped of his titles at a later date. He still wants a public apology from the family, wants to wear his military uniform— and doesn’t want to be seated anywhere near Uncle Andrew because of Andrew’s sordid reputation.”

The Brits have a television soap opera called Coronation Street that has been running for over 60 years. Real life imitating art?

• “Court Slaps Down California’s Attempt to Muzzle Doctors Who Dissent From Covid Groupthink”

At least one California federal judge believes in free speech and refuses to allow Governor Gavin Gruesome from censoring doctors that desire to speak their minds.

The anti-free speech law Gruesome signed—AB 2098— has been injuncted and cannot be enforced. It would otherwise have prohibited doctors from expressing their beliefs on Covid vaccines under penalty of losing their medical license in addition to criminal prosecution.

Those who mess with the First Amendment are the folks who should be jailed.

Never, ever allow mainstream media or government to tell you what or what not to believe.

And now First Amendment rights are being violated in, of all places, the…

• “Smithsonian Kicks Out Students for Wearing Pro-Life Hats”

Who: A group of students from a Catholic school in Greeneville, South Carolina.

Where: The Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum.

When: 27 January.

What: First they were heckled and then 86’d for wearing hats embroidered with “Pro-Life.”

Why: Staff claimed their museum to be a “neutral zone.”

In other words, freedom of expression and freedom of religion are not permitted in a public, federal institution.

Go figure.

• “East Oregon Movement Trying to Secede and Join Idaho”

This is the new strategy for rural areas to distance themselves from woke and broke U.S. cities.

It is uphill but not impossible— and would create quite the precedent.

San Bernardino County in California is already talking about their own scenario for secession.

• “Valley Fever That Kills One in 100 Sufferers is spreading across the US ‘Because of Climate Change’”

Coccidioides is a fungus deadlier than flu and, as it drifts eastward, our Californian gift to other states.

When inhaled these spores cause coughing and chest pain, can reproduce inside lungs and travel to vital organs including the brain.

Could it be that Mother Nature is rushing to improve its immunity from the human race before we either snuff out or suffocate the planet?

• “Analysis of 78 Studies and One Million People Finds Face Coverings Made ‘Little to No Difference’ to Covid Infection or Death Rates”

We still see them around, these devout mask-wearing sheeple who should hide out from cooties by remaining home and watching reruns of Anthony Fauci’s fatuous fictions.

It was all a crock and the flock