Wednesday Night #1844

Diana has been felled by a sinus/cold and headache which has seriously damaged her ability to think clearly, so please forgive the brevity and randomness of tonight’s “Prologue”.
However, there is so much happening that cannot be ignored.

Top of the list for the last 24 hours is of course the insouciant role in US/Russia relations played by Donald Trump Jr. , greatly overshadowing the Trump-eted success of the Trump-Putin meeting in Hamburg.

Have you been following the on-again-off-again  story of the proposal  that the US & Russia join forces to create a cyber security unit?   Seems that some of the scathing criticism  e.g. Exactly How Stupid of an Idea Is a U.S.-Russia Cybersecurity Unit? (and yes, we cringe over the unnecessary insertion of ‘of’ in the headline) has  penetrated the Oval Office Trump: Russian Cyber Security Partnership Won’t Happen
Kaspersky Lab which produces anti-virus software (yes, we use it and have for years) and has been a leading player in the cyber security market for decades, appears to be caught in the middle  as Trump administration limits government use of Kaspersky Lab software

Al Jazeera reports that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had “confirmed information” that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed. And Mosul has been captured, though there is sure to be some very messy house-to-house street fighting for some time. ABC News reports  that ISIS fighters are feigning surrender in order to attempt suicide attacks The New York Times is less than sanguine about the prospects for a peaceful rehabilitation of the city: Iraq Celebrates Victory Over ISIS in Mosul, but Risks Remain

Tony Deutsch has relayed a  disturbing report Israel backs Hungary, says financier Soros is a threat and expands with this comment: “The Reuters narrative is  largely accurate .What is  missing: 1. Soros-backed groups have spoken out on behalf of admitting the Hungarian share (a few thousand) of EU-certified political refugees. By contrast, Orban attributes to them, repeatedly, advocating a limitless admittance of any migrant, who shows up at the border. 2. The Soros-faced posters are omnipresent, including the floor of Budapest subway cars. 3.Enthusiastic  graffiti-artist have written “stinking jew”  on the nose of numerous Soros-posters. 4. The president and usual spokesman for the Hungarian Jewish community has , in a polite letter, called upon Orban to cease the anti-Soros campaign, because it provokes very painful memories among Hungarian Jews. Orban , in declining the request, points out that his first duty is to protect the population, naturally including the Jewish community, from the barbarian invaders. The Israeli Ambassador issued a statement backing the spokesman for the Hungarian Jewish community. 5. Naturally, the Soros-endowed Central European University has not taken an official position is any of this, but Orban’s claque keeps repeating that the CEU trains Soros-agents.

According to a Government of Canada Press Release, Prime Minister concludes successful G20 Summit in Germany

PM Trudeau had a very successful trip. We know he had fun in Ireland, gave a good speech in Scotland and had a chat with  Her Majesty before heading to Hamburg and the G20  but we must agree with Andrew MacDougall that “while he has amassed plenty of international political capital, it’s unclear what he’ll spend it on.”  We did not see much evidence of real influence in any of these events, but perhaps we missed something.  He faces enough problems now that he is home including the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Inquiry, the backlash from the Omar Khadar settlement and the devastating wildfires in BC.  So, instead, perhaps we could celebrate the  $52M gift to Concordia’s Richard J. Renaud Science Complex

At home, the MUHC Board has launched its own bombshell with the resignations of ten  independent board members – a declaration of war in the long dispute with the Quebec Minister of Health. The Gazette exhibits its unfailing grasp of the obvious with the story that Employees and patients frustrated by MUHC problems  The CBC report quotes Geoffrey Chambers, vice-president of the Quebec Community Groups Network, a leading voice in the anglophone community, [who] said he’s hopeful the resignations can eventually bring a resolution to the “crisis” of funding and morale at the MUHC. With respect, we are not so sure and cannot help but wonder if the same crisis had occurred at the CHUM, would the government not be a bit more conciliatory?

Oh yes, recently we rejoiced over the news that the Willow Inn in Hudson would soon re-open, but before it does,  Does Maud haunt the Willow Inn? Ghost Hunters to investigate Hudson landmark