Victor R Franko

It's a ponzi scheme. It's always at the expense of young people. I started getting taken 50 years ago. I'll never live long enough to get back what I put in.

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I love Hamilton and have since I saw it on Independence Day 2020

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I've mentioned before and will mention only once again when we get close to the 4th. If you haven't seen the movie "1776", it's worth watching, and especially if you have teens or young ones that might be interested in the Declaration of Independence. I never watched for decades as I thought it was a poo-poo musical. I regret it. Very good movie on how the 13 colonies got together in Philadelphia and decided to become independent. I particularly enjoyed the arguments between John Adams and Rutledge(South Carolina delegate).

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"Molasses to Rum" is a pivotal song from the 1972 film adaptation of the Broadway musical 1776, performed by John Cullum as Edward Rutledge, a delegate from South Carolina. The number serves as Rutledge's fierce rebuttal to Northern delegates who sought to include an anti-slavery clause in the Declaration of Independence, exposing the hypocrisy of New Englanders who profited from the triangular slave trade while condemning Southern slavery.

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BTW, it usually shows up on OTA broadcast on The Movie Channel around the 4th. May also be on YouTube in entirety.
The White Shadow, Ken Howard played Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson didn't say much, but he was like E.F. Hutton, when he spoke people listened.

He's getting people on record of what they stand for.

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How do people with 1st grade reading levels from 3rd world countries have the skills to steal billions of dollars from the world's most powerful country?

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They're getting help, and they're not stealing the lion's share of the money. They'll get the blame and end up holding the bag, a little for each. The big cheese operators will attempt to escape and most likely will.

Pink Floyd? Did somebody say Pink Floyd?
I'm present and accounted for, all ears.

I've been prepared for a while...

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And if the cloud bursts thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you'r in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon

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You should quote the text of the post below the embedded post like others do. That is if you really want people to read the content. I'm lazy and time constrained, and not the only one.

About 14.3 million per person. 10 years in a federal med/low security penitentiary would make it worth it to me. Just better have secured the money outside the country and not traceable.

I'm fairly sure that a significant portion of the frozen Iranian assets is to also be used to repair damage caused to neighboring countries oil facilities by Iranian weapons. That is, funds are released, Iran is credited with the release however money transfers to damaged countries for repair.

This is similar to how a general contractor handles a subcontractor who causes damage to another sub's work.

Is that Thunderbolt Patterson?

During this slow time, I thought I'd post the information below that I posted in the SoH thread. I've read every page in this thread and don't recall seeing "Rules" of use for International waterways and straits. Doesn't really mater if countries want to do what they want to do, but below are the international agreed upon expectations for a location like the straits of Hormuz.

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Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), straits used for international navigation are governed by the regime of transit passage, which balances the sovereignty of bordering states with the need for unimpeded global maritime and aerial flow.

Key Rules for Transit Passage

Right of Passage: All ships and aircraft, including warships and submarines (which may transit submerged), enjoy the right of continuous and expeditious transit through the entire strait and its approaches.
No Suspension: Bordering states cannot suspend transit passage for any reason, including security concerns, nor can they impose requirements that effectively hamper or impair this right.

Prohibited Activities: Vessels and aircraft must refrain from any threat or use of force against the bordering states, conduct weapons exercises, or engage in intelligence gathering. Activities unrelated to transit, such as loitering or scientific research without authorization, are prohibited.

Compliance Obligations: Users must comply with generally accepted international regulations regarding maritime safety, collision avoidance, and the prevention of marine pollution.

Coastal State Authority: Bordering states may designate sea lanes and prescribe traffic separation schemes for safety, enforce laws against pollution discharge, and regulate fishing and customs, provided these measures do not nullify the right of transit.

Exceptions and Alternative Regimes

Innocent Passage: If a strait contains a route through the high seas or exclusive economic zone that is equally convenient, ships may use that route under the ordinary freedom of navigation rather than transit passage.

Existing Conventions: The transit passage regime does not apply to straits regulated by long-standing international conventions, such as the Turkish Straits (governed by the 1936 Montreux Convention) or the Danish Straits.

Geographic Exceptions: If a strait is formed by an island belonging to a coastal state and its mainland, and there is a seaward route of similar convenience, the transit passage regime may not apply to that specific route.

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Key metrics for 2025 traffic include: With respect to the Straits of Hormuz

Crude Oil: Nearly 15 million barrels per day of crude oil passed through, with most exports destined for Asia, particularly China and India.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Around 20% of global LNG trade transited the strait, primarily originating from Qatar.

Vessel Count: Approximately 3,000 vessels typically passed through the strait each month prior to the escalation of conflict in late February 2026.

Alternative Routes: While some oil was diverted via pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, all LNG had to be transported by ship through the strait, highlighting its indispensable role in global energy markets.