Lee Heidhues 9.10.2022
The German government is remaining steadfast in its support of Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s 200 day onslaught against their country.
The German resolve is perhaps best personified by its Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Leader of the German Green Party.
As the most influential spokeswoman in German foreign policy Minister Baerbock has been unflinching in calling out the Russian aggression and condemning Vladimir Putin.
Deutsche Welle 9.10.2022
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has promised Ukraine further military assistance during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Saturday. It is her second visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded in late February.
“It’s clear to me, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is banking on us growing tired of sympathizing with Ukraine’s suffering,” she said. “He believes he can divide our societies with lies and blackmail them with energy supplies. And, that he can drain us of the energy to defend ourselves against this brutal attack on all of our values.”
But Putin’s calculation was wrong, she said. “Because all of Europe knows that Ukraine is defending our peaceful order.”
She was hesitant to publicly guarantee Kyiv’s demand for battle tanks but assured that Germany would help with the removal of mines from conflict zones.

Clearing Russian placed land mines in Ukraine – a Dangerous assignment
Baerbock has also promised Ukraine further support in clearing mines in former combat zones. In addition to the delivery of weapons, this is important in order to make life safer for people in the areas temporarily occupied by the Russian army, said the German minister during her visit to a minefield in Velyka Dymerka near Kyiv.
In Velyka Dymerka, Germany is supporting a civilian project to clear mines. The federal government has provided a total of €6 million ($6 million) for the disposal of explosives by the non-governmental organization HALO.

Foreign Minister Baerbock and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Baerbock said: “As the situation on the ground changes, we are re-examining our support and will discuss further steps.”
At a joint press conference with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Baerbock stressed that the time was urgent.
She added, “The next weeks and months will be crucial.”

The dogs of war in Ukraine
Baerbock said her presence in the country is intended to show “that we will continue to stand by Ukraine as long as it takes — with the delivery of weapons, as well as humanitarian and financial support.”
Baerbock said her visit was also meant to counter potential war fatigue in Germany.
Top photo – German Foreign Minister Annalea Baerbock in Ukraine
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-germanys-baerbock-vows-further-military-assistance-during-surprise-kyiv-visit/a-63078478

Lee Heidhues 9.10.2022

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and its wealthy politically connected benefactors have poured in most of the nearly $500,000 to defeat Proposition J. The people’s effort to save JFK Promenade.

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco just gave another $75,000 in its greed driven campaign to bring climate killing cars back to JFK Promenade. All in the name of profit.

FAMSF 75K contribution 9.9.2022

Election day is only 59 days away.

The Fine Arts Museum is opening its deep pockets to destroy JFK Promenade through its mercenary fueled ballot measure Proposition I.

I expect there will soon be a Political Action Committee shoveling money into the campaign. These insidious groups are able to hide the true source of their funding.

The Fine Arts Museums has spent over two years trying to destroy JFK Promenade. First through its lobbyist Platinum Advisors in a brazen effort to stop the City from making JFK Promenade a car free oasis. That failed.

Dede Wilsey. San Francisco power broker, scion to the Dow Chemical Company and contributor to Donald Trump, gave $200,000 to mercenaries to qualify the ballot measure to destroy JFK Promenade.

The mercenaries were paid to collect signatures and qualify the Fine Arts Museums greed and profit driven measure for the ballot.

VOTE YES ON J FOR JFK PROMENADE – VOTE NO ON I.

 

 

 

Lee Heidhues 9.9.2022

The sad photo above is the destroyed New Zealand Christmas tree root wrapped in burlap.

For now all work has stopped on the recycled water line project as the tree awaits its fate.

It’s been three days since San Francisco City workers, in violation of a Decision ordering that a beautiful New Zealand Christmas Tree be preserved, wantonly hacked off a large root of the until now decades old thriving tree.

WD-2852_Decision_on_appeal_Tree_Removal_lyman

Thursday we were contacted by the City’s Bureau of Urban Forestry and told an arborist would do a site inspection at the scene of the carnage.

I asked that I be contacted beforehand so I could meet and talk about this violation of the Hearing Officer’s Order to Preserve the Tree. I was never contacted.

I asked that the City send a Crew out to thoroughly water the tree. As far as I can determine this has not yet happened.

So I visited the corner of 39th Avenue and Clement Street adjacent to the Lincoln Park Golf Course, whose entitled golfer community is the beneficiary of the recycled water main which will water the greens.

There is no benefit to the environment as the destruction of this beautiful tree clearly indicates. 

Lee Heidhues 9.8.2022

The New Zealand Christmas Tree is dying and needs to be thoroughly irrigated in this HOT weather.

Work has apparently stopped at the site of the City destroyed New Zealand Christmas Tree at 39th Avenue and Clement Street in San Francisco.

City workers totally ignored a binding Decision by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission preserving the decades old landmark.

WD-2852_Decision_on_appeal_Tree_Removal_lyman

In their haste to bring recycled water to the privileged class at Lincoln Park Golf Course, the City totally ignored the Decision and City regulations requiring a Tree Protection Plan.

Liz Heidhues visited the site of the destruction earlier today and took some photographic evidence.

 

We need every tree in the city and Bay Area for oxygen and beauty!-Marion Gerlind, Phd.

Lee Heidhues 9.8.2022

In violation of a binding Decision, City workers brazenly cut away a large root despite the City’s own rules about putting a ‘Tree Protection Plan’ in place astride the Lincoln Park Golf Course.

The City is totally non responsive to the several messages we have conveyed since learning of the wanton destruction of a beautiful New Zealand Christmas tree we successfully fought to be saved at 39th Avenue and Clement Street.

The total silence of San Francisco government officials to this degradation of the environment after Liz Heidhues and I obtained a favorable Decision from the Public Utilities Commission in July 2022 is an outrage.

The City has already irreparably damaged the New Zealand Christmas tree.

Before commencing work on a water pipe to bring recycled water to accommodate a privileged class of golfers this ‘Tree Protection Plan’ was a prerequisite.

This abuse is yet another example of the cavalier manner San Francisco government treats its citizens.

An abuse which extends to abusing its citizens even when these citizens have obtained a legally binding Decision from a Public Utilities Commission hearing officer.

WD-2852_Decision_on_appeal_Tree_Removal_lyman

Following is a letter sent to the SFPUC hearing officer on May 27, 2022 the day he heard our Appeal and ruled in our favor. It reads in part.

Top photo – The City destroyed New Zealand Christmas tree at 39th Avenue and Clement Street – San Francisco 9.7.2022

Liz Heidhues 9.7.2022

Dear Parties Involved

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

San Francisco Department of Public Works

San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department

How does using a chainsaw to cut away a massive root for “our” tree follow the instructions of Hearing Officer Greg Lyman to protect the tree at all costs? (Ruling 7.6.2022)

WD-2852_Decision_on_appeal_Tree_Removal_lyman

An explanation is owed me!

I am the Plaintiff filing the original complaint after seeing “Notice of Tree Removal” posted on “our” tree by the SFPUC.

I observed and documented the Notice 1.10.2022, while walking in the Urban Tree Canopy, home to “our” tree at 39th and Clement.

Severing this massive root is a violation of the “Tree Protection Plan” (Public Works Code Section 808(c)(4) ). A root this size is a major source of nutrition and stability for this big healthy tree, now endangered.

Further construction compacting the remaining root system will cause more damage.

Was my staying up until dawn to research air gaps and public pipes systems in order to prepare for our Appeal and Hearing all in vain? I am⁰ not an engineer.

The public grievance system in San Francisco is a dog-and-pony show for residents not having influence, money, and time to throw at the bureaucracy.

The damage is done. When a limb of survival has been amputated, it cannot be grafted back on.

Recreation and Park employee, blatantly disregarded a Hearing Officer’s Decision, and cut off a large root of the beautiful New Zealand Christmas Tree at 39th Avenue and Clement Street.

Lee Heidhues 9.7.2022

The City and County of San Francisco has willfully and illegally destroyed a beautiful New Zealand Christmas Tree which Liz Heidhues and I successfully worked months to preserve.

After submitting numerous documents and participating in two hearings with our co-appellant a San Francisco Public Utilities Hearing office issued a Decision in our favor.

The New Zealand Christmas Tree must be preserved.

Despite this legally binding document The City’s Recreation and Parks department, which was not even a party to this action, destroyed the tree by cutting away a massive root. This morning I spoke with one of the contractor’s working on water main project adjacent to the tree. He told me that his company would not damage the tree.

Instead, a worker from the Recreation and Parks Department had no qualms about destroying this beautiful tree. He did the the dirty work himself.

Top photo – Pity the poor New Zealand Christmas Tree destroyed by workers from The City and County of San Francisco fçppp op p

Lee Heidhues 9.7.2022

I presume that we can expect to hear more Leanna Louie’s social media rants now that the Court has upheld the law and wasn’t swayed by her bullhorn style tactics. They were effective in destroying The Real DA Chesa Boudin and three School members. The Court was having none of it.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Ulmer has denied election law violator Leanna Louie’s petition to force her way onto the November ballot after the City Attorney determined she violated the City’s election law requirements.

Joe Eskenazi, who broke the story about Leanna Louie’s election law violations and was labeled a “Nazi” by Leanna for his truth telling thoroughly reported what happened in Courtroom 302 yesterday.

https://missionlocal.org/2022/09/leanna-louie-off-ballot-judge-richard-ulmer/

Lee Heidhues 9.5.2022

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) murdered the Palestinian-American famed journalist on May 11, 2022 – Shireen Abu Akleh.

It was a wanton cold blooded assassination by an Israeli soldier.

For the past four months the Israelis have denied their guilt.

Now the Israelis are saying an Israeli likely murdered Ms. Abu Akleh. The Israelis are calling it a mistake. The Israelis thought she was a Palestinian terrorist.

This is a bold faced lie.

Ms. Abu Akleh was wearing a clearly identifiable PRESS insignia when she was cut down in the prime of her life.

The Israelis say there will be no further investigation and the case, in the minds of the Israeli government, is closed.

It was a war crime and needs to be investigated at the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Excerpted from Al Jazeera – 9.5.2022

Ramallah, Occupied West Bank – Israel has said there is a “high possibility” that slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was “accidentally hit” by Israeli army fire but added that it would not be launching a criminal investigation.

In a background briefing for journalists prior to the release of the results, senior Israeli army officials said they had met the soldier, and that “if he did it, he did it by mistake”.

They also repeatedly said they were “very proud of the conduct of our soldiers” and that the soldiers “were briefed and acted according to procedure”.

The journalists who were standing next to her and witnessed the killing also said no Palestinian fighters were present.

Palestinian witnesses told Al Jazeera’s The Take podcast that they were never contacted by Israel as part of the investigation.

Israel tried to ‘obscure the truth’

In a statement on Monday, Abu Akleh’s family said Israel tried to “obscure the truth and avoid responsibility for killing Shireen Abu Akleh”.

“As expected, Israel has refused to take responsibility for murdering Shireen. Our family is not surprised by this outcome since it’s obvious to anyone the Israeli war criminals cannot investigate their own crimes,” the statement read.

Abu Akleh, a 51-year-old Palestinian American, was shot dead by Israeli forces on May 11, while she was covering an army raid on Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank

Israeli authorities released on Monday afternoon the results of their investigation into the killing. Witnesses, Al Jazeera, and numerous investigations by the United Nations, human rights groups, and media organisations have found that an Israeli soldier shot Abu Akleh.

The Israeli investigation said that its soldiers had come under fire from Palestinian fighters at the scene, a claim that has not been corroborated by footage of the incident.

“It is not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire which hit and killed Ms. Abu Akleh,” the report said, adding that it remains a “possibility” that she “was hit by bullets fired by armed Palestinian gunmen”.

“After a comprehensive examination of the incident, and based on all the findings, the Military Advocate General found that under the circumstances of the case, there is no suspicion of a criminal offense that justifies the opening of a Military Police investigation,” the report said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/5/israel-probe-shireen-abu-akleh

Top photo – Shireen Abu Akleh’s Palestinian sisters mourn for her murder.

Lee Heidhues 9.4.2022

Germany certainly knows about War.

‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ – the classic 1929 anti-war novel by Erich Maria Remarque – is in its third cinematic interpretation. The latest version, made in Germany, will be the European nation’s entry as best international film at the 2023 Academy Awards.

The film will begin streaming on Netflix October 28, 2022.

Excerpted from Deutsche Welle 8.25.2022

A jury in Munich decided on Wednesday evening which production should get a chance to win the best international feature film Academy Award in 2023 — and selected “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Edward Berger, who also directed the “Deutschland 83” TV series.

“Erich Maria Remarque wrote a book almost 100 years ago that is, unfortunately, more relevant today than we expected,” director Berger said after the announcement by German Films, the foreign representative of German cinema. He added that it’s a great honor to enter the race for the Oscars with the film.

The last time Germany won the best international feature film Oscar was 15 years ago, with Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s “The Lives of Others.” Last year, Maria Schrader’s futuristic tragicomedy “I’m Your Man” made it onto the short list but not into the final round.

“All Quiet on the Western Front” is based on Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel of the same name, which is regarded as the epitome of the anti-war novel. The German author paints a portrait of a generation of young men who are in an upbeat mood when they leave school for the front; they end up perishing in the murderous war machine of World War I.

At the time, “All Quiet on the Western Front” was the biggest success in German literary history.

The novel was first adapted for the screen in the US in 1930, a film that won two Oscars. A second film version followed in 1979.

Berger’s production is the third version, albeit the first from Germany.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-sends-all-quiet-on-the-western-front-to-oscars/a-62920598