Note: Each block of text actually is a link to a story or a web page that I am commenting on. Click on that text and it will take you to the page being referred to.
The news front today has been particularly ugly … unfortunately, it is the way the world is. This is not a conservation v. liberal/progressive problem … it is the way the world is. Both sides have their approaches. Some probably are more realistic than others. I would hope that some of these articles challenge you to look at your assumptions … and think about effective ways to respond and no just ineffective knee-jerk pipe dreams that are doomed to fail and have horrendous unintended consequences.
This article by Al Jazeera pretty much makes the point that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is pretty much toast ... If the Palestinian Authority says the Oslo Accords are no longer in effect ... there will be only one winner and plenty of bloodshed.
The Economist has this article which savages President Obama and his administration for dithering while the Middle East gets consumed. We will never know what might have happened, but I don't think our president has a clue what to do now.
Thomas Friedman is an acknowledged (if progressive) expert on the Middle East and its conflicts ... it behooves us to consider what he says ... I am just not convinced it will work out the way he sees it.
Mr. Peters provides a counter-point to Mr. Friedman ... and also is worth considering his point of view as we weigh what the US should do in the Middle East.
And this is a third view to go alongside Friedman and Peters pieces.
Interesting profile on Dr. Ben Carson and his religious faith ... I could say something about the way it was written - the words chosen, etc. - but I won't ... I would like you to read it and come to your own conclusions, both about Dr. Carson, the man, and the author and what objectives were in her mind.
I can attest ... it was a very rainy day here in Maine on Wednesday ... and things did get rather ugly ... fortunately it seems that there were no casualties.
Yes, folks, I do find the irony and hypocrisy of the labor union's position in this story rather humorous ... but not unexpected. You see, when you know you essentially vote yourself money from the government by getting it to exempt you from rules you want everybody but you to abide by, you do it ... I find that funny.
The fun part of this analysis for me to see the blatant political bias in the story ... I don't think any Republican would ever get their reports announced in such glowing terms.
Somewhat unsympathetic portrayal of Sen. Bernie Sanders if he became President Sanders and tried to get all his promises passed. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, a lot of people are buying into his seductive "socialist" plans ... despite a long history of them not working.
The drip-drip-drip of bad news about Hillary and her private e-mail server just never seems to end.
Kerry also uses a private e-mail account (but not server) sometimes, but according to this story, all the emails are captured on government systems for recording ... major difference between this and what Hillary did with her own private e-mail server.
And the Kim Davis saga continues in its legal battles.
Rep. Gowdy is from the district next to mine in South Carolina, when I lived there. It seems that he is not necessarily stepping down at the end of his term.
This is a fascinating story on how simple technology is helping find new stronger anti-biotics ... the question of course is how long and how much will it cost to bring these to market ... probably billions and years because of the arcane review process by the FDA
It seems to be open season on President Obama from various world leaders ... and what they are saying ain't pretty ... but I am not sure it rises to the level of treason.
This probably is the top news story of the day ... and it really is a tragedy. Until we learn more than just a name about the shooter it will be hard to say why he did it. I am struck by the use of some words. For example: Exactly what is an assault rifle? A true assault rifle has automatic fire mode as well as semi-automatic fire mode. Since it is really hard to legally get and own a fully automatic in the US, probably what he had was a rifle that was auto-loading and semi-automatic in its function (meaning it fire one round and one round only when you pulled the trigger). But that doesn’t sound as scary as an assault rifle.
This story illustrates one of the problem of the 24/7/365 news cycle ... initial reports often, if not usually way off ... and it pays to wait until the dust settles to find out what happened. In the case of this tragic shooting, the casualty toll has gone from a high of 35 (15 dead, 20 wounded) to this latest figure of 17 (10 dead, 7 wounded). And of course, the knee-jerk reaction is to scream for gun controls.
The prime minister of Israel makes some excellent points ... which is received ... as always ... with a deafening silence. That is the most telling part of it all.
Unfortunately, Rep. Pelosi, like most defenders of abortion on demand, refuses to answer a simple and basic question: When does the human life form growing in a woman's womb because eligible for the rights and protections we say the rest of humanity has?
Excellent story about a combat Navy corpsman serving with the Marines ... his point about doing your best all the time, is spot on.
An interesting roadmap to ponder leading the Army to its next generation of ground warfare.
And this debate continues: What size should the Navy be? Well, it seems that our political leadership can't come up with a coherent long-term strategy about what it wants the Navy to be able to do. Without that, nothing is adequate.
Excellent advice for our political and strategic planners ... only it won't happen ... and we will pay the price one day ... in blood and lives.
I hope this story isn't just happy talk ... and I will be shown to be wrong in my assessment that the city probably would not be able to be retaken.
The war in Syria keeps getting messier ... now, I am pretty sure that when the Russians say they are attacking ISIS that there definition of who belongs to ISIS pretty much reads something like "Anybody opposed to the Assad regime" ... as I said, this has the potential of getting very ugly ... I just hope it is not going to slip slide into a general conflict.
It is predictions like this that trouble me ... not that I think there is anything we can do to stop it at this juncture ... but for the fact that it probably is a self-fulfilling prophecy
Hillary is coo-coo
Another Middle East what if ... I am telling you, this fecal material is getting spooky
This article from the Economist poses that the US still leads, and probably will for some time, but it is vulnerable
It all starts with a war of words ... remember he who controls the definitions controls the conversations ... and so far? Are the Russians winning?
The BBC weighs in on how Putin pretty much blindsided Obama and his administration at the UN and over Syria and Ukraine
Despite what you may think, there is no red nuclear button, or any other color button that initiates the use of nuclear weapons.
Let's hear for the otter ... especially the sea otter ... they are so cute and adorable ... and furry
Another report on the Russians doing strange things ... and we really don't know the half of it.
If Russian, Iran and its surrogates come in the ground in Syria with Russian air cover ... things will get very dicey very fast
It seems the consensus of opinion that Team Obama just ain't up to the job here.
More problems for the F-35 ... but solvable, I suspect
A critical look at Pope Francis' stands on political issues ... and a valid point that it is easier to voice criticisms here than it is in places where the government rules with a heavy hand
Well, I guess the Pope did meet with Kim Davis ... strange ... really strange
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