Saturday, October 17, 2015

Suggested readings from Oct. 17, 2015

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.

In the midst of a relatively quiet weekend, despite the war and chaos that continues at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, there are some interesting view points out there to review. I hope you find them interesting and food for thought.

It sometimes amazes me that an old warhorse like Henry Kissinger is still around, but he does offer valuable insight into the problems of the Middle East and possible American options ... not that anyone is listening to him ... and some of them, I suspect, really are unachievable.

Interesting sidebar to the Middle East conflicts, that links it to Europe ... and it all revolves around oil.

It is distressing that this commentary paints a rather discouraging economic outlook ... that is probably valid and most likely will happen.

This is an interesting concept ... unfortunately, I have serious qualms about it because of the nature of human beings.

This does not surprise me - at least all the threats, etc. - given the environment in the world today ... and I am not just talking about ISIS or Jihadi terrorists, but the rhetoric on the campaign trail has been pretty incendiary.

This provides a very excellent subtext to the Israeli-Arab conflict ... it truly is a neglected part of the story.

Another view of what I call the criminalization of dissent in our politics

The Arab-Israeli conflict is a battle for control of the narrative ... and the perspective ...

This is a rare visit to the California coast - though prevalent south of the border, it seems.

I really am of mixed feelings about this drug ... but I guess it takes all kinds

Oregon hero tells his story ... kudos to the man ...

This has been a no-brainer for me for like the last 50 years ... only Americans got bored and decided they didn't care any more.

Now this is neat ... and would make a great toy for Star Wars geeks ... but it also illustrates something about UAVs ... something that should be scary ...

Another view of the upsurge in violence between the Palestinians and the Israelis ... I could make the observation that it doesn't work out too well when you bring a knife to a gunfight ... but I think that is the point ... they want these young people to get shot

Hillary Clinton may have (actually probably did) violated the Espionage Act, but I will bet dollars to donuts that the Obama Administration's Justice Department will use its "prosecutorial discretion" not to prosecute the case ... no matter how solid or damning the evidence turned up by the FBI.

Here Hillary Clinton either illustrates her own ignorance (most likely) or just is trying to enflame the audience ... I really wish people would understand the drastic difference between a (fully) automatic weapon and a semi-automatic weapon ... and give me a working definition of what an "assault" weapon is that does not use the word automatic in it, because that is what an assault weapon is ... fully automatic ... unless you want to claim that every rifle is an assault weapon ... and that is dumb.

The Hungarian prime minister is speaking truth to power and doing it a very politically incorrect way.

Obama's "no war, no peace" strategy in Syria is indeed dangerous, however I am not sure the commentators in this article have provided a solution ... and I am not sure the West and the US really have that many cards to play in this game ... mainly because it really is a free-for-all furball

I would hope that this story on economic reality would serve as a wakeup call to progressives, liberals and Democrats who see raising the minimum wage as a panacea.

This story is not for the faint of heart (it is all statistics and charts and graphs) but it makes the point that I have made for lo these many decades and that is: The poor in the US have a higher standard of living that most of the middle class people around the world.

George Will offers a good discussion on income inequality ... and why it is not a moral issue.

The problem I have with this New York Times editorial is that it basically says if you don't agree with the outcome of a law, you can ignore it. That I disagree with. If you don't like the outcome of a law, then you work to change the law ... but, and until, the law is changed you enforce it as written ... unfortunately, for those who view the world through the liberal/progressive lens - like these cities and our President - the law is to be selectively enforced based on your view of the outcome of the law.

Interesting point of view ... I understand some points but I am less than convinced on others.

I am not sure how true this report is by this Congress person ... but if it is ... it really is disturbing. Not all that unexpected and actually quite a rational position by the UAE ... but it makes mincemeat of the global order.

This Canadian deserved all the accolades he got ... and then some.

Running the risk of being labeled an Islamophobe .... would someone, pray tell, tell me why we shouldn't take this Ayatollah at his word? I know many Muslims, like many Christians or Hindus or Jains or whatever religion you pick, really aren't into the Jihad thing, just like most American Christians really aren't all that evangelical ... but there is a significant minority of Muslims who, like fundamentalist evangelicals and the Bible (which ever English translation they have), take the Koran as the gospel and plan to implement it as the Ayatollah calls for.

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