Random Thoughts: Suggested readings from Oct. 3, 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.

Welcome to another round … as this old news editor takes a look at today’s news reports and editorial commentaries and offer his perspectives … I hope you find these at least informative, if not interesting, educational and thought provoking. Of course, you are welcome to disagree with me and post your dissents either here or on my Facebook page.

Just for fun, I am going to share a site my beautiful and wonderful wife shared with me today as my first offering ... the captions to these photos are deliciously funny.

Sometimes the villain is not necessarily who you think it is ... or at least the commentary on the water shortages in California points out. Food for thought ... it also makes a point that I try to make in many ways ... sometimes you have to ask yourself: Who do the environmental fanatics and climate change doom purveyors want to die first ... and are they will to put their life, their lives and their lifestyle on the chopping block, or is that just reserved for the undeserving others?

This offers an interesting perspective on Russia, Syria and the impact in Europe ... I guess it depends on the outcome of what you want ... and increasingly, the US becomes an unstable and unreliable ally.

Napoleon may have said "Don't stop an enemy when he is making a mistake" but another point would be that neither the US nor Russia are powerful enough to impose their "solutions" on Syria, especially when so many significant other players have so much influence ... the question then becomes at what point does intervention become part of the solution. This conversation does not answer it ... nor does it address the political problems the symptoms cause create a force all its own.

A thought provoking commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian impasse ... probably much truth to it ... however, how do you overcome 70 years of rhetoric that eschews such a solution? I don't know ... but the article offers things to think about.

While Americans are consumed with the horse races that mark its road to a presidential election 13 months from now, it is timely to check in on the horse race to the north over the government in Ottawa ... it seems the underdog, current Prime Minister Steven Harper is turning the tables on his liberal and NDP opponents. With three weeks left, it will be interesting to watch how this turns out.

This piece of commentary, in Commentary, points out the double standard that is evident when talking about the Israel-Palestine situation ... and yes, given what has happened ... the silence is not only deafening ... it is tragic

This analyst offers a possible solution ... as if it was left only to the "superpowers" - US and Russia - but the problem with that, in my humble opinion, is that it assumes the good graces of all the parties identified and those outside who are aiding and abetting the various factions. We may be able to de-conflict the US and Russia, but not the Iranians, Turks, Saudis and other various subnational ethnic groups to go along ... and that means this solution would not work. I know that is terribly depressing as a thought, but I suspect optimism in this case is not called for.

I read this defense of raising the minimum wage in the biggest city near me ... and I understand the seductive nature of it ... and that it is wrong, to me, is obvious. I factor in two points: 1. Where is the fairness to those people who were making more than the minimum wage (but less than the new minimum) ... are they going to get raises that keep their level proportionally higher than the minimum wage? I don't think so ... and this just expands the number of people who are now making just the minimum wage. Where is the fairness of that. 2. I really think it is disturbing that the city seems to believe that it is ok to treat some of its citizens differently than others. The point being that equality before and under the law is the goal (or should be) and separating people by any measure for unequal treatment is a violation of that principle. In another random thought, while the raise will benefit some, who benefits when the price of bread rises to meet the new level of costs.

I know this will upset those politically correct who visit ... but this stands on its own merits.

This is a typical HuffPo attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill ... the point of the justices was that this third appeal would have been rejected as were two appeals earlier in the week.

Had an interesting Facebook conversation with a person about this attack, referred to in this HuffPo posting ... basically told that person, like some of the UN officials quoted in this Reuters report, he was basically clueless. First, let's wait until it can be investigated ... Second, yes, it is tragic and horrible ... and if the AC-130 was involved, the crew will spend the rest of their lives agonizing over decisions made in seconds at the time. Third, it is a freaking war zone, folks ... and if the Taliban were taking cover and using the hospital as a refuge while they fought the Afghan police and army, then both MSF and the Taliban committed war crimes, because the hospital then becomes a legitimate target ... not a popular stance, I know my progressive friends will argue with me about how wrong it is to hit a hospital ... but folks, they haven't invented the Roger Rabbit Bullet yet and that is what the AC-130 fires – bullets and projectiles ... it doesn't drop laser guided bombs or missiles. If fires very effective cannons and high speed machineguns.