Thursday, July 28, 2016

Hello again. As I write this, I am trying to hasten my recovery from a cold with a cup of chicken broth laced with garlic and lemon pepper. Cheers.

What this post is, is a recap of news items that have caught my attention as significant for the moment. My main source is Google News.

Google News has been a staple of mine for a while. If I may betray my bias, Google has been my preference as a 'system' for a while. Simply because they have everything I could need under one roof; email, blogging (of course), Drive and their office suite, the play store, and the connection with Android. Now you can do all that on Apple, but the hardware is more expensive. It's good but expensive. So, for now, my setup is Windows 10 with Chrome and an Android phone.

Ok, to the news of the moment.

A tale of two conventions, the RNC and the DNC. Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton. In my opinion, the two most dysfunctional candidates that I've seen since I've been voting. Maybe Nixon and Carter come close, but I won't go there with them now.

Trump wants to make America great again because he thinks it has been downgraded by our current president, Mr. Obama. Initially, I would tend to agree. As a country, we've done a lot of great things and have a lot of exceptional people. We have also done a lot of questionable and controversial things, bad as well. But it seems those were the cards we were dealt and those were the choices we made in the moment for better or worse.

Lately, our choices have been getting more questionable and controversial. Our dealings in the middle east have only stirred up problems. We don't understand that region and interfering have hurt and brought bloodshed to us. Have we become that inept and uncaring? I don't have the answers, but if we want peace, we're doing it wrong. If we want war and chaos, then we're on a good track. Are we in control or are we being manipulated? If manipulated, then by whom?

Germany: Prime Minister Andrea Merkle wants to bring more immigrants to Germany despite the recent attacks in Europe. I don't know if they are being checked or what their policy is, but as a headline, it doesn't make sense given the recent past events and threats made and uncovered in Europe.

Well, I had some notes, but when the page changed, I lost them because I didn't save them. Live and learn.

That's all for now. Maybe more tomorrow. There is so much stuff going on. Leave a comment if you like, Thanks for reading. Later

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

When I read the news...

My routine when I log on to Google is to look a the new headlines before anything else. Living in Cleveland this year has been a good time, the Cavaliers winning the championship feels good, after 52 years. But I've only been here for 40 of those 52 years. But it still feels good.

Later on, by now, soon, we will have the RNC in town. Ever since I've been here, Cleveland has wanted to host a political convention. Now we have it. And now we are all holding our breath because it seems, this will be such an unconventional convention. First, there's Trump, then the protesters, Then will Trump be replaced and what reaction will that cause? Will there be guns on the street, some have promised to bring them, as a show of freedom, not as a reaction to a threat, I hope.

And again, Mr. Trump seems to be picking fights with prominent people. His latest target is Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He seems to thrive on that kind of controversy. I don't like it. I can't see how this will serve him if he becomes president. Maybe he thinks being president is the ultimate reality show? If he becomes president, how will he handle the day to day life of the president, dealing with world leaders, making policy intentions that aren't popular or are criticised by congress etc? A twitter fight?

There are things about Donald Trump that make it hard for me to see past the maybe superficial issues. Of course, they said Ronald Reagan was an actor.

Then there is the bigger issue of globalism vs. nationalism. Does it have to be one or the other? Can we find a balance? I don't know. Sometimes I am inclined to think, does it matter anymore? Is it forward vs, back, progressive vs, tradition.

With all the terrorism going on the argument become freedom vs. security. To keep from being blown up or shot, we have to be watched all the time, by all our devices and cameras on every street corner. We're there already and don't have a promise of security. Are we being manipulated and don't know it? If we are, can we participate in such a way that it can make a difference without public unrest and riots? Or are there elements in place, big elements, that we cannot change and it doesn't matter, it's too late, and there's nothing we can effectively do?

 The last point; does popular media show us our circumstance and we just look at  it like entertainment? for example; the book 1984 by George Orwell, the movie The Matrix and popular tv shows like House of Cards and Mr. Robot, just to name a few. Is our just trying to survive keeping us distracted from what is really going on?

Just something to think about.

Thanks for reading.




Friday, July 8, 2016

Well, hello again. I don't show up as much as I'd like, but events in the world have prompted me more than normal to put something down here, share my mind, if you will.

Part of it is to work at writing something and getting something out in difficult times, the other is just to write and try to organize my thoughts and feelings.

Disturbing things have happened, and are happening this week; three shooting incidences and one government/legal proceeding that may have consequences for years to come.

The shooting incidences were the two black people dying at the hands of cops, again. These are disturbing enough on their face. There has been way to much of it going on. The situations and scenarios are even more troubling. The "suspects", as I understand it so far, were subdued or complying with the officers orders. Then, for some reason, multiple shots were fired by the officers, killing the "suspects".

As I understand it, from what limited accounts I have gotten from the media, and I have not delved into the details of these accounts. But on the surface, it seems, there would be no justification for these killings. One was a compliant suspect in a traffic stop. The other, the suspect was, as I understand it, subdued and under control. No need for firearms discharge by an officer.  It seems both situations could have been handled with out incident.

Now, as I have said, my information gathering has not been in-depth. But I am disturbed by what I have heard. It doesn't make sense on it's face.

The protest rally in Dallas is even more disturbing. Snipers killing cops. Right now I have no words.

Then, during the same week there was the Clinton email FBI investigation. In a nutshell; they are investigating Hillary, Bill Clinton meets with Loretta Lynch, on her plane in Phoenix the week of June 26th. He walks in on her spontaneously. Can you say bad timing, or was he sending a message?
On July 5th James Comey says Hillary Clinton was 'extremely careless" and that no charges be brought against her. the GOP went nuts and called him to the Hill for a "session". Mystified as to his conclusion. That was July 7th.  Now there are announcements of  the State Dept reopening a probe of her dealings etc.

So, to review:

June 27th Hillary is under investigation, Bill Clinton walks on to Loretta Lynch's government plane and meets with her for 30 minutes, talking about "innocent" things, family etc.the press goes nits over the optics of this.
July 5th: James Comey, head of the FBI investigating Hillary Clinton, announces no charges be brought against her though she was extremely careless in the handling of her official government communications.
President Obama with Hillary lands in SC to begin campaigning with her.
That same day, if not at that same time: Alton Sterling, a black man, is shot by a cop in Louisiana.
July 6th: Philando Castile shot in Minneapolis.
July 7th: GOP Oversight Committee hearing questions James Comey That afternoon/evening there is a protest march in Dallas Texas. During the march shots are fired from several locations and a sniper shots at Dallas cops. 5 - 6 Police Officers are killed. The sniper/shooter is a former military with no record but just went nuts that night.
July 8th: The State Department reopens it inquiry into Hillary Clinton's dealings as Secretary of State.