Notations On Our World (Special Edition): As We Go Dark Thru #USMidTerms2018

As we hope all have enjoyed our final retrospective for the month released earlier in our properties , we will be going dark in all our properties (including our Twitter Handle @ordinaryfaces) through after Election day here in the United States--although we hope all enjoy our Live Broadcast PODS featuring Al Jazeera here in our Main Property and Sky News in our Visions, Education and Ordinary Faces.   Our Twitter will feature periodic updates courtesy of our partners @nuzzel and @paper_li as they will facilitate the curation of the latest as released to our twitter feed.    We leave you with this beautiful Concert and as we remember the fallen in Pittsburgh--May the almighty bless their souls and grant solace to their families during this trying time.

Onward to November with all its' possibilities as we leave you all with this Visual Essay produced by our Production Team:

Notations On Our World (M-End Edition): On The Month That Was

It has been quite a month throughout our properties as we have worked to assess our World as 2018 is starting to draw to a close.     We have been startled to observe the United States withdrawing from the World under Donald Trump, continue to be amazed as China rises and as Europe struggles with continued internal fissures.  This is as we continue to see challenges before us throughout the Arab World with the War in Yemen raging on, Gaza under siege, Jordan under immense difficulties and as Iran continues to deal with profound challenges as sanctions loom on the eve of the Mid-Terms.     

As we go dark thru Halloween here in the United States, please enjoy these "Random Selections" of what transpired in Politics, Business and finance our team complied from Al-Monitor, CBInsight and the Real News Network--our team will continue to have daily updates on our Twitter Channel, periodic updates in our Google Corner at http://ordinaryfaces.business.site as we hope all visitors enjoy our Live Broadcast POD Featuring Al Jazeera and SkyNews

Onward to  November with all its' possibilities!!! 

Gulf Saudi Arabia's shifting narrative on Khashoggi reveals fragility The Khashoggi affair is the latest example of how Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become a liability for Saudi Arabia.

Assassins for Hire: US Citizens, Israelis, and Palestinians Kill for Money in Yemen

The US-based mercenary company Spear Group, headed by an Israeli and hired by a Palestinian on behalf of the UAE, conducts extra-judicial killings in Yemen. Antony Loewenstein discusses the details

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Inside Nikki Haley’s Shocking Speech to Secretive Far-Right Group

Just days before she resigned as UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley delivered a private speech to the Council for National Policy, a secretive group of influential right-wing figures. Journalist Max Blumenthal obtained exclusive access and reveals shocking details — including Haley’s admission that she threatened the Chinese ambassador with a US invasion of North Korea.

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Does the UK Need Donald Trump, or does America need Jeremy Corbyn?

In Part 1, TRNN correspondent Jaisal Noor speaks to Brits about their views on the U.S. president, Brexit, and more

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How Germany Breaks its Own Laws to Arm Saudi Arabia

The German government is pursuing the interests of the its arms industry, even as this means violating their own laws, their coalition agreement, and promises to the public

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Laura Flanders Show: The Next Economy

10 years since the financial crash we’ve learned that there exists in the US not just one economy, but many, as well as many kinds of economic actors. From platform cooperatives to cryptocurrency, people are continuously building economic alternatives. So says Nathan Schneider, crusader for collective ownership and author of “Everything for Everyone: the Radical…


 

Here’s A List Of 57 Bankruptcies In The Retail Apocalypse And Why They Failed A list of major retail bankruptcies from 2015 to today. Disrupting Trick-Or-Treat: 80+ Investor-Backed Candy Brands Taking On Halloween From sugar-free candy to craft chocolate to cannabis-infused chewing gum, these new treats could take over your Halloween goody bag. 30 Corporate Innovation Labs In Finance Some of the biggest names in finance are creating fintech innovation labs to solve the most pressing challenges faced by banks, merchants, and consumers. Blockchain, Inc: A Look At The Ownerless Company Of Tomorrow Here's a view of what a decentralized, all-code company might look like in its initial form.  Attacking Healthcare Admin Costs: How 20 Startups Are Saving Time & Money For Healthcare Providers Investors have bet almost $2.5B that these companies can effectively reduce waste, lower costs, and improve patient outcomes. How Blockchain Could Disrupt Insurance Insurance giants and startups alike are attempting to use blockchain solutions to prevent insurance fraud, digitally track medical records, and more.  30+ Startups Disrupting The Heating, Ventilation, And Air Conditioning (HVAC) Industry From improving air quality to developing new heating techniques, technology is enabling smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient HVAC systems.  Fleet Telematics Analysis: Big Funding Bump To Startups That Help Cos Manage Car Fleets With advances in vehicle connectivity, fleet telematics startups are driving efficiencies in car fleet management. How 60+ Startups Are Disrupting Retail And Commercial Banking Around The World Variations on the digital challenger bank model championed in Europe are spreading globally with new entrants targeting niche customer pain points. Collectively this year, startups in our market map have raised over $1.7B in venture capital.

On this #UNDay2018

We join in Celebrating the UN as we are proud to feature this in tribute to all the work done by the UN:

Notations From the Grid (Special Edition): On the Prowl w/this From @SethMeyers on #MidTerm2018

Notations From the Grid (Weekly Edition): On Our World

Voting for the Mid-Terms has begun in Earnest. 

 As we went to press, all members of our team had already sent it in their absentee ballots as the surge in voting was noted by the Orange County Registrar of Voters here in Orange County that has seen some of the most exciting of races as the Control of the US House of Representatives is at stake as noted below by the Voice of OC: 

Beyond the voting, there was this:

Reports we reviewed over the course of the past week courtesy of the Guardian of London noted that John Bolton was arguing for the withdrawal of the United States and he has prevailed--he has been ardent Arms Control opponent for years--and we understand he's about to leave for the Russian Federation.   This is as the United States has already withdrawn from the Paris Accords, has upended NAFTA, has undermined the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Beyond the shores of the United States, Afghanistan has held its' elections.  It has been bloody as the Taliban have lodged attacks throughout the Country.     This is strikes continue throughout Iran by the Teachers, the Truckers and other economic sectors in spite of this noted by a leading Iranian Analyst our team captured on the Grid over the week-end:

This is as Saudi Arabia is trying to somehow talk itself out of the cuplability of its' Crown Prince in the gruesome murder of the Jouranlist Jamal Khashoogi.    There were some attempts to somehow present an alternative view of Mr. Khashoggi   featured on the Real News Network:



This still, in our view, not justify the apparent brutal way in which he was murdered--and people evolve and grow--and what he noted in our view in his final column gave voice to the brutal realities of the over 400 Million residents of the Middle East who have been subjected to such brutal repression for a long time--with the direct support of the United States.     As Senior Officials of the Crown Prince's Entourage have been fired, President Trump's view is that is a "great first step", No one seems to be buying this explanation as exemplified by this reported over the weekend by the Washington Post. 

Truly challenging times indeed as a New Week Dawns......

Notations On Our World (Special Edition): Remembering #JamalKhashoggi

The Journalist and Columnist for the Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi went into the Saudi Consulate over two weeks ago and never came out.     His colleagues at the Washington Post remembered him as we agree with Karen Attah as she noted, "..his words are not gone".      This is as the Washington Post published his final column and the US Secretary of State advised the President to give the Saudis more time: 



We extend our profound condolences to Mr.Khashoggi's family, his fiancee and the Washington Post Family.  May He RIP.
  

Notations on Our World (Weekly Edition): On the Week That Was In Our World (Updated)

As a new week dawns,  our team decided to do a "snapshot" of the week that was as we await the fate of Jamal Khasoggi (as Saudi Arabia Came out Swinging) , assess the aftermath of Hurricane Michael,  the midterms loom and as the President of the United States sat down with 60 Minutes .   As we went to press with this snapshot, we were seeing reports of Cleaning Crews going into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul as Turkish Investigators were preparing to enter the Consulate to do a search to investigate what actually happened--and as President Trump asserted that rogue killers may have killed the Journalist: 

Will the Disappearance of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Bring Down the US-Saudi Alliance?

Journalist James M. Dorsey says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has suffered significant reputational damage on the eve of a major global trade conference known as Vision 2030 or  “Davos in the Desert”

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Climate Crisis is Even More Dire Than the New IPCC Report Says

The IPCC’s new report is groundbreaking, but it misses crucial points on climate tipping points and feedbacks that could make the crisis even more urgent, says Durwood Zaelke of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

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Israeli Authorities Step Up anti-BDS Policies: Political Test to Enter Israel

Israel border authorities have detained US-Palestinian student for her alleged Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activism, denying her entry into Israel, despite having a visa. Tallie Ben-Daniel of Jewish voice for Peace discusses the case and what it means for the BDS movement

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What Does Low Unemployment Rate Mean When Most Jobs Created Are Low Wage?

3.9% Unemployment rate with almost half of new jobs low wage no benefits. And how many stopped looking for work? Saurav Sarkar of the Institute for Policy Studies discusses what’s behind the numbers

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Author of New IPCC Report Says She Still Has Hope

The IPCC’s new report says we could face irreversible consequences of climate change by as soon as 2030, but a coordinating lead author of the report says policymakers, businesses, and individuals can still make big changes to protect our future

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Is the U.S. Complicit in Saudi Journalist’s Disappearance?

President Trump says the US is pressing Saudi Arabia for answers on the fate of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But new questions are being raised about the US role after a Washington Post report that U.S. intelligence intercepted communications of Saudi officials discussing a plan to capture and “lay hands on” Khashoggi. We speak to…

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Trump Tears up Treaties Pushing for War on Iran, Using Bush-Style Iraq Lies

As the US ramps up aggression against Iran, withdrawing from agreements and imposing crippling sanctions, Iranians fear Trump and the neocons he surrounded himself with want war – and are echoing Bush-era Iraq “WMD” lies to justify it

It's Time for Chuck Schumer to Go I'm sure he's a swell guy and a good fundraiser, but Chuck Schumer is not a wartime consigliere. And he is not suited to these times; he's too close to Wall Street and his latest deal with Mitch McConnell makes him look like the biggest sucker in two cordovans. At this point, I don't see a way for the Democrats to take the Senate. But, majority or minority, Chuck Schumer ought to be done as a leader of the Democratic Party in this moment. Gold watch, a hearty handshake, a warm ovation, and off the stage with him. Read More

Anderson Cooper Offered a Stunning Reminder of Where Our President's Attention Isn't We were treated to another Presidential Circus on Thursday when Kanye West met Donald Trump in the Oval Office for the Narcissism Summit. All the while, though, the Florida Panhandle—and, soon enough, Georgia—was dealing with the worst storm ever to make landfall there. Hurricane Michael slammed into the Gulf Coast as a Category 4 with 155 mile-per-hour winds. It was the most powerful storm to hit the United States in 50 years. That observation was part of a remarkable segment Cooper put together last night, in which he placed footage of the Donald-Kanye summit next to footage of the devastating aftermath of the third-most violently powerful hurricane ever to strike this country. Read More

The Fix •  Analysis 13 ads that define these midterm elections Republicans are hugging Trump while Democrats suddenly want to talk about health care after years of avoiding it. By Amber Phillips  •  Read more » Analysis Unfortunately for Trump, approval ratings are based on more than unemployment rates A look at 70 years of approval ratings. By Philip Bump  •  Read more » Stephen Miller used to eat glue, his third-grade teacher said. The school placed her on leave. School officials are reviewing concerns about whether the teacher improperly released private student information in the interview she gave to a reporter. By Eli Rosenberg  •  Read more » Trump administration weighs new family-separation effort at border Determined to stem crossings, officials are considering asking parents to choose between detention or separation. By Nick Miroff, Josh Dawsey and Maria Sacchetti  •  Read more » ‘Impolite arrogant woman’: Sen. Elizabeth Warren turns John Kelly’s insult into a rallying cry The White House may have inadvertently gifted a potent catchphrase to a 2020 Democratic front-runner. By Alex Horton  •  Read more »