Monday, October 12, 2015

On the Dawn of a New Week in @DailyOutsider: On #US, #Iran, #FreeJason & Other Thoughts.....




It was a rather challenging week-end as the work of #Outsiders continued.    The latest series of "Notations" curated for release was one of the more challenging ones curated that underscores a sense of profound concern about the political paralysis out there.   I was especially shocked at the representations by Congressman Dave Brat of Virginia on how how was so insistent on speaking for the American People as I also consulted the "10 Principles" that he had published on his Website.    I hope to have some thoughts on it soon.   I couldn't help but wonder what he's actually for.  I heard what he's against--and his colleagues that he claims are a majority in the House.   It is not born out by the facts as noted in this report which I released to my personal Twitter Feed within  the past hour.  

Beyond the shores of America, I was frankly shocked at reports out of Iran about the debate on the Nuclear Deal.    Ali Akbar Salehi, the Head of the Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and one of Rouhani's Vice Presidents, was actually threatened in Parliament to be killed--a fact verified by two Majlis Deputies.  One of the them, Ali Motahari, wrote quite a commentary on Instagram on Sunday as the Official Iranian News Agency decried the loss of decorum.   The parallels with what the conservatives in the United States have been pursuing has been quite interesting to say the least.

Ali Motahari reminds me of Helen Sussman, the late South African MP and oppostion leader who campagined for years against the evil of apartheid and the freedom for all South Africans.    I wanted to honor her with this I ran across:

   

 I also was assessing the case of Jason Rezayian of the Washington Post.  I have been periodically adding my voice to the Twitter hastag campaign #FreeJason to help keep his case alive.   The team reviewed reports that a verdict had come down.   When I reviewed the comments by the Spokemsan for Iran's Judiciary, he said he was "aware" of the verdict--but did not know what it was.    I will be continuing to assess this to see what the latest is as he has now been held longer than the US Hostages were held in 1979.

As I was working on supporting #outsiders for this week, I was around town and dropped in at the local Haagans to do a bit of weekly shopping.   I noticed that the shelves were beginning to "thin out" as Haagan has decided to shut down all Orange County stores as part of its' reorganization effort after the fanfare under which it hit Orange County.   Others are "vying" to take its' place including Aldo which is aggressively working to staff in the northern part of the County.   I had heard rumors that Gelson's may pick up a few of the stores.  But, this rumor was denied by the Staffers at Haagan's as they noted that the stores will be shut down Thanksgiving Day.   

It will be another challenging week as I took comfort in this Thought: 

We haven't all had the good fortune to be ladies; we haven't all been generals, or poets, or statesmen; but when the toast works down to the babies, we stand on common ground. Mark Twain




Friday, October 9, 2015

On the Prowl For the Day w/Thoughts On #AidRefugees; @GOP & Other Thoughts....





It has been quite a week in #Outsiders as I have worked on supporting the curation of the channels and assessing the key developments in our World.    It was quite a challenging week as the GOP continued to wrestle with a post-Boehner era under what I deemed "The Tyranny of the Minority".        It was just quite funny how the GOP was trying to "paper over" the differences in the aftermath of Kevin McCarthy's withdrawal.    .    This is as I continue to be amazed at how the GOP Presidential Field continues to advocate for a practical dismantling of the Federal Government in spite of the profound challenges on a multitude of fronts our team has been commenting on throughout the week.


One of the profound challenges the World is faced with is the refugees.   I "dropped by" the White House Website earlier to see whether there were any updates on President Obama's visit to Oregon and was so glad to see this prominently displayed on the Home Page which I was very glad to send it off to my personal Pinterest Board as I continue to assess what I can do further: 



What I found especially troublesome was the reports on two recent shootings in Texas and Arizona.   It is true that these make the news and the daily carnage in Chicago and others do not.    The need to do something is ever so critical.      It was fun, though, to support the curation of the Friday Musical Interlude as the team settled on Earth Wind & Fire.

Despite all the challenges, I did "step back" to reflect as I dug up one of the compilation of +Jonathan Huie that the team looks at daily which the team was again gracious enough to let me use as another weekend is before us:



We can only be said to be truly alive in those moments
when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
- Thornton Wilder 

Gratitude bestows reverence,
allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies,
those transcendent moments of awe that change forever
how we experience life and the world.
- John Milton
  

Onward to the Weekend....


Thursday, October 8, 2015

On The Prowl For the Day (With Updated Comments on Late Breaking Developments)

It has been quite a morning already in Washington.    It is ever so worrisome as our team has been assessing the aftermath of Congressman Kevin McCarthy dropping out of the race to replace the House Speaker.   It was horrifying to me personally as I heard one of the members of the House Freedom Caucus on changes that is necessary and I noted now the "Tyranny of the Minority" seems to be the order of the day in Washington right now.    It is of profound concern as the nature of Government is itself and the issue of Governing itself.  I went into the #Outsider archives to assess the "Conservative" read on why the Speaker resigned--although he did issue a statement that he will stay until a new House Speaker is elected--and as Donald Trump just "chimmed" in taking credit by saying how everything is a "mess" in Washington: 

The Daily Signal
Sept. 25, 2015
NEWS

6 Times John Boehner Clashed With Conservatives


John Boehner, who announced he would leave Congress by the end of October, was elected as House speaker in 2011. He's clashed with conservatives on several occasions since then.
Read More
NEWS

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich Explains Why John Boehner Resigned

Gingrich left the speakership in 1999 with members of Congress frustrated by his leadership, similar to the circumstances facing Boehner.
Watch the Video
NEWS

37 Tweets About John Boehner's Resignation

Twitter was buzzing Friday morning as news spread about Boehner's resignation.
Read More
NEWS

Flashback: John Boehner Boasted of 'Broad Support' Just Two Months Ago

Facing a motion to remove him as speaker, Boehner pushed back at his critics in July.
Watch the Video
NEWS

Meet the Man Who Challenged John Boehner's Speakership

The Daily Signal visited Rep. Mark Meadows last month while home in his Western North Carolina district. He reflected on his decision to present a motion to oust Boehner.
Read More
COMMENTARY

I am glad to see Peter King of New York notes how Donald Trump is a "funny guy", but this is not a funny matter--and so glad he's noting that America is turning into a "banana republic".    The Tyranny of the Minority is ever so in evidence--and it is of profound concern.

Beyond the National Concern our team is focused on,  I have also been assessing some late breaking developments here in our home base of Orange County about a shortage of Skills that Orange County seems to be facing which we will talk about in our Community Channel.   It is also of note that Cities have begun the process of recruiting for Commisions and Committees.  The City of Laguna Niguel has already begun the process and other will be following suite.

As I was supporting the work of #Outsiders and other projects, I could not help but wonder about this admonition and whether the  +GOP  can truly live up to the admonition noted below--This is why I am supporting #Outsiders so that the conversation can be changed:


 My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right. ~ Sophocles