Notations On World: Distressing Days For Freedom (A Challenging 24 Hours...)

It has been another challenging and distressing 24 hours in our World.   Democracy's retreat seems to be evident everywhere as epitomized by the assassination of the Russian Opposition leader Boris Nemstov.   Ten of thousands marched in Moscow today to remember this fallen hero,   The banners read, "...."Heroes don't die" and "These bullets are for each one of us"".     Vladimir Putin has vowed to bring the culprits to Justice.     As we here @ #Outsiders assessed, we found it especially interesting that pro Kremlin groups had said they would not disrupt this march that was approved by Moscow City Authorities.      One could not help but wonder whether this would be the spark for true change in Russia?

Beyond Russia, there is Egypt.      We have commented on the plight of Democracy Activits in Egypt as they continue to receive the wrath of the State under Sisi such as Alaa Abdel Fattah.   .    It was telling that his Aunt noted how the family was happy that he was imprisoned and not shot as it appears that Egyptians are not as keen anymore to remember all who stepped up to get rid of a King-President to be replaced by another:

Iran is also just as challenging as we just saw reports that a labor Activist, Jamil Mohammadi, has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in Prison for having been the lead organizer for a 40,000-strong petition protesting the plight of the workers in Iran today,   We have also just received reports of silent protests throughout Iran on the new budget by Teachers as exemplified by these images just received by the #Outsider team:

  

Challenging times indeed....

 

An #Outsider Newsflash: On Our World (Late Breaking Notations)

As we gear up for March here in #Outsider, we wanted to report on this very welcome development on the call by the imprisoned PKK leader in Turkey to end the 30-Year insurrection with Turkey:

Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan calls on his followers to disarmto end 30-year-old conflict: http://t.co/XHt3IDRKKf pic.twitter.com/s43gUSQi7D
— AJE News (@AJENews) February 28, 2015

It is always welcome when there are calls for peace with all the misery that the Middle East has been subjected to for so long.   It was also very welcome as we saw reports of Iraq's National Museum being officially re-opened by the Iraqi Prime Minister.     This is as the merchants of Death of Dayesh continue to suffer losses as they inflict so much misery as epitomized by the latest from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:



These young souls the Kurdish People's Protection Unit and the Assyrian Christians have prevailed yet again as they took the town of Tal Halmis away from the Dayesh  thugs.  Yet, it is also very disturbing as we saw a leading opposition figure in Russia, Boris Nemtsov, was assassinated early this morning.   Vladimir Putin sent a telegram expressing his condolosecnes and promised a full investigation-as the continued slide into defacto Fascism in Russia continues.       

There is also some interesting news to report from India.   The Finance Minister, Arun Jaitely, has presented the first full budget of the Modi Government.   The one interesting feature we have noted here in #Outsider is the new Social Security Scheme.    It is clear that out of the BRICS Group, it is clear that India and China will be the senior partners in the group with all that has been going on in Brazil, the challenges in South Africa and Russia.

An ever so challenging World indeed......

As We go "Dark": On another Challenging Day, Lira's Admonition & Remembering Mr. Spock

It has been another tragic day as a Bangladeshi American Blogger, Avijit Roy,  and his wife were violently attacked in Bangladesh.  He was hacked to death with meat cleavers.    His wife is in serious condition.   This is as we were witness to the horrific acts by Dayesh in having destroyed priceless artifacts over the past 24 hours.   

We here at #Outsiders were not aware of his work directly until we reviewed the morning reports as we geared up to be "Dark" planning for March throughout the Outsider Network.  We join the comments by the CEO of Index on Censorship in strongly condemning this henious act.     This is as gear up for March in #Outsiders with the Israeli Prime Minister's Speech and the opposition avalanche that continues to build hour by hour,  the latest on the US Political Scene--including some of the more bizarre deliberations in Congress.   Conservatives are having their first major meeting that showcases a "beauty contest" of aspirants to the Presidency--including a declaration of cultural fascism by Brett Bozell.   

As we go "dark" we wanted to share this "musical interlude" from Lira that underscores a hope we have and what drives us to develop #outsiders:

It is not easy to live up to smile as we see a World that is engulfed--but Gandhi Ji reminded us all that we must be the change we want to see in our World as we hope to live up to Natalie Goldberg's admonition to "Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go..."

As we finished this final column, we got word that Leonard Nimoy  "Mr Spock" has passed away.    His admonition to us all to "Live Long and Prosper".  In his honor, we remember him: