Thought For the Week

As our team has been on the prowl assessing +COP21, we ran across this simple thought which is so simple yet so profound from the polar explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan

“

The greatest threat to our planet
is the belief that someone else will save it.”

It is up to us, no question.   What is interesting is that all countries have been making pledges--one of them being the Iranian Vice President and Head of Iran's Environment Organization that has committed to between an apparent two to four percent in green house gas emissions.

Our team remains hopeful despite all the odds.

Notations From the Grid: On #SanBernardinoShootings (w/Brief Updates as of 12/3/2015)

As the situation has been brought under control, our team was on the prowl to assess some of the reaction.   For us, this from the BBC was disheartening:

Brutally honest.
Posted by Ezra Klein on Wednesday, December 2, 2015

 Stories about Chicago and other large cities continue to be challenging as the Country was reminded as Chicago's Mayor fired the Police Chief on how crime is continuing to increase.   Yet, this particular "brutally honest" depicition still left us speechless.

The New Yorker's Andy Borowith  released this that underscores how the 2nd Amendment purists seem to steal all the oxygen out of the debate:

As radical as it might sound, the right to not be shot may be an idea whose time has finally come.
Posted by Andy Borowitz on Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Although it is "dark humor", it underscores how common sense seems not to be prevalent.     This is as we saw reporting on USA Today on GOP Candidates offering their thoughts and prayers.     There needs to be a concerted effort to go beyond mere thoughts and prayers.    America can do better.

(Update:  The latest news conference was held within the past hour.    The Police Chief for the City of San Bernardino briefed all on the status--including the injured, the fallen and the police officers injured.    The ammunition recovered along with bombs underscored a sense of extensive planning--and the SUV was a rental.  It was also noted that the woman was a Pakistani here in the United States on a K-1 Visa.     CBS News has been speculating on potential radicalization--The FBI underscored that they would be slow, but right rather than hasty--as major developments warrant, we will advise.   We also released a View of the Week on this earlier in the #Outsider Education Channel).

Notations On Our World (Special Edition): On the #SanBernadinoShooting (With Late breaking updates as of 12/2/2015 @ 5:30 PM)

There has been a mass shooting in San Bernardino over the past 2 hours.    There have been multiple fatalities.      Our team is watching live coverage from CBS News in the area at the Inland Regional Center.  

An active Police Briefing was just concluded.   They have said that no one is in custody. Police have confirmed 14 have died and 14 have been injured.  Police noted that they would have hourly updates for the next number of hours as live coverage ensues throughout the major networks in the United States and throughout social media.  Our team will update if there are any signficant developments.  

As this was developing, President Obama was being interviewed by Nora O'Donnell of CBS News and he was asked about it.    He had just been briefed by his homeland security advisor as FBI, ATF and othe Federal agencies were joining the incident as it was developing.  It was striking how he noted that there is a no fly list--however the same folks can walk into a gun shop and buy a gun with no visible controls.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the fallen, the injured and their families at this difficult hour.    We remain pessimistic about any possiblity for any change in Gun Policy.

Update as of 5:30 PM PST 12/2/2015:  Two suspects have been killed and one suspect is apparently on the loose as Officers continue be at the scene securing the scene.    The San Bernardino Police Chief is holding a news conference right now.     There was an apparent suspicious device which they're working on--there was a vehicle pursuit that ended up in San Bernandino which resulted in shootings that had two suspects dressed up in assault style gear and armed with the SUV.    FBI Assistant Director For LA Region is now speaking about the investigation going forward as they're investigating the house and assess the situation.    There is also word that there is a third suspect that is supposedly detained.     As further developmments warrant, we will here @ #outsiders provide further guidance--and as it stands, the FBI is underscoring that they are not willing to declare this a potential terrorist incident.