Notations on Our World (Special Week-End Edition): On the aftermath of the Saudi Executions

  

Our team had been working on the first edition of "Notations" with an Iran focus as we were on the "Virtual Prowl".   The past 24 hours have been quite challenging in the aftermath of the Saudi Executions reverberated throughout the Middle East.

The Saudi Embassy in Tehran was attacked and ransacked.    The scenes were extremely troublesome as reported by Media throughout the World.  

It was of note that there were some analysis in US Media during which they noted that Iran "acted responsibly'.    Not withstanding this view, Saudi Arabia has broken diplomatic relations with Iran.   This is as tensions continued to mount after some 400+ Iranian Pilgrims died during a stampede in Mecca during the annual hajj.

As #2016 Begins....

We have been assessing the World as the World brought in the new year with increased security.    Football was the order of the day on New Years' Day as challenges abound throughout our World.  Saudi Arabia's execution of 47 people (including a prominent Shia Leader) sparked mass protests throughout the Shia World.   Iran's Offical News Agency featured a Visual retrospective of him in Farsi.

In addition, it was also announced that a Yemen ceasefire was to end.     This is also as Iran begins an elections campaign which will be very interesting to comment on especially in light of some of the latest moves by Iran on the ballistic missile front.

As we look forward to our new year here in #outsiders, we wanted to launch the new year with a high note which we hope all enjoy as we seek to do our part to live up to our mission here in #Outsiders to "Transform the conversation about our World One Notation, One Tweet and One Weibo at a time".

Happy #2016!!!

PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK

The most popular talks of 2015

What a year! Here are the talks you watched the most from 2015. Watch »

15 TED Talks • Total run time 3:29:32

A Final Wish On New Years'' Eve #2016

Our team will be "going dark" in honor of New Years 2016.

As we await the dawn of 2016, we wanted to leave you with this simple sentiment that underscores our prayers for the new year;

We look forward to "Cyber See" our Community in 2016.   

“May your light rest in our hearts,
And remind us that you are the eternal star.”

“Let us dream of a world without any more violence –
A world of justice and hope.
Let us each give a hand to our neighbor…
As a symbol of peace and brotherhood.”

“Give us strength.

Fill us with love that we might love and be loved.

Let this be our prayer.” 

~ Carol Bayer Sager and David Foster 

Notations on Our World: Final Thoughts On #2015 (On US, #Iran & Other Thoughts)

KAL reflects Upon the State of Affairs in the United States (Source: http://www.economist.com) 

It has been quite a year in our World.

The most vibrant engagement we've been witness to has been the US Election Scene.   As we were gearing up to go to Press, we received reports here at our Virtual World Headquarters that George Pataki, the former Governor of New York, annouced that he was "Suspending" his Presidential Campaign effectively ending his campaign--then there was 12.

The battle between Donald Trump and the Clintons is statring to heat up.   Trump has said that he would go after Hillary Clinton, "Hard", by focusing on Bill Clinton's indiscretions.  He also just came out and noted that he would be spending 2 Million Dollars per week on Ads on the eve of Iowa and New Hampshire.     This is also as Jeb Bush cancelled Ad Buys and retrenching for trying to save what is clearly a campaign in trouble.   With less than 30 Days to Iowa, Trump dominates as exemplifed by this from the Washington Post's Dave Weigel:

As Trump attacks, conservatives hope to turn women against Clinton

Trump has hit on the growing conservative desire to portray the Democratic front-runner as the sort of person feminists should run screaming from.

By David Weigel  •  Read more »

The best defense is a good offense and Mr Trump is truly the Master at the "Art of the Deal" although there is no concerted effort to truly push back on the substance of his analysis.      The closest thing our team saw was this on Israel's Haaretz available by clicking here. 

It was also of note how the Washington Examiner touted the surge and actions of Senator Cruz as noted in this "snapshot" we received here:

Ted Cruz plans action on multiple fronts in first day as president Surging Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz described what would be the most aggressive first day in office ever for a new president, starting with the elimination of "every single illegal and unconstitutional" executive action taken by President Obama. The Texas senator also said that he would rip up Obama's controversial deal with Iran, open an investigation into Planned Parenthood's "abortion practice," and shift the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. 'ALL OF THAT IS ON DAY ONE'

  

The total lack of regard for the realities in that part of the World is quite concerning especially as his campaign gathers apparent steam in anticipation of an apparent win in Iowa.    It is also of note that this is the standard "stump speech" he makes all the time. This is also as the Examiner noted this with this very interesting image of Hillary Clinton and her Chief Aide, Huma Abedyn:  

Year of outrage: Top 15 scandals in 2015 The past year has not been pretty and the Washington Examiner's Sarah Westwood has been paying attention. Here's a sampling from her list of top 2015 scandals: 1) 100,000 tax-delinquent feds cost taxpayers $1.4 billion; 2) Hillary's email-gate involved multiple falsehoods but failed to thwart her campaign; 3) Clinton Foundation foreign donors also did business with the State Dept. under Hillary Clinton; 4) Obamacare lost track of $2.8 billion in insurance subsidies; 6) VA refused to fire two officials who stole $400,000 from the agency and blocked benefits to thousands of veterans . . . . . . AND IT GETS WORSE . . .

It was also of interest as we recentlly saw a number of columns Professor Jonathan Turley published in his blog about what Obama taught Trump.   Professor Turley's view is interesting in that he's lead Counsel for action against the Obama Adminstration as the former Speaker decided to sue the President on some of the very Executive Actions that was prompted due to House inaction.     We found this depicted on the state of the Campaign by our favorite cartoonist, the Economist' KAL, ever so pivotal and timely.

As we went to press with this final retrospective, it was of interest that there were discussions on a Post-Assad era that was reported by the National Interest recently with Iran making moves.  It is also of note that Iran is gearing up for a pivotal election for Parliament and the Assembly of Experts.    Some 12,000 candidates had filed to run--but who knows who's approved by the time the Guardian Council is done with them.    All will again be subject to an intense process with one key provision being whether they were part of the Green Movement of 2009.        As this continues, Iran is faced with a profound challenge on the Economic Front with no apparent moves having been made by the Rouhani Adminstration.      We have also been assessing the on-going state of the Environment in the Country as two of the largest cities, Isfahan and Tehran, were on lockdown as schools were ordered closed due to the intense pollution in the City.     Iran has tried to adjust to the "new normal" in Oil Markets by adjusting its' budget based on  $ 35/Barrell as it tries to increase its' Oil Sales despite the profound challenges it faces right now.    All the key countries also faced profound challenges--including Saudi Arabia that is facing a $ 98 Billion Dollar deficit.

Beyond the Americas and the Near East area of  Asia (which we will refer to as the Middle East going forward), there is the Americas.   Brazil is in deep trouble which in our view does not bode well for the "BRICS" organization and some of the iniatitives including the AIIB.    Venezuela is facing profound political headwinds as Maduro's party was handily defeated because the people simply have gotten tired on the mismanagement and the corruption.   There is also one of the members of the proposed "NASSIM" clan , Malaysia, that has its' own share of challenges.      We will be working on all these initaitives as we look to a very busy & engaging 2016.  This is also as the IMF came out with a very pessimistic outlook on the World Economy in 2016.

As we finished off the year throughout #Outsiders, it was also of note that the City of Brussels cancelled year-end celebrations as other cities throuyghout the world have increased security.   It is right now December 31 in Sydney:

Current time in Sydney, Australia ‎(UTC+11)‎ 

2:28 PM

Thursday, December 31, 2015

• 
  

  • 

    Weather in Sydney, Australia

    82 °F, Sunny (Clear)

  
  

The Countdown to the New year has begun as we leave you all with this siimple sentiment to add a bit of "fun" to the celebrations--We look forward to the opportunity to serve in 2016:

    

Notations On Our World: Awaiting #2016.....

It is the dawn of the final week of 2015.     It has been an interesting few days in our World as we look to 2016.    Our team followed with great interest as the Indian Prime Minister made a grueling trip to Russia, stopped by Afghanistan and then paid a Birthday Visit to the Pakistani Prime Minister.   Shortly thereafter, though, we got reports of bomb blasts near Kabul Airport.    Afghanistan remains on the edge of the abyss as we are on the edge of the new year.

Our team was on the prowl throughout Christmas week here in the United States as it worked on its' daily Twitter Curation.   Of all the stories, for us the most heart wrenching was the plight of the Kurdi Family and how the Syrian War had led them all to the four corners of the World to escape the hell that was Syria Today.   We were also shocked at the scenes of the floods in Chennai, India and the UK over the Christmas Holiday.     We will work to continue to assess these as we gear up for the new year.    We found it of interest lessons of leadership that the team +Fast Company shared which are lessons to be learnt by us all.

 We have also been excited about the on-going technology advancements and some of the +Kickstarter projects we backed which we look forward to featuring in our Visions Channel.    We have also been very fortunate to have been witness to the vibrancy and engagement of our Community which we look forward to engaging with as well.   Our team, also, has been a collective fan of Dave Ramsey which we hope to feature some of his lessons learnt in our Education Channel during the new year.  As we read through his top 10 money wasters, we admitted that we at least had two or three we'd done.   

As we eagerly await #2016, we hope we can live up to the admonitions that +Jonathan Huie noted for all in the latest thoughts he sent out to his community which we always take note of: 

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation
with the bricks others have thrown at him.
- David Brinkley

Education is the foundation upon which we build our future.
- Christine Gregoire

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at;
it is the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.
- David Allan Coe









Although our team (at the insistence of our founder) will be dark this final week, we will continue with our  Daily Twitter Curation and the Daily Update (from our Founder) will be published.  As noted, we will share breaking updates as required as we wish all ...

Onward to 2016 with all its' possibilities...

Thought(s) For the Week : On Faith, Religion & Love

On this Christmas 2015 Weekend in the United States,  we wanted to share these series of thoughts from +Jonathan Huie that underscores a sense of faith and hopefulness that is critical for us to succeed:

When the solution is simple, God is answering.
- Albert Einstein

The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask from books,
but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching.
- Joseph Smith, Jr.

Who rises from prayer a better man, his prayer is answered.
- George Meredith

As we reflected upon this, we also were reminded of this from Ibn Arabia:

A garden among the flames

O Marvel, 

a garden among the flames!

My heart can take on 

any form: 

a meadow for gazelles, 

a cloister for monks,

For the idols, sacred ground, 

Ka'ba for the circling pilgrim, 

the tables of the Torah, 

the scrolls of the Qur'án.

I profess the religion of love; 

wherever its caravan turns along the way, 

that is the belief, 

the faith I keep.

Onward to 2016 with all its' possibilities 

A Holiday Wish For all....

As we go "dark" for the Christmas WeekEnd here in the United States, From all of us here @ #Outsiders:

&  leaving you all with a special edition of the Musical Interlude with this beautiful classic from Andy Williams which we look forward to picking up and expanding on in the New Year: