5/04/2014

Notations on Our World (5/4/2014)

Released to http://www.outsiderviews.com,  5/4/2014

As we here @ "outsiders" were gearing up for the latest here in Outsider Views, the story that was of particular interest was the apparent free-fall of the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Abbott.  The Sydney Morning Herald reported with the next few days about how the Prime Minister support is at 39% over the so-called death tax.   It appears that the voters of Australia have had buyers remorse!!

Australia, though, never seizes to be interesting.   As with many around the World, we were also amazed at the reception given to the Duke of Cambridge and his family.    It was such a moving scene on Anzac Day as Australia and New Zealand remembered the fallen.   One wonders why would anyone wishes to have nations go through this especially in places like Ukraine.    What has been disturbing even more is how the other so-called former Soviet Republics are increasingly under siege.   This is as more crucial debate like what is being documented here and reported by the team @ Mashable seems to not be as important:

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The senseless violence in Assam, India is also another matter we've been assessing here.    29 people were killed.    The relatives are refusing to bury them until the Chief Minister comes to visit them.  It is good news that at least there has not been any violence--even though the accusations are flying.   It is frankly amusing to see how the senseless violence is being used for political purposes.

Beyond the senseless Assam  violence, there is the bizarre campaign.    One of the Muslim Parties had noted that if Muslims don't vote for them, they would need to have their DNA checked!!  But, more importantly, it is the BJP offer to the Chief Minister of West Bengal for a "Big package" if the Chief Minister hooked up with them.   She came out and said:  Never in my lifetime.  Modi, in the meantime, has hit back hard while on the Chief Minister's home turf.  

All of this drama and somewhat of a Bizarre campaign will be resolved May 16...can't wait who will be called a cat and a rat.   The US, also, is going to the polls in about One Month with the crucial mid-terms which will determine the course of the United States as the battle for 2016 begins in earnest as it deals with a challenging image in no small measure due to the collapse of the latest attempt at the Middle East Peace Process:

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5/03/2014

A Day of Service & Love

It was a day of service of love as I had the privilege to serve as a Merit Badge Counselor teaching a very interesting Merit Badge--Composite Materials--to some 26 Scouts today.  As I reflected upon this day, (which I plan to comment about in my local blog, South County Matters), what struck me was one of the Scouts in an Electric Wheelchair with his Father and how he was so enthusiastically finding the GeoCaches and how that level of love by all was ever so evident by his Father.

As the evening dawned, I listened to this clip that I received courtesy of the team @ GiveMore that underscores what I saw today about showing the love for all and a sense of selflessness that was ever so evident:



Will Smith is absolutely right on when he reminds us all that the kind of life we lead has to be about loving all--and working to give back.    A sense of strength and ultimate success will be so we all remember that--something that Mitch Albion reminded us all of:

The way you get meaning into your life
is to devote yourself to loving others,
devote yourself to your community around you,
and devote yourself to creating something
that gives you purpose and meaning.
- Mitch Albom  

It was such a privilege to be witness to it on this day.



5/01/2014

A "View of the Week": Never Giving Up :-)


Notations on the World.....

What a Way to Start a Month
It has been a chaotic 24 hours around the World. There was a train bombing in India, a station attack in China, violent protests in Eastern Ukraine and protests throughout Europe on May Day. As I have been assessing the World as May 2014 began, what I found surprising was the arrest of Jerry Adams, the Sein Fein Leader for a murder that occurred some 40 years ago. How the IRA murdered a mother of 10 is absolutely shocking. Jerry Adams' arrest was based on old "Boston" tapes. Martin McGinnis, the Ulster Deputy First Minister, talked about the political nature of it. Time will only tell.  

Assam in India has been besieged by violence. NDTV is reporting that the Assam Government has asked for 10 companies of paramilitaries. The Indian Army is also on standby and maybe deployed. This is part of the on-going insurgency throughout India that besieges that vast country and as all indications are that Modi will be the next Indian Prime Minister. There is talk of a "Modi Wave". It is fascinating to see it all in action, though.

Beyond India, there is China. The Station attack in the Uighur Region of China has been attributed to separatists. I found the timeliness of the attack especially striking as the Chinese President was touring the region on the advent of May Day. He was meeting with Military Leaders in his Mao Suite and underscored a firm response. It appears that the Uyghur separatists are not drifting away anytime soon. But what I found ever more shocking was the scenes from Ukraine as Pro-Russian Protesters attacked the Regional Prosecutor's Office. This is as Putin told the German Chancellor that Ukraine has to withdraw its' troops immediately. What was amusing that he seemed to forget his own record. I wrote in a Tweet when I saw the story on The Daily Beast, a US-Based Web Newspaper, that Mr. Putin needs to stop being a Tsar first before talking about being a Democrat. Sky News is right now reporting of Helicopter Gunship Firings. This is as the Interim President of Ukraine has reinstated Conscription. 

As May 2014 is also before us, Syria's tragedy continues with no end in sight. I found it just laughable that Bashar Assad had the nerve to vie for re-election. I could not believe my eyes as I reviewed the reports from the BBC on the situation in Aleppo--as Government Jets struck a School. The last time such images were before us was during World War II.

It is quite a way to start the Month of May around our World....

Also available @ http://www.outsiderviews.com

On the Advent of May 2014: A "Thought 4 the Week"

A new month is at hand.  Many around the World are celebrating this as Labor Day.     A new month brings new opportunities for a path ahead as these admonitions are ever so critical for us all from the ever insightful  Jonathan Lockwood Huie: 


 

 
Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers,
for each rage leaves him less than he had been before -
it takes something from him.
- Louis L'Amour

He who angers you conquers you.
- Elizabeth Kenny   

For every minute you remain angry,
you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

-

Forgiveness is not always easy.
At times, it feels more painful
than the wound we suffered,
to forgive the one that inflicted it.
And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

4/30/2014

Remembering Bob Hoskins

The Actor Bob Hoskins died earlier today of Pneumonia.  Of all the performances I have seen of him, "Maid in Manhattan especially stands out with this scene:



As someone who has had his share of challenges over the years, I am always reminded of this simple, elegant and yet crucial point about never giving up and realizing that failure is not and end-all as he notes, "..what we do does not define who we are....what defines us is how well we rise after falling".

RIP Bob Boskins....


4/28/2014

The Continued Insecurity of the Net: A Brief "newsflash" for the day.....

I wanted to begin the new week by reporting on the latest Security Flaw. Vigliance is ever so important after Heartbleed that continues to haunt us on a Worldwide basis: