If The Globe had a Hernia, it would be in The Middle East

Bad Marriage or Bad Divorce? Who Cares? It's BAD.

The controversy continues. This is as reliable as the sun rising and falling except that we can't live without the sun - we can live without the controversy. Why do we have to?

With almost any military attack in the world, there are at a minimum two sides to the conflict. It takes hours to read about and absorb the history here - it is ancient. I can see both sides but there are a few unanswered questions.

1. Since the majority of the people in the entire area spanning several of the wealthiest oil producing nations are Arab, why are surrounding countries not providing non-military assistance to their Palestinian brothers which they can surely afford? They need to answer this question.

I suspect that they are happy to let the battle continue because they also hate all Jews and this struggle unites a lot of the world against Israel. It is a perfect approach for them and costs nothing. In addition historically they have never wanted to absorb Palestinian people and never will.

2. Why are the leaders of resistance movements like Hamas living in safe havens like Turkey? This is a no-brainer. They are politicians and not military leaders. They can enjoy wealth without bullets.

3. Why has the world at large historically hated Jews? There are anti-Semites almost everywhere. There seems to be a stereotypical notion evolving from the likes of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice - that Jews control the money. People always resent this idea, especially have nots. My recent readings have shown that historically Jews were prohibited from the trades like furniture making and home building, so they became merchants and were good at it.

4. Do Jews really consider themselves a chosen people? They do seem to only marry and do most business within the faith. No doubt the constant discrimination has forced this - united we stand, divided we fall. If so how is that any different from other religions, races, or nations doing the same thing? In addition to this people always try to blame others for their own failings. Jews are just a favorite target.

5. Why do some Arabs want to kill all Jews when there has never been a reciprocal policy from Israel? In fact, there are many Arabs living productive and peaceful lives in Israel. The reverse is not true. Why? It would be easy for Israel to rid themselves of this segment of the population. They don't.

The IDF and Israeli politicians are constantly saying that human casualties of all types are just reality during war and that this IS a war. During the Great Wars, portions of entire cities and their residents were being demolished and killed every day - for years but it was happening all over to all combatants. Certain structures like power plants and munitions factories were targets but collateral damage was inevitable. In this case the focus is on one small area and the rest of entire world is merely observing. The same is still happening in Ukraine.

Even if this is war, it is difficult to accept when a hospital or camp is deliberately targeted and helpless, innocent people are blown apart. Tough as it is, Israel is not helping its reputation by doing this.

In summary this conflict could end in a relatively short timeframe if surrounding, rich Arab countries took in their brothers AND provided permanent housing and training.

I am not going to hold my breath and neither should you.

#thebrewsterblock

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More Second Amendment Crap

Guns Don't Kill People, People CARRYING Them Do!

After more American carnage by Robert Card you know we will hear it all again: "Guns don't kill people - people kill people". Really? Was that fake news we all saw in the bowling alley and bar the other day? Were the family members pouring their guts out and shamefully displayed on CNN and other networks just actors?

It IS true that this asshole slaughtered at least eighteen people for his own sick reasons. However, MY eyes told me that the object he was carrying was not a sling shot, baseball bat, or bow and arrow - it was a GUN. Moreover, it was designed to mow down as many people as possible in the shortest time and with maximum damage. My eyes also saw that the targets were innocent PEOPLE including youth - not pheasants, ducks, deer, or moose.

Oh yes - I live outside of America and - well - I just don't understand. I am the ignorant one.

I have said this many times and will say it again. Guns were invented to kill - purely and simply. That would not be so bad if the targets were indeed game for consumption, or predators of live stalk and crops. Not so once again. The primary targets were always human beings. So let me say it before anyone else does - Americans have the right to carry arms. The Second does not mention purchases or types of weapons but that's another debate.

I assume that I have the right to purchase a Mack Truck to take my kids to school, soccer practice, or to drive to work. I don't buy one. Why? Because they were designed for a different purpose and are very impractical for me. If I were to use it for commercial haulage it would be a perfect fit. So now I ask the same question I have also asked many times. If assault style weapons are designed only to rapidly kill people, if you own one or intend to buy one who do you intend to kill? Where and when do you intend to use it?

Perhaps YOU should be on a red flag list.

This time would some rational American gun owner/lover please explain? I suspect the rest of the rational world would also like to hear.

#thebrewsterblock

Another Debt Crisis Averted - for Now.

Cash Tree in the Garden at the White House

The game continues. Just like the World Series, Superbowl, or Word Cup, the American government's big game has just been played. In this case instead of a winner or loser until the next season, the game ended in a draw - until the next crisis 45 days from now!

We witness this spectacle annually in the USA and most democracies across the globe. We don't know about dictatorships because we are not allowed to see inside them. Keep this in mind if you intend to vote for Donald Trump again.

If you or I go to a bank for a loan we have to prove: the reason for the loan is sound; we have the ability to make payments - the longer the better for the lender; and we have a good track record for doing so, among many factors. If we fail there are plenty of secondary lenders who are happy to charge an arm and a leg for another loan. There are also sharks who will indeed take that arm or leg if you renege on your payments to them. 

Then there are credit card companies who are more than happy to give you more credit even if you have to declare personal bankruptcy. Again lots of debt resolution firms will bail you out for huge fees over a very long time and a vastly reduced lifestyle.

Now let's turn to democratic governments. The choices are similar but the solutions are more severe. They have 4 main choices: printing more money which is always bad; borrowing more money which is easy but also bad; reducing expenses - painful for all of us; or increasing taxes which they often have to do. Too bad the last option always targets the middle class and the poor avoiding the super rich to keep their own government incomes.

This spectacle pulls me in two directions. I am a Conservative at heart and believe in balanced budgets. Governments can only live on endless credit until the next war. So far this has not happened to America. Most of the USA's is with China. Go figure. So when the GOP says it wants to move to more responsible spending and reduction of the debt, they have been just as guilty as their counterparts on kicking the problem down the road when they were in power.

By the same token as a senior retiree I do have a need for government assistance on things like Medicare and pensions, which I paid for during my employment years. If push came to shove I am willing to work for anything extra, especially if funded by the government.

The common factor for both the private sector and governments is that there is no money tree in the back yard. Both have to stop pretending that it exists and that it bears fruit whenever they need it.

Such fruit will turn rotten very quickly. In the USA the fruit is already falling to the ground and they are running out of trees!

#thebrewsterblock