What a week it has been! Lots of things happened, yes and many more were barely mentioned both in general by the Media and on this blog. On Wednesday though, a friend called me to touch base, stay in contact, plan something. As we talked, I yawned ( a bit impolite but not her fault and unavoidable as all know ) and she mentioned that the highly “contagious” nature of this physical reflex had worked even over the phone as she had started yawning too. In turn, that got her to share that she had been suffering from insomnia recently, admittedly a logical jump in subjects. What is strange though is that it now seems that this common sleep disorder might also be contagious as I ended up with the last two nights being tossing and turning matches myself. Nothing fun by a fair margin and yet, it was during these painful tug of war moments between fitful sleep and useless awakenings that many of this Post’s remarks surfaced. Let me then put them to use to link together bits of information that I really didn’t know how to bunch up?
After having written on Iran and recognizing that President Rohani was indeed a good change in Iranian politics as his better relation to the top honcho in Teheran actually allowed him more power to negotiate and thus favored diplomacy for his government, a startled half-conscious insomnia call triggered this : I think I miss Mahmoud?
Yes, Ahmadinejad, THE Mahmoud! Agreed that there are now more chances of peace in the Middle-East without his calls of annihilation of Israel and other nervous spats and yet … for a blogger that covers the news, Mahmoud was a godsend, the clown-in-chief, comic relief made political leader, etc. Under his tenure ( as leadership might be a bit of a stretch actually ), things were clear and I could have explained regional geo-politics to a toddler : -” Look, bad man, mean Iran, etc “. Now, some in Israel are worried that the quality of the new team will further a possible softening of the sanctions on Iran. And since the rationale as we said earlier this week exists for the right of Iran to a civilian nuclear program, especially as they abide by the rules ( say way more than Syria? ) but the border between civilian and military use of nukes is easily crossed, we could see President Netanyahu visit Washington to warn Congress and Obama against this? Strange situation that a more diplomatic setting might be worrisome wouldn’t you say? Yet, as we will cover next, good luck with convincing the US Congress to do anything wise, Benjamin, just ask either Barack or their constituents? Sigh!
Still, there a bit of me that misses Mahmoud and sadly, considering the “quality” of his interventions when he was in office, the chances of catching him on the Western lecture circuits are pretty slim? Oh, well …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24291546
OK! Next up, the US Congress! Having done extensive research on these useless people these past few days, mostly because of their constant fights with the Administration on Obamacare, the possible government shutdown, seen the Piers Morgan interview of ex-President Clinton on CNN in which he explained part of their Gun inaction’s political roots for I am preparing a piece on the Guns Problem, witnessed the non-filibuster of Ted Cruz and also checked the upcoming battle on debt default,
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/congress-starting-to-resemble-the-united-nations-2013-09-27
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/25/ted-cruz-marathon-speech-obamacare
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/26/politics/shutdown-showdown-house/?hpt=po_c1
I woke up startled through one insomnia lapse thinking : BELGIUM!
Why Belgium, you may ask? Because for 1 year and 2/3 in 2010-11, Belgium could not set-up parliament shop for lack of a clear coalition to form a majority.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/18/belgium-marks-250-days-no-government
http://www.businessinsider.com/belgium-government-elio-di-rupo-2011-12?op=1
While this is indicative of woes separating that Kingdom’s Flemish and French communities that may bring about a split in the future, the important thing is that it did not sink the country in and of itself? As a matter of fact, apart from budget and foreign relations, the rest of the daily affairs of the land were quite well taken care of by the government workers that do most of the job anyhow even in normal circumstances?
Which had me thinking : why not suspend Congress for a year or two? No salaries for the moro… huh Congressmen and women equals savings ( and the lobby industry could spare the billions in influence peddling they throw around ) but also it should please the American Right that is forever worried about central government? States could concentrate on serving their people for the period? And the American people could concentrate on more important things too such as the NFL, baseball, Miley Cyrus or raising their families? Just add a Presidential Directive instating background checks on weapons that the public opinion favors anyway subject to the Supreme Court’s review of course and voilà? And heck, who knows, not only would the ratings of that august body likely go back up a little for the respite given to the Nation from their follies but it might prompt some of those who’d be candidates for the next elections to it to actually have plans and intent to serve the people that vote for them? Hum?
I mean seriously , they can’t save American lives ( i.e. agree with the population on guns ), can’t help American lives ( through a Health plan that does not concern the rich folks which are its main opponents? ), can’t save the American economy either ( now ready to jump to debt ceiling although not done on budget shutdown; again, when I was young, I got told finish your veggies if you want some dessert? ) and their stars sound like puns ( Boehmmer and Cruzzzzzzzzzz )? Food for thought!
Soon after, the same night, I startled in wonderment again! Maybe Assad is right and peace would break Syria up more than civil war?
Yes, because if you read the below news, the Syrian opposition is torn? 11 groups signed a statement disavowing the National Coalition that was until then seen as the most representative of it! ( Even some members of the Syrian Free Army. )
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24239779
Their stated objective of an Islamic ( Ummah ) future for Syria is central of course but the likelihood of seeing them agree to its form is darn remote. What is clear though is that the possibility found in this piece was the real culprit :
http://rt.com/news/syria-opposition-attend-geneva-201/
For if the 100 or so countries that recognize the National Coalition accept it as the future government if Bachar Al-Assad leaves power, then the fight of the Islamist factions is for naught? As such, the US-Russian talks lead to : maintaining Assad in power by buying him time and credibility, replacing him with a government that would still be fought by most of the rebellion, avoiding military strikes now, making military strikes more necessary later, stopping France initially from strikes to replace them with arming the rebels, making it impossible for France to arm the now mostly Islamist rebels, helping the rebellion by taking away the regime’s WMD, splitting the rebellion and making it less credible, stopping the worst massacres and making the more regular fighting go on by taking the big control group of Nations out of the picture while keeping the need for the others ( Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Koweit et al. ) to press on with their influence in providing the means for the bloodshed.
Do re-read that list for I am not suggesting that the Geneva moves may bring about one or the other of these conflicting propositions, my poor readers but indeed all of them at the same time?
Way to go, diplomacy!
http://www.euronews.com/newswires/2136834-un-checking-seven-reported-chemical-incidents-in-syria/
And do check the interactive map from Al-Jazeera below as if it wasn’t so tragic, it would be side-splitting?
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2013/07/20137188552345899.html
No wonder I get up under tension in the middle of the night, understanding Syria’s situation is quite far from Zen-inducing experience!
Law makes no sense! That was not a sleep deprivation direct result as I have known so for a long time but I did discover it early this morning as I got to the computer instead of trying to fight my way back to sleep. The 2 guys that savagely murdered Drummer Lee Rigby in the UK found it proper to plead not guilty? Despite the video of the killing in which they brag about it and promise more of the same if let loose? Shouldn’t there be provisions in the law to cover such instances? Not to deprive the “gentlemen” of their rights mind you … but just to make some fucking sense and respect, sorry for the English? Outrageous, ridiculous, ludicrous and more than those, shocking!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24297429
Now although most of these news pieces were disturbing, in our last case, the sarcasm is on me. It links some things that I noticed last week but the main one is actually from two weeks back, September 12; I just found it on Tuesday. The reveal did come through my sleep problem though? I had also taken note that my latest follower was possibly from Québec, Canada for a piece on the Chart of Values political problem that is pestering that province these days? And Québec’s main city is … Montréal?
Now take out the funky accent and write it Montreal then go to bed, suffer insomnia and wake up thinking MONsTers ( are ) REAL … because that cute little critter from the BBC article on a British contest to select the ugliest animal sprang back up to memory?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24040130
And then try to go back to sleep?
Sheesh, darn, etc, Tay.
And then try to go back to sleep?
Sheesh, darn, etc, Tay.
Definitive Lapse of Reason 
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