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2009: The Year in Review

December 29th 2009 03:03
: As Only JibJab Can Say It!!
As I continue to finish off 2009 and gear up for 2010, I just ran across JibJab's take on this very, very tough year:

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Despite all the challenges I see, I still remain hopeful and optimistic. I hope that my optimistism is not in vain.

Happy New Year!!!!!
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2010 & Beyond: The Challenges

December 23rd 2009 07:40
: ...and!@??!??!


To me, the challenge of the next two years was illustrated in major way by the Economist's KAL. As 2010 draws near, there is a real need for leadership and firmness. For the President to succeed and have a chance at reelecction, this firmness has to be ever so. But the firmness will be overshadowed by the likes of Brazil and China who will continue to push ahead in spite of the United States. The United States has to figure out how to create the future. But, as the healthcare debate shows, the political elite in the country seems to be thinking yesterday while the rest of the world is thinking about tomorrow.


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: Now What?


This past twenty hours the so-called "coup President" in Iran being affirmed in his office by his mentor, Iran's Supreme Leader. As I monitored Iranian Official Media, I was frankly shocked that the Regime's News Network did not break away coverage. The only coverage that I saw was PressTV, the Regime's English Language Service featuring some commentator looking forward to the next four years of the "Coup President


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: Hopeful Signs....
As the First Quarter of 2009 ends, I continue to remain hopeful. As I have written and reflected upon our world, at times I have been concerned as to the lack of respect shown to opposing views. I yearn for a substantive analysis of the challenges we face today so that we can work to solve them together. Outsider Views began in this spirit. I will continue this path because of my view on the need for consesus and the need to hope.

Today saw 73 countries attending the Hague Meeting on Afghanistan. I view the presence of Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister as a hopeful sign. Although I would have rather seen Foreign Minister Mottaki there, at least a senior official attended the meeting. Iran has a vested interest in Afghanistan being stable due to the immense refugee problem, the drug trade and the instability it inherently brings


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Khameini Speaks.....

March 22nd 2009 05:15
: And????
Khameini
Khameini: The Decider


Iran's Supreme Leader responded to President Obama's overture. Iran's Supreme Leader is the ultimate decider of all state matters in Iran. The Supreme Leader went to Mashad in Eastern Iran on the first day of the Iranian New Year to talk about this and other matters


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What will come of the Iranians?

December 21st 2008 02:54
: They are the ones who matter....
The Government that runs Iran today leaves a lot to be desired. On the economy, I see a country that is close to collapse. Unemployment is rising, inflation is out of control and the country is about to run a deficit because of the collapse in the price of oil. Corruption is a daily fact of life.

When idiotnejad "won" the election, he promised to bring the oil wealth to everyone's dinner table. Now, reality has set in. The Oil Stabilization Fund has been pretty much decimated. As I have written in my daily briefs before, idiotnejad has gone through at least two Central Bank Governors who were standing up to him. Yet, he seems to stay put for now. The question is: why? I view it as simple, yet so crucial. The conservatives thugs who run Iran today are using this fool as a tool to advance their own economic and political interests. They have no interest whatsoever in the plight of the ordinary "main street" folks who are trying to put food on the table, educate their kids and live dignified lives


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The Economic Tsunami Before Us

November 15th 2008 04:34
: Will it in fact happen?
The Tsunami is in full force. I was at a FedEx Office location talking to an old friend of mine. He was telling me about how things had truly changed. He told me that he walked into the office this morning and did not even have a single FedEx Ground box. As I was talking to him, the shipments ready to be processed were basically non-existent. This is When people cut back, they stop shipping. Why is this signifcant? It is signifcant simply because it shows how truly terrible things are.

When I see the retail numbers tanking and the markets imploding, I am not sure where the bottom will hit. I also am concerned when I see the front page of the New York Times for Friday noting that the Auto Industry Bailout Plan seems to be a non-starter. Furthermore, the fact that the economic stimulus package President Elect Obama talked about at his first news conference is also running into trouble concerns me greatly. Whatever monies paid out by the U.S. Treasury's TARP program has apparently been hoarded by the banks and used to buy up rivals, pay dividends and rewards management. There is nothing for Main Street, yet. I wonder if the hotshots in Washington know that Main Street is in fact suffering when Citi annouced a 10,000 job cut and Sun Microsystems annouced a job cut of 6,000 workers. I don't think they really do. I sure know the Republicans don't


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: Isn't it strange.....
There was a story in the Friday Edition of the Los Angeles Times. It chronicles the pressure that the United States exerted on the Iranian Government during the Reign of the Shah of Iran. It makes the argument that the seeds of the revolution was laid out when the United States exerted pressure on Iran to change its stance on the price of oil. Iran was a prime buyer of weapons at the time. It chronicles meetings that Rumsfeld had with General Toufanian, Iran's Chief of Arms Procurement warning him about not undermining him. I find this odd and will be talking about it further.

I find the report on the role of the Nixon and Ford Adminstrations quite amazing. The problem, though, is that the Shah made some profound mistakes on his own. The Shah undermined the Constitution of 1905 and very much contributed to his own downfall. It is a documented fact that he owed his crown to the CIA and MI5. Despite the Shah's mistakes, I do find it quite startling that Republican Adminstrations who claimed to be the Shah's friend ended up working to undermine him. They did end up succeeding and began 30 years of hostiilty which is yet to be reconciled


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Reflections on the Debates & Judgement

September 27th 2008 15:31
: Who is Ready?
I saw the debate between Senator Obama and Senator McCain last night. They went at it. I think Jim Lehrer did a fantastic job, first of. He asked the tough questions, did not let them get out of line and kept things in place. Both Senators were prepared and provided their perspectives on where they want to take this country. I did not think anyone scored a knockout punch. I think, though, that Senator Obama held his own on the issues of Foreign Policy against Senator McCain despite Senator McCain's constant reminders to the audience and the world that "...Senator Obama just does not understand...". The fact that Senator Obama acknowledged that Ahmadinejad is not the most powerful man in Iran proved to me that he did his homework.

Both candidates are both going to Washington right now to be available to vote on the bailout measure. The Congress is in a week-end session. The consesus is that something must happen and happen now. There is also an apparent agreement that main street must be protected as well. Let's see if they rise to the occasion. I think they will


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