On #gratitude: Notations For the W-End.......

It has been another difficult 24 hours in the United States.    A terrorist walked into a Planned Parenthood Office in Colorado Springs, killed a police officer and took hostages until he was "talked down" and surrended.    I will have more to say on it later on.

It has been though a week to be thankful.    There is no question that every day is a day to be thankful.  As I always tell friends, as the great philosopher Pit bull reminds us, "every day above ground is a great day".   It was so appropriate as I saw this that the #Outsider team was gracious enough to share to remind me of it:

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

- Philo 

This hit home to me in a major way as I had the pleasure to join the Fish For Life Cruise from Dana Point earlier this month.    This is a charity founded by an old and dear friend of mine, Jim Holden, that holds fishing cruises for special needs children by having their families have a day of joy under the Sun. This particular one broke my heart as I saw a girl full of heart who had lost a hand--and I was told cancer as she made her way to the cruise:  It is a pleasure to share this on the day and how joyful an event it all was: https://fishforlife.smugmug.com/Trip-Photos/November-14th-2015/   This I received from the John Templeton Fund said it all.    May the Almighty continue to bless all as we await some hopeful news from Paris as the climate change conference begins  and as we deal with the menance of Daesh:

On the Eve of Thanksgiving in the United States: On #Syria, #Daesh & #Success & #Hope & Being Grateful....

As our team went "dark", the daily twitter curation continued as the World has been witness to distressing developments around the World.    The latest one was the bombing of the Tunisian Presidential Guard which was claimed by the #Daeshscum which led to the declaration of the State of Emergency.  This is as France and Europe have been dealing with the aftermath of the horrors of Paris as France introduced a 90-Day State of Emergency and enacted A "Patriot-Act" type of  law.    What was even more distrubing to be witness to as our team continued its' daily assessment was the shooting down of a Russian Fighter Jet by Turkey.     Putin was in Iran as he attended the Gas Producer Leaders conference and went to see Khameini:

It was of note to reflect upon a recent blast from the Past that Professor Milani fo Stanford reminded the World as there has been a spat of arrests which continues even today despite some of the incremental changes seen after the election of President Rouhani: 



The wars are worrisome ever so especially as the New York Times reported earlier today of the introduction of Latin American Troops in Yemen by the Emirates as the escalation is quite worrisome which our team will continue to monitor as it gears up for December here in #Outsiders.    

In the meantime, Congress continues its' efforts to try and and impose its' views as epitomized by the latest out there as the threat of a Government Shutdown looms with the latest as noted in this excerpt reported out by the New York Times: 

TREASURY SECRETARY WARNS FOES OF DODD-FRANK Last year, Congress passed a measure dismantling a piece of the Dodd-Frank Act that governed swaps by attaching the new legislation to a wider spending bill. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew warned critics of Dodd-Frank against trying the same tactic again, saying he would push back against any attempts to weaken financial regulation through amendments to the spending bill, which Congress must pass byDec. 11 to avert a government shutdown, Peter Eavis reports in DealBook. "I have publicly made clear that my recommendation to the president would be that if there are legislative measures that will roll back the clock, that would take us back toward where we were before the financial crisis, I would recommend a veto," Mr. Lew said via email.

What critics of Dodd-Frank are focusing on this time around is theregulation mandating annual tests for banks to determine whether they could survive extreme stress in the markets and wider economy, Mr. Eavis writes. Currently, the rule applies to banks with at least $50 billion in assets, but legislation introduced by Senator Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama and chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, would raise that threshold to $500 billion. Lawmakers are alsotaking aim at the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which they say lacks accountabilityMr. Lew's remarks may not deter Republican lawmakers from attaching amendments to the spending bill if they believe that the Obama administration would be more likely to compromise on financial regulation than on other areas, like health care, Mr. Eavis writes. Also, another victorious effort to weaken parts of Dodd-Frank would "establish a track record of chipping away at the overhaul each year," he writes.

  Beyond the politics though, there is the challenge of  Climate Change.    It has been gratifying to see France affirming its' commitment to go on with COP21 that our team will be assessing on a daily basis starting next week.    However, what I found extremely distressing was how the Chairman of the House Science Committee was putting pressure on Scientists to compel them to produce emails on his apparent belief that studies were doctored.  This is as the leading climate sceptic in the Country, Senator James Inhoff of Okhlahoma, plans on a one man "Truth squad" campaign as he says , "Oui" to Paris.   It is just beyond belief as the World is faced with drought, countries are dying before our very eyes as epitomized by this which was heartwrehcning to listen to--available on +TED by clicking here.  


 and some countries are being swept away by hurricances, that this man seems to be on the rampage that he is--joined by his GOP colleagues.        I look forward to joining the climate reality rally in Irvine this coming Sunday as I was also pleased to receive this in my "Virtual Office" to underscore the challenge yet hope that must be the order of the day:

Happy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving, we are especially thankful. We’re thankful for the incredible people around the world working hard to put an end to climate change. For the amazing progress we’ve seen from world leaders and influencers leading up to the United Nations’ climate negotiations in Paris and the prospect of a historic global climate agreement.  But most of all, we’re thankful for you, our incredible friends and supporters. So we’d like to give #ClimateThanks to all of you for what you’ve helped the climate community achieve this year: • Over 2,000 new Climate Reality Leaders working to educate and inspire their communities to act on climate change • An Open Letter to world leaders, urging a strong global climate agreement in Paris • A historic rally during Pope Francis’ US visit in support of his urgent message on climate change • The EPA Clean Power Plan’s finalization, which thousands of you supported, helping to establish the US as an international leader on climate action And that’s just the beginning. None of this would have been possible without you.  Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving, As I end this before "running off" , I could not help but share this I saw while on the "Grid" when I broke my "sabatical" briefly to catch up  (and I admit I was "sneaking in")!! :-) I saw this from the ever perceptive and eloquent +DARREN HARDY as he reminded us all on the art of the possible and never ever ever ever ever ever giving up.   I couldn't agree more. Happy thanksgiving to all in the United States as I also note that everyday is a day to be thankful for all the blessings that we do have!!!

On the "Prowl" 4 the W-End: On #Syria, #Muslims & Other Thoughts.....

As the debate ensues about what to do about Syria in the aftermath of Paris, Beirut and Ankara, I ran across this on the interesting tact taken on criticizing the Obama Doctrine on Syria.  I did not see a solution as I have in other analysis when I reflected upon the challenge we face: JINSA in The Weekly Standard: Who Really Betrayed the Syrians? | JINSA Online.

Beyond the debates, there is the very distrubring discussions in the current Republican Party which is outright dangerous.    Donald Trump has advocated registration for Muslim Americans--and after he denied it--doubled down on it.    He called it a "matter of management"--in addition to calling for the closure of Mosques.    This is as Ben Carson took to Time Magazine to say no Syrian Refugees should be brought in although he praised any Muslim Americans he has worked with unless they "denounce" violence.    I made it a point of tagging Dr. Carson's Twitter Feed late last night with this that directly point and point rejected his assertions.

@RealBenCarson : Please take note of this in response to your Time Magazine Column....Happy Thanksgiving. https://t.co/2LS9blmkVP

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2015

The team, though, ran across this from a few months which I found to be hillarious but at the same time so ironic and troubling as well:

An interesting "take": Many in Nation Tired of Explaining Things to Idiots https://t.co/kW5uy65i8C via @BorowitzReport

— The Daily Outsider (@DailyOutsider) November 21, 2015

As the weekend is at hand, though, I took comfort in these thoughts on my personal twitter feed before I am "off the grid" for the weekend although the team will be on the "prowl" with the #outsider Twitter Feeds and of course my twitter feed will be updating with the periodic #quote feeds along with the Daily Update:

I know of only one duty, and that is to love. - Albert Camus #quote

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2015

Against all odds and despite all the obstacles, we are going to make it. - Marilyn Monroe #quote

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2015

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. - Ralph Waldo Emerson #quote

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2015

& this:

Against all odds and despite all the obstacles, we are going to make it. - Marilyn Monroe #quote

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2015

Onward to another working weekend...