Monthly Archives May 2015

I usually believe that honesty is the best policy but today I’ve decided to lie to myself and ask you not to reveal the truth.  For today I’ve only received approximately 4 hours of sleep but I will tell my body and mind (if they’ll listen) that I’ve had 8 hours of perfect sleep.  A matter of fact I’ve over slept and that is why I’m tired.   This shall be my lie for today if I don’t fall asleep before I tell it.

The death of Freddie Gray points to a clear distinction in all of us who do you favor?  That bias that we all have helps us to determine who is right and who is wrong before we even know all the facts.  The biases that we accept in life allow us to ignore certain actions by some individuals while pointing the red or green flag on others.  It’s important that we understand and accept such biases that we carry with us and look at a different bag as well. The better we are able to carry both sides the better our justice system will be for all.

It’s important to look around but don’t stare! That was the lesson I learned the hard way when looking at a stranger in NYC who felt that look was a bit too intrusive and offered a verbal assault in return. Don’t stare at the past as well! It’s important to reminisce about past successes but it should be used as a force to keep you moving ahead for the future. Our past mistakes can give us knowledge of where not to step in the future but must not make us fear stepping forward.  Don’t stare for glaring too long can get you burned today and in the future.

Let’s face it in some way we all crave to get attention.  It is one of the most important motivating forces in the actions that we do. This is the reason that many of us want to keep up with Jones’s and Weiss’s so that when we’re called upon we know the answer. That is why we must DVR or run home to make sure that we aren’t left out of a conversation on that “big event” that everyone else is watching.  Those that seek attention can act out in positive ways to a community whether it be volunteering to help at a food shelter, or negatively as those that participate in riots but the one thing they have in common is the desire for attention.  The key is to understand our need for this attention and channel it in the most positive way for ourselves, our families and our communities.

I missed the “Fight of the Century”or so they say and saved $100 with this decision. The truth is the last time I paid to watch the last fight of the century all I saw in the end was a piece of an ear.  I’m sure the Mayweather fight was great but I was raised watching the heavyweights anyway and to  pay $100 dollars to see it didn’t seem to be a good investment of my time and money so I invested in some shut eye instead. There was a time in my life not so far away when I had to be witnessing “the big events” but after seeing those “big events” turn to smaller events that time has faded away. Don’t get me wrong I still once in awhile enjoy the hype like everyone else but it has to fit in with my budget,my shut eye time and even my interest.

Here are the 4 top stories from this weekend’s edition that will help  you have a deeper conversations and make you appear a bit smarter at the same time with notes on how this could occur.

(1) It appears the Senate will pass a bill requiring the Senate approve of an Iranian Deal before sanctions could be lifted. DISCUSSIONS

(A) Should the senate allow votes for  amendments from Marco Rubio (Israel exist) and other Senators to be included in such a bill?

(B) Could this Senate bill insure that the President makes a good deal with the Iranians or make it easier for him to make a bad deal (override)?

(2) American’s are trapped in Yemen as the country is caught in a civil war.

(A) Should the U.S government actively support military operations to rescue these American’s or should these individuals have to fend for themselves since they were warned about the conditions in advance?

(B) How far should the U.S. government go to rescue American citizens caught in harms way?

(3) Tesla is working on Solar batteries that can store electricity.

(A) How much would you pay for such a battery if it came to market?

(B) Do you believe that these batteries could solve our energy problems in this country?

(4) There is a rise in the amount of Premium/Luxury automobiles that are being sold in the United States.

(A) Is this because people are willing to incur deeper debt then in the past or that the rich are more willing to flaunt their wealth?

(B) If you had the means would you put your monies into an automobile or other items? What percent of your wealth would you put into each category?

When an individual dies of unnatural causes in police custody then the police must be held responsible yet we must also be willing to separate facts from emotions.  Here are just a few facts to consider.

(1) RACIAL CASE- As can be seen (above) 3 of the officers accused of bringing upon the death of Mr. Gray are African American and I would be surprised to find that all 3 hated the color of their skin.

(2) REASON FOR ARREST- If Mr. Gray ran away from the police when they stopped him they could have a cause in that action for arrest adding that he was under probation would have given them an additional reason. (see link http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/Evading-Arrest-on-Foot.htm)

(3) Second-degree murder is ordinarily defined as: 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable “heat of passion”; or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender’s obvious lack of concern for human life. Second-degree murder may best be viewed as the middle ground.

My initial thoughts are that Mr. Gray had caused trouble in the community for a quite a bit of time by selling deadly drugs like Heroin and escaped the criminal justice arm. The police felt that they should serve some justice to him while in their custody and while not intending to kill him did want to hurt him enough to think twice. If my findings are correct they should be prosecuted for these crimes only.  The court system also must not allow repeat offenders who sell deadly drugs to continually escape justice.

I will defend the right of the Jewish homeland, Israel to exist with even my life if called too and therefore must understand and change the minds that diametrically oppose this position.  In this blog post I want to get into that mindset of the Anti-Zionist and show how this can and should be changed.

(1) UNDERDOG– Those that support “Palestinian cause” have been betrayed as representing the down trodden and weak against the mighty.  SOLUTION- Various art projects must showcase how the Palestinian people are being oppressed by a gangster type authority that kills dissent. Israel should fund discretely and openly groups that support freedom for all those in the territories.

(2) COOL/HIP– It is the new “political fashion” to support the Anti-Zionist movement. SOLUTION – Various art projects should hi-light a different image subtlety where Israel’s have weaknesses but in the end stand for justice and freedom (ex American World War II movies, James Bond 007) . There also must be entries in the world community of distinctly Israel foods and technology that subtlety but  definitive show their connection to the state (ex blue and white stripe)

(3) INSULAR- Many are ill informed about Judaism and Israel as a whole and this ignorance helps spread anti-Zionist and ant-Semitic beliefs and actions. SOLUTION-AIPAC must have offices and education forums around the globe and do similar work that it does in the United States especially as it relates to dealing with leadership. Israel must do a better job with action and publicity to showcase it’s effort’s to help those downtrodden around the globe. Whether it means  displaying its rescue efforts during natural disasters or airlifting Christians  (other groups being attacked by terrorist groups like ISIS), the Israel brand must be aligned with peace, freedom and prosperity for all G-D’s children.