Sent by two friends and fellow memo readers. Are you ready for the future?(See 1 below.)
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Let's hear it for Israel - one of the West's most strategic allies but most nations do not get it. (See 2 below.)
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Moore will not get his day in court because no one has, to date, chosen to sue him for the allegations they have thrown at him.
So trial by jury is out and he will continue to be tried in the court of public opinion and the verdict is, and probably will continue to be, hang 'em high.
If something amoral took place in the past there is no reason why that person cannot be judged by current standards and thus Moore, Clinton , Franken-no-sense and any other oaf, if found guilty in a court of law, should have the book thrown at them. Trying them in the public arena is part of the risk all people must endure, mostly males, but it is still a shame.
As for Franken, the fact that he takes full responsibility for his actions and has returned his tongue to his mouth and his hands are now in his pocket, I have no doubt he will be let off the hook because he is a self-righteous liberal and they are treated differently than most because they always mean well.. While I am at it, I would like to rebut phrases used by sanctimonious Democrats regarding the proposed tax changes.
First: When rates for every bracket are reduced this means all receive a tax cut.. What changes this fact is how tax filers have , in the past, treated the various deductions to which they are entitled . No one knows what the final bill will be but I suspect I will actually pay more taxes because I use all the deductions they are likely to either eliminate and/or modify.
Second: When you hear "it is a tax cut for the rich" the truth is, it is a tax cut for everyone who pays taxes. Rich pay the most and thus benefit the most. That is a mathematical fact and liberal histrionics does not alter that.
Finally, Democrats are hell bent to oppose anything Trump wants but in the past they favored many of the changes being proposed and, in fact, they follow the pattern Kennedy sought when he reduced taxes.
It is all politics and therefore, mostly disingenuous and this is why most everyone are disgusted with representative government as practiced today .
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Sent to me by my Australian "cousin" and it was sent to her by an Israeli friend. The article gives some insight into understanding Saudi Arabia's future King's recent actions and how the potential for Israel and Saudi Arabia is likely to blossom. (See 3 below.)
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Humor:
The taxi driver turns around and says, "Geez lady, why don't you tell him the truth? They're hookers, boy! They have sex with men for money."
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After a few minutes the kid asks, "Mom, if those women have babies, what happens to them?"She said, "Most of them become taxi drivers."
Just returned from a three day pre -Thanksgiving trip.
To all my friends and fellow memo readers I extend to you and yours the very best in the forthcoming Holiday Season, a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and the Happiest of Thanksgiving's.
What's the Truth About the First Thanksgiving? - YouTube
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Dick
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1) Maybe in a "perfect world" but......
Are You Ready For The Future? This should blow your mind...
In a recent interview, the Head of Daimler Benz (Mercedes Benz) said their competitors are no longer other car companies, but Tesla (obviously), and now, Google, Apple, Amazon 'et al' are......
Software will disrupt most traditional industries in the next 5-10 years.
Uber is just a software tool, they don't own any cars, and are now the biggest taxi company in the world.
Airbnb is now the biggest hotel company in the world, although they don't own any properties.
Artificial Intelligence: Computers become exponentially better in understanding the world. This year, a computer beat the best Go player in the world, 10 years earlier than expected.
In the U.S., young lawyers already can't get jobs. Because of IBM Watson, you can get legal advice (so far for more or less basic stuff) within seconds, with 90% accuracy compared with 70% accuracy when done by humans.
So, if you study law, stop immediately. There will be 90% less lawyers in the future, only specialists will remain.
Watson already helps nurses diagnosing cancer, 4 times more accurate than human nurses.
Facebook now has a pattern recognition software that can recognize faces better than humans. In 2030, computers will become more intelligent than humans.
Autonomous cars: In 2018 the first self-driving cars will appear for the public. Around 2020, the complete industry will start to be disrupted. You don't want to own a car anymore. You will call a car with your phone, it will show up at your location and drive you to your destination. You will not need to park it, you only pay for the driven distance and you can be productive while driving. Our kids will never get a driver's license and will never own a car.
It will change cities, because we will need 90-95% less cars for that. We can transform former parking spaces into parks.
1.2 million people die each year in car accidents worldwide. We now have one accident every 60,000 miles (100,000 km), with autonomous driving that will drop to one accident in 6 million miles (10 million km). That will save a million lives each year.
Most car companies will probably go bankrupt. Traditional car companies will try the traditional approach and try to build a better car, while tech companies (Tesla, Apple, Google) will take the revolutionary approach and build a computer on wheels.
Many engineers from Volkswagen and Audi are completely terrified of Tesla.
Auto Insurance companies will have massive trouble because without accidents, car insurance will become much cheaper. Their car insurance business model will slowly disappear.
Real estate will change. Because if you can work while you commute, people will move further away to live in a more beautiful neighborhood.
Electric cars will become mainstream about 2020. Cities will be less noisy because all new cars will run on electricity. Electricity will become incredibly cheap and clean: Solar production has been on an exponential curve for 30 years, and now you can now see the burgeoning impact.
Last year, more solar energy was installed worldwide than fossil. Energy companies are desperately trying to limit access to the grid to prevent competition from home solar installations, but that can't last.. Technology will take care of that strategy.
With cheap electricity comes cheap and abundant water. Desalination of salt water now only needs 2kwh per cubic meter (@ 0.25 cents). We don't have scarce water in most places, we only have scarce drinking water. Imagine what will be possible if anyone can have as much clean water as he wants, for nearly no cost.
Health innovations: The Tricorder X price will be announced this year. There are companies who will build a medical device (called the "Tricorder" from Star Trek) that works with your phone, which takes your retina scan, your blood sample, and you can breath into it. Then it analyses 54 biomarkers that will identify nearly any disease. It will be cheap, so in a few years everyone on this planet will have access to world class medical analysis, nearly for free. Goodbye, medical establishment.
3D printing: The price of the cheapest 3D printer came down from $18,000 to $400 within 10 years. In the same time, it became 100 times faster. All major shoe companies have already started 3D printing shoes.
Some common spare airplane parts are already 3D printed in remote airports. The space station now has a printer that eliminates the need for the large amount of spare parts they used to keep in the past.
At the end of this year, new smart phones will have 3D scanning possibilities. You can then 3D scan your feet and print your perfect shoes at home.
In China, they already 3D printed and built a complete 6-story office building. By 2027, 10% of everything that's being produced will be 3D printed.
Business opportunities: If you think of a niche you want to go in, ask yourself: "In the future, do you think we will have that?", and if the answer is yes, how can you make that happen sooner?
If it doesn't work with your phone, forget the idea. And any idea designed for success in the 20th century is doomed to failure in the 21st century.
Work: 70-80% of jobs will disappear in the next 20 years. There will be a lot of new jobs, but it is not clear if there will be enough new jobs in such a small time.
Agriculture: There will be a $100 agricultural robot in the future. Farmers in 3rd world countries can then become managers of their field instead of working all day on their fields.
Aeroponics will need much less water. The first Petri dish that produced veal is now available and will be cheaper than cow produced veal in 2018. Right now, 30% of all agricultural surface is used for cows. Imagine if we don't need that space anymore.
There are several startups that will bring insect protein to the market shortly. It contains more protein than meat. It will be labeled as "alternative protein source" (because most people still reject the idea of eating insects).
There is an app called "moodies" which can already tell in which mood you're in. By 2020 there will be apps that can tell by your facial expressions, if you are lying. Imagine a political debate where it's being displayed when they're telling the truth and when they're not.
Bitcoin may even become the default reserve currency ... Of the world!
Longevity: Right now, the average life span increases by 3 months per year. Four years ago, the life span used to be 79 years, now it's 80 years. The increase itself is increasing and by 2036, there will be more than one year increase per year. So, we all might live for a long time, probably way more than 100.
Education: The cheapest smart phones are already at $10 in Africa and Asia. By 2020, 70% of all humans will own a smart phone. That means, everyone has the same access to world class education.
Every child can use Khan academy for everything a child needs to learn at school in First World countries. There have already been releases of software in Indonesia and soon there will be releases in Arabic, Swahili, and Chinese this summer. I can see enormous potential if we give the English app for free, so that children in Africa and everywhere else can become fluent in English. And that could happen within half a year.
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2)
ISRAEL :THE WEST’S VITAL STRATEGIC ASSET
Posted By Ruth King
One of the many things the west fails to grasp about the State of Israel is how important it is to the security of the west, as well as the role that the Jews of that land have played in helping defend western lives since before Israel was reborn.http://www.melaniephillips.com/wests-vital-strategic-asset/
Col Richard Kemp, Britain’s former commander in Afghanistan, has written a greatpiece about this that should be essential reading. Here’s a flavour:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++“For many years Western nations have depended heavily on Israeli intelligence, and the civil war in Syria and the rise of the Islamic State have even further increased the West’s reliance on Israeli intelligence… Of a far more sensitive and of course highly classified nature, Israel makes a major contribution to Western nuclear defences. On the homeland security front few Europeans are aware that Israeli technology safeguards such iconic symbols as Buckingham Palace, Heathrow Airport, the Eiffel Tower, and the Vatican.But as we who have worked in the intelligence world know, action is premised on more than capability. Israel is not a vital strategic asset because of capability alone. Intent is equally important.Why did the farmers and scouts of Hanita take such risks and make such sacrifices for the British in 1940? Neither they nor their fellow Jews who sustained and fought for the Eighth Army were under any obligation to do so. But nevertheless in the 1940s the Jews of Palestine contributed much more to the Allied war effort than all of the Arab nations combined who between them had over 50 times the resources of the Jews.… Why do European countries exploit Israel’s capabilities with one hand and stab her in the back with the other? One word sums it up: appeasement. Every European country has a large and growing Muslim population and an increasing fear of Islamic terrorism. Political leaders believe that a harsh approach toward Israel will give electoral advantage in respect of their Muslim populations and also discourage Islamic terrorists from attacking at home.A much longer-standing target of their appeasement is the Arab world itself and concern about the negative impact that their dealings with Israel will have on their relations with other countries in the Middle East.But the balance has been shifting and European diplomacy has struggled to keep up.For many years Israel has had close strategic relations with two of its main Arab neighbours. And today in the face of a growing fear of Iran and the rise of radical jihadism, other Arab countries are increasingly, if cautiously and quietly, looking toward Israel for protection and assistance.The Arab world will not suddenly fall in love with the Jewish State, but the sands are shifting and in their own security interests, Western states also now need to re-evaluate their relationships with Israel and appreciate what is the balance of cost and benefit to them.… A modern day Balfour Declaration could be recognition of the strategic value of the Jewish state in today’s global struggle in the form of full membership of a reformed NATO, which would benefit all of our strategic interests and serve also to undermine international efforts to isolate Israel.”
3) Strange Bedfellows
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's sudden flight to Riyadh where he announced his resignation has caused considerable confusion and speculation. Rank and file news consumers along with respected Middle East affairs analysts were caught off guard by the unpredictable event
Former journalist Simon Henderson, currently director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Programme at the Washington Institute, is well acquainted with the who's who in the Saudi royal house. Understandably he relates to Hariri’s resignation in passing, preferring to write about the tumultuous changes taking place in Saudi Arabia instead. In an article published in the Financial Times Henderson said,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appears to be shredding our understanding about how Saudi Arabia is ruled. Seeking to consolidate his power, he threw caution and consensus-building -- the traditional techniques of Saudi leadership -- out the window months ago, proceeding instead with almost reckless speed and an apparent disregard for winning the support of his uncles and numerous cousins. The arrests on November 4th of a reported 11 princes on charges of corruption suggest the royal family, the House of Saud, is no longer above the law.”Mohammed bin Salman.In an attempt to dispel confusion regarding the recent "purge of the princes," Henderson describes how the kingdom's founder, Ibn Saud established his formidable dynasty. Abdulaziz ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Faisal ibn Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al Saud, usually known within the Arab world as Abdulaziz and in the West as Ibn Saud, headed a polygamous household comprising several wives and concubines. According to some sources, he had twenty-two consorts. Divorcing and dismissing wives and concubines at will. Many of his marriages were contracted in order to cement alliances with other clans, during the period when the Saudi state was founded and stabilised. He was the father of almost a hundred children, including forty-five sons.
Referring specifically to the round of detentions, Henderson quotes Kristin Diwan, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington: “Among the 200 princes, businessmen and senior officials arrested in Saudi Arabia’s sweeping anti-corruption crackdown are the two most important media moguls in the Arab world, potentially giving the kingdom’s powerful crown prince huge sway over news and opinion. Waleed al-Ibrahim, founder of Al Arabiya-owner Middle East Broadcasting Center, and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, majority owner of Rotana Group, between them control a wide network of Middle Eastern television channels, radio stations, music labels and digital entertainment assets from Morocco to Oman. It raises concern that the diversity of opinion and coverage will be further curtailed, Mohammed bin Salman is clearly intent on controlling the message as he conducts a dramatic restructuring of the Saudi state and economy.”
Viewing the convergence of interests between Israel and Saudi Arabia former U.S Under Secretary for Defence Dov Zakheim said, “Mohammed bin Salman may or may not have visited Tel Aviv recently, where Israel’s defence ministry is located. But even if he never set foot in the HaKirya complex, there is little doubt that he has authorised ever closer relations with Israel. Both countries regard the Iranian threat with deep concern.”
“The commentary over Mohammed bin Salman's recent moves has been divided between predictions that he is leading the country toward dictatorship or toward family revolt. But a careful examination of his actions and statements over the past year suggests that he is more calculating than impetuous. The Saudi attorney general said this week that the corruption investigations had been going on for three years, while Mohammed bin Salman mentioned the wide-ranging crackdown on corruption in a May interview. ‘I assure you that any person involved in a corruption case, whether minister, prince, or whatever, will not escape,’ he said.”..
“Meanwhile, since April, Mohammed bin Salman, has been quietly orchestrating the appointments of a range of young princes in their late twenties or thirties to positions of power. They will likely be crucial to the success of his remodeling of the kingdom and could emerge as arbiters of power for decades to come. They are all either the grandsons or great-grandsons of the late Ibn Saud. Mohammed bin Salman is entirely prudent in promoting these younger cousins, appealing to their ambition and vanity, and securing their loyalty. It is a good way of internalising any competition between family lines. So far Mohammed bin Salman's actions have forestalled a collective family revolt, proving once again the utility of the Latin maxim: Divide et impera.”…..
“As in all monarchies, bloodline is often more important than competence for prospective leaders in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman probably wants to promote talent -- but will also be paying attention to how to deflect resentment or the hint of opposition. Promoting sons can take some of the pain out of fathers being sidelined.”..
“This list of princes is also notable for who is absent. It does not include any sons or grandsons of the late King Abdullah, and has only one grandson of King Fahd. Any direct relatives of Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, one of the so-called Sudairi Seven, are also absent. The omission is easily explained: Ahmad is thought to have voted in the Allegiance Council against the appointment of Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince in June this year.
Mohammed bin Salman clearly sees himself, and is seen by his father, as the next king of Saudi Arabia. Another group that could prove crucial is princes in the military. These are harder to identify and are essentially in their positions to stop coups.
Simon concludes, “King Salman is thought to see Mohammed bin Salman as a modern-day Ibn Saud, a potentially great leader with huge ambition, and much more promising than any other, older potential contenders for the throne. But even Mohammed bin Salman appears to realise that, in order to transform his kingdom's economy and cope with the challenges of regional chaos, he must be the leader of a royal team.
Dov Zakheim added,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may or may not be a true reformer. His record on that score is not unequivocal. But he is determined to halt the expansion of Iranian influence, which now really does manifest itself as the Shiite crescent about which Jordan’s King Abdullah II forewarned over a decade ago. The crown prince recognises that his country’s worst nightmare is slowly materialising: Iran is supplying the Houthi rebels to its south and dominates neighboring Iraq to its north. It foments instability in Bahrain and could well do the same in Saudi Arabia’s Shiite-majority Eastern Province. And if that were not enough, Iran’s influence is entrenched in Damascus and Beirut. It is particularly for that reason the Saudis forced their ally Saad Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister, to resign his office while on a visit to the Kingdom.”Aaron David Miller and Richard Sokolsky were clearly worried by the Saudi wunderkind’s impetuosity. In a piece they posted in Foreign Policy they wrote “But now the dog has finally caught up with the mail truck. The Saudis have become everything we wanted them to be — and by the looks of things, maybe a lot more than we bargained for. Under Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh has morphed into an independent force striking out aggressively at home and adventurously abroad, dragging Washington with them. Here’s why we have a serious case of buyer’s remorse — and why the Trump administration needs to hit the reset button with King Salman and his impetuous son.”
A lead article in The Economist also struck a critical note cautioning that the apparent forced resignation of Saad Hariri effectively hands control of Lebanon to Iran and Hezbollah
“Yet Saudi talk of removing Hezbollah sounds like little more than bluster. The kingdom is already bogged down in one war with Iranian proxies in Yemen and could not sustain another. And even though Israel worries about Hezbollah's growing arsenal of rockets and missiles, it will not fight to a Saudi timetable.Still, Saudi Arabia has other cards to play. Without its financial backing, Lebanon will struggle to stave off bankruptcy. Saudi deposits prop up Lebanon’s banks and about 400,000 Lebanese nationals work in the Gulf, sending home a large chunk of the remittances that make up 20% of Lebanon’s economy.Mr. Hariri’s resignation has already sent Lebanese bonds spiralling and prompted warnings of a cut in its credit rating. Financial sanctions that America imposed on Hezbollah in October will further tighten the screws. A donor conference on aid to 1.5m refugees that was expected before the year’s end could be postponed.
Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is not one to buckle under pressure. But he may be forced to compromise to salvage the economy. The Saudis hope that popular pressure could force him to give priority to butter over guns.In an unprecedented move today, a Saudi newspaper published an interview with IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot. This is the first time that an Israeli chief of staff has been interviewed by a media outlet in the kingdom, which doesn't have diplomatic ties with Israel. Politics makes strange bedfellows.
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