Iran's Islamic Jihadist Goal Of Destroying Israel Will Mean The Death Of Millions

     If the Islamic world does not separate itself from Jew hatred and intolerance for some or all religions other than Islam, there will be no end to the wars raging throughout the world. Iran wants Israel destroyed. To achieve this goal will mean the death and maiming of millions. If the conflict were only about settlements, or land, or occupation, it could be resolved. But because the conflict is about the refusal to accept the existence of a Jewish state, on the premise that there can be only Islamic states in the middle east and in many other places of the world, the region becomes condemned to endless violence and war.
      Over 90 per cent of the Jews that lived in Iran have already left, with many now living in Israel. The small number of Jews that are left in Iran are not persecuted like some other religious minorities (such as the Baha'is, who are ruthlessly suppressed). As long as Jews accept Islamic domination, they are left alone in Iran. Iran, true to the core belief of Islamic jihadists, cannot accept a non Islamic state called Israel. So they persist in the bloody effort to kill Jews. Like many who hate Jews, but want to hide their Jew hatred (or antisemitism), Iran prefers to call the Jewish men, women and children of Israel Zionists, which they believe gives them license to kill. It's easier to mobilize people and nations to war through the use of labels and slogans, rather than to perceive the enemy as human beings.
       People have the right to criticize the State of Israel. But the goal to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic state should not be ignored. There are many that purposely ignore the Islamic jihadist nature of this conflict. Doing so may suit their personal animosities and hatreds, but it does not serve the people of Israel, Palestinian Arabs, or anyone else.
   

Success In Denuclearizing The Korean Peninsula Serves All Of Humanity

     If the Korean peninsula becomes denuclearized, that will be a major accomplishment for the Trump administration. Human life on this planet faces major threats. Nuclear weapons and their proliferation are one. Environmental degradation is another. If North Korea truly gives up their nuclear weapons, it will be a significant step forward for all of humanity.
      No matter how one feels about Trump, it is in humanity's interest that he succeed in the effort to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.

Earth Day Showmanship

     Earth day. A chance for corporations and their nonprofits to show the world how wonderful they are without having to do much of anything. One major corporation brought out a hero worshiped heavy hitter that millions follow and adore. No one questions if adoration and nonprofits ever accomplish much more than raising boatloads of money.
      Conservation and protecting this planet are not owned by individuals, corporations, nonprofit entities, or political parties. The worship of individuals and organizations enables exploitation, corruption and inefficiency to go unaddressed.
       Many of the incredible species that exist on this planet are in serious trouble. Unfortunately, showmanship and feel goodness are not enough. 

Putin And Trump's New Pursuit Of Nuclear Weapons And Stormy Daniels

       Some kind of perverse agreement has been made between people and their political and economic leaders. Leaders are allowed to enrich themselves, their families and cronies beyond their widest dreams. What do people get in return? A hope for economic and political stability?
       No such luck. The enriched class gives little to nothing in return, and more often gives nothing but low wages and repression.
        Putin announced new advances in nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia will now spend trillions on more advanced ways to kill each other and destroy the world.
       The audience enthusiastically clapped while Putin made his announcement - like lemmings following their leader off of a cliff.
       Putin said the world did not listen to Russia before, and that the world will listen now.
       Putin described one of the weapons as fantastic.
       Multi billionaire Putin has everything at his fingertips except immortality. He will one day die like everyone else. What will he leave behind if he follows this mad dream?
       A world made far more dangerous and unstable. A world in which people are closer to causing their own extinction.
       If Putin announced new advances and initiatives in cleaning up this increasing degraded, contaminated planet, or a reduction in nuclear weapons, or new peace initiatives, that is worthy of respect and being listened to.
       Just because people listen does not mean they respect what is being said.
       Trump and Putin need to pull back from the nuclear nightmare. People need to stop pretending their pursuit is normal.
       The Stormy Daniels story is inconsequential compared to the insane pursuit of nuclear weapons. Her story has nothing to do with the complete destruction of human life and almost all life on earth, yet that story, not this, gets all the attention.

Unnatural Red Tide: Killing The Gulf Of Mexico

     In the Gulf of Mexico, the fact that red tide is known to be naturally occurring is an excuse to not address the human factors that exacerbate red tide and significantly contribute to its growth and presence. Red tide is known to kill fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and other marine animals. It is also harmful to humans.
     Rather than address man made contributions to red tide and to Gulf of Mexico dead zones, including agricultural runoff, pesticides and fertilizers used on lawns and more, it is much easier to allow the Gulf of Mexico to deteriorate and pretend it is all natural.
     The use of pesticides and fertilizers is an almost taboo topic as people pursue perfect lawns. Perfect landscaping is prioritized over a healthy Gulf of Mexico.
     The Gulf of Mexico is a gem. If it continues to be harmed, it will mean the collapse of countless jobs, real estate, recreational and commercial fishing, tourism, and more.
   

Internet News and Social Media Spread Hate And Bigotry

       Unlike most of the printed press, which edits and and screens letters to the editors, no such screening exists regarding the comments to internet news stories. Any story about Jews or Israel brings out Jew hating obsessed crybabies by the thousands. In days past, most media outlets would at least have filters. Not so with the advent of the internet and social media. Weak people need a scapegoat, and the Jew is humankind's historic scapegoat. Instead of evolving, many people are in the same cycles of  hate and bigotry that have existed for thousands of years, and that stunt the advancement of mankind and civilization.
         It is unfortunate that internet and social media companies believe they have no responsibility for their platforms that allow hate to grow. The first amendment does not mean an obligation of media and news outlets to be the voice for weak minded bigots.

Obama Legacy Of Chemical Weapons And Meaningless Red Lines

     When several years back Syria used chemical weapons on its own population, including on civilians, Obama said it crossed his red line. Instead of acting, which at the time could have included enforced no fly zones and safe passage and safe haven areas for civilians, Obama did nothing. Obama, Kerry and Company made it clear to Assad, Iran and Russia that the United States had no red lines, and that civilian populations were at their mercy. In the years that followed, Syrian civilians were caught between Assad and his barrel bombs and more, and the brutality and fanaticism of ISIS.
       The brutal war continues. This time the United States must act wisely. This includes not asserting red lines that are utterly meaningless.

Face It, Facebook Is An Unregulated Monopoly

     Zuckerberg may dance around the question regarding whether or not Facebook is a monopoly, but it is hard to see how it is not. Can dissatisfied Facebook customers go to a competitor? One does not exist. More than a billion people rely on Facebook. Many have no alternative but to stay with it.
      Monopolies do not self regulate. In the absence of a viable competitor emerging, which seems to be nowhere in sight, the government must intervene. Monopolies are not supposed to exist, even though they do. Leaving a monopoly unregulated keeps open the door to abusive and irresponsible conduct.

Preferring Perfect Lawns And A Filthy Ocean

     Here is the story of one man, one among millions, in pursuit of the perfect lawn. The lawn has to be perfect, so he makes sure it bears a heavy load of pesticides (there can be no ants on his property), fertilizers, and water. No matter how low the regional water table might go, he makes sure his lawn gets watered.
      All the chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers he applies ends up washed into the nearby ocean by the constant watering and sprinkling, or by rain itself. Cumulatively, all these perfect lawns, with their heavy chemical, pesticide and fertilizer load poison the oceans, creating dead zones and toxicity that damages fish and other marine life, birds, and ultimately humans.
        It is a sad way to live in which private property and private lawns have to be perfect, no matter how much this contaminates public lands and waters. Life on earth depends on healthy oceans, not perfect lawns.
        The oceans are dying from death by a thousand cuts. Some cuts are far worse than others (think plastics, Styrofoam and other non biodegradable waste flowing into the oceans by thousands of tons daily).
         The perfectly avoidable cut by chemical, pesticide and fertilizer poisoning continues to be ignored. What is wrong with a more natural, less than perfect lawn when it means healthier lands, lakes, oceans and all waters?

Jewish Refugees From Arab Muslim Majority Lands And The Right Of Return

     There were more Jews that were driven out from Arab Muslim majority countries after Israel became a state than there were Arabs that fled from what is now Israel during the time of war in 1948. These Jews and their descendents - the Jews from the middle east and North Africa - now form the majority population of Israel.
      Hundreds of millions of refugees were created from before and after WW2 until now. If the right of return becomes a nonnegotiable right, then the lands that were stolen from the Jews of the middle east and North Africa must be returned to them. All of Australia must be given back to the Aborigines. All of the United States, all of Canada, the rest of North, Central and South America must be returned to the original native people. Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Yazidis, Jews and others that were displaced by the often violent expansion of Islam must have their lands returned.
       Since the right of return has no time limit, what is now Saudi Arabia must be returned to the Jews as the Jews were slaughtered and driven out from the Arabian peninsula during the rise of Islam.
       Afghanistan must be given back to the Buddhists. The lands that were once under Hindu rule must be returned to the Hindus.
        Americans that are not of Native American descent are not willing to abandon the United States. Yet there are many in the United States and elsewhere that insist the Jews of Israel must go to make way for the Arabs, now called Palestinians, that want to claim all of what is now Israel. They fail to see the hypocrisy in demanding of others what they do not expect for themselves.
         The Jewish refugees from Arab Muslim majority lands continue to be conveniently forgotten. Many people in the west that oppose Israel are completely unaware of, or choose to ignore, the Jews that were turned into refugees by Arab Muslims and other Muslims.
         Israelis and Arabs share a small piece of land. The goal of Hamas, of Iran, of Hezbollah and others to drive the Jews out from Israel condemns the area to endless war.
         The only way out of this mess is for both sides to accept the existence of the other. A two state solution seems like the only viable way, in which neither side gets what they want, but both sides get enough so that the war and killing ends.
          This means no longer pursuing the absolutist goal of driving out the Jews, and failing to see that pursuing this goal means there will always be war. Where does Hamas, Iran and others that want the Jews out expect them to go? Do they really think that the millions of Israelis originally from the middle east, North Africa and Asia, and who have been living in Israel for the past 70 years and more, will return to hostile lands from where their families originated? Places that include Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan where they will surely be persecuted?
          Israelis have no place to go. Their backs are to the wall. The sooner the Islamist Jihadist dream of destroying the small country of Israel ends, the sooner all the people of that small region, Israelis, Arabs and others, will be able to reach a peaceful accommodation.