“What the heck is going on”? 

This is my daily round up of all of the stories that are sent to me through FaceBook, Twitter and e-mails. These stories will be the ones that I find interesting or informative.

Warning: The sarcasm meter is off the charts!

The world is going crazy and while it is in the process of so doing, and before it reaches its final destination, of “CrazyLand,” I am going to continue to be informed.  Feel free to join me, but be warned, as Margo Channing memorably declared in “All About Eve” – “Fasten your seat belts. It is going to be a bumpy night” – or day!

Variations of verbiage for today:

My Halloween came early. On Saturday, October 29, 2011, I woke up to the news that a human ghoul had done what he and his kind do best. There was the headline that a suicide bomber had killed 13 Americans in Afghanistan.  Four Afghans were also killed, because really, although the goal is to kill Americans, whoever else gets killed in these attacks, including the countrymen or women of these killers, is unimportant to the killers. Talking about “spring” to these killers is a waste of time.

One main difference between these killers and the rest of us, is that they celebrate Halloween, every day of the year, when they can kill innocents. I hope that this recent slaughter will not have a negative impact on any hopes for resumption of talks between the US, Afghan government, and the “insurgents.” After all, the official script is that the hated Americans will leave Afghanistan, and all of the factions there will unite and live happily ever after. I will not even use the line about a bridge for sale.

Speaking of spring, as in Arab spring, Western leaders, who so want to believe that democracy, Western-style, will be adopted, may find out that, once again, they have been conned. Arab spring optimism gives way to fear, of what? Ah, here it is. “Fear” that radical Islamists “might also rise up and try to hi-jack the so-called Arab Spring.” Why are these folks accusing radical Islamists of any type of hijacking? You do not hijack what was yours, all along. You get useful tools to do the heavy lifting, and then when the house is all decorated, you enter and turn on the lights. 

Will someone open a school, as I have suggested before, for Western leaders to learn how not to be conned. Ironically, many of these leaders are fabulous at conning their own citizens, but when it comes to the real professionals, they are outclassed, outmanned and outgunned. Maybe not outmanned. They have lots of conscripts, known as the “cannon fodder.” They get these conscripts without even having to throw in fairy tales about eternal sex. The majority of these conscripts sign up because of love of their country.

America, rejoice! There will be no more airplanes going into buildings. There will be peace and harmony. The Metropolitan Museum of Art  the enlightened among us, is leading the rest of us, the hicks, to knowledge about the true – Islam. Interestingly the director of the Met is British-born. Is the agenda to turn the US into current day London? The writer of this museum story, is not buying the peace and harmony bit. I learned a lot, as usual:

It is time there was a museum exhibit dedicated to the victims of jihad. Where is the Met's showcase of the lives and cultures and histories of the 270 million victims of over a millennium of jihadi wars, land appropriations, cultural annihilations, and enslavements? Where is the grandiose suite of new galleries dedicated to highlighting Islam's systematic dehumanization of women: honor killings, clitorectomies, and so much more.

I did not know about those numbers quoted. Will those who do these deeds ever run out of steam, and leave the rest of us in peace?

Carolyn, thanks for the heads up on this video about Shariah Law in London. It is very interesting how migrants are telling natives how they, the natives, should live in their own country. That is a little too much “diversity” for me. I once had dreams of visiting London and other cities in Europe. I will get my fill on television. I do not want to enter into a forbidden zone and be forced to don a tent, for a dress, or worse.

Hey, even Mother Nature is getting in on this non-spring activity. New York, including Wall Street, will be receiving snow, before Halloween, for only the fourth time since the Civil War? Is there an omen in this for the occupiers? Is there an omen in this for the US, that there could be another civil war? Mother Nature did smack the Northeast. My prayers go out to all of those who have been affected.

It appears that snow is not only coming to the Eastern states. According to this report, the US Dept. of Justice is attempting to rain down its version of snow on Freedom of Information requests? To wit:

Obama’s Department of Justice has proposed a new set of rules for how the agency fills Freedom of Information Act Requests. If adopted, the rules will be a huge step back for transparency. They’re worse than you think.

As I stated “snow job.”

What the heck? The US State Dept could be involved in a third world type of sweat shop operation? What is the State Dept doing sponsoring visas for foreign students to work in the US, when there were US students, college and high school, who were unable to find summer jobs?  I am learning a difficult lesson. Before moving to the US, I naively assumed that those bureaucracies and companies with the “US” or “American” label in their names, automatically ensured that they are for America – “we the people.” Yes. I admit. I was stupid. I am now learning that when they plug those labels in the name, those organizations/companies,  are the ones of which one has to be especially careful. The part of the US that they worship, is the multicolor dollar.

What? No Occupy Anywhere stories? Nah. There are too many “occupiers gone wild” stories to handle. I do not want to deal with any more rape stories, threatening police, defecating in public places, on public vehicles, and threatening to break away from the US. If these folks have legitimate beefs, and I do not mean the gourmet meals that were being served, they are going to have to find a more effective vehicle, to highlight their cause. They are getting to the irritating stage, where even those who supported their movement, will be turned off.

If phase two of their plan is to cause confrontations with law enforcement, they could be on their way to getting their wish. In case they are unaware, they are being used as useful tools by some politicians who get their donations from the same “rich” people being protested, on the one hand, while throwing nominal support on the Occupy movement, on the other hand. One hand is stronger than the other, and it is not the hand supporting the occupiers. The occupiers may eventually find out that the battle is not between their definition of the 1% and the 99%. It could come down to a battle between the 95% who want to work within the system and bring about any needed reforms, and the 5% who want anarchy and overthrowing of the US.

This is an old article, which I found  while meandering through the various news avenues. In California, there is middle-class flight from San Fernando Valley? I am familiar with that Valley. If Valley residents are deserting in droves, then this flight could “doom L.A.” Smart folks. They probably got tired of being penalized for working hard to support this country that they love, and supporting those who do not want to work. I love this: “L.A. politicians try to spin an almost opposite tale.” “Spinning” and spending – two of the very important qualifications to be a politician! Some of the best politicians are in California.

I find this story of Bank of America's proposed debit card fee, fascinating. “To be, or not to be,” a Hamlet-type decision. First it was to be. Then as the public fussed, it is now uncertain. The public backlash certainly raised the ire of at least one B of A executive:

Bank of America Chief Executive Brian T. Moynihan said this week that he was “incensed” by public criticism of his company. He told employees to push back by reminding local leaders of BofA’s contributions to their economies.

To show how “incensed” he really is, he asked his employees to remind local leaders that “I have already scratched your back, now you scratch mine – or else”?  I love the marriage of convenience between politics and commerce. When either partner gets irritated, the fur really flies!

Here is another fascinating political piece – Cain smoking ad brings flood of donations. Folks are so relieved to see someone smoking on television, or any place for that matter, unfazed by criticism or law, that they smoked vicariously through that ad! Sorry. My wallet that is really in charge, refused to cough up any spare change.  Since this ad aired, the righteous furor that it caused in some quarters, has been replaced by a hot story about Candidate Cain, that he supposedly sexually harassed two ladies.  I will wait to hear what further transpires about this.

I keep coming across these fascinating stories! Adolph Hitler in custody battle? I thought that Heil Hitler had already been or deposed himself. I see. This story is about a child whose parents gave their kids names of their favorite characters and/or political inclination? I am not a psychic, but I somehow see a lawsuit or change of name in the future.

“Fascinating” does not describe this story about a second energy dept backed company goes bankrupt. There is a shorter word than “fascinating” that came to mind, but out of respect, I will refrain from using the “D” word. Is this Solyndra Part II? This company received less money, but had the same results. If these results continue, the saying “you win some, you lose some,” will be upended when it comes to this department. The word “win” will be obliterated.

Wow! My lessons continue. I am woefully behind in understanding all of these global financial wheeling and dealing. I don’t even understand the domestic. The Daily Crux, courtesy of NewsMax, is reporting that “the Euro crisis has claimed its first U.S. casualty.” Solyndra has gone global, or Greece has come to the US? I used to chuckle at articles advising us to get emergency supplies together. I am not chuckling anymore.

This story is not “fascinating.” It is downright unbelievable. This miracle dog survived doggie gas chamber?  I did not know that is how dogs are disposed of.  I cannot wrap my head around that, as the saying goes. Maybe I am speaking from a point of view of ignorance, but is there no other way of handling dogs who are not adopted? Gassing is barbaric. I could not handle that job. Daniel, I am so happy at the outcome of your story, “saved” and hopefully soon to be adopted.

On that rewarding story of “resurrection,” that is it for today. Let us keep working within the system to bring about necessary change, the real kind. Happy Halloween! Get all of the candy you can, but read the fine print, if the “candy” is given out by politicians. You may end up paying a lot for one piece of “candy.” J