WEEKLY BLOG COMMENTS
DATES:
2013/08/19 – 2013/07/25
ANALYST:
Domingo Trassens
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Dear
Friends:
I would
like to share with you a series of comments posted by myself in the WSJ Journal
Community and PBS through Twitter during the last seven days about the top news
of the week.
The
comments are organized in the following sections:
- United States
- Europe
- The
World (Asia, Africa, Middle East…)
- Latin America
-
Education
-
Economy, Business, Technology.
DAT
August 25, 2013
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UNITED
STATES
Subject: Analysis of the failed strategy of the Obama administration
related to the Middle East.
My Comment: The
strategy of the Obama administration failed because it was defined with
American eyes.
The way of thinking and acting of the Arab countries is different from the Western countries. (2013/08/24) 2 Recommendations
The way of thinking and acting of the Arab countries is different from the Western countries. (2013/08/24) 2 Recommendations
PBS - ANALYSIS: Aug. 23, 2013 - How Will the Military Handle
Bradley Manning's Request to Be 'Chelsea'?
– Part 1
Subject: The soldier Bradley Manning requested to be
able to live as a woman after he was sentenced to 35 years in prison for
leaking intelligence information.
The question is: “Will he be able to receive hormone therapy
treatments behind bars?”
My Comment: I cannot understand why the Army didn’t
research about the Bradley Manning's psychological disorder before he had
access to all the information that he leaked.
I think the assignment to an intelligence position in the
Army must be managed very carefully and requests a serious evaluation of all
the physical and psychological conditions of the candidate.
From my point of view, who named Bradley Manning is co-responsible
of the crimes he committed. (By TWITTER) (2013/08/24) 8 Recommendations
PBS - ANALYSIS: Aug.
23, 2013 -
How Will the Military Handle Bradley Manning's Request to Be 'Chelsea'? – Part 2
My Comment
answering to another member of PBS’s community who said that Bradley Manning
was a “problematic candidate” for the intelligence job:
Personally, I think
that “problematic candidates” with psychological disorders are risky people
working in intelligence positions of the Army or other government organizations.
(By TWITTER)
(2013/08/24)
PBS – ANALYSIS: Aug. 23, 2013 - How Will the Military Handle Bradley
Manning's Request to Be 'Chelsea'? – Part 3
My Comment
answering to a member of the community who put in doubts that Bradley Manning
will be a woman:
From the other side,
according to the information available, Bradley Manning is a guy with serious
psychological disorders or a simulator.
He will never be a
“woman” in the real sense independently that he changes his name and receives a
special medical treatment to be a “female” in the biological sense. (By
TWITTER) (2013/08/25) 1 Recommendation
Subject: The secret court criticized NSA for collecting domestic
data according to the current review of this case.
My Comment:
Regrettable image of the government institutions: from a non-prudent use of drones
to the collecting of domestic communications without privacy protection.
(2013/08/22) 1 Recommendation
Subject: The Pfc. Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years of
prison in the WikiLeaks case.
My Comment: The
important point is Pfc. Bradley Manning was punished for leaking classified
American information.
I will not discuss if 35 or 60 years of prison because I think this is a technical decision of the judge. (2013/08/21) 6 Recommendations
I will not discuss if 35 or 60 years of prison because I think this is a technical decision of the judge. (2013/08/21) 6 Recommendations
Subject: Information that now is public shows NSA went too far in
the collecting of domestic data of innocent citizens.
My Comment: Each technology user is a naked guy for the NSA's system.
If we want privacy we have to return to the caverns era or create more complex systems than NSA to encrypt all that we say or write on the Internet. (2013/08/21)
If we want privacy we have to return to the caverns era or create more complex systems than NSA to encrypt all that we say or write on the Internet. (2013/08/21)
Subject: A group of Middle
East countries that are allies of
the United
States
pressure in the Egyptian case.
My Comment: The Jews and Arabs agree in this case because they know
better than us who are the people involved in the Islamic Brotherhood. (2013/08/20)
1 Recommendation
Subject: Vice President Joe Biden is testing his possibilities to be
candidate for the presidential election of 2016 in competition with Hillary
Clinton.
My Comment: If Joe
Biden tries to continue with the Obama’s recipe, no bill will pass the U.S.
House.
Hillary Clinton after Benghazi
lost the image that she was building through her career of diplomatic frequent
traveler. (2013/08/19) 5 Recommendations
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EUROPE
Subject: Some stock investors believe the European economy is
recovering well and they buy stocks.
My Comment:
Different stories posted by Wall Street Journal remark that the economy of the
group of countries of the euro-zone is recovering.
I think that we don’t have to mix anxiety with reality. It is true that the investors are anxious to learn about good news from the European Union, however till now there are only partial signals of recovery of some of the members of the group, not from the entire group.
I think that we don’t have to mix anxiety with reality. It is true that the investors are anxious to learn about good news from the European Union, however till now there are only partial signals of recovery of some of the members of the group, not from the entire group.
From the other side, in September, Germany
has to elect a new chancellor and this election will be an important test of
the German politics related to the EU during the last four or five years. (2013/08/24)
Subject: In the United Kingdom, a small bank is using the services of a “flying banker”
for visiting customers located in remote areas of the country.
My Comment: The initiative of a “flying banker” is something different
from the banking services based on branch offices and it looks like an
interesting way to be in touch with the customers.
However, today the Internet banking can offer the majority of the services that a “flying banker” with less cost. (2013/08/22)
However, today the Internet banking can offer the majority of the services that a “flying banker” with less cost. (2013/08/22)
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THE
WORLD (Asia, Africa, Middle East…)
Subject: The media says that through networks of spies the United States has evidences of the use of gas in Syria.
My Comment: I have
some doubts about the stories related with the chemical weapons in Syria.
Frequently, the media likes to paint bloody stories and today they have all the technical resources for building horrible scenarios.
Perhaps al Qaeda terrorists are behind all of this campaign to push Western countries. (2013/08/24) 1 Recommendation
Frequently, the media likes to paint bloody stories and today they have all the technical resources for building horrible scenarios.
Perhaps al Qaeda terrorists are behind all of this campaign to push Western countries. (2013/08/24) 1 Recommendation
Subject: It began the trial against Bo Xilai in China with a very defiant attitude of the accused.
My Comment: Around
Bo Xilai – the former party heavyweight of the Jinan
- all smells rotten. (2013/08/22) 1 Recommendations
My Comment: We don’t
believe the intervention of the United Nations will help a lot in this case
because the U.N. troops and its military observers are not efficient in
conflicts like the current Syrian war. (2013/08/22) 2 Recommendations
My Comment: China has its own way to import oil and other materials for its
industry. The Chinese deal with Iran like with a series of African countries that are very
important providers of minerals. They don’t care about the ideology of their
providers and customers. (2013/08/21)
My Comment: From the moment that President Morsi fell, I was expecting
the liberation of Hosni Mubarak because for the politicians and military
leaders who are against the Muslim Brotherhood, former President Mubarak could
be an ally. (2013/08/21) 2 Recommendations
My Comment: Morsi in jail, Mubarak free. Egypt is returning to the past.
Probably, Hosni Mubarak will try to comeback to politics. (2013/08/19) 3 Recommendations
Probably, Hosni Mubarak will try to comeback to politics. (2013/08/19) 3 Recommendations
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LATIN AMERICA
My Comment: We have
to understand that the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos had the best
intentions when he began the peace negotiations with the rebel Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC.
However, from the moment the last peace talks started in La Habana, Cuba, some observers remarked that the negotiations could be suspended at any time due to differences between the parts.
However, from the moment the last peace talks started in La Habana, Cuba, some observers remarked that the negotiations could be suspended at any time due to differences between the parts.
It is early to know if despite the suspension, the peace talks gave some positive results. (2013/08/25)
My Comment: The
reaction of the Brazilian central bank to limit the depreciation of its
currency - the real - seems a good initiative.
Always the financial authorities of the countries must try to stop the turbulent periods of the markets. (2013/08/23)
Always the financial authorities of the countries must try to stop the turbulent periods of the markets. (2013/08/23)
My Comment: In this case, any decision is complicated but the
Ecuadorian government is the “guardian” of this inheritance of Nature. (2013/08/20)
PBS – REPORT: Aug.
16, 2013 - Ecuador Exposes Rain Forest and its Inhabitants to
Oil Extraction Effort
My Comment: Ecuador has to find the way to balance the oil
drilling and the preservation of Nature. Other countries and institutions can
help it with experience and technology and other resources, but the Ecuadorian
government is responsible of the protection of bio-assets of the Yasuni National Park. (2013/08/20)
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EDUCATION
My Comment: Always President Obama says that
higher education has to be affordable for all our kids who ended the 12-K
school.
I agree
that higher education - college and university - has to be affordable for every
potential student independently of his/her social condition.
But
President Obama only talks about our kids without including in the "same
basket" the other adult students who want to go to college or university
after years working in the job market or in the military service.
Personally,
I think higher education has to be affordable for all adult students who want
to study a profession independent of age, sex and social condition if they have
the knowledge and skill required for the career they want to follow.
Additionally,
the programs of higher education have to be married with the job market in the
way that everybody who finishes their studies can access good and real work
opportunities. And all that is related to universities and colleges who have to
be transparent including the cost of tuition and loan conditions. (2013/08/25)
1 Recommendation
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ECONOMY,
BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY
WSJ - Digits - Aug
22, 2013
"Yahoo Tops Google in U.S. Web Traffic"
My Comment: The news says that the “collection of sites
operated by Yahoo” surpassed Google in the U.S. web traffic during July.
It looks like the
efforts of Marissa Mayer – its new CEO – are generating good results.
In my case, now I
try to avoid visiting Yahoo because it is full of advertisements and I don’t
like to walk across the virtual world jumping over personal ads and spam. In
the past I was a frequent visitor. (2013/08/25)
My Comment: The computer
systems of financial or banking organizations have to be developed with special
automatic procedures to avoid falls. An interruption of three hours is too
much. (2013/08/24)
Story: H-P's Separation Anxiety
My Comment: Anxiety of
separation? How many changes will HP need to return to its golden age? How many
restructuring plans will guarantee its success?
The HP’s problems are not cosmetics. It is a giant that always walk dizzy without clear ideas.
During the last years, we listen only to excuses from the HP CEOs because they don’t have any idea how to put the company in the right lane with all the wagons they have added behind the locomotive.
Hewlett-Packard was a great technology company that lost its route due to a series of acquisitions without a plan and the continuous palace conspiracies. (2013/08/23) 1 Recommendations
The HP’s problems are not cosmetics. It is a giant that always walk dizzy without clear ideas.
During the last years, we listen only to excuses from the HP CEOs because they don’t have any idea how to put the company in the right lane with all the wagons they have added behind the locomotive.
Hewlett-Packard was a great technology company that lost its route due to a series of acquisitions without a plan and the continuous palace conspiracies. (2013/08/23) 1 Recommendations
My Comment: I think it is time that Microsoft changes its CEO.
Steve Ballmer was a hard supporter of Bill Gates when Microsoft was growing, but in the recent years he had a lot of difficulties to drive the company for the best way in accordance with the evolution of the technology industry.
Steve took the helm of Microsoft in the beginning of the Internet mobile era and when Google was pushing strongly to climb. Since that moment, Mr. Ballmer tried different alternatives to start a new “company cycle” without successful results.
As analyst, I have criticized frequently the Ballmer’s initiatives; however I have to recognize the PC’s decline and the changes of the technology paradigm made difficult the evolution of all the companies focused on the personal computing business: Microsoft, Dell, HP…
I hope Microsoft finds the right leader for the new times soon. Meanwhile, I would like to say to Mr. Ballmer: “Excuse me Steve for my criticism about your management. I understand that it is not easy to control the “helm” of a ship like Microsoft every time that the wind changes its direction.” (2013/08/23) 0 Recommendations
Steve Ballmer was a hard supporter of Bill Gates when Microsoft was growing, but in the recent years he had a lot of difficulties to drive the company for the best way in accordance with the evolution of the technology industry.
Steve took the helm of Microsoft in the beginning of the Internet mobile era and when Google was pushing strongly to climb. Since that moment, Mr. Ballmer tried different alternatives to start a new “company cycle” without successful results.
As analyst, I have criticized frequently the Ballmer’s initiatives; however I have to recognize the PC’s decline and the changes of the technology paradigm made difficult the evolution of all the companies focused on the personal computing business: Microsoft, Dell, HP…
I hope Microsoft finds the right leader for the new times soon. Meanwhile, I would like to say to Mr. Ballmer: “Excuse me Steve for my criticism about your management. I understand that it is not easy to control the “helm” of a ship like Microsoft every time that the wind changes its direction.” (2013/08/23) 0 Recommendations
My Comment: The work
of the tower workers is risky and it requires special skill and strong security
controls to avoid accidents.
But this is really not an exclusive problem of the wireless industry. Before the boom of the smart-phones and other wireless devices, a lot of companies used the services of tower workers for a variety of other activities. (2013/08/22) 1 Recommendation
But this is really not an exclusive problem of the wireless industry. Before the boom of the smart-phones and other wireless devices, a lot of companies used the services of tower workers for a variety of other activities. (2013/08/22) 1 Recommendation
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SOURCES:
1)
External Sources: Wall
Street Journal, The New York Times and PBS NewsHour
2)
Own Sources: My
own research for previous publishing projects: TTT of Comlab Corp, Spanish
English Club online.
Website: http://world-rethink.blogspot.de/
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