WEEKLY BLOG COMMENTS
DATES:
2013/10/20 – 2013/10/27
ANALYST:
Domingo Trassens
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Dear
Friends:
Across
different news from newspapers and their electronic versions in the United States and Europe, one of the main subjects of the
last few days was the tapping of the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and other top leaders of the world by the NSA.
In
general, the blog writers criticized NSA and they pointed against President
Barack Obama for his responsibility in the spying program of National Security
Agency.
For the
other side, in the United States, the blogs of media were full of
comments about ObamaCare and the technical problems of the website related to
this healthcare system.
A lot of
comments and also important columnists from Wall Street Journal and other media
showed a strong disappointment for the technical flaws of the ObamaCare
website.
In Europe, another important subject
is the massive wave of illegal immigrants that come from Africa
and Asia. The authorities of the EU discussed this
subject but they didn’t achieve any common initiatives.
Now 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
Rest of the World
-
Religion
-
Education
-
Economy, Business, Technology.
DAT
October 27, 2013
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UNITED
STATES
Strassel: Democrats Run for ObamaCare Cover
After weeks of vowing they wouldn't cave on the
president's signature legislation, some Democrats are doing just that. By Kimberley
A. Strassel
My Comment: Now the Democrats who are looking for
reelection, they realize that ObamaCare can sink them, but in 2010 they thought
different. (2013/10/26) 1 Recommendation
White House, Congress Clash on Iran
The Obama Administration Is Arguing that Diplomatic
Efforts Need More Time
By Jay Solomon
My Comment: The time of Iran
is different from our time. Meanwhile, we can assume nothing. (2013/10/26) 1
Recommendation
Story: ObamaCare 2016: Happy Yet?
The website problems were finally solved. But the doctor
shortage is a nightmare.
My Comment: We cannot talk about ObamaCare 2016 when
we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, in the next months; in the next year…
ObamaCare is like a big and unbalanced ship navigating in a
stormy sea. (2013/10/24) 1 Recommendation
Story: Henninger: Obama's Credibility Is Melting - Here
and abroad, Obama's partners are concluding they cannot trust him. By Daniel
Henninger
My Comment: The credibility of Mr. Obama is melting
inside and outside the country. And he is losing important partners and friends.
(2013/10/24) 6 Recommendations
Story: Berlin Says U.S. May Be Spying on Merkel's Phone
By Anton Troianovski
in Berlin and Siobhan Gorman in Washington
My Comment: This is part of the diplomacy program of
the White House. (2013/10/23) 9 Recommendations
Story: Obama Nods
to Rocky Start on Health Law
President Pledges
Website's Issues Would Be Resolved
My Comment: Today, technology is not a “barrier”. If the
website doesn’t work properly, it is a “human mistake” of who designed,
developed and/or implemented the information system linked with the Internet
site. Some mistakes are easy to fix, others require a complete redefinition of
the system plus an extensive testing. Meanwhile, nobody knows why they opened
the website without fixing its weak points and errors. (2013/10/21) 1
Recommendation
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EUROPE
Story: EU Leaders Diverge on Migration Policy
Draft Statement Indicates Little Progress to Be Made at Summit
My Comment: The problem of the hundreds of migrants and refugees that come to Europe from Africa and Middle East is very serious; however the EU
countries cannot open their doors to everybody for security, social and
economic reasons.
First,
the authorities have to filter dangerous individuals – criminals, terrorists -
from the immigrant contingents.
Second,
they have to create special social programs to integrate immigrants from other
cultures and behaviors to their own population. Frequently, Muslims don’t
integrate with the natives of the country because they want to continue living
according to their traditions and rituals (religion belief, clothes, food, different
sanitary behaviors…).
Third,
during the integration period – one, two, three or more years – the refugees
need places for living, food and medical assistance. The integration is
expensive and in non-professional hands can generate complicated demographic
problems. (2013/10/25) 0 Recommendations
European Leaders Accuse U.S.
of Violating Trust
American Ambassador to Meet German Foreign Minister Thursday
Afternoon
By Anton Troianovski in Brussels,
Siobhan Gorman in Washington and Harriet Torry in Berlin
My Comment: When you don’t trust your friends, you cannot have friends. This
is the same among persons or countries.
And if
you spy on your friends, you are breaking a normal friendship law.
Mr.
Obama can repeat thousands of times that the American secret services didn’t
spy on the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but Ms. Merkel
knows that he is not saying the truth. This friendship like the others is
damaged. (2013/10/24) 6 Recommendations
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THE
REST OF THE WORLD
Story: Bombings Kill Dozens in Iraq
My Comment: The story says "Bombing Kill Dozens
in Iraq".
This is nothing new. Iraq
continues living divided with sectarian hates.
The good news will be when during one year we don't hear
more about bombings, attacks, killing. (2013/10/27)
Story: Greenland
Opens Door to Mining
Moves Come With Many Caveats but Has Potential to Alter Arctic
My Comment: The Greeland’s decision can modify the
geography of the planet, but when there are economic interests, the
environmental factors are secondary. (2013/10/25)
Story: Abe Says Japan
Ready to Counter China's
Power – Part 1
Premier Urges China to Refrain from Using Force - By
Gerard Baker and George Nishiyama
My Comment: It is good news that Japan
is recovering itself after all the problems it has lived during the last years.
However, the tone of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shows a belligerent attitude
that is really negative.
If Japan
looks for a new war against China,
its leaders have to rethink more than twice any military action. (2013/10/25) (2013/10/25) 3 Recommendations
Story: Abe Says Japan
Ready to Counter China's
Power – Part 2
Premier Urges China to Refrain from Using Force
By Gerard Baker and George Nishiyama
My Comment answering to another member who remarks that China
is expanding its military power: It is truth that China is investing huge amounts of
money in its military budget, but Japan will not solve its problems with
the Chinese in the military way.
Japan has to use diplomacy to close
all “wounds” that continue opened in China, Korea and Russia against the old Japanese
Imperial Army.
If Japan pretends to solve its
differences with the neighbors through new military conflicts, it will be the
big loser. The times have changed dramatically since the moment when the
Japanese warships were the owners of the seas of South Asia.
When a
belligerent nation cannot solve its problems with the power of weapons, it has
to find another way to avoid the ghosts of its victims taking revenge. (2013/10/25)
2 Recommendations
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RELIGION
Story: Pope Suspends German Bishop Over House Project
Controversy Centers on $31 Million Price Tag for Bishop
Tebartz-van Elst's New Home. Associated Press
My Comment: The decision of Pope Francis of
suspending the German Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-va Elst marks an important
change in the attitude of the Catholic leadership in relation with the abusive
behavior of some of the members of Church.
It is not right that the money from the taxpayers has been
used by some leaders of the Church for their own luxury. (2013/10/23) 4
Recommendations
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EDUCATION
PBS – REPORT - Oct. 26, 2013: Secret weapon against hacking:
College students
My Comment: The story says that in the best
universities in technology, they are teaching the students to fight against bad-guy
hackers.
In the cyber-environment, you never know who the bad and
good guys are. For this reason, we cannot assume the college students that the
universities train are good or bad people. (By TWITTER) (2013/10/27) 1
Recommendation
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ECONOMY,
BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY
Story: 90 Million Americans Not Working
Another unfortunate milestone for the labor market
My Comment: When you are 65 or older, a lot of companies and shops don't want
to hire you despite your qualifications, background and skills.
Working
as freelance implies to assume a series of risks including the possible
non-payment for your work. (2013/10/23) 3 Recommendations
Bill Gates Buys
Stake in Spanish Construction Company FCC
More Foreign
Investors Are Making Deals in Spain. By David Román and Christopher Bjork
My Comment: Bill Gates can take the risk to invest in a
Spanish company. If the results are not good, he will say that it was a charity
contribution for the recovery of Spain. (2013/10/22) 1 Recommendation
Employers Add
148,000 Jobs; Unemployment Falls to 7.2%
Figures Come In
Below Economists' Expectations. By Sarah Portlock and Jonathan House
My Comment: From some years,
the sun doesn't shine on the job market. Every month, the U.S. Labor Department
publishes cosmetic reports without significant changes. (2013/10/22) 2 Recommendations
Story: Microsoft
Tests Eyewear to Rival Google Glass
Software Giant
Taps Asian Suppliers for Prototype Components - By Lorraine Luk and Shira Ovide
My Comment: Copying the ideas of others, Microsoft will
not find a new route for success. (2013/10/21) 3 Recommendations
Hope Springs at Nokia
Elop to Show Off
New Devices as Microsoft Watches Closely - By John D. Stoll
My Comment: We know Nokia sold its mobile phone unit to
Microsoft, but till now the acquisition is pending. Meanwhile, Nokia made a big
show in Abu
Dhabi
to introduce new products worldwide.
We think that it is not the best moment to introduce new products (digital
tables, smart-phones), when nobody knows what it will happen when Microsoft
takes the Nokia mobile phone unit under its control.
From the
other side, if Nokia didn’t have money to pay the expenditures of its own
installations in Finland and it had to sell its headquarters
a year ago, it is looking like an eccentric initiative to make the presentation
of the news devices in Abu Dhabi. (2013/10/21)
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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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