Wednesday, December 3, 2014

BLOG COMMENTS - DECEMBER 3, 2014



Dear Friends:

I would like to share with you some of the comments posted by myself in the WSJ Journal Community during the last few days about important headlines.

The comments are about politics, economy, business, health and other subjects linked with United States, Europe and other lands.

The majority of these comments generated a good interaction with other members of the Journal Community.

Domingo Trassens
Analyst
World Rethink

December 3, 2014


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BLOG COMMENTS: 2014/11/24– 2014/12/03


Ashton Carter, Ex-Pentagon No. 2, Emerges as Obama Favorite for Defense Secretary
President’s Final Decision Not Set; Announcement Could Come Later This Week
Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, shown in 2011, is expected to be nominated by President Obama to succeed Chuck Hagel as Defense secretary. - By Julian E. Barnes And Carol E. Lee Dec. 2, 2014 11:32 a.m. ET

My Comment: Ashton Carter has an extensive professional background and he knows the Pentagon from inside. However, according to the information that is public, he has not military experience.

From my humble point of view, in war times, the best is that the Defense Secretary has previous experience as soldier or a background direct linked with the battlefield. This will help him to understand better the problematic of campaigns against terrorist groups and enemy armies in the ground. 4 Recommendations 12/02/2014 12:20:48 PM


Basic Costs Squeeze Families
Health Care, Cellphones Eat Up Income, Leaving Less for Things Like Movies, Clothes - By Ryan Knutson and Theo Francis - Updated Dec. 1, 2014 7:29 p.m. ET

My Comment: This story about “Basic Costs Squeeze Families” shows us that we are going to the “slavery” of the health care insurance and the mobile phones.

We need health care insurance and mobile phones but in reasonable costs for our pocket. We cannot be the “slaves” of the insurances and the digital technology because the pleasure of being a consumer becomes very painful and it is not more a pleasure.

Our incomes have to cover all the necessities we have as normal human beings. For example, we cannot walk with broken shoes because we have to pay the health care insurance. We need also good shoes to feel healthy (Through the hole of the sole of a shoe, we can catch illnesses that maybe the health care insurance will not cover.). 3 Recommendations 12/02/2014 11:53:35 AM



My Comment: Why we will dream in a planet with the best climate if all the people will be dead for hunger or terrorists attacks?

We have to save the people who don’t have the basic incomes to make their living and fight in an effective way against extremists who want to destroy our culture and human roots before to dream in ideal programs for a better climate. 1 Recommendation 12/02/2014 04:41:30 AM


Suspected Islamic Militants Attack Two Towns in Northern Nigeria
Witnesses Says Blasts Hit Market in Maiduguri; Explosions and Gunfire in Damaturu - Associated Press - Updated Dec. 1, 2014 8:28 a.m. ET

My Comment: In Nigeria, the series of continuous attacks of the Islamic militants put a question mark about the weakness of its authorities, security forces and military troops. 12/01/2014 02:59:03 PM


Pope Caps Turkey Trip with Refugee Meeting, Call for Christian Unity
Pontiff and Patriarch of Orthodox Church Speak Out Against Plight of Persecuted Christians in Mideast - By Deborah Ball - Updated Dec. 1, 2014 1:28 a.m. ET

My Comment: Pope Francis has the courage to face the Islamist extremists, but he doesn't have the power, and who have the power, they don’t have the courage. 1 Recommendation 12/01/2014 02:06:06 PM


U.S., Turkey Narrow Differences on Islamic State Fight
Recent Visit by Biden Coincided With Islamic State Strategy Discussions - By Adam Entous - Updated Dec. 1, 2014 1:40 a.m. ET

My Comment: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a dubious partner. He shakes hands with everybody including President Putin who is partner of the Syrian leader.

Since the air-strikes against ISIS started, the Turkish leader showed ambiguous behavior. In my case, I will never trust in his complete support. 12/01/2014 12:43:11 PM


Why Everything You Think About Aging May Be Wrong – PART 1
As We Get Older, Friendships, Creativity and Satisfaction With Life Can Flourish - By Anne Tergesen - Nov. 30, 2014 11:27 p.m. ET

My Comment: If you continue mental and physical active, and you manage your health carefully, your life can flourish after the 60s because you have more experience than the youngsters and you are more stable in your attitudes and behavior.

However, you will find that the society and the companies will discriminate you. If you need to work because you don't have a reasonable retirement or you need money for make your living, you will have problem to find a decent job. 7 Recommendations
12/01/2014 12:28:19 PM


Why Everything You Think About Aging May Be Wrong – PART 2
As We Get Older, Friendships, Creativity and Satisfaction With Life Can Flourish - By Anne Tergesen - Nov. 30, 2014 11:27 p.m. ET

My Comment answering to another member of the Journal Community who agree with my previous observation: Thank you for your comment. From my point of view, the mental and physical activities are the best medicine to maintain you healthy. They are the elixir of a long life. You must to work with your brains and your muscles and have goals. 2 Recommendations 12/01/2014 03:51:56 PM


Oil Slump Weighs on Markets
Russian Ruble Falls to Record Low - By Tommy Stubbington - Updated Dec. 1, 2014 9:42 a.m. ET

My Comment: From my point of view, the fall of the ruble will be a new whip against the political and military plans of President Putin.

The Putin’s predecessors had serious problems when the economy of the Soviet Union collapsed. With hunger, the troops and tanks do not go far. 1 Recommendation - 12/01/2014 10:54:58 AM


‘Black Friday’ Fades as Weekend Retail Sales Sink
Annual Four-Day Shopping Bonanza May Be Losing Its Punch - By Shelly Banjo
Updated Nov. 30, 2014 7:50 p.m. ET

My Comment: In addition to the different technical explanations of the analysts, we have to remark that today the pocket of the middle-class people is smaller than some years ago.

After the financial crisis of 2008-2009, a lot of workers have lower salaries and incomes than before the big collapse. 16 Recommendations 11/30/2014 03:14:27 PM



My Comment: Moldova is another part of the European territory that President Putin wants to have under the Russian control. 1 Recommendation 11/30/2014 12:41:19 PM



My Comment answering to another member of the Journal Community who asked by President Putin is interested in Moldova: The best person who can answer your question is Mr. Putin. He is trying to rebuild the geography of the former Soviet Union. Moldova is part of his plan..

Something about the recent history of Moldova: Like in Eastern Ukraine, in a sector of Moldova, the majority of the population is Russian.  

During the Stalin era, a lot of Russians migrated to the satellite-countries that the Soviet Union occupied. It was a plan of the regime to spread the Russian roots across all the territories to consolidate the Soviet power. One of these countries was Moldova. 1 Recommendation 12/01/2014 01:40:49 AM



My Comment: Pope Francis wants to build a bridge between Christians and Muslims, but the question is: Do the Muslims want the bridge with Christians?

Before, other Christian leaders looked for friendly relationships with Muslims with poor results. 1 Recommendation 11/30/2014 12:37:18 PM



My Comment: Lower prices will decline the power of countries – Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela…- that use the oil as a political weapon. 4 Recommendations 11/29/2014 04:46:24 PM



My Comment: It is truth that when a country pays ransom, it stimulates new kidnappings and more violence.

The money of the ransoms is the main income of extremists and criminals and a key resource to finance terror wars.

For this reason, today countries like US need to expand its special forces and give them all the resources needed to rescue prisoners and stop terrorist attacks through command operations. 5 Recommendations 11/29/2014 03:24:34 PM



My Comment: Egypt is not a democratic country in the western sense. Its institutions and justice are manipulated for who have are ruling the country. With this frame, always is possible. For some Egyptians, Mubarak is innocent. Others think different.

In political and social issues, only the Egyptians can understand the Egyptians. 2 Recommendations 11/29/2014 01:14:57 PM



My Comment: We have to hope that the trip of Pope Francis to Turkey helps to reduce the discrimination of Christians in this country.

Personally, I think the differences between Christians and Muslims are difficult to overcome. 11/28/2014 03:04:24 PM



My Comment: Cameron never was happy with the EU, but if U.K. leaves the European Union, the British citizens will have to past a border control when they travel to the Continent and the British Prime Minister will lose influence across Europe. The decision has pros and cons. 11/28/2014 01:32:44 PM



My Comment: The Europeans like to put their noses in the domestic problems of the United States and enjoy reading about racial riots.

During the last few days important European newspapers like Frankfurter Allgemeine and Die Welt posted cover stories with big headlines and dramatic images about the streets of Ferguson.

However, the Europeans have a lot of social problems and the panorama does not look clear for the next years. The big cities of the rich European nations are full of refugees from very poor countries of Africa and immigrants from Middle East who are fleeing of the religious persecutions of Syria and Iraq. 3 Recommendations 11/27/2014 03:47:57 PM


Pilgrims and the Roots of the American Thanksgiving
English settlers of the 17th century were a diverse lot, and they became Americans despite themselves - By Malcolm Gaskill - Nov. 26, 2014 2:19 p.m. ET

My Comment: Since the times of the first European settlers who arrived to America, the Thanksgiving Day is a special celebration, when everyone expresses their thanks to God for the food that every day have on their table.

Multiple stories were written about the first settlers who built the United States with effort and strong resolution.

By the way, during the last few years, since the financial crisis of 2008-2009, a lot of people lost their jobs and they have lived painful moments like in the times of the first European settlers.

Now, we can write more stories about the effort of everybody to go ahead in difficult moments.

Very Important! With high spirit and firm resolution, everybody can open new paths for
their lives.

Happy Thanksgiving! 6 Recommendations 11/27/2014 03:20:00 PM


Review & Outlook On Schumer’s ObamaCare Mea Culpa:
Schumer’s ObamaCare Mea Culpa
The Senator admits the law has been disastrous for Democrats. Nov. 25, 2014 7:03 p.m. ET

My Comment: After the disaster of the mid-term election, Senator Chuck Schumer is realizing that ObamaCare is a monument of the anti-healthcare system.

Now, the question is who in the Democrat Party will realize that Susan Rice with her negative influence in the White House is demolishing the Pentagon. (According to different sources, Mrs. Rice had communication problems with the 3 last Secretaries of Defense, but nobody knows if she is able to kill a Syrian mosquito.) 8 Recommendations
11/26/2014 01:22:17 PM


Pope Describes Europe as ‘Elderly and Haggard’
Pontiff Says Continent Needs New Sense of Purpose - Deborah Ball
Nov. 25, 2014 6:33 a.m. ET

My Comment: The expression that Europe is “elderly and haggard” is probably excessive hard.

The Europeans from Western Europe have their own problems plus a long series of imported problems from Eastern Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Muslim countries.

And Europe can not solve alone the problems related to the massive immigration from Africa and the Middle East. 2 Recommendations 11/25/2014 03:08:15 PM



My Comment: The resignation of U.S. Secretary of Defense was a natural reaction of Chuck Hagel against the White House for its interferences in professional issues.

If the President and his advisers want to use to the Secretary of Defense against his own mind, it is correct that the Chief of the Pentagon resigns. 5 Recommendations
11/25/2014 02:19:57 PM



My Comment: More free time for the Iranian scientists who are building the nuclear bomb! In the end, the Atomic Club will greet Iran as a new member of the club.

Meanwhile, John Kerry and the other western diplomats will spend long hours in the beautiful Vienna. 1 Recommendation 11/24/2014 12:49:02 PM



My Comment: Chuck Hagel was only a “fuse” of the President Obama about defense issues of his government.

He started off on the wrong foot when he went to Congress for a hearing that showed that he was not prepared to be a strong leader of the Pentagon.

His departure comes also in a gloomy environment. Till now the military campaign against
ISIS did not show good results and Afghanistan remains as “open ulcer” of the current White House administration.

Personally, I don’t believe that the air-strikes against
ISIS are Hagel’s plan. He is only following the orders of White House. 2 Recommendations 11/24/2014 12:03:44 PM


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SOURCES:

1) External Sources: Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Tweeter and PBS NewsHour.

2) Own Sources: My own research for previous publishing projects like TTT of Comlab Corp, Spanish English Club online and others.



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