Changing the face of "Islam".

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran must
realize that western youth
are being exposed to
these images of  Islam.

With any "religion" in the world , Islam has a vary bad image . Recently Iran's Supreme Leader has written a letter in English asking Western youths not to judge Islam based on the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks, in a message published on the cleric's website and Twitter account.In the post, titled "To the Youth in Europe and North America," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls on young people to seek out their own understanding of Islam, and he criticizes the media's portrayal of Muslims following the massacre of 16 people at the French satirical magazine and at a kosher supermarket in Paris this month. I have to comment here  , Mr. Khamenei has to first condemn the violence in the Muslim world . More Muslims are being killed by Muslims in any era in record numbers  The Irony here is that even though his invitation is gracious . The problem with the Islamic world now is that it is  drenched in bloody hypocrisy ,if ### Muhammad were alive today , he wold bold denounce the Islamic State . The

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  addressing
 young people in the West to ignore media
 portrayals of Islam.

Prophet of Islam would also be disgusted that Islam is fraction-ed  into many sects.  Each like the Christian world interpreting it's holy scripture ( ^^^ Holy Quran , Bible & Torah ) to suit the political aims of sectarianism . I have great praise for the Shia state in Iran . It's not a backward nation like Saudi Arabia under  (1)> Sunni Wahhabi extremists who stone  and ***"behead" women in public, but Iran is a nation of it's own extremes .  Islamic extremists  have  degenerated the whole middle east into a quagmire . It's hard for a western person to look the other way. I have read the Quran , and I know what it is  and it is  just like the Bible it relates the same story  . The two Holy Books share a common heritage , both claim to trace their origin to Abraham the patriarch .  So the most violent acts carried out  by extremists  are the same ones that "Claim" to follow the faith of Abraham , and yes (00)>  "Jesus". ( Jesus is also a "prophet" in Islam ) So when I see Muslim's killing Christians , or persecuting Jews I turn my head and stagger . I can't believe how Muslims have distorted their own religion . For Muslims Abraham , Jesus and David  familiar names out of the Jude o-Christian  bible are also accepted as Prophets . The Holy Quran ( as I respectfully call it ) is a beautiful book , it is full of much as we might call poetry , but it carries the same faith that was drawn out of the Torah of Moses, the Psalms  and Gospels . So NO RELIGION is basically free from hypocrisy . My Message to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is to denounce the Islamic State , and renounce violence in the Muslim world. Some of the reasons are good but nothing can prevent religion or religious people from changing, reforming and evolving. Some of the reasons are good but nothing can prevent religion or religious people from changing, reforming and evolving. I am more interested in modern humans than ancient religions. Muslim rulers have been using Islam for their own interests. They keep people in ignorance, keep women in slavery, and allow the persecution of the people of different faiths. They do not allow criticism of Islam. You suppress critical thinking means you suppress the ability to think clearly and rationally, to engage in reflective and independent thinking. If criticism of Islam were allowed in the Muslim countries, many Muslims would have become agnostic or atheists, or secularists who could ask for a secular state with secular laws and secular education. It is not true that Islam can be changed. Islamic laws have been slightly reformed in different Islamic countries. But this is not enough. It doesn’t matter how much you sugarcoat myths, myths will never be facts. Revolution is always better than reformation.If Muslims will follow the rules of Islam then it will be happened, Muslims can change these evils, Whose are now try to protect it.

SAUDI ARABIA. 

Holding hands ?
Does anyone want to remember the special
status given to Saudi Arabia by George "Dubya" Bush?

My next writing has to do with Saudi Arabia . That rich and corrupt oil kingdom that has been a "three way " and "two faced" kingdom in the politics of the middle -east . For my American readers ,I have such low view of  how our American leaders have been playing kissy footy with the Saudi royals who for years have been funneling money to terrorists (2)>  , and at the same time holding hands , and yes  +++kissing our Presidents! Yes it all about OIL , and the west are slaves to the Saudi's . So much I believe we have been suckers that Saudis were like buffer to "peace" in the region . There are illusions . Now the kissing and hand-holding are going to their highs . World leaders have gathered in Saudi Arabia to pay their respects following the death of King Abdullah. These world leaders paying their lip service , and bowing for more oil The dignitaries from more than 10 countries have met with the new ruler, King Salman.He has pledged continuity in the country's foreign and energy policies.The new king moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty's third generation.Mr Obama also called King Salman ahead of his visit to "personally express his sympathies" for the death of King Abdullah, the White House said.The former king died on Friday, weeks after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection. President Barack Obama will shorten his trip to India and divert to Saudi Arabia, paying respects after the death of King Abdullah and meeting with the oil-rich nation's new monarch, the White House said Saturday.Critics are taking Western leaders to task for singing the praises of King Abdullah, the recently deceased 90-year-old monarch of Saudi Arabia, whose regime they claim was marred by countless human rights abuses, warmongering and corruption.US Secretary of State John Kerry described the late king as “a brave partner in fighting violent extremism who proved just as important as a proponent of peace." The British establishment, meanwhile, remembers the King warmly, going so far as to request that flags around the country be flown at half-mast all day in honor of Abdullah. A government website notes that “local authorities are not bound by this request but may wish to follow it for guidance.” Critics note that the monarch repeatedly moved to engineer further conflict in the Middle East. For instance, Abdullah had called on the US to provide more backing to the Sunni rebels fighting to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria.In an Elysee Palace statement, France also lauded King Abdullah’s "vision of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East."Despite limited efforts, characterized by Human Rights Watch (HRW) as “marginal advances that failed to secure the fundamental rights of Saudi citizens to free expression, association, and assembly,"Abdullah was unable to curtail his kingdom’s routine rights’ violations, including public floggings of dissidents and executions for sorcery.All are showering praise because of free flowing oil suppl, these Saudi monarchs are not good for democracy. why US never thinks of establishing democracy here. Incredible, a good example of the Opposites Principle - he was the major supporter of the Jihad movement with his sponsorship of Wahabi schools for poor Saudis, thus creating to current generation of killers. The time has come for lovers of freedom, both in the West and in the Arab world, to peel off some of the layers of hypocrisy regarding this regime. All the more so for the man who sits in the White House, the one who bowed down and danced in the club that is filled with the smell of oil.Lovers of freedom, wherever they are, must distance this smell from their noses and stand erect when dealing with the kingdom of darkness. Just as Obama said to Mubarak a years ago, “Now is now,” we expect him to tell the Saudi government: “Enough is enough!”

NOTES AND COMMENTS:
###My impression of Muhammad as a man is that he seems to have started off as a humble and honest merchant, but the second half of his life shows that some major transformation took place: he behaved no differently from an average Arab warlord of that era (not that I am judging it by modern-day ethical standards — just observing), and it looks like the military conquests, multiple wives and influx of concubines and slaves just went to his head. ^^^ Muslims only believe that portion of the bible which complies with the Qur'an. Rest is assumed to be addition or subtraction to the bible. Also, even if the bible says many things which might seem illogical but still it could be part of the bible. The Jews have always broken the covenant with God due to which God used heavy punishment and tough language in the bible. The bible was meant only for the children of Israel.The Qur'an – the revelation Muslims believe was given to theprophet Muhammad as a remedy – identifies three sets of books from the Bible as genuine divine revelation given to trusted messengers: the Tawrat (Torah) given to Musa (Moses), the Zabur (Psalms) given to Daud (David) and the Injil(Gospel) given to Isa (Jesus). Together, the Qur'an, these books and the now-lost Suhuf Ibrahim ("Scrolls of Abraham") constitute Islam's scripture (00)> Muslims respect and venerate Jesus Christ. They consider him to be one of God’s greatest messengers to humankind. The Qur’an re-affirms his miraculous birth and his miraculous abilities. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation. As the Quran says:

“Behold! the angel said: ‘God has chosen you and purified you and has chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary! God gives you the good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near to God’” (3:42).

Yes that in the Quran ! So EXPLAIN to me why Christians are being killed in Muslim lands ? Vary strange and hypocritical .

***In the past two weeks, Saudi Arabia beheaded 10 people. Last year it beheaded nearly 90, a sharp spike from 2013. The “crimes” vary but the absurdity of the theocratic judicial system does not. Critique of the king is banned by law. Liberals are flogged, women drivers jailed and dissidents tortured. Saudi religious police ban “tempting eyes” and assert the right to cover any woman’s seductive gaze. Women cannot travel without a man’s permission. (1)> Saudi Arabia produced and sponsored 'Wahhabism' which is the most intolerant version of Sunni Islam and upon which the beliefs of all terrorist groups are based. (2)> However, prior to a 2013 law which banned terrorist financing, Saudi Arabia had been described as“the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” according to US diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks . Another leaked cable revealed that Saudi King had urged the US to strike Iran in order to destroy its nuclear program. Abdullah was recorded telling America to “cut off the head of the snake,” in a 2008 meeting with General David Petraeus. ( two faced , rightly so)
+++Officials in Washington are now playing their favorite game: Praise the Tyrant. Here’s how the game works:

Step 1) Identify an Arab dictator who heads one of the most repressive regimes on Earth

Step 2) Pretend that every brutal policy is way outside of his control

Step 3) Seize on any statement of his more tolerant than IS (Islamic State )

Step 4) Praise the dictator for being a courageous reformer

Step 5) Express shock when actual reformers feel betrayed as you praise their tyrant

Step 6) Pat yourself on the back for maintaining (faux) stability

Step 7) Buy his oil

Step 8) Sell him weapons

Step 9) Repeat

The 2015 " State of the Union", Taxes.

Taxing the rich has been tried before ,
how about a lowing the taxes
on everyone nation wide.

2015 brings Mr. Obama's " State of the Union" . It's also the year for some tax hikes that effects most of every state in America .President Barack Obama is turning to his biggest television audience of the year to pitch tax increases on the wealthiest Americans and put the new Republican Congress in the position of defending top income earners over the middle class.President Obama released his fiscal year 2015 budget yesterday. Overall, the president proposes to (1)>  increase revenue by $1.759 trillion over ten years. This new revenue comes in the form of a couple large tax changes, numerous small tax changes, and new fees First , The Affordable Care Act "tax" takes effect.  H&R Block, the nation’s largest retail tax preparation company warns that the newly released Obamacare tax code, officially called the Affordable Care Act, is likely to confuse millions of taxpayers who try to tackle their tax returns for 2014.“Now that the Affordable Care Act has made health care a tax issue, no one can understand it,” H&R Block flatly tells taxpayers in a video that resides on its dedicated Obamacare web site. ***Illustrating H&R Block’s point is IRS Publication 5187, which attempts to explain to taxpayers how to comply with the new Obamacare tax requirements. That publication runs for a total of 21 single-spaced pages.Here’s a full list of ObamaCare Taxes. The 21 new Obama Care tax hikes and breaks impact us all, but which ObamaCare taxes will you actually pay? Find out how the tax related provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) will affect you, your family, your business, and your tax returns for 2014 and beyond.While a few of the changes directly affect the average American, tax increases primarily affect high earners (those making over $200,000 as an individual or $250,000 as a family), large businesses (those making over $250,000 and those with 50 or more full-time equivalents), and the health care industry. However, tax credits primarily affect low-to-middle income Americans and small businesses (those with less than 25 full-time equivalents, making less than $25,000 in average annual wages).SURPRISINGLY Obama's Union speech is going to ask for more tax increases . There’s a section in the Obamacare application process that requires you to report “Family Income Changes” so the IRS can figure out how much you are owed, or owe back to the government.So how many families will find themselves caught up owing more than they were initially promised? About 38% of households that qualify for subsidies,according to researchers, might have to pay something back to the IRS. Some of them could owe big sums of money, even on small gains in income.But the decision to present the plan during Tuesday’s speech marks the start of a debate over taxes and the economy that will shape both Mr. Obama’s legacy and the 2016 presidential campaign. 

What's missing from Mr. Obama's Union speech.

He's always looking for more revenues and taxes from taxpayers. Why isn't he addressing the bloated Federal spending budget? Our national debt went from $6 trillion to $18 trillion+ now, under his watch. What did he do with the additional $12 trillion he borrowed? The jerk now wants to expand tax credits for education and child care and get tax relief to the middle class. What's baffling is why this was not done with the $12 trillion he borrowed?So now that he has wasted $12 trillion, he wants the taxpayers to cough up more billions and trillions to fund more of his dreams? Never has he talked about cutting spending and down-sizing govt to balance the budget like real Americans do.Even more shocking is that he has never mentioned comprehensive tax reform. The reason is this would interfere with his agenda to spend the country into bankruptcy.

What's in his plan?

Among the other Obama proposals are increasing the investment tax rate, eliminating a tax break on inheritances, giving a tax credit to working families and expanding the child care tax credit -- in total roughly $320 billion in tax hikes over the next 10 years. The president also wants to impose a financial fee on some of the country’s largest financial firms. His full fiscal 2016 budget is scheduled to be released to the GOP-led Congress next month. will use much of the proceeds -- $320 billion over 10 years -- to expand tax credits for higher education and child care and create a new break for two-earner couples. The White House released details of the plan Saturday.He would increase the top tax rate on capital gains and dividends to 28 percent from 23.8 percent. The rate was 15 percent when Obama took office in 2009, meaning that he’s proposing to almost double it over his two terms in office.Taxes on the rich should be cut not raised: Flood the rich with a waterfall of cash and a few tiny drops trickle down to the others. Like this the rich keep on getting richer and the poor and middle class keep getting poorer. Trickle down works exactly as intended. Imagine the middle class would have more money. They'd just go out and spend most of it, creating a virtuous economic circle. Far better we let the 1% get even more so they can hoard a few billion more while trickling down a few cents.That cushion is now deflated. The U.S. can no longer fulfill the dreams of Wall Street, the Pentagon, and the Middle Class. At least one dream must die. Despite partisan differences, both political parties have agreed to sacrifice the people. An economic recovery will eventually create more jobs, predicts Faux, but most will no longer pay a middle class salary. On our present track, real incomes by 2024 will be dramatically lower than they are today.

Taxes never lower in California.

If you live in California the term " tax break " or " tax cut" is nothing but double talk . California is one of the few , not many states with large taxation . Just how would President Obama's tax plan even work so the average Californian will get more money in his , or her's wallet . Californians pay the highest gas tax, sales tax and income taxes in the nation and the state is routinely cited as one of the highest-taxes states in the nation. We are already paying $7 billion more in state taxes this year and the state has a $5 billion surplus.  Yet the Sacramento politicians continue to want more. We need to hold the politicians accountable and hold the line on more tax increases. The California Taxpayers Association and the Tax Foundation spell out the details on California’s high-tax status. In addition to paying the highest gas, sales and income taxes in the nation, many other taxes we pay are among the highest. Read more at CalTax And, we’re paying these increased annual California state taxes on top of more than 70 local tax increases and bond measures approved in 2012 as well as increased taxes at the federal level. ccording to a recent study, “The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council ranked California 50^th in an extensive index measuring state policy measures on small business.” Read more at Fox and Hounds Raising taxes again will only hurt California families and businesses; cost jobs and continue to stifle our economic recovery. California taxes were just raised by $7 billion annually, the proposed state budget spends more than ever before and we still have a $5 billion surplus left over. This is not the time for Sacramento politicians to be raising taxes even higher.

NOTES AND COMMENTS:

***Ready for a knee-slapping chuckle? If you're an illegal alien filing a return under a Taxpayer ID number instead of a Social Security number, you pay absolutely NO PENALTY if you did not have insurance. In fact, you don't even have to provide proof of insurance. We hand out $4.6 billion per year in tax credits to illegal aliens with no strings attached. They still use the emergency room free, and YOU THE TAXPAYER pay for it. If you're a struggling American or legal resident, YOU WILL PAY 1% OF YOUR INCOME THIS YEAR, 2% NEXT YEAR without insurance. Isn't that a chuckle what Obama and the Democrats have done to the working class and poor? Hysterical! (1)> Why are we raising taxes.  Even though I am not in the top 1%, I feel that burden.  I pay a huge amount of my pay to taxes between, income tax, state income tax, SS tax, sales tax, property tax, gas tax, the list goes on and on.  I have had to make cutbacks just to get by, and then we get ObamaCare?  Now I have to cover my own health insurance because my employer dropped coverage.

Gas price plunge before the "STORM"

Let's enjoy these gas prices
before they tax it
up again. 

With gas prices so low . COULD IT BE THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM?  Oil prices per barrel is now around $48. Correspondingly, the price at the pump has fallen in the last three months by more than a dollar to about $2.20 per gallon. It's also vary strange that the DOW was dropping hurting Wall Street while Main Street was doing better . However the money saved in our pockets may soon change . As a result, some in Congress are talking about a 10- or 20-cent hike in the federal tax to use for infrastructure spending. SO The average American buys about 12 gallons of gas a week. Washington would be soaking him for $12 in extra taxes.Strangely enough people care about the cost of living and any reduction in that cost is worthy of celebrating,,,,,and oil impacts prices across a huge spectrum. Good for us and bad for the radical enviro's and our major global enemies. EITHER case it's brewing . Recently Washington Post, columnist Charles Krauthammer proposes a $1/gallon increase in the federal gas tax in order to pay for a revenue-neutral cut in Social Security (FICA) taxes. He argues that taxing work is more damaging to growth and jobs than would be taxing gasoline consumption. It also comes at a time when leading Republicans, like Senators Inhofe, Thune, and Hatch,House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and even Republicans such as Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee have linked arms with the entire road-building industry and green groups that want the cost of fuel to go up. They  are opening-up to raising the gas tax to fund the near-bankrupt Highway Trust Fund. Remember Throughout 2013 (1)> , the oil industry and its allies warned that California’s gasoline prices would soar in January, when the state’s cap-and-trade system to fight global warming would expand to include fuels. ***The change, they argued, would amount to a clandestine tax on California families, who could end up paying 76 cents more per gallon as a result. January is now halfway through — and California’s gas prices are falling. The state’s average for a gallon of regular has dropped 10 cents since the start of the year to reach $2.54 on Friday, according to AAA. Not since May 2009 — during the recession — has California never  seen gas this cheap.Consumers Union (CU) in Sacramento is cautioning state regulators to keep a "close eye" on oil markets in the new year.CU, the policy arm of Consumer Reports, delivered a letter Tuesday to the California Energy Commission’s Petroleum Advisory Committee asking them to be on the lookout for possible price manipulation starting in January 2015.A CU news release stated, "In January 2015, the state is scheduled to extend cap and trade to include transportation fuels. Oil companies must hold enough allowances to cover their emissions, and are free to buy and sell allowances on the open market. Despite knowing this timeline for years, oil interests have been vocal in their opposition to capping emissions on transportation fuels and have tried—and failed—numerous times to delay the start of the program." “Oil companies launched a ballot initiative, backed a number of failed bills to dismantle clean energy efforts and have spent over $70 million lobbying Sacramento politicians. Through it all, consumers have been steadfast in their support of clean energy and energy efficiency,” said Shannon Baker-Branstetter, policy counsel for Consumers Union.

A survey recently conducted by Consumers Union found that Californians overwhelmingly support requiring oil companies to produce cleaner fuels (81 percent). The survey also found that consumers believe requiring cleaner fuels would result in more consumer choices (82 percent), and that oil companies should use their vast profits to pay for any costs to clean up consumer fuels (84 percent).

 After months of seeing gas prices sink ever lower, Californians will ring in 2015 by paying more at the pump as a result of the state's landmark greenhouse-gas emissions law.But how much more we'll pay, and whether it's worth it, remains bitterly debated among oil companies, some state lawmakers and environmentalists.Starting Thursday, gasoline and diesel producers will be subject to the state's cap-and-trade system, forcing them either to supply lower-carbon fuels -- which are more expensive to produce -- or to buy pollution permits for the greenhouse gases created when the fuel is burned. In the short term, at least, that will mean higher prices at the pump.groups backed by the oil industry have claimed prices will rise 16 to 76 cents per gallon, although that's admittedly based on an underlying price of about $4 per gallon -- far higher than recent prices. On Monday, drivers in the East and South Bay were paying about $2.68 per gallon for regular gas, according to the American Automobile Association.A couple months ago, consumers and anti-tax advocates were in a frenzy, fretting that new rules taking effect Jan. 1 would cause a $0.15 to $0.75 spike in prices at the pump. Meanwhile, plunging oil values have flipped California gas station marquee digits down $0.31 in the past month, according to data from AAA. An environmental bill long championed by the Obama administration and environmental groups was quietly signed into law this week. The bill, initially expected to fail, was bolstered by last-minute support from a group of moderate Republicans seeking reelection in predominantly Democratic leaning states. The bill strengthens environmental pollution penalties, emission standards and creates a surprising new three dollar a gallon tax increase on gasoline.When gas prices go up, motorists typically blame oil companies, Arab sheiks and Wall Street speculators. This time they can blame Sacramento and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for passing a bill requiring California to reduce carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

NOTES AND COMMENTS:

***"a. A tax credit for individuals and companies who invest in Hybird, Fusion and Electric cars. Make it a no brainier to get one of these vehicles. 

b. Change this law so the cost of the permits and construction is borne by the Oil Companies. We do live in a Capitalist Economy, Right?" So it is a "tax credit" for the businesses and individuals you prefer and "Capitialism" for those you don't. Spoken like a true Democrat. (1)> Cap-and-trade, also known as bait-and-switch. Remember in 2012 when Gov. Brown borrowed $500 million in cap-and-trade funds for the general fund? They're still working on getting that paid back. And his new proposal for cap-and-trade is to use a third of the money to fund the High Speed/Low Speed rail project (HSR). Two problems with that are that a) taking money from cap-and-trade to give to HSR won't help California meet it's carbon reduction goals; and b) it's clearly outside the voter approved funding for Prop 1A. Now that his hobby train project is going off the rails he's starting to act like a less than benevolent dictator.Starting January 1st, though, those declining gas prices aren't expected to go any lower. The beginning of 2015 also brings with it what some are calling California's new hidden gas tax, which could range from 15 cents per gallon to up to 75 cents. Some in the Central Valley aren't happy about the extra cost at the pump. the bill Arnold signed was to reduce, not tax. How is Taxing reducing? It sounds to me like a spin the blame game, we'll tax and say that it's because of this bill!! We are 5.5 years away from 2020 still. This tax has no effect on the oil companies, they are quoted saying, we'll just pass the buck to the consumer, no worries!! So a tax like this only hits the lower income folks, not big money. It's not going to pay for some "air cleaning machine", just a pocket of money to be used for what they deem fit.

The Missing " American" Presence.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas
 are standing arm in arm. Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu.
In Paris solidarity .

Well the aftermath of the attack on the French paper Charlie Hebdo has drawn a lot of international solidarity . The Critics are noticing  the fact that American leadership seems a no show ,  with all apologetic news from the Media here in America that Obama , Kerry and other"state" departments heads were just too busy to attend the march in Paris . Quiet frankly I find this vary disappointing as a American.World leaders united in France over the weekend with a march in solidarity with the victims of the terror attacks in Paris. But there was one prominent world leader missing – President Barack Obama. In fact, no senior leader was on hand to represent the United States.The White House admitted Monday that they should have had a stronger presence in France for the march. That's right and *** Obama couldn't have sent John Kerry, because Kerry was too busy over in India selling out American jobs, saying that the US needs to rapidly expand trade with India. Mr. Obama has had little public reaction to the attacks, taking just two minutes on Friday while announcing his free community college plan in Tennessee, and avoiding it altogether in his weekly video address."I want the people of France to know the United States stands with you today, stands with you tomorrow," he said.On Thursday, he visited the French embassy to sign a book of condolences. Other media sources state that the "no show" was pay back time for in response to France's opposition to the proposed invasion of Iraq in 2003 . You remember the stupid scandal regarding the " French Fries" to be renamed " Freedom Fries" . OK . Enough Bull shit . Our nation should have had a representative out with the marchers , hand in hand with every world leader . The Russian's are sending Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Russians brought flowers and candles to the French embassy in Moscow this week with some joining the "I am Charlie" campaign by displaying the sign in a show of support. The American excuse was that the president's security would have significantly interfered with the crowd of millions who attended. But now the absence of any U.S. leader now has the administration on the defensive. It did not make any sense because that Leaders from some of America's strongest allies were among the more than 40 heads of state marching in solidarity with French President François Hollande. The group included German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were there. All them seem to have braved not having any security around them as they marched with the Parisians . So or list goes like this “John Kerry is not there. Joe Biden isn’t there. Eric Holder isn’t there.” Personally I think he should has sent Vice President Biden.  That is sort of the VP's job anyway.  Or asked Bill or Hillary or someone to stand in. Yes Our Ambassador to France was there. The Assistant Secretary of State was there as were many Americans from our US Embassy, who were also in the March.The President also went to the French Embassy in DC to sign a memorial book for the victims of the French attack. As good as this ( was ) it would have been a good turn around for Obama to stand with world leaders ( Russia ) By not attending the unity rally in Paris on Sunday, President Obama has missed an opportunity to show leadership, to demonstrate that Americans are as committed to fight against terrorism as anyone in the world. The no show leaves an empty vacuum. 

NOTES AND COMMENTS:

***Secretary of State John Kerry's upcoming visit to Paris follows heavy criticism of President Obama in the wake of Sunday's rally of solidarity following the shooting at satricial newspaper Charlie Hebdo in the French capital. There were no senior U.S. officials among the dozens of world leaders who came to show their support. But officials at the White House have said there were good reasons for that. SURE!

Islam's Insanity .

I came to the realization that Islam ( parts and fractions of it ) are being mislead . Perhaps by a new "false prophet " in disguise as a messenger of Allah ( god) . If Islam has gotten a bad name , its the Muslim's who have tainted it .  The new prophet of Islam in his caricature is the face of Osama Bin Ladin (grinning ) at all the evil he's done in the name of good & god. Terrorism is evil. The 21st century menace of Islamism, there can hardly be anything apologetic and soft about it . You can't say it's a "religion of peace" . This meme is as common as it is absurd and does not deserve much rebuttal. Suffice to say that Muslims are not a race. There are Muslims of all nations, races, ethnicities—from sub-Saharan Africans to blonde haired, blue-eyed Europeans.  Yet many apologists for Islam, including congressmen and congresswomen, habitually rely on this lie—I won’t even deign to call it an “apologetic”—simply because accusing someone of being “racist,” in this case, critics of Islam, is one of the surest way of shutting them up. It's  new  message is  a twisted form of what Muhammad may have  taught . Its a shame.  I have to write this as of now .  The murder of innocent people like those 12 who died on Wednesday when armed gunmen stormed the 

In a front page cartoon published
back a year ago . the editor of
the satirical magazine
is shown embracing
a Muslim . Offensive yes . 

offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo . (1)>  The magazine had printed cartoons that mocked the Prophet Muhammad . and various other "religions"  , and political leaders. The terrorist act alone made no sense even in Islamic terms, of coarse there has been little denouncement from the leaders (pontiffs , Imams ) Ayatollah's of the Shia , and ( #) Sunnis leaders.    What happened  in France was even denounced ( strangely )  by the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah said : "The behavior of the *** takfiri groups that claim to follow Islam have distorted Islam, the Koran and the Muslim nation more than Islam’s enemies ... who insulted the prophet in films... or drew cartoons of the prophet," the Hezbollah leader said in a televised speech to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, according to Lebanon’s Daily Star.Way back last December a school in Pakistan was bombed , At least 145 people were killed in a siege at a ... in a suicide bombing at the Protestant All Saints Church of Pakistan.  (2) >In Pakistan there was a greater number of Muslims killed by fellow Muslims. I'v  noted in a past blog post about a "demon dancing in Mesopotamia" You might say in Iraq , Syria, Pakistan  and Afghanistan .  Counting the bodies of dead Muslim's killed by Muslims who may be "Takiri" is staggering . In Iraq the (3)>  IS ( Islamic State ) is committing a Muslim genocide . Muslims are vary reluctant to fight other Muslims , even if they are committing acts of evil against their own  . This is perhaps why I believe that Muslims in the middle -east could soon face extinction under their own hands .  Islam could  survive v in the west , in Europe  & the New world. I see this a hope that most western Muslims will evolve out of barbarism  Either case Islam wants to be seen as a religion of Peace . There is a relevant Hadith in which the Prophet of Islam has said: ”Min husn Islam al-mar tarkahu ma la yanih” (A good Muslim is one who refrains from indulging in a practice that is not going to yield any positive result). This Hadith applies very aptly to the present situation of Muslims. They have been making noise for a very long time against blasphemy, but it has been in vain. Muslims must know that they are not in a position to change the world, so they must change themselves. There will be two instant advantages of adopting this policy: they will save themselves from becoming victim of negative sentiments and will be able to devote their energies to constructive work.

Images of the Prophet 

CONTRARY to modern Islam . The Muslim world at one time allowed freedom of expression , most of us are familiar with Rumi and Omar Khayyam those enlightened poets   In the wake of the murder of cartoonists at French magazine Charlie Hebdo, many Muslims and non-Muslims have argued that Islam has always banned any representation of the prophet, in part because of strong warnings in the Qu’ran and other religious texts against idolatry or anything that could be seen as a pathway towards idolatry.“It’s really important for audiences that have never seen the pietistic images of Muhammad to make a radical distinction between the mystical and beautiful images that have been produced over the last 1,000 years by Muslims and for Muslims.Throughout Islamic history, depictions of Muhammad in Islamic art were rare.^[15] Even so, there exists a "notable corpus of images of Muhammad produced, mostly in the form of manuscript illustrations, in various regions of the Islamic world from the thirteenth century through modern times".^[29] Depictions of Muhammad date back to the start of the tradition of Persian miniatures as illustrations in books. The illustrated book from the Persianate world (Warka and

Gulshah, Topkapi Palace Library H. 841, attributed to Konya 1200–1250) contains the two earliest known Islamic depictions of Muhammad. It seems that all Images of Muhammad were done during an enlightened age in Islam.Despite the ban on the representation of Muhammad, images of Mohammed are not uncommon in Iran. The Iranian Shi'ism seems more tolerant on this point than Sunnite orthodoxy.^[47] In Iran, depictions have considerable acceptance to the present day, and may be found in the modern forms of the poster and postcard.^[48][14]

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NOTES AND COMMENTS:

***In Islamic law, takfir or takfeer (Arabic: تكفير‎ takfīr) refers to the practice of excommunication, one Muslim declaring a non-Muslim or an apostate, an unbeliever or kafir (pl. kuffār). The act which precipitates takfir is termed the mukaffir. An ill-founded takfir accusation is a major haram.^[1] The new constitution of Tunisia (passed after the Tunisian Revolution of 2011), has criminalized takfir by placing a ban on fatwas that promote takfir.The word now denotes "Muslim apostates". The Idea of "false Muslims" can be cited as true since some of the most heinous  acts of violence carried out by Islamic terrorists seem to be aimed more at killing fellow Muslims than non believers ( and such) , but over the last decade the Islamic world has been swept into blood shed with the idea that they have to convert unbelievers through "Jihad" aka " holy war" . Another aspect shows that Islamic terrorists believe that they are doing "good" in the eyes of god , they also suffer from a persecution complex , in their brainwashed and "radicalized" thinking they are fighting persecutors of Islam . (1) > The aspect of telling jokes in Islam , the Prophet Muhammad is said to have said " “Woe to the one who tells lies to make people laugh, woe to him.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, warning against this kind of behaviour which some jokers are accustomed to: “A man may say something to make his companions laugh, and he will fall into Hell as far as the Pleiades because of it.” (Narrated by Ahmad). It would be hard to make fun of any one in Islam . The Quran actually forbids Muslims in killing ones that "mock" the "prophet" . I was trying to find a verse that contradicts  otherwise This verse address the Prophet Muhammad  himself.  It says:“We have spared you those who ridicule you” [15:95] In essence, the Qur'an is telling us that when it specifically comes to the issue of mocking the Prophet [SAW], which is exactly the issue that we are dealing with today. Don't take matters in your own hands, rather, God will take care of those who mock the Prophet. (2)> Muslim's killing Muslims is not a new thing , but it characterizes a backward sense of reality of the religion , “Some 11,000,000 Muslims have been violently killed since 1948, of which 35,000, or 0.3 percent, died during the sixty years of fighting Israel, or just 1 out of every 315 Muslim fatalities. In contrast, over 90 percent of the 11 million who perished were killed by fellow Muslims.”Never in the worlds’ history of any other “religion” except Islam, has any official position and its ‘mission’ of its teachings been to “Kill all of those who do not believe as we do”. Islam has 73 different sects, they hate and kill each other and they all make war upon one another because: “They do not believe as we do”. Islamic sects are not simply “denominations,” if that word is understood to mean various valid approaches to the same religion. Members of one Islamic group do not usually recognize members of other groups as fellow Moslems, and open conflict between sects is not uncommon. Islam has been at war with itself and the entire world since its founder Mohammad started it. (3)> This is a big claim. We hear a lot about violence and possibly ethnic cleansing, but the term ‘genocide’ has not taken root in this debate. In its special session on Iraq, several members and observers of the United Nations Human Rights Council voiced concerns that IS was committing genocide.[i] Ed Husian, writing for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, has also labelled the actions of IS as genocide.[ii] Yet, the dominant narrative is the standard post-9/11 justification of fighting the terrorists abroad before we have to fight them at home. This is tarnished by the legacy of the War on Terror and masks the need to intervene for the sake of the people being persecuted by IS.but Contrary to popular misconception, Islam does not mean peace but rather means submission to the commands of Allah alone. Therefore, Muslims do not believe in the concept of freedom of expression, as their speech and actions are determined by divine revelation and not based on people's desires. So nothing can be funny ? In the days after September 11, 2001, American leaders rushed to portray Islam as a peaceful religion that had been "hijacked" by a fanatical band of terrorists. One hopes that these assurances were merely tactical—that nobody was meant to believe them and that they were meant to assure the Muslim world that the inevitable.  Muslim apologists also rushed forward to assure the public that Islam was a peaceful religion. They disingenuously declared that the word Islam means "peace." And they tried to portray the terrorists as a fringe group outside the mainstream of Islam.These were lies.The usual meaning of Islam in Arabic is not "peace" but "submission".(#)>The Sunni's may have a distinction of warlike qualities in their Islamic view unlike the more "peaceful" Shias . Sunni Islam, which approximately 90% of all Muslims follow, is far from heterogeneous. It has only four recognized schools of jurisprudence, and these agree over the basics, with only minor differences over detail. Even in the other 10% of Islamic sects, most of which are Shia or Shia offshoots, one finds that when it comes to intolerant aspects, they too are in agreement. For example, while all Islamic schools of law prescribe the death penalty for leaving Islam, some argue that female apostates should “only” be imprisoned and beat until they embrace Islam again.

Our "NEW" Congress.

Our New Congress . Can it be able to show any
functionality? 

If anything is " white-washed" it's our American Congress Congress is 80 percent white, 80 percent male and  (3)> 92 percent Christian. (1)>  The 114th Congress, which gets to "work" on Tuesday, is one of the most diverse in American history, comprised of nearly (2)>  20 percent women and just over 17 percent of which is non-white. Which means, of course, that four out of five members of Congress are white and four out of five are men. Do we have a problem with our Congress ? Sure . Let look at Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who asked a judge Tuesday for mercy for his wife and himself, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for public corruption.McDonnell was convicted Sept. 4 of trading access to the power of the governor's office for more than $165,000 in loans and high-end gifts. Prosecutors had wanted him to spend more than 10 years in prison, but early in the four-hour hearing Judge James Spencer said federal officials misinterpreted the guidelines, contending the range was more like 78 to 97 months — 6½ to a little more than 8 years. So what's McDonnell have to do with the new congress . Let's talk "Bribes" , A direct result of lobbyist using their influence. The country is no longer ran for the

people.. After stuffing Wall Street's stockings in December with subsidies for risky trading, the House of Representatives plans to wish big banks a happy New Year on Wednesday by hacking up and delaying the Volcker Rule. The Volcker Rule is a key reform adopted after the 2008 financial meltdown that bans banks from gambling in securities markets with taxpayer money -- a tactic known as proprietary trading. But under legislation slated for a Wednesday vote, banks would be given a two-year reprieve from unloading some of their riskiest holdings -- known as collateralized loan obligations.The deregulation measure is one of 11 changes to the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law ++ that Republicans will bring to the floor under a single bill Wednesday. The legislation can only pass the House if dozens of Democrats support it, since the bill will be brought up under special rules that require a two-thirds majority for approval. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) will lead the opposition to the bill for Democrats on the House floor. Ellison will likely be opposed by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who voted for a similar bill in April, and supported the bank subsidy in December. It's simple , you can't send McDonnell to prison with out sending  the rest as well. Congress members over the years  done the same . *** Today our political system is pretty much dysfunctional . The President is about to VETO , and as you can guess we will be back in gridlock with the screaming , and finger pointing. What's going to happen is that the last six years of President Obama's "reforms" are up on the chopping block . GOP heads hope to get back on track with their aggressive agenda to forcefully confront President Barack Obama on the top issues of the day, including the Keystone XL pipeline, immigration, health care and national security.Approval of the Keystone pipeline, which the administration has delayed for years, tops the GOP agenda. Votes are planned on the House and Senate floor during the first two weeks of January. GOP leaders also plan quick votes on Obamacare and immigration.What’s required now is pivoting from messaging to legislating. We believe opening day of the 114th Congress is key in adopting the changes that are conducive to consensus-building and laying the foundation for potential cooperation. At a moment when the American electorate is so closely divided, it is even more incumbent upon Congress to develop solutions that bridge the political gulf, rather than policies that simply reflect ideological entrenchment.

NOTES AND COMMENTS:
****Our nation is bought and owned by the 1%, and there's only one way we'll ever separate the two. It will take another crash, another big bank bailout, and then, when enough Americans get the shaft, and lose everything, there will be a long overdue revolution......., ++Republicans believe their legislative plans will sharpen for voters the contrast between the GOP and Democrats, and set the stage for the 2016 presidential and congressional elections . (1)> In 2014, voters hated Congress and elected to change it, giving Republicans control of the Senate and an even wider majority in the House. But are the politicians they sent to Washington all that different from the ones they kicked out? (2)> Some things will change in 2015. There will be more women serving in the 114th Congress, which opens Tuesday, than ever before, 104 in total.  And the House Republican majority, with 247 members, will be the party’s largest since 1929. But some things about Congress will remain the same: There will still be plenty of lawyers and career politicians. (3)> Pew Research: "When the new, 114th Congress is sworn in on Jan. 6, 2015, Republicans will control both chambers of the legislative body for the first time since the 109th Congress (2005-2006). Yet, despite the sea change in party control, there is relatively little change in the overall religious makeup of Congress, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. More than nine-in-ten members of the House and Senate (92%) are Christian, and about 57% are Protestant, roughly the same as in the 113th Congress (90% and 56%, respectively)....As was the case in the 113th Congress, the biggest difference between Congress and the general public is in the share of those who say they are religiously unaffiliated. This group makes up 20% of the general public but just 0.2% of Congress. The only member of Congress who describes herself as religiously unaffiliated is Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.  (4)> Swearing in the congressmen...with a Bible? So they swear by something that's not allowed to be taught, is that really separation of church and state?  what a double minded nation we live in and then we... wander why?There's an old proverb; If a kingdom stands divided within itself...how long will that kingdom stand?