Monday, December 11, 2017

The New Guy


CBS-TV's 60 Minutes presented a segment Sunday evening about Russian elections and the newest daredevil looking forward to an elective death match with Putin (it's a death match because people challenging Putin usually end up in a very bad way).

Yes, candidate Navalny's closet rattles with a few skeletons of his own (embracing fascism in the past, for one), but after what seems an eternity dominated by Putin and his grim associates, such as Medvedev, wouldn't a little change to something else be worth the gamble?  Aren't common Russian folk tired of eating the same old fart-infested political gruel, day after agonizing day?

Obviously, chances that aging dictator Putin will come out the winner loom high for various customary and unsettling reasons, but it's always nice to see somebody challenge a corrupt establishment despite risks.  Formidable risks.  And dude -- don't eat mysterious sandwiches until after the election.  Oh, and avoid gunfire, etc., etc.

Terror in New York City:  This time it's a 27-year-old man from Bangladesh, he having resided in Brooklyn for seven years.  Legally?  Illegally?  Didn't the world and its vaunted rock stars go all teary-eyed over helping Bangladesh years ago?  This is the thanks we get?

Here's where I stand.  Any time, every time a terrorist event occurs, of any magnitude whatsoever when it even suggests injury or death to others, any suspects captured must be tried immediately and if determined guilty sentenced to a quick death sentence.  Following execution, it should be known far and wide that disposal of the body or bodies will, in no way, be allowed a traditional Islamic burial.  Indeed, every effort must be made to assure that "carcass disposal" is accomplished in every possible and humiliating way contrary to Islamic tradition.

Why?  Because there's nothing like publicity to drive a point home, and if the message can make an impression on members of the Islamic garbage dump perhaps some of them will think twice about their eventual destiny if they choose the terror path.  Since reasoning doesn't work with this crew, our options otherwise are few to none.

CNN:   Wow, do you folks get anything right?  If you can't back up your Trump fantasies, why should anybody believe a word you broadcast?  Newspaper journalism is all but dead and the sound bite crowd doesn't care as long as a pleasing voice or pretty TV face delivers their daily dose of dog poop disguised as news.