Andreas Lubitz, GermanWings and the French Alps

In the early hours and days of this tragedy, a Prosecutor was stating to the world's news services that the co-pilot crashed the plane on purpose.  I don't know the Prosecutor's name or if it was a he or she and if (I'll call it a "he") his nationality was german or otherwise.  In the days that followed, the Prosecutor alluded to depression, that  Lubitz lied to his company, that he was seeking the help of a shrink,  then they found that doctors told him he was unfit to work but he tore the Doctor's note up.

The effort, I guess, was to make sure that the world knew, even before the first black box dried, that the Airbus plane was totally not at fault.  To keep the parent company pure as Mother Theresa, a huge effort was undertaken to tell that this 28 year old co-pilot was capable, trained and qualified  up to the highest Luftansia standards.

Since then, Andreas Lubitz took a leave of absence in mid training maybe because the psychotic drugs were slowing him down. There were articles that he became a Muslim, and he lived with a girl friend who is pregnant.  Someone wrote that he could have been Jewish. I'm shocked that this theory took so long to emerge. After all, the Europeans are hard wired to swallow a Muslim or Jewish connection.  Now I understand that the Prosecutor says Lubitz was suicidal.  Now, why would anyone think that?  Someone told me that the Governor of Indiana said Lubitz was Gay, but I rejected that notion out-of-hand as  the tell came from a Republican in the locker room of my gym.

The CEO OF Luftansia, Germanwings parent company stated that they didn't need two people in the cockpit at a time as zis vaz only von incident.  I detected an underpinning of arrogance reminiscent of B rated war movies. OK, maybe I'm just not a nice person.  Now they have the two rule.

Anyway, I think pilots, conductors, ship captains, et cetera, should undergo periodic lie detector tests snd psychiatric evaluation. As well as blood and/or wee wee analysis.

The Koch Bros. Are Advertising

The Koch brothers have joined such notables as BP and GE with institutional TV ads.  Institutional advertising is unlike most TV ads that are designed to sell products and services.  It generally has the purpose of making the public feel better about the corporation. It can be thought of as a public relations ploy to build reputation that has been tarnished owing to the way they operate.

I believe the GE ads were most likely to overcome the fact that the avoid paying taxes in the U.S.A.  The BP's handling of the Gulf spill put the disdain for their name probably on a par with those on the FBI's most wanted.  Adding insult to this, they apparently failed to rebuild, repay and clean up as promised.

Now the Koch Brothers, the champions of the 1%; the billionaire oil Barron's that also own a number of national branded products have spent many millions to influence legislation and the outcome of elections.  They are champions of the Republican Party at the state and national level.  I would venture that they are amongst the most hated by the majority sector of voters.

There has been a concerted effort to ask citizens to avoid their brands.  Just Google Koch Industries brands.  I think you'll find Northern toilet paper, Brawny and many others.  It must be hurting them else they wouldn't resort to institutional ads.

They're very smart. They show how many jobs they create, how innovative they are, how they build America.  I'm not fooled. I stay away from their brands and ask others to do the same.

Jodi Arias Before the MurderI

I looked at a collection of pictures of Jodi and her ex-boyfriend Travis.  Pictures of them taken by each other as well as by a third party.  All of these were pre-trial.

I did not read much, did not see any film, did not follow the trial, yet was still showered with words and graphics.  Thirty times stabbed, almost beheaded it seems more than self defense. It seems she wanted to kill him over and over.  For this brutality, the overwhelming comments demanded the death penalty.

So, I looked at their pictures.  Her poses were not particularly pin-up, not suggestive, but what you'd normally see fom a person committed through love to a boyfriend.  Her smile and body language seem to say that this guy is the one.  Her non smiling pictures still seemed sincere in this relationship.  A few looked less happy than the others but not in a way to diminish him.

Then I looked at his photos.  Of some two dozen shots, he smiled in only one picture - the one where he was giving, presumably, a business talk to his audience. In all other pictures, when he was with Jodi,  his face and gestures were either somber, making childish faces, disdain perhaps, and devoid of a man happily in love. In one picture he gave a "brotherly" kiss on her cheek. In just about every shot, his expressions may have been polar opposite of what he said to her, and his declarations during intimacy with her.  

I don't think she is a monster. If he really loved her, they'd be married with a bunch of rug rats. I know what transpired was monsterous. My pea brained opinion is that the day of his death was the last straw.  I think it may have been rejection growing and festering for some time.  Possibly, the feelings of being lied to, of cheated on, of just being used when she may have told her world that this was the one. Did it all make her snap?  She should have claimed diminished capacity.

European Jews Moving To Israel

Bibi Netanyahu invited Jews from France, then Denmark to move to Israel.  He offered a warmly stated relocation assistance program.  Immediately, the leadership of both countries asked their Jewish populations to stay and not migrate, basically saying that they are equal citizens and part of the cultural fabric of their country.

There seems some politics involved on both sides,  Bibi effectively touting that if you can't protect our people, we will be happy for all of them to live in the Jewish State.  His declarations may be mitigated by the upcoming elections in Israel....Maybe not! NBibi maybe just saying to come live where the controlling directive is "Never Again".

The heads of state in France and Denmsrk do not want to show that they can't protect a sector of their population as they would look weak and ineffective.  As well, they might not want to lose a largely well educated, professional and intellectual though minority population.  As well, they might simply be outraged and want to make this right.

Over the last few thousand years, the history of the Jews in Europe has been nothing short of one sick horror story after another.  There doesn't seem to be an end to targeting Jewish people; the only differences are horrors of scale.

So, for what ever the motive othat European leaders hsrbor at this moment, it changes with elections and anti semitism, bigotry and  brainless discrimination will again rear theirugly heads.  That is my prognosis.  It does not mean that they should pull up roots and leave.  If it were me, I'd protect myself, my community and the property therein or I would go where the operative culture is "Never Again". For every European Jew, it is a decision that needs attention.

The Moderate Saudis

Ol' King Abdullah died and world leaders went there to pay respects.  Well, I guess if you compare the despot to other leaders in the world, particularly Middle East Arab leaders, and move the definition fulcrum a half dozen sigmas to the right, he was moderate.

Let's use an article I read and give Abdullah the Merriam Webster definition of moderate.  All opposition party leaders were arrested and one had what they call a mental breakdown in a Saudi hospital.  I guess this is moderate if you live in Moscow.

Recently a Saudi woman was beheaded, being accused of witchcraft, not because she was caught practicing it, but because she owned books on it. How is this moderate?  I guess she could have been tortured first.

A blogger dared to question differences in Church and State was given a 1,000 lash sentence. The moderation here comes from the fact that he could have been given 5,000

A woman was arrested for bringing food to a Canadian woman who was dense enough to marry a Saudi, and who was locked up in the home by her husband without being given food or water..  She is accused of helping incite a woman against her husband.  I have mixed emotions on this one.  I understand that she did leave the cap off the toothpaste.

Thousands of Ethiopian workers were beaten and kicked out of the country because they were Ethiopian and no longer needed.  Didn't they learn anything from the Chinese?  They could have killed them and harvested their organs in a women's' hospital.

It was recommended to allow women to drive between certain specified hours and days.  King Abdullah said no.  Look guys, we want to be moderate, not freeking Liberals.

Although women are banned from working in most industries, Abdulah allowed them to work in lingerie stores so men would not have to wait on them.  Yes, everything in moderation.

Women were allowed to earn 1/3 of the total number of scholarships, but if they go overseas, they must take a chaperon along.  Honey, if you come to Cali, don't go go U.C. Santa Barbara.

And leaders from all over the world went there to "pay respect".

Heading Toward .a Fascist State

We seem to be heading toward a fascist state. I have hesitated about writing this for over a year simply because readers might think that it is an over-sensitivity owing to my progressive bent and personal background.  A 3rd reason is that the words fascists, Hitler, Reich are so horrific that there is a national hesincy to compare or label this on any person(s) or group even if they smell of the same symptoms. Lastly, I'm no historian no political or social expert.

Hitler came to power based on the repetition of lies and promises of taking a country back.  He used ideology, blamed minorities,  pushed nationalism and the opposition was cowered and too many were apathetic, and rich and influential people saw opportunity to expand their greed.  The seemingly moronic population saw a chance to improve their lives.  The ultra morons believed that God would provide.  The clergy were too involved in promoting their self interests, the courts either folded or were replaced by ass kissers.  There was a constant drive to use the military, to consolidate power.  People who carried out Fascism were social degenerates.  The leaders of the movement had mostly Getman sounding name.  Oh, tell me I'm wrong!

Does this sound familiar to you?  Germany killed, Republicsns  are suppressing. The few are consolidating power. They do not want controls and regulation.  Voting rights are being removed, women and minorities suppressed, lies are being repeated.  I can go on forever.  More and more legislators are to the right of Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini.  The people are voting against their own best interest.  Millions of Americans have eroded their freedom, their economic status, their good paying jobs believing that anything is better than a woman.'s choice. 

If you don't like my opinions, don't read my writings.

AND HE IS UNDERGOING A CLEANSING

 I am looking forward to an all Republican Congress, with the same unbridled enthusiasm as my first Colonoscopy.  My only solace in life is having been put to sleep without that one Senator in attendance,  who wears, with a child-like sense of pride, her former occupation of performing castrations. It is an occupation no doubt instrumental in getting her elected in her state.  What better qualifications, could she possibly have to accomplish her stated goal of making them squeal.

For those of you not utterly frightened at America's prospects for the next two years, contemplate, if you will the potentiality of a Mike Hucabee Presidency in 2016?   I heard that he has divested himself of all earthly things, positions and titles in preparation.  It sounds like he was getting a cleansing..

Anyone have a Kleenex?