The First Twitter President

So now Russia is Tweeting.  All I want to know is when will this be good for my Twitter stock?

I will also say this to Biden, and all the others criticizing Trump for using Twitter. YOU COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG!  And you are totally missing the power and the value of that medium for speaking directly to the public without having to go through mainstream media filters.  People are under estimating the benefits derived from Twitter to the news maker in their ability to control:

1. Wording, tone, and associations
2. Timing/urgency
3. The instant viral nature of a Tweet to be re-Tweeted
4. How one can either "make news" as "react" to existing news and events
5. The impact of the seeing public support for a Tweet message through the "heart"
6. The way the Twitter user can use messages to build their audience of followers
7. How Twitter can be exploited as a tease and lead-in, and link to, a longer story and other news source.

The irony is that if you don't like Trump's Tweets, then don't "Follow" him. The media feeds Obama with an audience he would not reach if they did not report on his Tweets! For those who want unfiltered and unfettered access to our President's thoughts, Twitter is a fantasic medium.

The critics have hurt themselves.  Especially the politicians who slam Trump for using Twitter. They are stupidly putting themselves in a "dammed if I do, dammed if I don't" box. Dammed if they don't develop their Twitter audience and Tweeting skills, and dammed for looking like hypocrits if they do. Meanwhile, Trump if laughing himself to the polls every time he Tweets!

For China, and other countries that do not have the free speech and free press society that we Americans enjoy, Twitter must be a nightmare.  Talk about a censorship challenge.  Leadership there must feel totally Trumped, I mean stumped.  LOL.

Eventually this has to be good for Twitter stockholders ... I keep telling myself.

IF>THEN: You Do The Math on the Middle East

To use a rather crude expression, "The shit is about to get real!"

You can call me crazy, and I would be the first to agree that my psyche is obsessed with this matter for some reason.  But it has been my sense, and I have been speaking up for months now, that we are in important and treacherous times. It would be one thing if it were all "in my head."  But it is not -- I am working off articles in legitimate news sources about actual current events. Shouldn't we all be at least as concerned about a full fledged war breaking out between Arab Nations and Israel as many people are about Russians hacking the DNC?

As we enter the month of March, just after the French Middle East Peace Conference which will no doubt condemn Israel, there is another International Conference, this time in Ireland, but it may as well be any country in Europe, with a slate of speakers that are a “Who’s Who” of radical anti-Israel activists and academics, to literally "Explore the Elimination of the State of Israel" as the conference is titled. It does not take a 5th grader to tell what their conclusions might be!

I find the timing of these two international conferences to be either profoundly coincidental or divinely prophetic.  Is there anything to the dates?  In the month of March, Jews celebrate Purim. Purim is a joyful and fun festival based on The Book of Esther to commemorate the defeat of Haman, an evil Persian who plotted the destruction of the Jews, only to meet his and his families end for doing so.

So where might things in the Middle East go from here?  
There are many moving parts, and as I perceive them, they are somewhat linear in terms of sequence. Furthermore, each part is consequential, in other words dependent on the other.  So, one leads to another.  To lay them out I will apply a boolean expression, otherwise known as an "IF > THEN STATEMENT," starting with a long set of IF's:

IF - The French Peace Conference culminates with a proclamation condemning Israel and laying out wording for a United Nations Resolution declaring a State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza, with Jerusalem as its capital, and the Israeli settlements are required to be vacated, and IF;

IF - The United Nations supports passage before Obama and Kerry leave office, and IF;

IF - The Congress and New President pass a bill to move the USA Embassy to Jerusalem, and IF;

IF - TERRIBLE riots erupt on the Temple Mount along with Jihad in Israel and the West Bank, and IF;

IF - Jordan, which is responsible for controlling the Temple Mount, supports such revolts rather than putting them down, and IF;

IF - Israel police and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) take steps in to assertively put down that violence on the Mount and in the West Bank, and IF;

IF - Terrorist attacks breakout throughout Europe, and possibly the USA, and IF;

IF - Iran, and possibly other Nations attack Israel or otherwise become directly involved in the violence, THEN:

THEN:
A war in the Middle East has broken out!

Then, sides must be chosen! And I suspect Israel's Prime Minister will make that perfectly clear in a televised speech, saying it is time for every Nation to choose between Israel and Iran.

No doubt what side America is on. My guess Britain too. On the flip side, I do not think there is any doubt about Lebanon, where Hezbollah calls the shots. Jordan, given the IFs above, we can assume takes the enemy side. There are some 100+ Nations in the UN that have already shown their enemy stance against Israel!

But what nations will join the actual fight?  Syria, given their current state of internal military challenges, can at best send over missiles.  Israel knows that, having literally JUST divulged intelligence about those advanced missiles sites, so one might expect Israel to proactively take them out.  But I am not so sure that either Syria or Russia takes the enemy side. Israel's relations with Putin Russia are actually quite good.  And, Trump's "bromance with Putin" does not look so stupid after all when you consider what is brewing here.

Did US Intelligence Services miss the potential for all of this, like they missed ISIS and Bhengazi!? Or are they just too preoccupied with election polotics and DNC hacking? I seriously doubt Israel's intelligence is behind the curve. This may explain why Bibi Netanyu said he would wait until Trump is in office before divulging intelligence to the USA President. Bibi knows better than to trust anyone in the Obama administration, and especially not Obama or Kerry themselves, let alone our UN Ambassador, who have all brought this pot to boil by orchestrating the UN resolutions 2334 which kicked off the entire series of events. Thank goodness the USA Congress has Israel's back, still bleeding from Obama and Kerry, and Bibi knows it.

But what will Egypt do?  What will Saudi Arabia do?  If it is a case of my "enemies enemy," then the question must be what do those countries perceive to be their bigger threat, Israel or Shia Muslim centered Iran?  Any guess on what side France and Italy will take?

YOU DO MATH:
When you work out this IF>THEN statement, what do you come up with?  I come up with War in the Middle East.  But is that a World War?  There are bound to be many millions with the eyes out for the Mesiah.

And, as you can see, there are "a whole lot of ifs!"  Besides, who am I to call for this level of destruction.

I made it very easy to follow along.  This is an unfolding situation which can be turned back at any "IF statement" along the way. The next two big events to keep an eye on are the French Middle East Peace Conference in Paris on Jan. 15th, followed by the UN response while Obama is still President.  If I am right, Kerry has foreshadowed in speeches and writing that the Obama administration is going to take two key parting shots at Israel before leaving office. Two States or Not Two States?  That is the question!

Remember the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and what came out of that - the Treaty of Versailles, the "Peace to End All Peace" which ultimately lead to the rise of Germany, Hitler and WWII.  Let's pray that what comes out of the Paris Peace Conference of January 2017 doesn't lead to WWIII.


LINKS TO OLDER POSTS:

World Warning

Change Can Make Your Head Spin

Bibi Grabs Victory from the Jaws of Defeat

It Begins

Trump Wants Biggest Trophy Ever

Russian Reset

One State of Israel

Teaching New Dogs Old Tricks

My blog post title is a word play on the the old catch phrase, "You can't teach old dogs new tricks." My implication is that, by applying reverse logic, people today can learn old ways of doing things. And it is this notion that I am applying to a concept called "Collective Wisdom."

I was reading an article about a Chinese Telcom company that is manufacturing a phone that it is competing with Apple and Samsung.  They are just launching their newest phone in USA.

The company's name is Huawei, and Richard Yu, the director and CEO of it's consumer business means to take on Apple and Samsung. At the technology trade show taking place in Las Vegas as I type, Yu made it clear in a keynote speech, "We never hide our ambition ... We have a vision to make the world's best smartphone."

What struck me most was another remark embedded in his remarks about how he expected to accomplish this enourmously bold goal.  He said, "'Genius' is no longer the domain of a chosen few."  He eleborated by saying his company is a different managment style than other companies. NOW, he had my attention!  He called it "Collective Wisdom." He went on, "We are not only diligent ... we are also flexible."

I had to know more. What is this "collective wisdom" style Yu is referring to?  Turns out that it not a knew concept. In fact, it is very old.  How old?

So I did a little research, commonly called "googled," on the phrase and found that the concept of collective wisdom can be associated with works as early as the Torah, Buddah, and Plato. Thomas Jefferson referred to the concept of collective wisdom when he made his statement "A Nation's best defense is an educated citizenry."

The truth is that I really know very little and don't portend the implications of the concept of collective wisdom in business managment and organizational structure.  But it struck me enough to call out, through my blog, that this rather notable business leader of a rather large business made a huge claim of how collective wisdom was going to enable his company, Huawei, to overtake two of the biggest conpanies in the world! And there are credible reasons to take him seriously.

In conclusion, if like me you think that is darn impressive, then you may want to make the same note to yourself.  "Time to learn an old trick," and get a better understanding of how to apply collective wisdom to my business endeavors.

Hopeful and Living on the Edge

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” 
― E.E. Cummings

This post marks my last blog post for 2016.  It seems fitting to look back.  It also seems fitting to look forward.  Which, puts us squarely in the middle - between the past and the future - you might also say, "living on the edge."  

This New Year's Eve day also happens to be the day leading into the last night of Hanukkah - the 8th night. Hanukkah being the story of Judah and the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters, who led a successful rebellion against the oppression of the Jews by the Syrian Greeks in the land of Israel in 167 BCE, over 600 years before the birth of Mohammed. 

Looking back in history, sheds light on today's present day events.  But what does it tell us about the future?  After all, much of what we consider in making our New Year's goals is the desires we have to depart from the past. Turning over a new leaf is symbolic of letting go of the past.  

We can get stuck in the past.  Psychologically it is hard to be in two states at the same time.  Five years ago, in 2011, I had to find a way to do just that!  And,  through that experience I discovered a deeper meaning to the word "hopeful." 

In 2011, on the day before Thanksgiving we were told Mary had cancer.  And, it was rather serious, not that any cancer isn't.  On Thanksgiving, a day devoted to being "thankful" and during a season we associate with joy, I struggled with a paradox - my desire to cherish life and live every moment, versus wanting to fast forward a year to be done with the multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and weeks of radiation that Mary was to face. As the doctor put it, "It's going to be a very long year!"  

In the experience of the months that followed, I came to appreciate more than I ever had, what it was like to live on the edge. I learned to accept a paradox about life.

One can both savor the moment and look forward to the future at the same time. The concept is found in the meaning of the word "hopeful." Hopeful is the present value of the future. Being hopeful provides inspiration for today and optimism for tomorrow.  During Rabbi's sermon at last night's Shabbat Candle Light Service, on the 7th Night of Hanukkah, she told a beautiful story about the importance of the symbol of the Light and Hope.  

Being hopeful is more powerful than the tradition of simply making a list of your goals. Being hopeful empowers one to achieve your goals! That is because being hopeful turns a goal into a belief.  Beliefs are when your mind says a goal, something you haven't actually achieved or don't have yet, is a virtual reality. Our brain operates differently when you believe!

What you believe in, you stand for.  Belief overpowers fear.  Belief  = Courage. Who doesn't benefit from having the courage to turn your New Year's goals into reality? Here are quotes on Courage.

What do you believe?  This year, while practicing the Jewish ritual ceremony of Tashlich, I abandoned fears that I held. And on Thanksgiving I came forward with one of the things I believe in - One Love. One State. ISRAEL.  When one believes, Change can make your head spin. 

Happy New Year everyone!  And, THANK YOU for reading my blog!

Russia Reset

IF VIOLENCE BEGETS VIOLENCE, THEN MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR DETENTE ...

Watching the diametrically opposed way that Obama and Trump are handling Putin and Russia it reminds me of the old interrogation tactic referred to as "good cop, bad cop."  In such a tri-fold relationship the one thing all three parties know is that the two cops are working with a "bad guy." Even the bad guy knows he is a bad guy.

Let's assume Russia hacked the DNC.  Let's also assume Putin and also Trump know it, even though neither are admitting it.  In the scheme of "good cop, bad cop," the only one talking tough on the "bad guy" is the "bad cop."

The only difference in this case the "Bad Cop," Obama, is either unaware of what the "Good Cop," Trump, is up to, OR, Obama should get the Oscar for how he is playing his bad cop role.

Obama and Kerry, as well as virtually everyone in congress regardless of party recognize that Putin is a KGB "bad guy" who operates in ways that make American leaders and National security professionals, let alone most Americans and Westerners around the world, very uncomfortable.  So to think that Trump can not figure this out, even with the national security briefings that only the President receives is just absurd!  If you can not understand and accept that Trump knows darn well, and better than you or me, what Putin is about says more about your bias hatred for Trump than it does about Trump's intellectual capacity.

So do not be fooled by Trump's "sweet talk" -- He is not oblivious to Putin's darker side. Trump is doing something that I believe not enough people are giving him credit for.  He is very cleverly going about a complete reset of American and Russian relations. Something Bush II tried to do but failed at. 

Is Trump stupid. NO!  He is handling the situation brilliantly.  It is just that most of Washington and most of America don't yet understand Trump, let alone what he doing.  But rather that writing a much longer blog post trying to explain what I think Trump is up to, I'm going to simply tell you whose views about Russia I share and provide links to some articles in order to back up my view.

The individual to help make my case is one of the greatest foreign affairs geniuses in the past century, Henry Kissenger. Trump is doing something Henry Kissenger projected decades ago that we would need to do: Pivot sway from China and over to Russia.

Here are just three recent articles, but there are many more and Dr. Kissenger has been making his case for Russian relations for decades, we just have not listened.

Article Links:

• Kissinger, a longtime Putin confidant, sidles up to Trump
• Henry Kissinger has 'advised Donald Trump to accept' Crimea as part 
• Moscow would welcome Henry Kissinger’s expertise in Russia-US relations

What I find as fascinating as the case for why we should rebuild relations with Russia, is how Trump is going about developing rapport with Putin in order to do so.  I can not call what they have "trust," because guys like Putin and Trump are not going to truly trust one another for a long time or maybe ever.  They only need to both understand what the other is up to and be able to see it in their personal/National interests to play along with one another.

Putin and Trump both started with a mutual contempt for Obama and Hillary, and the desire to make their country great again. So it was pretty easy for Trump and Putin to get off to a great start with each man flattering the enormous ego of the other. But there are much deeper and significant forces and motives at play.

Trump is using the forces mounted against Putin, which in turn draw a counter force reaction by Putin, like a Jujitsu martial artist who manipulates his opponent's force against his him rather than confronting him with his own force.  Trump is leading Putin to where Trump wants Putin to go, which is also to place where Putin wants to be.  Let me try to explain as briefly as I can starting with listing each man's national objectives.

Putin wants three main motives/objectives:

1. Putin wants Russia to be respected on the world stage.
2. Putin wants to rebuild the Russian economy.
3. Putin wants to crush radical Islam and keep a tight lid on fundamentalist Muslim activity in his territory.

All three above are in America's interests too. Trump has three additional motives/objectives:

1. Trump wants Russia to play a supporting role in guarding against Iranian domination mitigating threats to Israel. (See * at the end.)
2. Trump wants Russia oil & gas interests to compete against OPEC in order to hold down prices and diminish Arab domination in both world politics.
3. Trump wants Russia to act as a counter force with China and help to bring pressure on North Korea.

Putin is seeing that Trump will help Putin to achieve his three objectives, and in the process, through the dance of foreign affairs, which appears on the surface like an iceberg, Trump is dancing his way to his American objectives.  So what appears like a Putin & Trump Bromance, is really much more sophisticated, artful and forceful than it appears!

This is what a "Russian Reset" looks like and most folks are failing to give either Trump or Putin credit for it.  But they will once both economies are booming again.  Because, as I explained in a previous blog post, "Prosperity is a Hate Spoiler."  All of this is why I went on the record before with Prediction #7 about improved Russian and American relations.

Meanwhile, the Obama Administration is ending his Presidency having revived the Cold War and culminating with the largest expulsion of diplomats even during the cold war.  To which Putin responded brilliantly with a checkmate move inviting US Diplomats to a party.  The contrasts between the "Good Cop" and "Bad Cop" could not be any greater, and so will be the contrasts between their Presidencies!!

* During Hanukkah I have been focusing on Israel and what I envision to be the beginning of a new Era in the peace process. It may seem with a quick read of this article that I have gotten off that theme.  NOT SO! In fact, I could say this is the most important post of all related to that theme because it is my opinion that Trump's actions with regard to Russia will play a crucial part in this.  Russia, as well as the Ukraine, are going to be key to bringing about pressure on certain Middle Eastern factions in order for Israel to achieve its peace objectives in a new way with newly defined borders.  While it is less evident in main stream media, I am noticing very constructive actions between Israel and Russia which have the potential for tremendous economic, technological, cultural, and political working relations!  

Previous Posts
- Change Can Make Your Head Spin

- Bibi Grabs Victory From Defeat

Change Can Make Your Head Spin

Change can happen so fast that it will make your head spin.  And that is precisely what may happen after the Middle East Peace conference in France AND Trump's inauguration, both of which are taking place in the last half of January. 

In the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on its thirteenth day ... on the day that the enemies of the Jews were expected to prevail over them, it was turned about: the Jews prevailed over their adversaries. - Esther 9:1

If as I expect the 70-Nation Conference issues an unbalanced negative proclamation, like the United Nation's resolution days before Hanukkah, the stage will be set for an action by Israel to defeat its adversaries.

It is easy to draw analogies between today's unfolding events and the biblical stories of both Hanukkah and Purim. In Hanukkah Jews rose up to take back their biblical property.  In Purim, which is just around the calendar corner, Jews rose up to defeat our enemies who were plotting against us, and win back favor with the King.  Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu says already has the evidence to show President Trump who was plotting against Israel.

In my last paragraph there were two big clues for anyone else who loves the Story of Purim, from the Book of Ester.  Have a bit of fun speculating who best fits the roles of Mordecai, Hamman, Vashti, the good Queen Ester, and King Ahasuerus in the story unfolding in the Land of Israel today.  And why not have some fun with this idea .... Purim is a story of victory and celebration! So as the Story of Purim instructs, pour yourself a glass of wine!

On a more serious and ominous note, it needs to be pointed out that in the Story of Purim, while King Ahasuerus of Persia recognized that Haman was an evil doer, and gave his moral support to Mordecai, but he could not fight the battle for the Jews. The Jews still had to lift up their own swords. And the next adminstration will have to root out Haman. There was a price to pay for the victory we celebrate on Purim.

Events turned very fast in the Story of Purim.  And they can today as well.  As the artist Picabia said, "Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.

Photo of Picabia on display at MOMA in NYC.

Previous post - Bibi Grabs Victory From Defeat

Bibi Grabs Victory From the Jaws of Defeat

IMAGINATION AT WORK!  During this Hanukkah rememberance and celebration, in the spirit of of FREEDOM, I am inspired to imagine alternative ideas for a peaceful future. Below is pure speculation on that.

Before the UN Resolution condemning Israel passed, I wrote my post "One Love. One State. ISRAEL."  Post UN Resolution, thousands more have come forward and expressed similar views.  So now what happens?

Much depends on how things play out on January 15th at France's hosted 70-Nation "peace conference on the Middle East." There is at oxymoron.

Without knowing the outcome I'm going to speculate the road ahead for Israel.  Because that is what I do on my blog.  This is more my statement of my views than outright predictions. What will actually happen is any body's guess.   So here I go ...

1. Israel's Prime Minister, with the support of other key Israeli politicians, formerly announces its departure from the "Two State Solution" for the Palestinians.  Benjamin Netanyahu will make the case that ALL OF ISRAEL'S REASONABLE EFFORTS TO MAKE PEACE HAVE FAILED BECAUSE PEACE WAS NEVER THE GOAL OF HAMAS, FATAH, AND THE IRANIANS WHO ARE PULLING THE STRINGS. AND NOW, WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS RECENT UN RESOLUTION HOPES FOR PEACE THROUGH A TWO STATE SOLUTION HAVE BEEN CRUSHED.

2. Bibi Netanyahu reaffirms ISRAEL'S desire for peace and declares that the BEST WAY FOR PEACE AND A BETTER LIFE FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IS ONE STATE OF ISRAEL THAT INCLUDES LANDS OF WEST BANK AND GAZA. 

3. Israel's Prime Minister pledges to rebuild Gaza and create magnificent schools and hospitals in these areas and to make a better life for the Palestinians, with Israeli Jews, Arabs, and Christians living side-by-side. Bibi urges the world to support that vision and effort.

4. Israel's Prime Minister puts it all on the line and takes an even bolder stand and presents a choice to leaders and Nations around the world. Bibi says there is a choice to be made, by even Muslims too.  Either you stand with Israel, OR, you stand with Iran. In a speech to the world, Benjamin Netanyahu makes it obvious that both HISTORY AND THE FUTURE ARE ON THE SIDE OF ISRAEL, AND THAT JUSTICE AND MODERNITY ARE ON THE SIDE OF ISRAEL. AND NOW, BIBI SAYS IS THE TIME FOR LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD TO CHOOSE THERE SIDE!!  THE STAGE IS BEING SET FOR PEACE OR CONFRONTATION!  BIBI PROCLAIMS THAT THROUGH DEEDS, NOT JUST WORDS, PEOPLE AND NATIONS WILL BE CALLED UPON TO GIVE THEIR SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL'S NEW VISION FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Bibi's speech on this that will be remembered in history as one of the greatest political speeches of all time and will seal Bibi's place in history.

5. Trump will be the first world leader to get on board, especially by moving the USA Embassy to Jerusalem.  Others will follow eventually with support for Israel, including Britain, and even Russia potentially, although I do not expect them to move their embassies.. 

6. The United Nations organization will be thrown into a state of chaos. Faced with a financial crisis after major de-funding, and seen as the body that laid the ground for destroying the hopes for a Two State Solution, the UNITED NATIONS WILL APPEAR IMPOTENT AND IRRELEVANT AT BEST.  This may change, and the body may have a role to play, but not as we have known these last 8 years while Obama was President and his failed foreign policies were in operation for the United States. 

7. IN OPEN DEFIANCE, IRAN CLAWS BACK ON ITS NUCLEAR AGREEMENT AND STARTS TO CHEAT.  Israel and Bibi will begin a new unstated public relations campaign which will see Bibi openly mocking Iran's leaders and clerics. Trump Tweets will fly! (Buy Twitter stock. Disclosure: I own Twitter shares. Lol.)  Israel's Bibi and the USA'S Trump will more actively than ever go about isolating Iran as they mock its leaders and clerics.  They will make trouble for Iran even internally, as moderate Iranians yearning for modernity will be emboldened to speak out against Iranian leadership and their country's role in terrorism.  Nonetheless, radical Islamic fundamentalist will be inspired to martyrdom.

8. Again, inspired by ISIS and Iranian clerics pronounced calls for Jihad, a string of lone-wolf terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere will do irreparable damage to Iran's reputation and the plight of most tragically unfortunate refugees. It is a terribly sad time for those among them who truly are desperate victims in search of a better and peaceful life in coexistence with other cultures!

9. Attacks by terrorist, combined with violent demonstrations by Sharia Law fundamentalist Muslims in France and Germany will also inspire an even larger and more rapid shift in European public opinion against Muslim residents and the refugees . Countries such as Italy and France will break away from the current concept and construct of the European Union.  COMING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN EUROPE SPELL THE END FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EURO. A NEW ORDER WILL EMERGE WHICH WILL BE DESIGNED MORE BY GREAT BRITAIN, AND SUPPORTED DIPLOMATICALLY BY THE USA. What role Germany plays is less clear in my imagination.

10. As perhaps the greatest example of "grabbing victory out of defeat," reminiscent of the "Six Day War," what began as a huge defeat for Israel in the United Nations and a giant win for Palestinian leader Abbas, Hamas, Iran, and even Obama, turns into the complete opposite. Winners are Israel and Trump, and ultimately the Palestinian people who have never truly had a life they deserve under the the Palestinian authorities.

In the final analysis, letting my imagination run by blogging is an excersise. Writing shapes thinking.  I have been accurate and wrong in the past, and more often premature.  Like an open diary with views and ideas, less so than personal experiences, my blog is a place which chronicles the process of intellectual maturity.  I may look back one day at this article and see how far I have come.  

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Previous Post - A New Era May Have Begun