Out & About w/Final Thought as New Month Looms.....

January is drawing down.   It has been an interesting and at times challenging few days as I was on the road on commitments.   I produced this from my 24 hours in Southern California while I was on the road--a journey that began in Laguna Niguel, traveled on the Metrolink to Union Station, spent the day on commitment in Downtown Los Angeles, returned to Laguna Niguel and thereafter ended the night this past Tuesday Night in Laguna Beach.     It has also been quite a challenging few days as as I saw the shocking report on the shutdown cost--11 Billion--and the sobering assessment by the heads of the US Intelligence Community in essence rebuking the statements by President Trump on ISIS/Daesh, North Korea and Iran--and another unknown meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.   The team at the Daily Outsider will continue to assess them all.

Challenging times indeed as we await the new Month:

On the Prowl On this Holocaust Memorial Day

It is Holocaust Memorial Day as I write this--I decided to drop by with this courtesy of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy along with an admonition from Anne Franke  as I say, Never Again--as we will never despair: 

“Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.” – Elie Wiesel #WeRemember #HolocaustRemembranceDay pic.twitter.com/062URamBDq

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) January 27, 2019

'What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it from happening again'.
Anne Frank. #HolocaustMemorialDay #HolocaustRemembranceDay #Holocaust pic.twitter.com/wK2HI16DyZ

— PES (@PES_PSE) January 27, 2019

#RandomThoughts On this #MLKDay2019

As I write this, it is a day that America remembers the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   He was an ordinary man who made a difference--and I always hope and pray that I could be remembered as such!!

Over the #MLK2019 W-End, our team at the Daily Outsider selected speeches and impact of Dr. King that the team decided to headline throughout the week.    This is also as the longest US Government Shutdown continued as well.    As it stands now, the Shutdown continues as I saw President Trump's Offer in his Saturday Speech.    I just hope reason prevails so that the Federal Employees caught in the middle will be made whole.

I decided to share some #RandomThoughts as I noted this first one courtesy of the former Clinton and Obama Economic Advisor, Gene Sperling: 

A compelling must read from @BillGates - one of world’s great philanthropists - on why even with private giving, there is no substitute for PUBLIC resources and globally cooperative funds if we truly care about the health and lives of all God’s children. https://t.co/lLGa946wHW

— Gene Sperling (@genebsperling) January 17, 2019

I am with him in that the need for an active and vibrant Public Sector is absolutely vital and I remain optimistic that the Political Leadership throughout the World believe in it too.    This is as my mind again drifted onward to Iran too with all the profound challenges being faced that I have periodically shared--What this that was captured in  recent images was compelling:

A Sense of the Reality in Iran-Courtesy Tavana 

Isfahan, Iran Today 

The cartoon depicts how the political Leadership seeks medical treatement in Europe as normal ordinary faces in Iran have to resort to prayers as the Health System in the Country faces imminent collapse.  Furthermore, as elites see off their children to fly off to foreign lands to seek opportunites, the kids have to go to school in the outdoors.   The Second Image is from the City of Isfahan whose main River has been dried out due to mismanagement--with this from a Parliament Deputy recently that the entire City may lose its' popluation within the next 20 years because of it--as thousands of villages are losing populations in the South of the Country already.

These are challenging times--Remaining optimistic is not easy--but one has too no doubt for the sake of all.    

Out & About With #RandomThoughts :) :)

It has been quite a January--from working away on commitments for the Daily Outsider, dealing with an injury (which was a curve-ball) and trying to stay sane thru it all!!!  
What I captured above courtesy of the Mission  captures exactly a sense of the true possible.   In spite of all the profound challenges over the past few weeks, what made my month was what I received from the American Red Cross below as I worked away in the aftermath of my recent injury which gave me a moment of pause to reflect while watching Jennifer Anniston and Aaron Eckhard in Love Happens--it is in the end about making a difference in whatever way one can: 

\

 Thank you for being an American Red Cross platelet donor. Your platelets may be a lifesaving gift to patients in need, including cancer and trauma patients, individuals undergoing major surgeries, patients with blood disorders and premature babies.

Your donation on 12/30/2018 was sent to Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, CA and University of California, Irvine Medical Center in Orange, CA to help patients in need. Your donation made its way to save lives.

Out & About....

I had the pleasure to join my son in an afternoon of Community Service at Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County this past Friday.     We were assigned to the Grocery Rescue Area helping to process receipts of all grocery rescues--some 12,000 Lbs!!   This is in line to be supportive of the Second Harvest's Mission to support over 200 agencies helping to feed some 250,000 people who are food insecure in Orange County.

It has been quite a first week in our World.   As I was excited about Democracy in Action and wrote about it, it simply disappointing and frustrating to be witness to the brinkmanship in Washington.  What was sickening was how Trump Administration Senior Officials were due to receive pay raises as 800,000 US Federal Workers were going without pay.   This is as The Trump Administration froze pay raises for US Federal Workers as well.    
As I write this, significance portions of the US Government continue to be shut down.    I saw reports that if the shutdown persists, US Courts and other vital services including Food Stamps and other vital services will continue to be impacted.      Someone needs to speak out against this--and Mitt Romney seems to have tried with his Washington Post Op-Ed which drew this praise from Walter Isaacson: 





As someone who serves in Government, I am at a loss to understand this--and the Wall question is unfortunate.  I personally have released images during my daily assessment of how walls continue to be scaled consistently--and yet the President continues to insist on this--Here is a sample:

What The New House Majority Leader noted was telling in how stupid an idea it was to hold 800,000 people hostage--and by extension some 325,000,000: 

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1. 
   
2. 
3. Kyle Griffin‏Verified account @kylegriffin1 2h2 hours ago
   

   Steny Hoyer after the meeting with Trump and top Republicans: "Almost everybody in the room ... believes that shutting down government is a stupid public policy." Via CBS.

The rhetoric by President Trump and his team reminds me of all that is going on in Iran right now which is again extremely unfortunate.     This is why a eye towards 2020 and the need to continue to make sure America is transformed is critical.   I will do my utmost as one simple member of the ordinary faces to do my part.   I also continue to be hopeful that somehow reason prevails over the ensuing days for the sake of all 325 Million Americans. 

#WeWillReClaimIran

As I write this, Nasrin Soutodeh continues to be in prision on trumped up charges.     I captured these remarks by Mohammad Nourizad along with Jaffar Panahi and others who gathered in support at her residence.    I wanted to release this as a tribute to her and all the valiant fighters for freedom and democracy in Iran--as I hope to formally transcribe remarks by Mr. Nourizad and Mr. Panahi soon.   Thanks to the valiant fighters such as these beautiful souls, I am proud to note that #WeWillReClaimIran--I look forward to doing my part in whatever way I can.