9/01/2015

Notations On Our World: A Challenging Day Around the World...

The carnage in markets around the World has persisted as the new month has dawns as noted in this latest available on Bigcharts.com:


Sensex in India dropped considerably as our team reported on the Daily Outsider twitter feed.    This is as we just saw reports on Canada having officially entered a recession and as China's Purchasing Manager's Index seems to be showing a slowdown.

We've also been assessing the latest out of Syria.    It appears that Daesh (Known as IS or ISIL in the West) is on the move in Damascus.    As reported by Al Jazeera, they have been engaged in street battles in Damascus as it continues to spread in other parts of the country.   How long Assad and his forces will hold out continues to be the big question.  


8/31/2015

Notations on Our World: A retrospective on a busy month in #Outsiders

August 2015 is coming to a close.   It has been quite a month as we have been fascinated with the US Presidential Elections.   Trump continues to be on top of polls along with Ben Carson.   This is as the so-called establishment favorite, Jeb Bush, seems to be faltering and as fundraising seems to be lagging.    Scott Walker is also lagging as well as on the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton struggles as Bernie Sanders surges with the trust factor a perceived challenge for Mrs Clinton.   

This was Jeb's latest to help raise money:


Jeb 2016!
Running for President can be a taxing and grueling job, but it also presents you with some truly once in a lifetime opportunities. Friend, I want to share one of those opportunities with you.

On September 8th, I’m going to sit down with Stephen Colbert for his very first taping as host of the Late Show, and I have an extra VIP ticket I’d like to share with you.

Today we’re formally launching our Stephen Colbert Late Show contest, where we’ll fly one lucky winner to New York for an all-expense paid trip to watch the very first taping of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert live.  

All you have to do is chip in $3 or more right now to enter.


Enter Now
This has also been a month that has seen the implosion of the "BRICS" with Brazil in Recession, South Africa mired in Crime and a high unemployment rate and Russia reeling in light of the sanctions.   China also has profound challenges that was underscored with the explosion in Tianjin and the market carnage that also caused worldwide panic.  The only one of the "BRICS" standing seems to be India right now as it just reported a 7% growth rate for its latest reporting period.   
We have also been releasing updates on the Iran Deal as the fast and furious nature of the deal continues to be debated.     It has also been a distressing month as we have seen the continued calamity in Syria with Daesh wrecking havoc in Palmyra.   We have also been witness to heartwrenching scenes as desperate refugees risk lives for the slight possibility of a better life in Europe.    This image from Today's New York Times was telling:




Over half the population of Syria has been displaced due to four years of war that seems to have no end.   This is as Iraq is also just as chaotic.    Two Iraqi Generals lost their lives when their convoy was attacked by the Daesh Gang.   This is as grassroots movements are taking hold in both Iraq and Lebanon.   We have also been quite shocked to see the uptick in violence in Afghanistan especially as US Soldiers recently lost their lives as the Taliban continues its  aggressive push.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the continued gun violence is also of concern.  The execution style of a Harris County Texas Deputy Sherriff was horrific.   As he was putting gas in his car, the alledged gunman just walked up and shot him 15 times.    It has been quite gratifying to see the outpouring of support by the Community.    Reports we received here @ our Virtual Studios note that some $ 150,000 in donations have been collected for the fallen officer's family as this  reality in America seems to be ever so as epitomized by this simple graph from the BBC:



As we went to press with this, we were also seeing reports coming out of the Guardian in the UK about the UK Police Force losing 22,000 of its officers as new proposed cuts by the new Conservative Government takes effect.    

Our team looks forward to the opportunity to serve as we continue our quest to understand our ever-changing world.


8/30/2015

View of the Week: On Katrina After 10 Years.....

Today is exactly the 10-year anniversary of Katrina.   It was this day when the levies broke and how a major city in the United States was swept away.

We have been reflecting upon New Orleans this week.     After 10 years, it is not clear whether New Orleans has actually recovered or not.    The gap between the rich and the poor continues.     The President noted this as he visited New Orleans.   

As we remember, we wanted to feature this retrospective put together by the team at +TakePart that provides a snapshot of the story of New Orleans which reminds the World of how far it has come and the challenges it continues to face:

    takepart      FB   TWT   IG  
Project Katrina
Chapter Two
The Fight to Survive
Katrina did not care if you were white, black, or Latino, wealthy or middle class. It painfully showed the deep rift between the city's most comfortable and its poorest citizens, who lacked the means to escape the storm's path. Suddenly, New Orleans was flooded, drained of many of the people who made it one of America's most remarkable cities.
'Why I Take Part'
Faith Ford
Actor and native Louisianan Faith Ford talks about rescuing the animals left behind by Hurricane Katrina.
HEAR WHY FORD TAKES PART
Combat Vet MEdics
Combat
Vet Medics
New Orleans recruited paramedics and other medical professionals who served in war zones to work in the city's most crime-ridden areas.
WATCH MINI-DOC 
Fixing the
Schools
Krista Brown, a young, white Teach for America alum, is the principal of one of New Orleans' failing charter schools. Is she up for the challenge of rebuilding?
READ MORE
Campos Marina
Campo's
Marina
In the wake of Katrina and the BP oil spill, a third-generation marina owner fights for his business—and his family's way of life.
READ MORE
Wetlands
Wetlands
Warriors
From wealthy landowners to activists to local officials, people are racing to save Louisiana's most fragile ecosystems: the wetlands.
READ MORE
Big Time in the Big Easy
The Essential New Orleans Getaway Giveaway
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Enter now for your chance to win the ultimate New Orleans adventure with Big Time in the Big Easy: The Essential New Orleans Getaway. TakePart wants to send you and a guest on a magical tour of the culture, cuisine, sights and sounds of one of America’s most unique cities. You’ll enjoy round trip air fare for two on Delta Air Lines to New Orleans and a three-night stay at the unforgettable Dauphine Orleans Hotel, right in the heart of the French Quarter.

From there you’ll explore all the city has to offer, by enjoying meals provided by some of NOLA’s best eateries, including the legendaryBroussard’s and Luke by celebrity chef John Besh. And no trip to the Big Easy would be complete without coffee and beignets at the quintessential CafĂ© du Monde—and so much more.
Details + Enter to Win!
@TakePart #MyNOLA