Israel - Follow The Money

1.Facebook makes first ever Israeli acquisition

Facebook, operator of the world's largest social network, is buying Israeli start-up Snaptu, for $60-70 million. This transaction is Facebook's first acquisition in Israel. Snaptu's application allows mobile phones, even those less advanced than an iPhone or Android phone, to access mobile Internet.

COMMENT: Get off Facebook DBS! Israel Leads! (IL)

2.Broadcom to announce $360m acquisition of Provigent

Provigent Ltd., run by founder and CEO Dan Charash, is being acquired by Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM) at a company value of $360 million. Provigent is a fabless semiconductor company that develops system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions for the broadband wireless transmission industry.

COMMENT: While they continue to riot, demonstrate and shoot at each other, Israel Leads!

3.Dell inaugurates Israeli R&D center

Computer giant Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL) today inaugurated its Israeli R&D center. The center, is based on Exanet, which Dell acquired last year. Dell has since invested in establishing the infrastructures and building the R&D center, which is part of the company's Enterprise Storage Business.

COMMENT: Are you watching DBS? Clearly the financial world doesn't give a damn about your skewed politics.

4.Israel Corp unit wins $1.1b Peru electricity deal

Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO) wholly-owned subsidiary Inkia Energy Ltd. has signed a $1.12 billion power purchasing agreement in Peru. Inkia won a tender to supply 200 megawatts a year of electricity for 15 years from new hydroelectric plants to a government-owned electric company.

COMMENT: The miracle continues.....

5.Rafael in $1b Indian anti-tank missile deal

Defense News" reports that the Indian Army is about to order thousands of Spike anti-tank missiles and peripheral equipoment from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. in a $1 billion deal. Indian Ministry of Defence officials told the magazine that the order is for 321 launchers, 8,356 missiles, and 15 training simulators, and peripheral equipment.

COMMENT: That is a lot of money, and this is a BIG deal, in more ways than one.

6.EMC to open R&D center in Beersheba
EMC Corporation, one of the world's leading companies in information infrastructure solutions, says it will strengthen its investment and presence in Israel by opening a new Research & Development Center in Beersheba in April 2011.

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away - Phillip K. Dick

The New Arab Spring

Almost every day I am now asked "what is going on in the Middle East? Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?" We will do our best to separate this grey area into black and white. Not an easy task.

The two strongest motivating forces on this planet are religion and freedom. An unstoppable force against and immovable object. In places where the two forces team up usually one has a democracy or a "benevolent tyrant". Either way, when well managed it usually leads to economic prosperity.

As world population expands, resources become more scarce and competition surges as governments attempt to create jobs and feed the people. The muslim world (1.4 billion people), is unable to compete for various reasons. One of the reasons is that generally women are not welcome in the work place, so immediately 50% of the potential workforce remains untapped. Secondly, 95% of the wealth belongs to 5% of the population, therefore no middle class. And thirdly education is not a priority (how convenient for the 5%). Illiteracy is rampant and a conservative estimate is that 20% of this large population group cannot read or write. 


Hungry and unable to compete, the only remaining option is violence. Add into the mix, that Islam is intolerant of other religions and according to their leaders "The great satan" is always a threat. So without too much thought, it is obvious how the different tyrants kept control. Fear and a lack of education were enough to keep the population concentrating on everything but their corrupt rulers (for instance, Israel and the settlements). But then along came "madame hunger" and the internet.

When the adversaries are extremist religious beliefs on the one side and freedom on the other side, with so much poverty in the background, the result has to be problematical. Especially with both sides stirring the pot. Iran and the Ayatollahs against facebook with a little misdirected help from the western media. The Sunni muslim world looks on stunned by a slowly collapsing US foreign policy and a looming black cloud in the form of Shiite leadersip asperations. You know what they say, if you cannot beat them....especially if your number one ally dithers constantly, torn between ideaology and interests.

So what is the endgame? The word democracy has become a codeword in the arab world for everything ranging from hunger to freedom to rape and murder. So whenever the media refers to pro-democracy fighters, they really mean freedom fighters which translates into any of the latter. Whatever the prognosis, it cannot be good in the short term. As the US turns inwards to deal with its debt problem and coming elections it will probably be every man for himself. 

The liberally minded media calls it "The New Arab Spring" in a desperate attempt to put a positive spin on a situation that is slowly bankrupting their intellectual viewpoints. This is not the time for dreamers. Its time to slow down for a reality check, and the name of the game is survival. Since events are now moving at internet speed we shall soon bear witness to how a culture, who believe in honour killings, the lack of womans rights, secret police and pharaohs with a sprinkling of lawyers, doctors and accountants, attempts to evolve. We wish them luck, for the sake of mankind. But don't hold your breath, its going to be a hot summer, and until the fat lady sings "happy days are here again", it ain't over. Meanwhile her silence is deafening.

You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it - Einstein

The Rise of the Fourth Reich

Overpopulation, rising food and commodity prices, hungry people and huge financial debt all add up to the perfect ingredients for evil to once again raise its head. And the man stirring the ingredients and preparing the recipe is none other than our friendly neighbourhood douchebag, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, from now on to be referred to as MA (Master Antagonist). Add to the mixture, all eyes on Libya, a US military involved in three wars they can scarcely afford, an American president printing fiat money as if there is no tomorrow and the situation looks pretty bleak.

The Iranian policy is to destabilize the Middle East while maintaining strong control domestically. The methods used are covert operations and red herrings. The target is threefold. Strategic control of the Persian Gulf and the worlds oil supply, leadership of the Muslim world and the spread of Islam worldwide. Egypt and Tunisia are now open to a potential "democratically elected" Muslim Brotherhoods of one type or another. Rioting and demonstrations across the Muslim world in Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and others have helped to make Iran look like a sea of stability.

King Abdullah of Jordan is already making his way to Teheran for the first visit by a Jordanian king in thirty years.He must be feeling pretty naked and unprotected watching US allies struggling to survive. Israel withdrew from Gaza and Lebanon pressured by her US ally, and were promptly replaced by Iranian proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas. As an aside, anybody who suggests that this is the perfect opportunity for Israel make a deal with The Palestinian Authority, in todays climate, must be on drugs.

So while all eyes are on Libya, The Saudis send forces into Bahrain and declare martial law. Thus pre-empting any attempts by the Shia majority to force a Sunni capitulation in this strategic island in the Persian Gulf. At the same time confounding MA's covert plans. I can just imagine him jumping up and down in a rage, similar to his Third Reich predecessor. Within days major rioting breaks out in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's southern neighbour and at the moment we have a looming civil war in that country, with different tribes and different army factions facing off. We await the Saudi reaction.

Advice to Obama, for what its worth. Keep your eye on the ball buddy. Keep the focus on whats happening in the Persian Gulf. It is vital to US interests. Get the heck out of Libya. Let the Europeans and the UN digest the cake they baked.The days of the US being the world's policeman are over. However, If you need to find a dictator or two who are murdering their own people, I can supply you with ten. The US cannot afford to continuously get embroiled in this regime change thing. Not after Iraq and Afganistan and definitely not with the US debt tsunami around the corner. One of the major keys to peace and economic prosperity lies in control of the Persian Gulf. At the same time, it wouldn't be a bad idea to concentrate on alternative energy solutions. The madman knows this, the clock is ticking, and he has big plans.

Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass - Maya Angelou

In my Opinion....

1.At least 30 people were killed when Yemeni security men and pro-government gunmen opened fire at an anti-government protest in Sanaa after Muslim prayers on Friday, a doctor said. Some 40% of the population live on $2 a day or less in Yemen, and a third face chronic hunger. Shiites make up 50% of the population.

MY OPINION: Democratic uprising? More like a mixture of hunger and covert Iranian ops. This is the Iranian reply to Saudi intervention in Bahrain. Yemen borders Saudi. The more instability the better, and poor and hungry people are open to almost anything.

2.Saudi state television announced a series of decrees outlining a boost in welfare benefits, a minimum wage of 3,000 riyals ($800) for state employees, bonuses for public sector workers and students, and a drive to build new housing. The numbers announced were large: 250 billion riyals ($66.7) bln would be spent on 500,000 housing units and 16 billion riyals ($4.3) on more medical facilities. 

MY OPINION: If you can't beat 'em.....bribe them!  Whats the difference between a Saudi King and a president running for election? The Saudis are using their own cash...A president is creating debt for future generations to worry about. Both systems are paying for mismanagement.

3.CAIRO (Reuters) - A big majority of Egyptians approved amendments to the constitution in a referendum, results showed, opening the door to early elections seen as favoring Islamists and figures affiliated with the old ruling party. The changes were backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, the main Islamist group and one of the forces that mobilized against Mubarak, and remnants of the former president's National Democratic Party. Hossein Gohar, a doctor, said: "Liberal, secular voices had better unite now and go down to the streets to raise awareness."

MY OPINION: Nobody knows the Egyptian people better than the Military and the Muslim Brotherhood. Forcing "Instant democracy" onto cultures that have no idea how the system works, is a bad idea. At a guess, its just a matter of time before disagreements turn violent, allowing the army to step in and take control.

4.Israel's Military Intelligence has launched a new section that will be responsible of tracking foreign organizations located overseas, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which aim to delegitimize the State of Israel.

MY OPINION: Are BDS and Israeli Apartheid movements being supported and financed by arab groups? The far left and extremist muslim groups together in one room would probably annihilate each other, but this sicko combo works for them, right now against a common enemy - peace and freedom. Remember what Churchill said.."We shall fight them on the beaches, hills, fields and streets...we shall never surrender!"

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg - Lincoln

Dear Mr. President....

Dear Mr. President,
                            Many people are blaming you for the fire sweeping the arab world, and for the position the US finds itself today, both economically and politically. To be honest, you inherited a difficult situation. And to be brutally honest, you have mismanaged nearly everything on your plate. If any of this is incorrect, please accept my apologies. 

At the beginning of your presidency you travelled to Egypt, embraced your long term ally, Hosni Mubarak and spoke with sincerity to the muslim world. I watched the speech. You then looked him in the eye and gave Mubarak a warm handshake. What followed is history. In the blink of an eye, Mubarak was thrown under a bus, insulted and humiliated by your excellency on national TV. This was preceded by the now infamous trip to Saudi Arabia. Imagine that, Mr. Obama, bowing  to King Abdullah. The same king, who recently watched your (in his eyes) betrayal of his fellow dictator, Mubarak. I wonder what he must be thinking today? In fact, what are all US allies thinking today?

So why did Mubarak refuse to take calls from the White House? Unimportant you say. Not to US allies, its not. Maybe we are looking at the situation through CNN eyes. Could it be possible that Mubarak and the rest of the dictators have a pretty good idea of what is out there. For example, Sheik Yusf Quaradawi, the most important cleric in Islam banned for decades by Egypt returned to adoring crowds in Tahrir square. His most famous quote "Hitler put them in their place". (Please read further Dr.Harold Brackman's report for The Simon Wiesenthal Centre on The Brotherhood - outstanding).

Maybe, just maybe, Mubarak was well aware of some of  the animals in his country who cheered his downfall by sexually assaulting Lora Logan during their celebration, screaming Jew, Jew, Jew! What you definitely do know, Mr. President, is that black peoples of all races are regarded as inferior class humans under Islam, in keeping with Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf. You also know how many American lives have been saved by Mubarak's intelligence services in the war against terror. Your CIA would also have informed you that Mubarak was dying of a terminal disease.

So in case his excellency doesn't get it yet, lets try it from a westerners point of view. Democracy believes in two things. Peace and freedom. Democratic transitions tend to be the work of generations. …. Mubarak was an authoritarian leader, but he was prudent enough to understand his people's interest in peace (and his own interest as well). In fact, Mubarak was slowly building a middle class. Note all the doctors, lawyers and accountants at the demonstrations. His son, Gamal, was NOT a member of the military, and in his own corrupt way intended to continue the slow march to democracy. The Egyptian economy has been growing by 6-7% p.a. over the last years.

What should you have done Mr. President? ( a popular question often posed by many.) The answer is easy. You should have supported a transition to democracy led by your ally Mubarak. This could have been easily accomplished considering the man is ailing, had already announced his intention not to stand, and together with US aid as leverage.....Well, all it takes is leadership.... Worst case, Mubarak would have fallen, leaving the army in control. Todays situation. The difference being, sir, is that you would not look like a back stabbing, self serving politician being led by the nose by CNN and other "experts" in the media. 

Lets jump to other decisions. The decision to press Israel to freeze settlements for ten months, using the old story used by your ex-allies in The Middle East, and by Tom Friedman of the NYT.. "The settlements are the key to the problem. Remove them and you will have peace", looks more ridiculous by the moment. Sane people mentioned that Israel had removed the settlements in Gaza and was rewarded when thousands of missiles were fired into the south of Israel. Bottom line, The Palestinian Arabs declared a "Day of Rage" against the US, last week, calling you "The black hands in Washington". The settlement freeze only made things worse, giving birth to further arab demands. Another success.

Economically, the decision to focus on your health plan and not on jobs and small business, led to a crash at the polls. Then along comes the new budget plan, and guess what? The plan is once again geared to spending and the next election. When will it become clear to his excellency that the vast majority of Americans are fearfull of a future for their children repaying this enormous debt, and prefer to take the pain now. Astounding that most of the planet have realised this. The "Nation of Islam" have realised this and see it as the right time to strike. The Chinese and Indians are watching in awe as US foreign policy crumbles. Yet you continue to zig zag all over the map trying to get reelected. You sir, are no Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan.

Some free advice, for what its worth, Mr. Obama. Try to clear the air on what you really think. How about statements to the world press that read something like this:

1. I, the president of The United States will do what is necessary to ensure the future of our children, even if it means that I am only a one term president.

2.The United States will not tolerate the rise of extreme radical islamic regimes under the guise of democracy, and will prevent this, using force if necessary.

3.Israel is not an Apartheid State and anybody who thinks so, is delusional.

4.The settlements in Judea and Samaria, as much as I oppose them, are not the reason that peace talks in that area have broken down. Rather, it is the Palestinian refusal to come to the table, that is the core of the problem.

5.The United States will oppose any regime in the Middle East that uses arms and terror to subdue their own populations, for example Libya, Hamas, Hizbullah, Syria and Iran. The leaders of these regimes should leave office right now!

6.The Israel - Palestinian "problem" was created by the dictators and tyrants as a tool to divert the attention of their oppressed populations from the real problem. Today we are witnessing the results.

And the kicker, Mr. Obama

7.The way forward economically, Is for Arab leaders to sign and enforce peace agreements with the only true democracy in the region, Israel. Imagine if all that money spent on weaponry was used for the good of the people.

Keep it simple and stick to the truth. Otherwise the most popular slogan in the next election will be "President Obama, you should leave...right now!"

The first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging - Molly Ivins

Iran - The Lust for power

 Most of us have heard the saying  "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." The evil in this case is Iran and its Shiite leader Ahmadinejad. Wikileaks: "Leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt referred to Iran as evil, an existential threat and a power that is going to take us to war."  

Iran no longer needs a nuclear weapon to threaten the world. This could go down as the 'Great red herring of the 21st Century'. It all starts on a small Island off Saudi Arabia. But I am getting ahead of myself. To understand what is happening, we need to understand there is a power struggle in the muslim world between Sunni and shiite muslims for leadership of 1.3 billion muslims worldwide. ALL THAT IS NEEDED FOR IRAN TO WIN THE LEADERSHIP BATTLE IS FOR THE REST OF THE MIDDLE EAST TO BE UNSTABLE....AND TO CONTROL THE SOURCES OF OIL OUT OF THE PERSIAN GULF. Remember that sentence. Two birds with one stone. Sounds like a conspiracy theory. You be the judge.

So far, there is instability in Tunisia, The Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Bahrein. There are niblings of instability and alarm in Morocco, Algeria, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The rest of the Persian Gulf countries are showing their worry wrinkles. Syria, Lebanon and Gaza are already in the Iranian camp. Lets cut to the chase. The US is scheduled to withdraw all its troops from Iraq by end of 2011. Let the games begin! Iraq has, believe it or not, a Shia majority. It will be in Iran's interest to prevent a strong goverment taking hold in Iraq, and by the looks of things, they are succeeding. Bahrein, a small Island in the persian Gulf is so strategically placed that the US has a base on the island. Unfortunately, the population (at least 60%) and opposition to the Sunni king, are shiites. So while CNN and Co. are focused on the big bad wolf in Libya, another big bad wolf in Iran is stirring the pot in Bahrein. If Bahrein falls to the "pro - democracy forces", even peaceably, the shiites will have control of both sides of the exit out of the Persian Gulf.

Next on the list are Saudi Arabia and Oman. The northern part of Saudi Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf, is populated by shiites. This is where the demonstrations are taking place, unnoticed by western media. A senior Shia clergyman was arrested and released. I can just imagine what they whispered in his ear while he was being detained. (These days, apparently, they have to whisper). Now the Saudi authorities are threatening to react violently to any attempts to usurp their authority. Yemen (50% shia) borders Saudi Arabia and we are aware of what is going on there.  There are also inklings of unrest in Oman and Kuwait. The trend is clear. Please note, the population of Iran is 75 million, more than all the countries of the Persian Gulf together. To be clear, what we are discussing here is a minimum of $200 a barrel oil. Nobody really gives a flying fig (that's a fruit) about the populations and their corrupt leaders.

Whats to be done? Well there is the possibility of insurgency or something similar, but one can be sure that The Iranians will use all methods to suppress this. Of course, the Americans have enough firepower to blow all of them into the next century, but at a guess, they won't. Iran does not need to change the balance of power in the region through military force. Its covert capability, unchecked by American force, is significant. It can covertly support pro-Iranian forces in the region, destabilizing existing regimes. With the psychology of the Arab masses changing, as they are no longer afraid to challenge their rulers, Iran will enjoy an enhanced capacity to cause instability.

It appears that Obama is caught up in a whirlwind of events and it will be fascinating to see how he handles this situation going forward. For sure, he did not expect his public dumping of Mubarak, a US ally, on national TV to lead to a chain of events this disturbing. He might just have to choose between expensive oil, his presidency and his ideology. I don't envy him, especially at a salary of $400,000 per annum.

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it - Flannery O' Connor

A political map of Iran can be seen @ http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/iran_map.htm

Israel - Follow The Money

1.An Apple a day....

Israel and Syria may officially be at war with one another, but that isn’t preventing a bustling apple trade between the two countries. Starting yesterday, February 15, and lasting three weeks, all apples grown by Israeli farmers on the Golan Heights will be exported to Syria. An estimated 12,000 tons of apples will be exported every day. Of course, the Syrians will not do business directly with the Israelis, so the apples are transfered through third parties, the UN and the International Red Cross.

2.Israeli Economy Booming

Israel's GDP rose at an unprecedented pace of 7.8%,on an annualized, seasonally adjusted basis, in the fourth quarter of 2010, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today. GDP rose by an annualized 5.4% in the second half of last year, after rising 5% in the first half, and 3.4% in the second half of 2009.

Comment: That friends, is a booming economy. Quite frankly, the one thing that can save arab economies from long term destruction, is a peace agreement with Israel. But like my cousin Hilton says..."there is no cure for stupid".

3.Intel signs $300m procurement deal in Israel

Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC) has signed a new reciprocal procurement deal in Israel. Intel Israel general manager Maxine Fassberg today signed the five-year $300 million agreement with Industrial Cooperation Authority director general Bina Bar-On. Bar-On said, "The great news emerging from this new agreement touches on Israeli vendors who will be recognized by giants like Intel. Since 1996, Intel has led in reciprocal procurement, making over $5 billion in procurements in Israel," said Bar-On.

Comment: Keep bashing away BDS. The more you bash, the more Israel succeeds. Please remove yourselves from facebook....

4.CSR of UK buys Zoran for $679 million

British company CSR plc, based in Cambridge, is to buy Israeli chip company Zoran Corp. (Nasdaq: ZRAN) for $679 million, the two companies announced last night. Zoran is managed by founder Levy Gerzberg. CSR is a supplier of wireless connectivity and location chips. It sells Bluetooth, GPS, FM, Wi-Fi and audio devices.

5.Israel tests Arrow 2 anti-missile system

Israel's defense establishment has completed a successful test of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system on Tuesday. Using an interceptor missile, the operators were successful in destroying a target missile launched from a ship at sea. The system check was conducted at a designated field in the US.

COMMENT: For some or other reason, Tom Friedman of the almost bankrupt NYT seems to think that Israel is a child in an adults world, lecturing Israel on what it owes The US. Maybe so Mr. friedman, the difference being that Israel pays its debts.

6.Better Place unveils Danish electric car prices

Better Place today launched its European visitors center, together with Renault, and the programs that it will offer subscribers in Denmark. The price of the electric car itself - the Renault Fluence - will be €27,500 (NIS 138,000). The price, which is tax exempt, is considered a bargain for Danes who are normally required to pay 180% purchase tax and VAT on new cars.

7.IDF celebrates Armored Corps history: Trophy system successful 

For Israel this is huge. Defence forces around the world must be in awe of this development. The Trophy (ASPRO-A) system, also known as ‘Windbreaker’, protected a Merkava 4 tank of the IDF from the missile attack, according to news reports.The defence system, produced by Israel’s Rafael company in partnership with US’s General Dynamics, uses sensors and radar to track an incoming missile and fires interceptor missiles that neutralise the hostile weapon before it can strike the tank. The IDF’s Stryker armourded fighting vehicle fitted with Trophy, withstood numerous missiles and rocket attacks under a six-week test and evaluation programme conducted by the US Office of Secretary of Defence (OSD).

COMMENT: And they say Israel is of no strategic benefit to the US... What other ally can develop such equipment? The financial implications, to put it mildly, are considerable.

To survive it is often necessary to fight and to fight you have to dirty yourself - George Orwell 

The Truth About Money

1.Mary Meeker of Bloomberg - "Would You Invest In a Company that lost $2 trillion last year, and has a net worth of a negative $44 trillion? Imagine no Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp or Coast Guard, no federal courts or prisons, no national park service, no food and drug administration, no embassies, no salaries for Congress. That's what it would take to finance the budget by 2025 and still pay interest on America's debts, without either raising revenues or reducing entitlement growth. That's certainly not a recognizable America."

COMMENT: Looks Like the dollar is in for a rough ride.

2. Dennis Gartman - "Let's get this straight. We're going to be 'gifted' with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, which purportedly covers at least ten million more people without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a president who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!

COMMENT: What could possibly go wrong?

3.Russia stands to lose $4 billion in arms deals due to unrest in Libya, the Interfax news agency cited Sergei Chemezov, head of the state holding company that controls arms exports, as saying on Thursday. (Reuters)

COMMENT:That explains the Russian reticence as regards Libya. They will be losing major money if the uprisings continue. Imagine if they spread to Syria?

4.World food prices rose 2.2% in February from the previous month to a record peak, the United Nations' food body said Thursday, as it warned that volatility in oil markets could push prices even higher. The Food and Agriculture Organization price index rose by 2.2%—the eighth consecutive rise since June—to an average of 236 points last month, the highest record in real and nominal terms since the agency started monitoring prices in 1990.

5. WSJ - China announced plans to increase its defense budget by 12.7% this year, a pickup from last year's sharply lower growth that comes amid fresh confrontations over territorial issues with Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

COMMENT: Maybe this has more to do with internal strife created by that new adversary....The internet.

6. Protestors shouted "shame" in the chamber Wednesday as Ohio's State Senate narrowly passed a bill that limits collective bargaining rights for public workers. John Kasich (Governor of Ohio) brushed off any suggestion that the measure will negatively impact a potential bid for the presidency, saying "I was not elected to...make political decisions. I was elected to fix this state so families could be lifted, and we would have more opportunity and more hope in this state," he says. "And whatever happens in 2012, I don't really care, that's not my interest."

COMMENT: Thats the difference between a politician and a leader....He leads from the front.

Ho-ka hey! It is a good day to die! Strong hearts, brave hearts to the front! Weak hearts and cowards to the rear! - Crazy Horse (Sioux chief).