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Terror Attack in Brussels

I travel a lot, both domestically and internationally. I’ve often thought that baggage areas, ticketing areas and the zones right outside of security were the places most vulnerable to a terrorist attack in an airport. Today, they took advantage of that vulnerability.

At least 34 are dead and hundreds injured in a terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium.

A series of deadly terrorist attacks struck Brussels on Tuesday, with two explosions at the city’s main international airport and a third in a subway station at the heart of the city, near the headquarters complex of the European Union.

At least one of the two airport explosions was touched off by a suicide bomber, officials said. At least 34 people were killed — 14 at the airport, and 20 at the subway station — and many more were wounded, including 92 at the airport and 106 at the subway station.

“We were fearing terrorist attacks, and that has now happened,” Prime Minister Charles Michel of Belgium said at a news conference, calling the attacks “blind, violent, cowardly.”

Is there any question that we need to put more effort into stopping ISIS? The dithering of the Obama administration on this issue is simply stunning. If we do not commit to troops on the ground, the attacks will not only keep coming, they will end up happening right here at home.

Perhaps it’s too late? For all we know, there are sleeper cells here in the United States at this moment waiting for orders to kill. Are we prepared? Is our government protecting us? Does Obama think that by not making a deeper commitment to defeating ISIS abroad he’s staving off potential terrorist events here in the homeland? There are no obvious answers to these questions anymore.

MORE: 51 seconds devoted to a major terror attack. Obama gives more time to the issue of gun control than terrorism.

Obama’s “Awful Legacy” As Told By…Bill Clinton

Have you watched Bill Clinton lately? There is something seriously wrong with the man. He really looks like he has Parkinson’s disease. I’ll make a prediction – if Hillary doesn’t make it to the White House, news will come out about his health troubles. He’s clearly not well.

While the Clinton campaign attempts to stay on message, Bill must’ve missed a meds dose today. During a campaign stop in Spokane, Washington today, he started riffing (as he often does) on how awful the past 8 years have been.

Earth to Bill. Earth to Bill. Hillary is campaigning on various themes, one of which is continuing as Obama’s 3rd term. Of course, this is easy stuff for Bill to fall back on. Both he and Hillary played the race card during the 2008 Primary in South Carolina.

Don’t be fooled. There’s no love between the Obamas and the Clintons. The relationship is purely political. I won’t be surprised to see a response from someone in the Obama campaign; some little snide remark, or comment that puts Hillary back in her place.

If You Vote for Donald Trump, Your Vote Doesn’t Matter

Does the GOP really think they can tell hundreds of thousands of people that their primary vote is a waste of time? In an era where a huge population of the country believes that Washington, D.C. has gone beyond the point of no return, our Grand Old Party decides that it’s best to play to the script, and reinforce the notion that the elites in the party are going to decide just what kind of candidate we want.

The party establishment continues to look the other way from the revolution occurring before our very eyes.

Obama in Cuba

Our President has landed in Cuba.

Wait…I’m going to type that again.

Our President has landed in Cuba.

The President of the United States has flown in Air Force One to a country we’ve hardly acknowledged in the past 90 years. He’s attempting to normalize relations with the Castro regime, claiming that our economic blockade has done nothing to prevent the continuation of communism there.

So far, there’s not much to show for it.

Obama’s whirlwind trip is a crowning moment in his and Cuban President Raul Castro’s ambitious effort to restore normal relations between their countries. While deep differences persist, the economic and political relationship has changed rapidly in the 15 months since the leaders vowed a new beginning.

Wielding an umbrella on a rainy Havana afternoon, the president stepped off of Air Force One and was greeted by top Cuban officials — but not Raul Castro. The Cuban leader frequently greets major world figures upon their arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, but was absent on the tarmac. Instead, he planned to greet Obama on Monday at Palace of the Revolution.

You caught that, right? Raul Castro didn’t even greet him at the airport. Once again, the U.S. looks like the chump to the rest of the world. Castro should be at that airport on his knees praising the United States for the infusion of cash that comes with normalized relations. Instead, he snubs us.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Cuba is a dictatorial regime. It’s the same today as it was a year ago. Or 10 years ago, or more. Repression is still common here.

I’m not sure what Obama believes is going to happen now that we’ve opened up Cuba. So far, it looks like it’s just another show of capitulation on the part of this liberal President of ours.

I Don’t Want An Apple Watch, and You Shouldn’t Either

I could easily point to this article on Engadget and be done. Go ahead and read it, because many of the arguments made there resonate with me. My honest thoughts are these:

  • Apple Watch needs a separate charging plug. That’s just another I need to carry with me.
  • The device requires an iPhone. Do you have to have it in your pocket? In proximity? Why wouldn’t I just pull out my phone instead of looking at my wrist?
  • Aside from my wife, why would I want to send my heartbeat to anyone? And even with my wife, wouldn’t that get old after a while? “Yeah, honey, love you too…ok, right…now, shut that heart beat off…I’m busy.”
  • Won’t my arm start to ache after holding it up for long periods of time? Isn’t that the beauty of a wristwatch? You only have to raise your arm for a split second to see what time it is, then you’re done. Now, I’m going to be holding my arm up for how long? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? If it’s only a minute or two, that’s an expensive device for a quick look. Again, I should just take out my phone.
  • Since when does anybody want a version 1.0 of ANYTHING Apple releases? Early adopters, that’s who. In a year, that watch is going to be half as thick. And you won’t need an iPhone either. And it will do more.
  • I stopped wearing a watch 8 years ago. Why will Apple Watch make me want to wear one again? I really can’t think of a reason.

So, there you have it. My blog, my feelings. I’ll be in line for Apple Watch 2. Or…maybe 3.

Obama Concedes to 2014 Dems; Won’t Force Immigration Action

Everything is political. From going to war, to recognizing holidays and religious traditions, to pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey. No decision is made without politics being the most important issue. This is true for Democrats and Republicans alike. No one is pure here. It just seems as though the political angles of things are becoming more obvious than in the past, and the media now doesn’t even pretend to hide the implications.

President Barack Obama will not take any executive actions on immigration until after November’s elections, a White House official confirmed to CNN on Saturday.

The decision to postpone means any political repercussions for trying to reform the immigration system by himself would come after the congressional midterm contests.

I think I’d rather know the obvious than to read political spin.

Obama has been weighing executive action on immigration — including moves that could allow millions of undocumented workers to remain in the country — after congressional action on the issue stalled. The options could include expanding a deferred deportation program for children of immigrants.

But he decided to delay any move to “take this issue away from those who would use it to score points as a kind of grandstanding issue,” the White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It’s too big of an issue to allow it to be used as a tool for people trying to get votes,” the official said. “It isn’t about votes for any particular candidate; it’s about dealing with this issue in an environment that avoids the grandstanding we’ve seen in the past.”

No matter where you fall on the immigration issue, politicians want to stay in power. Obama knows this is a political time-bomb for many Democrats seeking reelection in November. If there wasn’t pressure being put on him from others in the party, he wouldn’t even hesitate to go his own way and bypass Congress yet again.  He’s got a fuse in one hand and a match in the other, and for now, enough Dems have convinced him to hold off until they can be sure they won’t have to move out of their cushy office on the hill.

MORE: Raw Politics; Activists Pissed

ISIS Has Planes, and They’re Learning How to Fly

As if it’s not bad enough that ISIS is beheading people on video, and conducting mass executions of innocent Iraqis, and taking over thousands of square miles of territory.

Now they have airplanes. And they aren’t planning vacations to sandy beaches. They’re forcing detained pilots to train ISIS militants how to fly.

And what do you think they’re going to do when they know how to fly these planes?

Joan Rivers is Dead

81 years is a long time. Joan died today. There will be an investigation into her death. Either something went very wrong during her outpatient procedure last week, or, her time was up, and the fact that she was in a doctor’s office had nothing to do with it.

We’ll find out in time.

It’s hard to recover from cardiac arrest. Even if your heart stops for a minute or more, your brain isn’t getting oxygen, and that has permanent ramifications. My gut tells me the doctors told Joan’s daughter Melissa that her mom could stay hooked up to machines and “live” as long as they were plugged in, or, they could unplug the machines and see if she keeps going on her own. Melissa knows her mom better than anyone and she knew Joan would hate being a vegetable. She probably unhooked the life support hoping for the best knowing there wasn’t a lot of hope for real recovery.

There will never be another like Joan Rivers.

Steven Sotloff is Dead

If there’s one thing we know about ISIS, they don’t bluff.

The ISIS terror group has published a video titled “A second message to America,” showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff.

The video also threatens the life of British captive, David Haines.

Sotloff speaks to the camera before he is killed, saying he is “paying the price” for U.S. intervention.

The masked ISIS figure in the video speaks to U.S. President Barack Obama, telling him, “Just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

When are you going to have a strategy for ISIS, Mr. Obama?