Podcast 205

Another beheading? Our midweek is jarred with another heinous murder of a US Journalist by The Islamic State; A video which is reported to show the beheading of Steven Sotloff surfaced Tuesday. At the same time, ‘vacationing’ Russian troops appear to be making headway against Ukrainian defenders in Eastern Ukraine as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. What’s to be done? Warnings, more economic sanctions, presidential trips, conferences, discussions and the ‘creation’ of a ‘rotating’ NATO ‘Quick Reaction Force’ of 4400 European ‘Special Forces’ troops. Putin has more than 20,000 troops on the Ukraine’s Eastern Border with Russia. Watching Obama’s press conference last Thursday shows clearly how analytical this President is, and how that can get the United States into a lot of trouble. On another note, Reporters and analysts have suddenly discovered that polling data does not indicate the ‘Wave Election’ for Republicans which the same analysts and reporters confidently predicted a few months ago. Suddenly, as The Bob Davis Podcasts predicted last winter, the story line has become, “What’s wrong with the Republicans?”. Well, for starters, where’s the ‘get out the vote’ organization that all wave elections are built on? Where are the street troops to take senior citizens to the polls? Where are the door knockers, lit droppers, phone bank callers, absentee ballot hander outers and easily used vote tally software? Not to mention election judges, precinct captains and well, you know, organization. Republicans were convinced of an easy victory in 2012, and shocked when it didn’t happen. Is this old song playing again? As the saying goes, “You make your own luck.” Republicans are almost giddy over polls that show Minnesota Republican Senate Candidate Mike McFadden at between 41 and 45 percent, and Senator Al Franken at 51 to 57 percent. This predicts a victory for Republicans? Not so fast. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:16 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Podcast 204

Is Life A Holo Deck? A new experiment being conducted by Fermilab may prove the theory space and time are in fact 2 dimensional. Might this suggest reality is a computer? With a finite memory? What if we really are on a Holo Deck? The first reaction to a statement like that is to say, “Everything is already decided!” I take the other tack. What if we can influence our reality locally, and in the rest of the world by our actions. Developments in the Ukraine, Iraq, recession in Europe, Japan and below par growth in the US, it does feel like the world is hurtling toward a negative outcome, at least in the short term. Yet, as with a hundred years ago, we are on the edge of a brand new age predicated on the technology we have watched evolve over the last fifty years. Are we going to be able to make this transition? As the election in the US looms, how much of our path is determined by decisions already made, how much impact do we have on the future? Is it a World War I scenario? Is it an Interwar Scenario? Find out how a story about the fabric of reality, a visit by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, gel into some ideas about people getting involved and influencing these outcomes. Manifesting doesn’t necessarily mean thinking about it, and then it happens. Sometimes you have to do a little work. If life is a computer, we ought to be able to hack it. Sponsored by X Government Cars.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:25 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Podcast 202

The Islamic State. What to do about it? Is it an existential threat to the United States? Is it the role of the US Government to avenge the horrible death of US Journalist James Foley? The bottom line? Emotional reactions to lurid coverage of a murder does not a foreign policy make. If you want to influence International Relations as practiced by the Executive and Legislative branches of the US Government, you also have to understand the disciplines behind the policy. The State Department, Pentagon, White House, Congress, the Clandestine Services and Non State Actors all speak a language different from ‘civilians’ being manipulated by the media. Where DOES foreign policy come from? What are the disciplines and philosophy behind the concepts driving executive, intelligence, military and legislative positions and, more importantly, actions. How will the death of James Foley be handled. Will airstrikes alone eliminate the ISIS threat? What about intervening in Syria? Is it The President’s fault? Which president? Media coverage of this story is terrible. Viewers and listeners aren’t getting any background in foreign policy development, and we’re hearing the same tired arguments from deliberations over the Iraq war in 2002 and 2003 all over again. Here’s some background and some facts about the situation. Sponsored by Autonomouscad.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:41 — ) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS