Podcast 289

Terror Attack In France. In the aftermath of the attack on the offices of French satire magazine, Charlie Hebdo, standout questions. France bans semi automatic rifles, what they call ‘weapons of war’, but somehow the attackers used AK-47’s. How is that possible? Second, is Sharia law at the center of this attack? Acceptance of Sharia Law started in Europe at the end of World War II, and has reportedly progressed to the point where now there are ‘sharia enclaves’ where it can be said that the ‘secular’ law of the country in question isn’t recognized. The US does not recognize Sharia law, but some places have begun to recognize certain elements of Sharia law. Minneapolis, Minnesota for instance, allows Sharia compliant banking. Does the US face ‘creeping’ Sharia law acceptance? Writing just after the attacks in France, a Muslim Cleric claimed dishonoring ‘The Prophet Muhammed’ which carries capital punishment administered by an ‘Islamic State’. Was the attack a sentence allowed through Sharia law, carried out by the Islamic State? If so, what do we intend to do about it? Third, The President’s response to the attack was muted, and President Obama refused to attend a unity march in Paris in the present time frame. His refusal is the biggest story in the third week of January 2015. What’s more, the US sent the Ambassador to France, not the Secretary of State, Vice President, or Attorney General, in lieu of the President. Events may have taken place so quickly the President’s usual, plodding method of decision making was overtaken. This is a pattern with President Obama. Prepare for the explanations, apologies, articles about competence, and eventual subject changing executive orders, or fights with congress until things stabilize. At the root of the problem is a chief executive who cannot or will not, act decisively to do the right thing … which in this case is to support an ally who is suffering in spirit, word and deed. Given the economic situation in Europe, Asia, diplomatic tensions with Russia, an ongoing war in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan one must question whether The President’s policies are making things worse … dangerously worse. Is America ready for random, single or multiple shooter events on our soil? Are American citizens prepared, aware and able to defend themselves in our public places. And, for the future, what is the policy mix that solves this problem? Can ‘The Clash of Civilizations’ be avoided? Because if it can’t … it will be the clash of the century. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul, and by Depotstar.

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Podcast 207

If nothing changes. If nothing changes…nothing changes. Does it feel, sometimes, as if things seem like they are about the change, but they don’t? Sometimes there are long periods of ‘stasis’. Some interpret this as a positive, but it can be negative. While the media thrives on making viewers and listeners think huge changes are right around the corner; Prosperity is just ahead, War is about to break out, Disease threatens us all, then…nothing. With the jobs numbers last week, the the ongoing situation with slow or no economic growth, the slow down in the foreign affairs situation, the political pundits talking about a wave election for republicans one week, and no wave the next, Mitt Romney making noises again, and Hillary Clinton talking about running, it sure feels like 2008, or 1999? The world is on the verge of great era. Advances in manufacturing, communications, robotics, autonomous agents, software, medical science, even physics may be forming the building blocks of a world those of us born in the 20th century will not recognize. But getting there means huge changes, and getting through those changes will not be easy. We are living through a low ‘stasis’ point. Our leaders, republican and democrat, do not know what to do. We don’t know what to do. Everyone seems to be looking to someone else to solve problems, and yet problems never seem to get solved. The language remains the same; systemic problems in the labor force, a collapse – or boom – on wall street, republicans are against democrats and so on. A change agent is coming. Call it a black swan event, singularity, or whatever you want. We can’t know what and when it will be, but a catalyst that begins a period of upheaval and change is inevitable. Take what you hear on the day to day news with a grain of salt, and look for that catalyst. Sponsored by Baklund R&D.

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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.

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