ON GOD'S LAST WORDS: CIAO! HASTA LA VISTA! DOSVIDANIYA! TA! AU REVOIR! SO LONG!

There are many people in the world who think God speaks to them directly. Some think he talks to them every time they pray. Others believe he directly commands them because of their position--Pope, Imam, Priest, Nun, Lama. Still others roam the streets of our cities and towns talking to God in a loud voice, sometimes in anger and sometimes in tongues.

I have been writing for publication for more than 40 years. During that time I have agonized over every word put to paper. Have I ended a sentence in a preposition? Did I just turn a noun into a verb? Has that comma changed the meaning of the sentence? Or, the thought that haunts me every day, does anyone read this tripe?

What do these two paragraphs have to do with each other? Well, God spoke to me today and told me to write to you. He asks that you leave him alone. 

He told me to tell the world he is retiring from all his earthly duties as of the close of business Wednesday, July 24, 2014.

He That Maketh Light told me he picked this date because it is the anniversary of his birth, 201,421 years ago. Strangely, this date corresponds to approximately the same period scientists believe today's thinking humans began inhabiting the Earth.

God says he now wants to turn his attention to the people of the planet Htrae [He That Is Mighty pronouncing the name: Hee-tray]. He would not tell me precisely where it is located. However, The Holy One did say it is millions of light years from our Earth.

The Almighty also told me Htrae has significant differences when compared to Earth. "The people of Htrae profess no religion, ask nothing of me, and they all get along with one another famously," he explained from a light emanating from my bowl of Shredded Wheat and skim milk this morning.

He added, "It's like...well...like heaven!"

The second thing The Glory And The Light told me, and I must admit it is rather a daunting thing to hear from the mouth of the Lord Almighty, is that he reads my blog, Martin's Musings. He told me, in a truly deep voice (I swear it really does sound like Morgan Freeman), that he prefers when I write satirically.

"You're out of your league when you attempt to tackle the world's problems and provide solutions, like you did last Monday," he groused. He demanded I give up trying to solve problems and stick to writing absurdity. He reasoned that satire and absurdity best fit the world on which I live.

As for why he was leaving us with such short notice, he had this to say:

"You elect leaders who meet regularly in New York, under one roof, and profess peace and understanding. Then, the same people leave New York, go home, and begin bombing their neighbors. That's absurd! 

You erect a beautiful statue and place it in your harbor for all to see. You inscribe it with words inviting the poor and 'huddled masses' to enter your land to breathe free. When they take you at your word and come ashore, you angrily taunt them and tell them to go back from whence they came. Why?

The absurdity that really sends shivers up my spine, however, is what you do with your right to vote. When it is time to elect leaders to protect your self-interest you either don't take the time or you elect rich idiots who couldn't care less for you, me, or the air you breathe? That's nothing save insanity my friend! 

This lack of intelligence, coupled with your constant demand for my intervention, is what causes me to give up on Earth and start spending my time watching Htrae. You're on your own."

So, with the skim milk still curdled in my belly, I have made a pact with the Holy One that today will be my last day attempting to report the news. God as my witness!

ON: HOW THE U.S. CONGRESS INVITED PUTIN TO ATTACK ...

Martin's Musings: ON: HOW THE U.S. CONGRESS INVITED PUTIN TO ATTACK ...: NOTE: Originally posted on March 3, 2014, as ON THE INVASION OF UKRAINE AND THE AMERICAN CONGRESS , I thought this point of view shoul...

ON PUTIN VS. THE WORLD: STAND UP TO HIM NOW

According to Google, at least 52 Russian citizens read this blog. So, I wrote to a couple of folks living there asking why their country supports the thugs who shot down the Malaysian airliner, killing 298 innocent people. The three responses I received were interesting.

One wrote to me: 

"How about your government? Do you think you are not guilty?" 

I can only assume the writer was referring to something other than the Malaysian airliner downing.

Another sent this:

"I advise you to open your eyes to watch the news and think with your head. It was shot down by the Ukrainian military, rather than Russian, and it has been proved. So think before you accuse and are rude." 

Wow! Really?

And, finally, this one:

"How can you be the judge when the black box is in Donetsk, Ukraine, and which it has not been transferred to the international commission. [sic] After all in the black box all the information before the fall. And the answer to you Americans let your monkey [my emphasis] stop sponsoring war in Ukraine, there innocent people die because of your national debt."

This one uses a very typical Russian expletive to describe our President, Barack Obama. Very charming indeed! I have no idea how our national debt kills innocent people, however.

I checked online with several television stations in Russia, Channel One, NTV, and Russia 1, as well as Russia Today, the English-speaking Russian news source, to see what they were saying about the Ukraine and the MH-17 disaster. All are Russian state-owned outlets.

I noticed the "separatists" are known to Russian television viewers as the "militia." Russian TV makes it clear that Ukraine is responsible for the downing of the Malaysian airliner.

We are also told by one station that the militia moved the bodies to refrigerated box cars for "humanitarian purposes" because there are "no international personnel" on-site to investigate the crash or preserve the remains. And, Russia is deemed the level-headed government, requesting a balanced international inquiry into the tragedy.

In a separate unrelated piece that amused me, NTV claims that Edward Snowden is much happier now than he ever was living in the United States.

Reports from the Western media, however, like the BBC, CBS, and CNN, relate a different story. They are all stating clear evidence of Russia's involvement in the shooting down of the Malaysian airliner. They show international personnel attempting to survey the site over the weekend while armed separatists kept them from this work.

The story line most horrific, however, comes from reporters who have covered airline accidents in the past. They all say there is something missing from this crash site, passenger personal effects. Corpses appeared to be without wrist watches, cash, or credit cards. I have not heard one of these reporters says they witnessed looting. They report, however, that these passengers seem to have carried no items of value on their person and  that empty wallets lie in the fields.

Chris Cuomo of CNN noted that a Ukrainian man in his hotel shouted to someone in the lobby that he saw a lot of "new wrist watches" on local farmers and separatists. If it is true what these reporters are implying, then the world has a bigger problem than previously imagined.

We are dealing with thugs and terrorists without a moral code, not merely separatists. Vladimir Putin has released these thugs, mostly male Russian citizens, to create mayhem. These criminals are the same kind of men who, without the worry of repercussion, beat gay men and women, accost and jail Russian punk bands, and call the President of the United States a monkey. [See previous blog re: Russian thuggery]

The Russian President shows himself to the Russian media as a man of leadership and humanity. He attends the World Cup and hob nobs with Angela Merkel and Dilma Rousseff. He attends the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa] Conference calling for an end to the International Monetary Fund and the dominance of the U.S. dollar in world commerce. And, because he controls the media within Russia's borders, his people are fed a continuous crock of odoriferous dung.

The former KGB Colonel understands only one thing, force. When the U.S. did not bomb Syria last year over its use of chemical weapons, he knew the U.S. would do nothing militarily if he moved to take Ukraine. So, he took Crimea using disguised thugs as a militia. He continues the fight in eastern Ukraine with the same militia under his control.

Europe will hem and haw and cry as it always does, but eventually it will do nothing. After all, Putin's main supporter, Angela Merkel, has Europe crushed between her Germanic mitts. What Hitler could not do with blitzkrieg tactics in Europe, Ms. Merkel has done through the German economy. With her ally in Russia, she now has all of Europe by its collective cojones.

Only the United States has the independence and power to end this cycle. But, it will also take fortitude on the part of the American people.

I believe Mr. Obama should ask Congress to approve sending a heavily-armed military unit to assist the Ukrainians in securing the area of the crash site, including orders allowing these U.S. soldiers to fully protect themselves. Further, his request should include sending a U.S. carrier fleet into international waters in the Black Sea to stand by should they be needed.

Like the thuggish Nikita Khrushchev before him, my bet is that Vladimir Putin will back down before Americans reach station in or near Ukraine. He is a bully, and bullies usually take the cowardly way out of a real fight.

Call his bluff, Mr. Obama.

ON U.S. FOREIGN POLICY: WHY WE SHOULD SPY ON GERMANY

Germany's Angela Merkel has her panties in a twist it seems because the U.S. has been seeking information from two German government insiders to determine what is happening within her government. As a result, in a fit of pique, she has now decided to kick the top U.S. spy out of Berlin.

We spy on Germany because they seem to be the leading voice of the European Union. We need to know exactly where Germany leads our partners in this so-called "union" and in its NATO counterpart.

We must never forget this woman grew up in the German Democratic Republic, under Russia's thumb. I think her actions are truly suspect at times. What does she really support...Europe's Union or Union with Russia? Her attempt at fence striding affects both the European Union and NATO, and it is especially suspect now that the Russian bear's claws are ripping at Europe's underbelly.

To be brutally honest, if it were not for the United States of America our European friends would have lost both World Wars and would throughout the continent be speaking either German or Russian in the 21st Century. Meanwhile the U.S. is supporting 22% of the total cost of operating NATO, the 27-nation alliance designed to protect Europe.

To me, this is ludicrous. I do not think the U.S. gets nearly enough out of this amalgamation of the feckless to pay more than one-fifth the cost.

I give you two examples of how ill-prepared Europe is to defend itself at the moment.

First, in the European-lead effort to subdue Libya in 2011 they ran out of armaments. They actually had to borrow missiles and other arms from the United States to continue their mission.

Second, last May, while Russia was invading Ukraine, Putin's only aircraft carrier [shown above] passed through Holland's exclusive economic zone without a Dutch escort ship to shadow it, as European Union protocol demands. The Dutch had neither a ship nor a sophisticated surveillance aircraft to protect its borders. Do they not teach 19th- and 20th-Century European political history in Netherlands' schools?

The creation of the European Union seems to have created still another layer of bureaucracy for a group of nations already over-layered with bureaucrats.

Trains are being built in France that will not physically fit into the station platforms in that country. Italy and Greece, both home to democracy's origins, are running like Third-World nations at best, with economies so stagnant they make African nations look progressive. The German economy hums, but it does so on the back of Russia's oil and gas industry giving Mr. Putin every reason to feel smug.

This part of the world is responsible for two world wars and a very frigid 50-year cold war. About 500,000 Americans lost their lives and another 1,000,000 more were wounded protecting Europe in the last century.

The U.S. should cut its support of NATO to no more than 5% of its total operating cost. If Europe wants us to help protect them, then they have to begin acting as if they are willing to spend their own blood and treasure to do so. If they wish to live under the threat of war or terror, let them. We have been taking care of them for 100 years. Maybe it is time to cut the cord.

The least these nations should do is get their house in order and act as if they understand how the world works before ranting about how the U.S. spies within their borders. We spy because, in my opinion, their alliance is proving to be about as reliable a partner as are Vladimir Putin and Hamid Karzai.

ON U.S. FOREIGN POLICY: TEN IDEAS FOR TODAY'S WORLD

In a speech delivered in 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt announced a foreign policy that, in effect, proclaimed that America would speak softly and carry a big stick. 

President Barack Obama has essentially reintroduced this policy as a way to extricate the U.S. from two wars. He wants us to maintain our world-wide military superiority, unleashing it only after peaceful negotiations have failed.

I embrace this idea and would like to see the President make ten specific pronouncements regarding its implementation. 

These are:

First, the U.S. maintains its strong military assets solely to protect U.S. citizens, territory, territorial waters, or other assets located around the world. To accomplish this the United States shall patrol the world's airwaves, as well as sea and air lanes.

Understanding that the nature of terror in the world has changed, the U.S. shall consider the nationality of any individual or group of individuals in determining which government is responsible for any attack on the United States or its citizens. 

Unless broken by others, we shall honor all alliances previously made with any nation or group of nations. Our ships and aircraft shall call upon any nation requesting such a visit. If requested, the U.S. shall provide humanitarian aid to any nation in need after a natural disaster.

Second, America shall reduce its funding to NATO by 10% a year for five years. If after 5 years other NATO members have not replaced this reduction in funding, the U.S. will continue reducing contributions yearly by an additional 10%. 

At no point, however, shall the U.S. commitment be less than 5% of NATO's then current annual need. [FYI: The U.S. currently funds 22% of the operational and military needs of this 27-nation alliance ]

Third, U.S. embargoes in place around the world shall be lifted, including those affecting North Korea, Iran, and Cuba. Trade and travel between nations is open to all U.S. citizens.

Fourth, the United States unilaterally declares peace with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Fifth, the "War on Drugs" is over. A minimum of  50% of the funding for this effort over the last 25 years shall be reallocated to drug education and to treat drug addiction in the U.S. These funds shall be divided evenly over the next 2.5 decades. 

"Funding" shall be defined as the total monies spent over the last quarter century for drug interdiction in the U.S. and elsewhere, as well as the total amount spent on prosecution, incarceration, and/or subsidies paid directly to foreign governments to help fund this effort. 

The U.S. Justice Department shall declare an end to drug prosecutions, as well as order all its state governments to do the same. All prior drug possession convictions not involving violence shall be overturned and prisoners released for time served.

Sixth, the U.S. shall no longer participate in any attempt to negotiate peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. If any U.N. member nation attempts to untie this Gordian Knot, the U.S. shall stand ready to support and host this effort.

Seventh, since it is a mere 90 miles from the U.S. coast the Naval Base located in Guantanamo is deemed logistically unnecessary to our defense. The U.S. shall cede control of the land, prisoners, and facilities to the Cuban government. 

Eighth, as a commitment to Africa the U.S. shall negotiate with any Indian Ocean-based nation willing to develop a long-term lease to build and operate a U.S. naval and air base on this continent.

Ninth, negotiations shall begin regarding reparations to be paid by Saudi Arabia for its role in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and elsewhere on September 11, 2001. These reparations may include direct money payments or oil delivered to the U.S., as well as construction of a direct pipeline between Saudi Arabia and Europe.

Tenth, any nation not recognized as a "nuclear-weapon state" under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons [FYI: U.S., China, Russia, United Kingdom, France] shall not own, build, sell, or attempt to sell or test a nuclear device anywhere in the world. Doing so shall be considered a declaration of nuclear war on the U.S. and shall be answered in kind. 

The U.S. shall also aid any nation in the dismantling of any nuclear or chemical devices already manufactured and existing within its borders without cost to that nation, as well as sign a treaty with that government protecting its interests in the event of attack.

ON THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: FUTBOL

I am an American. More precisely, I am from the United States. Therefore, I know nothing of what Pele once called, "The Beautiful Game."

However, like most of the world, I am watching the 2014 World Cup, now finishing the quarter finals and heading to the semifinals.

I watched last weekend from Miami Beach, where Brazilians, Argentinians, Colombianos, Costa Ricans, Netherlanders, and more filled every restaurant and bar to watch their teams play. As you can see, at my hotel there were many beautiful people rooting for the home team.

Having now told you I know little of the game of Futbol, I would like to offer some advice to FIFA regarding future rules for World Cup play.

First, no one man can see all the action on the field. Perhaps when Pele was playing one man could view a vast soccer field; this when players occasionally walked down the field during play.

Now players are exceptionally quick and everyone runs for the 90-plus minutes of a typical match. I watched fouls not called and legitimate attempts at the ball called foul. I lost count of the number of free kicks  given that should not have been called such.

In the Colombia vs. Brazil match, the play in which Neymar was hurt badly was not called a foul. In fact, the Colombian player, Juan Zuniga, should have been given a red card. In my view, even though I was rooting mightily for Colombia to win,  Zuniga's knee in the back was a foul most flagrant (sorry all my Colombian friends).

Second, and I think, most important, the use of a penalty-kick shootout, after 30 minutes of overtime play, is not a way to end a match that is tied. It is an abomination. It is awful. It is a, "Who thought of this?" moment.

Let the players play the two 15-minute periods. If still tied, then play a series of additional 15-minute sudden-death periods until someone scores.

Since many worry about physically exhausting players, allow two additional substitutions over the usual three. Let fans see players play the game. Do not mar it by putting the entire burden on the directional guess of the goalie!

Though an opinion rendered by a man who lives in a land where football is played with both hands, I grant it freely to the minders of The Beautiful Game.