Places and Things

    I was reading some Erma Bombeck, earlier this year; I realized she was writing stuff 'n such back in the 1970s or whenever that was more or less what I have tried to write. Essays on this and that, observations or pithy commentaries on life and death and taxes.

    I have read some Woody Allen, the great and later mostly sleazy film director; he was much of the same vain. Kind of like now I read the book by comedian/writer come U.S. Senator Stuart Smalley. Okay, that is not his real name, but that is a character he has made famous, and ghost written.Okay, I cannot think of his real name as I write this post at the end of a long day. (Footnotes per Al Franken, would be inserted her with a * or symbol, and say something about a long day being when you wake up before 4 am and run around the block a few times to get sweaty and drop a few more pounds before a weigh-in at 7ish. All a battle going for years. A personal mission or struggle, or quest, if you will.

    So, henyway, here's a few items.

    SYRIA

    Hayat Tahrir Al-Shem (HTS) is marching to the gates of Damascus, now that they have taken Aleppo (Haleb), Homa and now Homs. Next stop: the capital. The Arab Spring lives! Thanks to the Russian attrition and ineptitude, and the Israelis pounding the Hizballah and Shia-supporters in Lebanon and everywhere. Syrians who were pounding everyone else are nervous or clambering for resources. 

    Turkey is happy. They have been holding a few million Syrians for a long time. Over half a generation.

    UKRAINE

    The Ukrainians are fighting and dying and losing some land, but the costs of the war with Russia may cost Russia most in the long run. Perhaps Ukraine will cede 25 percent of the former country? I hope they maintain a majority for the long term. Ukraine deserves its own country and sovereignty. It is its own place, no matter what Putin and a million other demagogues claim or assert.

    The Russians fight dirty, are dirty, and will reap what they sow. Which is ruin. The smartest and most well gifted and endowed people to make the worst decisions. 

    Too bad. Really, quite a shame.

    CHINA

    The economy is not good there; the women do not want to have enough children. They have huge billionaires, who are famous and ostentatious, but the government acts like some authority that allows the people to prosper when most of them struggle to live. 

    They are having struggles with economics and home ownership and loans, perhaps in some ways like the United States back in 2008-2010. The Great Recession.

    INDIA

    Dirty and poor, and creating pollution, but getting wealthier and cleaner. We hope. More populous than China for a while now. But hope does come. Some people think there are too many people. We can understand those thoughts.

    FRANCE

    Politically upheaved, as it were, Emmanuel Macron has been set for jettisoning, as he has received a no confidence vote or two. He introduced the new Notre Dame, the one that burned down five or so years ago. France will get a new leader.

    REST OF WORLD: 

    Oil is not that high, but I think it is flowing. EVs, Electric Vehicles, are growing but not as fast many environmentalists would like. Or the politicians that advocate them. They are expensive and many things are not convenient about them. EVs and politicians.

    There.

    Whoops, forgot:

    SOUTH KOREA

    The president or prime minister is looking to be ousted, maybe named Hoon. He tried to declare martial law, was overruled by the congress, and now things look like they will transition in an unusual change of power.

    There. Feel better now. Happy Sunday, hope it was for all.

    Abu Mohammed Al-Golani is the guy in Damascus.