Wednesday was Iran's President's i5 minutes of glory at the UN. Nothing new was said and these quotes are from an AP article: Ahmadinejad provoked a walkout by diplomats from more than 30 countries at the General Assembly when he attacked the U.S. and Europe as being greedy, arrogant and too ready to use military force. He has made similar waves in past gatherings in New York, but at home his powers have been weakened by Iran's ruling clerics.
Hours after criticizing America ***In an interview with The Associated Press, Ahmadinejad claimed that explosive material and not planes brought down the World Trade Center, rejected the West's view of his country's nuclear ambitions and castigated U.S. policies from Libya to Pakistan.
But he also complained that President Barack Obama never made good on a pledge to try to open a dialogue with Iran, and said he still hopes for a face-to-face meeting. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that time has not run out for the two countries to repair their bad relationship.
"I don't believe that this is a chance that has been completely lost," Ahmadinejad said.
Today Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will address the UN General Assembly and put forth his request for national status. Some time later in the day Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will also address the Assembly. He will probably focus on why the Palestinians should not be granted Statehood at this time and also focus on the danger to the world that Iran represents with its increasing nuclear capabilities.
All the above is known conjecture. What will happen in the UN Security Council is more important. Obama has announced the US position. The position of the countries that do not have veto power will be interesting. How much will represent honest opinion or political posturing may not be determined since those countries know that in face of one Veto their vote is meaningless.
In our minute speck of earth we will remain interested in the outcome of Plainfield's Councils investigation.
"What a tangled web we (mortals) weave"
If you thought that that quotation was written by the Bard, Shakespeare, you were wrong'
The author of this famous and appropriate quote was Sir Walter Scott.
The actual quotation comes from these lines in 'Marmion" and I have bold faced the two lines that stand together"
"Yet Clare's sharp questions must I shun
Must separate Constance from the nun
Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!
A Palmer too! No wonder why
I felt rebuked beneath his eye "
How true!!!
.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
COUNCIL HEARING #2
One of the benefits of having an alarm clock(yes I do have one set for 9am as a backup to normal 7 to 8 am up time) that did not work is that instead of writing a semi-detailed account of the Council's Special meeting I like the rest of us have been able to read a "reporter's" account on Plaintalker II (Bernice) and Plainfield Today's excellent review with commentary. Mark Spivey's report-Yes he was there- should be published Friday since it was too late for Thursday's deadline. (posted on line by 4:00PM 9/22-http://www.mycentraljersey.com/section/NJNEWS0204 )
Dan Damon in his Plainfield Today post gives links to previous postings on the issue; Plaintalker posted on 8/18/10,9/5/10 and 9/8/10 including an OPRA report with a copy of the Investors Bank Check of $15,000.00 for Fireworks on July 4th. It is probably as coincidental as is the existence of the tooth fairy that the Mayor's first request from the City Administrator Bibi Taylor was for a $14,000.00 check for WBLS and a $6,000.00 additional check.
What stood out from Taylor's testimony was:
The testimony of the three other subpoenaed persons is needed before any decision can be made.
However it appears as of today that there has been in at least one instance improper use of Municipal funds. Should it be determined that there was a concerted effort by multiple individuals to this end is a criminal investigation justified?
Since where there is smoke there may be fire; the Council should demand a forensic audit by the State for at least FY 2010, 2009 as well as at least the first six months of FY 2011. If there are gross irregularities then in should be backdate to include the entire years of the present administration. The City Auditors should be questioned about all unreported irregularities they found.
Dan Damon in his Plainfield Today post gives links to previous postings on the issue; Plaintalker posted on 8/18/10,9/5/10 and 9/8/10 including an OPRA report with a copy of the Investors Bank Check of $15,000.00 for Fireworks on July 4th. It is probably as coincidental as is the existence of the tooth fairy that the Mayor's first request from the City Administrator Bibi Taylor was for a $14,000.00 check for WBLS and a $6,000.00 additional check.
What stood out from Taylor's testimony was:
- The Mayors insistence that conversations be held on personal cell phones, not city land line or cell phones.
- Taylor's repeated references to the Mayor's use of expletives in her multiple conversations.
- Taylor in reply to Attorney Rivera's specific questioned stated that she felt threatened by the Mayor.
- The use of funds from the Information Technology & Media account line with out Council approval of transfer to another Administrative line was not according to legal requirements.
- That the Investors Savings Bank Check for $15,000.00 conveniently issued on July 30, 2010 when the Mayor was frantically searching for funds was for July 4th Fireworks and to the Recreation Division. If that money was used for any part of the WBLS payment what was the authority
- Were Purchasing Supervisor Spaulding and Acting CFO Cummings aware that they were participating in a possible irregular transaction? Were they forced to do so or if aware willing accomplices?
- Unanswered in public session was what advice the Corporation Counsel gave to Taylor and the Mayor. This would be the subject of the closed hearings.
The testimony of the three other subpoenaed persons is needed before any decision can be made.
However it appears as of today that there has been in at least one instance improper use of Municipal funds. Should it be determined that there was a concerted effort by multiple individuals to this end is a criminal investigation justified?
Since where there is smoke there may be fire; the Council should demand a forensic audit by the State for at least FY 2010, 2009 as well as at least the first six months of FY 2011. If there are gross irregularities then in should be backdate to include the entire years of the present administration. The City Auditors should be questioned about all unreported irregularities they found.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
COUNCIL HEARING #1
At 8pm the City Hall Library resembled a Congressional Committee Hearing chamber. As expected after passing a Resolution authorizing Banner hanging permission for the High School Band to march from the school to Hub Stein Field for football games within 3 minutes after the meeting opened the Council went in to a short Executive (closed) Session. All Council m embers were present except Councilor Reid.
At 8:30 the public meeting was reconvened. There had been 5 subpoenas issued. Only former City Administrator Bibi Taylor and Corporation Counsel Williamson were present.
Absent was Acting Purchasing Supervisor Spaulding who had been served Friday; Acting (at that time) CFO Cummings who could not be served because there was confusion about her apartment number, and the Mayor since the Process Server could not access her office and apparently had the wrong home address. Her Attorney is supposed to have accepted the subpoena on either Monday or Tuesday and for technical reasons advised her not to appear. It was understood that she and her attorney will be willing to meet with the Council in closed Session at some other time.
Bibi Taylor finished her testimony at 9:30 pm. However since there were questions about conversations during the Mayor's Cabinet meetings it was the ruling that due to the presence of the Corporation Counsel at those meetings the Attorney/Client relationship applied and any testimony about them would be considered privileged and had to be heard in Executive Session. There fore at 9:30 the Council again went into Executive Session.
Since the other "witness'; Corporation Counsel Williamson had claimed Attorney/Client confidentiality his hearing was to follow in closed session.
Briefly, a enough was heard to understand that there was some "hanky panky" involved in the issuance of a $20,000.00 check to WBLS. I will post more later Thursday.
At 8:30 the public meeting was reconvened. There had been 5 subpoenas issued. Only former City Administrator Bibi Taylor and Corporation Counsel Williamson were present.
Absent was Acting Purchasing Supervisor Spaulding who had been served Friday; Acting (at that time) CFO Cummings who could not be served because there was confusion about her apartment number, and the Mayor since the Process Server could not access her office and apparently had the wrong home address. Her Attorney is supposed to have accepted the subpoena on either Monday or Tuesday and for technical reasons advised her not to appear. It was understood that she and her attorney will be willing to meet with the Council in closed Session at some other time.
Bibi Taylor finished her testimony at 9:30 pm. However since there were questions about conversations during the Mayor's Cabinet meetings it was the ruling that due to the presence of the Corporation Counsel at those meetings the Attorney/Client relationship applied and any testimony about them would be considered privileged and had to be heard in Executive Session. There fore at 9:30 the Council again went into Executive Session.
Since the other "witness'; Corporation Counsel Williamson had claimed Attorney/Client confidentiality his hearing was to follow in closed session.
Briefly, a enough was heard to understand that there was some "hanky panky" involved in the issuance of a $20,000.00 check to WBLS. I will post more later Thursday.
UNITED NATIONS #4
Our Constitution gives every American the right to worship in his own preference. Too often we a s individuals forget that and let our religious bigotry which is unfortunatly inflamed by our religions leadership tp let too many wilfully violate the law of the land.
Recent examples are the protests against the Mosque near the 9/11 site. Another is the public outpouring against the building of the Mosque in Bridgewater. Both are a condemnation of all who practice a specific religion by association with the actions of a small terrorist group bent on destroying our way of life.
The pinical of religious hatred was reach in Nazi Germany which practiced genocide to the degree that 6 million Jews were murdered. A crime that those not actively involved condoned by lack of action. Yet today there are a substantial number of Americans who believe or expound that the Hoacaust is a Jewish Hoax. We let them spread their views since hey are righly so protected by our Constitution. Yet they would deny other faiths their Constitutional right.
This week International religious bigotry perhaps on many sides will be put to test at the UN. Once again not only Israel but the Paletinians are going to be the pawns of power ambitions by political leaders from agressibve states.
Our President is caught between a rock and a hard stone. Our national as well as moral interests lie in preserving the State of Israel a near true democracy albeit sometimes impacted by the actions of a small n narrowminded group of religious zealots. Our humatarian interests are with the needs of the Palastinian Arabs who have never been accepted by the countries to which they fled. Our political needs are very dependened on those Near eastern Nations that control much of the energy we need. .
There is much propaganda about this UN meeting and the Palestinians' request for "nation status". I have posted background material the past two days as a matter of interest. Today I am posting a copy of an editorial from the Washington Post, a most respected independent newspaper. I have boldfaced several important points; the underlined (and blue) parts are as printed in the paper.
Editorial Board Opinion
Once again, Israel is scapegoated
By Editorial, Published: September 12
ISRAELIS WORRY that the Arab Spring is turning from a popular movement against dictatorship into another assault on the Jewish state, and their worry is not unfounded. Last week in Cairo a mob attacked the Israeli Embassy, forcing the evacuation of the ambassador and most of his staff; the previous week the Israeli ambassador to Turkey was expelled. Later this month Palestinians are expected to introduce a resolution on statehood at the United Nations, and Israel could be further isolated if, as expected, a large majority of the General Assembly votes in favor of it.
There’s little doubt that plenty of Arabs and Turks are angry at Israel. But it’s worth noting that, as often is the case in the Middle East, those passions are being steered by governments.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who aspires to regional leadership, has directed a campaign against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and stoked it with incendiary statements. Mr. Erdogan is furious that a U.N. investigation concluded that Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, and thus its intervention to stop a Turkish-led flotilla last year, was legal. He also finds it convenient to lambaste Israel rather than talk about neighboring Syria, where daily massacres are being carried out by a regime Mr. Erdogan cultivated.
The assault on the embassy in Cairo has been condemned by the leaders of Egypt’s popular revolution and by some leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Both they and Western diplomats blame the ruling military for failing to secure the embassy, and they suspect the omission may have been part of an effort to divert rising public unrest toward a familiar target.
In the West Bank, polls have shown that President Mahmoud Abbas’s U.N. statehood initiative is regarded as a low priority by the majority of Palestinians, 60 percent of whom said the better option was resuming direct negotiations with Israel. But Mr. Abbas fears he may be the next target of popular uprising; the U.N. gambit appears aimed in part at preempting that.
This is not to say the trend is benign. Israel is looking more isolated than at any time in decades. It is more than a hapless bystander: Mr. Netanyahu’s government could have avoided a crisis with Turkey had it been willing to apologize for the deaths of nine Turks during the interception of the flotilla, which the U.N. panel rightly judged to be an excessive use of force. An incident in which five Egyptian guards were killed when Israeli forces pursued terrorists crossing the border helped to trigger the upsurge in tensions with Cairo. And Mr. Netanyahu’s slowness to embrace reasonable parameters for Palestinian statehood provided Mr. Abbas with a pretext for his U.N. initiative.
It nevertheless is in the interest of Western governments, as well as of Israel, to resist the counterproductive and irresponsible initiatives of Mr. Abbas and Mr. Erdogan. In Egypt, the military has cited the attack on the Israeli Embassy as a pretext to apply emergency laws and censor the media; those, too, are steps in the wrong direction. The core demands of the Arab Spring have nothing to do with Israel: They are about ending authoritarian rule and modernizing stagnating societies. Scapegoating Israel will not satisfy the imperative for change.
(It will be nice to get back to the Council tomorrow)
Recent examples are the protests against the Mosque near the 9/11 site. Another is the public outpouring against the building of the Mosque in Bridgewater. Both are a condemnation of all who practice a specific religion by association with the actions of a small terrorist group bent on destroying our way of life.
The pinical of religious hatred was reach in Nazi Germany which practiced genocide to the degree that 6 million Jews were murdered. A crime that those not actively involved condoned by lack of action. Yet today there are a substantial number of Americans who believe or expound that the Hoacaust is a Jewish Hoax. We let them spread their views since hey are righly so protected by our Constitution. Yet they would deny other faiths their Constitutional right.
This week International religious bigotry perhaps on many sides will be put to test at the UN. Once again not only Israel but the Paletinians are going to be the pawns of power ambitions by political leaders from agressibve states.
Our President is caught between a rock and a hard stone. Our national as well as moral interests lie in preserving the State of Israel a near true democracy albeit sometimes impacted by the actions of a small n narrowminded group of religious zealots. Our humatarian interests are with the needs of the Palastinian Arabs who have never been accepted by the countries to which they fled. Our political needs are very dependened on those Near eastern Nations that control much of the energy we need. .
There is much propaganda about this UN meeting and the Palestinians' request for "nation status". I have posted background material the past two days as a matter of interest. Today I am posting a copy of an editorial from the Washington Post, a most respected independent newspaper. I have boldfaced several important points; the underlined (and blue) parts are as printed in the paper.
Editorial Board Opinion
Once again, Israel is scapegoated
By Editorial, Published: September 12
ISRAELIS WORRY that the Arab Spring is turning from a popular movement against dictatorship into another assault on the Jewish state, and their worry is not unfounded. Last week in Cairo a mob attacked the Israeli Embassy, forcing the evacuation of the ambassador and most of his staff; the previous week the Israeli ambassador to Turkey was expelled. Later this month Palestinians are expected to introduce a resolution on statehood at the United Nations, and Israel could be further isolated if, as expected, a large majority of the General Assembly votes in favor of it.
There’s little doubt that plenty of Arabs and Turks are angry at Israel. But it’s worth noting that, as often is the case in the Middle East, those passions are being steered by governments.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who aspires to regional leadership, has directed a campaign against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu and stoked it with incendiary statements. Mr. Erdogan is furious that a U.N. investigation concluded that Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, and thus its intervention to stop a Turkish-led flotilla last year, was legal. He also finds it convenient to lambaste Israel rather than talk about neighboring Syria, where daily massacres are being carried out by a regime Mr. Erdogan cultivated.
The assault on the embassy in Cairo has been condemned by the leaders of Egypt’s popular revolution and by some leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. Both they and Western diplomats blame the ruling military for failing to secure the embassy, and they suspect the omission may have been part of an effort to divert rising public unrest toward a familiar target.
In the West Bank, polls have shown that President Mahmoud Abbas’s U.N. statehood initiative is regarded as a low priority by the majority of Palestinians, 60 percent of whom said the better option was resuming direct negotiations with Israel. But Mr. Abbas fears he may be the next target of popular uprising; the U.N. gambit appears aimed in part at preempting that.
This is not to say the trend is benign. Israel is looking more isolated than at any time in decades. It is more than a hapless bystander: Mr. Netanyahu’s government could have avoided a crisis with Turkey had it been willing to apologize for the deaths of nine Turks during the interception of the flotilla, which the U.N. panel rightly judged to be an excessive use of force. An incident in which five Egyptian guards were killed when Israeli forces pursued terrorists crossing the border helped to trigger the upsurge in tensions with Cairo. And Mr. Netanyahu’s slowness to embrace reasonable parameters for Palestinian statehood provided Mr. Abbas with a pretext for his U.N. initiative.
It nevertheless is in the interest of Western governments, as well as of Israel, to resist the counterproductive and irresponsible initiatives of Mr. Abbas and Mr. Erdogan. In Egypt, the military has cited the attack on the Israeli Embassy as a pretext to apply emergency laws and censor the media; those, too, are steps in the wrong direction. The core demands of the Arab Spring have nothing to do with Israel: They are about ending authoritarian rule and modernizing stagnating societies. Scapegoating Israel will not satisfy the imperative for change.
(It will be nice to get back to the Council tomorrow)
UNITED NATIONS #3
President Obama will address the UN today. He may speak on the Palestine/ Israel issue. We will wait to see.
It is unclear if Iran President Ahmadinejad will speak today or tomorrow. Last year when he spoke 21 nations walked out of the Assembly in protest.
Perhaps more later after I read the newspapers. These are trying times.
It is unclear if Iran President Ahmadinejad will speak today or tomorrow. Last year when he spoke 21 nations walked out of the Assembly in protest.
Perhaps more later after I read the newspapers. These are trying times.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
UNITED NATIONS #2
Also crucial to the International scene and probably of greater impact on world affairs; the Palestinians will be petitioning the United Nations for independent Statehood Status, including membership in the UN. Should this be brought up in the General? Assembly they will be granted national recognition based on the pre-1967 war borders.
The United Nations General Assembly consists of a majority of Arab and other Third World nations who in the past have demonstrated nothing but animosity toward the State of Israel. The vote the in that assembly will be indicative of political intent and not based on merit.
A brief history lesson is needed. After World War I the area that is known as Palestine was awarded to the British as a Mandate. In 1947 United Nations’ Resolution 181 I divided the British mandate into an Israeli Mandate and an Arab Mandate; both to be administered by the United Nations. However, the Israeli immediately declared independence as a Nation.
Within a day Jordan with the aid of Syria and Iraq invaded and occupied the so-called Arab Mandate and the Egyptians occupied the Gaza Strip. What followed was the War of Independence. After an armistice was declared; Jordan occupied what is known as the West Bank.
In 1967 the Egyptians blockaded the Persian Gulf and amassed troops in the Sinai. At the same time the Jordanians with the Syrians and Iraqis began military movements along the border. The Gulf blockage was an Act of War designed to cut Israel off from Ocean access. The Israelis in a preemptive strike defeated the Arab armies in what is known as the “Six Day War”.
It was at that time the present-day borders of Israel were defined to include all of Jerusalem. After 1967 when the Israelis occupy the city of Jerusalem they opened the city for worship to all religions preserving the sacred Arab site on the mount. Recall, that the Jordanians had not only denied Jews from their Holy sites including the Wailing (West) Wall but had destroyed and desecrated all Synagogues in the City.
Once again no peace treaty was signed between any of the Arab Nations and Israel, only a fragile truth which lasted until 1973 when the Syrians/Iraqi and Egyptians attacked Israel without warning in the” Yom Kippur war. The Jordanians remained neutral. This war ended with a crushing defeat of the Arabs by an arminister with the Egyptians and a cease fire with the Syrians. At that time Israel occupied the Golan Heights and all of the Sinai to the Suez Canal after relinquishing control of captured Egypt west of the Canal.
Subsequently, after a peace treaty Israel returned all of the conquered Egyptian territory except the Gaza strip.
Unfortunately despite several aborted attempts there has been continuous conflict between the Arabs and Jews. The majority of it has been bombings and rocket attacks on Jewish civilians. This had resulted in counter military action by the Israelis against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah which is supported by Iran but based in Syrian controlled Lebanon.
That is a very sketchy review of the history to date.
The Palestinians could deserve national status except for the fact that they have never acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Over the years after the creation of the state of Israel; people have forgotten that what is known as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were supposed to be mandated territories. Jordan's annexation of the West Bank was unilateral and not part of the creation of the state of Israel.
First and foremost, indeed the 1947 refugees from Palestine have never been welcomed or absorbed by any of the Arab nations to which they fled. The refugee camps remain after 60 years. In fact they were subject in Jordan of its army’s military action several years ago.
The blame for the lack of peace lies in both parties. It is unfortunate that the present leadership in Israel has been motivated more by national politics than I vigorously seeking options conducive to peace. The Palestinians, especially those in the Gaza Strip have been more interesting in creating havoc in Israel on this pursuit of peace the frequent rocket attacks are directed at civilians, women and children, and not part of a military war however there is little or no international condemnation of such actions.
If the Palestinians request is first heard in the Security Council which is likelihood; the position of the United States will be critical. Since 1967 this country has been protect of Israel but the last demonstration has adopted a pro-Arab policy based on world politics and the near East. I what happens in the Security Council is going to be a test of the Obama government. This will be an interesting week to watch 50 impact potentially be world shaking.
UNITED NATIONS #1
A grey depressing day greets us this Tuesday Sept. 20,2011. This may portend the events of this last week of Summer. We wait for the Special Council meeting and on a more universal scale the opening session of the UN.
This will be a tumultuous week in New York City and in the international scene. As the United Nations begins its fall session the major events will undoubtedly be the appearance of the president of Iran to address the assembly. If past performances run true this leader of rouge country which has been secretly acquiring material for atomic bombs as well as developing the capability of delivering them anywhere in Europe, India and Africa. Iran is in the process of developing potential missile to attack the United States, which he has persistently verbally attacked and may be a financial as well as material supporter of terrorists aimed at us.
Recently, probably in anticipation of the UN meeting, after two years imprisonment the Iranians announced that Americans hikers who had been arrested as spies could be given their freedom on payment of $500 million as be. This is really ransom money. It should not be expected that they would return to Iran once they are safely back in America. Iran is no better than the Barbary Pirate nations of the late 18th and early 19th century.
(Part 2 - too long- to follow)
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