Something to Know - 12 September

1.  We get our news and factual data from a strange collection of resources these days.  Charlie Rose interviews Bashar Al-Assad, and now Putin writes a contributing editorial for the New York Times.  Strange things in strange times.  After you have read this op-ed by the Russian leader, you really have to reflect on how the use of social media (yes, that includes newspapers) applies to our perception of the world these days:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

Before I get to the next piece, I just want to express my feelings about how President Obama went to a full-court press in getting all of his key administration officials and HIMSELF involved in stirring up support for military action in Syria.   I want to express my personal disappointment that he DID NOT display the same effort toward his Affordable Care Act, which the GOP and the Tea Baggers are using as a rallying point to defeat his agenda.  Shame on him.

2.  Now, while the Anniversary of September 11 came and was somberly memorialized, the lunatic fringe of the extreme right used the occasion to continue a distasteful and sleazy way of honoring the president who got us out of the mess that Bush created:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-conservatives-use-sept-11-to-attack-obama/2013/09/11/a6622090-1b32-11e3-82ef-a059e54c49d0_story.html?hpid=z2

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Juan

 
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

-- Thomas A. Edison