PM Netanyahu Deals Iran’s Nukes Another Blow

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “Blowout of Iran’s Nukes.

As Iran continues to develop its nuclear weapons program and sponsor terrorism around the globe, as PM Netanyahu promised, Israel and the U.S. are on to them, and they will not let it happen! A little more than 70-years after the Holocaust that murdered 6,000,000 Jews, Iran will not be allowed to pose an existential threat to Israel and a danger to the entire world.”

Hopefully, the good people of Iran can change their tyrannical leadership, otherwise the blowout at the UN yesterday will be only the beginning. 🙂

Inspector Inspects Starbucks

This was the first time that I have ever seen an inspector in Starbucks…

See the lady in the white lab coat with hair cap and gloves…

Ah, she stands out like a saw thumb in contrast to the other staff person in the traditional green Starbucks apron. 

So I would imagine that she’s not a doctor moonlighting as a barista!

She was checking here, there, and everywhere. 

At this point, she was taking out the milk and looked like she had some thermometer like device to make sure it was cold enough and not spoiled. 

Honestly, I was impressed that they have this level of quality control in the stores. 

We need more of this to ensure quality standards as wPhotoell as customer service — here and everywhere in industry and government. 

There is way too much dysfunction, inefficiencies, politics, power plays, turf battles, backstabbing, bullying, lack of accountability, unprofessionalism, fraud, waste, and abuse, and mucho organizational culture issues that need to be–must be–addressed and fast!

Can the inspector that inspects do it?

Of course, that’s probably not enough–it just uncovers the defects–we still have the hard work of leadership to make things right–and not just to checklist them and say we did it.

I wonder if the Starbucks inspector will also address the annoying long lines on the other side of the counter as well? 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Looking At Ourselves In The NUKE Mirror

Any deal is based on T-R-U-S-T and verification, especially when it comes to dangerous nukes. 

Yet the deal with Iran–a member of the “Axis of Evil” and the #1 state sponsor of terrorism worldwide and of the worst abusers of human righs is trustless, especially when verification mechanisms are weak and Iran is non-complaint?

So where’s the trust headed now (has anything changed, what are the signs so far)?

T – Turning away – Iran continues to turn away and refuse access to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) who are tasked with the verification of Iran’s non-proliferation of nukes.

R – Restraining people – Iran continues to disrespect us and holds 4 Americans hostage with no sign or promise of release. 

U – Undermining – Iran continues to undermine any relationship with the West by affirming that hostile policies toward “arrogant” America will not change. 

S – Swindling – Iran continues to swindle and deceive the West going so far as to publish a 416-page manifesto by the Ayatollah on destroying Israel, “the ally of the American Great Satan.”

T – Threatening – Iran continues to threaten the West most recently warning of a “Third World War” sparked by terorrism, and continuing chants of “Death to America!“

So what’s the future of this deal in protecting the world from nukes and terrorism–let’s be honest and look in the mirror and ask what’s the deal here? 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Die Bed Bugs, Die

So our daughter went off to college and brought us home a present–bed bugs!

This was the worst–at first we didn’t understand why we were getting itchy bites.

Eventually, with some research and inspection, we figured it out

We tried to treat it ourselves–powders, sprays, encasements, and more–all to no avail.

We also threw out all the bedding and even the beds.

We were losing sleep and patience–big time.

We finally hired a serious exterminator who brought in these huge heaters and blasted our place for about 6 hours at something like 140 degrees.

That should kill those and any other buggers bothering us.

When I got home–it was an oven and I couldn’t even change my clothes because the workers were still here at it.

I spent 5 hours cleaning up afterwards in the boiling house and even with all the windows open, it was like an oven and impossible to sleep last night–tossing and turning.

It was hell, but hopefully it’s over–may I never see another vermin like this again. 😉

(Source Photo: here, although Lynnwood is not the company we used, you get the idea)