Hillary vows not to use the term Illegal Immigrant

I don't believe that there is anything wrong with this term. Some immigrants are legal others are not. A nation has every right to determine which people it allows into its country. I am not even sure whether Hillary believes in her apology (it wouldn't surprise me as she is documented liar and possibly a sociopath) but clearly her remarks here are designed to appeal to the party's powerful left wing base. The U.S. can do so much better than electing Hillary as its next president. If she does become POTUS it will be a great shame for that her scandal ridden legacy should be associated with the first female President of the US.

Reports on Turkey buying oil from ISIS

Plot thickens but it makes complete sense. Erdogan is using ISIS to expand Turkish clout in the region at the expense of Iran. ISIS also serves a role in fighting the Kurds who are of course a thorn in Turkey's side as well. Remember that ISIS wants to recreate the caliphate of yesteryear which was basically represented by the Ottoman Turks for the latter part of the last millennium. Modern Turkey is the successor to the Ottoman and it wouldn't surprise me if Erdogan has ambitions in this regard. His policies towards Israel clearly indicate that he intends to lead the Sunni vanguard against the Jewish state (Iran is responsible for the Shi'ite effort) which is always a useful strategy to unite Muslim voices. He will joust with the Gulf State on this issue but he has more of a military footprint. An immediate problem for now is that Turkey is a NATO member (legacy of the Cold War). It is therefore in the best interests of the West that Turkey be booted from this organization (or at least pushed to the sidelines). The country is not aligned with Western interests which is ultimately what NATO stands for.

The Economist

I was an avid reader of the Economist in the 90s. The articles were generally well written and informative which definitely appealed to me. That they reflect a certain form that punches from the top is an immediate observation and after a while one can start reproducing with ease the magazine's trademark literary style. However I grew tired of the Economist and by 2000 or so I ended my subscription. Part of the problem with the Economist (as its name indicates) is that it ten...ds to view every almost all political issues through the prism of finance and commerce. While this can be useful at times I find it overly reductionist, lacking in the human element and dismissive of the complexities of history that almost always extend beyond such a model. I also found their cheerleading of Free Trade as a global panecea - a position that I have very much lost sympathy with - to be tiresome and off base. In a sense the Economist is the voice of right-of-center internationalism. It is the ideas and thoughts of the Davos elite and it reflects a nihlism that at times cynically and unecessarily scoffs at the traditions of Western Civilization.I find this postition odious. Now this is not to say that I won't read the magazine again (in fact I purchased one at the Airport last week) as it is more palatable in smaller doses but there is only so much of its armchair pontificating that I am willing to tolerate on a more consistent level.

World Cup Rugby - Kiwis take Webb Ellis Trophy

The New Zealanders have managed to repeat as World Cup Rugby Champions after defeating the Aussies 34-17. Hardly a surprise as the level of depth and all around excellence of the Kiwis was outstanding. On a broader level though the 2015 tournament was a much improved version of 2011 with admirable performances by Argentina, Scotland and Japan adding to an electrifying mix. England disappointed but it was partly to be expected given their locale in the Tournament's Group of Death. As for the Boks - they leave the tournament with dignity after a humbling defeat at the hand of the Cherry Blossoms in their opening game. They pushed the New Zealanders to the final whistle and did well to secure a third place overall finish. Full results did well to refelect the order of power in today's World Rugby theatre. Pretty much as you were.