Author: sereshk

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“Weapons of Mass Destruction” – The Trump-Bush Similarity – Then Iraq and Now Iran: There’s Oil There…

Image of the three flags of the US, Israel and Iran
Image licensed via Adobe CC

When you look at some of the news in relation to the recent strikes from Israel into Iran, at recent Trump ‘messages’ – you cannot help but wonder…

Who is using whom here?

When in the early 1990s the 2nd Gulf war started – and when finally in 2003 more strikes against Iraq led to Saddam Hussein’s capture and death, it was clear already that contrary to US-interests Hussein after decades of support from the US and oil prices to their advantage started to cut loose.

So, to the world the US announced that there were “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq to be taken care of. And thus they went in. The results can be seen to this day: Iraq after more than 20 years is still struggling to get to its feet.

For Hussein in Iraq it was his ‘Swan song’: Iraq has too much oil for the US to ‘let him go’.

The same holds true for Iran.

The whole of these operations and war have been at least partly prepared for during the first stay in office of that sorry excuse for a man called Trump.

He cancelled the contracts with Iran that had been reached after 10 years of negotiation to control Uranium enrichment.

Netanyahu is proven to have needed support to stay in office in Israel. He has for many years driven the situation in Gaza to breaking point  – the age-old method of kings as well as dictators and other leaders of state to cover up internal problems with a war in foreign countries; in order to try and ‘unite’ people behind them again.

Not only does the Israeli people not want all of it!
All the cruelty and killing could have been prevented. Long ago!
And still, my greetings also to all the good people in the US, because there are more against Trump’s politics every day! And they protest, loudly and consistently.

But, here comes the ‘scoop’:

Should this war lead to the downfall of the present regime in Iran, the ‘olden times’ of suppression of Iran by the US will return:
Because, just as during the regime of the last Shah in Iran, the US received the lowest possible prices for oil and gas in return for their support.

Blackmail. Extortion. That’s what this is. Shame on Trump, Netanyahu and also Putin, should he support them.

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The Near East Outrage: Israel’s Attack Does ‘Help’ … How…?

Picture of near east region on drawing of globe
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Destroy Iran’s nuclear programme to build nuclear weapons…? Helloooo…? Remember the times – of Trump’s first stay in office?

Did you forget that it was Trump who cancelled the contracts with Iran on controlling Uranium enrichment that had been reached with all concerned after more than ten (10!) years of negotiating?

Are Netanyahu and Trump now completely out of their minds?????

This region has seen so much suffering, so much death, destruction and killing – unbelievable! For money alone. Oil. Power. Nothing else.

In Los Angeles already we see that apparently Trump has taken Hollywood movies and his upbringing in a military school (school…???) to heart:
Just bring out the troops and call the attack…???

Shame on you all!!!

Mr Donald Trump, I need to ask this here and directly: “How old are you anyway?” The 12-year-old launching his army of toy soldiers, playing at hero games?

It would be ridiculous in almost all other cases.

It stares you in the face that this is just one of those cover-ups, cruel, useless, heartless and mean.
Both of them have ample need to cover up for other misdeeds, problems or, in Trump’s case, actual crimes: Bribery, sexual coercion, corruption – and he has been ruled guilty on 34 counts in front of a legal court of law of the US!

In this case I would spit in your faces should you ever have the luck to meet me in person.

Shame, shame, shame!

Author’s note: It should be clear from all my writing on these subjects that I aim at a carefully researched and as far as possible clear as well as judicious view.

I do not think that at this point especially, any of the parties concerned in this war, conflict which seems a eulogism really, could be called ‘not guilty’, innocent.

Do cut this short, it’s like this, people:

Whatever your colour, creed or conviction, you are not supposed to kill, torture or molest other people. Period.

2nd Author’s note: We all know that the first thing to die in a war is the truth. Don’t let them fool you. Use all the reliable sources you get. And remember to differentiate between what has been published – and what we sometimes learn years later. Therefore, think of that old principle:

Cui bono? Who benefits?

3rd Author’s Note: The history of this war is long. And Netanyahu, as I have recorded elsewhere already, from his first day in national politics there was known as a so-called hardliner. In Israel itself!
There that is short for those people advocating a cold and hard dealing with anything Palestinian. They, Netanyahu especially, do systematically send Israeli settlers into Gaza. Netanyahu has done so for many years and thus has driven the situation to breaking point.
That the Hamas is not to be excused for those recent cruelties and murders of hostages I mention to make it clear again. It should be a matter of course.

Once more:

    • Modern wars especially, always had long stretches of time before actual military actions started that would have allowed to negotiate for truces – and eventually peace.
    • The Iranian alleged programme for Uranium enrichment to build nuclear weapons for many years was meant for peaceful use only.
    • Trump already during his first stay in office cancelled those contracts that had been reached after more than 10 years negotiating! (s.a. above)
    • Iran during its long history due to its rich soil and huge natural resources of oil and gas has been target of all the ‘super-powers’ for more than 200 years, be that Russia, or France or Britain in the early days. Or the Soviet Union, France again and the USA in later times.
    • In Iran they have enough reason to fear attacks.
    • When we look at the Israeli secret service, the Mossad, we see that it is one of the most far reaching of all of them.
    • Every other secret service has learned from them. Too.
    • As a German I was raised with awe and at the same time a huge sense of responsibility to prevent such things happening again, extreme right-wing politics taking power here in Germany.
    • The Holocaust is a dreadful and cruel sign of human potential for baseness.
    • Yet, what also has become clear, is the fact that such baseness is human – and can be found anywhere in the world.
    • These recent attacks and the recent history of this war are one proof of many for that.
    • Two things also stand out almost like a big swelling on the human forehead:
      • Whatever your colour, creed or conviction, you are not supposed to kill, torture or bother other people. Period.
      • War is not a destiny! War is man-made – and can be prevented – if the weapon industry is for it…

Addition: One voice of very many more from Israel itself can be found on LinkedIn, screenshot taken at 2025-06-15 06-13-06, local time:

Screenshot of a LinkedIn post stating the disagreement of a man from Israel with the war there.
Screenshot taken on LinkedIn on 2025-06-15 06-13-06, local time (UTC+1).
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The View on Things and People — Perspective or Judgement?

Photo of lighted glowworms in a forest clearing at night
Image by Yuri from Pixabay — Glowworms at night

Perspective is another word for a view on things — or the world. Our view on the world can be mutli-faceted — or rather singular.
It depends on how we grow up, what we see and learn – and how we learn to deal with people and things — and how to judge them.

What now? ‘Judge’?
I am just thinking here, you might say.

Of course, in a broader sense, judging is what we do when we determine our view on something, or somebody.
In many cases what we see and hear is what we go by.

But blind people for example will tell you that going by your visual impression alone can easily lead to mistakes.
Equally, deaf-mute people will tell you that ‘going by’ the sounds or words spoken will easily lead to mistaken impressions.

But if that’s so easy to mistake what would you ‘go by’ then?

It needs an open mind and it needs patience. Neither people nor things can be judged quickly — although many people tend to do that — and a good understanding comes with time — and knowledge.

A very popular example is the reported reaction of a group of deaf-mutes watching the former US president Clinton when he spoke on his relations to the young lady that eventually caused his resignment from office: They smirked and laughed out loud until asked what was going on? And they answered: “But he is lying, it’s so obvious…”

Whatever the reason or the occasion, if we want to make this world a better place we would want to check our view — our judgement — of people as well as situations carefully.

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Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder — And How Does It Get There…?

Images of a world map and historical buildings as well as a clock to signify history and its perspectives
Images licensed via Adobe CC

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” — it’s so simple, really, but true. When we look at something or somebody we will be looking with ideas of what to expect. Of preferences.
Of Fashion.
Our dependence on being ‘fashionable’. ‘In’.

I was raised on the idea that being your own true self based on the basic values of a community was preferable to being ‘popular’.

There were also times when the typical bullies were coming after me… I was very young still and it took me quite some time to realize what was at the bottom of such behaviour.

Something that grown-up bullies retain in other ways.

But how about beauty? Isn’t it universal, especially these days?
All around in movies, on TV and the internet you see people advocate or advertise that being thin is ‘beautiful’.
And at the same time, being beautiful or ‘attractive’ seems to be most important.

Many people equal ‘being beautiful’ with ‘being lovable’. That to my mind makes for a lot of unnecessary pain and unhappiness:

As long as you judge people form the outside only — the ‘cover’ as it were — you will stay there — on the outside… superficial.

But in life the real things are connected with our minds, our hearts and the body.
So, if we imagine ourselves being in love for such superficial reasons, chances are that we will ‘fall out of love’ as soon as the ‘paint comes off…’

Beauty is an idea of fashion these days, too.

Fashion is commercialised. So is the Western concept of beauty.
And what is hard to come by can be sold at a higher price.

These days almost anyone can easily be well-fed. Everywhere that concept of beauty reigns, food comes in cheap varieties.
In many countries around the globe that also are ‘online’, being very thin is not that easy anymore.

Result:
The less easily attained appearance of being thin is proposed to be beautiful — and desirable. Thus the associated fashion is expensive. Both hard to come by: The rule of supply and demand applies.

There have been interesting researches into the reaction of more natural communities far away from Western civilisation.

They were confronted with photos of modern fashion models and they were not only stunned…they actually asked if those women were sick and close to dying – for being that thin…?

In former times, a good, round figure of a man or woman was considered desirable.

And people with some experience know too, there is more to it than meets they eye — of the beholder…

Venus of Willendorf (c. 30.000 years old figurine) as shown at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, in January 2020. – Wikimedia Commons, picture Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
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US-American Politics are Policies… Science — or Not…?

shadow shape of bird of prey, a vulture
Bird of prey – eagle? – vulture – Image free license courtesy freepik.com

These days the next step in destabilizing a democracy of sorts is being executed:
Famous universities are not only denied the government funds they have a right to — they also are severely pressured by hollow statements and threats:

That Israel’s hardliners, most prominent Netanyahu, are driving a cruel and hard ‘bargain’ in order to cover up their dwindling support among voters is clear to all who have studied matters for some time.

That other people protest openly against the Gaza politics is only to be expected. To put that in one with anti-Semitism is ridiculous.
Whatever your creed, colour or conviction, you are not to kill, harass or torture other people. Period.

The present criminal holding the office of president in the US, called Trump, has together with his ‘consort’, of course, prepared this for years.

What it amounts to is this: Destabilizing the legal, the administrative and the scientific pillars of a democracy are in keeping with his complaints of alleged ‘fake news’ whenever media report facts about him that are diminishing to his image as a hero — when in fact he is a convicted criminal.

Do not let them — or him — fool you: He is neither stupid nor insane: Just true to his past and ‘consorts’: incredibly greedy and selfish.

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Faith, Hope, Love: Love is the Greatest – Coping with Hard Times

Image of a hole in a hedge shaped like a heart and opening a view through the foliage.
Image by biancamentil from Pixabay

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.​​​​​​​”
(St. Paul, 1st letter to the Corinthians, 13,  bible translation: New King James version)

Why Love?

As a Christian or generally religious person you might argue that faith and hope should be first?

I’ve been through many hard times. I still consider myself lucky, compared.
Especially these days!

​​​​​​​Yet, I had lots of opportunity to find out about what really helps. There may be your loved ones sick. You may have lost your job and be wondering why – and what to do now. You may have lost a love – and be wondering, if there will be anyone else, ever.

Many of my readers will be able to come up with more examples, and perhaps worse ones, too.
Times when hope or faith seem to be shallow compared to the pain you suffer, the losses you experience, material and immaterial, or the hopelessness you face when catastrophe strikes.

I’ve found out about some fundamentals that are true and can help to make the burden a little lighter I’ve found.

There’s the Christian adage of neighbourly love. Because, as regards yourself and others, it’s perhaps the most wonderful truth:

“Love thy neighbour as you love thyself.”

It puts it all in a nutshell:

We cannot really like or love others if we do not like ourselves too. But, how much? There’s the egotism we find, not to say egocentric point of view in quite a number of people.

And here comes the measurement in one simple sentence, phrase even:

“…as you love thyself.”

That’s what you can start practicing. It helps to take care of ourselves in ‘sickness and in health’.
And it provides the healthy amount of attention and care to pay to others.

Love, it’s at the core, again: It’s not so ancient, the idea.

And the most interesting fact that is known now, is this: After WW II many babies were orphaned. Taken to hospitals and children’s homes to be taken care of.
They were kept warm, clothed, sheltered and well-fed and nursed, when sick.
And still many of them died.

It turned out that they did not get the love and loving attention that you see in a family, usually.

They died from lack of love.

Adults sometimes lose all hope – of love and life. And they can feel so desperate that the try taking their own lives.
That’s a sad thing to know about.

That’s why love, self-esteem and kindness/friendship are crucial in human life.

The last yet not at all least remedy we know is laughter:

Laughter?

Yes indeed. It not only is fun and exhilarating.

It’s been proven that it strengthens the immune system.

It relaxes you, thereby enabling the blood to flow easier. It triggers the so-called endorphins in your body to be created – and they in turn make for joy and relaxation. And the red and white corpuscles that way become strengthened. Which is important because the white ones ‘fight’ things such as inflammation, the red ones carry oxygen.

Take it one day at a time. Even one hour at a time.

And look out for love and for laughter.

 

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Cruelty and Violence, the ‘dreadful Sisters’ — Remedy: Real Values: Other than Unlimited Wealth

Image of a father teaching his children by reading books with them - and 2nd image of an open book with two pages shaped into a heart
(Images licensed via Adobe CC, my graphics)

The founding myth of a society such as the US-American one is simple and as follows: Work hard or even harder to get rich — that way proving to all and God that you are favourable to God. Since the rich are God’s favourites.

That value is probably the most damaging and destroying one ever to be posed throughout the history of mankind:
All is fair — that is any means to that end: becoming rich — is good and even fair in God’s eyes.

Religion in general is one way of posing understandable values and rules for a society to live by.
It also fulfils the human need for transcendence, so the philosopher Fromm tells us.

When we are lucky, those rules are not just about limiting everything to a bare minimum — but about the real health and joy human life has to offer:

Combining heart, soul and body in ways that make you smile, like yourself — and thus enable you to like others (more).

And interact with a sense of community so the welfare of all is at the back of people’s minds.

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Revealing Meddlesomeness of a Government: The US, the Right Wing Populists and Germany’s Constitutional Rights

Photo of European and German flag in front of German parliament, Berlin, Germany
European and German flag in front of German parliament, Berlin, Germany (licensed image via Adobe CC)

The present government in the USA does impress observers with a fundamental lack of: Prudence, or sense of community, or indeed the actual knowledge of right and wrong in an ethical sense!
Just looking at their own statements and recent actions.

They actually dare to meddle in internal, German affairs on an international level!

Would be ridiculous too, if not sad, really.
Revealing: Sign of decadence and the actual interest in extreme right-wing (far-right) contacts….

The AfD, the political party concerned, has been proven to be extreme-right-wing, as well es populist, umpteen times, over and over again. They are not only a danger to democracy but additionally they frequently make inhuman statements into the bargain!

When and if a jurisdictional  body states openly, and starts discussing publicly, to forbid a political party in Germany, that is no trivial matter!
That, my ‘friends’, is serious!

I’d like to put it this way in the direction of the US government and its representatives:

Be very aware of your behaviour and statements, internal as well as international US affairs — you might be taken on your word and made responsible for it — in courts of law.
Soon — or in the future.

Note: On the latest news concerning Germany’s ‘Verfassungsschutz’ (internal intelligence agency) declaring the AfD to be a far-right political party.

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It’s Not a Bug, It’s a Feature — or: Listening in — or: the (Non)-Smart Home — or: Never Assume

Woman in kitchen holding mobile phone looking at devices with drawn blue highlighted connectors towards her phone
(Image licensed via Adobe CC)

In this world of digital devices and internet connections, faster every day, basically, the so-called IoT, the Internet of Things, for some time now has made a sad appearance and fashion of sorts: The devices connecting to the internet through integrated hardware, such as your Smart-TV, your ‘smart mobile’ — or simply the Smart Home devices such as Siri or Alexa, listen in…

Indeed, it’s a fact: If not switched off deliberately, such devices will record and transfer spoken words, in many cases. Just like that…

What is particularly interesting, is the ‘eavesdroppers’ paradise: People who for the sake of curiosity — or simply to gather information — listen and start assuming…

I have seen it time and again: People observe or hear certain words or situations – and start assuming… Based on a few facts — and a lot of ‘reasoning’, which in fact is just your basic assumption.

These assumptions can be wrong. A nice example is the clip below from the movie “Desk Set”, with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. It makes it clear too, how easily we can be wrong when trying to interpret.

I always think, should you overhear somebody in anger, swearing, letting off steam, as it were — and would assume general views of that person, you might come to sadly wrong conclusions…

I’d like to create more awareness of these things: It’s sooo easy to be mistaken. And can lead to such sad results, depending on the situations…

In other words: Never assume.

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A Great Soul, a True Visionary and Fine Human Being Dies: Pope Francis — Rest in Peace

Image of Pope Francis in Prato
Pope Francis in Prato — Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons, date: 10th November 2015

Pope Francis was a thinker and a man of the people. The ‘pope of the hearts’ he has been called. A great soul has died today, after a long period of ill health and sickness.

When he became pope I felt for the first time for many years that there was still hope for the Catholic church. I was raised a Catholic and since have widened my ideas.
But the actual basis to my mind, the gospel and thus the idea of neighbourly love are some of the most fundamental truths and ideas to carry us through life, and indeed hard times that you can find.

Pope Francis knew this — and lived by it more than many of his predecessors, the respective pope of the Catholic church in the course of the past one hundred years.

Billions of people live by this creed, Christianity and Catholic confirmation. The Vatican statistics of 2024 state that across the globe the number of Catholics actually increased.

Whatever your respective confirmation or creed may be, Pope Francis deserves a special attention and mention as well as high respect for his achievements.

He “brought the church back to Earth” — the well-deserved tributes paid him are perhaps comprised this way best.

Rest in peace — requiescat in pace — a great soul, human being, and true visionary.

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