Mass Movement Continue to Rock the Arab World

It started with a fruit vendor in small villiage of Tunisia. Sick of government bureaucrats making his life miserable, he poured gasoline all over himself and set himself ablaze in front of the local municipal building. It was the pebble that started an avalanche of mass protest across the region against totalitarian governence. Tomorrow could be another big day, Libya is engulfed in a full fledged civil war with international intervention. Syria, Yemen, and Bahrain all face serious potential protests. Saudi Arabia and Iran are at a low simmer. It should be interesting to see what unfolds as thousands go out for Friday prayers. This is the biggest shakeup in the Arab world since WWII. How things play out this Spring will have effects for decades on oil prices, global human rights, and terrorist threats.

Monday Morning Notebook (03.14.V2-4)

*The devastation in Japan over the weekend once again shows us, as humans, that no matter how complex and advanced we build our societies, that there are forces of nature much more powerful then we can ever control. What we do and say here in the long run may prove quite insignificant, but it is all we have so we continue on in the face of this harrowing tragedy.

*Right now, no news is bad news for the Pittsburgh Penguins in regards to Sidney Crosby's health. With him still suffering symptoms this long from a concussion that occurred in early January, I now have significant doubts we will see him play again this year. You can't rush back a franchise guy for this year’s playoffs; it’s too risky long term for his health. Without Crosby, or fellow superstar Evgeni Malkin, the Pens should be an easy first round out for the Bruins, Capitals, or Lightning.
***BIG UPDATE***
Crosby did skate today for the first time since early January, a sign that off ice work has been going well for at least a week. If he continues to progress with no setback of symptoms you can expect him to practice with no contact in about another week.

*Fridays "Day of Rage" in Saudi Arabia passed by without so much as a whimper. "There were so many police in the streets you could not even think of protesting," said one anonymous dissident. Security forces got way out in front of this one in the Oil Kingdom, but the question remains, how deep is the bottled up rage in the world's leading oil producer?

*The New Jersey Devils won yet two more overtime games over the Thrashers and Islanders over the weekend, proving my law of averages predetermined downfall theory for them off once again. They have climbed back to .500 for the year and are within definite striking distance of the 8 seed in the East with 14 games left. I still predict they fall short of getting in, but only because the also hot Maple Leafs do...

*The massive triple disaster earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown in Japan pulled all attention away from the crisis in the Arab world. Absolute total destruction from nature has all humanity feeling for the Japanese, but the stock market was up on Friday with hopes of $$$ from reconstruction efforts. Ladies and Gentleman: Market Capitalism at its finest.

*The 4-12 spots in the Western Conference are so tightly packed that there is no way of telling how it will shake out. The only thing we can do is wait, watch, and enjoy the race.

*It looks like the showdown over funding the Federal Budget for the rest of this fiscal year will continue to drag on in a week to week mode. Both long term plans failed to even come close to garnering the needed 60 votes in the Senate, so another 3 week short term plan has been floated to keep the government running. Who knows what it will take to find a middle ground between the GOP house, White House, and something 60 Senators can agree on. Right now they aren't even touching the vast majority of the budget and haggling to death over domestic discretionary funds, which is like an argument over the change jar while the fiscal house burns down around them.

And so it begins...

Security forces are clashing with protesters in the Shitte majority Eastern city of Qatif. Police have fired on protesters in the oil rich Kingdom where all public demonstrations are banned. Calls have gone out for a "Day of Rage" tomorrow after Friday prayers. As far as international oil prices are concerned, Saudi Arabia is THE big one, so if the protests there have any sort of a whiff of destabilizing the established order... Well, as Samuel L. Jackson would say: "hold onto your butts!"

Update on Arab Revolutions

Obama calls on Gaddafi to step down in Libya, okays use of sanctions. It is obvious that any moral standing Gaddafi had is long gone, but will sanctions and harsh rhetoric really accomplish anything? At what point do his actions against his own people warrent direct action by the UN Security Council? Ideally, Obama can get desired results without using force in this growing North Africa/Mid-East unrest. Saudi Arabia will remain the tipping point however, I believe. If there is an uprising in the heart of the Arab Kingdom like we have seen elsewhere in that part of the world, it will no longer be a tenable choice for the rest of the world to sit on the sidelines.

Civil Unrest in the Arab world

Saudi Arabia to spend billions in social welfare to further placate their populous. The royals are freaking over protests across the region. I am torn, I like democracy for all people of the world, but fear economic harm from gas prices if SA does fall into turmoil. Libya moves toward freedom, more pain and casualties then Eygpts uprising. I support them in their brave efforts to overthrow a tyrant. I hope Iran is next. I would also like to see new free peoples alliance bloc formed in the region to oppose the dictatorial regimes monopoly on power.