reddit Pic

Photo by Albert Dros

Headlines

'Ideological soundness': How a China skeptic sold Trump on a trade war

A potential Trump impeachment is a 'huge risk' for 2019, expert says

Pope calls for world love ...

2nd migrant child dies in U.S. custody, says Fed's

German president warns of polarization fueled by social media

Retail is on pace for worst December ever, but new year rally could be ahead

BOOM: Strongest holiday retail sales in years ...

McCaskill on Ocasio-Cortez: I'm a little confused why she's the thing

Trump invited to visit Turkey

Indonesia says avoid coast near volcano, fearing new tsunami

Debt up $1.37 billion since last year; $10,743 per household ...

Iraq makes Christmas a nation holiday

Headlines

Al from Internet news sites. Guess which from Breitbart?

Senate GOP gets breathing room as tax plan advances

Terry McAuliffe and Tony Rodham sued over green card investment scam

[NKorea] Missile lands off Japan coast ...

Winning: Consumer confidence breaks another record, hits 17-year high

Black Caucus members press Conyers to resign

Trump: NK missile launch will bring Democrats to negotiating table

Europe HIV epidemic growing at alarming rate ...

... [Gloria] Allred still won't turnover hoax yearbook

Court sides with Trump in CFPB leadership dispute

Trump is rolling back two massive national monuments in Utah

Tourists, authorities feel heat as Bali volcano keeps airport closed

... [NKorean] ICBM could reach mainland USA

Bali Hai

The island of Bali is a Hindu enclave in the Muslim nation of Indonesia, It is populated by simple, peaceful people who generally are quite artistic and industrious. It is likely the island alluded to in that song "Bali Hai" in the famous Rogers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific." I have never been to Bali but my daughter spent three months there many years ago and her stories of her time there painted this island as both exotic and mysterious ... albeit quite hot and humid. In fact my daughter said that the standard greeting there was (in Indonesian) "have you bathed yet"? Interestingly, she also indicated that it was a favorite sex stop for Australian female tourists.

Since her time there, Bali has suffered a very serious terrorist attack where 202 people (mostly tourists) were killed ... see: Wikipedia Entry ... as well as other more recent terrorist threats. Now this erstwhile paradise is again threatened ... this rime with a volcano, Mount Agung, which is spewing ash over the island and has closed down the airport ... see: CNN Story.

It seems that paradises, like Bali and beautiful, idyllic St. Barths (which was recently devastated by two hurricanes) somehow attract both natural and man-made disasters ... as though too much of a good thing, like at Eden, is just unacceptable to the gods and man. Nature doesn't just abhor a vacuum, she also doesn't like paradises very much.