Photo, left: Houthi logo reading "God Is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam"  See Hour 3, Block B, Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents.
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-host: Thaddeus McCotter, WJR, The Great Voice of the Great Lakes; and author, Liberty Risen
Hour One
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 1, Block A:   Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re:   Boko Haram overruns Multinational Joint Task Force base  Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters assaulted and took control of the Multinational Joint Task Force base in Baga, Nigeria. The base was used by troops from Nigeria, Niger, and Chad to conduct counterterrorism missions.    US drones hit 'good Taliban' commander's compound in North Waziristan  The Hafiz Gul Bahadar Group was the target of the attack, and a "high-value target" is reported to have been killed.  (1 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 1, Block B: Thomas Joscelyn, Long War Journal senior editor, & Bill Roggio, Long War Journal and FDD, in re: Analysis: Osama bin Laden's documents pertaining to Abu Anas al Libi should be released  A top al Qaeda operative known as Abu Anas al Libi has died in US custody while awaiting trial. Several documents recovered in Osama bin Laden's compound discuss al Libi after he was released from Iranian custody in 2010. These files should be released to the public.    (2 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 1, Block C: LouAnn Hammond, DrivingtheNation.com, in re: Lions were diverted by an umpire's call [no mention of Gov Christie's orange sweater].   Las Vegas CES!  Panasonic, Audi (autonomous car), Mercedes -  all the toys. Cisco put the cloud inside a car; can maximize whichever passenger's data plan is [cheapest and] most effective.  JBS interrupts a dinner with Dr. Werner Struth, chairman of Robert Bosch LLC and member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH.
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 1, Block D:  Gordon Chang, Forbes.com, in re: Sony cyber-attack: North Korea calls US sanctions hostile  North Korea has described new sanctions imposed in response to a major cyber-attack . . .    North Korea troubles.  Hong Kong troubles.  China troubles.  Nothing good will come from Hong Kong regulators' imposing a whopping fine on Moody's for issuing a warning on Kaisa, the Chinese developer that just defaulted on an HSBC loan. [more]    Maoists in China Given New Life: Attack Dissent; Document 9.   Xi, China's powerful uncle
 
Hour Two
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 2, Block A:  John Fund, National Review Online, & David M Drucker, Roll Call GOPpers column, in re: McConnell: I think the single best way we have to influence policy is through the spending process. And in recent years we’ve sort of handed all the power over to the president by not functioning, by basically giving him [continuing resolutions] or omnibuses, which empower him to thwart congressional intent. So, what are the kinds of bills that have the best chance of getting on his desk — in other words, enjoying some Democratic support? Appropriations bills. And, we’d like to at least have him accept responsibility for what he’s doing by either vetoing the bill or retreating by signing it. So I think those are very important priorities.   . . . We’re certainly looking at the reconciliation process. It’s also important to note that to actually succeed on either repealing or taking chunks out of Obamacare, it would take Democratic votes. And the whole idea behind reconciliation is the thought that it’s going to be Republicans only. So, if we actually want to try to put something on his desk that we might be able to override the veto on, it’s going to have to be pieces of it. For example, we know the medical device tax repeal enjoys a lot of Democratic support. But we’re still looking at all the various approaches. Can you do more than one reconciliation? That’s a big thing under consideration right now.   (1 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 2, Block B: John Fund, National Review Online, & David M Drucker, Roll Call GOPpers column, in re: Menendez: Confirming a new ambassador to Cuba will be 'very difficult'  Any nominee to fill that slot would be subject to a vote by the Senate.    Keystone XL showdown kicks off new Congress   The new GOP-led Congress is looking to send an early message that their agenda doesn't align with Obama.   Obama to Push Plans Ahead of State of the Union Speech   President Obama will spend the days before the State of the Union address rolling out economic plans, in a shift from previous years when the White House has kept a tight lid on proposals to be announced in the speech.    Mia Love supports Steve Scalise: 'He should stay in leadership'  Love praised Scalise for his "humility."  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced on his Fox News show that he is leaving the network to consider another bid for the Republican presidential nomination. (2 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 2, Block C:  Harry Siegel, New York Daily News, in re: Retired NYPD cop finds Chinese translation to poem on line-of-duty plaque for Officer Wenjian Liu's parents   A retired cop, who spent 33 years in the NYPD, found a Chinese restaurateur to translate a sentimental Irish poem so Liu’s parents — who speak no English, and had just lost their only child to senseless tragedy — could find some tiny measure of consolation from it 
On each plaque, along with pressed flowers, is a poem Loud found in an Irish store in the Bronx that begins:   To my dearest family, Some things I’d like to say; But first of all to let you know, That I arrived O.K.  . . .  And continues through 22 more such stanzas. Loud had originally bought 100, but was down to his last copy when he realized he'd need to translate it into Mandarin for the grieving parents of Wen-jian (Joe) Liu, Chinese immigrants who’d lost their only son when Liu and his partner Rafael Ramos were gunned down as they sat in their car on Dec. 20. [more]
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 2, Block D:  John Tamny, RealClearPolitics, in re: Peter Thiel's books on innovation and investing.  October 24, 1907: J P Morgan gathering up chits from bankers (in the panic of 1907). Fifteenth Amendment and the Federal Reserve Act. Gates, Brin, Paige.  Uncle Sam's tax laws. Peter Thiel's Excellent Business Book Is Spectacular For Its Economics    The wise education skeptic in Peter Thiel knows that entrepreneurialism can't be taught in schools, or even described in a book.  So while his insights on innovation are very interesting, what makes Zero to One a classic are the various economic lessons, including his essential description of how investors like him value businesses.  His explanation, combined with the floating dollar cheered by Monetarists, Keynesians, and even some Austrians, explains well why innovation has become less frequent in modern times.  
 
Hour Three
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 3, Block A:  Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re: Mahmoud Abbas bid to join the Intl Criminal Court (the ICC) -  to use lawfare against Israel rather than negotiate, as negotiation would wreck his control over the Palestinian people. He and his colleagues have a delicately-balanced organization that generates a great deal of money for him and his crew.  PA is represented in UN by Jordan.  The fight here is between Fatah and Hamas, which latter opposes the ICC effort as Hamas would the  lose a great deal of money. Meanwhile, if PA goes to ICC, of which US and Israel are not members, then by Congressional mandate Palestinians would lose $440 million. Moreover, if PA in some manner succeeded in joining, all Palestinian regimes would immediately be subject to ICC spotlight for their patent illegal deeds within the last several years, esp during last summer's Gaza war.  Erekat said, "We'll just close up shop" – but they haven't much of a shop right now. Why is Maschaal travelling to Turkey?   Erdogan and Maschaal called for an Independent Palestine; Maschaal then went to Iran to create a tripartite axis, counterbalancing Jordan and the UAE.  More arms from Iran to Gaza, apparently also from Turkey to Gaza.  Hezbollah: For the first time, Shi'as control four capitals - Yemen Lebanon Syria Iraq - and soon Sudan.  Very short-range missile with very heavy payload: to shoot into Israel. Also: ISIL close on the Syrian side; an alliance. Israel is taking precautions; rebel groups near the border; al Nusrah (al Qaeda).   (1 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 3, Block B: Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re:   US will take in 10,000 Syrian refugees, Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem made a lot of money in high tech; very creative, vigorous and confident. Was chief of staff to Bibi.  The middle and lower classes are suffering economically.  [Very rapid, comprehensive summary of current Israeli politics.]  Next election in Israel: on St Patrick's Day.  Yemen:  can get even worse, is a critical player, underestimated, almost zilch attention thereto even though Ian has bragged that it now can have  a chokehold on the strait. The Houthis, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Iran, moving into the area around the Sanaa Governorate – where Western-supplied missiles are located; these could be used vs. UAE or Egypt. The bases could fall to the Houthis, Highly dangerous.  In Yemen, Mugri is designated as successor to the present king, who’s been ill for a while. Meaningful succession plan in place. (2 of 2)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 3, Block C:  Michael Ledeen, FDD, in re: The Iranian death spiral continues
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 3, Block D:   Michael Tomasky, in re:  The Democrats's Black Hole and What They Can Do about It
 
Hour Four
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 4, Block A: A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention, by Matt Richtel  (1 of 4)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 4, Block B: A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention, by Matt Richtel  (2 of 4)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 4, Block C: A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention, by Matt Richtel  (3 of 4)
Monday  5 January 2015  / Hour 4, Block D: A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention, by Matt Richtel  (4 of 4)
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