A Strange, Yet Familiar Trajectory

 Huma Abedin and Alex Soros are getting married today.

Just a recap, in case you don't remember who any of these people are:  

Huma was a top aid to Hillary Clinton and was married to, presumably what she hoped and thought was, an up-and-coming politician.  It all went down in flames when the politician, Congressman Anthony Weiner became mired in scandal for actions similar to the kinds of things Bill Clinton did and got-away with.  Weiner, unlike Bill, did not get away with it and spent time in prison after his conviction. The parallel to the Hillary-Bill relationship is obvious.  One might speculate on who was the more fortunate:  Bill or Anthony: Bill got to be president and never went to prison, but on the other hand, Huma is actually beautiful and Hillary has never been, at her peak, better than lower-mid.  I don't know how charming Abedin is, but it's hard to imagine her being as off-putting as Hillary.  So, I rate the luck of the two men as a tie.

Alex Soros is the son of the famous billionaire and is also a billionaire. The parallel I see here, is that of Jackie O.  The widow of a US president, marries a billionaire and ensures that she has the kind of lifestyle she's become accustomed to.  One twist:  Jackie was younger than her new husband and as the wife of a glamorous former US president, she brought him enormous prestige.  Huma, carries some mixture of prestige, her close association with powerful people, but she is older and was humiliated by her former husband.  Perhaps, given Soros' age and ambition, Huma won't be a bauble like Jackie, she will propel him to power.

Time will tell.

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Islam and Dogs

I've long considered the abhorrence of dogs to be a great weakness of Islam.  Dogs were fundamental to human development. Divorcing ourselves from them is a betrayal to them--who adapted to life with humans and a betrayal of our human heritage.

Here is ChatGPT's summary of dog's significance:

1. Co-Evolution and Domestication

• Dogs are likely the first domesticated animal, with genetic evidence pointing to domestication as early as 15,000 to 30,000 years ago.

• Humans and dogs underwent coevolution: both species adapted to each other, with dogs evolving to better interpret human communication (e.g., pointing, facial expressions) — a trait not shared by even chimpanzees to the same degree.

• Some anthropologists argue dogs helped shape human societies, particularly in early foraging and migratory cultures.

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🏹 2. Hunting and Survival

• Dogs improved the efficiency of hunting, especially in Ice Age and early agrarian societies.

• This partnership may have increased caloric intake, which had downstream effects on survival, population growth, and expansion into harsher climates.

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🛡️ 3. Protection and Early Settlement

• Dogs acted as sentinels, warning of predators or intruders, which may have enabled more stable sleeping and gathering arrangements.

• This protective role may have supported early sedentism, allowing humans to settle more safely in one place.

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🧠 4. Social and Emotional Impact

• Dogs likely played a role in social cohesion and emotional bonding, similar to how they do today.

• The oxytocin feedback loop (the hormone tied to bonding and love) between dogs and humans mimics parent-infant relationships, suggesting that dogs tapped into human neurobiology in a unique way.

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🏛️ 5. Cultural and Religious Significance

• Dogs appear in ancient mythology, art, and burial practices, from Egyptian Anubis to Neolithic burial sites where dogs and humans are interred together.

• This indicates they weren’t just tools or animals, but were emotionally and spiritually integrated into human life.

My investigations into the Islamic case against dogs, comes out modestly less critical of Islam than earlier:

Summary:

• The Qur’an does not forbid dogs — and in some places, implies they are noble and useful.

• Negative attitudes come from Hadith, not scripture, and interpretations vary.

• In many Islamic cultures, dogs are respected for working roles (herding, guarding, therapy).

• Keeping dogs as pets remains a culturally sensitive but not universally condemned practice in Islam.

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