Saudis empty Death Row for Syrian Jihad; Egyptian Army Launches Offensive Against Al Qaeda

BALTIMORE, Maryland September 19, 2013 - Saudi Arabia Frees Death Row Inmates, Sends them to Syria to Carry Out Jihad against Assad government: Even as obama declared that the Syrian problem was solved so he could stop dabbling in foreign affairs and get back to his true passion: implementing his far left agenda here in the USA, the flash points in that perpetually troubled part of the world seem only to multiply.  There is a report now that the Saudi Arabians have emptied their death row and sent all the inmates to Syria, where they are instructed to declare jihad against the Assad regime.  A number of web sites - most with only lightly camolflaged agendas - say that between 1200 and 1300 inmates have had their death sentences commuted and even provided with a monthly income in exchange for agreeing to fight in Syria against the Assad regime.  The Saudi government will continue to "host" the inmates families to coerce their continued participation against the Syrian government.  So, as the Americans attempt to supply arms and other assistance to the rebels, the rebels are increasingly a far worse crowd than Assad.  Egypt's Military Junta sends 20,000 troops to Sinai to roust Al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic Terrorist Groups Dug In There:  A reliable source has told Fox News that Egypt's Military Government has sent 20,000 troops to the Sinai in an effort to free the legendary desert of a coalition of Islamic Terror Groups said to be massing there.  In recent weeks there has been a number of pitched battles between the Egyptian Army and Al Qaeda-backed terror groups which had been pouring into the Sinai during the brief reign in Cairo of Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.  Things had so badly deteriorated in the Sinai that the Israeli resort town of Eilat, at the head of the Red Sea, came under direct attack from Sinai-based terror groups on August 13.  The terror groups are said to be fighting back against the Egyptian forces.  Last week up to nine Egyptian Soldiers were killed when an IED exploded under a bus carrying troops in the Sinai.  In Baltimore, Community Concerts at Second begins its 27th Season on Sunday:  One of the true perks of living in the city is the music series known at Community Concerts at Second.  The Second refers to the venue: the beautiful and accoustically wonderful Second Presbyterian Church on St. Paul Street in the Guilford section of Baltimore.  Each month from September to May the group sponsors two free concerts at Second Presbyterian.  One concert takes place in the later afternoon on a given Sunday and features a chamber group or soloist.  The other concerttakes place on a different Sunday evening and features chamber works performed by members of the renowned Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  As a regular attendee of the evening concerts, I have witnessed some of the most superb performances imaginable.  Each concert typically features three works, each performed by different musicians.  The works include all of the classics along with a sprinkling of new works.  When I started attending about seven or eight years ago the church was typically about half filled.  But the audiences have increased of late and last year there were many concerts that played before a nearly packed house.  Admission, as I say, is free, but a collection plate is kept at the door and most people contribute $10 or $20, which is far less than a concert would cost were it held for profit.  The first concert for this season is Sunday, September 22 and features the Aspen Trio, which will be joined on one work by Pianist Boris Slutsky.  The concert starts at 3:30 pm with Beethoven's Piano Trio is D Major, opus 9, No. 2.  Following the Beethoven piece will be Martinu's String Trio No. 2, H. 238.  After an intermission the concert will conclude with Mr. Slutsky joining ranks to perform Dvorak's Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat, opus 87.  On September 29 at 7:30 pm members of the BSO will perform three works.  In the first, BSO Flutist Marcia Kamper will perform a Flute Sonata composed by Otar Taktakishvili (1924 – 1989).  Ms. Kamper will be joined on Piano by Lura Johnson.  Following that work, Oboist Michael Lisicky, and Pianist Katherine Needleman will perform Three Romances, opus 94, by Robert Schumann.  Concluding the concert will be Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, opus 25.  The musicians for the Brahms work include Ivan Stefanovic on violin, Peter Minkler on viola, Kristin Ostling on cello; and Lura Johnson on the piano.  Beginning last season the evening concerts are performed without an intermission, which gets the audience out a bit sooner on Sunday evening, but isn't necessarily an improvement in my most humble opinion.  The web site for information is http://www.communityconcertsatsecond.org/index.php.  Orioles Revive, Maybe in the Nick of Time:  When the Orioles lost three straight home games against the Yankees last week, it looked like their playoff hopes had fallen by the wayside.  A long road trip awaited the Birds, who were battling five other teams for two Wild Card berths in the playoffs.  But baseball is a redemptive sport and just when all hope should have been lost, the Orioles came back to life.  They won two out of three in Toronto over this past weekend, then landed in Boston where they have won two straight thrillers against the league-leading Red Sox.  As I write this on Thursday afternoon, Tampa Bay, at 83-68, leads the Wild Card by one game over Texas (82-69), and those two teams conclude their series in Tampa tonight.  One-half game behind Texas is Cleveland at 82-70.  Then come the Orioles at 81-70, a mere one game out of the second Wild Card position. Both Kansas City and the Yankees are at 80-72, two and one-half behind Texas.  The only other team not mathematically eliminated is the Angels.  At 74-78 they are eight and one-half behind Texas.  The magic number for eliminating Los Angeles from the Wild Card is 3.  Any combination of Texas wins and LA losses totalling three will end the Angels' hopes.  They are 7-3 in their last ten games, which is better than all the teams in front of them.  What do they say about too little, too late?  John Lackey (9-12, 3.56 ERA) starts tonight for the Red Sox.  He will be opposed by Orioles' ace Chris Tillman, (16-6, 3.70 ERA).  Tillman this year is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA against Boston, including an important win on August 29 when he held the Sox to two runs over seven innings.  The Orioles fly to Tampa after the game to begin a pivotal four game series against the Rays.  The last three will be afternoon affairs.  After the finale in Tampa Monday afternoon, the Orioles return home to conclude the regular season.  They will play three against Toronto and three against the Red Sox at Camden Yards.