Humanities & Culture
PeopleBy badknee
3 weeks ago
The "Balloon Boy" incident really puts parenting on the forefront. Let me think how this dinner conversation went. OK Falcon, when I start yelling, hide in the closet. I'll make the world think you are in this mylar balloon that is held together with duct tape and chewing gum and it is floating into space. Mayumi, you handle the camera. All the rest of you kids pretend Falcon is still in the balloon. We'll get famous. From there I'll get the PR rolling and we'll build a better spaceship than Richard Branson.
As things would unravel, the whole plan was uncovered. Richard Henne wasn't quite in the spotlight, he was more like a pack of fries under the heat light at McDonald's. Things got hot and someone was about to spread salt on the wound. That salt shaker would be in the shape of Larry King. Henne tried to coach the un-coachable Falcon. "If Larry asks you any questions, what ever you do, don't say it was for the show. You got it, DON'T mention us wanting to get on television. Just pretend, cry a little bit. Maybe limp if you have to."
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World AffairsPolitics & OpinionsBy LadyLight
7 weeks ago
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By now most of you have probably seen or heard of the full-functioning, efficient Israeli field hospital run by the IDF in Haiti, leaving the other nations which sent rescue teams (including the United States's) behind in the dust.
I first saw the video below on A Soldier's Mother and Arlene From Israel. It is now all over the blogosphere (especially the JBlogosphere), but I am reproducing it here specifically for my readers, many of whom are not that familiar with Jewish blogging or blogging in general.
It is a sight to see: CNN, no lover of Israel, praising her for speedily setting up a full-functioning, efficient hospital capable of medical imaging and surgery.
What's in it for Israel, you might ask? First of all, would you ask that of the United States in its humanitarian efforts? All countries should be held by the same standard. However, if that question were asked, hypothetically, the answer would be: what's "in it" for Israel is doing good and saving lives. This willingness to speedily do good we call in Hebrew "zerizut."*
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EntertainmentMediaBy ausetkmt
8 weeks ago
YELEHaiti's boots on the ground in Haiti; helping the Haitian People By POD313
for the past five days, just like tonight we watched footage of the devastation in Haiti. late thursday afternoon while watching the news we saw a piece from one of the major relief agencies saying that they thought you shouldn't support YELEHaiti. Honestly in light of the circumstances, it was both disheartening and shocking; to hear such a major organization spew negativity on Wyclef's organization. knowing that we have made several donations to YELEHaiti, we wondered why any organization would attempt to dissuade anyone from making a donation to a known organization; with a great track record of charitable activism in this area. for those of you who don't know - Wyclef Jean IS Hatian. Since 2005 Wyclef has tirelessly provided for the people of Cite Soleil and Belvedere, through his charity YELEHAITI. we've featured his work projects and his fundraising event videos here on this blog. it's widely known that Wyclef is more popular with the Hatian people than even their president. So this attack on his charity totally blindsided us. it's almost as though this charity who made this negative statement about Wyclef's foundation, didn't have any dirty laundry. we all remember the massive mis-use of donations following Hurricane Katrina by several leading charities - including the charity who made these disparaging statements. just a fyi to the charitywatch folks - as proof of your stupidity |
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Law and SocietyMiddle EastBy david 2000
2 months ago
Propaganda can be a very effective ploy in promoting false viewpoints and opinions and has been used by the Arabs with great success in the Israel-Arab conflict.
No more has this been evident than in their concerted and continuing efforts to mislead and confuse world opinion in relation to the location of the geographical entity once called “Palestine” and the allocation of sovereignty that has taken place within that territory between Jews and Arabs over the last 90 years.
These are not esoteric statements but have real practical consequences for any lasting solution – be it “the two state solution”, “the one state solution” or any other solution that might be proposed for ending the territorial claims by both Arabs and Jews to the territory once called “Palestine”.
Arab propaganda has created the impression that Israel is located on 78% of Palestine whilst the West Bank and Gaza comprise the remaining 22% of Palestine - thereby claiming that the Jews possess sovereignty in the major part of Palestine.
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World AffairsPolitics & OpinionsBy halthouse1
4 months ago
According To The White House That Is
What does it take to be considered a viable news outlet by the Obama administration? Put another way, what type of news delivery is considered to be welcome and what type is considered persona non grata in the White House press room? In the new way of doing business in Washington, to be welcome there is only one way to both gather and dispense the news; with blinders on the eyes, a government issue mouthpiece and/or muzzle, earplugs and a closed mind.
Simply put, as long as you tow the line, report what they want you to report in the way they want you to report it, ask nothing tougher than fluff questions and get tough on citizens who for one reason or another may disagree with policy (i.e. Tea Party participants), you will have earned your way to the first class section of Air Force One. Divert in any way from this path, and you will find yourself on the runway or with an aggressive administration attempt made against your credibility and very existence.
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Law and SocietyMiddle EastBy caitlyn
5 months ago
 Last Sunday Fareed Zakaria, the host of GPS on CNN, opened his program with an analysis of the Iranian nuclear crisis. He started by saying: "A moment of truth is arriving on the Iran Issue. Western countries will have to face up to the fact that there are only really two choices with Iran: one, a military strike, effectively preventing the country from continuing to expand its nuclear capacity; or, secondly, learning to live with such a capacity." Up to this point Zakaria was 100% correct in his assessment. The current talks with the Iranian regime have produced no concrete results and based on comments by the Iranian government they never will. I can understand why President Obama wants to give diplomacy every reasonable chance at success. If nothing else it provides the U.S., and perhaps by extension Israel, some diplomatic cover with the rest of the West when the inevitable war with Iran comes.
Zakaria went on to describe some of the consequences of a strike by either the U.S. or Israel on Iran. Once again he was spot on: |
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