Saturday, August 6, 2011
31 reported dead in Afghanistan -- Chinook downed
America had another shock today. News came early from Afghanistan that a Chinook carrying 31 Americans and 7 Afghans had been downed by a rocket in Wardak province. It seems the news came first from Harmid Karzai's office. In a few hours, it was verified that the loss was heavy to Special Force's devgru. There is only one consolation here. This team is always ready to die at any moment. Of course no one thinks it will be 22 of them all at once. The loss is incomprehensible. Words are wasted. Carry on, Seal Team Six.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
President Obama and troops today in Afghanistan, LIVE msnbc
This is a bold moment--we invoke FAIR USE of this SCREENSHOT of msnbc LIVE
Share in good faith only! President Obama is informal with the troops after his speech. Yes, i believe that is Rahm Emanuel also in the picture. The moment is captured by the troops using digital cameras. We really are One World, but we remain proud and dedicated Americans, and to quote the President: "God Bless the United States Armed Forces and God bless the United States of America."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
East Jerusalem has a rocky day ~
The BBC video, Jerusalem, 16 MARCH 2010:
David and Goliath are in full spring display in this proxy of the passion play. Well played by all, only yesterday.
The rocky redux is filmed by BBC in Old Jerusalem, near a site set apart by Israel as an historic place of worship, known as the Hurva Synagogue.
Palestinians from the vicinity are seen to be actively engaged in throwing rocks at Israeli police who appear to be measured in their response, using riot control charges in the the near proximity of the protesters. The video demonstrates riot control with the assist of police dog, and dispersal of rioters by these methods. We see the apparent detention or removal of one or more protesters, which appears orderly.
The latest dispute has erupted over this historic site in Old Jerusalem, established as a place of worship since 1721 and still known as the Hurva synagogue. Destroyed twice, it became known affectionately by Jews as the Ashkenazim word for "heap" because the site lay in rubble for one hundred and forty years from the late 18th until the early 19th Century.
Indeed, the first temple on this particular site, at least as recorded in modern times, lay in a heap for more than a hundred years until European Jews rebuilt it in 1864. Jordon took it out the second time during military action in 1948. The site was regained by Israel in military action in 1967, and was marked by a commemorative arch in 1977 while discussion continued for many years about the restoration of the site with another synagogue.
This is the third historic temple on the site, known to Jews since the Second Century, and is not to be confused with the Temple and Wall at the site of the Dome of the Rock. The Hurva Synagogue reconstruction has been in progress actively for over ten years, since 2000.
The official opening of the site along with Israel's separate and unrelated announcement of plans to allow more Israelis to have licenses to build on the disputed West Bank led to today's clashes. The Palestinian people consider East Jerusalem to be their particular habitat and would assert governance over all of it. Plans for the United States envoy, George Mitchell, to visit in a continued series of discussions towards peace, have been slowed for now.
Yet for all the symbolism, here we are again to assert orthodox and secular must coexist and the recognition of religious sites will continue to define functional boundaries, and should be accepted as part of our shared cultural landscape.
We would wish for our children to share a world where it is customary to be polite and to have respect, born out of familiarity and respect for boundaries and differences--and yet not to be isolated by separateness.
In this neighborhood shown on the video, throwing rocks is just tough love. Please see the BBC's video of the temple site exchange in Old Jerusalem video. ..new.
BBC News - Hillary Clinton affirms US support for Israel after row: "Hurva synagogue"
David and Goliath are in full spring display in this proxy of the passion play. Well played by all, only yesterday.
The rocky redux is filmed by BBC in Old Jerusalem, near a site set apart by Israel as an historic place of worship, known as the Hurva Synagogue.
Palestinians from the vicinity are seen to be actively engaged in throwing rocks at Israeli police who appear to be measured in their response, using riot control charges in the the near proximity of the protesters. The video demonstrates riot control with the assist of police dog, and dispersal of rioters by these methods. We see the apparent detention or removal of one or more protesters, which appears orderly.
The latest dispute has erupted over this historic site in Old Jerusalem, established as a place of worship since 1721 and still known as the Hurva synagogue. Destroyed twice, it became known affectionately by Jews as the Ashkenazim word for "heap" because the site lay in rubble for one hundred and forty years from the late 18th until the early 19th Century.
Indeed, the first temple on this particular site, at least as recorded in modern times, lay in a heap for more than a hundred years until European Jews rebuilt it in 1864. Jordon took it out the second time during military action in 1948. The site was regained by Israel in military action in 1967, and was marked by a commemorative arch in 1977 while discussion continued for many years about the restoration of the site with another synagogue.
This is the third historic temple on the site, known to Jews since the Second Century, and is not to be confused with the Temple and Wall at the site of the Dome of the Rock. The Hurva Synagogue reconstruction has been in progress actively for over ten years, since 2000.
The official opening of the site along with Israel's separate and unrelated announcement of plans to allow more Israelis to have licenses to build on the disputed West Bank led to today's clashes. The Palestinian people consider East Jerusalem to be their particular habitat and would assert governance over all of it. Plans for the United States envoy, George Mitchell, to visit in a continued series of discussions towards peace, have been slowed for now.
Yet for all the symbolism, here we are again to assert orthodox and secular must coexist and the recognition of religious sites will continue to define functional boundaries, and should be accepted as part of our shared cultural landscape.
We would wish for our children to share a world where it is customary to be polite and to have respect, born out of familiarity and respect for boundaries and differences--and yet not to be isolated by separateness.
In this neighborhood shown on the video, throwing rocks is just tough love. Please see the BBC's video of the temple site exchange in Old Jerusalem video. ..new.
BBC News - Hillary Clinton affirms US support for Israel after row: "Hurva synagogue"
Saturday, December 19, 2009
time and a place and a purpose
The darkest hour of the year approaches as our planet follows the wobbly, oblong way to the tipping point, as if we were all together estranged from our own sun. Then at the last possible hour, we right ourselves to sail into the sea of another year's infinity.
This is the year to be. Just imagine how next year--2011--will be a replay of 1999, which should have been a year long party, like the Prince song. Outside the distraction of all the urgency of being "Y2K" ready, it was a good year or two if you were in the computer business.
The end of the Mayan calendar cycle of thirty thousand years at the end of 2012 is an excellent place to start over and this is a good thing to remember for perspective. Thirty thousand culturally documented years is a big thought drawn out in a glory of circles on some old stone somewhere in the jungle, so so long ago.
Now that we think of it, this is momentous enough to start early.
Cheers to 2010, because there is a good chance we will all fare as well or be better than in '09.
Some years stand out as excellent. Some years are annus horribilus. Some years seem to be about marking time.
This year could be the one that begins to break the mold. This could be the season of changing our minds--of clearing out the junk that does not belong in the here and now. The effort of naturally happy people will drive the toxins from our bodies and our lives. This emergent trend of doing it ourselves is the liberation that lifts us out of cubicles and bubble worlds.
No need to get nervous now--wiled away hours are allowed as we let the new wings dry.
Just say no to the obscure and leave it to sillier minds. Have some sympathy and tea, and hey--as the bold ones like to say, watch this.
Blogging out of the blue,
ettability
This is the year to be. Just imagine how next year--2011--will be a replay of 1999, which should have been a year long party, like the Prince song. Outside the distraction of all the urgency of being "Y2K" ready, it was a good year or two if you were in the computer business.
The end of the Mayan calendar cycle of thirty thousand years at the end of 2012 is an excellent place to start over and this is a good thing to remember for perspective. Thirty thousand culturally documented years is a big thought drawn out in a glory of circles on some old stone somewhere in the jungle, so so long ago.
Now that we think of it, this is momentous enough to start early.
Cheers to 2010, because there is a good chance we will all fare as well or be better than in '09.
Some years stand out as excellent. Some years are annus horribilus. Some years seem to be about marking time.
This year could be the one that begins to break the mold. This could be the season of changing our minds--of clearing out the junk that does not belong in the here and now. The effort of naturally happy people will drive the toxins from our bodies and our lives. This emergent trend of doing it ourselves is the liberation that lifts us out of cubicles and bubble worlds.
No need to get nervous now--wiled away hours are allowed as we let the new wings dry.
Just say no to the obscure and leave it to sillier minds. Have some sympathy and tea, and hey--as the bold ones like to say, watch this.
Blogging out of the blue,
ettability
*show me what you can do*
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