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Springtime for the Taliban: Afghanistan Needs a New Model
March 17, 2009 by A. Allan Juell, Writer · Leave a Comment
Perhaps the biggest disappointment to come out of eight years of American intervention in Afghanistan is the apparent inability of the Afghans themselves to decide what they want to be when they grow up. Sure, that sounds like an average dose of lip service in this climate unless you consider the UN definition of "a failed state." Afghanistan currently ranks seventh on the Failed State Index (FSI), a sort of Unfortunate 500 for dysfunctional nations. Somalia and its happy band of pirates is number one. For the purpose of perspective – out of a total of 177 UN recognized countries.
Previous US administrations somehow came upon the idea that the American model of a democratically elected government in a highly secular and tribal chunk of real estate was just the thing "to bring peace and stability to the region." Where have we heard this wistful speech before? Probably somewhere between "winning the hearts and minds," and if all else fails we'll carpet bomb the daylights out of them until they come to their senses. How does a country with a little more than 250 years of civility conclude that one system fits all, that it is the right system, or if it is even that useful of a system? More importantly, is it exportable?
The US has spent more time in Afghanistan than was invested in all of World War II and Korea combined. To date, the Afghan government has made little progress toward establishing anything close to a stable government. The country continues along the same path of sectional violence, the US led coalition now morphed into the role of neighborhood cop. A great unifying tactic if it wasn't for the body count. The State Department meanwhile pushes the importance of elections and parliamentary process, which totally ignores the traditional power structures of Afghan society; those that encompass family ties, community obligation, and whichever interpretation of Islam that gets practiced in the neighborhood. All eyes are told to look to the West. Perhaps a better answer lies much closer to home:
Today the Turkish nation is called to defend its capacity for civilization, its right to life and independence – its entire future.
–Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, 1920.
Kemal (Ataturk was added later – something like 'Father of the Turks') had just made a pretty remarkable set of announcements. They included:
- The end of the Ottoman Empire. Well, it was almost dead before World War I anyway.
- The abolishment of the Caliphate. (Political authority under Islam.)
- The formation of the secular Republic of Turkey.
- The unacceptable state surrounding British occupation.
And the need for the Armenians in the east and the Greeks in the west to relocate elsewhere. There was no place for Orthodox Christianity in the new Republic.
About the Man
Mustafa Kemal was born in Salonika (now part of Greece) in 1881. Most of his early history has been revised so often that most versions lack credibility. Raised in the Muslim faith, a product of military schools, he later served with great distinction as a Lt. Colonel and division commander at the battle of Gallipoli, orchestrating one of the greater defeats the allied forces suffered in the First World War. A great fan of the West and particularly The Enlightenment (having been assigned to Paris and the Balkans at varying points), he also fully embraced the potential power of the media, using newspapers (often his own creations) extensively in his nationalist pursuits. Above all, he believed that the only way to save Turkey from complete partition by the allied powers was to establish a modern, secular republic. In his words, "Islam and civilization are a contradiction in terms."
The Background
Things were going badly on the western front for the British and French in World War I. Russia was taken out by both the Nationalist and Bolshevik revolutions. Britain's attack at Gallipoli, (Australian and New Zealand forces, ANZAC) was aimed at knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war. Instead it turned into a rout. Britain then tried to turn the Arabs (with T.E. Lawrence's deft assistance) against the Turks, promising them an Arab state for their trouble. Naturally that was a lie, the one apparent constant in British colonial policy. The Allies won the war, the Ottoman Empire was partitioned by the Treaty of Sevres creating what today are known as Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and of course, Iraq. The Sultan was left in Istanbul as a British puppet and Kemal fled to Ankara with plans to turn Anatolia into his new republic. He was able to deceive the British and the Arab world just long enough to consolidate his forces in Anatolia, a process pushed along by his creation of opposing media outlets. The Arab world believed he was fighting to preserve the Sultan and the Caliphate, the British assumed that his services were already on the colonial payroll. By the time the British realized his intentions, they were already outgunned, out-manned and out maneuvered. In 1923, they signed the Treaty of Lausanne ending hostilities. The Republic of Turkey was born.
Much of the internal struggle dividing Islam and adding fuel to sectarian violence seems to surround the Caliphate, which is best described as both a person and a thing. One of the chief splits in Islam, the chasm separating Sunni and Shi'a communities is based on the interpretation of Muhammad's successor as sole authority on Islamic law. Each side accuses the other of being usurpers in a centuries long dispute over who has the right to read the mind of a dead prophet. Many political and social issues in Islam today fail to achieve any real clarity while the two camps continue to hold on to conflicting interpretations of religious doctrine. This is further complicated (or exasperated) by the very notion of Islamic Law, a shadowy domain where the words of the prophet Mohammad somehow hold credence with something as innocuous as the local traffic code. By all accounts it is an archaic system, one reminiscent of The Inquisition, but accepted in many quarters of the Muslim world. Judging its validity is not the point, accepting its existence is, for the idea of belief is not validated by the structural framework of a society, though it is that very framework that accelerates the rift. Kemal argued that Islamic Law was part of the "nomadic Bedouin custom," totally unsuitable in the development of a complex, modern society. That is difficult to argue against given the global interaction of nations today. Countries like Egypt and Israel have both found it necessary to operate parallel courts to accommodate issues of marriage and personal conduct, but not civil law. Religious law as the fundamental tenet of a nation is little more than locking the door and keeping the key. All social, educational, and political exchange stops. No common ground is allowed to exist on this dogmatic, unilateral dead-end street. America was founded on the premise of religious persecution elsewhere, that in turn, sanctioned by the state. The road to modernity through democratic ideals couldn't traverse the murky ground of theological interpretation. Noted historians, Will and Ariel Durant once stated that "the Bible is a great book, a great tale, but if you had to live by it, you'd go crazy." Then again, modernity may be our point, not the point.
Constantinople (Istanbul) had been the official seat of the Caliphate since about 1514. The last recognized Caliph was Abd al Majid II who with his family was exiled to Paris following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Kemal found this action necessary in order to create an Islamic republic based on civil law, not theology. This was naturally viewed as an extreme form of heresy, particularly in the Sunni Arab world, complicated further by the establishment of language laws that reverted Arabic to second class status in both government and religious proceedings, though some laws were moderated later. In itself, this was an offshoot of his policies on nationalization, but it also played into his desire to create a literate, inclusive society. Again, in opposition to fundamentalism which he saw as "a way of promoting intellectual stagnation" by authorizing religion to define social progress, including the very function of government itself. Oddly, the Caliphate seemed to end there. Saudi Arabia did not attempt to re-establish it at Mecca, undoubtedly since it would threaten their position as an absolute monarchy, and it was only briefly claimed by the Taliban following the Soviet departure from Afghanistan.
Kemal was brilliant in many ways, but he was no saint. His orchestration of the Armenian exodus was as brutal as any forced deportation. He stacked the military with believers in his own cause and seemed more than willing to arbitrate disputes at the gallows. Within Turkey he was seen as both savior and despot; in the fundamentalist world, a Doenmeh (a closet Jew), an alcoholic, a homosexual, a womanizer and a heretic – personal attacks that continue long after his death. The real truth is as clouded as the newspapers Kemal himself used to create. Yet today, Turkey remains a somewhat stable republic in the middle of one of the most volatile regions on earth. Not perfect, but functional.
Lessons for Afghanistan
The opportunity for a more progressive society in Afghanistan was probably lost shortly after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. In the vacuum that followed, the same Mujahedeen we once funded became the Taliban we now hunt. Instead of rebuilding schools and infrastructure, promoting education and a sense of inclusion, we simply walked away, leaving the task largely to under-funded NGO's and a lot of wishful thinking. The Taliban, falsely claiming the right to the Caliphate sought to force an Islamic state on the people of Afghanistan as an alternative to both communist autocracy and western indifference – two models of what they saw as a similar dysfunction. The United States supplied much of the fodder for the Taliban position by reinforcing beliefs that Islam alone would see to the needs of the Afghan people, faith having been the sole unifying factor over ten years of Soviet occupation. Education should have been the tool of choice to defeat a return to fundamentalism, not merely the establishment of a western leaning central government, manufactured primarily as a base for US influence in the region. No one seemed interested in the greater investment in literacy, the real slayer of despotism, secular or political, and the one indispensable ingredient in democracy. Afghanistan claims a 28% literacy rate among men, women an even more dismal 12%; Turkey, 87% overall. The Taliban know this and they fear a literate populous far more than anything our armories can ever produce. But we can't export a system if nobody can understand the instructions.
Turkey's example may be a harsh one by American standards, but it allowed the time necessary to go from a shooting war to the process of nation building in a realistic time frame. That element of time is probably what has always hampered American foreign policy, the impatience inherent in the very system we seek to sell. Any parent will tell you that it takes twenty years or so to educate and develop a child into an adult. Americans tire of foreign intrigue as quickly as they tire of presidents. This lack of continuity is not only a result of the fickle nature of American politics in general, but the bad decisions orchestrated by a system in constant flux. We don't even bother to apologize since the person that set the policy is never around to finish it anyway. When Kemal died in 1938 from chronic liver disease, he left behind a far more literate society than he inherited. Right or wrong in his methodology, he did bequeath them the tools necessary for choice, the one thing the fundamentalist camp can never accept.
The question for Americans is whether we can endure a long-haul assignment, one that begins with security and ends with an informed society, one that just might decide that our model isn't their model. That's the risk of intervention. If US policy is confined to simply destroying the Taliban, then we've already lost this one. If something else is on the table, this would be a pretty good time for a new President and a revamped State Department to explain just what that might be.
Hillary's Trip to Asia: A Foreign Policy Reality Check
March 10, 2009 by James Mutti, Contributing Editor · 1 Comment
President Obama ran his election campaign on a slogan we all now know – "Change We Can Believe In." However, I have always been skeptical of Obama's ability or commitment to bring fundamental change in US foreign policy. Obama's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's February trip to Asia, as well received and heavily covered as it was, has only confirmed my skepticism. Here's why.
First, while Clinton's words in Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and China were a departure from Bush's simplistic might-makes-right foreign policy, they weren't too different from the foreign policy followed by her own husband, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan (you get the idea). Obama's foreign policy "change" appears to be a return to how the US has conducted foreign policy since World War II. That is, we work cooperatively within the UN, NATO, and other alliances; we engage other countries diplomatically; we don't declare preemptive wars; we promote a certain type of economic model; we support nuclear non-proliferation; etc. While this is undoubtedly better than George W. Bush's foreign policy, it doesn't look like a fundamental foreign policy shift. Nor does it bode well for those optimistic that President Obama will base his foreign policy on human rights, as many had hoped for during the campaign.
Admittedly, I did start out happy with how Clinton was conducting herself during this trip. She discussed relevant issues in the countries she visited and met with officials, students, and activists. People seemed to be generally impressed with and charmed by her performance. However, after following her trip for a while, I began to feel like it was just that–a performance. She was saying what she needed to say (and not saying what she needed to not say) depending on where she was, and her priority was selling the US, President Obama, and herself to officials and the public. This was sorely needed after eight years of George Bush, and while she showed her serious professional side as well as a softer personal side, Clinton is a seasoned, hard-nosed politician who surely understands the realities of being the only global superpower's top diplomat. Realpolitik rules. Mushy sentimental support for human rights does not guide international relations or foreign policy. Clinton did after all vote against a Congressional bill to ban the use of cluster bombs in civilian areas because it would make her look weak on terrorism (her new boss supported the ban).
The dissonance of her message was most jarring when comparing her speeches in Indonesia to those in China. She wooed and flattered her Indonesian hosts by talking up their democratic government, their thriving and diverse civil society, and the inclusive positive example they show to the Muslim world. China was another matter. Before she even arrived, Clinton emphasized that human rights concerns would not interfere with major issues like the economic crisis and global warming. She curbed her earlier harsh criticism of China's human rights record in favor of other topics (which, to be fair, were not much easier to confront). While implying human rights are a marginal issue was not music to the ears of human rights advocates, it is consistent with US foreign policy historically. Human rights have had their place when they support US policy, but are always easily swept aside when they don't. So far, the Obama administration doesn't seem to offer a change from this realist worldview.
This is not to say that changes are not likely on the horizon. Obama is certainly charting a different course than George Bush did. His early choices about China, Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria indicate a new tack, and he is making a concerted effort to clean up the US image in the world's eyes. Human rights may be more important to President Obama than many previous US presidents, but Clinton's stance in China makes it clear that they will not be the guiding principal of his foreign policy. The US participation as a mere observer at the recent UN Human Rights Commission and its boycott of the UN Conference on Racism also show that Obama's administration is wary of treading new ground in the defense of human rights.
So then what is Obama's guiding principle for his foreign policy? Not surprisingly, it appears to be essentially the same as every other US president–to protect and promote American interests abroad. This definition clearly leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Obama has pledged deeper and more sustained diplomatic engagement with allies as well as enemies–even Iran! Cuba! Venezuela!–in an effort to forge constructive relationships across the globe. As a caveat to this policy, Obama has explicitly said he will act in such a way only if it is in America's self-interest.
Fair enough. This is the president's job, and the reality is that US foreign policy probably will never be guided by any principle other than American self-interest. I understand this, and though it sounds amoral and opportunistic to my ears, I understand the necessity, and benefit, to advance a flexible foreign policy in an effort to engage with as many other countries as possible. And, in reality, should it be any other way? Maybe what Obama is offering is the best we can hope for when it comes to US foreign policy. George Bush's presidency clearly demonstrated the pitfalls of having a foreign policy that stubbornly brooks no opposition to its moral certainty. Any moral justification can be abused by those in power–even a commitment to human rights or democracy or freedom. (Such a commitment to worldwide democracy is in fact one of the guiding principles of both idealist foreign policy, put in practice historically by those such as Woodrow Wilson, and modern neoconservatism under President Bush.) Promoting and protecting American interests abroad can be abused too, but at least it is an honest selfish justification for how our government behaves overseas. Protecting American interests is perhaps all the president should commit to, and if he (or one day she) is willing to keep as many channels of communication open with friend and foe, this may be the best long-term strategy. To expect anything more just may be naive, unrealistic, and unfair.
The Hidden Sides of the Israel-Gaza Conflict
January 19, 2009 by James Mutti, Contributing Editor · 1 Comment
Since December 27, the Israeli military has been attacking the Gaza Strip in a large scale fashion, determined to break Hamas and end the showering of rockets into southern Israel. Thirteen Israelis have died and over 1,300 Palestinians have been killed. Observers have accused Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis out of the already precarious living environment in Gaza. Hopefully,the recent cease-fires will bring the violence to an end.
While the narrative may have some basic facts right, the mainstream media in the US has largely reduced the conflict to too simple a narrative – "Israel's attack into Gaza is one of self-defense against a Hamas government bent on its destruction. Regrettably, many civilians have died." Even conceding the excessive scale of its attack on Gaza, Israel is ultimately presented as a victim of terrorism with a right to self-defense. Hamas is presented as an illegitimate government (though democratically elected, "who still refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist' we are always reminded) and an irrationally violent terrorist organization.
While there may be some elements of truth in this narrative, it is far from the complete picture. Some observers have noted that not much attention has been paid to anything besides this simplistic narrative. But the simple Israel-victim-Hamas-terrorist narrative ultimately fails to answer many broader political questions about the conflict in a satisfying way. Why would Hamas been firing rockets at Israel now? Why would Israel respond with the large-scale force that it did? Why would the US step back and allow the violence to proceed? Why would other actors – Egypt, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon – behave the way they have?
While there are clearly legitimate and clear-cut concerns over sovereignty and security on both sides of this conflict, the motivations and actions of all actors are muddied by the conflict's political context. The political motivations and factors that may be playing a significant part in driving the conflict have been largely overlooked. Here I begin to explore how certain political concerns may be influencing what has been happening in Gaza.
Israel–Yes, Israel– justifiably wanted to defend itself by stopping Hamas rocket fire. But, with Israel's apparent victory in this conflict, it has become clear that a significant reason for its excessive assault was to exorcize the failure of 2006's war with Hezbollah. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert – stepping down as PM this year – may have wanted to depart with a success under his belt after 2006's debacle. His Kadima Party, facing a February election, had to show its toughness against attacks on Israel and its ability to protect Israel and take the battle to its enemies. It was also Kadima's Ariel Sharon that unilaterally withdrew Israeli forces from Gaza in 2005. Perhaps Kadima felt responsible for curbing Hamas' current aggression. It remains to be seen if the Israeli public's overwhelming support for Olmert's attack on Hamas will translate into success at the polls for Kadima's Tzipi Livni. During the conflict, there was considerable debate within the Israeli government about how to pursue the war on Hamas, and Kadima would not be the only party to gain by pushing the war. Labor Party head and Defense Minister Ehud Barack is a contender for PM in the upcoming election as is Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu. The main political debate in Israel surrounding the conflict has been how hawkish is hawkish enough. The effect of the war on the election looms large.
Hamas – One part of the reason for Hamas' improper rocket attacks that we hear little about is the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The blockade has effectively amounted to a siege, intended to make life for residents in Gaza extremely hard. By all accounts, this crowded sliver of land has been on the verge of a humanitarian crisis for some time. With the end of a six-month ceasefire in November, Israel began attacks on tunnels in Gaza and denied Hamas' demand that the blockade be lifted. While none of this justifies rocket attacks, this series of events helps to explain what led Hamas to begin sending rockets into Israel again. In addition, the on-going fight for Palestine between Hamas and Fatah offers a possible political motivation for Hamas' attacks. Palestinians have rallied behind Hamas during the conflict, threatening Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah government in the West Bank. This was likely an intentional move by Hamas, to undermine Fatah, often seen as too accommodating to Israel and the US. During the conflict, Fatah has not allowed open protests against Israel for example. The sympathy and pride Palestinians have felt for Hamas during this conflict could tip the scales in Hamas' favor in the next West Bank election. One also wonders if the timing of the conflict might be an early test of President Obama by both Israel and Hamas. With hostilities barely over when Obama takes office, his pushing a lasting US-sponsored peace deal is highly unlikely. Perhaps this was a calculation by Hamas – who appears unwilling to agree to any two-state solution – and Israel too – who may see current circumstances unfavorable to its interests.
United States – George W. Bush's lame-duck administration has had little reason to stick its neck out for either side in Gaza. Its support for Israel has been implicit, though not unconditional while it has also, surprisingly, supported UN demands for a ceasefire. What concerns me more is the silence from president-elect Obama. He has shied away from making statements about the situation in Gaza, arguing that there is only one President at a time. But, that same argument has not stopped him from speaking at length about the country's economic woes. If Obama is avoiding making statements about Gaza, it suggests two things to me. First, he probably does not see a US role in solving the problem in Gaza as a priority for his administration at this time. This is understandable – there are numerous, bigger problems facing the US, and the UN and countries like Egypt have been ably handling the negotiating of the recent ceasefire. I sense that Obama has made the political calculation that the US need not be heavily invested in the Gaza solution for now. The more troubling implication of his silence is that he would not act much differently than Bush has. By his silence, Obama seems to be painting himself into a corner and agreeing with Bush's policy – essentially ratifying what will be all but a done deal by the time he takes office. As a candidate, Obama courted AIPAC and returned from a trip to Israel with a great deal of sympathy for its situation. He has vowed to continue the "special relationship" between the two countries and probably doesn't want to make Israel – or the rest of the world – nervous about his intentions toward the region during his administration.
And this is just the beginning. There are undoubtedly other political calculations that have been influencing the conflict, and other players are significant here too – the EU, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and especially Iran and Egypt. They will be crucial to securing any lasting peace and resolution to this specific conflict and to the Israel-Palestine conflict in general. Yet, all parties bring their own agendas and complexities to the table. We can all hope that peace will one day reign in Israel and Palestine, but it will not be simple, and it will not be possible by looking at the situation simplistically. We will need to see and understand the hidden facets to the region's challenges and act accordingly.
Assessing the Gaza Situation
January 7, 2009 by Mark Wilson, Editor · 3 Comments
So who started all of this? To watch CNN, ABC News, or NBC News, you might say to yourself, "Well, there go those Palestinians again, always blowing stuff up!" Many in the so-called mainstream media talk about how Hamas broke the cease-fire with Israel by launching rocket attacks. The area had been relatively quiet for six months. Then what happened?
In the theatre, they talk about an actor's "motivation." You see, theatre is an attempt to emulate reality, with the paradox that, while reality is spontaneous, everything that happens in the theatre is meticulously planned. And so, when an actor needs to walk to the door in order to open it and see another character on the other side, that actor needs a reason to go over there. That reason needs to be more compelling than "The other character needs to be introduced" or "The actor needs to be over on that side of the stage in order for the blocking to work." Sure, that's fine, but within the world of the play, the character needs a reason to be over there, or perform that action. This is what is meant by motivation: Why is that character doing that thing? Oh, the doorbell rang; I'd better go answer it. Door opened. Character introduced. "Hi, how are you?" Now the blocking works. Bingo!
And yet many TV anchors and print journalists assume that, when it comes to terrorism, actions always happen spontaneously, with no provocation. Why is Hamas firing rockets into Israel? Oh, you know those terrorists: they just love to destroy things! That's just the way they are!
Thankfully, there is a rational explanation one step beyond "just because" for most any behavior. Since humans — unless they're mentally impaired in some way — do things for reasons, the logical question should be, "Why is Hamas firing rockets into Israel?" (So maybe I'm being facetious — just a little — but seriously, no one in the U.S. press is asking why the cease-fire broke down after six months. Hardly anyone in the U.S. press is asking why Hamas started launching rockets.) An investigation that delves just a few inches below the surface of this issue would yield a veritable gold mine of understanding. Too bad many in the media want, instead, to stick to simple, Manichaean narratives involving Israel struggling to defend itself against evil Palestinians stopping at nothing to destroy Israel, simply because it is in their nature to destroy things.
Some investigation reveals a lot. Hamas, for example, did not begin lobbing rockets into Israel without at least some provocation. For one, Israel has spent the last year laying siege to the Gaza Strip, a narrow territory carved out of the southwest corner of Israel, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the west and Egypt on the south. (I use "siege" in the traditional sense.)
For over a year, Israel has been allowing access for Gaza to "only the minimum amount of goods required to avert a hunger or health crisis among its 1.5 million people, and prohibiting most exports," according to The New York Times. When the blockade began last year, the United Nations Human Rights Council condemned Israel's actions, the fifteenth time in two years it had done so, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Israel is often accused of having a "disproportionate" response to Palestinian attacks. Total number of people killed by Hamas rockets prior to Israel's assault: "about two dozen over the past four years" (emphasis mine), according to The Australian. Total number of Gazans killed by Israelis: 550 in the past week. Yes, that is the definition of "disproportionate." What percentage of those killed are civilians? It seems that Israel is possibly doing more than is necessary to defend itself. For example, Israel is refusing to let foreign journalists enter Gaza despite an Israeli Supreme Court order to do so!
And lest you may think that Israel is undertaking their military action purely for wholesome and upstanding reasons, keep in mind that the Likud party sees the Gaza conflict as a fantastic electoral opportunity:
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not be a candidate in the elections and may be indicted on corruption charges. But the Gaza offensive could be his last chance to rehabilitate a legacy badly tarnished by Israel's failure to achieve a clear-cut victory against the Lebanese Hezbollah movement in 2006.
For the moment, however, the offensive in Gaza is proving popular with Israelis, and [Foreign Minister Tzipi] Livni and [Defense Minister Ehud] Barak are reaping the benefits. Recent polls show them closing the gap with Likud party leader [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who had opened up a wide lead based on his promise to take a hard line against Israel's main adversaries — Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.
One mainstream news outlet is even suggesting that Hamas was completely in the wrong because Fatah, a faction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, said it was. Such a conclusion based on that premise seems strikingly superficial and easily explainable: of course Fatah would have nothing but nasty things to say about Hamas; Hamas beat Fatah in Palestinian elections in 2006! They're competitors for power in Palestine! Just because Pepsi says that their product is better than Coke's, it doesn't follow that we should necessarily believe them or take them as a credible source.
Let me be clear that none of this discussion should be read as a justification for launching rocket attacks into Israel. That certainly isn't justified. In my opinion, nothing would ever justify such abhorrent terrorist actions. However, neither is it justified to obliterate towns (with bombs largely provided by the United States). Neither side is in the right. But in much the same way that Ron Paul tried to explain "blowback" to Rudy Giuliani, the U.S. media are loathe to talk about the current situation as a result of the choices made by both Hamas and the Israeli government. They would, instead, prefer to talk only about Israel defending itself, as though Israel can do no wrong. Never is the question asked, "Should Israel be doing this? Isn't this a little excessive? And why is the United States supporting this without question?" But why the United States considers Israel's foreign policy goals to be 100% congruent with its own is another article for another day.
Glenn Greenwald has written extensively on the issue of the unilateral opinion of Israel within the U.S. government. Is there any issue that both Democrats and Republican politicians seem to agree on, 100% of the time? And, as Greenwald notes, polls suggest that 70% of American people do not want the United States to take sides, and yet 100% of our leaders — President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Barack Obama — they all give the impression that they think that not only should the United States be involved, but it should support whatever Israel does, no questions asked.
The justification given for the United States' unprecedented support for Israel (our "special relationship" with Israel seems to be much more dear to our hearts than our "special relationship" with even the United Kingdom for instance) is that Israel is the only democracy in the region, and to let it fall would be disastrous. Not only is this not true factually (Turkey, Egypt — and now Iraq! — technically "Middle East," are also technically democracies), but even that argument doesn't fully account for our government's almost complete, unyielding support for anything Israel does. And to even dare to suggest that Israel may not be completely in the right is to be subjected to, at the least, howls by many of "anti-semitism" and the debate shuts down.
The international community routinely tries to sanction Israel for such disproportionate responses, but U.N. Security Council resolutions always get vetoed by — guess who?! It was only recently that Israel relaxed its blockade to allow medical supplies into Gaza. Is preventing medical supplies from entering the area for a week really necessary to stopping Hamas? Especially with 500 deaths and thousands of casualties? Furthermore, the platforms from which the rockets into Israel were launched are mobile.
The Middle East problem — which is to say, the problem with Israel and all its neighbors alike — is far more complicated than it is being portrayed. Just once, I would like to see something other than complete condemnation of Hamas and complete veneration of Israel. Is anyone in the mainstream media capable of talking thoughtfully about the subject and its many nuances? Hamas is a terrorist group, to be sure, but the question is: why is it resorting to terrorism? It's not just anti-semitism; there are plenty of anti-semitic people in the world who don't launch rockets into synagogues. With terrorism, religious explanations often mask political ones. Maybe we should be investigating that, instead. I bet if we examined the long-term causes, implications, and solutions in the Middle East, there's the possibility of lasting peace. Begetting violence with violence is no solution. It only ensures that we will most likely re-visit this problem again.
Robert Gates: Beyond Politics
December 29, 2008 by Scott Unzicker, Contributing Writer · Leave a Comment
Hacking off the people that got you elected is a dubious way of beginning a presidency. Why on earth then would President-elect Obama draw the ire of some Democrats by keeping Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, a Bush appointee, in his cabinet?
"Change" has been the mantra of the Obama machine's public face from day one. It catapulted him from an obscure, yet "articulate and bright and clean" (thanks, Joe) junior U.S. Senator from Illinois to the next President of the United States. As such, the Obama campaign promised a transparent administration that would redress the excesses of power wielded by the unitary executive under Bush's wicked little coven. We would see an end to the war in Iraq and a realignment of our foreign policy that would lead to open communications with those nations deemed unworthy by the Bush cadre. Good God, don't let any of THOSE guys stick around for his new "change" administration.
The thing is, Secretary Gates isn't really one of those guys.
In fact, Robert Gates has served seven presidents, both Republican and Democrat, during his years with the intelligence community. He is notable for being the only director of the CIA to rise in ranks from an entry-level position to director (DCI). He wasn't born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and earned his directorship in 1991 the hard way. In fact, he was up for the job in 1987, but shadows of doubt about his role in the Iran-Contra affair took their toll on his nomination. There were intimations that he may have been complicit in suppressing irregularities that should have been reported to Congress during the affair. However, Gates, unlike many, was completely cleared of any wrongdoing. In fact, during those confirmation hearings, he gained a measure of introspection that the current administration lacks, as noted in his memoirs:
I would go over those points in my mind a thousand times in the months and years to come, but the criticisms still hit home. A thousand times I would go over the 'might-have-beens' if I had raised more hell than I did with Casey [former director of the CIA William] about non-notification of Congress, if I had demanded that the NSC get out of covert action, if I had insisted that CIA not play by NSC rules, if I had been more aggressive with the DO in my first months as DDCI, if I had gone to the Attorney General.
Gates' political alignment is a little vague, but he most certainly leans conservative. Some sources cite him as an Independent, while others quote him as saying "I consider myself a Republican." However, his foreign policy ideals were shaped by those conservatives who did not necessarily hold with the current administration's neoconservative "either you are with us or you are with the terrorists" absolutist philosophy. Rather, Gates could be better identified with the more rational "realists" of the first Bush administration. In fact, during his service as deputy national security adviser during the Bush 41 administration, Gates worked closely with then director Brent Scowcroft, some even referring to Gates as his protégé . Scowcroft has been vilified by the neocons for his vocal opposition to the war in Iraq, and his influence on Gates should not be underestimated.
Gates' work with the Iraq Study Group before his nomination to Secretary of Defense should also be considered closely. This group consisted of a bipartisan team of heavy hitters, including former Secretary of State James Baker, former representative Lee Hamilton, and retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The group's recommendations, published in 2006, significantly differed from the course of action taken by the Bush administration. They favored a substantial shift in responsibility for Iraq's security from U.S. to Iraqi forces and opined that "by the first quarter of 2008…all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq." Instead, we got the surge. The surge, arguably, was effective, but Gates' presumable role in advising the group in matters of intelligence steered them towards their conclusions that a troop reduction was the wiser course. It is a testament to Gates' integrity that he listened to his better judgment rather than the rantings of the hawks. Gates maintained a rational voice and was the farthest thing from a sycophant to the neoconservative prevailing interests of the administration.
Gates' reliance upon his own well-founded deductive ability over hard line party rhetoric became even more evident during his confirmation hearings for Secretary of Defense. When asked to describe his motivations for accepting the nomination to the position, Gates stated that he believed "very deeply that one of the fundamental factors in our success in the Cold War was our ability to have a broad, bipartisan agreement on the fundamental strategy on how to deal with the Soviet Union" and that "it is imperative, in this long war on terrorism that we face that could go on for a generation, that there be a bipartisan agreement." That philosophy of bipartisanship stands in stark contrast to the Bush administration's politically unilateral attitude.
Even more revealing is his thoughtful, realistic understanding of relations with Iran and Syria. When asked by Sen. Byrd, D-West Virginia, if "an attack on either Iran or Syria would worsen the violence in Iraq and lead to greater American casualties," Gates paused gravely, and replied, "Yes, sir, I think that's very likely."
What one gathers from studying Secretary Gates is that his actions are guided by his assimilation of experience and an exceptional understanding of the geopolitical world around him. He is no slave to demagoguery, and has a history with the more levelheaded elders of his party. His agenda seems one of a true civil servant as opposed to a political ladder-climber. He has used his ascendancy to power to effect cautious, intelligent policies that are much more self-guided than adherence to any particular political dogma. President-elect Obama seems to value these characteristics as virtue enough to override divisive political considerations and has entrusted the defense of the nation to such a man of intelligence, independence, and integrity.
Arab Fiats: Islamicism is the New Communism
December 20, 2008 by Tony Smith, Senior Writer · 2 Comments
While many in the Western world cower in fear of radical Islamic terrorists and the Arab World in general, many of our fears are completely baseless. The truth is that in radical Islamists do not govern any Arab country with a significant population. That's right, while many people see the entire Arab World as fanatical Islamists, the fact is they control nowhere.
It is clear that the true holders of power have often encouraged the fanatics in order to provide a distraction from the poverty and lack of development in many of their nations. This is in fact a strategy we also see used very effectively in non-Muslim countries. China continues to fan the people's disgust for the massacres and tortures carried out by the Japanese during World War II in order that the people do not focus on leaders such as Mao Tse Tung, who was largely responsible for the starvation and genocide of his people. President Mugabe in Zimbabwe inflames the people by blaming the British for the cholera epidemic and malnutrition of the population.
In this light, historical lessons of the past century give us some interesting parallels to current realities. In the Arab world of 50 years ago, many countries were embracing communism, not fanatical Islamicism. After World War I, as anyone who has seen Lawrence of Arabia will know, the Ottoman Turks lost their Empire in the Arab World. Much of it was divided between the British and the French, which caused huge resentment as Lawrence had promised they would have domain in their own nations as payback for their assistance in defeating the Ottomans. The British and the French set up puppet leaders and Monarchs, who assumed full authority when the bombed out European powers deserted most of their empires after World War II. When the European powers left, there was a wide power vacuum in much of the Arab world. The Soviet Union, which had just won the World War II on the eastern front, tried to help fill this vacuum. General Nasser took power in Egypt where Communism was fully embraced for a number of years. The Soviets gave considerable military aid to the Egyptians and built the High Dam in Aswan to control the flooding of the Nile and generate electricity. Communism was embraced by most of North Africa and became very pervasive in Yemen. In Saudi Arabia, communism was only put down violently by the House of Saud when they began to see it as a threat to their power. Socialism was established in Syria and Iraq under the ruling Baath Party. The Baath Party in Iraq had made many improvements for the status of women, education, and medicine before Saddam Hussein became a paranoid tyrant and took up the faith again to try to regain some credibility with his people. Some of these Communists Parties survive in limited forms to this day.
Over the past 50 years, many sons and grandsons of atheist communists have become fanatical Islamists, yet little has really changed in their day to day lives. Their financial situation has not improved, health services have improved minimally, and education has improved little. At the same time, their leaders and monarchs, as they did several generations ago, continue to live lives of uninterrupted luxury, hiding much of their wealth in Swiss bank accounts. They know very well that if they deceive their people to be engaged in rage against the West, whether it be by the Bible of communism or the Koran of Islam, they will maintain their status indefinitely. "The Great Satan of the West has caused their problems, and when he is banished it will be Heaven on Earth for them."
In this light, it is unfortunate to have political leaders in the Western world who do not see this whole picture. The terrorists can never be beaten by firepower. They are only made martyrs, and like the Hydra, each head that is cut off results only in replication by many more. If we are to win over their minds and souls, tanks and warplanes can never succeed. For the trillions of dollars spent on weapons, how many hospitals could be built, how many wells dug, how many schools built, how many miles of sewers, aquifers, roads. How many farmers' crops and lifestyles immeasurably improved? How many minds changed in favor of benevolent, trustworthy individuals bringing honest Western help, without questioning the beliefs of the recipients? Mind sets may not change in one generation, but they will in two. If such a fanatical movement can be built in this amount of time, with the power of good will, it can likewise be destroyed.
Complementary to this good will, the Western World must also cut off the leaders of these corrupt nations and city states, banish them from the club until a little more of their wealth, personal enterprise, and interest trickles down to assist their own people. Of course, as long as the Western world relies on their oil for their continued economic growth, this is unlikely. Such is the curse of economic inequality that often accompanies vast national resources in the developing world. Dubai, with relatively few natural resources, has been forced to make that the jump for the good of their people. As other illegitimate Arab monarchs and dictators freeze their Swiss bank accounts and overseas assets, don't let them ski at our resorts and moor their yachts anywhere in the Mediterranean. Make them unwelcome in our lands. Let them feel the weight of their perfidy to their people. Let's deal with the illness, not the symptoms.


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Latest The Witness News
News Wrap Up: PlayStation TV, NHL 14 Goalies, Pikmin 3 Trailer & More!
PlayStation 4 controller features and TV services, the latest on DayZ and ARMA 3, Pikmin 3 & NHL 14 gameplay trailers, Wii U problems and more gaming news you may have missed!
by Rob Keyes | Jul 8, 201311 Comments
Xbox One Claims Criticized by Jonathan Blow and Mark Rein
The reveal of the Xbox One has attracted quite a bit of ire along with the excitement, and now prominent industry figures Mark Rein and Jonathan Blow have taken to criticizing allegations about Microsoft's new console.
by Hannah Shaw-Williams | May 28, 201329 Comments
'The Witness' Comes Forth As A PS4 Exclusive… For Now
Check out the debut trailer for Jonathan Blow's 'The Witness.' The game is in development Sony's PlayStation 4, though it may also appear on iOS platforms and PC.
by Kevin Gibson | Feb 22, 201310 Comments
Weekly Video Game News Round-Up: October 2nd
In the September 26-October 2 wrap-up, we talk RAGE, The Old Republic, Guild Wars 2, Gotham City Imposters, Battlefield 3, aging consoles and more!
by Rob Keyes | Oct 3, 2011No Comments

subset: commoncrawl


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Arlington-based Texas Health Resources said Monday that it has launched an effort aimed at improving patient care at its various facilities and boosting efforts to improve overall health in the broader community.The Texas Health Population Health, Education & Innovation Center will help the big North Texas hospital network respond to ongoing changes in the U.S. healthcare system, said Dr. Dan Varga, Texas Health Resources' chief clinical officer. Pressure for change isn't limited to the federal Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, Varga said."We feel as much need for reform from commercial payers and employers as the federal government," he said. "They're all telling us they want more transparency and effectiveness in the care we deliver."Texas Health Resources and other healthcare organizations are shifting their operations, said Richard Kurz, dean of the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. Those efforts generally involve moving away from being paid for providing individual medical services, like surgeries and hospital care, and toward a reimbursement system based on good outcomes and keeping patients healthy, Kurz said.Varga said, for example, that the new center will work to reduce readmissions of Texas Health Resources patients after surgeries and other treatments. New Medicare policies can penalize hospitals for readmissions.The center will also coordinate the hospital network's efforts outside its own walls, such as its participation in Blue Zones, a national initiative the city of Fort Worth is participating in that encourages better lifestyles among residents.The network said it has hired Dr. Tricia Nguyen as the center's president. Nguyen was previously chief medical officer at Banner Health Network in Arizona, where she worked on population health and outcome-based reimbursement. She's expected to start her new position in about a month.
Jim Fuquay, 817-390-7552 Twitter: @jimfuquay


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Guilford College Alumni Art Exchange and Alumni Art Exhibition
|Guilford College Alumni Art Exchange and Alumni Art Exhibiition
|March 22– May 31, 1996, 1996
| Thirty Guilford College alumni who have established successful careers in the arts returned to campus on March 22 to share their experiences in the ³Alumni Art Exchange,² a series of panel discussions on topics ranging from careers in museums & galleries, art businesses, art education, graduate school opportunities, and ³surviving and thriving² as practicing artists. The Exchange was well attended by Guilford College alumni, students, faculty and staff, along with visitors from the community.
|The symposium concluded with the opening reception for the Alumni Art Exhibition, featuring nearly 100 works of art by forty-eight alumni. Bonnie Melton Œ77 was presented the Presidential Purchase Award for her painting, ³Gardening in the South.² The award was sponsored by President Rogers, and the Exxon Foundation, to honor an outstanding alumni artist in the exhibition by purchasing their work for the college¹s permanent collection.


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So after attending the Cornwall First Assist Charity Classic, it was time for the second hockey trip of the week to Binghamton. Jonathan von Teichman and Dan Bergeron, co-presidents of the Hat Trick Ball Hockey League in Ottawa organized a one night trip to see the B-Sens in action against the Anaheim Ducks' affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. 46 people ended up signing up, enough to make Ottawa's presence felt in Binghamton.
We arrived in Binghamton on Saturday (Nov. 10th) around 4:30, enough time to grab a bite at a local eatery. My group was lucky enough to know two local Binghamton residents to show us around. They brought us to a popular strip only a few minutes walk away from the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. We ended up selecting a local pub "Tom & Marty's" to grab dinner.
One of the Binghamton residents insisted we try one of their local favourites, a "Spiedie Sub" which is "a Binghamton tradition, homemade recipe, marinated chicken served on a toasted sub roll". It was good, with the taste similar to that of a Greek souvlaki except in sub form.
After that it was game time as we walked to the arena with tickets in hand.
The immediate thing I noticed about the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena is that the design of the rink is almost exactly the same as the arena in Cornwall. Below are a few shots from inside showing their scoreboard, shot count board, replay screen as well as the flying blimp! (iirc the Ottawa Senators used to have one of these blimps fly around during games)
With the game about to start, the advantages of knowing the locals came into play as one of them informed us the public could easily access the B-Sens' locker room entrance/exit as they came out to take the ice. Surprisingly there were only a few kids present to give the players props on their way out. I was expecting it to be much more crowded, but maybe that's because we don't get this type of access in Ottawa. Below are a few pics I managed to grab. Notice the B-Sens were wearing special jerseys for this game to commemorate war veterans.
The locker room door before opening
If you look closely in the background you can see the 16 puck display the B-Sens used during their Calder Cup run.
Shane Prince
Jakob Silfverberg
Mark Stone
Robin Lehner
One interesting thing about this arena is that it has the small benches, meaning the backup goalie isn't able to squeeze in, meaning Ben Bishop was stuck in his own private seat.
It's almost like the B-Sens knew some of Ottawa was watching live as they quickly built a three goal lead showing some lethal offence that we haven't seen of them recently. This got the crowd riled up quickly as their Sens were controlling the play against one of the top AHL teams. I only grabbed a few pictures before putting my camera away to focus on the game.
During the intermission I took a walk around the arena. The B-Sens have two merchandise stands, a main booth as well as an open one in the concourse.
The concourse merchandise stand
Interestingly, the concourse merchandise stand had a rack of game worn training camp/pre-season jerseys for sale from previous years. They even still had this Ottawa Senators' legend available!
Ottawa's goalie saviour, Mike Brodeur!
Binghamton would cruise to victory for the remaining two periods. Some general highlights of the night included:
- The Ottawa Senators DJ was actually in house running the music for this game, providing some solid tunes and making us Ottawa folk feel right at home. In return our group continuously got the Seven Nation chant going.
- Robin Lehner continues to shine and really looks like he's ready to prove he can handle a full season as a starter earning the first star of the game.
- Mika Zibanejad is just snake bit, he was inches away from a goal in this game but couldn't put a stick on it. I wouldn't be worried about him, from watching him I get the feeling it's only a matter of time before he starts putting the puck in the net.
- Jakob Silfverberg seems to be adjusting to the North American rink pretty quickly. Every game he seems to improve. He was all over the ice in the game, continuously being a part of numerous scoring chances. He even put up two assists, good enough for 3rd star. I think most surprising to me was that Silfverberg was constantly used on the PK paired with Zibanejad. I never pictured him as a penalty killer. Our group also got going the Silfverberg chant (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2HP5MhV6Fc), hopefully hear this in SBP eventually.
- This was Mark Stone's game back from injury and he got limited ice time because of that. When he was on the ice though he always seemed to be a threat, almost scoring on a breakaway during the game.
- Former 67s player Corey Cowick has made huge strides in his game. For a while it seemed he would be stuck to ECHL, but he's really found his role as a power forward using his large frame to his advantage. He's also proven to be a solid penalty killer. However, most valuable is that he's begun putting up points as well, getting a goal and assist in the game earning him 2nd star.
With the game over, we headed to Dillingers, the most popular place to be at night according to almost all the locals.
To our dismay, they were showing a replay of the still too recent Game 6 of the Ottawa-New York series. It was hard not to watch though, seeing the likes of Spezza, Alfredsson, and Karlsson on TV. It's been that long that even a replay is enough to fill the lack of live NHL games.
As the night passed and the upstairs patio level of Dillingers opened we soon found out that this did seem the place to be in Binghamton as we spotted several players including Jared Cowen, Mark Stone, and Ben Bishop. Good news for Sens fans is that from what I saw Cowen had no visible limp so hopefully his current knee injury (edit: assuming it is a knee injury, hasn't been officially confirmed) isn't serious. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed the recap of the Binghamton trip and if you get the chance I highly recommend going down there to catch a game (even if the NHL season ends up starting). It's definitely a trip any Ottawa Senator fan should make.


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May 9, 2003
Albany -- Marines and Police Officers ran from the Albany Marine Base to Dawson Friday, to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics. The Cops and Marines went the extra mile to carry the Flame of Hope for Georgia's Special Olympic Games.
A contingent of Marines finishing strong their ten mile run from the Albany Logistics Base to the Dougherty County Courthouse. They were the first leg Friday carrying the Special Olympics Flame of Hope, in the 15th Law Enforcement Torch Run. Sgt. Randall Eller said "We're not usually in the public eye a lot. Something like this comes along, it means a lot to us. To give them a chance and to show our support."
The handoff was made to Patrick Young, who will be a very busy athlete at the Special Olympic Games in Atlanta. Young said he was competing in "Volleyball, softball, swimming , table tennis, basketball , and golf."
After a ceremony at the Courthouse, Law Enforcement officers representing all the Departments in Dougherty County, continued the Torch Run. The Cops carried the Torch 20 miles to Dawson. The Torch will be handed off from county to county for one thousand miles, until it reaches the Emory University Campus May 30th.
This is special Olympics largest fundraiser, something these officers look forward to. Dougherty County Police Lt. Dennis Dawson said "We're able to help send local athletes to the Atlanta Games. So they can participate. It gives them a sense of teamwork and helps them with their friends."
A hot humid morning for pounding the pavement.But lots of smiles as law enforcement officers and Marines carry the Flame of Hope, to raise money for Special Olympics.
In Georgia 15 hundred law enforcement officers from 150 different agencies will carry the Special Olympics torch one thousand miles. Nationwide the program raises over 20 million dollars to sponsor Special Olympics.
posted at 3:32 by email@example.com
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Established in 1997 by Anne Dubbs and Elizabeth Downing, Blithfield & Company designs and manufactures a versatile range of elegant fabrics and wallpapers. The collection is based on documentary designs from the Blithfield archive and fresh new contemporary inspiration.
Blithfield & Company also produces The Peggy Angus Collection. The designs Damask, Oakleaves, Beasties, Twist, Willow, and Persian Leaf are taken from the original linocuts and are available as fabrics, wide-width wallpapers, or traditional wallpapers.
The Custom Print Collection is a range of ten designs available in over forty colours and can be printed on a selection of ground cloths. Most recently, Blithfield has introduced The Langham Collection which includes two beautiful woven designs in a wide range of colours as well as a timeless woven stripe, all of which complement Hadleigh and Saybrook, two exciting new prints.
|© 2014 Blithfield & Company Ltd. - All rights reserved


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during the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers major league baseball game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Monday, May 28, 2012. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News)
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Audi hybrid creates history at Le Mans
INGOLSTADT/Le Mans — AUDI AG has achieved another technological milestone in motorsport. On the 80th running of the famous Le Mans 24 Hours, a vehicle with hybrid drive — the Audi R18 e-tron quattro — has triumphed for the first time.
Around 200,000 spectators witnessed a fascinating race with the drama and incidents that are typical for Le Mans plus an impressive demonstration of "Vorsprung durch Technik." The four Audi R18 cars from Audi Sport Team Joest were the quickest and most reliable vehicles and after 24 hours occupied positions one, two, three and five.
"By achieving this further success at the world's most important endurance race our engineers demonstrated their high technological expertise in a particularly impressive way," commented Rupert Stadler, chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, who personally watched the race on location.
"With the etron quattro in combination with ultra lightweight design, we put a completely new technology on the grid and immediately won with it — this cannot be taken for granted by any means, particularly here at Le Mans. This weekend again showed the type of things that can happen in this race and how important perfect preparation is."
All four Audi R18 cars had the chance to clinch what amounted to the brand's 11th Le Mans victory in total. After 378 laps, last year's winners Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F) at the wheel of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro designated as car number "1" were again the front runners. Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB) as the runners-up caused the all-wheel drive of the future in which the conventional drive system is intelligently combined with an electrically driven axle to record a one-two result. Audi is already testing this technology in which the drive shaft is replaced by electric cables for use in production vehicles.
Le Mans rookie Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D) in the best conventionally powered Audi R18 ultra completed the fourth onetwothree victory for Audi at the Le Mans 24 Hours after 2000, 2002 and 2010. Romain Dumas (F), Loïc Duval (F) and Marc Gené (E) at the wheel of the second R18 ultra finished in fifth place.
Operating at the rear of all four Audi R18 cars was the latest evolution of the compact V6 TDI engine with VTG mono turbocharger that was used at Le Mans for the first time in 2011. The new ultralight transmission with a carbon fiber housing — a novelty in a Le Mans sports car — held up to the Le Mans endurance test covering a distance of 5.151 kilometres in all four vehicles without any problems as well. Like quatto all-wheel drive, ultra-lightweight design is a core competency of the company.
The two Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars embody these two technologies in a particularly extreme form – and they were the protagonists at the 80th edition of the endurance classic right from the beginning. They only had to relinquish the leading position to one of the two Toyota hybrid vehicles once for a few laps on Saturday night.


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I just watched Sewing With Nancy today she had Fancy Footworks 2 as her presentation. And she had a binding foot that goes along the side to apply binding/bias tape & it was so neat! Anyone have one? Do you like it? ....also walking foot was shown, teflon foot, satin edging foot. Very neat show!
So like the binding foot or no? Thank you.
------Home of the adorable Baby & Mittee girl >^,,^<
Oh my..here we go again, no job...Sighing allot..
I don't know anything about them. Here is a link for you.
------I really enjoy quilting. I love to play with fabrics, colors and pictures. I recently discovered how much fun applique can be. As I love making pictures, landscape quilting can be challenging, but seeing the picture come to life is so rewarding.
Bernina 630, my main machine
Pfaff 2036, my class machine
Babylock Molly
Bernina 1200DA serger
Unique Sewing Cabinet 450L
Not sure what foot you saw.
I've got a few different feet / attachments that make doing binding easier...
Did the foot look like this:
Bias Tape Foot w/ adjustable guide
With the one above, you can use packaged bias tape (which it seems I never buy!)
I ***love*** this binding foot and use it often!!! It's amazing how well it works for skinny binding.
The foot above is for Brother, but works on Janome ... I just have to make sure I set the needle position to make up for the Janome ankle being slightly off center.
------~~~YAY! ~~~ I finally published my first pattern!
See demo video on: www.BionicGearBag.com
My personal blog: www.RipStitcher.com
Wish list:
Bernina 550QE (for it's cute little footprint)
Ovation serger
Love my Babylock Ellisimo Gold & ElnaPress
Thank you.
Hmmm.... no it did not look like either of those.
This one had a piece she called the fence that scooted right up to the edge & you sew the bias tape on first with scant 1/4 inch then fold the tape over & stitch it on moving the fence to the 1/4 inch setting. ...
Thank you for posting.
Found it..... This is the one on today's show I think.
Stitch-n-Ditch Binder Foot
Combine the look of hand binding with the practicality of machine binding $29.99 from Nancy's Notions catalog . ....
What do you guys think?
this one?
Yes that is it! Thank you.
What do you think? I thought it was very neat watching it.
Interesting looking!
Is the show online somewhere? If so, got a link to it?
Maybe on Sewing With Nancy? It is from her site, so there could be something to watch.
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Avant Gardner:
Tim Fain: Portals
Thursday, October 17, 7:00 PM
Tickets: $12-$27 | Purchase online or at 617 278 5156Get tickets
Portals: A Multimedia Exploration of Longing in the Digital Age
Tim Fain traveled the world as a solo violinist in Philip Glass's "Book of Longing," a song cycle based on Leonard Cohen's poetry. Now Glass has created a new "Partita' inspired by the solo from "Book of Longing," and this is the centerpiece of Portals, a musical exploration of the human longing for connection in the digital age. In an onstage dialogue between live and multimedia works, Fain will guide us through failures and triumphs of new portals of relationship. The production interweaves films and the words of Leonard Cohen with the music of Glass and other Pulitzer Prize-winning composers.
• Philip Glass, Partitia
• Lev Zhurbin, Sicilienne
• Nico Muhly, Honest Music
• Aaron Jay Kernis, Air
• William Bolcom, Graceful Ghost Rag
• Kevin Puts, Arches
TICKETING | Includes museum admission
Adults / $27
Seniors / $24
Members / $17
Students / $12
Children ages 7-17 / $12
(Children under 7 not admitted)
• Online: Click the GET TICKETS button above*
• By phone: Call the Box Office at 617 278 5156, Wednesday-Monday, 10 am-4 pm*
• In person: Visit the Museum and purchase at the door
*Handling charges apply to these orders.
Please review the Museum's concert policies.
Fidelity Investments® is a premier sponsor of Avant Gardner. Thursday evening concerts are made possible by the Barbara Lee Program Fund. The Gardner Museum receives operating support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Promotional Support provided by WGBH.


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Last month we reported that AT&T had blocked staff holiday for the month of June to prepare for Apple's new iPhone 4G / HD launch. Today BGR reported that according their "source" AT&T is installing "large display" at their corporate stores in order to prepare for the iPhone 4G / HD launch. … Read the Full Story →
Category Archives: News
Last month there were some interesting claims made about Android market share. NPD (a market survey and analysis company) released data claiming that Android handsets were outselling Apple's iPhone, in the US at least. Apple were quick to rebuff the seriousness of the figures. NPD's report should be digested whilst … Read the Full Story →
Steve Jobs will today participate in the eight D: All Things Digital (D8), a prominent high-tech and media conference. Apple (AAPL) CEO will be interviewed by Kara Swisher who in a blog post said: There is much to talk to Jobs about, obviously, including the new iPad, the mobile market and … Read the Full Story →
iPhone accessory makers in China have often managed to get detailed specifications about Apple's next mobile device and offered accessories before the product launch. New product launches create a huge demand and thus offers a great opportunity for accessory companies to gain first mover advantage and supply the initial demand. … Read the Full Story →
Good news for Apple on this May holiday. They've now sold over 2 Million iPads. That breaks down to one million iPads every month, or approximately 35,000 tablets every single day! The iPhone took another 14 days to reach the same milestone! It will be interesting to see what response does Apple's … Read the Full Story →
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Judged seriousness of environmental losses: reliability and cause of loss
AbstractNo abstract is available for this item.
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Elsevier in its journal Ecological Economics.
Volume (Year): 42 (2002)
Issue (Month): 3 (September)
Pages: 479-491
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- Holmes Thomas P. & Kramer Randall A., 1995. "An Independent Sample Test of Yea-Saying and Starting Point Bias in Dichotomous-Choice Contingent Valuation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 121-132, July.
- Daniel McFadden, 2001.
"Economic Choices,"
American Economic Review,
American Economic Association, vol. 91(3), pages 351-378, June.
- McFadden, Daniel L., 2000. "Economic Choices," Nobel Prize in Economics documents 2000-6, Nobel Prize Committee.
- Thomas C. Brown & Patricia A. Champ & Richard C. Bishop & Daniel W. McCollum, 1996. "Which Response Format Reveals the Truth about Donations to a Public Good?," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 72(2), pages 152-166.
- Peter A. Diamond & Jerry A. Hausman, 1994. "Contingent Valuation: Is Some Number Better than No Number?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 45-64, Fall.
- Kahneman, Daniel & Schkade, David & Sunstein, Cass R, 1998. "Shared Outrage and Erratic Awards: The Psychology of Punitive Damages," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 49-86, April.
- Donald Green & Karen Jacowitz & Daniel Kahneman & Daniel McFadden, 1995.
"Referendum Contingent Valuation, Anchoring, and Willingness to Pay for Public Goods,"
Working Papers
_010, University of California at Berkeley, Econometrics Laboratory Software Archive.
- Green, Donald & Jacowitz, Karen E. & Kahneman, Daniel & McFadden, Daniel, 1998. "Referendum contingent valuation, anchoring, and willingness to pay for public goods," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 85-116, June.
- Smith, V. Kerry & Osborne, Laura L., 1996. "Do Contingent Valuation Estimates Pass a "Scope" Test? A Meta-analysis," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 287-301, November.
- George L. Peterson & Thomas C. Brown, 1998. "Economic Valuation by the Method of Paired Comparison, with Emphasis on Evaluation of the Transitivity Axiom," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 74(2), pages 240-261.
- Ratana Chuenpagdee & Jack L. Knetsch & Thomas C. Brown, 2001. "Environmental Damage Schedules: Community Judgments of Importance and Assessments of Losses," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 77(1), pages 1-11.
- Cummings, Ronald G, et al, 1997. "Are Hypothetical Referenda Incentive Compatible?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(3), pages 609-21, June.
- Kevin J. Boyle & F. Reed Johnson & Daniel W. McCollum, 1997. "Anchoring and Adjustment in Single-Bounded, Contingent-Valuation Questions," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 79(5), pages 1495-1500.
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Cited by:
- Bulte, E.H. & Gerking, S.D. & List, J.A. & Zeeuw, A.J. de, 2005. "The effect of varying the causes of environmental problems on stated values: Evidence from a field study," Open Access publications from Tilburg University urn:nbn:nl:ui:12-167602, Tilburg University.
- Kannika Thampanishvong, 2013. "Determinants of Flash Flood Evacuation Choices and Assessment of Preferences for Flash Flood Warning Channels: The Case of Thailand," EEPSEA Research Report rr2013034, Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), revised Mar 2013.
- Erwin Bulte & Shelby Gerking & John List & Aart de Zeeuw, 2004.
"The effect of varying the causes of environmental problems on stated wtp values: Evidence from a field study,"
Framed Field Experiments
00134, The Field Experiments Website.
- Bulte, Erwin & Gerking, Shelby & List, John A. & de Zeeuw, Aart, 2005. "The effect of varying the causes of environmental problems on stated WTP values: evidence from a field study," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 330-342, March.
- Araña, Jorge E. & León, Carmelo J., 2009. "Understanding the use of non-compensatory decision rules in discrete choice experiments: The role of emotions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(8-9), pages 2316-2326, June.
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Optics InfoBase
> Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
Rayleigh approximation for the scattering of small partially charged sand particles
Light scattering by three-dimensional objects with semi-hard boundaries
Electromagnetic energy within coated cylinders at oblique incidence and applications to graphene coatings
Internal and near-surface electromagnetic fields for a dielectric spheroid illuminated by a zero-order Bessel beam
Optical forces from evanescent Bessel beams, multiple reflections, and Kerker conditions in magnetodielectric spheres and cylinders
Photonic jet generated by spheroidal particle with Gaussian-beam illumination
Transmission line approach to quantifying the resonance and transparency properties of electrically small layered plasmonic nanoparticles
Influence of pollutants in the magneto-dielectric response of silicon nanoparticles
Direct demonstration of the concept of unrestricted effective-medium approximation
Bessel-like photonic nanojets from core-shell sub-wavelength spheres
Using holography to measure extinction
Extinction symmetry for reciprocal objects and its implications on cloaking and scattering manipulation
Comparison of T-matrix calculation methods for scattering by cylinders in optical tweezers
Low-crosstalk high-density polymeric integrated optics incorporating self-assembled scattering monolayer
Metallo-dielectric hybrid antenna for high Purcell factor and radiation efficiency
Effects of morphology on the radiative properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols with different aging status
Flexible tool for simulating the bulk optical properties of polydisperse spherical particles in an absorbing host: experimental validation
Broadband photocurrent enhancement in a-Si:H solar cells with plasmonic back reflectors
Inverse analysis of the rainbow for the case of low-coherent incident light to determine the diameter of a glass fiber
Refractive index measurement of turbid media by transmission of backscattered light near the critical angle
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Fifteen days after twin suicide bombings killed 76 people in Kampala, Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni used an African Union summit in the capital city to declare war on the Somali group responsible for the July 11 bombing — as well as on foreign fighters aiding the group. "The terrorists should be wiped out of Africa," Museveni said on Monday. "Let us act and sweep them out of Africa and to where they came from in Asia and the Middle East."
But to secure its borders, cities and regional interests, Uganda must do more than target terrorists. Roving rebel groups, many of them homegrown, also threaten this rapidly developing country of 32 million people. Terrorists from the east and rebels from the west raise the prospect of a two-front war for Kampala. American assistance factors heavily on both fronts. And both also represent potential security quagmires.
Al-Shabab, the most dominant of Somalia's many Islamic insurgent groups, claimed responsibility for the July bombings, which were timed to strike a rugby field and a restaurant, both packed with World Cup spectators. An Al-Shabab spokesman said the attacks were meant as retaliation for Uganda's contributions to a 6,000-strong A.U. peacekeeping force in Mogadishu that Sheikh Muktar Abu Zubayr said has "massacred" Somali civilians. "We will keep revenging what your soldiers remorselessly did to our people," Abu Zubayr said. "Your tanks destroyed the remains of our buildings in Mogadishu, and we will also revenge that."
The heavily armed Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers fight alongside the U.S.-backed Somali Transitional Federal Government against Al-Shabab and other Islamic groups, who are aided by "freelance" foreign fighters that stream into Somalia from neighboring countries, Yemen, Central Asia and even the United States. Every year, hundreds of civilians die in the crossfire. In addition to deploying peacekeepers to Somalia, Uganda — which does not share a border with that chaotic country — hosts tens of thousands of Somali refugees who cross into Uganda by air or by land through Kenya.


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Oatmeal Pale Ale - Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 17 | Reviews: 10 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by the Alström Bros:
None found.
More User Reviews:
3/5 rDev -20.8%
02-09-2012 22:06:12 | More by mrelizabeth
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
Another cool extra in an already awesome trade with Cocoapuph... Jeremy hooked it up royally.
Poured into my slim tulip... pretty decent 1 finger white head shows good lacing atop a polished golden brew.
Nose reminds me of orange blossoms... malts run high but not out of style... maybe too much for my liking.
Good bitterness up front that helps balance a sorta everpresent pale maltiness that does carry a bit of oat slickness... even a bit "creamy" I guess, but what do I know?
Interesting take on a saturated Pale Ale market... I would buy this if I had it available... Would be a great camping/fishing brew.
Very cool Jeremy!! I appreciate the trade!!
06-04-2012 07:53:41 | More by JohnGalt1
4/5 rDev +5.5%
Appearance: Golden colored with good clarity. Pours with three fingers of frothy head, which recedes to a thin cap.
Smell: Unsurprisingly this has a ton of oatmeal on the nose. It's grainy and creamy, slightly sweet and moderately hoppy. Floral and citrus hop notes add some brightness to the grainy malt backbone. It's unusual but smells great.
Palate: Creamy, grainy, velvety smooth. A ton of oats here, and I'm surprised by how well it works for the style. Hops are present but balanced against the malt, lending floral and citrus notes with gentle herbal bitterness in the finish. The body is medium-full, sweet up front but dry in the finish.
Overall: Easy drinking and pretty unique. Good stuff.
05-11-2012 03:49:37 | More by largadeer
3.68/5 rDev -2.9%
The beer is a hazy orange color with a tall white head. Really surprisingly strong oatmeal aroma. The hop profile is mostly citrus peel and pine with a nice breadiness to it as well. A hint of grass toward the back end. The flavor also has realy impressive amounts of oatmeal character. Lightly bitter from the pine and citrus peel hop notes, but leaning a bit toward the sweet side of things. I really enjoyed how much the oatmeal came through on this beer.
08-07-2012 15:55:27 | More by womencantsail
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
06-26-2012 16:02:40 | More by Bobhoya
4.5/5 rDev +18.7%
I had this beer at Monkey Paw during a recent trip to San Diego. The beer is a cloudy orange-ish color with a lacy head. A little citrus in the nose with a hint of malt. Nice hop bite with a smooth velvety finish. The soft finish is really the only hint I got that there was an oatmeal component to this beer.
05-27-2013 19:02:05 | More by KevT
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
On tap at O'Brien's
A: Clear deep golden color with a thin cream colored head. Spots of lacing down the glass.
S: Citrusy scent with hints of orange and tangerine and a hint of oats in the background.
T: Really interesting take on the pale ale. A good amount of citrusy and piny hops with some earthiness and oats in the back. The oats are most present in the mouthfeel, which is super creamy. Pretty tasty stuff.
04-18-2012 21:50:08 | More by notchucknorris
3.7/5 rDev -2.4%
Thoroughly flavorful lighter style of hoppy beer. Attractive sudsy pour in the big chalice. Lacing is very nice and the color is an appealing amber just a shade darker than the usual pale. Nice aroma that reminds me of orange blossoms.
Starts out with a mouthfilling malt and shades off into an increasing intensity of hoppy bitterness. The grainy flavor is nice. If you told me it was rye, I'd believe that too. Quite sharp with the citrus rind flavors. Less drinkable than you might expect, but it's right in the higher-hop category of Pale Ales that seems to be the mainstream right now. Finishes dry and somewhat harsh, to my palate.
From the 16 oz can bought at Best Damn in downtown San Diego.
06-15-2012 04:29:14 | More by mactrail
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
07-08-2013 20:53:14 | More by ACY73
3.5/5 rDev -7.7%
On tap at Monkey Paw. A pale ale with oats.
A: Dark orange with a finger of white froth.
S: Grapefruit, orange pith and flesh, and earth. Malt is bready and biscuity. I get a whisper of oats. They're very faint.
T: Moderately bitter with notes of orange, grapefruit, and earth. Malt reminds me of bread and biscuit. If I didn't know this is an oatmeal Pale I wouldn't have guessed it.
M: Lower medium body with upper medium carbonation.
Overall: A solid offering but their other beers are better.
01-15-2012 13:55:38 | More by HopHead84
4/5 rDev +5.5%
09-26-2012 05:58:06 | More by SpicyPrice
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
A - Pours light amber in color, off-white head, sticky lace.
S - A nice mix of light hops and grain, citrus, grass, and hay. The hops and grass work together nice to create a sweeter note, which I would say is oatmeal-esk.
T - Similar to the nose. Sweet toasted malts, grains, light hops, citrus. All very nice and subtle, and works well. The alcohol is non-existent, very light and enjoyable. Finish is light citrus bitterness.
M - Light body, crisp and refreshing, good carbonation, oily finish.
O - A nice take on an APA, and the oatmeal characteristic really works well with this beer. I could easy drink this all the time, if it was available near me. Good stuff!
06-11-2012 15:24:34 | More by Sean9689
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
10-05-2013 00:31:20 | More by bcerv-ca
4/5 rDev +5.5%
16oz can courtesy of HH84 after the one-off canning run. Thanks!
A: Aggressive pour yields a thin rim of head. Body is polished copper in color. Glides off the side of the glass.
N: Crisp oats and a very balanced amount of hops. Citrus and faint hints of pine. Biscuity. Some banana? (Insert lame pun here.) Nothing too off base.
T: Balanced. There's a lot of oatmeal here, which I'd consider to be a plus, and the hops are propping up the malt base. Earth and evergreen needles. As this warms a little, the alpha acids have a more pronounced bittering effect. Solid.
M: Medium body with a lingering aftertaste. Properly carbonated.
O: I'm drinking this after doing battle with the trees in my lawn, and it's a refreshing change of pace. More aggressive than something like SNPA, but also more well-rounded in my opinion. Pints up.
05-28-2012 23:20:26 | More by writerLJBerg
3/5 rDev -20.8%
03-05-2014 22:40:37 | More by mjl21
3.5/5 rDev -7.7%
11-04-2012 03:59:23 | More by t0rin0
4.85/5 rDev +28%
A: Pours a light amber crisp and clear
S: Bold tangerine notes complementing a nice caramel malt presence
T: Lovely dry hop grassy character that is orchestrated beautifully with the full bodied caramel malts and oats. A little biscuity at the end.
M: A very dry yet smooth beer that still has a great soft body.
O: This wad a damn good take on an american pale ale. I truly wish this beer was bottled so I could drink it all the time
03-12-2012 17:19:13 | More by PatrickSwayze
Oatmeal Pale Ale from Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery
85 out of 100 based on 17 ratings.


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The 1983 Honda Goldwing Interstate For Sale or Trade has new tires, brakes, starter and battery! This is one of the nicest 1983 Goldwing Interstates you'll find anywhere especially for what I'm asking.
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Following the floods in the Summer of 2010 that have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in Pakistan, UNIFEM is working to ensure that gender concerns are fully integrated into relief and recovery operations. In particular, UNIFEM focuses on supporting assessments of the conditions and needs of women and girls in affected areas, and on preventing, monitoring and addressing gender-based violence among vulnerable populations.
This Rapid Gender Needs Assessment report analyses emerging trends and data from:
The assessment report chronologically maps gender-related concerns from the onset of floods to current relief camps, identifying gaps in information and flagging issues for upcoming stages of early recovery. It is structured into two broad categories of practical and strategic gender needs:
Publication type: Assessments
UN Women office involved in publication: UN Women Headquarters
Publication year: 2010
Number of pages: 80


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