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KP Week-End (3/13/2010): Another Intifida in Palestine?

March 13th 2010 22:27

The True State of the Peace Talks (Source: http://www.economist.com)

Israel has had quite a week. As I write this, Israel has shut down the West Bank and Jerusuleam. There is a massive Security Crackdown which I have been assessing throughout the day. I have to wonder what Israel is thinking by adding fuel to the underlying fire. There was the diplomatic fiasco of the additional homes while Joe Biden was in Isreal which I reported on in KP's sister site, Smooth Political. The Economist' KAL captured this in such a way that leaves me simply speechless. Now, there is Jerusleam.

Israel insists that Jersuleaum is its' capital. Settlements are continuing. Palestinian homes are being taken away. Now, the residents of East Jerusleaum are not even being allowed to pray at Haram-Al-Sharif. The United States, The European Union and even Switerzland has condemend recent actions. I commend J Street, One Voice Israel and Peace Now for being voices of reason as the Israeli Right Wing continues to push its narrow agenda. I hope that cooler heads prevail soon so that everyone things about

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, war

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Rachel Corrie's Plight & The Fight 4 Justice

March 12th 2010 06:43

Rachel Corrie was a young college student who decided to go to Gaza to fight for Palestinian rights. She stood in front of a house in Gaza to prevent it from being razed. She was crushed by an Israeli Army Bulldozer. After 7 years, the family has finally been able to bring a case against the Government of Israel. The family talked about it with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now:

This is again one of those underreported stories in the so-called mainstream press. The family is quite courageous to have taken on the Government of Israel. What I found quite shocking was how the U.S. Government brought pressure to bear to help with the case during the Bush Adminstration. This came out during the interview when the Adminstration pushed for reports to be given to the family as they prepared their case. This again shows a side of Israel that I think is not as well known as it should be. As I wrote about in KP's sister site, Smooth Political, about what One Israel and J Street are doing, this case is another example of what can happen in the pursuit of justice.

Israel's security paranoia is frankly well justified. But, for Israel to emerge from this semi-pariah of a nation-state that it is, it has to truly figure out who it is going to live in the 21st Century. The Corrie case shows what is truly possible in Israel. Although the trial has just started, the fact that such a trial has come to bear is cause for hope in and of itself.

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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Iceland's Modern Media Initiatve (A Brief Update)

March 10th 2010 06:45

I wanted to provide an update on Iceland's Modern Media Initiatve. It is very, very exciting to see one country provide an infrastucture to truly resurrect a dying profession that has been on the attack from infotainment advocates for the longest time. This overview is quite amazing:

It is a development I would be watching with great interest.

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law

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The California US Senate Election

February 4th 2010 04:35

Barbara Boxer is the junior US Senator from California. She is a force to be reckoned with and is now the Chair of the Senate Environment Committee. She is up for re-election this year against a number of interesting Republican Opponents.

Of the three Republican opponents, the one I find the most qualified is Tom Campbell, the former Congressman and Budget Director under the present Governor. I also am fascinated by the candidacy of Carly Fiornia, the former HP and Lucent Executive who went on to found a lucrative consultancy and rose in Republican circles during the McCain campaign. I am discounting Chuck Devore because I don't think he would be able to win in a statewide primary simply because of the way California is right now

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, war

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KP Week-End (1/31/2010): Brief Observations as Davos Comes to an End

January 31st 2010 08:55

Our World is changing. Between the challenges of population growth, water, resources and climate change, there is the compelling visions of the World that this struggle underscores. I am very fascinated by what is going on in Davos. I am right now listening to the last day at Davos and the interesting evolution of the discussion. The need to brave and courageous must be the order of the day. Wanting to eradicate malnutrition is a fine goal, but Davos to me seems to be an gathering of elites who talk and talk and have no action plan coming out of it. Maybe I don't understand it.

The gentleman from South Africa noted that "Leadership without Moral Authority is not possible. We need to become the values". I could not agree more. What I am worry about is that talk is cheap. The key is to now act. We have to have the courage. That is what I am hearing at Davos right now

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, war

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Goel Ratzon: What a Brave Soul!!!

January 23rd 2010 08:09

Every so often, I digress from my normal daily "write-ups". I could not pass on to write on this fellow. I ran across his name by chance. As I have written about Israel, I just felt that this man was worth mentioning.

The man is a self-described Messiah. He apparently marreid about 80 women, was living with 17 women at the tme and had fathered as many as 89 children. As I read about his trials and tribulations on Israeli Media, I became more jealous and then started laughing. Some of us have a tough time managing even one wife and one child. How he managed all of the women and dealt with some many children took a special kind of man. I guess he was right when he noted that , "....I am perfect. I have all the attributes a woman wants

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law

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KP Newsflash (1/11/2010): The Cont'd Rise of China

January 11th 2010 07:38

For those who doubted China's power, today's annoucement should dispel any notion. China just came out with an annoucement that it has overtaken Germany as the World's greatest exporter. Shanghai opened up 3%. There was a 17% increase in exports. On top of that, there were record car sales in China. I wonder how our little planet is going to be able to handle over 800 million cars!!!

As I tried to come to terms with China's continued march towards world economic domination, I remember an old friend telling me about not to worry about China and how China was going to choke on its' own development. China has some profound challenges. But, China is marching mightly towards its rightful place in the world. Anyone who ignores it does so at their own peril.

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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KP Newsflash (1/6/10): Elections in the US ( Wow!!!)

January 6th 2010 05:21

The first major shoe dropped yesterday. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota has decided to retire from the US Senate. I was shocked at the annoucement because I felt that he was one of the most effective players and was a shoe-in for re-election. Apparently now this gives a shot at Republicans.

As I continue to reflect upon the Dorgan retirement, the more shocking news crossing the wires is the annoucement by Chris Dodd that he is retiring too. This is making the US Senate quite dynamic. I would be keen to see what Charlie Cook has to say about it within the next few days. But look at some interesting insights from Michael Steele on what Republican prospects are

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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KP Newsflash (1/5/10): Iraq wants to Go After Blackwater!!!!

January 5th 2010 08:14

A Federal Judge has dismissed charges against the Blackwater guards. The Iraqi Government wants to prosecute them. As I saw Mouri Al Malaki's statement, my response was simple: yaaaaaaaaaaah right!!!

What the world needs to understand is that Blackwater, (now known as XE), enjoys sovereign immunity. So, that's out of the question. Furthermore, with the way things are in US courts it will be years before families see any compensation. The families who were wronged that day deserve to be made whole and achieve closure. But with Blackwater, it will never happen. I hope I'm wrong.

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women

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A New Year's Wish

December 30th 2009 12:29

As we all bid farewell to 2009, I wanted to simply say thanks. I will be taking a few days off my regular write-ups to finish gearing up for 2010. I will be "back" in 2010 with a renewed vigour and focus on the key themes that I have focused on throughout the past year and a half and to hopefully continue my focus to hopefully help make a difference in our world. It is a world that is worth fighting for for the sake of our children and grandchildren everywhere.

Happy New Year!!!!

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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Healthcare: Yaah Right!!!

December 22nd 2009 07:45

Well, the victory in the US Senate happened. Harry Reid pulled off a near-impossible. Who knows what will happen when this goes on through the reconicliation process. I wrote about it in KP's sister site, Outsider Views. But, the question I have is at what cost?

When I looked at what Ben Nelson secured-- Full Medicaid reimbursement for the State of Nebraska and what Mary Landrieu secured for Louisiana-- dubbed the Louisiana Purchase, my reaction was simple: Good Grief

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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Comcast & GE: A Marriage Made in Heaven

December 16th 2009 06:52

Comcast and GE have come to an agreement to form a new venture to be managed by Comcast. I first wrote about it in KP's sister site, Outsider Views. As I recently revisited this and reviewed GE's view, I listened with great interest to Jeff Immelt's view on this:

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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An Obssession w/Celebrities

December 3rd 2009 07:01

As I think and write about our world, I continue to be amazed at the obssession has with celebrities. The obssession is sickening. I can't explain it and simply can't understand it. The latest manifestation of it is Tiger Woods. I happened to catch HLN's Nancy Grace talking about it in a big way with six different panelists. This was one of those WTF moments. The other one I saw was Meredith Baxter's admission that she was a Lesbian. To me, when I read that, I simply said: who cares? But it was posted on ABC News. She played the mother on Family Ties--as the mother of Michael J. Fox.

As for Tiger Woods, the only thing I have to say is that it is a tragedy. What he did is simply not excusable. I have also seen reports that Tiger Woods' wife is re-negotating a reputed 20 Million Dollar Prenup. One of my friends on Facebook noted that he had no sympathy for someone who marketed himself as "Mr. Clean" and thereafter sought out privacy. To me, the man had to think before betraying his wife and child. When one committs to a marriage, no matter how tough things get, one has to stick it out. Although as Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick and others have proven, they are human and are subject to making mistakes. We have also been blessed with a sense of deceny to remember the difference between right and wrong and have a sense of inner strength that should carry us through no matter what. It is ever more important now. I wonder if Tiger Woods understood it

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: politics, news, women, law, war

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