Matt Said, Jay Said 10 6 2013

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Matt speaks…Jay kinda just sits back and let’s his premium self glow and flow.  You say, <i>“What the Fuck?”</i><br /><i><br /></i> Cheeeeeers Bitches and welcome to an atypical version of <i>Matt Said, Jay Said.</i><br /><br />Typically on Saturdays, you revel in reading the transcript of Jayman and I prepping our upcoming show with the finest of finely tuned wits, however…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH31avNKaJ3Qh7Z0mdnvf711s976wMAsitoxENI6EZJGQ_aM5mpyAkONrR5-UXve20ehKGaioV0A83AHTIhH_hPW-DO2WblCnG0F5LQt6efQMKkt8WyQql1SNY8SyPUJhTLKDDAmxpwIR/s1600/Sexy+Oktoberfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH31avNKaJ3Qh7Z0mdnvf711s976wMAsitoxENI6EZJGQ_aM5mpyAkONrR5-UXve20ehKGaioV0A83AHTIhH_hPW-DO2WblCnG0F5LQt6efQMKkt8WyQql1SNY8SyPUJhTLKDDAmxpwIR/s400/Sexy+Oktoberfest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This Saturday is different, and do you know why?<br /><br />Well let me tell you.<br /><br />This Sunday’s IWS Radio Show, cleverly titled<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2013/10/06/oktoberfest-2013" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Oktoberfest 2013</span></a></span>, has been made a staff pick by the dedicated, overworked, and evidently, very smart and comically inclined staff at Blog Talk Radio.<br /><br />I know, I know…That may not be a big deal to you guys, but to Jay and I? We are all smiles because we are saying to ourselves and each other…<br /><br /><i>“Big Dick’s donation of $399.00 to allow us to go Premium on BTR has finally paid off.”</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In fact, when Jayman and I found out that we are a BTR Staff Pick, we took our clothes off, oiled up, and reenacted the volleyball scene from <i>Top Gun</i> with each other via Skype.  We were naked, laughing, and all the while yelling, <i>“We’re stoked!!”</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>That is something that I’ll never forget. One never forgets milestones…nor the sight of an oily Jayman holding a volleyball in one hand, a margarita in the other, while wearing nothing but a Viking helmet.<br /><br />It’s HOT!!<br /><br />And so is the Staff Pick.  In fact, here is the very moving e-mail we received from them on Friday…<br /><br /><i>Hi IWS Radio,</i><br /><i>Congratulations!  Your show has been selected to appear in the Staff Picks section of BlogTalkRadio's homepage starting on Monday, October 7 at 12 AM EST for the next 24 hours.  Look out for it then, and don't forget to let your audience know that your show was featured on BlogTalkRadio.</i><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrxaXMSGW9J8kQJq67O-df83F2I_Hq410XBDx_TMmreu8eJdZnLL1zW-8C_Lz3Ka4Nbw_79ztijsh71AgIzgB_uf0TvT2qpB_1ssLczlhWLPutVq4xzXNlHJlYM0jhGad8bJCanqhFgta/s1600/hogans+heroes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrxaXMSGW9J8kQJq67O-df83F2I_Hq410XBDx_TMmreu8eJdZnLL1zW-8C_Lz3Ka4Nbw_79ztijsh71AgIzgB_uf0TvT2qpB_1ssLczlhWLPutVq4xzXNlHJlYM0jhGad8bJCanqhFgta/s400/hogans+heroes.jpg" width="400" /></a>Jayman and I are kinda excited.  We spend a lot of time on the website and radio show so this is kinda nice, because trust me, it’s nice to get thrown a bone once in awhile for one’s efforts.<br /><br />And that is coming from ME!!  The Matt-Man… A man <i>completely devoid</i> of ego or self-interest.<br /><br />Anyhoo…We hope you join us this Sunday from Noon-2 PM ET for our <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2013/10/06/oktoberfest-2013" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Oktoberfest 2013</span></a> celebration on IWS Radio on Blog Talk Radio.<br /><br />It’s going to be a HUGE party with the likes of Paul Piatt, Guy Ahnyurdyck, and our resident German chef, Franz Bitter.<br /><br />Bobby Kraft and Kirk Douglas will be there as well, annnnnnnd.....<br /><br />We will have a report from our fave Canadian, “Made in Canada” Jamie as she breaks down Oktoberfest in Canada.<br /><br />Perhaps we’ll call the German Embassy and a few members of Congress to get a shutdown update, and of course, we’ll be taking your calls at 661.244.9852.<br /><br />We’ll be talking German Bier, German Babes, and little known German facts as well.  Sunday is going to be <i>Deutschland Uber Alles</i> on IWS Radio.<br /><br />Please join us and help us to not let down the BTR staff for making us one of their picks of the week.<br /><br />To join the fun on Sunday from Noon-2 PM ET you can click <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2013/10/06/oktoberfest-2013" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">HERE!!</span></a><br /><br /><i>Prosit!!</i><br /><br /></div>

Matt Said, Jay Said 10 6 2013

Matt speaks…Jay kinda just sits back and let’s his premium self glow and flow.  You say, “What the Fuck?” Cheeeeeers Bitches and welcome to...

Read more »

Our Used Merchandise Growth Industry

The following chart shows employees working at used merchandise stores divided by all retail trade employees.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcpVPY3WBhRp20xpiD2YULWvNvPnXwcgBtiLZgxWjwo_iaGfGgZlcnaV3WM_jIZgbmynpHEkfAwZshVGttkluz4Ebr17OUVynzQ1am8YE9wKfSdbTMaCISEVdZ6TwlWTKC5mjdvCKxiw/s1600/Our+Used+Merchandise+Growth+Industry.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcpVPY3WBhRp20xpiD2YULWvNvPnXwcgBtiLZgxWjwo_iaGfGgZlcnaV3WM_jIZgbmynpHEkfAwZshVGttkluz4Ebr17OUVynzQ1am8YE9wKfSdbTMaCISEVdZ6TwlWTKC5mjdvCKxiw/s320/Our+Used+Merchandise+Growth+Industry.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />The "sure thing" parabolic trend has been replaced with the "sure thing" exponential trend.<br /><br />The future's so bright I gotta buy used rose-colored glasses.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/#employment">BLS: Employment</a>

Our Used Merchandise Growth Industry

The following chart shows employees working at used merchandise stores divided by all retail trade employees. Click to enlarge. The "su...

Read more »

Frontier Museum Homeschool Day ... and then the rains came & I ducked under a tree

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmQLU36iXrvBTpI080pEAPXh3xr9qJoMWYPgkduhTdyLsNaOvMpTda_0FNb8HWJKbKkAgTh_SKPOE-Bp6fEShXUsEv_wZ_BPPN5u9OTLWiwK6OXgLdE9VWwZNN7Ut7tgmLZKgctlYiat-/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmQLU36iXrvBTpI080pEAPXh3xr9qJoMWYPgkduhTdyLsNaOvMpTda_0FNb8HWJKbKkAgTh_SKPOE-Bp6fEShXUsEv_wZ_BPPN5u9OTLWiwK6OXgLdE9VWwZNN7Ut7tgmLZKgctlYiat-/s400/19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As dark clouds gathered in the western sky Friday afternoon, hundreds of homeschoolers were at the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum</a> enjoying the exhibits. With camera in hand, I was everywhere taking pictures and even shot one of the storm clouds visible above Staunton's Betsy Bell and Mary Gray mountains. <br /><br />When the first misty raindrops began, they were scattered and could barely be felt. I paid no attention to the moisture in the air ... it's a passing cloud, I thought ... and continued on my way, stopping in at the Irish farm, Irish forge, around by the pond, and by the cow. I visited with Sally Landes and the rest of the English farm interpreters and, after leaving there, stopped to visit with the goats who thought I had food and stuck their little heads through the fence to get closer. Cute goats.<br /><br />As I stood watching them -- okay, I was talking to them -- some larger raindrops began as the wind picked up. My first thought was that the cooling wind felt good because it had been a warm day in the mid-80s.<br /><br />That's when I realized there were some even <i>larger</i> raindrops mixed in the wind. Hmm ... maybe I should head toward shelter, I thought, and picked up the pace heading toward the entrance.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppc8LkccaRf4ctT3LYPJY82sLpzYdzGxvDJiXRg_w_HCwFIomynidYxkFF6qwumfr1ucll3lP8Z4Xsvmyn246O8E-h_5pcQSDK9SC3Kd2LHdctIB_NCAIWT-kSwzYkXfwQScIfzgQ17X/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppc8LkccaRf4ctT3LYPJY82sLpzYdzGxvDJiXRg_w_HCwFIomynidYxkFF6qwumfr1ucll3lP8Z4Xsvmyn246O8E-h_5pcQSDK9SC3Kd2LHdctIB_NCAIWT-kSwzYkXfwQScIfzgQ17X/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I rounded the curve at the African farm. The maples were changing colors and were so pretty with their red leaves ... I needed to get a picture ... so my camera and I paused to record the scene. <i>Click click click.</i> The rain got a little heavier ... <i>click click click</i>.<br /><br />I finally stepped under the trees in the shelter of the just-photographed leaves. Ahhh ... perfect, I thought ... I'll just weather this little shower from under here. As homeschoolers dashed up the path to the main building, I watched from my dry spot and enjoyed the view peeking out from under the leaves while breathing in the fresh air and the smell of the rain and ...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGELJyXbTK2yyxksQ5vIUvQnoV2IMbMQH9AYVRPUH4D7kzOt9noNUi-VGoELjJpXiXxHJewZNCUlNmkUKwD0sTXsNF56O3o5UIxfy2OgyiJY9Uzp0R49p8ugqJmCzcgXalo_o79Xv3HQl/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGELJyXbTK2yyxksQ5vIUvQnoV2IMbMQH9AYVRPUH4D7kzOt9noNUi-VGoELjJpXiXxHJewZNCUlNmkUKwD0sTXsNF56O3o5UIxfy2OgyiJY9Uzp0R49p8ugqJmCzcgXalo_o79Xv3HQl/s400/18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Watching the rain from under a tree.</i></div><br />BOOM. The sky opened in a downpour, rain obscuring the distant mountains and finding its way through the tree leaves.<br /><br />Uh-oh.<br /><br />I watched the pouring-down streaks of rain for a minute, hoping it would quickly let up because surely that much rain cannot come out of the sky for long -- right? -- and then realized I was getting <i>wet.</i> Forget the leaves ... rain was pouring onto me.<br /><br />That's when I made my escape for the main building. By the time I scooted under shelter, my naturally curly hair (I always hear the <a href="http://www.hark.com/clips/jrdkgksyfq-curly-hair">voice of that little <i>Peanuts</i> character</a> when I say that) -- previously nicely straightened, thanks to the hot iron -- was sufficiently soaked that curls began boinging out like springs.<br /><br />And that was the end of my afternoon at the Frontier Museum. I left with damp clothes and frizzy hair.<br /><br />And a ton of memories. It was a good day....<br /><br /><i>Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell</i><br /><i>Frontier Culture Museum Homeschool Day</i><br /><i>October 4, 2013</i>

autumn leaves Frontier Culture Museum Homeschool Day Shenandoah Valley Staunton Frontier Museum Homeschool Day ... and then the rains came & I ducked under a tree

As dark clouds gathered in the western sky Friday afternoon, hundreds of homeschoolers were at the Frontier Culture Museum enjoying the exh...

Read more »

Gravity: Grim survival drama

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b><i>Gravity</i> </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><b>(2013) • <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/gravity/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">View trailer</a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b> </b><br /><b>Four stars. Rating: PG-13, for dramatic intensity, disturbing images and fleeting profanity</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>By <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/12885694730612878577" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">Derrick Bang</a> • </b></span>Originally published in <i><a href="http://www.davisenterprise.com/" style="color: #27a9c5; text-decoration: none;">The Davis Enterprise</a></i>, 10.4.13</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Jan. 11, 2007, the Chinese military destroyed one of its orbiting satellites with a ground-based missile. Although China insisted that this was the best way to “retire” the aging satellite, visions of a surface-to-space missile race naturally alarmed more than a few nations around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6gezC-8hONmhdraSbiZ7vHrDEXJf_RYZoTMxhiQTqAqL1j4XvhTFK2_RYg0JzgueaWBhVU_AsW_AVHeR5hHQ0FhsxHrbwbswD31APmyvNiLYcgGRs6usEdWWmlkH_KY3VvsE6qIjmTc/s1600/Gravity+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6gezC-8hONmhdraSbiZ7vHrDEXJf_RYZoTMxhiQTqAqL1j4XvhTFK2_RYg0JzgueaWBhVU_AsW_AVHeR5hHQ0FhsxHrbwbswD31APmyvNiLYcgGRs6usEdWWmlkH_KY3VvsE6qIjmTc/s400/Gravity+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">When things go wrong in space, they go very wrong, as Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra<br />Bullock) quickly discovers. Situations that would be bad enough on the ground, with<br />gravity operating in one's favor, quickly turn catastrophic in an environment where a<br />small space suit puncture likely would mean instantaneous death.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saber-rattling aside, the much more serious issue was the orbiting “debris cloud” of up to 300,000 bits of satellite that resulted, which still could pose serious danger to other satellites or spacecraft en route to the moon and beyond. (NASA, worried about this since 1978, has dubbed the frightening possibility of cascading collisions the Kessler Syndrome.) For this very reason, the U.S. and the Soviet Union halted such anti-satellite experiments in the 1980s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly, filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón smelled an opportunity. The result, which he directed and co-wrote with his son, Jonás, is <i>Gravity</i>: one of the very few feasible space-based dramas ever released via conventional channels. (I say this to distinguish Cuarón’s film from numerous sci-fi and fantasy entries, or jes’-plain-silly action epics such as <i>Armageddon</i> and <i>Space Cowboys</i>.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gravity</i> is both a suspenseful nail-biter and an impressive visual achievement: a studio production that comes close to the on-screen authenticity of an IMAX space documentary. The special effects are stunning, from the gorgeously depicted EVA mission that opens the story, to the weightless activity that takes place within a space station. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Sandra Bullock “swims” her way from one end of the station to another, passing all sorts of floating debris along the way — not to mention little globules of liquid, or zero-G electrical sparks — everything looks absolutely real. We can’t help a “how the heck did they <i>do</i> that?” sense of wonder, despite our frequent ho-hum reaction to what CGI effects have wrought these days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and visual effects supervisor Tim Webber — and the latter’s company, Framestore — have done stunning work. Indeed, their efforts are almost <i>too</i> good; at times it’s hard to focus on the story, since we’re so frequently dazzled by the on-screen visuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But only at times. Cuarón has orchestrated a taut survival drama that masterfully exploits claustrophobic terrors, not to mention related fears of drowning, suffocating or simply being hurled, alone, into the depths of space, able to do nothing but count down the seconds before the oxygen runs out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><a name='more'></a><br /> <div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The time could be now, or perhaps just a bit into the future, under slightly different circumstances that have allowed our space program to remain robust. A routine shuttle mission commanded by veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) includes a civilian passenger: medical engineer Ryan Stone (Bullock), clearly anxious about her surroundings, despite six months of training and preparation back on Earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story begins with the Shuttle Explorer docked alongside the Hubble Telescope, as Stone struggles to install a new scanning system. She’s tense, and not only because of the expanse of space; the scanning unit isn’t cooperating. Kowalski, meanwhile, is punctuating his final voyage into space by scooting around in a test-model jet pack that allows movement unencumbered by the usual tethers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kowalski, alert to the rising tension, lightens the mood by joking with Mission Control — we recognize Ed Harris’ off-camera voice (nice touch, that) — and sharing oft-heard personal anecdotes that can’t help raising a smile on Stone’s nervous face.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, suddenly, a crisis: On the other side of the planet, an obsolete satellite has just been destroyed by a ground-based missile strike. The resulting debris field, on the same orbital path, arrives much faster than expected; the consequences are catastrophic. To make matters worse, the debris destroys numerous communications satellites along the way, and all contact with Mission Control is lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stone and Kowalski are the sole survivors, and Explorer has been rendered useless. Stone is running critically low on oxygen, and Kowalski’s prototype jet pack has limited fuel. Their only hope: a bit of a “hike” to the nearby International Space Station, just visible to their naked eyes, and the Russian Soyuz capsule that Kowalski knows should be docked alongside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right about now, most viewers will be biting lips and digging fingernails painfully into palms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such reactions, of course, depend on the degree to which we invest ourselves in this scenario. Cuarón and co-editor Mark Sanger do a masterful job with this, as well. The characters are introduced and sketched just well enough to elicit our concern — the script doing so with “reasonable” conversation, as opposed to dumb dialogue solely for our benefit — and then things happen rapidly enough that we willingly hang on for the ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The character contrast is well played and quite credible; Clooney and Bullock deserves plenty of credit, particularly since they do most of their “acting” via vocal inflection and the limited facial expressions that are partially obscured by space suit helmets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clooney’s calm voice and easy manner bespeak the seasoned professional that Kowalski obviously is; he’s a well-trained professional who (no doubt) has long anticipated such a crisis, while clearly hoping never to face one. Clooney’s tone is light but instructive, gentle but persistent. Kowalski knows full well that his sole remaining companion is just this side of total panic, which is bad for all sorts of reasons ... starting with the fact that a frightened person breathes more heavily, and wastes more oxygen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anticipating this film, I must confess to having had doubts about seeing Bullock as a space scientist; that seemed just as daft as casting Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist, in 1999’s James Bond epic, <i>The World Is Not Enough</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I needn’t have worried; Bullock imbues her character with just the right blend of professional competence and landlubber anxiety. Her terror is reasonable; Kowalski may be comfortable in space, and regard it as his majestic back yard, but Stone has no such sang froid. We can readily believe that she signed on for this mission via a mixture of excitement and pride, for having been selected in the first place. After all, who <i>wouldn't</i> want to experience space first-hand?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So most of us imagine, of course, with the unspoken caveat: As long as nothing goes wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bullock gives us a character we both respect and fear for; Cuarón’s skill lies in constructing a credible — if horrifying — scenario, and then making Stone the ultimate surrogate for our own resourcefulness. What would <i>we</i> do?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cuarón has dealt with grim speculative fiction before, specifically with 2006’s apocalyptic and quite unsettling <i>Children of Men</i>. Despite a premise that was extremely unlikely (we hope), Cuarón nonetheless drew quite persuasive performances from his cast. He does the same here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lubezki’s gorgeous cinematography is further enhanced by this film’s 3-D effects, which are real enough to induce vertigo or even nausea, particularly when (for example) Stone tumbles out of control, spinning upside-down and sideways, after the initial impact. This film probably should come with air-sickness bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Composer Steve Price’s electronic-based score is deeply disturbing, operating on a subconscious level that greatly enhances this story’s fright factor. The sudden crescendos are enough to make you jump out of your skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My one major complaint concerns the script’s tendency toward crisis overkill. The eventual plot hiccups represent a single bad-luck day taken to truly ludicrous extremes ... which, in turn, makes this depiction of human endurance a credibility-stretching improbability. Those familiar with the space program and EVAs also likely will balk at the <i>speed</i> with which Kowalski and Stone confront each new problem; every action in a bulky space suit, operating in zero gravity, should take an ... agonizingly ... long ... time. Cuarón pretty much ignores that little detail, no doubt claiming dramatic license (and a need to move things along).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast — and to be fair — the scenario is quite a bit more accurate when it comes to the ghastly consequences of Newton’s laws of motion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All this said, at a modest 90 minutes, you’re unlikely to be bothered by such issues. <i>Gravity</i> — clever title, by the way — is a thoroughly absorbing drama that’ll make you think twice about booking a ticket on Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.</span></span><!--EndFragment-->

2013 Amy Warren drama Ed Harris Four Star Films George Clooney Paul Sharma Sandra Bullock Sci-Fi Gravity: Grim survival drama

Gravity   (2013) •  View trailer   Four stars. Rating: PG-13, for dramatic intensity, disturbing images and fleeting profanity By  Derrick B...

Read more »

PARKROYAL on Pickering

As my <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.sg/2013/10/good-morning-singapore.html">previous post</a> implies, being in Singapore for WAF means I've been a bit too busy to be posting regularly to this blog. Some posts on what I have seen at WAF and in Singapore will follow, but for the time being here are a few photos of <a href="http://www.woha.net/#PARKROYAL-on-Pickering">PARKROYAL on Pickering by WOHA</a>, one of my favorites so far.<br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpE-ORC8UxRKGSxlelcqQk2lcQpYI5P2G1LgtvwN9Ky7fw-wHsixtfDKruriHXUpffMBfzgW2H-UnRtwomgYCeZZ9LiX6IlZCkZP36XRN2u9yAC0776wM576A6cFQDF33szggA8_GALD04/s1600/FB9.jpg" /><br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E6X_RPfLXDOhjqAA16f9RHT2Ykjmp7GuTr3frVl8FB2zPUYRFVgzYCVBIheTMMd0xrRYpPoMkte4rQttxXefXctondfkiNmsyf7Api54moWY-7ZG6k3jhcGXBBPX0u3u_QLpRcPkb-Iv/s1600/FB10.jpg" /><br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqfnFLp2JHiuCiyfrokNQTGNNV-gIgKeNjYSnwRx6ygS1MFmOUWip17w6c87GruVdp-4jdW6ThnhNQAjaFb-wEQ2H3ugjYeqVOt1uAXv5ZmPPoSoFruMM2r3CUofqEPUklMFDQStkcd9p/s1600/FB11.jpg" /><br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHA5s6AKE5llUfxKYRDTtoOjIGwKcq98lTYgA9coKvMH4hb87HiRC7Hqe5q6C1W673imgUQKAdKASX_tAh1zRwePRHGt5URInnKGA0NxXTOyMS6Ax3Up-Acwfu5h3eSkbWDCN9JrdjQUAR/s1600/FB12.jpg" />

PARKROYAL on Pickering

As my previous post implies, being in Singapore for WAF means I've been a bit too busy to be posting regularly to this blog. Some posts...

Read more »

Senior Software Engineer (C++/ C# / OOD / OOP / Java/ GUI ) (#109352)

<font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> <div><b>Position</b>: Senior Software Engineer<br> <b>Location</b>: Milpitas, CA <br> <b>Duration</b>: Full time<br> <br> <b>Job Description</b>:<br> The Film and Scatterometry Technology (FaST) Division provides industry leading metrology solutions for worldwide semiconductor IC manufacturers.  The FaST Division portfolio of metrology products includes hardware and software solutions for optical film thickness, optical critical dimension (CD), composition, and resistivity measurement systems.  These products are essential for the IC manufacturers as they provide critical metrology capabilities for the development and implementation of their advanced IC processes.  The FaST division is committed to support our customers to achieve performance entitlement of our solution and we effectively partner with our customers from their early research and development phase to the high volume in-line manufacturing implementation specific for their process needs. The division consists of a global team located in US, Israel, China, and India.</div> <div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div> <div><b>Responsibilities:</b></div> <div>We are looking for a senior software engineer to support the development of the next generation film and CD measurement technology and hardware.  Following the KLA-Tencor Product Lifecycle methods, the candidate will be required to participate in all phases of the software design/architecture, design reviews and requirements definition for systems and subsystems, and development/maintain of software features. Software requirements documents, analyzing software performance and development of critical software features are key responsibilities for this position.  Other responsibilities for this position include interfacing with multi-disciplinary teams in the US and overseas, analyzing escalated issues, and bug fixes. The candidate may be required to travel to customer sites occasionally to support Beta tools or to address specific issues.<br> <br> <b>Preferred Qualifications:</b></div> <div>Ph.D or Master degree in physics/applied sciences/ computer science/electrical engineering or related fields with at least 1 years of commercial product development experience. Candidates should have excellent written and oral communication skills. Candidates should be familiar with fast prototyping, and have excellent problem-solving skills. Prior experience in semiconductor equipment control and/or process control SW development would be considered a definite plus.</div> <div> </div> <div>a) Excellent mathematical and analytical background.<br> b) Solid architecture and design experience using modular / OOP / OOD methodology.<br> c) Hands-on experience on C#/C++ programming including multi-threading on Windows platform.<br> d) Software design, implementation and unit testing using Microsoft VS C# /C++<br> e) GUI design and implementation using .Net framework.<br> f) Documentation of software design artifacts  and algorithm specifications.<br> g) Collaboration with SQC team on test case development and test execution.<br> h) Experience on the metrology system, optics, semiconductor process is very desirable.<br> i) Solid experience on at least 2 scripting languages in JavaScript, python, and Perl is a plus.<br> <br> <b>Minimum Qualifications:</b></div> <div>Bachelor's Level Degree with at least 3 years of experience.<br> OR<br> Master's Level Degree with at least 2 years of experience.<br> OR<br> Doctorate (Academic)<br> <br> Kindly send your resumes to<font color="navy"> </font><a href="mailto:Sivaram.bose@kla-tencor.com"><font color="navy"><u>Sivaram.bose@kla-tencor.com</u></font></a><font color="navy"> </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></div> </span></font>

Senior Software Engineer (C++/ C# / OOD / OOP / Java/ GUI ) (#109352)

Position : Senior Software Engineer Location : Milpitas, CA Duration : Full time Job Description : The Film and Scatte...

Read more »

Tired of Malinvestment?

The following chart shows the number of employees at tire dealers divided by annual vehicle miles traveled.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaG21G6YBK1l9WI6gumM09CkOHqsnxL2yvhlMNqFkBOlOaXonKDTmuTt_eQRZj_RCEIcDm9tx1e88UIagb-UM7wRVLeXvbsVRSsnu7LdBTINCqDzVcBo2LJE3shsJS440UHa43zx4KC4/s1600/Tired+of+Malinvestment.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaG21G6YBK1l9WI6gumM09CkOHqsnxL2yvhlMNqFkBOlOaXonKDTmuTt_eQRZj_RCEIcDm9tx1e88UIagb-UM7wRVLeXvbsVRSsnu7LdBTINCqDzVcBo2LJE3shsJS440UHa43zx4KC4/s320/Tired+of+Malinvestment.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />Since the depths of the recession, we've been hiring more and more tire dealer employees. We're seeing <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=n45">no increase in total miles traveled</a> though. Think that's going to be sustainable over the long-term?<br /><br />If the trend channel in blue represents rising productivity, then what does the trend in red represent? Rose-colored glasses?<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malinvestment">Malinvestment</a><br /><br /><div style="color: #666666;"><i>Malinvestment is a concept developed by the Austrian School of economic thought, that refers to <span style="color: red;">investments of firms being badly allocated</span> due to what they assert to be an <span style="color: red;">artificially low cost of credit</span> and an unsustainable increase in money supply, <span style="color: red;">often blamed on a central bank</span>. This concept is central to the Austrian business cycle theory. Austrian economists such as Nobel laureate F. A. Hayek advocate the idea that malinvestment occurs due to the combination of fractional reserve banking and artificially low interest rates <span style="color: red;">misleading relative price signals which eventually necessitate a corrective contraction—a boom followed by a bust</span>.</i></div><br />Based on the chart above, malinvestment at tire dealers seems more than likely to me. Where else do you suppose it is appearing? Or did I just get lucky and think this one up in isolation?<br /><br />Before you answer, I started with the premise that I would see malinvestment in tire dealers. I then went looking for malinvestment. Being able to include the "tired" pun was just a bonus.<br /><br />It would not surprise me if this very same malinvestment theory could be applied to <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=n46">retail trade</a> in general. For example, picture retail salespeople and mall traffic. I do not have easy access to reliable mall traffic though, so this chart will have to suffice for now.<br /><br />Who really believes that malinvestment based growth is sustainable over the long-term? I sure as heck don't.<br /><br />This is not investment advice.<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://www.bls.gov/data/#employment">BLS: Employment</a><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/M12MTVUSM227NFWA">St. Louis Fed: Total Vehicle Miles Traveled</a>

Tired of Malinvestment?

The following chart shows the number of employees at tire dealers divided by annual vehicle miles traveled. Click to enlarge. Since the dept...

Read more »

Everything You Have To Examine When Operating A Weight Loss Website

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Betty Miller</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Unless you know small tips it is hard work to have a diet tips and weight loss information website. One small tip is to utilize SEO and online marketing. Make your website easy by trying them today.<br /> <br /> If you design your page in a way that they require images on each and every page then it's better to use CSS sprites for image storage. With this, there is no need to download the pictures every time. This also helps in increasing the loading speed of page with reduction in HTTP requests.<br /> <br /> Buy logo making software. If you are having issues coming up with a unique logo, there is software to help you do so. Other than that, you can also select a freelance graphic artist to help you. Consider its long-term potential when deciding on a final graphic.<br /> <br /> Resist the temptation to pay far in advance for your hosting as it will limit your adjustability. Try to pay for hosting on a month to month basis when probable. This will permit you to leave at any time that you become dissatisfied with the service.<br /> <br /> Track who picks up your articles or press releases. Provide them exclusive news or content. it can serve as a trading option where you both can gain your interests from each other. Collaborations help making work facile.<br /> <br /> Leverage new real world relationships into linking relationships. If you go to SEO related conferences, people like Tim Mayer, Matt Cutts, and Danny Sullivan are readily accessible. Similarly, in other industries, people who would normally seem inaccessible are exceptionally accessible at trade conferences. It is much easier to seem "real" in person. Once you create social relationships in person, it is easy to extend that onto the web.<br /> <br /> In order to run a successful diet tips and weight loss information website you have to associate your website with the most popular sites in your area. For instance, you can review their site on your website and link it back to them. You can also make interesting and relevant comments on their sites and link it back to your diet tips and weight loss information website. This way you will get more readers and it will promote your website.<br /> <br /> Make sure to have comprehensive help pages that will direct your users to the information they need quickly. That's why they're there-to find the answer to a question, or for information to solve a problem. Make sure your articles are thorough and easy to find from your home page, and keep your FAQ page updated and detailed. When a user can find the answers they seek quickly and are satisfied with the quality of that information, they're more apt to return.<br /> <br /> Don't restrict your adverts to online. Engage in offline advertisement of the products and services you sell. The radio, television and print media houses are all at your disposal. Use them to create more recognition about your diet tips and weight loss information website.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Be sure to visit your favorite search engine and search online for <a href='http://www.buyphen375quick.com/'>buy phen375</a> if you wish to improve your understanding regarding <a href='http://www.buyphen375quick.com/buy-phen375-where-to-buy-phen375-the-safest-diet-pill'>phen375 cheap</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

Everything You Have To Examine When Operating A Weight Loss Website

By Betty Miller Unless you know small tips it is hard work to have a diet tips and weight loss information website. One small tip is to ...

Read more »

Because I Am Easily Entertained

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2ahct9oIkBQo2Y14MVw_YHmSCFk1K7DUGsEsdGYXjaZzXfLC90f6-bC9TyozhXWCVypy3PQqForm2x6-4NrdZ8zCpXVBdpsB6EebtJ2PmJiDRys9_OCfE2v3GUfFMcFKkFExFpNKSGhM/s1600/jiggly.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2ahct9oIkBQo2Y14MVw_YHmSCFk1K7DUGsEsdGYXjaZzXfLC90f6-bC9TyozhXWCVypy3PQqForm2x6-4NrdZ8zCpXVBdpsB6EebtJ2PmJiDRys9_OCfE2v3GUfFMcFKkFExFpNKSGhM/s640/jiggly.gif" /></a>

Because I Am Easily Entertained

Read more »

Field Applications Engineer (Semiconductor | SEM ) (# 110022) Beaverton, OR

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="WordSection1"><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Job Title: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Field Applications Engineer<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Location: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Beaverton, OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Duration: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fulltime<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Responsibilities:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Responsible for providing technical applications support for the development and implementation of KLA-Tencor products in customer fabrication facilities. Makes presentations on all aspects of products.  Assists sales staff in assessing potential application of company products to meet customer needs and preparing detailed product specifications. Implements detailed customer installation plans. Provides follow-up support in disseminating technical information on specific applications.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Field Applications Engineer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Works on complex problems where analysis of situations or data requires and in depth evaluation of various factors. Exercises judgment within broadly defined practices and policies in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criterion for obtaining results. Work leadership may be provided by assigning work and resolving problems. Requires a MS or PhD degree, or equivalent experience and a strong technical knowledge of company products. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Preferred Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Physics, Chemical or Electrical Engineering MS Degree, PhD Preferred.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Candidate should preferably have experience in the semiconductor fabrication industry, or equivalent experience and education. Background in SEM or TEM is an asset.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Candidates must be well organized and professional exhibiting fast learning skills, strong project management skills, strong analytical problem solving skills and the ability to absorb and transfer knowledge to others. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Minimum Qualifications:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bachelor's Level Degree with at least 5 years of experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Master's Level Degree with at least 4 years of experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">OR<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">PhD is preferred.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kindly send your resume to <b><a href="mailto:raju.balaji@kla-tencor.com">raju.balaji@kla-tencor.com</a></b> <o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div>

Field Applications Engineer (Semiconductor | SEM ) (# 110022) Beaverton, OR

Job Title: Field Applications Engineer Location: Beaverton, OR Duration: Fulltime Responsibilities: Responsible for providing technical a...

Read more »

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true" DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99" LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QkUne7OQrX5dRoUYRaJxw6cSTEK5WxIjRY_LEiXXxsU9gxZ4L8SC2bcNJzc-Hc9gOj0TX6qN-GGbJhDDCpF7ouz21nLMn2zesTjzPJTaYFkPYGUS026ZJwFhHyqTdV0siKnTbAr9ZW5X/s1600/israel-palestine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QkUne7OQrX5dRoUYRaJxw6cSTEK5WxIjRY_LEiXXxsU9gxZ4L8SC2bcNJzc-Hc9gOj0TX6qN-GGbJhDDCpF7ouz21nLMn2zesTjzPJTaYFkPYGUS026ZJwFhHyqTdV0siKnTbAr9ZW5X/s400/israel-palestine.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></b></span></span></b></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">CONTEMPLATING A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IN THE PALESTINIAN POSITION ON A POLITICAL AGREEMENT: POSSIBLE ISRAELI RESPONSES</span></b></span></span></div><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Zaki Shalom via INSS Insight </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The prevailing opinion in ISRAEL and among many AMERICAN and PALESTINIAN officials is that chances are slim that the current negotiations will lead to a real breakthrough that will promote a full settlement between ISRAEL and the PALESTINIANS. Yet while the assessment is reasonable, powerful considerations could in fact lead the two parties to decide to make a material change in their positions. This article examines the possibility that a fundamental and perhaps even dramatic change will occur in the familiar PALESTINIAN position, and examines possible responses by the US administration and the Israeli government.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read also: </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">JORDAN AND ISRAEL</span> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/jordan-and-israel.html"><span lang="ES-AR" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-AR;">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/10/jordan-and-israel.html</span></a></span><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Far from the eyes of the media and for the most part discreetly, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN negotiations are underway. The UNITED STATES is apparently present at some of the discussions, serving in a “supervisory” role over the ISRAELI and PALESTINIAN positions. According to information that has not yet been officially confirmed, discussions on the issue of borders will soon begin in the presence of US General John Allen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PALESTINIAN - JORDANIAN CONFEDERATION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/01/israel-jordan-and-palestine.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2013/01/israel-jordan-and-palestine.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TELLING THE UN SIX HOME TRUTHS</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/palestine.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/palestine.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="ES-AR" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PALESTINE AND PARANOIA - JORDAN, JERUSALEM AND JITTERS</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-AR; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://jordanispalestine.blogspot.com.ar/2011/04/palestine-and-paranoia-jordan-jerusalem.html"><span lang="ES-AR" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-AR;">http://jordanispalestine.blogspot.com.ar/2011/04/palestine-and-paranoia-jordan-jerusalem.html</span></a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The prevailing opinion in ISRAEL and among many AMERICAN and PALESTINIAN officials is that chances are slim that the current dialogue will lead to a real breakthrough that will promote a full settlement between ISRAEL and the PALESTINIANs. Gaps between the respective positions are wide, and the mediator – i.e., the UNITED STATES – is seen as lacking sufficient leverage to lead the two sides to modify their positions significantly. Yet while the assessment is reasonable, powerful considerations could in fact lead the two parties to decide to make a material change in their positions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE BACKGROUND TO A POSSIBLE CHANGE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Several considerations could lead the PALESTINIAN Authority (PA) toward a substantive change in its traditional positions on the issue of a settlement. The first concerns a PALESTINIAN assessment of the US administration’s ability to dictate terms for a settlement that are not acceptable to ISRAEL. During President Obama’s first term it became clear that his administration’s ability to force ISRAEL to act against what it sees as a national interest, namely, continued construction in the settlements, is limited.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It has also become clear to the PA that the Obama administration is intentionally avoiding linkage between ISRAEL’S positions on the issue of a settlement and bilateral relations with ISRAEL. Furthermore, the PALESTINIAN leadership was disappointed by the administration’s position on upgrading the PALESTINIAN Authority’s status in the UNITED NATIONS, and thus the PA’s apparent hopes that the Obama administration would impose on ISRAEL a settlement favorable to the PALESTINIANS were dashed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information:</span></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">…..<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">that offer to share the large land was so logical, generous and right, it was literally ‘an offer he couldn’t refuse’--but Arafat did in fact refuse that huge geographical land mass for a homeland. Instead he tried to overthrow the King and take over all of Jordan. </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read entire article at: <a href="http://specialguests.com/guests/viewnews.cgi?id=EFFkkVkuulgKBngPvH&style=PrintFull&tmpl=fullprint">http://specialguests.com/guests/viewnews.cgi?id=EFFkkVkuulgKBngPvH&style=PrintFull&tmpl=fullprint</a>and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September_in_Jordan">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September_in_Jordan</a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The ARAB world, likewise perceived as another supporter of the PA in its struggle to obtain a political settlement with ISRAEL, has been shown in recent years to be a fair weather friend. Major Arab countries – e.g., EGYPT, SYRIA – are undergoing powerful and historic upheavals, and their international status has suffered a harsh blow. Other countries, such as SAUDI ARABIA, JORDAN, and LEBANON, are contending with serious threats from within and without, and it is doubtful that they have significant ability to help the PALESTINIANS achieve their national goals. In addition, the events in EGYPT have led to a considerable weakening in the standing of Hamas, which was sorely limiting the PA’s political room to maneuver. Under these circumstances the PA might feel freer to adopt more moderate positions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">LIMITED CONCESSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO ARCH FOES<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the meantime, construction in the settlements continues, in spite of some restrictions ISRAEL has placed on itself – apparently with some coordination with the US administration – concerning the scope and location of the building. The widespread impression that right wing tendencies among the ISRAELI public are growing and that the left is weakening could lead the PA to conclude that ISRAEL might continue to expand the settlement enterprise in the foreseeable future. The current peace process appears to be a personal whim of US Secretary of State John Kerry and thus far has not earned substantive backing from the President. The crisis over the SYRIAN regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons and the US dealing with the ever evolving situation regarding SYRIA could lead to a PALESTINIAN assessment that President Obama’s standing is weakening and in the coming month’s international attention will be focused on SYRIA. This could push the PALESTINIANS toward a settlement, even a limited one, with ISRAEL.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The obvious conclusion from the PA’s point of view is that it may currently be facing a historic decision of “to be or not to be,” specifically, a final opportunity to fulfill the vision of two states for two peoples.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">POSSIBLE CHARACTERISTICS OF CHANGE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The PALESTINIANS are not likely to go so far as to adopt positions that are close to those of ISRAEL. However, it is certainly possible that they would adopt positions acceptable to the US that would lead the administration to demand that ISRAEL yield something measurable in exchange. For example, the PALESTINIANS might announce to the US government that they are prepared to pledge – most likely in secret – that the PA will consent to a certain formula that might satisfy the ISRAELI demand that the PA recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people and/or an agreement on terminating the conflict, if and when there is agreement on the settlement in its entirety. Or, the PA might agree, under the above conditions, that the right of return would apply mainly to the PALESTINIAN state to be established, on the basis of an understanding that over the years, ISRAEL would be prepared to take in a limited number of PALESTINIAN refugees. Or, the PA might make it clear that it is prepared to consider favorably an agreement on security arrangements proposed by the US military delegation that has been examining this issue with ISRAEL in recent months.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background Information: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What no mains stream media ever reports are the opinion, citizens of other ARAB Nations, and tribes have of the PALESTINIANS. Ask for example SYRIAN, JORDANIAN or LEBANESE citizens,   and they will in most cases comment, that no Sunni ARAB tribe or nation really want PALESTINE Arabs in their country for PALESTINIAS are notorious when it comes to land ownership, for they never are satisfied with what they have. <b>"Thus it’s better to let the ISRAELIS struggle with them instead of us." </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read entire article at: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/license-to-statehood.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/license-to-statehood.html</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/11/strategic-fallout-from-gaza.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/11/strategic-fallout-from-gaza.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/11/iron-dome-was-only-real-israeli-winner.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/11/iron-dome-was-only-real-israeli-winner.html</a></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">POSSIBLE ISRAELI RESPONSES</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If in fact the above scenarios materialize, either individually or in some combination, President Obama will likely abandon the quiet passivity he has recently adopted concerning the MIDDLE EAST peace process. He will likely aspire to be intensively involved in achieving a settlement, and the fact that he is now in his second term will give him a freer hand vis-à-vis ISRAEL. There is no doubt that he will want to leave his historical mark as the man who succeeded in bringing about a settlement of the ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN conflict, which was a flagship issue in his first term.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8B5vNZT3bVB-l_lY1Xf7xTNifs3xbKZGe3IGgAnAU89W0U4tImzYZ0_dGqx3Otkl65OEe33yUfx-JBQx0sjh_y3HGYJ8nG_mgKzv6sTow9HABL-fSuGTnb2k9wXKlFqUgEKAKsgQYenth/s1600/Israel-Palestine1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8B5vNZT3bVB-l_lY1Xf7xTNifs3xbKZGe3IGgAnAU89W0U4tImzYZ0_dGqx3Otkl65OEe33yUfx-JBQx0sjh_y3HGYJ8nG_mgKzv6sTow9HABL-fSuGTnb2k9wXKlFqUgEKAKsgQYenth/s320/Israel-Palestine1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Beyond this, the threatening moves made by the EUROPEAN UNION against ISRAEL concerning the ongoing construction in the territories could help the President create an international front to exert heavy pressure on ISRAEL to offer a conciliatory platform in exchange for the more flexible PALESTINIAN position. For example, the administration might demand that ISRAEL present the map of its borders at the opening stage. Another possibility is that the administration demands that ISRAEL agree to hold discussions on the basis of the 1967 lines and the possibility of territorial exchanges.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If – and this is a big "if' – this situation comes about, Prime Minister Netanyahu would face difficult and far-reaching decisions on both the national and the personal levels. In his party, there is a group of ministers and Knesset members with considerable political clout who strongly oppose any concessions to the PA beyond gestures such as releasing additional prisoners and perhaps even freezing construction in the territories for a limited time and in limited areas. If there were a willingness to make further concessions, this would almost certainly lead them to demand that the party institutions be convened immediately for the purpose of making decisions that would restrict the Prime Minister’s room to maneuver. Netanyahu would need to take into account the shocks to his current coalition, although these would be relatively insignificant in terms of the stability of the government, since if the right wing religious party HaBayit HaYehudi were to leave the coalition, this would enable the entry of the moderate Labor party.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On a personal level, Netanyahu would have to take into account that political moves toward a settlement would seriously damage his credibility. Over the years, he has been extremely critical of prime ministers who sold the public one agenda and implemented an opposing agenda when they reached office. He was elected on the basis of a right wing platform, and it will be difficult for him to explain why he is abandoning these principles. In such circumstances, the prime minister could decide to dissolve the coalition and hold elections, with the agreement as the central issue. If that happened, the elections could be seen as a referendum.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Netanyahu would probably seek to create linkage between his willingness to make concessions to the PALESTINIANS and AMERICAN willingness to continue supplying ISRAEL with high end defense technology and hardware as well as increased - renewed economic cooperation. The Obama administration might consent to this if it believes that by failing to consent to this linkage it could cause the peace process to fail. In such a case, Netanyahu is far more likely to respond positively to the administration’s demands in the PALESTINIAN context.</span></div>

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

CONTEMPLATING A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE IN THE PALESTINIAN POSITION ON A POLITICAL AGREEMENT: POSSIBLE ISRAELI RESPONSES By Zaki Shalom via I...

Read more »

Are your property rights a thing of the past?

<div class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><script src="http://pshared.5min.com/Scripts/PlayerSeed.js?sid=281&width=560&height=345&playList=517954234" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br /><br />Hundreds of people's homes have been wrongly ransacked by bank contractors. They are hired by banks to clean out foreclosed homes, but they either break into houses that haven't been foreclosed yet or they just break into the wrong house.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/02/bank-contractor-lawsuits-safeguard_n_3975574.html?utm_hp_ref=business" rel="nofollow">Huffington Post</a> reported,<br /><blockquote>Every day in neighborhoods across the country, low-paid workers with little oversight or training decide whether to break into someone else's home. </blockquote><blockquote>They are independent contractors working indirectly for banks, including Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. </blockquote><blockquote>Mortgage agreements give these banks the right to enter abandoned properties, even those that are locked up, to secure them against the ravages of weather and to perform other simple repairs. But the contractors they hire to do this work sometimes force their way into houses and condominiums that are still occupied by their owners, changing out locks and removing what they find inside, including family heirlooms and other valuables.</blockquote>Fortunately, people are fighting back (but they shouldn't have to in the first place):<br /><blockquote>Fed up with what they claim is a serious violation of their property rights -- and sometimes outright theft -- homeowners are fighting back. </blockquote><blockquote>In the past five years, people in 31 states have filed more than 250 lawsuits against the six largest national companies that contract directly with banks to inspect and repair homes in some stage of default or foreclosure, a Huffington Post review of court records found. The majority of these cases have come in the past 18 months.</blockquote>Read the whole thing <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/02/bank-contractor-lawsuits-safeguard_n_3975574.html?utm_hp_ref=business" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

foreclosure Are your property rights a thing of the past?

Hundreds of people's homes have been wrongly ransacked by bank contractors. They are hired by banks to clean out foreclosed homes, but t...

Read more »