News for today's 2018: 09/23/13

Partisan Troll are Ruining Twitter

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal">Hola Libtards and Rethugs! Sunday night I was watching the Emmys when the category for best writing for a variety show came up. As each of the shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” and Jimmy Kimmel reeled off their looooooooooooooong list of writers I noticed something interesting. Basically the intros went like this “White Guy” “White Guy” White Guy” “White Guy” “White Woman” “White Guy” “White Guy” and finally “White Guy.”  <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK6aL7sgTmESUfAIkANBh5HMRzYwwr1PuPFFYawzBRJKBeMrj_gDEw45lgCxZaZchs8VxH6qtJ9zPPSElXVJcq5c4LvrIFP-pMfQlqC8DkpSXO4YwkOWrDu9Th4kjPEZVV2BibHjfKOZO/s1600/colbert+report+writers+emmys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK6aL7sgTmESUfAIkANBh5HMRzYwwr1PuPFFYawzBRJKBeMrj_gDEw45lgCxZaZchs8VxH6qtJ9zPPSElXVJcq5c4LvrIFP-pMfQlqC8DkpSXO4YwkOWrDu9Th4kjPEZVV2BibHjfKOZO/s1600/colbert+report+writers+emmys.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sheeeeeeeeeeeit …. <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid" target="_blank">IWS Radio</a> has more diversity in ONE correspondent than Colbert has on his whole freaking staff. (There was a woman up there somewhere with them but she isn’t in this pic. The second time they went up, there was a second woman, but I suspect they just grabbed her out the audience so they would look more diverse. They would have grabbed a black and/or Latino too IF THEY COULD HAVE FOUND ONE IN THAT AUDIENCE.)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was struck by the lack of diversity on these writing staffs especially given the liberal bent of these shows and how much they love to lecture others about diversity. So, I Tweeted “Funny how the ‘lecture everyone else about diversity’ shows can’t find any black, Latino and only one woman writer.” Or something close to that. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, turns out that some far left-wing extremist partisan was trolling twitter and decided to respond to me: “I wasn’t aware that these businesses that produce those shows were liberal to any degree. You’re evidence?” <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Oooooooooo … She nailed me! Wow! I was knocked on my heels for minute there. We all know that no “business” is ever anything but evil and conservative. I guess she was trying to imply that the corporations that own the networks that these shows are on are conservative so the shows are also? Or maybe she was ignoring the leftward lean of the shows and talking about the parent companies only? Or maybe she considers anything to the right of Chris Hays to be “conservative?” We’ll never know because she never elaborated. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, I hit back with “The Daily Show and Colbert Report are raging right-wing shows? I had no idea.”  ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was at this point that she realized she was completely wrong so she did what everyone in that situation does. She got personal and ignored my original point by telling me “You do appear to be out of ideas!”  HAAAAAAA!! Wooo this chick is almost more than I can handle! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, so it was apparent to me that this was going to go nowhere and I had found yet another person who isn’t interesting in any real discussion if it challenges her “My side is pure and perfect and always right” world view. I decided to try, just once to see if she would address the lack of diversity issue I had tweeted about. After another exchange where she once again resorted to name calling I asked her “Are you bothered by the lack of  black, Latino and women writers on these HUGE staffs or are you so partisan that you can never criticize your … uh … OUR (I am for the most part Team Blue) side?” <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Her sad little response was “Oh, you make it too easy.” This is what people say when they agree with you but can’t admit it. They pretend to be sooooo intellectually superior that they can’t even be bothered to answer. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnFkGAI-sDsFW2aCM9hXqBaN_CTsa7KtC9_pj5XRYgsqo-eNKKrhdQvnkslu4HqqXhhBVkFuGB_FgtSuHrwvzaUOKoIkbMJLd4rr_Vgnk55Y8vOU8qYXEVsoYbVEqSPqUh8DIyLvie7nd/s1600/Colbert+Report+Writers+No+Blacks+No+Latinos+One+Woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnFkGAI-sDsFW2aCM9hXqBaN_CTsa7KtC9_pj5XRYgsqo-eNKKrhdQvnkslu4HqqXhhBVkFuGB_FgtSuHrwvzaUOKoIkbMJLd4rr_Vgnk55Y8vOU8qYXEVsoYbVEqSPqUh8DIyLvie7nd/s1600/Colbert+Report+Writers+No+Blacks+No+Latinos+One+Woman.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">See there’s Colbert’s token female writer! I told you she was there somewhere. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The obvious truth is that YES she is bothered by the lack of diversity on these writing staffs. She can’t admit it though because if she does she would be acknowledging that her side isn’t as pure and perfect as she pretends it is. She’s not alone either. Democrats suddenly are totally in favor of all kinds of stuff they used to be opposed to. From support of the surveillance state to ignoring lack of diversity to support for launching an unnecessary, unprovoked war of choice with Syria, extreme partisans like this Twitter Troll have decided to copy the republicans by refusing to ever admit that maybe, just possibly, someone on their side might be even the slightest bit wrong about anything EVER! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This is why we can’t have nice things America. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768@gmail.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jayman68" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman_IWS</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>

Partisan Troll are Ruining Twitter

Hola Libtards and Rethugs! Sunday night I was watching the Emmys when the category for best writing for a variety show came up. As each of t...

LIVE FROM NASHVILLE IV

7:38 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yesterday, we worshiped and rested. For worship, we divided up into three groups. My group went to Christ Cathedral. It was a beautiful old building with traditional worship, incense, great organ, first-rate choir, and all the things that it is now popular to say are passé and dead. Maybe, but the Church was packed. There were lots of young adults. Their education and community ministry programs looked strong. I was pretty impressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Another group of Bishops joined the Church in the Park, an outdoor Eucharist celebrated primarily for homeless people who don’t like coming inside for things. The third Group worshiped with Karen refugees from Southern Myanmar, part of the extensive network of refugee resettlement ministries of the Episcopal Church. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=320541911419174&set=vb.100003901036306&type=2&theater">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=320541911419174&set=vb.100003901036306&type=2&theater</a>(This link is slow but it’s worth the wait. Videographer: Bishop Brian Thom of Idaho)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">As we meet each other in these gatherings and as we worship in these different settings, we learn who we are as Episcopalians. We get a better sense of our identity when we meet the rest of our family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Maybe today was exhausting or maybe it’s the cumulative effect of the past week. But I was just tired!!! Still the morning was inspiring. We had a panel on mission, featuring:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Becca Stevens, founder of Thistle Farms and the Magdalene Program<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mary Francis, the Evangelical Lutheran person in charge of church planting<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tom Brackett, the Episcopal person in charge of emergent ministries<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I found Becca’s program serving women in recovery from trafficking and addiction to be profound and exciting. They also serve women who have endured rape as a genocidal act in civil wars. Her program does incredible work, explicitly as an expression of the gospel and without government grants. <a href="http://www.thistlefarms.org/index.php/about-magdalene">http://www.thistlefarms.org/index.php/about-magdalene</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I hope the example of Thistle Farms might teach us at Nevadans For The Common Good something about how to create and fund a sustainable safe harbor for sexually trafficked minors in Nevada. We have a good law now, but we still need a program to rehabilitate victims. Phoenix has one. Sacramento has one. But there is nothing in Nevada. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mary Francis urged innovation and risk taking in general but particularly in church planting. Tom spoke more abstractly and metaphorically, but was essentially promoting emergent ministries. I found all the presentations engaging, creative, and inspiring. There were a few remarks about “aging bishops” repressing new initiatives that struck me as a bit fanciful. I am an aging bishop but I don’t recall repressing any creative new initiatives. I tried to prompt people to start emergent ministries for several years, even got a grant for it once, but got no takers. This year I finally found a priest willing to give it a try.  He is now running with it at The Peace Community In Action, which the Diocese of Nevada is helping to fund. I have been hearing for several years that we Bishops are constraining the liberty of people who want to do spiritual things in a non-institutional setting. But I just don’t know of any of us who are guilty of doing that. As I said, I am tired and aging enough to be grouchy; so I was less patient with the accusation today. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Over lunch I met with Bishops Against Gun Violence. We discussed our presentation at tomorrow’s session and upcoming events, particularly, Reclaiming The Gospel Of Peace, a major rally on the broader subject of violence in our society, appropriately held in Oklahoma City on April 9-11, 2014. Both the Presiding Bishop and Archbishop of Canterbury will attend. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the afternoon, we had a report on the Episcopal-Methodist dialogue working toward a full communion agreement such as we have the Lutherans, Moravians, and Philippine Independent Church. I am sure there will be some sticking points, but it looks promising. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">We then discussed the results of a church-wide survey on the assessment paid by dioceses to 815. The main questions, which are related, are what the percentage should be and whether there should be adverse consequences for those who do not pay it. Many different views were expressed but with great openness and interest in each other’s thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was dragging by the time of the closing Eucharist. But the service began with rousing singing of a favorite hymn from my childhood, On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZewoGpd-L0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZewoGpd-L0</a>After a rather plodding afternoon of churchiness, hearing my fellow Bishops belting out On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand with real feeling restored my hope that we truly are here for the most important truth in the world. I left the Eucharist uplifted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then I went to dinner at a charming Cajun restaurant with Sean Rowe of N. E. Pennsylvania, Barry Beisner of Northern California, and Andy Doyle of Texas. They are intimidatingly smart and well read, but humble, humorous, and altogether congenial. I learn so much just being around them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow begins with a panel presentation on loss and new possibilities.  I am one of the panelists, so I’m a little nervous about that. But the House of Bishops is a forgiving audience so I know I’ll be ok. Still tired though.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

LIVE FROM NASHVILLE IV

Yesterday, we worshiped and rested. For worship, we divided up into three groups. My group went to Christ Cathedral. It was a b...

Monday, Monday

7:30 PM Tukiyooo 0

<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.archidose.org/wp/">A Weekly Dose of Architecture</a> Updates:</span><br /><br />This week's dose features the <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/09/23/leaf-facade/">Leaf Facade</a> in London, England, by Squire and Partners:<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/09/23/leaf-facade/"><img alt="this week's dose" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Sep13-23.jpg" title="This week's dose" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The featured past dose is the <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2010/01/half-dose-73-leaf-house.html">Leaf House</a> in Sydney, Australia, by Undercurrent Architects:<br /><a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2010/01/half-dose-73-leaf-house.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1I2pY727Q28rtWzeBUmGTThTBWcHY9Pid9c8tXiFYJEBmYq743KLotCleuTWEKjhA0CGxnR6IsUMwYYhTg0gPhxzZn8z6BX7opKTPY5urpQJzrODzAminFuH7AUyRSUJcrQQmuCcCNA-/s1600/Leaf-House-Sydney.-Undercurrent-architects_02.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This week's book review is <a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/09/23/landscape-futures/"><i>Landscape Futures: Instruments, Devices and Architectural Inventions</i></a> edited by Geoff Manaugh (L):<br /><a href="http://archidose.org/wp/2013/09/23/landscape-futures/"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://archidose.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/9788415391142_p0_v1_s260x420.jpg" title="This week's book review" /></a> <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-review-urban-future-manifestos.html"><img alt="this week's book review" height="300" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/book-manifestos.gif" title="This week's book review" /></a><br />(R): The featured past book review is <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-review-urban-future-manifestos.html"><i>Urban Future Manifestos</i></a> edited by Peter Noever and Kimberli Meyer.<br /><br />: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :<br /><br /><b>**NOTE: The next doses on my weekly page will be 2013.10.14.**</b><br /><br />: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">American-Architects <a href="http://www.american-architects.com/en/pages/50x50">Building of the Week</a>:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.world-architects.com/en/projects/42835_Phipps_Conservatory_and_Botanical_Gardens_Center_for_Sustainable_Landscapes">Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: Center for Sustainable Landscapes</a> in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by The Design Alliance Architects:<br /><a href="http://www.world-architects.com/en/projects/42835_Phipps_Conservatory_and_Botanical_Gardens_Center_for_Sustainable_Landscapes"><img alt="this week's Building of the Week" src="http://www.world-architects.com/files/projects/42835/images/CSL1.jpg" title="Current Building of the Week on american-architects.com" width="640" /></a>

Monday, Monday

A Weekly Dose of Architecture Updates: This week's dose features the Leaf Facade in London, England, by Squire and Partners: The featu...

Mile High Club

3:11 PM Tukiyooo 0

No, not me silly...<br /><br />Bunch of girls at work are all giggly and silly again about another series of dirty books.<br /><br />First, it was 50 Shades.  I tried to like it, really I did.  I took one for the team and did finish the first book... just couldn't stomach the others.  I needed to read it for the upcoming "50 Shades of Crazy" evening of drunkenness for $1 margarita night.  And that became a bit embarrassing, leaving all of my employees with a starkly different view of me.  They were sitting there with their books and "oh what do you think this means...?" and i started answering them.  I'm not an authority on any of this stuff but i don't recall needing to google anything either. <br /><br />Then I got them off that and in love with Gideon of the Crossfire Series - Bared to You etc.  I can't remember if she was a virgin or not, but was of course beautiful and he a millionaire.  They're very well written and very hot so good stuff.  All was good in our little slightly perverted world, hard copies of the books making rounds between them.<br /><br />Here we go again, this time it's the Mile High books by R. K. Lilley.  Yeah, it's 50 Shades all over again.  Only this time, you guessed it, the main characters are flight attendants. She's a naive virgin, of course.  And an excessively orgasmic pain slut to boot.  He's a strapping hunk of a billionaire stalker, of course.<br /><br />It starts off well enough.  As expected, a grand series of improbable coincidences eventually get his hands in her pants.  Enough of a plot seems to be building for my liking, and even though the premise is silly, I can see reading through this.  Plus I bought a set of 4 (there might be more, i hear?) so I really needed to get through at least one.<br /><br />Then it happened.  Grammar.  Or rather lack thereof.  <br /><br />Now, while you read this, you surely must think there's no way I can possibly be concerned with grammar.  It's true to some extent.  See, my sentence structure is very incorrect and I know it.  But I'm floating somewhere in between spoken language and written. And it's a blog.  And nobody paid anybody to read this.  And if you did, kindly send the funds my way next time.  And frankly, i enjoy starting my sentences with the word 'and' lol.  The big thing, though, is my bad grammar doesn't affect the meaning of what i'm writing nor does it confuse.  My thoughts are confusing, not my words.<br /><br />I must add, as well, that I am not talking about a single mistake here or there.  It's the same mistake over and over again to the point that it's difficult to follow what she's saying.  When I have to put the book down because i'm overwhelmed with trying to decipher meaning, that's where it becomes a problem. <br /><br />The first issue, probably 20 pages in... Ms. Lilley, dear, there is a difference between the word 'desert' and the word 'dessert' and these are very important distinctions.  All would be fine, had we been enjoying dessert while we looked out over the views of the desert.  But no, we snacked on a sandy concoction while we admired the cheesecake in the distance.  Ok, whatever, leave it at that.  But no, I had to struggle over several paragraphs trying to sort out the details of that after dinner scene.<br /><br />I overlooked this, until this afternoon when i stumbled upon another inexcusable problem.  I don't think I hit page 100 yet!  I mean, I know not everyone understands these details.  It's not a big deal, really it isn't.  I just feel like somewhere along the line between rough draft and a published book available for purchase, that at some point somebody with a grasp of basic grammar would catch these mistakes.<br /><br />So what was it this time?  It's an issue with it and its apostrophes.  This ruined the book so badly for me that I had to stop reading.  My 3rd grade students already knew better than to turn in work like this.  My 6 year old (a very avid writer) sometimes asks if/when/where apostrophes were needed.  Since she's aware of that rules exist, I must assume that some adult along the writing and publishing pipeline should.<br /><br />In review:<br />Its = a possessive form of it, as in "Where is its handle?"<br />It's = a contraction meaning 'it is' as in "It's on the door"<br />Desert = a sandy place where cacti grow<br />Dessert = a sweet treat aftera meal<br /><br /> Off my soapbox now.

Mile High Club

No, not me silly... Bunch of girls at work are all giggly and silly again about another series of dirty books. First, it was 50 Shades. I t...

Doctors: If you had 15 minutes to educate a doctor about anything, what would it be, and why? - Quora

2:33 PM Tukiyooo 0

<base href="data:"><b><span class="rep" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Drew Young Shin, </span><span id="__w2_j8DWWuW_link" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class="rep" id="__w2_j8DWWuW_sig" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="" id="__w2_AqXVwis_full_text" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span id="__w2_AqXVwis_full_text_content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Cardiology -- Stanford University</span></span></span></span></b><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><b><br></b></span></font>When I was a medical resident, my father was stricken ill with a deadly infection called Ascending Cholangitis.  It's a primary infection of the bile duct that drains your gall bladder.  Untreated, it is certain death.  With treatment, the mortality rate is 50%.  A coin toss that determines whether I will lose or keep my father.    <br><br>I flew back from Boston to California to be at his bedside.  I remembered poring over his medical records, looking for anything that the treating physicians may have missed.  I was paranoid and desperate to influence that unfathomable statistic.  Are you treating his anemia?  What is the antibiotic level in his blood?  Shouldn't you repeat the liver ultrasound?  I appreciated the efforts of his treating physicians who were very much in an intellectual struggle balancing surgical and medical treatment options.  Experts were consulted.  It was a war campaign against the bacteria that persisted within the bloodstream.  And in the middle was my ailing father watching and listening to everything - helpless, quietly afraid and trusting without much choice.  <br><br>After about a week of antibiotics, his symptoms had stabilized.  He underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder and it seemed like the worst was over.  I was able to breath again.  <br><br>Towards the latter end of his ordeal, I remember talking to him - somewhat trying to appreciate the life and death struggle that we had endured and won.  I reflected on the intellectual challenges and risks - I remember thinking I would be a better physician because of this experience.<br><br>But my father had a different perspective.<br><br>Each night, a medical resident - similar to my level of training - visited my father.  She had no agenda other than to ask if my father had any questions.  He told me that she sat with him just to chat.  My father is a man of little words, but he found himself opening up to her.  Each night he was in the hospital, she would stop by his room and listen to his thoughts.  Initially he would ask questions about his medical care but later the conversation evolved into his feelings of uncertainty and insecurity.  His thoughts became stories, reflecting on his circumstance and his life leading up to his hospitalization.   He opened up to her in ways that surprised even himself.  <br><br>At that moment, I remember with vivid alacrity the look that my father gave me.  He looked me in the eyes and took my hand.  He said "Son, that's the kind of doctor I want you to be."<br><br>In reflection, amidst the challenging clinical decision-making and true life-and-death struggle, my father appreciated being listened to the most.  <br> <br>The medical resident that listened to my father was no expert.  In my initial glance, I did not think she was contributing meaningfully to the care that ultimately saved my father.  She was a trainee much like myself.  But I was wrong.  She taught me one of the most valued lesson that has shaped how I practice medicine today.  <br><br>It's the same lesson that I teach my residents:  Listen to your patients.  Listening builds trust.  Listening shows compassion.  Listening addresses needs that are unmet.  Listening will make your medical delivery more effective.  Listening heals. <br><br>Every time I say it, I think of that medical resident that truly cared for my father.<br><br>*****</div><div><br><b>Juli Clover</b></div><div><br>In early 2010, my grandmother was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Her condition deteriorated at a pace that left us all stunned, and in July of 2010 she began the process for a lung transplant.<br><br>By October 2010, she had a collapsed lung, which landed her in the hospital. She was on oxygen 24/7, and after that incident, she was in and out of the hospital for the next month. <br><br>While it was a total nightmare in terms of getting her testing done, getting her medications, pursuing the transplant, and dealing with insurance, she had a great pulmonary doctor, or so we thought.<br><br>He saw her regularly while she was in the hospital and spearheaded the testing for the transplant. Early testing revealed pulmonary hypertension, a symptom that can disqualify patients from transplants, especially at facilities like UCSD (where she was being treated), which shy away from risky cases. <br><br>At no point did this pulmonologist indicate that she might not qualify for a transplant at UCSD, even though I knew from research that it was going to be unlikely. As an optimistic guy, he made it sound like they would approve her, and we trusted him because she liked him so much and he seemed to be relaying accurate information. <br><br>It was mid-November of 2010 by this point, and my grandma's health was declining on a day by day basis. We waited for the UCSD approval, with our doctor telling us that she would be moved to the hospital as soon as it went through. <br><br>In early January of 2011 we were informed that she had been turned down for a transplant, and she wouldn't be going to UCSD - she would, instead, be transferred to an acute long term care facility, where her own mother-in-law had been sent to die.  <br><br>When this happened, she was critically ill. She could no longer move from her bed without her oxygen levels dropping to the low 50s, and most importantly, she was now far too sick to be transported elsewhere.<br><br>Her doctor, while friendly and optimistic, never told us the truth about the transplant or about how sick she was. He promised her she would be all right. He promised her she would be approved. Had he been upfront, we would have been able to contact transplant centers in the U.S. that do indeed take on high risk patients at a time when she was still able to travel. <br><br>All the same, he told her that he would contact UCLA, and I began looking in to air ambulances. I got in contact with other transplant centers, because now, in the first weeks of January, we had so little time left. <br><br>Though we told her that we weren't giving up and that we were working on other solutions as quickly as we could, she was so sick and so disappointed that she was rejected by UCSD that she was losing all hope. <br><br>Instead of being at UCSD, she was suddenly thrust into a long term care facility and it happened so fast that we couldn't fight it. She hated it there.<br><br>On Sunday, January 16 2011, she had been in the new place for a few days. Her doctor, who was affiliated with the facility, promised her that he would come and see her that morning to watch some of the football game that was on. She was looking forward to this. <br><br>When mid morning rolled around, and it became clear that her doctor was not going to show up after all, she gave up. Completely. <br><br>She decided to die on that day. Up until then she had not been on pain medication because it suppressed her breathing too much, and she was so ill that she had to use two sources of oxygen. She requested morphine and removed her oxygen mask.<br><br>She died within two hours. <br><br>We never saw her doctor again. We never heard from her doctor again. <br><br>So if I had 15 minutes to speak to him, I would tell him not to make promises that he cannot or will not keep.<br><br>The same goes for all doctors. Tell it like it is. We need compassion, but we also need the truth and the information to make the right choices. I appreciated his optimism and friendliness, but in the end, it gave us all false hope that led to far more mental and physical suffering for her.<br> <br>***</div><div><br></div><div>More ...</div><div><br><a href="https://www.quora.com/Doctors/If-you-had-15-minutes-to-educate-a-doctor-about-anything-what-would-it-be-and-">https://www.quora.com/Doctors/If-you-had-15-minutes-to-educate-a-doctor-about-anything-what-would-it-be-and-</a>why<br><br></div>

Doctors: If you had 15 minutes to educate a doctor about anything, what would it be, and why? - Quora

Drew Young Shin, Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Cardiology -- Stanford University When I was a medical resident, my father was ...

Making painting canvas

2:04 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ciaran has started work on a large art piece for in our living room. He made wooden frames that he will stretch canvas over.  The large frame in the photo is 1.2 metres by 1.5 metres.  The canvas material is coming by post from England.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFSQEJI8UonYbfR1hBYQ7DKn5rGXEqdnD7ekUEx4o8KfE4rArEYPGnJoNkgUjUC5roDnmH4ZzDkEpq1SZ6il6iEfeKVSYE5RvzcE5sXd51GKvWbNA9AIpkaqRssvF90wW7vW-TDI5yixw/s640/blogger-image--935497865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFSQEJI8UonYbfR1hBYQ7DKn5rGXEqdnD7ekUEx4o8KfE4rArEYPGnJoNkgUjUC5roDnmH4ZzDkEpq1SZ6il6iEfeKVSYE5RvzcE5sXd51GKvWbNA9AIpkaqRssvF90wW7vW-TDI5yixw/s640/blogger-image--935497865.jpg" /></a></div>

Making painting canvas

Ciaran has started work on a large art piece for in our living room. He made wooden frames that he will stretch canvas over. The large fram...

Executive Director - Westerly Public Library (RI)

1:36 PM Anonymous 0

<strong>Executive Director - </strong><strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Westerly Public Library</span></strong></strong> (RI). Full Time - 35hours/week. Salary range $65,000 to $90,000. MLS  required. Minimum 10 years supervisory experience in a library setting  or comparable environment; Experience leading a multi-service  organization; Understands the impact of technology on libraries;  Supervise approximately 30 Library and Park employees and coordinate all  operational situations. Expanded job description available at <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.westerlylibrary.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/2124" href="http://www.westerlylibrary.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/2124" target="_blank">http://www.westerlylibrary.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/2124</a>. Send your resume and 2 references by 4:00 PM on <span style="color: red;">October 18, 2013 </span>to Kirsten Anderson, Transition Committee, <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:kanderson@westerlylibrary.org" href="mailto:kanderson@westerlylibrary.org">kanderson@westerlylibrary.org</a>.

Executive Director - Westerly Public Library (RI)

Executive Director - Westerly Public Library (RI). Full Time - 35hours/week. Salary range $65,000 to $90,000. MLS required. Minimum 10 yea...

Evening & Weekend Access and Delivery Services Supervisor / Supervisor 2 - Yale University, New Haven

1:24 PM Anonymous 0

<strong>Evening & Weekend Access and Delivery Services Supervisor / Supervisor 2 - </strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">Yale University</span></strong><span style="color: #48286d;"> </span>Harvey  Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, New Haven. Schedule: Full-Time (37.5  hours per week); Sunday–Thursday, 2:00 pm – 10:30 pm; Occasional recess  days and holidays required. Position Focus: Reporting to the Head of  Access and Delivery Services for the Medical Library, this position  provides direct oversight for the library’s evening and weekend access  and delivery services. The Manager assists in planning and implementing  new services, and supporting and improving existing services. Supervises  and works closely with the entire Access and Delivery Services (ADS)  Team and student assistants to provide users valuable services that  support their information and research needs. Motivates and coaches  staff to ensure excellent customer service, cultivates teamwork, and  promotes a culture in which change is welcomed and supported.  Responsible for a range of managerial duties relating to access and  delivery services in the Medical Library. Principal Responsibilities: 1.  Manages the daily work of the ADS team to ensure efficiency and  effectiveness of access services operations, including reserves,  document delivery, interlibrary loan and stacks maintenance operations,  and all services provided at the circulation and information desks. 2.  Supervises 3 FTE Clerical and Technical staff and 4 students. Hires,  trains, coaches, and evaluates staff and student assistants. Motivates  staff and is responsible for ensuring high quality public services and  productivity. 3. Develops, recommends and participates in planning and  implementation of new policies and innovative services, and interprets  policies for staff.  Writes documentation and revises the staff policies  and procedures manual. 4. Responsible for process and workflow  improvement, including investigating technologies to successfully  accomplish the work of the department. Responsible for inventory control  and trouble-shooting technical and software issues. As appropriate  assists with relations and negotiations with other departments and  external vendors. 5. Schedules staff hours. Ensures service desk  coverage during holidays, recess periods, and occasions of inclement  weather. 6. Ensures that the physical library is an inviting and  welcoming space for visitors. Works with University Security to  guarantee the safety of patrons, staff and collections, and ensures that  proper security measures are followed. Works closely with Facilities  when necessary to maintain a safe and functional environment in the  evenings and weekend hours. 7. Oversees stacks maintenance and projects.  8. Advances the initiatives of university departments, including but  not limited to maintaining databases for the Yale Center for Clinical  Investigation and creating bibliographies with persistent URLs in  support of the Internal Medicine Curriculum. 9. May also participate and  coordinate the activities of other related services and operations in  conjunction with other units such as the Library Shelving Facility and  West Campus operations. 10. Required to work occasional holidays and  recess days. 11. Maybe required to assist in disaster recovery efforts.  12. May be assigned to work at the West Campus Yale University located  in West Haven, CT. Required Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree  in related field and two years of experience or an equivalent  combination of education and experience. Required Skills and Abilities:  1. Demonstrated ability to successfully lead and work in a team  environment. 2. Supervisory skills and project management experience.   Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and meet deadlines. 3. Experience and  strong commitment to public service.  Excellent customer service  skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills. 4. Excellent  computer hardware and software skills, including demonstrated  proficiency in using multiple Microsoft Office applications. 5.  Flexibility, agility and enthusiasm for working in a changing,  technology-oriented environment. Demonstrated ability to work  independently and collaboratively in a diverse work environment.  Applications consisting of a cover letter, resume, and the names and  contact information of three (3) professional references should be  submitted by creating an account and applying online at <a _fcksavedurl="http://www.yale.edu/jobs" href="http://www.yale.edu/jobs" target="_blank">www.yale.edu/jobs</a> for immediate consideration – the STARS req ID for this position is  22693BR Please be sure to reference #22693BR in your cover letter. Yale  University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.  Yale  values diversity in its faculty, staff, and students and strongly  encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented  minority groups.

Evening & Weekend Access and Delivery Services Supervisor / Supervisor 2 - Yale University, New Haven

Evening & Weekend Access and Delivery Services Supervisor / Supervisor 2 - Yale University Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Lib...

Unions help improve salaries for all, group finds

1:18 PM Tukiyooo 0

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ve </span><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/09/US-households-are-now-earning-less-than-in-1989.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">written many times</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in this space about how union jobs provide a better standard of living for workers. And a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau stats released last week backs that up. Workers in states with higher union memberships </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/09/23/2665131/the-middle-class-does-better-in-states-with-lots-of-union-members/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">are earning more</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> than those in the least unionized states.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h_dGLMurMP4xjAAQj0karoMUOl4wh1xSKmQjij1iKjIlQg5kGdVQdvjSJRxotdzsOuZ0gl8uzlPMW7NiMsJReB0n9JsivDzCYPRVFautp0X9h_sMBwY7hZtbHzXxAfJCZea7c_zxMdpC/s1600/middle-class_I7bsn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h_dGLMurMP4xjAAQj0karoMUOl4wh1xSKmQjij1iKjIlQg5kGdVQdvjSJRxotdzsOuZ0gl8uzlPMW7NiMsJReB0n9JsivDzCYPRVFautp0X9h_sMBwY7hZtbHzXxAfJCZea7c_zxMdpC/s200/middle-class_I7bsn.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Center for American Progress’ Action Fund (CAPAF) looked at the income of the middle 60 percent of households in 2012. Middle-class families in U.S. states with the lowest unionization rates -- North Carolina, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi and Georgia -- all earned below average income, while those in four of the five most unionized states -- Alaska, Hawaii, Washington and Rhode Island -- earned above average incomes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> But CAPAF also </span><a href="http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/labor/news/2013/09/20/74751/middle-classes-are-stronger-in-states-with-greater-union-membership/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">delved deeper to uncover wider income disparities</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Further illustrating this divide is the gap between the average percent of total state income going to the middle class in the top 10 and bottom 10 most-unionized states. In the top 10 most-unionized states, households in the middle class received 47.4 percent of total state income on average; in the bottom 10 states, households in the middle class received only 46.8 percent. While a difference of 0.6 percentage points may not initially appear large, in 2012, 0.6 percent of Pennsylvania’s aggregate income, for example, would have equaled over $2 billion, or almost $700 per middle-class household.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">   Even for those not part of a union, the labor movement’s added clout in those states with the highest union membership meant there was increased advocacy on behalf of workers’ interests both in the workplace as well as on the political agenda. CAPAF said unions “have an effect on the everyday lives of middle-class families.”</span>

middle class unions wages Unions help improve salaries for all, group finds

We’ve written many times in this space about how union jobs provide a better standard of living for workers. And a new analysis of U.S. C...

Young Adult Librarian - New Canaan Library

1:13 PM Anonymous 0

<strong>Young Adult Librarian -</strong> <strong><strong><span style="color: #48286d;">New Canaan Library</span></strong></strong>.  The young adult librarian is passionate about connecting and building  relationships with adolescents in order to spark curiosity, fuel  discussion and enrich lives through the collections, services and  programs of the library. This is a permanent, full time position with  one weekend day and one evening per week serving the youth (13-18) of  our community. The position reports to the executive director and is a  member of the leadership team. New Canaan Library serves a community of  20,000 about 1 hour from NYC in Fairfield County Connecticut. Role  Purpose: This position is responsible for the planning, delivery and  evaluation of programs and services that meet the expressed and  anticipated needs of our young adult community. Responsibilities:  Actively participate in long range strategic planning for all of library  as well as youth area; Advocate for youth in the library; Develop and  grow an active teen advisory group; Create and contribute to services,  programs and collections that attract an increasing number of targeted  clientele (13-18 year olds); Collaborate with colleagues in the  Children’s and Adult services teams; Feed in to collection manager to  develop the YA collections; Seek out and form partnerships with other  relevant organizations in the local community; Maintain the teen area of  library website; Develop a productive relationship with the local  school librarians; Set goals, measure impact, for long term programming  and services; Provide information and readers advisory to target group;  Coordinate any volunteers in the YA area; Lead and participate in  project teems; Develop and maintain clear documentation for all programs  and services; Meet negotiated timelines and deadlines; Create  collateral to promote programs and services using relevant tools. Skills  and attributes: Empathetic with a genuine interest in youth, and an  understanding of adolescent development; Develops rapport easily with  teens; Focused on excellent user experiences for adolescents in the  library environment ( physical and virtual); Fluent user of social  media; Excellent communications skills; Confident and capable user of  internet/communications technologies; Deep and broad knowledge of YA  literature; Agile, able to adapt easily to a changing environment and  work on multiple projects simultaneously; Confident, outgoing and self  motivated; Personal commitment to ongoing professional development and  expertise in youth librarianship including currency on youth services in  libraries; Confident and effective public speaker; Both participates in  and leads in-house professional development with colleagues.  Competencies: 1. Focus on positive user experience. 2. Innovation in  development of services and programs. 3. Continuous improvement:  monitoring and evaluation of relevant collections, services and  programs. Use of evidence based decision making. 4. Professional  demeanor. Qualifications and Experience: 1. Master’s Degree in Library  Science from ALA accredited university- required. 2. Previous experience  working with youth. Starting Salary $48,000. To apply, send your cover  letter and resume to <a _fcksavedurl="mailto:loldham@newcanaanlibrary.org" href="mailto:loldham@newcanaanlibrary.org">loldham@newcanaanlibrary.org</a> by <span style="color: red;">October 14, 2013</span>.

Young Adult Librarian - New Canaan Library

Young Adult Librarian - New Canaan Library . The young adult librarian is passionate about connecting and building relationships with ado...

It's Because They Are Ignorant Fucks

1:08 PM Tukiyooo 0

It's Because They Are Ignorant Fucks

US PLAYS MONOPOLY, RUSSIA PLAYS CHESS

12:45 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8h2yv1OMuzAZGZ1KdeSeNLuG1qrJDcEF0UFwssztVREtucMk5AmhSjhmgF25C7DJMikm2HANBjNx2SykOdMDcUU5FMMR-MN2o71mnd1TTgAgbRJOodAn9RJRQ82dYQcBQtWHOOGMI6nBz/s1600/obama-monopoly1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8h2yv1OMuzAZGZ1KdeSeNLuG1qrJDcEF0UFwssztVREtucMk5AmhSjhmgF25C7DJMikm2HANBjNx2SykOdMDcUU5FMMR-MN2o71mnd1TTgAgbRJOodAn9RJRQ82dYQcBQtWHOOGMI6nBz/s320/obama-monopoly1.jpg" width="400" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST </span></span> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #233f55; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: .5pt;">A</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MERICANS see individual pieces of geopolitical real estate in isolation, like hotels on the Monopoly board, while the RUSSIANS look at the interaction of all their spheres of interest around the globe.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SYRIA is of no real strategic interest to RUSSIA, nor to anyone else for that matter. It is a broken wreck of a country, with an irreparably damaged economy, without the energy, water, or food to maintain long-term economic viability. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The multiethnic melange left in place by BRITISH and FRENCH cartographers after the First World War has broken down irreparably into a war of mutual extermination, whose only result can be depopulation or partition on the YUGOSLAV model.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2m_wmNn_BNULzkNIY84xowfAaITVgbFHtkr_VQvFRoIyEM7U6aHIys-8uegkcd3r_peOVcGC5bAvCv9oZ63D3uYV_esAxK17MC2C88btLV4lM6vn1D_uzapy-eGpbVmiMI7OWErgL0LX/s1600/gal_5652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2m_wmNn_BNULzkNIY84xowfAaITVgbFHtkr_VQvFRoIyEM7U6aHIys-8uegkcd3r_peOVcGC5bAvCv9oZ63D3uYV_esAxK17MC2C88btLV4lM6vn1D_uzapy-eGpbVmiMI7OWErgL0LX/s320/gal_5652.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="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 style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Background Information</b>:</div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>FRANCES "COLONIAL AMBITIONS" IN SYRIA</b></span></div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/08/france-eager-to-engage-in-syra-why.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/08/france-eager-to-engage-in-syra-why.html</a></div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>THE SYKES-PICOT AGREEMENT</b></span></div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/09/historic-facts-about-syria.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/09/historic-facts-about-syria.html</a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SYRIA only has importance in so far as its crisis threatens to spill over into surrounding territories which have more strategic importance. As a Petri dish for jihadist movements, it threatens to become the training ground for a new generation of terrorists, serving the same role that AFGHANISTAN did during the 1990s and 2000s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SYRIA AN INCUBATOR FOR NATIONAL MOVEMENTS </b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a testing ground for the use of weapons of mass destruction, it provides a diplomatic laboratory to gauge the response of world powers to atrocious actions with comparatively little risk to the participants. It is an incubator of national movements, in which, for example, the newfound freedom of action for the country’s 2 million KURDS constitutes a means of destabilizing TURKEY and other countries with substantial Kurdish minorities. Most important, as the cockpit of confessional war between SUNNIS and SHI’ITE, SYRIA may become the springboard for a larger conflict engulfing IRAQ and possibly other states in the region.</div><div style="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 style="border: none; 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;">Background Information</b>: <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>THE KURDISH INDEPENDENCE GAMBLE</b></span></div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/08/double-dealing-in-iraq-and-syria.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/08/double-dealing-in-iraq-and-syria.html</a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUSSIA’S GOAL: RESTORATION OF GREAT POWER STATUS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is difficult to understand what Putin wants in SYRIA. And in most likelihood the RUSSIA’S president himself does not know what he wants in SYRIA, either. A strong chess player engaging an inferior opponent will create complications without an immediate strategic objective, in order to provoke blunders from the other side and take opportunistic advantage. There are many things that Putin wants. But he wants one big thing above all, namely, the restoration of RUSSIA’S great power status. RUSSIA’S leading diplomatic role in SYRIA opens several options to further this goal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WORLDS ENERGY BROKER </b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the world’s largest energy producer, RUSSIA wants to enhance its leverage over WESTERN EUROPE for which it is the principle energy supplier. It wants to influence the marketing of natural gas produced by ISRAEL and other countries in the EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. It wants to make other energy producers in the region dependent on its good graces for the security of their energy exports. It wants to enhance its role as a supplier of military equipment, challenging the AMERICAN F-35 and F-22 with the new Sukhoi T-50 stealth fighter among other things. It wants a free hand in dealing with terrorism among its Muslim minority in the CAUCASUS. And it wants to maintain influence in its so-called near abroad in CENTRAL ASIA.</div><div style="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 style="border: none; 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;">Background Information:</b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUSSIA’S GAZPROM</b></span> </div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/turkey-and-russia.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/07/turkey-and-russia.html</a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">AMERICAN commentators reacted with surprise and in some cases dismay to RUSSIA’S emergence as the arbiter of the SYRIA crisis. In fact, RUSSIA’S emerging role in the region was already evident when the chief of SAUDI intelligence, Prince Bandar, flew to Moscow during the first week of August to meet with Putin. The RUSSIANS and SAUDIS announced that they would collaborate to stabilize the new military government in EGYPT, in direct opposition to the Obama administration. In effect RUSSIA offered to sell EGYPT any weapons that the UNITED STATES declined to sell, while SAUDI ARABIA offered to pay for them.</div><div style="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 style="border: none; 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;">Background Information</b>: <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUSSIA AND SAUDI ARABIA</b></span></div><div style="border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/08/russia-and-saudi-arabia.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2013/08/russia-and-saudi-arabia.html</a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUSSIA’S GENIUS CHESSBOARD MOVE OVER EGYPT</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNWrH8Qg7cHmxQzrWvEtnj4vCWI0X1zjCuTfMsZI8n_yZVQ-520-eqdiYhRwoydefFLfKnPl9XMiR8NoRdoVwCx-djEri58J4Ny_95Rh-gEC5KN3WEsCLcAw0U3xhHyAYhzXFTOcwSGCw/s1600/putin-chess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNWrH8Qg7cHmxQzrWvEtnj4vCWI0X1zjCuTfMsZI8n_yZVQ-520-eqdiYhRwoydefFLfKnPl9XMiR8NoRdoVwCx-djEri58J4Ny_95Rh-gEC5KN3WEsCLcAw0U3xhHyAYhzXFTOcwSGCw/s320/putin-chess.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That was a diplomatic revolution without clear precedent. It is not only that the RUSSIANS have returned to Egypt 40 years after they were expelled in the context of the real world war; they have done so in tactical alliance with SAUDI ARABIA, historically RUSSIA’S nemesis in the region.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SAUDI ARABIA has an urgent interest in stabilizing EGYPT, and in suppressing the Muslim Brotherhood, which the SAUDI monarchy nightly views as a risk to its legitimacy. SAUDI support for the EGYPTIAN military against the Brotherhood is not surprising; what is most surprising is that the SAUDI’S felt to involve RUSSIA.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Although there are a number of obvious reasons for the SAUDI’S and RUSSIANS to collaborate, for example controlling the jihadists in the SYRIAN opposition, we do not yet understand the full implications of their rapprochement. The SAUDIS leaked news that they had offered to buy $15 billion worth of RUSSIAN weapons in return for RUSSIAN help with Assad. Rumors of this kind should not be read at face value. They might be misdirection — but misdirection towards what? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin’s chessboard encompasses the globe. It includes such things as the security of energy exports from the PERSIAN GULF; the transmission of oil and gas through CENTRAL ASIA; the market for RUSSIAN arms exports; energy negotiations now underway between RUSSIA and CHINA; the vulnerability of EUROPE’S energy supplies; and the internal stability of countries on or near RUSSIA’S borders, including TURKEY, IRAQ and IRAN.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUSSIA’S GREATER CAPACITY TO INFLUENCE EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For AMERICAN analysts, most of this chessboard might as well be on the dark side of the moon. We see only what the RUSSIANS permit us to see. For example, Moscow first promised to provide SYRIA with the S-300 air defense system and then withdrew its offer. SAUDI ARABIA in early August let it be known that it was prepared to buy $15 billion of RUSSIAN weapons in return for considerations in SYRIA. A negotiation of some kind is underway, but we have no idea what kind of carrots and sticks might be involved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What we may surmise is that RUSSIA now has much greater capacity to influence events in the MIDDLE EAST, including the security of energy resources which it had at any time since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. For the time being, it is in RUSSIA’S interest to keep its interlocutory guessing, and to enhance its future strategic options. RUSSIA in effect has placed the burden of uncertainty on the rest of the world, especially upon major economies dependent on PERSIAN GULF energy exports.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">US TO FOCUS INCREASINGLY ON DOMESTIC AGENDAS</span> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">President Obama evidently considers this arrangement beneficial to his own agenda. The president has no interest whatever in enhancing AMERICA’S strategic position in the world; his intent may be to diminish it, as <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323595004579062811443943666.html" target="_blank">Norman Podhoretz</a> charged in the <em>Wall Street Journal.</em>Obama is focused on his domestic agenda.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From that standpoint, handing over responsibility for the SYRIAN mess is a riskless exercise. AMERICAN popular revulsion over foreign military intervention is so intense that the voters will welcome any measure that reduces AMERICAN responsibility for foreign problems. Although the elite of the Democratic Party are liberal internationalists, Obama’s voting support has scant interest in SYRIA.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Public commentary on foreign policy is an exercise in frustration under the circumstances. Because AMERICA is a democracy, and substantial commitment of resources requires at least some degree of consensus, diplomacy was exceptionally transparent so long as AMERICA dominated the field. Think tanks, academia and the media served as a sounding board for any significant initiatives, so that important decisions were taken at least in part in the view of the public. That is no longer the case on Vladimir Putin’s chessboard. RUSSIA will pursue a set of strategic trade-offs, but we in the West will not know what they are until well after the fact, if ever.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Further dimensions of complexity will arise from the eventual response of other prospective players, in particular CHINA, but also including JAPAN. The self-shrinkage of AMERICA’S strategic position eliminates the constraint for RUSSIA to choose a particular option. On the contrary, RUSSIA can accumulate positional advantages to employ for particular strategic objectives at its leisure. And Putin will sit silent on his side of the chessboard and let the clock run against his opponent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STRATEGIC INSANITY </b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin may think that he is pre-empting a similar strategy on the part of the West. </div><div class="indent" style="text-align: justify;">From RUSSIAN leadership’s point of view, the IRAQ War now looks like the beginning of the accelerated destruction of regional and global stability, undermining the last principles of sustainable world order. Everything that’s happened since — including flirting with Islamists during the Arab Spring, US policies in LIBYA and its current policies in SYRIA — serve as evidence of strategic insanity that has taken over the last remaining superpower.</div><div class="indent" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PAYBACK TIME FOR BEING LEFT OUT OF THE LIBYAN EQUATION </span></i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As mentioned numerous times on this Blog, RUSSIA and CHINA felt that they were left out of the equation regarding the LIBYAN operation instigated by the USA, FRANCE and BRITAIN. CHINA and RUSSIA invested heavily in LIBYA prior to the toppling of the LIBYAN regime, only to find out that they were kept completely out of the picture regarding the true intentions the Western coalition force had in mind with LIBYA once the regime was removed, namely to share the cake of oil extraction between themselves.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Subsequently RUSSIA and CHINA learned their lesson and thus vowed not make the same mistake regarding SYRIA, permitting LIBYAN style intervention by WESTERN and GULF STATES coalition forces. No matter that SYRIA lacks oil reserves or other natural resources worth fighting over, their veto was more of a symbolic gesture telling WESTERN and GULF STATES coalition forces: that’s how far you can go this time around, but no further. See also </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><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/2011_military_intervention_in_Libya">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_military_intervention_in_Libya</a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i>RUSSIA’S persistence on the SYRIAN issue is the product of this perception. The issue is not sympathy for SYRIA’S dictator, or commercial interests, or naval bases in Tartus. Moscow is certain that if continued crushing of secular authoritarian regimes is allowed because AMERICA and the West support “democracy”, it will lead to such destabilization that will overwhelm all, including RUSSIA. It’s therefore necessary for RUSSIA to resist, especially as the West and the UNITED STATES themselves experience increasing doubts.</div><div class="indent" style="text-align: justify;">  </div><div style="text-align: justify;">RUSSIANS typically assume that AMERICANS think the way they do; gauging every move by the way it affects the overall position on the board. The notion that incompetence rather than conspiracy explains the vast majority of AMERICAN actions is foreign to RUSSIAN thinking. Whatever the RUSSIAN leader thinks, though, he will keep to himself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Obama administration has handed the strategic initiative to countries whose policy-making proceeds behind a wall of opacity. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from <strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">David P. Goldman</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">who</span></strong><em><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> is Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research and Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum. Via </span></em>crethiplethi.com. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Originally <a href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-01-160913.html" target="_blank">published</a>in The Asian Times</span></span></div>

US PLAYS MONOPOLY, RUSSIA PLAYS CHESS

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST A MERICANS see individual pieces of geopolitical real estate in isol...