May 7-8

“For the most part, I really watch what I eat.”

--Forty-two year old Donna Simpson, mother of two and weighing 600 pounds, who is hoping to reach 1,000 pounds, speaking on the TV show “Entertainment Tonight” (May 6) in the segment “The World’s Heaviest Mom”; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

The Threat at Home - Rebecca N. White, The National Interest Online:

"Would-be terrorist Faisal Shahzad’s attempted Times Square bombing doesn’t surprise Bruce Hoffman. For the last four years, give or take, he has wondered whether our war-on-terror gameplan is effectively deterring al-Qaeda and the group’s offspring. Hoffman argues that gaps in our post-9/11 national-security structure are being exploited by ever-diversifying terrorists. ... There’s more to countering terrorism than killing the known bad guys. One vast black hole is the Internet. Much of our public diplomacy according to Hoffman is aimed at traditional media, like television and radio, and elites. To get to the younger generations, those not yet radicalized, we have to be a bit more with-it than that." Image from

Report on young 'foreign fighters' finds most seek out al-Qaeda - USA Today: "A new study of more than 2,000 'foreign fighters' shows that young men actively seek out al-Qaeda rather than be recruited. Read the full report ... here. ... Among the findings: ... Fragmented efforts of public diplomacy, strategic communications, and information operations are under resourced, poorly coordinated, and understaffed given the strength and pervasiveness of al-Qaeda's message."

The USA Pavilion Is a Disgrace - John Mahoney, popsci.com: "Many of the pavilions at the 2010 Expo in Shanghai are phenomenal, both inside and out. The USA pavilion, however, is neither. ... Whether or not the almost entirely sponsored nature of the USA pavilion is evident to most Chinese visitors, I do not know. I can't imagine it going completely unnoticed, even if the end feeling is one of simply being underwhelmed, especially after an hour plus in line waiting to get in. ... In the presence of so many thoughtful, intelligent, beautiful and fun pavilions from other countries (with far smaller GDPs, I might add), ours is an embarrassment.

Many other pavilions incorporate sponsors--I'm certainly not decrying their very existence, nor is any of this the fault of the sponsors themelves. There about a thousand more tasteful ways to include products or messages from corporations without jeopardizing the overall experience, and it is the pavilion's job to do that, which in the end benefits the advertiser as well. ... The only content inside the USA Pavilion is more advertising, only for corporations, not culture. Is that really the message we want to be sending?" Image from article

State Department sends Muslim country singer on tour - Neal Ungerleider, trueslant.com: "The State Department is sending a Muslim Egyptian-American country singer on a Middle Eastern goodwill tour. Oklahoma native Kareem Salama, who has three independently released records, plays pretty good country-pop that owes a generous debt to acts like Rascal Flatts and Lonestar. ... But Salama isn’t your typical country singer. Apart from being a Muslim and the child of immigrants … He also has a graduate degree in Law from the University of Iowa. Maybe that’s why the State Department is paying for an expensive tour of the Middle East. ... I genuinely feel bad for Salama. Being a Muslim-American country singer is like stepping into a hornet’s nest. Other country artists from 'ethnic' backgrounds have dealt with this challenge before, but just like Charley Pride was the 'black' country singer and Kinky Friedman was the 'Jewish' country singer, Salama’s background is always going to be the elephant in the room. ... The State Department’s funding of cultural tours by American figures is a rather good idea. However, countries like France and Sweden pay even more per-capita for cultural diplomacy. Maybe America needs to pay to send more musicians and DJs to countries that aren’t in Europe or East Asia."

From the Heritage Foundation: more uncertainty of the concept of international broadcasting - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: Heritage Foundation, The Foundry, 4 May 2010, Helle Dale: "Well into the second year of the Obama administration, U.S. international broadcasting services remain in a leaderless state of vacuum. ... Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has stated that he is not about to let the Senate move forward with a floor vote on the six that have been voted out of committee unless he has a chance to interview each nominee personally about their views and qualifications, this according to Josh Rogin, writing in Foreign Policy magazine. ... The Senator is on to something. The board members are political appointees. Over the years, some have been well-qualified, some ineffective and some focused very much on their own agenda and business interests. Some have been so hands-on as to function like executives, running afoul of other management structures. ... The nomination of the new BBG provides an excellent opportunity for Congress to exercise oversight of this troubled institution. The BBG has the important mission of presenting the message of the United States to the world, based on the values and principles on which this nation was founded." [ELLIOTT COMMENT:] She laments that the BBG does not have new members '[w]ell into the second year of the Obama administration.' Then she admits that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) is largely responsible for that, but Sen. Coburn nevertheless garners her praise. She hints that 'business interests' of some board members have seeped into their work for the BBG. This is a serious charge.

It requires specifics and evidence to back it up. She criticizes Board members because they 'function like executives.' Because the International Broadcasting Act of 1994 erroneously omitted a CEO to oversee all of USIB, the Board must act as a collective CEO. Among other things, they determine which languages USIB should keep, drop, or add. They specify how much budget should be spent on each available technology. They have to keep order among the entities, who often compete among themselves like a sackful of civets. I would therefore hope the Board members 'function like executives.' Congress can exercise oversight of the Board, but the Board, not Congress, should exercise oversight of US international broadcasting. That's the idea of the firewall. The BBG's purpose is to ensure that USIB is presenting accurate, balanced, objective news rather than 'presenting the message.' Audiences abroad tune in because their domestic media are 'presenting the message' of their respective governments, rather than presenting the straight news the audiences would prefer to hear. See previous post about same subject. USC Center on Public Diplomacy blog, 28 Sept 2009, Kim Andrew Elliott: 'It is an unavoidable reality of Washington that memberships on federal commissions and boards will generally be political in nature. But, in the BBG, the political connections have usually been accompanied by media experience. The ideal BBG member would be a grizzled journalist with overseas experience, especially in a place where he/she has witnessed the role of international broadcasting in information-deprived nations.' -- The incoming board is not altogether ideal, but I assume they are quick learners. It is time to seat them so they can get about their important work." Image from

He yearns for the days when Arabic was broadcast by VOA and pop music was sung by Pat Boone - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "National Strategy Forum Review, Spring 2010, Robert R. Reilly (former VOA director): 'Instead of using public diplomacy and its powerful broadcasting tools, like the Voice of America (VOA), to counter the impression of America that pop culture creates, the United States has chosen to reinforce this impression by officially embracing it. Thus, in 2003, the Broadcasting Board of Governors shut down the 12 hours of daily programs in VOA’s Arabic service to the Middle East and substituted Radio Sawa, which concentrates on pop music, to include Jay Lo, Eminem, and Brittney Spears. How do we hope to be taken seriously when this is seen as our response to 9/11?' – [ELLIOTT COMMENT:] Whatever we may think of the artistry of Jay Lo, Eminem, and Brittney Spears, surveys shows that Radio Sawa has been successful in attracting audiences in numbers the old VOA Arabic Service could only dream about. These large audiences are present for Radio Sawa newscasts that, if relatively brief, are probably more balanced than Arab audiences would get from domestic stations. Longer form news is transmitted by Alhurra television (not mentioned by Mr. Reilly). Television is now the Arabs' preferred news medium."

VOA Russian LiveJournal page victim of cheeky hacker attack - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Bullet points of advice for VOA broadcasts to Ethiopia - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Senior fellow recommends "funding surge" for VOA and RFA broadcasts to Burma - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "VOA and RFA do not directly promote democracy. They broadcast news. A well informed citizenry is necessary for democracy. Hence the connection between the work of VOA and RFA and democracy. As for the 'funding surge,' I would prefer a surge


in US government efficiency. That could be implemented by merging RFA and VOA. By bringing together the talent and resources of the two organizations, they would fritter less energy competing with each other and more energy competing with the expanding number of media outlets inside Burma." Image from

VOA launches Digital Frontiers web project - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Ambassador Avant lists GB as priority - Fred Sturrup, The Freeport News: "Ambassador Nicole Avant in a recent exclusive interview said 'it is important for Grand Bahama to be successful.'

The interview took place in Nassau shortly after a visit to Grand Bahama by an Embassy team asigned by the ambassador to interact with business leaders and other affluent and knowledgeable residents. ... The ambassador said her team (Economic Officer Brooke Moppert and Public Diplomacy Chief Jefferson Dubel) came to Grand Baha-ma 'to talk, to hunt, to make discoveries' and the process will continue because of the interest in getting to know the GB scenario." Avant image from

VOL. VI NO. 9, April 23-May 6, 2010 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:
"South Park Generates Anger over M
Comedy Central recently banned any appearances of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed on the animated series "South Park" following death threats to its employees. In the meantime, the authors of the show decry this move as censorship and against freedom of expression.
The Sufis Get into Television
A new Sufi channel will make its way on the pan Arab free-to-air satellite market aiming to offset the influence of Salafi and Wahabi channels that promote a strict version of Islam.
Social Entrepreneurship Summit: A continuation of Obama’s Foreign Policy
In line with President Obama’s pledge to improve US-Muslim relations, the Social Entrepreneurship Summit gathered investors and academics from the Muslim world in Washington D.C. to promote cross-cultural partnerships.
Banning the Burqa in Europe
The recent decision by the French and Belgian governments to ban the full-body veil sparked widespread criticism and controversy among human rights groups and Muslim communities who feel they are discriminated.
Social Media: The Public Diplomacy du Jour
President Obama's administration is credited for its use of social media in reaching out to previously unengaged populations at home and around the world. However, some point out that the trend was begun under the Bush administration with James K. Glassman, the former Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.


Rotana and the Future of Saudi Media
Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal recently announced plans to sell a public stake of his media company Rotana Holding within two years. He may start a new regional news channel based on the business model of Rupert Murdoch's Fox and Sky News channels.
Working on US Image
Experts and writers discuss the role of the US government and of the media in creating a positive image of the troops in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East. While some applaud President Obama's diplomatic tactics, others argue that there is a fundamental problem in the US government's approach to strategic communication.
Can Obama Resolve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
As the administration finds itself in a diplomatic impasse with Israel and facing Arab skepticism, many wonder if any settlement over the Israeli-Palestinian crisis is realistic in the near future.
Media Award Season in the Gulf Region
Saudi Arabia's Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa both received awards for their contributions to the media market in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the upcoming 2010 Arab Journalism Awards will showcase the best journalists and stories in the region, highlighting young journalists.
Media not Faithful to Religion
While religious leaders promote interfaith dialogue and understanding of the world’s religions for international peace, they criticize the media’s constant use of negative and emotionally-charged terms in association with Islam.
Freedom of the Press in the Middle East: Still in Decline
The Washington-based organization Freedom House recently released its annual report exposing another year of international decline in 2009 for press freedom. While Iran ranked at the bottom, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates also registered notable declines." Image from

Matthew Vadum applies the "I have no proof" standard to national security threats - Simon Maloy, mediamatters.org: "BigJournalism contributor and all-around clown Matthew Vadum is very upset with Media Matters for posting a clip of Glenn Beck speculating on the presence of special Venezuelan sabotage teams in the United States helping to 'nudge' the country towards 'collapse.' According to Vadum, we're not taking the threat seriously enough, and we treat national security as 'one big joke.' And just how serious is the threat? So serious that Vadum himself is scared to death, even though he has no evidence it's actually happening: [']While I have no proof Chavez has agents in the U.S., the notion isn't as farfetched as Media Matters would suggest. Beck didn't just conjure up the idea out of thin air. ['] The unintentional hilarity continues later in Vadum's entry: ['] Chavez already runs what political scientists call a 'public diplomacy' campaign in the U.S. to help bolster American support for his regime. The propaganda effort consists of funneling discounted home heating oil to former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy's (D-Mass.) nonprofit group, Citizens Energy Corp.

The nonprofit then distributes the oil to poor people, and useful idiot Kennedy gets to pose as a humanitarian. The CITGO program is not terrorism - technically - but it is a soft attempt at domestic subversion.['] And supposedly we're the ones treating national security as a joke." See also. Image from article

Diplomacy at Expo needs careful thought - Global Times: "The 2010 World Expo highlights the mainstream value of environmental protection and sustainable development, but from the political and diplomatic view, we can reflect on some points connected to it. First, public diplomacy. The 2010 World Expo will last for six months, and this is a perfect chance for China to promote its public diplomacy. The Expo venues and technology are not enough, and we must also display our soft power to underline the spirit of Chinese culture. So it is necessary to plan for a six-month campaign of public diplomacy."

Climate forum paves way to Cancun meet - Fu Jing, China Daily:

"China will use a three-day meeting on climate change as a platform for public diplomacy to show the world its sincerity in reducing carbon emissions." Image from

Did Palestinians err in not accepting Israel's Camp David and Olmert proposals? - Ibishblog: The Weblog Of Hussein Ibish: "There is an entire, complex and substantive Palestinian discourse that makes the same case vis-à-vis Israel. I think aggressive public diplomacy from both parties to counter these fears and suspicions is appropriate, but given the political vulnerability of the leaderships on both sides, public diplomacy is usually aimed more at a domestic political audience that [sic] really reaching out to hearts and minds on the other side." See also

Medvedev on Historical Distortions – Lena, Global Chaos: "With the May 9th and the grandiose 65th Anniversary of Victory celebrations already under way, President Medvedev made this appearance on RT [Russia Today television], sending a clear message to the world: Russia (together with all the other post-Soviet countries) wants a proper acknowledgment of its role. ... [T]he 'New Russia' (as the current administration call themselves) sees this herculean task of 'correcting' the historical perspective as playing a key part in their overall public diplomacy effort: it is directly related to the way others perceive modern Russia." Below image from

Victory 65 - Russia's "Historical" PD - Lena, Global Chaos: The 65th Victory Anniversary Commemoration is a great PD initiative on behalf of Moscow. This will certainly keep Russia in the headlines around the world (as it already has, more or less) for days, if not weeks. It will also provide an opportunity for a military show, à la russe, and very effective images for the history books of the future: prominent foreign dignitaries watching more than a 100,000 troops, hundreds of combat aircraft, tanks, and missiles parading, on the Red Square. (Amazing!) Most important, however, is the effort to set the 'historical record' straight, and present the 'New Russia' in a new, albeit military, light."

Carnegie Associate: Azerbaijan and Armenia Not Involving Societies for Peace - Armen Hareyan, HULIQ: "The peace negotiation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno Karabakh is too narrow and the three societies are not involved in public diplomacy to make the resolution faster and swifter, says Thomas de Waal, senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in his email interview published in the May 6 issue of World Politics Review."

Appointing politicians to our foreign missions is an insult - Kwamchetsi Makokha, Daily Nation:

"Introducing politicians – or politically minded individuals in the diplomatic service would only open the floodgates for diplomatic adventurism. The next thing you know, there would be demonstrations in Washington DC and London petitioning the respective governments in those capitals to readjust their relations with Kenya. Never mind that ambassadors and high commissioners are supposed to be the President’s eyes and ears, people foreign governments can speak to if they wanted to get a word to the leader quickly. Since public diplomacy begins with listening, and that is not the forte of any politician, intelligence gathering could be severely compromised." Image from

Mauritius wants more Indian participation in economic development (Published in The Hindu, India, May 8, 2010) - Pranay Gupte, posted at Pranay Gupte Blog: “'Mauritius is one place where we celebrate our differences,' Mr. Beebeejaun [Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Rashid Beebeejaun] said. 'As in India, Hindus and Muslims and Christians and others live together under the banner of one nation. Those who seek divide us pollute minds and create groundwork for a terrible legacy.' ... There are reports that these elements may be utilized by Mauritius to amplify its voice on the international scene, perhaps through the establishment of a centre for the global south. Such a centre could consist of a think tank on strategic communications and public diplomacy, and also focus on promoting cross-cultural understanding."

Future leaders outline their priorities for upcoming G20 Summit - insideTORONTO.com: "More than 100 young professionals from around the globe recently gathered in downtown Toronto to discuss the link between the global economy and the environment and what they feel should be the priorities discussed at the upcoming G20 Summit. Called the G-20Y Summit, the inaugural event brought together delegates from the majority of the G20 nations for a five-day conference ... . The International Youth Diplomacy League,

a non-governmental organization focused on international relations and public diplomacy, founded the conference." International Young Diplomacy League logo from

World Travelers as Public Diplomats - Foreign Service Blogregator: "As many of us public diplomats know, travel is exciting and educational, it is also the best public diplomacy. Travel allows us to see other worlds, other cultures, other walks of life. I have often found, when traveling to another country, there was so much that could be learned from travel that cannot be understood from a book."

wine - Health Diplomacy – Soft Power in Healthcare:

"Public Diplomacy is the chosen method of interaction between stakeholders involved in public health and policy for representation, cooperation, resolve conflicts, improving health and ensuring the right to health for vulnerable populations. Through health diplomacy, health priorities can take their rightful place at the national and international agenda. This will merge health expertise with diplomatic skills to alleviate suffering, bring peace, prepare for disasters and to help improve health systems throughout the world." Image from

C, E, A, B - The New Diplomacy 2010: A Reflective Group Blog by Some of the Students on the New Diplomacy Module at London Metropolitan University

Palm Oil: What drives the extremists? - Environmental Issues: "Built on the principles so eloquently outlined by our founding fathers, America is the greatest nation in the world, or so we were told. Try going to a rock concert or a festival of country music or the National Convention of salesmanship, and nationalism is so intense in-your-face! U.S. public diplomacy in the development of a finely tuned art form. Sympathetic with how America treated Germany and Japan after defeating them in the second world war and the emergence of institutions such as the Peace Corps, the exchange student program, the voice of America and the USIS public libraries established around the world Fulbright scholarships, America accumulated a surplus of goodwill in the world."

Part-time Spanish Translation International Education (Washington, DC) - Telecommuting Is OK:

"Federal Agency that deals with International Information Programs has a need at a Publications Office that requires Spanish print publication production services. More specifically, public diplomacy texts must be rendered into Spanish, copy-edited, and proofread." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

On track on foreign policy: The president has seen some successes as he takes on challenges such as nuclear weapons, the Israel-Palestinian conflict and U.S.-Russia relations - Warren Christopher, latimes.com: Obama regarded his election as a mandate for engagement, and no campaign promise has been more faithfully carried out by his administration. Engagement is not in itself foreign policy. But it is a crucial part of the process by which we seek to advance our international goals, and one in which the country can and should invest great human and political capital. Obama has judiciously used engagement in pursuit of our foreign policy goals. The measure of his success in using this tool will be judged by the effectiveness of our foreign policy in the hardest cases, like Iran and North Korea.

The Social Media Strategy for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us

For some coin collectors, federal regulations don't add up - Maria Glod, Washington Post:

The United States in recent years began restricting imports of some coins as part of a broader effort to protect antiquities and combat the looting of archaeological sites abroad. Image from

Pakistan’s paranoid press – Editorial, Boston Globe: The fight against terrorism is first and foremost a war of ideas, or at least a contest between conflicting narratives. And in Pakistan, the anti-American narrative has been winning. Students at elite universities recently assailed a lecturer from America with questions about a covert CIA role in perpetrating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Both the US and Pakistani governments have done too little to counter this kind of paranoid propaganda. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan last fall offered an example of what more US officials should be doing. When challenged by Pakistani journalists, Clinton said that she would hear all their complaints about America, but that the relationship had to be “a two-way street.’’ After her visit, America’s favorability rating with the Pakistani public spiked upward. Others, including President Obama, ought to emulate Clinton’s direct appeal to the people of Pakistan. Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders also must do more. They cannot go on ignoring Taliban-type propaganda disseminated in both state-run and independent media. The fight against terrorism is their fight, even more than it is America’s; they must lead the charge, in public, against the conspiratorial thinking that is eating away at the foundations of the Pakistani state.

TerrorTube: Internet video has become a nest of jihadi propaganda – Opinion, Daily News: Radical Islamist fanatics are turning YouTube into their personal broadcast platform with disturbingly accelerating frequency. Their videos illustrate how jihadists are exploiting the Internet to inspire violence, and they demand increased vigilance by the Google-owned company.

A Celebration Is Haunted by the Ghost of Stalin - Michael Schwirtz, New York Times: As Russians prepare to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany this weekend, an event hallowed here as the unalloyed triumph of good over evil, a major question still looms:

What should be done about Stalin? The passionate debate over Stalin, wartime hero or murderous tyrant, flared Friday when President Dmitri A. Medvedev lashed out against his legacy. Mr. Medvedev was not the first to broach this subject. Plans to mark the anniversary with the display of wartime propaganda posters bearing Stalin’s image had already reopened this sore. Image from article

Is President Obama's Afghanistan strategy working? – Washington Post: With Afghan President Hamid Karzai visiting Washington this week, The Post asked experts whether the surge in Afghanistan was working. Below are contributions from Erin M. Simpson, Gilles Dorronsoro, Kurt Volker, John Nagl, Thomas H. Johnson and Andrew J. Bacevich. Bacevich: Americans need to look past all the happy talk about winning hearts and minds to see counterinsurgency for what it really is: coercive nation-building. It rests on this underlying premise: We know how you should live your life. It usurps any right to self-determination; it imposes norms. In this case, Western soldiers and civilian cadres are hell-bent on transforming a tribal culture imbued with a traditionalist form of Islam.

Afghanistan: US And NATO Are Still Losing “Hearts And Minds” - Gilbert Mercier, News Junkie Post: The military operation in Marjah, launched in February 2010, was the first deployment after the surge of 30,000 additional troops decided by the Obama administration.

The planning of the operation emphasized the needs of the Afghan people, and the importance of winning “hearts and minds”. However, according to a new report just released by the International Council on Security and Development (ICOS), this objective was not met. The reality on the ground did not match the rhetoric, and the attack could turn out to be a recruiting tool for the Taliban. To read the full report from the International Council on Security and Development click here. Image from

Palestinian Peace Talks In Perpetual Peril - strategypage.com: Increasingly, over the last few decades, Palestinians have been indoctrinated with anti-Semitic propaganda, which encourages the young to become suicide bombers and terrorists. This is a very public campaign. In the Palestinian territories, there are hundreds of places (streets, squares, buildings) and events named after terrorists. Anyone who has killed an Israeli is a hero, and anyone who died trying is worthy of admiration. This goes beyond honoring "war heroes." The propaganda campaign portrays Palestinians as in a life-or-death struggle with "the Zionist entity" (what Palestinians like to call Israel). Since God is on their side, the Palestinian propaganda pushes the idea that it's only a matter of time before Israel is destroyed. It's tough to negotiate a peace deal when one side has this attitude.

Wiesenthal's PR exercise to counter "anti-Israel lies" a futile propaganda trick - Iqbal Jassat, usa.mediamonitors.net: As Israel reels from successive blows to its image as a “civilized democracy” its supporters have in another desperate attempt to salvage this bruised profile come up with a rescue plan. This time the Simon Wiesenthal Center has produced a brochure titled “2010 Top Ten Anti-Israel Lies” that they plan to distribute to millions of people worldwide. It’s a multi-million dollar propaganda exercise that they hope will counter what they perceive to be “a worldwide frenzy of intimidation” and “threats” directed against Israel “that has backed its supporters into a corner.”

Solidarity is a weapon against Israeli propaganda - via email, East Bay: Coalitions were built in spite of extensive and expensive campaigns by pro-Israel propagandists to conjure an image of Israel as the natural cause for people of color, queer communities, and other progressive-minded activists working on environmental issues.

In and of itself this is a huge victory for Palestinians and their supporters, and a huge defeat for the Israeli propaganda machine. Image from

Government asks people to be vigilant about Maoists propaganda - oneindia.in: New Delhi, ... The Union Government on Thursday asked the people to be vigilant about Maoist propaganda as the banned organization is trying to establish contact with non-government organizations (NGO) and intellectuals.

Statement by Armenia's Defense Ministry - Aysor: Chief of the Press Office of Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry Sabiroglu along with various state analysts has recently intensified propaganda-making statements, followed by a respond of Armenia’s Defense Ministry, who issued a statement, published below. “These regular ‘inspiration’ of the Azerbaijani propaganda-making forces was caused by a statement of Armenia’s Defense Minister, who said that the Armenian Armed Forces must reach the level of the strongest armies in the world.

Propaganda-makers of Azerbaijan and their instructors appeared to have surprised of that statement, and the reason is, very likely, the fact that they assess their own Army by means of size of the budget, ‘second-hand’ weapons and a practicing of connivance. Image from

Making geography all fun and games: Students at L.A.'s Camino Nuevo Charter Academy explore world cultures through the nonprofit Just Like You, which dispatches volunteers with giant globes and atlases to area schools - Esmeralda Bermudez, Los Angeles Times: The nonprofit Just Like You dispatches volunteers with giant globes and atlases to local schools, where they teach about world cultures to children who rarely set foot outside Los Angeles. After diving into new geographies and traditions, students play international games — variations on tag, football and kickball originating from such places as Zimbabwe and Iraq.

MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY

"With the internet being the primary source of information for individuals born after 1987, social media is quickly becoming mainstream media."

--From the social media strategy of The Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; cited in MountainRunner.us

“Since 2002, [military] wages have risen 42 percent.”

-- Craig Whitlock, "Pentagon asking Congress to hold back on generous increases in troop pay,”
Washington Post

"I love sex."

--Judy Lear, 66,

national chair of the Gray Panthers, the intergenerational advocacy group for social justice and peace, when reached by telephone in New York City. Lear image from

“While most kinds of sexual activity, including kissing and hugging, have decreased during the recession, the frequency of oral sex has increased a bit.”

David Montgomery, "Folks 45 and older are loving sexual liberation, AARP survey finds," Washington Post