Tuesday, October 22, 2013

October 21-22


PDBR Abbreviated edition


--Image/text from; advice from your PDBPR compiler's father: "Never 'work.' Surely, never 'work.' But, if you must, start at the top."

EVENT

John Prendergast to be Keynote Speaker at Syracuse University Public Diplomacy Symposium - enoughproject.org: "The Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars hosted its sixth annual public diplomacy symposium, 'Public Diplomacy: Actors and Actions in a Globalized World' on November 1, 2013 [sic]. John Prendergast, a human rights activist and co-founder of the Enough Project, and initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity, will be the keynote at the event.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

US offers 125 scholarships for Pakistani journalists - app.com.pk: "The United States will provide 125 scholarships to Pakistani journalists during 2011 as part of public diplomacy and capacity building cooperation, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said after leading discussions with senior American officials on public diplomacy.The scholarships will be extended to jouranlists both in the private and public sectors, officials said as Pakistan and the United States began their three-day Strategic Dialogue. Besides, the United States will also offer training to 80 public administrators


to help build capacity of Pakistani officers. The training will be offered to information officers from the Ministry of Information and Braodcasting [sic], Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and media affiliated public organizations, officials said." Image from

How America Is Different From Other Democracies - usnews.com: "Despite the fact that America is a center-right country with small and very vocal factions on each end of the political spectrum, a foreigner could never conclude that by reading, listening to or watching our so-called 'mainstream media.' For a number of reasons and political agendas, our media – whether witting or not – seem most always to tell the story from the political perspective of the left or left of center. And, over the last decade or so, this tendency has gotten more and more pronounced, to the extent that even the state-run European and Asian news agencies have a refreshingly neutral sound about them. And, of course, we allow most anybody to broadcast their state-run 'public diplomacy' here, the content of which is uniformly critical of the United States, often using American commentators who simulate great wisdom, but who nevertheless stay on their anti-U.S. message. Just watch the commentary on 'RT,' the Russian channel, for example. In sum, a foreigner will never get a true picture of America or life here unless they actually come here and see it for themselves. Then, they will learn how very little Washington affects our everyday lives – unless they live in Washington. They will also marvel at our size, the major differences between our infrastructures, how opinionated our media has become and how very controversial 'social legislation' is in America."

Another Journalist Joins the Obama Administration - Josh Rogin, Daily Beast: "Former Washington Post writer Laura Blumenfeld on Monday became the latest in a long list of journalists who have joined the Obama administration when


she took up an appointment in the State Department’s Middle East office. A speaker of Arabic and Hebrew, Blumenfeld will now be in charge of strategic communications in the State Department’s office handling negotiations for Secretary of State John Kerry’s Middle East Peace Process. ... With her move, Blumenfeld becomes at least the 16th journalist to join the Obama administration, following shortly after Richard Stengel left his post as managing editor of Time Magazine to become the Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy. Image: Rogin (and unidentified picture friend) from Rogin's Facebook.

Rick Perry, John Sharp travel to Israel to officially announce Peace Campus - Allen Reed, theeagle.com: "Texas and M University System Chancellor John Sharp and Gov. Rick Perry have a vision for peace in the Middle East and their alma mater is the catalyst. The Aggies will join with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Israeli Minister of Education Shai Piron on Wednesday in Jerusalem to officially announce Texas A and M's branch campus in Israel, The Eagle has learned. The branch campus will be located in Nazareth, the Arab capital of Israel and is tentatively, and aptly, titled Texas A and M University at Nazareth - Peace Campus, officials confirmed. The plan, they said, is for it to bring together Christians, Muslims and Jews in an educational setting. 'This is really the goal, is to create understanding between these three parts of the population,' said Gideon Meir, director general for public diplomacy for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 'The idea is to have a strong academic institution in this part of the world. Only a strong academic institution like A and M could work here.'... The degrees that A and M will offer in Israel are unknown. ... Higher education experts say the campus would be highly unique."

Pro-Israel Conference at Safra Synagogue - jewocity.com: "On November 17, there are two Pro-Israel events planned in NYC. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a leadership conference focusing on the importance of Judea and Samaria as a core issue in Israel advocacy. At 7 p.m., a fundraising/wine tasting event highlighting award-winning wines from Shomron boutique wineries.


This benefit is in support of the Shomron international public diplomacy effort." Image from, with caption:  Zichron Yaakov winery, 1945

The Age of Public Diplomacy: Looking Ahead to Next Month’s Symposium - Watanabe Yasushi, nippon.com: Yasushi: "What kind of public diplomacy do we need [in/for] Japan at this time? There are several points we should reconsider before rushing into proposing policies based on previous experience and intuition."

Saudi Arabia pique will not help it change UN policy - Roula Khalaf, ft.com: "It is true that the Security Council is an uncomfortable place for a country such as Saudi Arabia, which favours behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings and secret dealmaking to public diplomacy."

Chinese overseas-educated talent vital to reform - Xinhua, globaltimes.cn: "Chinese overseas-educated talent will play an important role in reform, vice chairman of the Western Returned Scholars Association Wang Huiyao said Monday. 'Chinese overseas-educated scholars will continue to play a vital role in promoting the country's transformation into an innovation-driven economy in the next three decades,' said Wang in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. China has expanded the number of students sent to study abroad since the adoption of the reform and opening up policy in 1978. By the end of 2012, 2.64 million had been sent abroad, among whom 1.09 million returned. Overseas-educated scholars were encouraged by Chinese President Xi Jinping to serve as a talent pool, think tank and a vital force for people-to-people diplomacy, at the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Western Returned Scholars Association held in Beijing on Monday. 'The new expectation for the overseas-educated as China's talent pool, think tank and the vital force for public diplomacy has indicated the direction for development of the association,' Wang said. Numerous development opportunities in China are the most attractive factors for the overseas-educated, said Wang. The association, founded in 1913, is the nation's largest organization for overseas-educated talents with the longest history."

Clive Palmer's Next Move: Hosting World Leaders At Coolum, With Video Messages From Kofi Annan And Bill Clinton - businessinsider.com: "The Club  Club de Madrid, the largest member organisation of former democratic presidents and prime ministers] ... has likely played a helpful role in influencing the broader public diplomacy around it as it has with similar institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, the OECD, the World Trade Organisation, ASEAN and the UN."

Star Republican Women hosting former ambassador Karen Hughes at luncheon - dailytrib.com: "The Star Republican Women club is hosting an author, former U.S. ambassador and counselor to President George W. Bush during its upcoming meeting and luncheon Oct. 22. Karen P. Hughes is a former TV news reporter and past executive director of the Republican Party of Texas and currently serves as the global chairwoman of Burson-Marsteller, a national public relations firm. She played key roles in the election and re-election of President Bush.


During her time in the Bush Administration, Hughes led the White House offices of Communications, Press Secretary, Media Affairs and Speechwriting. In 2005, Bush nominated her to the position of Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. The job, which she held until 2007, earned her an ambassador title.

During the meeting, Star Republic Women also will launch the Star Roundup membership contest to recruit 'independent women who share conservative values,' according to a club news release. Other discussion at the meeting will include the Keep Texas Red campaign and Take Back the Senate initiative." Satirical image of Hughes from; other image from

Former Ambassador Oren to Staff of the IDC Herzliya - israelnationalnews.com: "The Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya announced, Monday, that Doctor Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, is joining the staff of the IDC's Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy in the next few days.


Dr. Oren said, 'I am pleased and honored to join the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy at the IDC Herzliya. The IDC is in the forefront of discussion on Israel's foreign policy in public diplomacy and the media. Being part of the IDC will allow the continuance of my contribution to the strengthening of Israeli relations with the US and the world, as to building the future leadership of Israel.'" Oren image from

Beirut 30 years later: James Island family remembers lost Marine father Schuyler Kropf -
atransnationalvillager.blogspot.com: "Thank you for visiting my blog. I have been writing here as I completed a doctorate in public policy and public administration. Earlier, I worked in federal government, as an international education/training consultant, and as a research coordinator. I am continuing my research and hope to resume practicing public diplomacy as I prepare to teach and conduct grant projects."

RELATED ITEMS

Giant Statue of Jesus Christ Erected in Syria - Jim Hoft, thegatewaypundit.com: A new statue of Jesus Christ was erected on top of a Syrian mountain this week. The statue is taller than the Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Interfax reported: A sculpture ensemble depicting Jesus Christ called ‘I have come to save the world’ has been erected on top of a 2,000-meter high mountain in Syria. The statue has been placed on a historic pilgrim route from Constantinople to Jerusalem, at the Cherubim Monastery in the community of Saidnaya at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, the


Moscow Spiritual Academy, which supported this peacekeeping project, said in a statement. “The ensemble with the blessing Christ in its center, seen from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, is designed to bring peace, mutual understanding, and hope for common salvation to a region engulfed in the flames of war,” it said. The warring parties suspended hostilities and were watching the statue’s installation, which took three days, it said. The monument was installed on October 14, when some Christian churches celebrate the feast of the Intercession of the Theotokos, and on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. Image from article, with caption: The height of the bronze statue is 39 m together with the plinth, which is taller than the statue of the Christ in Rio de Janeiro (38 m). One can see the sculpture from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel.

Radio Ramallah: The cultural bridge that was - Between 1949-1967 there was a radio station that united West Bank Palestinians and Jerusalem Jews. It wasn’t interested in propaganda or demagogy, only playing the most popular Western and Arabic music.



A brief history of Radio Ramallah and the legacy it leaves behind - Niros, 972mag.com. Via MC on Facebook. Image from entry, with caption: Broadcasting towers at Ramallah, sometime between 1934-39.

Propaganda chief Liu Yunshan urges enhanced Marxist study - wantchinatimes.com: A senior official of the Communist Party of China on Sunday called for enhanced study of Marxism to provide theoretical support for a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a symposium on the study and development of Marxism.


The research and development of Marxism must focus on the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which is the pivot of the whole work of the Party and the government, said Liu, who is also secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. "We need to have Chinese scholars to interpret the miracle of China using theories of Chinese origin," said Liu at the symposium. He also stressed that it is crucial to apply the results of Marxism study to the reality, and that only through sinicization can Marxism be understood by the Chinese people. Image from entry, with caption: Liu Yunshan addresses the 16th national congress of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions on Oct. 18

Nobel Prize part of West`s propaganda fog - Finian Cunningham, mathaba.net: The Nobel Peace Prize should be renamed the Nobel Propaganda Prize, after


this year’s ever-so contrived award to the UN-approved chemical weapons team sent to disarm Syria. Image from entry

Julian Assange Urges Us to Ignore Hollywood Propaganda and Watch WikiLeaks Propaganda With ‘Mediastan' - This weekend, Bill Condon‘s The Fifth Estate suffered the worst opening of 2013, bringing in an unfathomable $1.7m from 1769 theaters. Getaway opened better. Movie 43 opened better. Naturally, nobody is more pleased with this news than comic book supervillain Julian Assange, who has sent signals from his lair inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to consistently voice his disproval of the project.


Assange’s boycott against the film, which he condemned for portraying him in a biased and negative light, finally cumulated in the release of his own WikiLeaks film, a free documentary available on the website called Mediastan. In what is sure to definitely not be biased at all and portray him with a glowing halo, the documentary depicts “Operation Cablerun,” in which thousands upon thousands of American diplomatic cables were posted by WikiLeaks in collaboration with The Guardian and The New York Times. “This weekend,” Assange said in a statement, “instead of wasting your time and money on Hollywood propaganda, why not get all your friends around and spend your time watching Mediastan instead?” Assange image from entry

Selling Empire: American Propaganda and War in the Philippines - globalresearch.ca: The propaganda designed to build support for America’s first land war in Asia created an illusion of the United States as a benevolent


liberator that lives on. Image from entry, with caption: “Our Boys entrenched against the Filipinos,”1900. (National Archives, 165-F5-16-13634)

Ted Cruz's father equates 'liberal media' to communist propaganda ministries - Justin Sink, thehill.com: The father of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said that the "liberal media" in the U.S. has an "evil agenda" that reminds him of the “ministry of misinformation” in communist countries like Cuba.

Remember Those Awesome Android Propaganda Posters From Andrew Bell? Cruzerlite Turned Them Into Nexus 7 Cases - androidpolice.com: Back in July of this year, we gave four sets of amazing Android Progress Administration Propaganda Prints from Andrew Bell.


These throwback-style posters are stylistically designed to replicate those from the 30s and 40s, and they look fantastic. Image from entry

RUSSICA

What to do before crossing a Russian street, presumably in Moscow ...

crazyrussia12 Россия — самое удивительное место на планете



MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY 

"I don't describe, I react."

"Marry a younger woman. You won't have to pay for her funeral."

--Observation from a  PDPR subscriber with literary aspirations at a recent dinner

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