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 ...

From

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

October 20

"[W]e live under continual threat of two equally fearful, but seemingly opposed, destinies: unremitting banality and inconceivable terror. It is fantasy, served out in large ratios by the popular arts, which allows most people to cope with these twin specters.”

--Susan Sontag; image from, with caption: Sandra Bullock in “Gravity.”

EVENTS

Development, Public Diplomacy, Datapaloozas, and Hack-A-Thons - "The International Communication Program and Public Diplomacy Council present a discussion of 'Development and Public Diplomacy in the Age of Datapaloozas and Hack-A-Thons, featuring Donald Steinberg, President and CEO of World Learning (formerly Experiment in International Living). The program takes place Tuesday, 22 October at 12:00 pm at American University’s School of International Service, in the Abramson Family Founders Room." Via EH

November 12th Fall Forum Update - Eva Harder, publicdiplomacycouncil.org: "The Public Diplomacy Council (PDC) is excited to announce key updates regarding the November 12th Fall Forum, 'U.S. Public Diplomacy: A Look to the Past, A Look to the Future.' The all-day conference, held at the U.S. Department of State’s George C. Marshall Conference Center, will feature a keynote speech, a commemoration of USIA and State Department alumni, two morning panels, lunch, six breakout sessions, a third panel, closing remarks, and photo gallery. A proceedings volume will be compiled, edited, and published."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PHOTO COLLECTION

Telling America's Stories - Public Diplomacy Council

FOUND ON THE WEB

U.S. Department of Arts and Culture Website - "The United States Department of Arts and Culture is the nation's newest people-powered department, founded on the truth that art and culture are our most powerful and under-tapped resources for social change, Radically inclusive, useful and sustainable, and vibrantly playful, the USDAC

aims to spark a grassroots, creative change movement, engaging thousands in performing and creating a world rooted in empathy, equity, and social imagination." [PDPBR compiler note: any information re this little-known organization (if it exists at all), cited at, would be appreciated]. See also.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Top 10 Most Beautiful Women Over 55 - Fran Drescher, BloggerOne - icontemplate.com: "At age 56 Fran Drescher, known as Fran Fine of The Nanny, is a cancer survivor and an outspoken healthcare advocate.

In her book ‘Cancer Schmancer’, Drescher encourages men and women battling cancer and she is noted for her work with the US State Department as a public diplomacy envoy for Women’s Health Issues." Dreshcher image from

Swedes, Dutch and Brits Make Their Public Diplomacy ... Public - Joe Johnson, publicdiplomacycouncil.org: "Public Affairs Officers from the Swedish, Netherlands and United Kingdom embassies in Washington compared tradecraft yesterday under the rubric 'Can Public Diplomacy Really Be Public? at a panel discussion cosponsored by the Embassy of Sweden and the Public Diplomacy Alumni Association. ... PDAA President Michael Schneider offered a thumbnail sketch of public diplomacy and introduced the panelists: James Barbour, Press Secretary at the British Embassy; Ilse Van Overveld, Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the Royal Netherlands Embassy; and Gabriella Augustsson, Counselor at the Embassy of Sweden.  It turns out they have a lot in common.

Public diplomacy mixed with broadcasting: South Africa's Ubuntu Radio - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: [Elliott comment:] "South Africa is thus emulating US international broadcasting. Ubuntu Radio is now duplicating some of the work of Channel Africa, and scarce broadcasting and talent resources will be divided between the two.

Furthermore, Ubuntu Radio is an attempt to mix public diplomacy with other content, including something that they claim will be 'news.' A political faction in Washington wants USIB to more like Ubuntu Radio. Instructively, Ubuntu Radio will show us how many listeners will be attracted to a radio station that is essentially an infomercial for the government and its foreign policy." Image from entry; note caption

A review of four books about Cold War (mostly RFE/RL) broadcasting - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "H-Net (Michigan State University), October 2013, Friederike Kind-Kovács: "A review of four books about international broadcasting during the Cold War, mostly about Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty: Alexander Badenoch, Andreas Fickers, Christian Henrich-Franke, Airy Curtains in the European Ether: Broadcasting and the Cold War. Richard H. Cummings, Radio Free Europe's 'Crusade for Freedom': Rallying Americans Behind Cold War Broadcasting, 1950–1960. A. Ross Johnson, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty: The CIA Years and Beyond. A. Ross Johnson, R. Eugene Parta, Cold War Broadcasting: Impact on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, A Collection of Studies and Documents."

Israel Cranks Up the PR Machine: It’s deploying all its resources to fight the growing world movement against the occupation - Max Blumenthal, The Nation:  "Netanyahu has grown obsessed with Israel’s withering image in the West. Under his guidance, the term 'delegitimization' has become a household word signifying BDS and nearly everything done in the name of exposing Israel’s violations of international law. And thanks to Netanyahu’s instigation, Barack Obama has become the first American president to explicitly pledge to battle the pressure campaign. Groping for a convenient solution to its public relations problems, the Israeli government has turned to hasbara. The literal meaning of this Hebrew word is 'explanation,' but when put into practice, most informed observers recognize it as propaganda. The more the State of Israel relies on force to manage the occupation, the more it feels compelled to deploy hasbara. And the more Western media consumers encounter hasbara, the more likely they are to measure Israel’s grandiose talking points against the routine and petty violence, shocking acts of humiliation and repression that define its treatment of the Palestinians. Under the leadership of Netanyahu—a professional explainer himself, who spent the early years of his political career as a frequent guest on prime-time American news programs perfecting the slickness of the Beltway pundit class—the Israeli government has invested unprecedented resources into hasbara. Once the sole responsibility of the foreign ministry, the task of disseminating hasbara now falls on a special Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs, led until 2013 by Yuli Edelstein, a right-wing settler and government minister who has called Arabs a 'despicable nation.' (Edelstein is now speaker of the Knesset.) ... Whether they like it or not, every Jewish Israeli citizen is a potential recruit for the national hasbara brigade. ... With $90 million from the municipality of Tel Aviv to promote the city as a gay paradise, and with free trips provided by the tourism ministry for gay Israelis willing to 'conduct public diplomacy activities abroad,' the Brand Israel campaign has increasingly centered on what many international gay activists call 'pinkwashing,' or using the country’s relatively progressive gay rights record to conceal its human rights abuses. ... The lurid hasbara of Brand Israel was directly inspired by corporate PR."

Egyptian Government Hires Israeli-Affiliated Lobbyist Firm To Communicate With DC - theyeshivaworld.com: "The Glover Park Group, one of America’s largest public affairs companies filed lobbying registration forms with the Department of Justice which show that they will provide services to the Egyptian Government to support the Egyptian government’s communications 'with U.S. government officials, business community, non-governmental audiences and the media” as well as help with 'fostering and facilitating exchanges between the U.S. and Egypt.'

They will also 'provide public diplomacy, strategic communications counsel and government relations services.' While the lead on the account is Joel Johnson, a former senior aide to President Bill Clinton, the company has extensive Israeli and Jewish ties. The managing director of the PR firm is an Israel named Arik Ben-Zvi, who served in the Israel Defense Forces, and senior vice president Jason Boxt formerly served as national deputy political director at AIPAC. One of the reasons the firm was believed to have been hired is that The United States suspended partial foreign aid to Egypt which numerous people have spoken out about including leading Wash, DC based attorney Jay Sekulow." Image from

Israel to work with Ghana’s research institutions - vibeghana.com: "Israel says it is willing to work with tertiary institutions and research bodies in Ghana to deal with issues of climate change. Ms Sharon Bar-li, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, said countries that least contributed to climate change were the most affected by it and that climate change presented significant threats to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. She expressed Israel’s readiness to share the wealth of experience it had gained in the mitigation and adaption of climate change with Ghana, a statement issued by Ms Mina Okuru, Public Diplomacy Co-ordinator, said on Friday. ... Ambassador Bar-li ... [said] that over 120 Ghanaians had been trained in Israel through its International Agency for Development Co-operation."

Experts said the Sino-Japanese islands dispute into a protracted war is not easy - Ask a Question, magentoanswers.co.uk"Hu Jiping: Even diplomatic position somewhat loose, Japan-US military exercises between the need to continue to engage. Including Foreign Secretary personally, Foreign Ministry instructed them to do the publicity of consulates nature. If another accident occurred at sea, then it may be a fuse, it could be an opportunity. Neither the United States and Japan two and good hope, compromise, do not want two wars. United States using the Diaoyu Islands dispute these things are done. Because Japan’s foreign propaganda, including public diplomacy capability is very strong ... because the Japanese public diplomacy done well internationally in many countries, in turn criticize us Chinese."

First World Congress for Hallyu - seoulvillage.blogspot.com: "The organization behind this First World Congress for Hallyu, the World Association for Hallyu Studies, leaves definitions up to scholars, who are encouraged to explore all possibilities. WAHS itself is structured around the following sections: Humanities and social sciences, Korean language education and culture, Medical science, Hallyu policy and management, Sports science, Entertainment business, Tourism, Textile fashion and beauty science, and Food. So during the two-day event held on Korea University campus, topics reached far beyond the usual suspects (K-pop and K-drama*). As well as beyond WAHS's 18 regional branches, the 125 panel participants representing 24 nations and all continents (even Antartica was mentioned - by Stephen Epstein in his focus 'below the Equator'). The purpose is not to push Hallyu overseas, but 'to advance Hallyu Studies as a multidisciplinary body of knowledge and profession serving the public good' (as the mission statement goes), and ultimately peace and mutual understanding, as WAHS President PARK Gil-sung

pointed out in his wrap-up remarks. ... What started like a classic, digestive post-lunch series of presentations turned into a lively debate on the most relevant topic - Hallyu's sustainability - when KIM Tae-hwan (Korea Foundation) frankly shared his doubts regarding the future of what appears to be an overblown, short-lived fad marketed as an entertainment commodity, and his wish to see people work on more sustainable approaches. Participants also had passionate discussions around the roles of public diplomacy and of a government often accused of fanning the flames of international hype. ... The KCTI [the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute] considers Hallyu as a content by itself, sustainability being only a matter of quality; it's neither in the hands of government, nor a question of public diplomacy, and the leadership is expected from the happy few top content providers." Image from entry

AHC is truly aboard the Crocodile Prize express - Keith Jackson and Friends: PNG ATTITUDE: Words, ideas and issues from the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship | Site funded and managed by Jackson PR: "A few days ago I spoke to Tim Bryson, the First Secretary (Politics) who has responsibility for public diplomacy. The AHC [Australian High Commission]’s view is that the Crocodile Prize is one of the very few platforms for developing and encouraging PNG writers, young and old. He went on to say that PNG has tremendous writing talent that really needs an outlet like the Crocodile Prize. Not only can the prize identify and foster great PNG writers, it enables PNG voices to be heard by Papua New Guineans and the international community on important cultural, historical and contemporary issues. The AHC also believes that the prize is an investment in the true strength of the PNG-Australia relationship – our people-to-people links – as exemplified through the Australian and PNG connections behind the Crocodile Prize. ... The AHC also contributed K7,000 towards Anthology publication costs and an additional K5,000 in June 2013 to enable the books to be distributed to tertiary institutions throughout PNG. ... Eva Kuson, AHC Public Diplomacy Coordinator, told me that the Commission is happy to provide funding for the printing costs for the 2013 Anthology and will discuss in future what support might be provided in 2014 and beyond. Tim Bryson is leaving PNG shortly and his replacement will be Andrew Gavin, First Secretary Public Affairs. Lorraine Ponifasio is Public Diplomacy Manager."

New solution sketched for Karabakh issue – Marxist Party: A new solution is sketched for the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and with the scenario of Abkhazia and South Ossetia - news.am: "Marxist Party of Armenia leader Davit Hakobyan noted the aforementioned during a press conference on Tuesday ... [:] ... 'I consider our state’s ... issue to

 be the creation of a new diplomatic doctrine. In the language of public diplomacy, the ruling circles [of Armenia] wish to carry out the orders of the Russian elite,' Davit Hakobyan concluded." Haboyan image from article

Conference Report -- Reframing Diplomacy: New Diplomatic History in the Benelux and Beyond - Giles Scott-Smith, toynbeeprize.org: "[T]here was a set of papers dealing with the theoretical implications of new diplomatic history, in terms of methodology and subject-matter. This was an eclectic group, ranging from the relevance of economic and technological expertise (Laurence Badel, University of Paris 1, Leonard Laborie, CNRS Paris, and David Burigana, University of Padova) and business diplomacy (Jennifer Kesteleyn, University of Ghent), to the application of prosopography and ‘collective biographies’ for a study of the CSCE negotiations (Angela Romano, LSE, and Martin Brown, Richmond American International University), the relevance of international history for studying public diplomacy (Frank Gerits, EUI Florence), paradiplomacy (Mariano Alvarez, Leiden University), and the obstacles faced in conducting a multinational, multi-organisational study of the Inter-American Highway (Jorrit van den Berk, Radboud University Nijmegen)."

Lawrence Chester Williams - Obituary, legacy.com: "Upon completion of his nine-month [AID] training program, he was assigned to Kaduna Nigeria where he served as the Agency's Field Support Officer. After a two-year tour in Nigeria, he transferred to the US Information Agency in Washington, and was assigned to the Voice of America (VOA).

He served as Administrative Officer at VOA for the European and Soviet program staffs. During his service with USIA [see] he served as a Senior Management Analyst and Regional Executive Officer with the responsibility for servicing all Latin American programs. In addition, he served as Executive Officer ad interim in Mexico, Venezuela, and Vietnam. He served as Administrative Officer for the US Exhibition 'Research and Development USA' that toured the Soviet Union for nearly 2-years. He returned to the Soviet Union in 1976 as Deputy Director of the US Bicentennial Exhibition in Moscow. He was Program Coordinator for the USIA African Affairs Program, and was subsequently assigned as Executive Officer to one of the Agency's largest programs in Brasilia, Brazil. He returned to the U.S. and briefly served on the staff of the Inspector General as a Senior Inspector before retiring in 1988." Via LJB; Williams image from entry

RELATED ITEMS

U.S. releases $1.6 billion aid package to Pakistan - Bradley Klapper, Associated Press, Washington Times:  The U.S. has quietly decided to release more than $1.6 billion in military and economic aid to Pakistan that was suspended when relations between the two countries

disintegrated over the covert raid that killed Osama bin Laden and deadly U.S. airstrikes against Pakistani soldiers. Officials and congressional aides said ties have improved enough to allow the money to flow again. Image from

Life in the 21st Century State Department - Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well: Daniel Garrett was a political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Japan 2008-2010. The State Department decided he just wasn’t their kind of guy, and let him go. People considering a career in the Foreign Service should also consider the price they’ll pay. - See more at: http://wemeantwell.com/blog/#sthash.WX1wfOxm.dpuf

Davutoglu rejects claims about spy chief as ‘black propaganda': Davutoglusaid that the content and timing of a series of news reports about Turkey's intelligence chief, Hakan Fidan, in Western media outlets were important - worldbulletin.net: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has rejected claims about Turkey's intelligence chief as being “untrue” and a bad example of “black propaganda.” Davutoglu told reporters on Thursday that the content and timing of a series of news reports about Turkey's intelligence chief, Hakan Fidan, in Western media outlets were important. Davutoglu's remarks came on the day that Washington Post columnist David Ignatius cited “knowledgeable sources” in saying the Turkish government had disclosed to Iranian intelligence the identities of up to 10 Iranians who had been meeting inside Turkey with their Mossad case officers. Sources described the Turkish action as a “significant loss of intelligence” and “an effort to slap the Israelis.”

Paul Conroy: “War journalists must avoid being used as propaganda”: The acclaimed war photographer spoke at the Cheltenham Literature Festival about the changing impact of journalism in conflict. Rachael Jolley reports - Rachael Jolley, indexoncensorship.org: Journalists have a bigger influence on how war is perceived than in years gone by, said war photographer Paul Conroy at the Cheltenham Literature Festival yesterday. Discussing how journalists and photographers cover wars and the pressures they are under, Conroy, who covered Syria with Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin, said: “Everything is in the instant now, battles have been influenced by the immediacy of information.” Conroy described how he and Colvin got into Syria using underground tunnels and the assistance of rebels.

They were smuggled into Syria through a 3km scramble down a storm drain, which he described as “the only way”. He added: “The risks were quite high.” He also talked about the attack on the media centre they were operating from, which killed Colvin. Conroy, who was badly injured, was rescued and got out of the war zone so he could be treated. When asked about how newspapers’ tightening budgets were affecting foreign new coverage, Sunday Times associate editor Sean Ryan, who was chairing the event and was Conroy and Colvin’s desk contact, said: “We will always cover the biggest conflicts.” Conroy called for more funding for foreign news coverage from the media in general. The acclaimed war photographer, who also covered the Balkan conflicts, said it was now impossible for journalists to switch from being with one side to covering the other side of a conflict. It had been possible in the 1990s, but this was no longer the case. Because of this journalists had to be wary of how they might be used to put forward a biased or inaccurate picture. “What we realised was that you are open to be used for propaganda. What you have to do is double check and get eye witness accounts.” Image from article, with caption: Paul Conroy at a protest in London last year calling for peace in Syria

AMERICANA

Monks in Louisiana win right to sell handcrafted caskets: The Supreme Court allows monks in Louisiana to sell low-cost caskets, a victory for small entrepreneurs against state-enforced economic protectionism - David G. Savage, latimes.com: When the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors told the Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey in southern Louisiana they could not sell their handcrafted caskets to the public, the normally peaceful order took the fight to court.

Hurricane Katrina had wiped out the order's traditional income from selling timber, so the brothers decided to market the simple cypress boxes they had long built to bury monks who died. They were priced at $1,500 or $2,000, far less than a funeral home would charge. But the state board, composed mostly of embalmers and funeral home directors, ordered the monks to stop. Their five-year legal battle ended quietly at the Supreme Court last week with a defeat for state-enforced "economic protectionism" and a victory for small entrepreneurs. It is part of a growing trend of successful "economic liberty" cases championed by the Institute for Justice, a libertarian legal group based in Arlington, Va. The ruling "puts the final nail in the coffin for the state board's protectionist and outrageous campaign against the monks," said Scott Bullock, a lawyer for the institute. Image from article, with caption: The monks, makers of handcrafted caskets like those shown above, engaged in a five-year legal battle that ended at the Supreme Court last week. Image from article

J'ADORE PARIS

Reflections on a Paris Left Behind - Steven Erlanger, New York Times: "Paris is too ordered, too antiseptic and too tightly policed to have much of a louche life beyond bourgeois adulteries. ... It is the Parisians who leave dog excrement

on the sidewalks, who ignore the trash containers. ... With smoking now supposedly banned inside restaurants . ... the streets have become ashtrays . ... Because everyone makes his or her own Paris, one of the great cities for walkers, with small alleys and hidden corners that can feel like personal discoveries and that can be cherished, later, and found again, even if some of the great old and unprintable street names of Paris have been bowdlerized in the antiseptic city." Via PR; image from

RUSSICA?

Street Workout in Russia [video] - vitaminl.tv. Via NG on Facebook. Comment by a viewer of the video: "Karma Fish · Дзен Буддизма this is not Russia, it's in Kiev."

INTERNATIONAL

"What Each Country Leads the World In," thedoghousediaries.com. Via CC on Facebook

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

--From: "What is the difference between women and men?"; via KA on Facebook

PENGUIN LOVE

--Via DM on Facebook

October 18-19

"I liked the opera very much. Everything but the music."

--Benjamin Britten on Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress; cited in "21 of the best insults in classical music"; via RB on Facebook; Britten image from

VIDEO

Video of the Week: Ambassador Matthew Barzun, Some Cousins, and Glorious Facial Hair -– Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "The folks who brought us  Scamnet: Lonely Hearts Scam Division and It’s a Scam are back with a short video of the new Ambassador to the UK Matthew Barzun taking us on a tour of his office. He introduced some of his cousins, folks with intimidating facial hair and  plugs in his new Twitter handle @MathewBarzun. For those interested in facial hair as  a weapon of intimidation, check out a round-up of cinematic facial hair here; you won’t be sorry!"

PODCAST

[LISTEN] China’s Evolving Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy - Michael Ardaiolo, pdcast: "Dr. David M Lampton discusses China’s foreign policy and adjoining public diplomacy as it expands global influence."

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Will Obama Blow His Diplomatic Opportunity with Iran? - Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett, goingtotehran.com: "As we move toward a new round of nuclear talks in Geneva this week between Iran and the P5+1, it is important to look soberly at each side’s approach to renewed nuclear diplomacy and what that implies about the prospects for real diplomatic progress. On the Iranian side, the public diplomacy carried out by President Hassan Rohani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during their visits to New York for the United Nations General Assembly—along with Zarif’s meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the other P5+1 foreign ministers and Rohani’s fifteen-minute phone conversation with President Obama—was exceptional. Moreover, conversations with Iranian officials in New York during Rohani and Zarif’s visits there and in Tehran during the first week of October suggest that the Iranian side will come to the Geneva talks proactively prepared with proposals for resolving the nuclear issue within a finite period. It is far less clear, however, that the Obama administration is prepared to do anything of real seriousness and substance to facilitate diplomatic progress. American elites—including Obama administration policymakers—are still talking about 'productive diplomacy' with Iran primarily in terms of extracting major concessions from the Islamic Republic."

Iranian MP: Iran, US should establish public diplomacy - N. Umid, S. Isayev, trend.az: "Iran and the United States should establish public and non-official diplomacy, first deputy Speaker of Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Reza Bahonar said, Iranian Bahar newspaper reported. He went on to note that, official diplomacy has limitations while public diplomacy does not have.

Bahonar also criticized Iran's former administrations due to neglecting this kind of diplomacy, adding that public diplomacy can start with a football match as well as parliamentary groups` consultations or lobbying." Bahonar image from article

The North Korea threat - Stefan Soesanto, thehill.com: "After more than two decades of post-cold war tit-for-tat, relations between Washington and Pyongyang are at an all-time low. Ironically, within this non-cooperative environment of 'strategic patience', intelligence gathering and public diplomacy has been unwillingly outsourced to non-governmental organizations and people like former NBA star

Dennis Rodman. Something has indeed gone terribly wrong when the only country in the world that is openly threatening the United States with nuclear warfare is not being taken seriously." Rodman image from

Natural Gas: Decades on, OPEC embargo molds challenging energy debates - Jenny Mandel, eenews.net: "Within energy circles, many observers today talk about the opportunities surrounding natural gas as once-in-a-lifetime changes in the world energy order. In certain scenarios, gas replaces large volumes of coal used in the electric power sector and chips away at oil's dominance as the fuel for cars and trucks. In a September speech at the 5th World LNG Series in Singapore, Richard Westerdale, who directs the State Department's policy analysis and public diplomacy efforts at its Bureau of Energy Resources, described those changes as laying the groundwork for U.S. policy goals around the world. 'Due to the rapid development of hydrocarbon resources in the U.S., we have the opportunity to support economic development, foster greater competition in the global marketplace, and strengthen political stability in both producing and consuming countries while still addressing environmental concerns and transitioning to cleaner fuels,' Westerdale said."

Meeting Of The Broadcasting Board Of Governors Scheduled For October 23 – BBG Press Release - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "The official agenda for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)open board meeting on October 23 has been published. Well-placed sources told BBG Watch that under the new BBG chairman Jeff Shell, and with the support of other BBG members, including the four newly-appointed BBG Governors, the meeting may reveal outlines of a management reform agenda for U.S. international broadcasting/media. ... We wish Chairman Shell and the Board courage and good luck in their efforts to save this important American institution of great value for international media freedom, U.S. public diplomacy, and U.S. national security."

More Devaluation of US Government International Broadcasting - The Federalist, BBG Watch: "The IBB status quo is not an acceptable option. It is dysfunctional and defunct." On IBB, see.

How to Make the U.N. Relevant to Americans in a Time of Increased Isolationism - Oscar Castellanos, PD News–CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "Would U.N agencies be less vulnerable to the U.S’ coercive power if they were more oriented to the American public? If so, what should be the public diplomacy approach agencies should take?

And if so, what public diplomacy approach should agencies take? Perhaps if American citizens were more aware of the impact that the United Nations had on their daily lives, cuts to the U.N. and foreign aid would be politically costly. In this spirit, perhaps the U.N., as the global institution par excellence, needs to make very clear the local repercussions of its work to its largest financial contributor." Image from article, with caption: UNESCO

The Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Residing Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation ROSSOTRUDNICHESTVO - rccusa.org: "The Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Residing Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), founded in accordance with Decree number 1315 of the President of the Russian Federation, dated 6 September 2008, having taken its place in the system of organizations state authority and governance, under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation of the Russian Federation, has become an effective instrument for implementing the concept of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation in the field of strengthening and expanding international humanitarian cooperation. The systemization of this work, along with its new conceptualization, the development of fresh innovative approaches, while taking into account the rapidly changing realities of our modern world, are now the main tasks of Rossotrudnichestvo. The activities of the Agency are primarily focused on fortifying an objective perception of modern Russia, its material and spiritual potential, preserving and expanding both the language and cultural presence of Russia throughout the rest of the world, while carrying out the principles of 'public diplomacy' in order to develop and reinforce friendship, cooperation, and mutual understanding between nations. ... Rossotrudnichestvo

conducts this work through the organization of active, systematic, and goal-oriented efforts of its representative abroad: the Russian Center of Science and Culture, which currently operates in 77 countries around the world. ... A primary focus of activity for the Agency are the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States. ... One of the important directions of Rossotrudnichestvo is its work with compatriots, strengthening connections with the Russian Diaspora overseas, improving its role and influence in the countries of residence, preserving the ethniccultural identity of our fellow countrymen, and extending their opportunities for obtaining an education in Russia. ... A significant responsibility of our centers is that of strengthening the positions of Russian culture, while familiarizing overseas citizens with the richest Russian cultural heritage and modern Russian art. ... With great emphasis on the development of the principles of 'public diplomacy', the Agency renders support for the activity of the Russian Association of International Cooperation (RAMS), societies of Russian friendship with foreign countries, and actively cooperates with various non-governmental organizations." Image from entry

Tanzania: Zanzibar to View Aboriginal Films - Iman Mani, allafrica.com: "Through a partnership between Murdoch University in Perth, Australia and the local Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), a number of films have been lined-up to be screened on the Isles, starting on Sunday. The programme is then scheduled to continue for the next three months. Residents of Nungwi area, on the Isles, received the news last weekend from ZIFF Director, Prof Martin Mhando, when the programme was launched there. Addressing the people after speaking to the Sheha of Nungwi, Mhando welcomed the opportunity to show films that not only entertained, but also educated and informed audiences. He referred to films as being 'soft diplomacy' which, while being a creative outlet for filmmakers, actually promoted national values and heritage, while projecting images that influence how a nation is understood. ZIFF Chairman Mahmoud Kombo, who was also present, added that films allowed audiences to learn about people, who are different from them; together with helping them acquire new and unique experiences beyond their own communities. ... 'The setting up of the Australia-Tanzania Business Council and the impending opening of the Western Australia Trading Centre in Kenya augurs for increasing links with the region,' Kombo said. 'The holding of the first Uganda International Diaspora Conference in Perth in 2012 reflects the high status placed on Australia by the region.' Providing further explanation as to why the AICC would concern itself with this programme the ZIFF Chairman said their desire is to demonstrate public diplomacy benefits for the country. He added that governments, corporations and economic global governance institutions have become more aware of the differences between cultures in their strategic decision-making process and have therefore begun to adopt 'Cultural Diplomacy' models into their agenda, through various means so as to 'enhance mutual understanding' among countries throughout the world."

Challenging policy question to seek balance between conservation and utilization in the Arctic - foreignaffairs.co.nz: "The Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, addressed the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik today where he gave a broad overview of Iceland´s priorities and the future of Arctic cooperation. In his speech he underlined the challenges and opportunities in the Arctic in the coming years and decades. ... The Foreign Minister outlined recent steps taken by the government to

enhance the Arctic policy. A Committee of Ministers on Arctic Affairs, which the Prime Minister presides over, ensures a whole-of government approach, focusing on policy coherence, internal coordination and effective participation in international activities. The government will review the feasibility of establishing an international rescue and response center in Iceland, enhancing Iceland’s public diplomacy effort concerning the importance of the Arctic and further cooperation with the business community on developing opportunities both in Iceland and abroad." Iceland image from

The cult of celebrity is stripping politics of its dignity (... and the British people are the losers) - Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Mail: "[A]s the past few days have reminded us, the lines between politics and showbusiness have become dangerously blurred — and the losers are likely to be the British people. ... We live in an age when politics grovels before the cult of celebrity. Barely a week goes by without the Coalition recruiting a sporting star — Dame Kelly Holmes, say, or Sir Steve Redgrave — to be the ‘ambassador’

for some campaign or other. ... From 2002 onwards, the nursing-home entrepreneur and Labour peer Lord Carter of Coles — who was also chairman of Sport England — accumulated five appointments in as many years, undertaking reviews of ‘offender management’, the Criminal Records Bureau, ‘public diplomacy’, legal aid and NHS pathology services. ... To our current masters, it seems that the old adage is true: politics really is just showbusiness for ugly people." Image from article, with caption: Risque: New Tory front bencher Esther McVey in her days as a television presenter

Measuring the ‘soft power’ of cultural activity - BOB Consulting, icd-press.org: "In recent years a number of commentators have argued that the ‘soft power’ of a nation’s culture is as important as its military strength in assessing that country’s place in the world. Measuring such soft power is far from easy, though. One body which has tried to do so is the Berlin-based Institute for Cultural Diplomacy. Its Cultural Diplomacy Outlook Report 2011 is a wide-ranging study looking at many aspects of what it calls cultural diplomacy, in the public, private and third sectors. One of the most interesting parts is its Index: The cultural diplomacy index charts the increasing prevalence of soft power and public diplomacy as a means of international dialogue. The index evaluates various government activities to determine whether their respective cultural diplomacy programmes are substantial, constructive and effective. The index produced by the ICD ranked forty countries by these means, and found that Germany and the Netherlands came joint first, with Norway in third. The UK was fifth, the US was seventh, and India was the leading emerging economy, in tenth place."

Beyond Cultural Diplomacy - Honor Bailey, worldpolicy.org: "In addition to being socially powerful, the impact of cultural diplomacy can be quantified and used to improve politics. The concept of the citizen artist extends beyond artists and policymakers to include entire communities."

More than a game of crowns: The global political economy of beauty pageants - Confessions of a Scatterbrain: Conveying thoughts one at a time | For comments and suggestions, send a message to johnraymondjison@yahoo.com: "When the newly crowned Miss World 2013 Megan Lynne Young arrived in the Philippines last Thursday, she was given a glorious homecoming and even summoned by the Congress to recognize her achievement.

Megan wore a dazzling Filipiniana gown, her hair neatly tied in a bun, a turquoise-blue crown resting on her head. During the post World War II era, international beauty pageants received immense popularity as demonstrated by the participation of various countries worldwide. Despite the prominence, beauty pageants had not eluded criticism, mainly spawned by feminists, for relegating women into mere objects. Notably, the Miss Thailand 1973 beauty pageant was suspended when conservatives denounced the pageant as a form of 'selling' women in an eccentric 'meat market'. But at the onset of postmodern age, beauty pageants not only transformed contenders into icons of hegemonic imagery of beauty but also constructed new roles both for countries in the sphere of international relations, and women in the realm of public diplomacy and cultural governance. Image from entry

How Social Media is Becoming Separated from the Internet - Hilary Brandt, govexec.com: "Hilary Brandt is the Director of the Office of Innovative Engagement (OIE) in the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) at the U.S. Department of State. The Office of Innovative Engagement provides expertise in the best use of new and emerging digital tools for public diplomacy. Hilary oversees research and development of new tools and platforms, comprehensive education and support for the department’s 200 plus social media practitioners, and outreach to the technology industry."

Ubuntu Radio goes live online - humanipo.com: "New internet-based South African radio station Ubuntu Radio officially went live last night, aimed at enhancing communication on South Africa’s foreign policy and broadcasting African stories from an African perspective.

'South Africa has a good story to tell and we have done extremely well over the past 20 years. Our foreign policy has evolved, but that story is not being told,' said Clayson Monyela, head of public diplomacy for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)." Image from entry

CSC Welcomes Dr. Valentina Bartolucci - scholarshipsnewsaround.blogspot.com: "The CSC extends a warm welcome to Dr. Valentina Bartolucci. She is a Fulbright Research Scholar resident here during the 2013-2014 academic year, studying public diplomacy as anti-terrorism. ... Her research mainly addresses the foreign and security policies of U.S. and other States, terrorism and counter-terrorism, discourses on threat and emergency and strategic communication as anti-terrorism."

Can You Find the Difference? - YMedad, myrightword.blogspot.com: The NYTimes has expanded its op-ed section and it now includes: Ali Jarbawi and Shmuel Rosner. ... One is a civic society person and a long-time professional journalist. The other is a former high political official, a public-diplomacy hack."

Abram Games In His Own Way –- In Israel - Rachel Neiman, israel21c.org: "Abram Games is considered one of the most prominent British designers of the 20th century. ... As part of his army service during World War II, Games was an Official War Artist and designed many of the official announcements used in British public diplomacy. To a large extent, these works — such as the posters encouraging citizens to join the war effort, grow their own vegetable gardens and serve in the military — shaped an entire generation."

Tom DeLay: Wannabe Reality TV Star - susanbradfordpress: "In 2010, Congressman Tom DeLay was hot off the heels of Dancing with the Stars and preparing for his money laundering trial in Austin, Texas when he decided to engage in a little strategic public diplomacy. Giggling over the dainty heeled shoes he was required to wear during his dance routines, the scandalized Congressman winked at the judges, threw money at the audience, and otherwise engaged in Tom foolery before the nation.

Having undertaken a few polls to gauge public opinion, DeLay believed that his chances of prevailing in the Austin case were greatly enhanced by his appearance on the Stars, which he hoped would generate a more positive attitude towards him among jury members." DeLay image from

Traffic Stop In Shelby County Was Unconstitutional In Order To "Serve Process" In Rob Riley's Lawsuit - Legal Schnauzer: The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice: "A Shelby County sheriff deputy trampled the U.S. Constitution when he recently conducted a traffic stop to 'serve' my wife and me with court papers in a defamation lawsuit that Alabama Republican Rob Riley has filed against us. Lt. Mike DeHart probably committed a criminal act when he stopped our vehicle without probable cause to believe a traffic violation had been committed. ... DeHart claimed I had rolled through a stop sign while making a left-hand turn at a 'T intersection' in our neighborhood. I immediately told him I did not roll through the stop sign . ... Anonymous said... There would come time his vacancy would be filled by another who outgoing personality was not founded on public diplomacy. This officer was a drunk, he came to work drunk, he was allowed to drive police car drunk, and all the while his upper police management were cognizant, as well as chief; he would threaten his pregnant wife with bat, and more serious matters, and list goes on and on; but when the public sees a police officer out at a bar drinking heavy, then getting into his vehicle and driving off raises eyebrows.

RELATED ITEMS

Obama's diplomatic comeback -- He made little headway in his first term, but now engagement with Iran and Syria shows promise - Editorial, latimes.com: The administration is right to seize new diplomatic openings and to pursue negotiated solutions in a careful, deliberate manner.

John Kerry on forging a Pacific future: At a time when some Americans would like to pull back, it's important we work together globally to meet an array of challenges - John F. Kerry, latimes.com: In Bali, Indonesia, we made real progress on reaching agreement among a dozen countries representing 40% of the world's economy. Over several days of high-level talks, we narrowed differences and reaffirmed the objective of concluding negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership by the end of the year.

The rebalancing of our foreign policy priorities in Asia is neither a work completed nor an effort interrupted. It is a daily march of progress to be measured in miles and years, not yards and days. But the march is underway, and America and Asia are stronger because of it. Image from article, with caption: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, speaks as U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, left, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, second from left, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, second from right, and Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera listen during their meeting at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo.

Talk About Political Dysfunction ... - Jason Pack and Mohamed Eljarh, New York Times:

The cancellation of some military aid to Egypt could grant President Obama a novel opportunity to redirect some of the funds withheld from Egypt toward institution building in Libya without the need for Congressional approval. 

The future of counterterrorism: Fewer drones, more partnerships - Linda Robinson, Washington Post: Drones are just one of three principal U.S. counterterrorism tools, and not necessarily the most important. Special Operations forces are now relying on a more balanced mix of tactics: Launching raids and developing partner forces offer more versatility than drone strikes and will probably become the wave of the future as America’s big wars wind down.

America’s not in decline -- it’s on the rise - Ely Ratner and Thomas Wright, Washington Post: America’s domestic revival provides all the necessary tools to facilitate American leadership abroad. Being humble about the United States’ ability to shape foreign societies, particularly through military means, is no excuse for a lack of ambition to continue advancing U.S. interests and universal values overseas. Rather than bracing for American decline, Washington should prepare to lead the world anew.

Egypt’s stolen heritage - Mohamed Ibrahim, Washington Post: Egyptians need the people and the government of the United States to support our efforts to combat the systematic and organized looting of our museums and archaeological sites.

A Year Abroad vs. a Year Wasted - Room for Debate, New York Times: Despite efforts to reduce the cost of a college degree, the price tag remains unthinkable for many. And it’s not just the cost of tuition, but also the extras like spending a year, a semester or even a summer in a foreign country. At a time when it seems as if every American college and university has a study abroad program or has agreements with institutions that offer the experience, one has to wonder: Is it worth it?

Malala drama, another propaganda tool of CIA? - Ali Ashraf Khan, english.pravda.ru: The wrong type of education is damaging boys and men as much as girls and women by destroying our traditions blindly and denouncing God and the Truth. This should be the discussion in our media: what kind of education we need? Is this Western Enlightenment type of education that is sponsored by Western NGOs and Pakistani liberals good or not; and are USAID advertised programmes

suitable for our society or not? It is such a bad marketing trick to use a young girl who doesn't know much about the world and develop her into an instrument to sell western education in the tribal society. Malala image from entry

The joke’s on us: A scheming China laughs as chronic crisis cripples Washington: Yuan’s world standing as a currency could benefit - Patrice Hill, The Washington Times: China’s leaders sharply criticized Washington's government dysfunction in widely publicized comments, but

they secretly are gleeful that the chronic crises emanating out of Washington helps elevate China in the world’s eye as a much-needed source of stability while furthering Beijing’s goal of posing an alternative to a U.S.-centric world economy. As the largest buyer of U.S. Treasury securities, with about $1.5 trillion in holdings, China regularly warns against the perils of default, but its derision of Washington this time went much further. Image from article, with caption: President Obama meets with ... Xi Jinping on Feb., 14, 2012, at the White House.

China’s “Journalists” Ordered to Take New Propaganda Training - William F. Jasper, thenewamerican.com: Reporters, editors, and commentators for China’s mushrooming domestic and global print, broadcast, and social media have been ordered to pack their bags and head back to school for a new and revised dose of Marxist Propaganda 101. On October 10, China’s State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television, which is overseen by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Propaganda Department, announced a mandatory three-month training program for all journalists, according to reports from various Asian and Western news agencies.

Shanghai’s propaganda chief Xu Lin calls for tighter media control - Patrick Boehler, scmp.com: As Shanghai’s free-trade zone aims to be a testing ground for unprecedented economic reforms, it was business as usual in Communist Party propaganda in China’s second-largest city. “Shanghai is at the forefront of the meeting of Chinese and Western thought,” Xu Lin, the head of the city’s propaganda department wrote in Monday’s People’s Daily.

Therefore, the city must “strengthen the management” of newspapers, television stations, online platforms, forums and seminars, he wrote. Shanghai will strengthen its capacity to “guide public opinion” and expand its internet monitoring teams, he added. Image from article, with caption: A welcome sign of the Shanghai free-trade zone.

Does Chinese leaders' animation debut signal a revamped propaganda strategy? The professionally-produced animation has drawn over one million views since its release on Monday - Amy Li, scmp.com: Chinese state leaders who are known for their poker faces and uncharismatic demeanours have finally received a facelift in the form of a viral animation clip in which they appear as amicable cartoon figures. The professionally-produced animation movie that calls the country’s leadership selection a “meritocratic screening that requires years of hard work like the making of a kung fu master” has drawn over one millions views since its release on Monday.

Yet despite the light-hearted presentation, which is nothing like the party’s usual blatant and tedious propaganda stunts, the impeccable production of the movie, which is available in both Chinese and English with subtitles and narratives, has given rise to speculation that the country’s ideology department is quickly adapting to the Web 2.0 era by employing new and more sophisticated methods of communication favoured by a younger generation. Image from article, with caption: Xi Jinping appears in the animation movie as a cartoon figure.

China Plans Movie Propaganda Push for Ethnic Minorities - Patrick Brzeski, hollywoodreporter.com: The Chinese government has announced an ambitious scheme to promote its many ethnic minority groups via propaganda movies. It says it will shoot one film for each of the country's 55 distinct ethnicities. China has produced propaganda films via its state studios since the earliest days of the PRC. But with the emergence of widespread Internet access and a glitzy commercial entertainment industry, the popularity of such films has plummeted over recent years. In March, local media reported that several cinemas in major Chinese cities were forced to cancel shows of a government film after it failed to sell a single ticket on its opening day.

Propaganda balloons carry rumors of a North Korean porno - Geoffrey Cain, globalpost.com: Barriers — political, legal and physical — often prevent South Koreans from communicating directly with their northern brethren. To surmount this, human rights activists in the South have gotten creative. One method: releasing balloons that carry messages across the border. They have even harnessed typhoon winds to ensure that their airborne information reaches its target. Earlier this month, a group of anti-regime

defectors gave its propaganda a raunchy twist. The activists, led by prominent Christian rights campaigner Lee Min-bok, released a batch of balloons proclaiming that dictator Kim Jong Un’s attractive, 20-something wife, Ri Sol-ju, once starred in a homemade porno flick. Seizing on newspaper reports, the group also spread rumors that members of a state-run musical troupe she performed in were supposedly executed by firing squad for their role filming even more steamy sex videos and selling the recordings, reports KoreaBANG (the link is mildly NSFW). Image from article, with caption: South Korean activists release balloons carrying anti-North Korea leaflets, in January 2010. Recently, the balloon campaigns have turned raunchy.

A Fake Village and a Colossal Flagpole: North Korea's Bizarre Propaganda Method - Atlas Obscura, slate.com: Within the two-and-a-half-mile-wide, heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea are two villages—one on each side of the border. Built in the 1950s following the Korean War cease-fire, the northern village of Kijong-dong is a collection of well-appointed, multistory buildings home to 200 families who spend their days happily tending to farms, going to school, or swinging by the hospital for a check-up.

At least, that is the official story according to the North Korean government. In reality, Kijong-dong is an uninhabited propaganda village built to reflect an imagined economic success in an attempt to lure defectors from the south. Image from entry

Film displays other side of propaganda in North Korea - Rachel Hirschhaut, thebrandeishoot.com: The controversial politics and foreign policies of North Korea are often covered by the American media, yet people still understand little about the lives of North Koreans. Filmmaker Rob Montz sought to tackle this problem by creating “Juche Strong,” a short documentary about how the culture of propaganda in North Korea has contributed to their national identity and survival as a country.

Dissecting propaganda, using North Korea as a guide - Dina Indrasafitri, thejakartapost.com: Anna Broinowski is not alone in her disenchantment with capitalism. And when it comes to her fascination with North Korea, the Australian director is hardly alone either. But in combining those two sentiments into a movie, Broinowski, whose films include Forbidden Lie$ and Sexing the Label, is rare. After all, it is not every day that a director decides to use North Korean-style propaganda to attack what Broinowski calls “vulture capitalism” in a first-world country. Yet this is exactly what her new film, Aim High in Creation!, aimed to do.

Part documentary, part propaganda film, Aim High takes the audience from one bizarre situation (mingling with the movers and shakers in North Korea’s film industry) to another (Australians in Sydney singing earnestly in impromptu musical scenes glorifying village life). The documentary segment of Aim High offers depictions of everyday life in Pyongyang, while the propaganda segment gives viewers a chance to see Australian actors shedding what Broinowski calls a “low key and super Hollywood” style in story that condemns a coal seam gas plant. Image from article, with caption: Dear Leader: It is not every day that a director decides to use North Korean-style propaganda to attack what Broinowski calls “vulture capitalism” in a first-world country.

Politicians to make propaganda in 36 languages in Turkey - aa.com.tr: Turkish politicians running for elections will be free to make propaganda in 36 languages spoken in Turkey. Before allowed to speak only in Turkish, candidates will be able to speak Abkhazian in Bilecik, Eskisehir, Samsun, Amasya, Tokat and Duzce, Arabic in Mardin and Siirt, Armenian in İstanbul, Hatay, Diyarbakır and Kars alongside languages such as Kurdish, Jewish, Spanish, Laz languages, Greek and Assyrian.

AMERICANA

The Hairdo Beyond Space And Time - Princess Sparkle Pony's Photoblog: "I'm sorry about the atrocious quality of the photo above, sneakily taken while waiting in line for lunch (Can you identify the food source? I bet you can!), but I was basically quaking, I was so excited and astounded. Yes, her hair is buzzed to stubble all around and, as you can see, cut quite high above the ears, and capped with a magnificent burst of bleached, somewhat Jheri Curled afro. And it's not a wig, it's thrillingly real! And this wasn't a punk rocker or an extravagant fashion victim (you may argue that point), but just an apparently ordinary middle-aged secretary or administrator. Perhaps it was her 'shutdown hairdo'? I kept oscillating between What were you thinking? and I'm so glad you did! Anyway, it was INTENSE. Like a gift from the hairdo gods."

MORE AMERICANA

--From: "Map: Six Decades of the Most Popular Names for Girls, State-by-State" - jezebel.com. Via MB on Facebook

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS

"Texas is not America. It’s in America, but it’s not America."

--Matt Mackowiak, a Republican political consultant in Austin

INTERNATIONAL

Окно в женскую спальню: Итальянский фотограф показал комнаты женщин разных стран мира [Window in a Woman's Bedroom: An Italian Photographer Showed the Rooms of Women from Various Parts of the World]. Among them: Clara Black, 27 years old, London, United Kingdom; via Iu.V on Facebook