VOA News: Henry Ridgewell- 'Kurdish Gains in Syria Rattle Turkey'

Source:VOA News- A little look at life in Syria today.

"Voice of America (VOA) is an American international broadcaster. It is the largest[2] and oldest U.S. funded international broadcaster.[3][4] VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content in 47 languages which it distributes to affiliate stations around the globe. It is primarily viewed by foreign audiences, so VOA programming has an influence on public opinion abroad regarding the United States and its people.

VOA was established in 1942,[5] and the VOA charter (Public Laws 94-350 and 103–415)[6] was signed into law in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.

VOA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an independent agency of the U.S. government.[7] Funds are appropriated annually under the budget for embassies and consulates. In 2016, VOA broadcast an estimated 1,800 hours of radio and TV programming each week to approximately 236.6 million people worldwide with about 1,050 employees and a taxpayer-funded annual budget of US$218.5 million.[8][9]

While some foreign audiences have a positive view of VOA,[10][11] others consider it to be a form of propaganda." 

"Tensions in heavily Kurdish areas of Turkey are highlighting how the nation's decades-old 'Kurdish question' remains unresolved. Turkey's prime minister says the government has given Turkey's Kurds unprecedented freedoms. VOA's Scott Bobb says most Kurds, however, say they continue to suffer discrimination and alienation." 

From Wikipedia 

"Kurds in the north of Syria say they have taken control of most of the region's major towns and cities from government forces. And as Henry Ridgwell reports, Turkey fears the twin threats of the Syrian civil conflict spilling over the frontier along with a potential escalation of its internal war against Kurdish separatists." 

Source:VOA News- the battle of Syrian Kurdistan.

From VOA News

What’s going on in let's call it Syrian Kurdistan is bad news for the Assad Regime. As Kurdish Syrians are now able to police and govern the communities there. What’s supposed to be the national government of Syria, better known as the Assad Regime, are now unable to govern parts of their own country, including a significant border area with Turkey. A large country of 70M people, as well as a democracy and a country that also has a Kurdish community. Kurdish Syrians like the Syrian rebels want their country to move past the Assad Regime and set their own course in life.

The Syrian rebels want their country back and move Syria forward. Not have to worry about being arrested because of who they are hanging out with, what they are saying, what they are reading, where they work, how they practice religion and so-forth. According to the Kurdish Turk in this video, they aren’t even looking for their own Kurdish state in Turkey, but to live in Syria in peace and in freedom. And since they are now governing this community and with the Prime Minister of Syria now defecting to the Syrian Opposition, they may soon have that opportunity.

This is all evidence that the Assad Regime is not only losing grip on this country, we already knew that. With the Syrian rebels occupying key parts of the biggest city in Syria in Aleppo. Including setting up their own hospital and prison. But that support for the Syrian rebels is not limited and that Kurdish Syrians now support this effort. As well as former members of the Assad Regime and hopefully this movement will only get stronger. For the Syrian people to be able to finally govern themselves they are going to have to be united against the Assad Regime. And work together to bring it down. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Associated Press: Sandy Kozel: 'Today in History for August 6th'

Source:Associated Press- African-Americans voting in the 1960s. Perhaps for the 1st time ever, since they were denied the right to vote because of their race previously.

"Highlights of this day in history:  The United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II; LBJ signs the Voting Rights Act; Pope Paul VI dies; Scientist Alexander Fleming born; Funk singer Rick James dies." 

From the Associated Press

I'll take a couple of the stories one at a time and go from there. 

1065 Voting Rights Act:

The photo for this post is probably the most important, at least as it relates to the United States. Every American citizen whether they are native-born or immigrated to this country, has always had the right to vote, at least after their 18th birthday. And in African-Americans case, they've been in this country at least as long as the Europeans, simply because they were brought to America has slaves in the 16 and 17 hundreds. 

It's not like African-Americans weren't allowed to vote in America pre-1965. It's that they were denied the right to vote by Southern Neo-Confederate government's in the South, primarily. The 1965 Voting Rights Act makes it illegal for any government in this country, to deny any Americans whose at least 18, the right to vote simply because of their race, ethnicity, or gender.

President Harry Truman dropping the bomb on Japan in 1945: 

When you are at war with another country, which is what America was with Japan, after Japan attacked Hawaii in 1941, it literally becomes a you against them situation. Doesn't mean you take out innocent lives simply to do that or to win, but without the bomb, (not da bomb) that war perhaps goes on for another 2-3 years, costing America, as well as Japan, a lot more military personal, money, as well as innocent lives. Obviously a horrible call to have to make because of the damage that it did to Japan and the Japanese people. But it was the right call to make. It ended that war and Japan has been a thriving liberal democracy and developed country, almost every year since 1945.

The Criterion Collection: Chris Hegedus & D. A. Pennebaker- The War Room (1993) Documentary

Source:IMDB- the cover of The War Room film.

Source:The Daily Press 

“The 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House—and changed the face of politics in the process. For this thrilling, behind-closed-doors account of that campaign, renowned cinema verité filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker captured the brainstorming and bull sessions of Clinton’s crack team of consultants—especially James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right as they injected a savvy, youthful spirit and spontaneity into the process of campaigning. Fleet-footed and entertaining, The War Room is a vivid document of a political moment whose truths (“It’s the economy, stupid!”) still ring in our ears.” 

From The Criterion Collection 

“The 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House—and changed the face of politics in the process. For this thrilling, behind-closed-doors account of that campaign, renowned cinema verité filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker captured the brainstorming and bull sessions of Clinton’s crack team of consultants—especially James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right as they injected a savvy, youthful spirit and spontaneity into the process of campaigning. Fleet-footed and entertaining, The War Room is a vivid document of a political moment whose truths (“It’s the economy, stupid!”) still ring in our ears.”

Source:Pennbaker Hegedus- James Carville was Bill Clinton't 1992 presidential campaign manager.

From  Pennebaker Hegedus 

In 1991-92 I guess was the time that I started getting into politics to the point that I was actually following the news about it. I was 16 and a sophomore in high school and I saw a speech I believe on C-SPAN. I became a political junky pretty early in life and I was actually watching C-SPAN and saw a speech from then Governor Bill Clinton from Arkansas and he was talking about how we could make college more affordable in America, an issue we are still talking about twenty-years later.

And Governor Clinton was talking about an idea called AMERI-CORE, where people would get tax credits, or be able to go to college at no financial cost to them, if they serve their country. They work in community service, join the military, become a teacher, work in law enforcement, become a doctor etc. In other words, be able to go to college if they give back and serve their country. And this program that was enacted shortly after he became President in 1993 and he was able to inspire thousands if not millions of Americans to volunteer for their country and in return would be able to go to college. And when I heard this speech, it gave me the sense that Bill Clinton was a winner, a Democrat who could actually get elected President of the United States. 

Listening to Bill Clinton’s speech and following his presidential campaign, gave me the idea that Bill Clinton was a different Democrat. Someone whose called a New Democrat, someone who doesn’t just believe in growing the Federal Government and raising new taxes to pay for it and by doing this, that would automatically solve whatever problem the program was intended to solve. But that you had to make the Federal Government work and be able to reform or eliminate things in the Federal Government that wasn’t working. 

That Clinton’s presidential campaign was about the people not government. How do you make government work for the people, so it empowers the people who need to be empowered. Not growing government to take care of people but using it in a way so the people who need it can take care of themselves instead, which are two different concepts. Americans were looking for a change in 1992, that’s clear with a bad economy, lack of economic and gob growth. 

Americans saw President Bush as out of touch and not up to the job of turning the country around and were looking for a change. But weren’t sure they were ready to turn it over to the Democrats. People who have been stereotyped as big government tax and spenders and weren’t interested in seeing new tax hikes, but wanted to go back to work and take care of themselves. And what they got from Bill Clinton was a new Democratic voice, someone who could talk about progressivism and communicate it in a way that made it about people and not government. 

Bill Clinton had this saying that people who collected public assistance will no longer be able to get it for free in a Clinton Administration. That people on public assistance were going to be expected to use that time to prepare themselves to go to work and serve their communities. 

Bill Clinton’s political hero is Jack Kennedy, same as mind along with Bill Clinton and a few other people. And of course one of President Kennedy’s famous lines is, ask not what government can do for you, but what you can do for your country. And I believe Bill Clinton took that to heart and made that a big part of his presidential campaign and a bigger part of his presidency and it worked very well.

Cindy De La Hoz: ‘Marilyn Remembered: The Official Treasures 1926-1962’

Source:ABE Books- Cindy De La Hoz's book about Marilyn Monroe.

Source:The Daily Press 

“On 5 August 1962 the world lost one of its brightest stars when Marilyn Monroe died. Fifty years after her death, however, she remains one of the most recognized icons of all time. “Marilyn Remembered: The Official Treasures 1926-1962” traces the classic rags-to-riches tale of the child abandoned by her mother who became a sparkling Hollywood star, winning hearts through her intelligence, humor, and acting skills as well as her beauty. It follows the ups and downs of her life through three marriages and reveals her experiences on the set of some of the greatest films ever made. This special edition is a celebration of the screen goddess’ life featuring over 200 stunning photographs and 20 items of facsimile memorabilia from her personal papers.

About the Author:

Cindy De La Hoz is a film historian who has written extensively on cinema and legendary cinematic figures. Her books include Lucy at the Movies; A Touch of Grace: How to Be a Princess, the Grace Kelly Way and Lana: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies, which Leonard Maltin called “one of the best books about a star I have ever read”. Cindy also wrote Marilyn Monroe: Platinum Fox.”

From ABC Books

“Matt LeBlanc, Lucy Liu, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kristin Kreuk, Lisa Kudrow, Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis reveal their feelings about Marilyn Monroe’s legacy on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the star’s death. (Aug. 1)”

Source:Associated Press- Actress Lucy Liu, talking about Hollywood Babydoll Marilyn Monroe.

From the Associated Press

I don’t think Marilyn Monroe is the best looking of all-time, or even the best looking woman in the history of Hollywood. She’s certainly one of the cutest, most beautiful, one of the best bodies and perhaps the original denim diva sporting skin-tight Levi’s jeans in the 1950s when it was culturally unacceptable for any woman in America to wear tight pants made from any material, especially denim. But Marilyn has a goddess image that can’t be ignored and it’s well-deserved with all sorts of photos like this that make her look like she’s royalty.

Source:The Daily Press- Hollywood Babydoll and Baby Goddess Marilyn Monroe: if only she she was ever grew up inside, as much as she grew on the outside.

If you are going to look at the life of entertainer Marilyn Monroe who died at the very young age of 36, (the same age I am today) and you can get past the goddess parts of Marilyn Monroe (which I admit is very difficult) you are talking about one of the sexy babies of all sexy babies. (Sexy Baby: sexy, baby face woman) A sexy baby that all sexy babies are measured by: hot, baby-face adorable, didn’t even look 36, more like 16.

And Marilyn of course with one of the greatest if not greatest bodies a woman has ever had. She looked like an athlete like a tennis player or something. But if you are able to get past all of that (perhaps with professional help) I believe you’ll see a very talented, but somewhat lost woman, who lacked self-confidence and perhaps was never very happy. Which is interesting to me because she married someone who had similar issues in Joe DiMaggio, who is one of the top 3-5 baseball players of all time, but who perhaps never appreciated that.

Marilyn Monroe wasn’t a bimbo, perhaps not very knowledgeable or very interested in things outside of the entertainment industry. But someone who was very good at her craft who didn’t work very hard at it. She was famous for missing rehearsal’s, not showing up for events. Not being very professional, but she was very good at her craft. She didn’t have to work very hard at it. She was someone who was very funny like in the movie The Seven Year Itch.

Marilyn was very funny in person as well (intentionally and unintentionally) and she could also act. Either be a comedian or a dramatic actress and she could also sing and perform. She wasn’t an actress or a singer, but an entertainer, perhaps too good at her craft. And then you throw in her physical attractiveness, she seemed to have everything going for her. But apparently there was something missing that she wasn’t able to accomplish which is what brought her down.

They say geniuses are somewhat troubled because as brilliant as they are about somethings. They devote so much time those direct areas that they don’t have much else going for them and seem very mediocre in other areas. Like a nerd who knows everything about let’s say chemistry, but couldn’t tell you their favorite movie or something because they don’t have one or don’t watch any movies or something and seem somewhat unsatisfied. I’m not saying Marilyn was a genius, but she had some of those characteristics. 

Associated Press: Gerry Bodlander: 'Employers Add 163K Jobs, Unemployment at 8.3%'

Source:Associated Press- Delvorine Robateau was interviewed for this piece.

"U.S. employers added 163,000 jobs in July, a hopeful sign after three months of sluggish hiring." 

From the Associated Press

Associated Press: 'Illegal Immigrant Detentions & Soaring Profits'

Source:Associated Press- the Guzman Family in Georgia.

"The detention of illegal immigrants is increasingly contracted out to private companies, whose profits have soared the last decade." 

From the Associated Press 

Everyone whose familiar with this blog, knows I'm not a Socialist and I'm not soft on crime. Generally speaking, there's nothing wrong with for-profit, private corporations or wealthy individuals earning a lot of money on their own. I don't even look at capitalism and private enterprise as necessary evils like a lot of Democratic Socialists do, to ensure the strongest economy possible. But there are reasons why every developed society in the free world has government's. Not to run our lives for us, but to ensure that as many people as possible are as safe as possible, while still maintaining a high level of individual freedom. 

Along with national defense, foreign affairs, interstate commerce, and public infrastructure, law enforcement and prisons are the major roles of any responsible government, in any free, developed society. Because we don't want individuals and organizations making profits off the backs of the vulnerable, like people in prison or individuals on the street who need help from law enforcement. Private prisons or detention centers, are in the business to make as much money as they possibly can, regardless of who they have to hurt to make that money. They're not in the business to serve and protect the public.

Associated Press: Ed Donahue: 'News Minute Top Stories'

Source:Associated Press- Republican U.S. Senate nominee Ted Cruz (Texas)

"Here's the latest news for: Wednesday, Aug. 1. Power restored across India after historic failure; Gore Vidal, celebrated author playwright, dies; Texas' Cruz goes from longshot to easy victory; Colo. swimmer's gold gives state reason to cheer." 

From the Associated Press

Bare with me for a minute, this will be my first ever attempt to write a news brief, that I'm going to put on a blog. I figure what the hell, it's another slow news day and there isn't one story thats been reported today that I'm willing to write anything in depth about. So I'l combine several small stories into one hopefully medium size story.

Ted Cruz, won the Texas Republican Senate primary last night and will most likely win that Senate election. Considering at this point there might be more Cowboys than Democrats in the Lone Star State. Ted Cruz, was endorsed by Sarah Palin, which means another mental patient will be heading to Congress. probably to keep Michele Bachmann and Dennis Kucinich company in the Congressional Crazy Caucus. Now hopefully Sarah Palin, will get into the act and run for Congress herself. House or, Senate it doesn't matter to me. Then she'll know what it's like to serve with other people who speak about issues they don't understand. And learn what not to say about things and what not to do. So far in her entertainment, I mean political career, she's been doing the opposite, so a change of pace would do her some good.

Also in the news, India a country of over 1B people, (they have so many people, it's not possible to count them all. It would be like trying to track down the entire population of a continent and I'm not talking about Antarctica either) was without power, but they are back online now. Now, only 70% of the country doesn't have power. 

The House of Representatives, is set again to vote down middle class tax cuts. Vote for tax Hikes for the middle class and more tax cuts for the wealthy. Look, it's a Republican controlled House, just thank God (even if you are an Atheist) that they don't control the Senate and White House as well. Their message being that: "If you don't like high taxes, make a lot of money. Otherwise we are going to punish you for not being rich." Good luck selling this on the campaign trail: "Once you make a lot of money, you'll get to keep most if not all of it and we'll even take money away from people who actually need it and give more money to you."

In other Congressional news, the Senate once again voted to do nothing, as Senate Republicans, once again blocked a judicial nominee of President Obama's. In a statement released by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Minority Leader said: "That once the President sends up appointments to the bench that we like" meaning right-wing Republicans in Senate speak, "and changes his party affiliation to Republican, Senate Republicans will be prepared to vote on these judicial appointments." 

In more Congressional news, Democratic and Republican Senators during the August Congressional recess, will be taking a two week course on how to legislate and vote on bills that reach the Senate floor. Because its been such a long time since they've done either. They've forgotten how too.

And thats a brief on what's going on in the world today for August 1, 2012. I hope you are more or less informed.