Tiredness

We may be living as a society which exhausted by the lies. Almost every time we listen to the "fact" that is said to be twisted, to the denials that do not intend to look for what is right, and sooner or later, a widespread sense of distrust - even hatred. At the same: the loss of a serious conversation.

Serious conversation containing the desire to listen to each other, although it is not required to agree with each other. Serious conversation does not mean the conversation without humor; even humor can be important there. In a serious conversation there is the assumption that the words have a force, in sound and meaning, in the thoughts and feelings, the strength which sometimes is called the "intent". But when the lie is so often spoken, then the intention is swept away -- and sometimes drowning -- the jostling sounds that grammatically is called (to use the words of angry Hamlet), "Words, words, words..."

Mark Twain once said, the difference between a cat and a lie was only on the issue of the cat had nine lives. The lie -- in other words -- is much more difficult to die. It can only be stopped by its opponent who is often referred to as the "truth". But the truth, whatever the definition, it seems now been exhausted before it manages to chase and beat a lie.

Slowly -- a society that is being exhausted by a lie -- a society that can no longer to talk seriously - - finally similar to a noise collection which actually does not say anything. We are as if a part of the television drama presented by Samuel Beckett: no more dialogue. Language has been exhausted. In  Quad, we will see the actors moving on stage and do not say a word. The words only written by Beckett as staging directives.


Deleuze discussed the play without words with title l'Épuisé, "weary". No more energy to greet each other. At least -- by Beckett --  language is shown as part of a much worse situation than just tired.

But we know, we can't live without language. It is impossible to return to a pre-linguistic, before the language used, because those days never existed. Reality -- as we know -- is not only referred to the language, but even constructed by language, whatever its form. In the state of "verbal exhausted", we know there is a language of sounds, there is a language of images, there is sign language. A "mute" actually expressed a lot of things.

"Mute" means the refusal: to dismiss the power of language  which freezes the mind and interpretation, rejecting the language which imprisons life and conversation into the label and identification or against the language which reverses the experience. "Mute" in this case is similar to what Deleuze referred to as "stuttering", bégaiement, the expression of which refute "imperialism", a language which freezes the motion and flow of meaning.

In other words, there is an alternative when a verbal conversation has run out of steam. But I do not know what will happen if the people who are exhausted by lies then run out of assumption that mutual trust is the one possible thing. When the slander is produced and distributed in repeatedly -- often by those who should be trusted, namely: religious leaders -- when people begin to investigate whether their neighbor is "Christian", "Zionist", "Terrorist", "Terrorist", "Terrorist", "Terrorist", "Terrorist","Terrorist" "Islamic fundamentalist", "Neo-Liberalism", "Neo-Liberalism", "Neo-Liberalism", "Communist", "Communist", "Communist", that's when life is paralyzed. The police replaces the politics: the supervision replaces the joint endeavor.

In the circumstances -- implied from the Quad, whatever Beckett's intent with the play he wrote -- reminds us of the situation: on stage, four hooded figure engaged in a four-square, no names, origins, and conversation. Each one just seems different from the Jellabiya's color and the percussion sounds that brings them inside. They all hide their identity, because they do not want to be supervised and labeled. Or conversely, they all have been the same: the suspected occupants, the occupants who mutually suspect each other.

We may be living in such a society : exhausted by slanders and lies.
***



[CZ-lacalifusa 081914]

News Headlines (514) 1 August - 20 August 2014

ONLINE TODAY

► 1 August 2014 : A surprising development forces you to shift gears and turn away from your own issues. It may be work-related, but it's more likely a friend or family member in need that draws your attention. Let go of the details today -- you have to face the fact that not every single one of them is going to line up nicely and neatly for you. But the good news is, your overall plan will work out quite well. It won't be perfect, but what is? You have to let go of that ideal -- it will only stress you out and make you miss out on the chance to feel proud of yourself. You'll get a lot more accomplished if you just accept things the way they are and start working with what you have.

► 2 August 2014 : If you're confused today -- and you likely will be at some point -- just listen carefully. People are communicating a little oddly, but you can still figure it all out if you take the time. There is no need to rush into anything. Some exciting shenanigans will be going on today, but you need to think twice before getting involved. Fun is a matter of perspective. It's a good time to initiate projects, but only the kind that are safe and on the up and up. Go slowly -- don't get caught up in the moment and lose your head. If a golden opportunity is in the midst of all of this, it isn't going anywhere soon.

► 3 August 2014 : It's way too easy for you to get caught up in emotional games that you don't see coming today -- it may feel like you've been ambushed. Just roll with it and see how you like the outcome. You show up ready to play. Whether that means your company softball team jersey is pressed and ready to go or that you're sporting your most serious ready-for-business suit, anybody who doesn't see you're a force to be reckoned with is making a big, big mistake. It'll cost them in the long run, and the scoreboard will show it. Yes it will. So get out there and swing, batter!

► 4 August 2014 : Your emotional side is getting a workout today -- for better and for worse. For the most part, you should end up feeling more positive by day's end, but you're just as likely to feel exhausted too. Take a long hard look around before you take any action. If you've been feeling like it's time to resolve a problem in your personal life, you could well be right: You're at your most critical, analytical and insightful right now. But don't rush into it. It's important that you really understand the situation before you start in on changing it. This is as true for your finances as it is for your love life.

► 5 August 2014 : Slow down -- though it's likely that life is slowing you down regardless of your speed. Just let things happen at their own pace until you figure out what it is that's holding you back. If you would rather be by yourself today, be by yourself. And if you'd rather be smack dab in the middle of a bustling crowd, then head to where the action is. You need to do whatever makes you feel most comfortable right now. Luckily, little, if any, pressure is on you to conform right now, so if you feel like breaking away from what everyone is doing today, that shouldn't cause any waves with people. Everyone just wants you to be happy.

► 6 August 2014 : You need to express your individuality today -- make sure that your way of thinking is fully understood by those around you. It's easier than you think to make everything clear. When dealing with other people today, listen to their ranting and raving with an open mind. Not everyone around you will be able to agree on the right way to go about doing things -- luckily you should find all this bickering quite amusing! Let them vent their frustrations without offering up your own opinion. Amid all the griping, you might find a creative solution to a vexing issue. Aren't you glad you stuck around for this?

► 7 August 2014  : If you're in doubt, take action. Your fiery energy helps you to see that things are just right for you to move ahead quickly, and even if you have to improvise, you should still succeed. Your straightforward side may be sidetracked now while your mind -- or possibly your heart -- indulges in some fantastical stuff. Not that there's anything wrong with fantasy, mind you. In fact, it expands your thoughts and feelings, and can even leak some sweet stuff over into regular reality. It's when you get carried away that things can get a bit problematic. Ask a grounded friend for a reality check.

► 8 August 2014 : You feel totally focused on ambition today -- and there's nothing wrong with that! You know you'll get back to your family or spiritual search when the time is right, For now, keep pushing! This is a time to seek allies with common goals. You're definitely feeling the pressure of larger-than-life circumstances over which you have no control. Try not to see a larger situation as some form of personal oppression. Don't spend everything you have in pursuit of a short-term objective. Remember that life goes on past the end of the current project or problem, and your stress level will ultimately have no effect on the outcome. Step back, take a deep breath and ease up for a moment.

► 9 August 2014 : You may find that you're able to jump right on top of a new opportunity as soon as it arises. Things may start to get really chaotic, but that just means your preparation pays off even more! You're the most impulsive fire sign of them all -- which is saying something. So it's really not tough to distract you, especially when you're doing something that you'd really rather not do. At the moment, however, you will only stop working if you're dragged, kicking and screaming, from your workplace. Try to keep in mind that even though you're obsessed with your current project, there are people who'd love to see you -- just for a little while.

► 10 August 2014 : You hit a new milestone today -- one you may not have seen coming. Sometimes your ambitions exceed your expectations, and it's days like today that show you why it's the expectations that need to change. You can feel that your future is absolutely brimming over with potential. If anyone can smell opportunity and the chance to jump on it, it's you! Your instincts may be telling you to sit still, though, but try not to doubt yourself. Don't listen to anyone who's telling you to lower your expectations. Waiting isn't that easy for you, but if winning is the end result, it's still the best way to go for now.

► 11 August 2014  : Keep moving forward even if things look dire -- though they probably don't. Your goals and ambitions are highlighted on a day like today, and you ought to be able to get moving without a hitch. If there's one thing you really hate, it's being told to slow down or stop. You constantly need to take action -- sometimes forgetting whether it's right or wrong. Feeling stalled or delayed just doesn't sit well with you, but for now, there's simply no other course of action. While you wait, don't just think of this as another lost afternoon biding your time while others procrastinate. You may be stalled for a good reason!

► 12 August 2014 : Something small is rapidly turning into something big -- and that's a problem! Even if it seems good on its face, you can bet that it's going to be more trouble than it's worth. Nip it in the bud. When you're in this kind of mood -- totally in tune with others -- there's tons of people who may try to take advantage of you, weird as that may seem. You need to remember who's in charge and refuse to let it happen. There's good news: You can see the grifters coming from a mile away. Ask all the questions you want -- don't be afraid of offending anyone! They're not worried about offending you, after all.

► 13 August 2014  :  This is not the time to run off in new directions -- you are much better off sticking with what you know and love. Your time is coming soon, so gather your energy and prepare for a brighter day. You're great at cutting to the chase, so head games don't usually work for you -- unless they're the kind that people who are attracted to each other like to play. Since you can easily spot frauds and those who hold info back from you, you've got an edge in those kinds of games. If your instincts tell you that's what's going on today, make your excuses and leave. Nobody says you have to stay for dessert!

► 14 August 2014 : It's definitely time for you to take action. Your amazing energy is perfect for getting things done, and the more you move, the faster you go. Expect greatness and you'll make it happen! Your energy is fiery and contagious -- so you should find almost everything you do becomes a source of inspiration. Anyone lucky enough to be by your side is treated to some thrilling adventures. Chores can wait until tomorrow, as for now you're just better suited to tackling new activities. Your powers of persuasion are peaking, too, so speak up about whatever you really want.

► 15 August 2014 : Explore some new territory -- maybe social, maybe physical. Your great personal energy is driving you inevitably forward, so you might as well make the most of the restlessness. The one you love is on top of your priority. You do have a reputation to keep in mind, though, so you'd never admit it -- even under threat of extreme suffering (or, worse, being forced to say 'I love you, too,' in public). Your sweetie knows how you feel, though, and that's all that really counts. A new situation comes along today, and you need to take their side, in public, while trying to appear totally objective.

► 16 August 2014 : Your financial situation is a little weird today, but that just means you need to find a good solution -- and you're full of answers! Of course, you may need to consult with someone who knows how things really are. Everyone is a bit more sociable right now -- and even the meekest among us are a lot more willing to try something new, at least once. Now, you've never needed any prodding when it comes to experimentation, so you'll be even more impetuous, impulsive and risk-loving than usual. Sure, it's hard to believe, but it's true, and you'll enjoy every minute -- especially now that you have a playmate who's equally game.

► 17 August 2014 : Is it time for a yard sale? You may be sick to death of your crowded house, but there are lots of ways to get rid of excess. Things may be a little better for you afterward as long as you don't immediately go shopping. You're about to begin mingling with all kinds of interesting and unusual people, and you'll love every minute of it. There's at least one new acquaintance en route who'll be around for a while, too, thanks to an astrological setup that will keep that parade of people you'd otherwise never have met going strong. Whether they turn out to be friends or partners is up for grabs, but who cares? Think of this as a social buffet. Treat yourself to just a little taste of everything.

► 18 August 2014 : Something small is easier than it appears -- so get it out of the way first and then build on your momentum! It's a great time for you to step up and ask for help from friends, too. Stop worrying. First of all, you know how you get when you're stressed; it's not pretty, and it hasn't been what most often wins you friends -- especially since your sign virtually wrote the book on the subject. Then, too, there's the fact that if you play your cards right, you can make not just a new friend, but cross paths with someone who might be exactly right for you. There now, isn't that enough inspiration to keep you calm?

► 19 August 2014 : It's a good time to communicate with your people -- even if you're not in the same room, or even the same continent! You should be able to reach out and let them know what's going on with ease. That obstacle you've been battering away at just isn't budging, but luckily now's the perfect time to try a new tactic. A fresh idea could come to you from out of the blue -- maybe it's a way to get around what's been holding you back instead of continuing to pound your head against it -- and it's even more likely to happen if you do a little brainstorming. Suddenly where there was only one answer, now there are several options, and what seemed so difficult can be easy as pie.

► 20 August 2014 : Your emotional side is making a play for control today -- but you may as well stand back and let it do what it wants. It's certainly easier, and you may find that things start to make more sense. You don't like to hold back when you have something to say. In fact, it's so completely out of character that when you do, your friends start asking what the heck is wrong with you! They're due to start asking that question soon, because every time a certain subject comes up, you've refused to discuss it openly. Why put them through this? Give up the goods.



"Business is never so healthy as when, like a chicken, it must do a certain amount of scratching for what it gets." - Henry Ford

"Public relations, in this country, is the art of adapting big business to a democracy so that the people have confidence that they are being well served and at the same time the business has freedom to serve them well." - Arthur W. Page


VLADIMIR PUTIN

■ TIME 4 August 2014 : WATCH : Bird Launches Airstrike on Putin's Shoulder (UPDATED) 
■ INDEPENDENT 4 August 2014 : No, Vladimir Putin did not get pooped on by a bird during a First World War speech || ■ VOX 4 AUgsut 2014 : The video of a bird pooping on Vladimir Putin is a hoax
■ NEWS WEEK 4 Augsut 2014 : Vladimir Putin Paints Himself Into a Corner
■ TELEGRAPH 3 Augsut 2014  : Vladimir Putin is the EU's 'recruiting sergeant', says Boris Johnson
■ CBC 1 August 2014  : Sanctions against Russia in phase 3, but is Vladimir Putin listening? 
■ WAPO 30 July 2014 : Why Vladimir Putin’s strategic genius scares the heck out of me 
■ GUARDIAN 28 July 2014  : Yes, Britain can afford to defy Tsar Vladimir Putin
■ CS MONITOR 31 July 2014 : For Poles, apple-eating selfies are a raspberry to Putin's fruit ban || ■ HUFFINGTON POST 2 Auguut 2014 : EatApples To Annoy Vladimir Putin: Polish People Bite Back At Russian Ban With Fruity Selfies
■ KYIVPOST 3 August 2014 : David Remnick: Vladimir Putin's new anti-Americanism || ■ NEW YORKER : Watching the Eclipse 
■ RUSSIA TODAY 5 August 2014 : 'Titanium force': New luxury Putin iPhone to cost over $3,300
■ TIME 14 August 2014 : Russians Start Paying the Price for Putin's Ukraine Adventure
■ BLOOMBERG 15 Augsut 2014 : Putin's Threat to East Risks New Market Russia Has Cultivated
■ EURONEWS 14 August 2014 : Putin says Moscow does not want war or confrontation
■ WAPO 14 August 2014  : Among world leaders, the trend for acting like Vladimir Putin is catching on
■ DAILY BEAST 15 Augsut 2014 : Putin's Useful (British) Idiots
■ THE ECONOMIST 16 August 2014 : Russia offers to send aid to eastern Ukraine
■ REUTERS 14 August 2014 : European shares inch up after Putin comments
■ POLITICO 15 August 2014 : Putin Will Not Accept Defeat
■ GUARDIAN 13 August 2014 : Circles of power: Putin's secret friendship with ex-Stasi officer
■ BUSINESS INSIDER 15 August 2014 : Colder Weather Makes Putin More Powerful 
■ FORBES 15 August 2014 : Saving Ukraine's Currency Will Help Save Ukraine from Putin
■ RUSSIA TODAY 14 Augsut 2014 : Putin: Russians need to engage, but have no confrontation with wider world
■ MOSCOW TIMES 15 August 2014 : While Russians Queue, U.S. State Department Says Putin 'Only Tourist in Crimea'
■ BLOOMBERG 16 August 2014 : EU Warns Putin of More Sanctions as Ukraine Crisis Grows

► CNN 8 August 2014 : Study: Pump up the bass to feel powerful

► GUARDIAN 29 July 2014 : Max Mosley sues Google over News of the World photos ||  ► INDEPENDENT 30 July 2014 : Max Mosley to sue Google over sex party images ||  ► BLOOMBERG 129 July 2014 : Google Sued by Max Mosley for Showing Sex Party Images

► MOSCOW TIMES 3 August 2 014 : Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Mother Marina Dies at 79 ||  ► HAARETZ 3 August 2014 : The Yukos saga's comeback kids

► CS MONITOR 4 August 2014  : Gaza conflict: US zigzag between support, criticism of Israel more pronounced (+video)

► TELEGRAPH 8 August 2014 : WHO declares Ebola 'international health emergency' as death toll nears 1000 ||  ► AP BIG STORY 1 August 2014 : Ebola moving faster than control efforts

► GUARDIAN 10 Augsut 2014 : Israel and Hamas agree Egyptian proposal for 72-hour Gaza ceasefire 

► CS MONITOR 16 Augsut 2014 : Russia sending 30 tanks and 1,200 fighters, says Ukraine rebel leader

► HUFFINGTON POST 15 August 2014 : Robin Williams -- The Secret Room

► THE WEEK 16 August 2014 : Biden: Russia's military activities in Ukraine are not humanitarian

► AP BIG STORY  8 August 2014 : McDonald's sales hit by China scandal, US weakness

► NASA 8 August 2014 : Study Compiles Data on Problem of Sleep Deprivation in Astronauts

► THE VERGE 8 August 2014 : Man uses his cat to map which neighbors have Wi-Fi networks he can easily hack

► C NET

■ 7 August 2014 : New devices run on Wi-Fi signals alone
■ 12 August :  iOS scores as most secure mobile OS in spyware report

► HAARETZ 13 August 2014 : EU allows states to arm Iraqi Kurds ||  ► DAILY BEAST 13 August 2014 : Exclusive: ISIS's Enemies Ask Pentagon for Drones

► SCIENCE DAILY 12 August 2014 : Contrary to popular belief, more exercise is not always better ||  ► MEDICAL NEWS TODAY 12 August 2014 : Exercising to excess increases risk of death for heart attack survivors

► SCIENCE DAILY 13 August 2014 : Poor sleep quality increases suicide risk for older adults, researcher finds

► MEDICAL NEWS TODAY 10 August 2014 : How music can make us feel powerful

► NPR 17 August 2014 : Kurds: U.S. Air Power Backing Operation To Retake Mosul Dam

► Portable Document Format file

■ Bicycling in Michigan
■ Shaping the Nation: The Effect of Fourth of July on Politic Preferences and Behavior in the United States

► US MAGAZINE 14 August 2014 : Mila Kunis Celebrates 31st Birthday With Maternity Yoga Class: Picture

► MASHABLE 15 August 2014 : Longer-Lasting Batteries Are Under Development for Wearable Devices

► DAILY MAIL 18 August 2014 : EXCLUSIVE: 'Not true': Britney Spears' camp denies she was lip-synching Sia's backup vocals while belting out Perfume on the Vegas stage

► COMEDY : Face Balls with Julia Roberts. Jimmy and America's Sweetheart, Julia Roberts, face-off in a game where they throw balls at each other's face, then watch it back in super HD slow motion. Published on Jul 31, 2014 by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 

► PEOPLE & BLOG : Sadie doesn't want her brother to grow up (ORIGINAL). Published on Jul 28, 2014 by Alex Miller



► NEWS & POLITICS :  Karl Rove Speaks Out On President Bush's Silence About President Obama. Published on Aug 15, 2014 by Hugh Hewitt Show

► COMEDY: An Evening with Robin Williams. Uploaded on Nov 13, 2011 by ArcticCockroaches

► INTUITION. A short film set in Barcelona about a woman who is unable to listen to herself.

► Israelis, Palestinians enter 72-hour Gaza truce  - By Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Lin Noueihed and Dan An Williams
GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM - Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian guerrillas entered a 72-hour truce on Tuesday mediated by Egypt with a view to encouraging negotiations on a more enduring end to the month-old Gaza war.

* Video: Ceasefire collapses after attack kills 8-year-old girl in Gaza
* Opinion: Gaza war may just be a taste of what’s to come

► OPINION : Forcing the CIA to admit some ugly truths

► U.S. ready to help new Iraq leader, Iran welcomes choice

► UPDATE 1-EU gives European governments go-ahead to arm Iraqi Kurds

► Missouri takes control of security away from Ferguson police || Police chief says officer in Missouri shooting was injured

► Ebola virus



► Colombia hosts 9th World Salsa Festival

► Parisian petsitting booms during the August getaway



► Chinese zoo presents world's 'first' surviving panda triplets



► Gabon: pangolins killed for their bodyparts

► Texas Scientists Study Ebola Virus  || ► US Warns Against Traveling to Ebola-hit Areas



► Raw: Israel Bombards Gaza, Searches for Soldier || ► Congress Approves Iron Dome Funding || ► Obama Calls on Hamas to Release Israeli Soldier || ► Netanyahu to World Leaders: "Stand With Israel"

What? Ouch, sorry. Israel, do you know that you have been very popular as a cruel and crazy nation? I sincerely ask you, do you know what is a crime? You have been well-known throughout the universe as a nation of evil, you know? Apart from the support of the United States to you, almost all countries are saying "No" to whatever your behavior, especially you lunge to the Palestinians.

And now you are asking the world leaders to stand with you? Ehehhee ... ... you're so funny. Are you joking, grinning and playing your eyebrows when confidently exclaim?

► Body Paint Obscures Nude Model in Plain Sight



► Puffins Ready for Their Close-Up 



► Cute Alert: Baby Giraffe Makes Houston Zoo Debut

► NEWS

■ Iran says it gave missile technology to Hamas



■ Obama: 'Russia doesn't make anything,' West must be firm with China



■ ISIS Gains First Ground in Lebanon
■ Former enemies unite for World War I commemoration
■ Israel security does not justify 'slaughter of civilians': France
■ Rand Paul says he never proposed ending aid to Israel — even though he did
■ China says can build what it wants on South China Sea isles
■ U.S. sanctions prevent Russian tycoon -- Gennady Timchenko --  from using his jet: Itar-Tass

■ Rove: 'We're Now Seeing The Real, True Obama' [VIDEO]



■ Texas Governor Perry calls indictment politically motivated
■ Police deploy tear gas to impose Ferguson curfew 
■ Hamas says Israel must accept Palestinian demands or face long war
■ Possible immigration rift for Obama with Democrats

► TV : Beyonce-Jay Z Billion Dollar Divorce: Bravo's 'Untying the Knot' Expert Breaks Down Possible Split

► CELEBRITY : Beyonce Preparing to Divorce Jay Z; Meet Donald Trump and Ex Maria Maples' Daughter Tiffany: Top 5 Friday Stories 

► FUTURE

■ Anthropology: The sad truth about uncontacted tribes
■ Is this the stealth police motorbike of tomorrow?

► SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT : Horses' mobile ears are 'communication tool'

► EDUCATION : Early risers 'less moral at night' 

► HEALTH

■ Dealing with dementia : Can a 'smart house' aid independent living?
■ Musical training 'can improve language and reading'
■ Daily aspirin 'cuts bowel and stomach cancer deaths'

► AUTOS :  Do you know this man? Seven names hiding in your car

► CHINA : China earthquake: Troops join race to aid survivors

► NEWS BEAT : Gisele Bundchen top-earning model for eighth year

► Today's African Proverb

■ "The people who steal your millet at night are often the same people who help you look for it the next morning" - Sent by Estar Nalwanga in Entebbe, Uganda

What? Should I suspect the nurse had killed my father? Should we suspect all the kindness and attention of the people around us?

■ "A cow gave birth to a fire; she wanted to lick it, but it burned; she wanted to leave it, but she could not because it was her own child" - Sent by Dawit Hailu, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia

Ah, what a dilemma being a mother. Mmm ... why do you not explain at all about the role of fathers in these difficult conditions? Ah, well, I do not care about the unhappy dilemma. I will always love my baby. I'm sure there are still some good things from current conditions for my future, for example: my baby boy can be my best friend in my old age.

► Ignorance or deliberate disinformation? Obama's 'facts' about Russia all wrong
► 3-day ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians takes effect
► 'Israel you're weak': Anonymous hacktivists shut down key Israeli websites
► Kiev 'gave up on us': Ukrainian commander tells why 400 troops escaped into Russia
► 'Ukraine a pretext': Russian FM accuses NATO of using conflict to justify its existence
► Aid convoy to Ukraine faces disruption, may be attacked - Russia
► Russian Defense Ministry denies reports military column crossed into Ukraine
► Putin's electoral rating doubles in 2014
► ISIS militants massacre 80 Yazidis, kidnap women in Iraqi village
► Turnabout's fair play? Germany intercepts Hillary Clinton phone call
► Russian Defense Ministry denies reports military column crossed into Ukraine
► Creator of pop-up ads apologizes for inventing 'internet's original sin'
► Iraq's PM Maliki gives up his post, supports his successor Abadi

► BUSINESS

■ 'No compromise': Big business won't pressure Putin over sanctions
■ Switzerland will not blindly follow EU sanctions against Russia – economy minister

► OP-ED

■ US to Georgia: Don't touch Saakashvili, he's our SOB
■ 'US casting its net around Asia'
■ Israel & Palestine: A tragedy in three acts - by Adrian Salbuchi  ​
■ 'Food import ban harmful for both the EU and Russia'

► VIDEOS

■ Impact on camera: Moment Israeli shell hits crowded Gaza square



■ State Dept grilled by press corp offensive over Gaza
■ Paris Protests: Pro & anti-Israel demos grip France

■ Failed State: 'NATO left Libya in chaos'



■ Divide & Ruin Strategy: US ships 5,000 Hellfire missiles to Iraq
■ 'We tortured some folks' - Obama on CIA tactics after 9/11

■ Technology Update: Two-Wheeled Tech (E75)



■ Uncut Chronicles: Gaza-Israel War. Deadly July 2014



■ Fiction over Facts: Obama gets some points on Russia wrong
■ USAID Op: Secret mission sent Latinos to stir unrest in Cuba 
■ Russia Strikes Back: Bans products from EU, US, Australia, Norway, Canada
■ US fighter jets bomb ISIS artillery, 'Washington only interested in splitting Iraq'
■ DRAMATIC: Yazidi minority trapped, surrounded by ISIS, face starvation in Iraq
■ RAW: Iran-140 Sepahan Air passenger plane crashes near Tehran

■ Ron Paul: US knows 'more than it's telling' over MH17 crash || ■ Ron Paul: The sooner we get out of Iraq the better



■ RAW: Putin T-shirts sale sparks buying frenzy in Moscow's Central Department Store
■ Uncut Chronicles: Ukraine, July 2014 (RAW Timeline)

■ Putin: Sanctions against Russia harmful to world economy

► Erdogan wins Turkey's presidential election
► Ebola: 'Out of control' outbreak?
► East meets tech
► Sami Zeidan interviews Mark Regev and Saeb Erakat
► Nepal's slave girls
► Inside Story - Attack on Gaza: The truce that was not
► Andrei Linde : The beginning of time
► Can diplomacy still end the Gaza crisis?
► The Gaza Tunnels
► Inside Story - Will the war in Syria spread to Lebanon?
► Inside Story - Gaza: Conquest or capitulation?
► Special : Gaza Under Attack: One Month On
► Food for thought
► Han-Na Chang: 'Music is joy in creation'
► Gaza: The economic cost of war
► Inside Egypt - The Egyptian army's growing economic empire
► Inside Story - Is Libya a failed state?
► Inside Story - Who can stop the Islamic State's advance?
► Inside Story - Egypt protest deaths: Linked to president?
► Hunger Strike - Full Documentary
► Has the Iraqi PM outstayed his welcome?
► Gaza under Siege
► 101 East : Stalking cyber paedophiles
► Will Maliki's resignation save Iraq?
► The information war over Gaza
► Khaled Meshaal: 'Not a war of choice'
► Turkey: An economy at a crossroads
► Making choices over Syria and Iraq?

► Arabic-Language Anne Frank Documentary to Include Israel-Gaza Footage

► MONEY : Why Sanctions Against Russia May Actually Work This Time

► OPINION : Contagion Screenwriter: Ebola Isn't the Pandemic. Fear Is.

► Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's Likely Next Leader, Has the World's Toughest Job

► LOCAL

■ Garcetti on UCLA water main break: 'This will not be the last one'

■ Garcetti sees progress on film tax credit negotiations

► SCIENCE : Even cancer isn't enough to get many smokers to quit, study finds

► FRAMEWORK : Posted By: Marc Martin

■ Pictures in the News | July 30, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | July 31, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | August 1, 2014
­■ The Week in Pictures | July 28-Aug. 3, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | August 4, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | August 6, 2014

■ L.A. Times photographer reflects on covering the Israel-Hamas conflict



■ Pictures in the News | August 8, 2014
■ The Week in Pictures | August 4 – 10, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | August 11, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | August 13, 2014
■ Pictures in the News | Aug. 15, 2014
■ The Week in Pictures | August 11 – 17, 2014

I am on My Own

Just alone I come into this bustling world
Just alone I go home from this mortal world








[CZ-080914]

Dilemma

In beauty's empire is no mean,
And woman, either slave or queen,
Is quickly scorned when not adored


by Mary Wollstonecraft : Chapter IV

Until this moment the general public still thinks : entertainment and comfort of life is the women's business. As long as there's such assumption, then do not expect too much from women. It also explains why women during this time are almost running in place, though it's almost two centuries they complain they want to move forward. Instead there is a tendency they surrender to the role allocated to them. They find their desired life is outside their control. Although the world is always crowded in chanting of human rights, but what actually shouted primarily is the rights of men. The women will be taken into account only when they are needed.

Women seem to be stuck in that role. It is the opinion of Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797), British author who wrote Vindication of the Rights of Woman, whose work is considered a masterpiece of the feminist movement.

Women trapped by biological factors, physiological, and psychological. So it is not inevitable if they strengthen themselves in the situation and conditions of life for the sake of gaining power. Spirit of beauty dominate their lives. Entertainment and comfort into their business. For, indeed, of their community can expect to get a lot more entertainment and comfort of living.

This is the dilemma faced by women. They are forced to dance in between coquetry and seriousness. Finding which one is more profitable for them personally. So it is not surprising if cosmetics business is classified as one of the most profitable. Fashion also always in demand, even loved. Massage parlors of various types -- which provide comfort -- generally handled by women. In their flirtation, women often forget, the attention and admiration they receive will easily disappear like poetry quote above, if there is no other provision accompanying.

According to the teachings of the old East, "A dark and mysterious part of life is analogous to women. Water becomes a symbol for it because water has a mysterious depth, and from there's born a life. It is analogous to women who are profound and not aggressive. There is an assumption : the true woman knows, that noble attitude is an attitude without aggression, the goodness and the highest virtue, just like the water - only filling, only modestly, only abundant, and flows to wet everything."

I am sure, the doctrine is formulated by men, perhaps in the hope women will remain in their life's portion. Of course, at that time, men did not know, the water wrath could be a tsunami.

In fact, as far as any women's development, they are not going to forget their roles and their natural responsibilities to "give", "sharpening - loving - caring" to the children of men. That is also the beauty. But the modernization of women's lives brings consequences that -- in fact -- can be estimated. Our dialogues reflect the atmosphere. The values evolution​​, beliefs, and norms which continues to roll towards the newer and modern is discussed because there is always a disturbing question, "Why is it difficult to put women equal to men?"

According to the historical records of human civilization, the seeds of egalitarian between men and women grow and develop from the beginning of the 19th century, and equal rights for women are gradually institutionalized in the 20th century. The process includes the right to engage in community, a voice in politics, the right to equal opportunity in education, and the right to vote or get the equal pay. However, until now women still hesitate and they are conditioned to awkward to use their rights.



For example, women are still awkward with the assumption that modernization will lead to the growth of masculinity which leads to intellectualism and feminism, which makes them want to compete fully with men.

Indeed, the reluctance of men to be synchronized with women giving the impression. But according to me, the impression is valid or not is actually dependent on the self-confidence sense of women and the men.

Insecurity of any party will make a career of women choked or obstructed in almost all areas. This fact has encouraged women to return to their traditional role that does not require hard work and inner pressure. More easy, indeed.

About this, my mother -- who lives in a time of upheaval in demanding the equal rights between men and women -- at her young age has seen how far women of the fulfillment of their rights as human beings. Wisely, she chose to start fighting it through women's education which -- maybe-- according to her thinking could be used as a weapon and a shield to face the future challenges of life.

Well, an idea that is still in effect to this day.  But, mmm... mommy, I still do not dare to say I'm starting to like him, more than just falling in love with him. So I have decided to remain silent until I die and hopefully this feeling will trickle better into the next life's reincarnation.
***


[CZ-080214]

Eunuchs Shoes

The testimonies will continue to bounce
Make you bruise along the story
The steps of your shoes still stored there
In a burning city
With black smoke billowing into the sky
Incising the soot of a nation
Where relatives of humans debased




Testimonies are louder than rifles ripples released
Thus, the city off from your hand

You're not a Pontius Pilate who can wash your hands of a bowl
which is flooded by the blood of your own brothers
It's just that, you want to continue to build a fragile economy dynasty
And leaving a long history of debt
For you legitimize it as hero

Maybe we do not need to look back
If we just want to be a pillar of salt
From a city called Sodom and Gomorrah
And allow ourselves to just be eunuchs
Of a regime that does not bore the dignity
Except the losers who are beating our own chests
Without a clear gender
Where there's a bastard tells
From a fairy tale that never existed.
***

Readings
■ Eunuchs in the Byzantine Empire - A Study in Byzantine Titulature and Prosopography [by Rodolphe Guilland] 
■ The Third Gender in Ancient Egypt
■ Book : The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty 
■ Long-Term Consequences of Castration in Men: Lessons from the Skoptzy and the Eunuchs of the Chinese and Ottoman Courts  
■ Video : What's Life Really Like for India's Eunuchs?  ||  ■ India Matters: The Third Gender

CZ-020814

Ephesus Ruins of Goddess Nike till St. Paul

The city in Turkey offers many archaeological heritage for the visitors. If you are interested in a vacation while enjoying a variety of archaeological heritage, Ephesus city in Turkey may be included in the plan for your travel destination.



City within about half an hour from Kusadasi is one of the important cities in the Roman era. But the bubonic plague and a severe earthquake had made a quarter of a million people left Ephesus.

When entering the city that plays an important role in the early spread of Christianity, you can see the ruins of Aqueduct (Roman irrigation systems). You will also find the remains of various temples, fountains of Trajan, and a large library which in its heyday saves more than 12 thousand Roman scrolls.

One thing that is often missed is the way where you step. Marble floors which drive you to the town square of Ephesus decorated with perforated lines that aims to make its citizens do not fall slip when the city drenched by rain. Known, as usual inhabitants of the Roman era, the Ephesus citizens wear sandals. On the marble floor is also spherical engravings which marks the beginning of Christianity in ancient Rome.

Two of the first Christian leader, Saint Paul and Saint John ever set their feet in Ephesus. However, it does not mean the track record of Ephesus before Christianity destroyed entirely. On the square floor there's still Domitian relief image of goddess Nike. Her robe as if blown by the wind to show a shape which is now used by a brand of famous sports shoes.

Not far from there, you can see the display which is believed to be the world's first ad. Carved on a large stone, there's a female head shape, a left foot and a bird. According to historians, it is an advertisement of a brothel in Ephesus.

At the end of the town there is an outdoor theater, the place where St. Paul gave a sermon on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Next to the theater that there are lines marble called Arcadian Strip. This path is a path that is used by one of the most famous couples in the world, Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

So, if you have time to make a trip to Europe, especially Greek and Turkey, Ephesus is one of the objects which is too good to be skipped.
***





Note: Ephesus city nominated by Turkey to host International Expo 2015, will be hosted by Milan, Italy, between 1 May and 31 October 2015. Its competitor is Italy which files the Milan city. The theme carried by Ephesus is "A New Route for a Better World".

Oops ... do not be forgotten, too. My favorite spot : its museum . For me, museum is the most friendly place as NFE, because of its educational aspect is more highlighted than recreation, as well as a preserver of the nation's cultural.


10 Free Things For tourists
The word 'free' has always been a tempting thing. Consider the list of goods and free activities reported by the site tour Travel and Leisure below.

Proletariat

One day in 2010, a woman from the North to pay more than a million dollars to buy some dogs. And we were stunned: China no longer Mao. I do not know whether there are still people who remember Mao Zedong who ever impassioned talk about the "proletariat", "bum proletariat", and "semi-proletariat", the poor who will liberate China from "a state of semi-feudal and semi-colonial".

It seems, now, what is liberating -- or ensnaring? -- is money and desire, and with it a lot of boundaries breached. Woman of the North, such as the China Daily wrote, on that day sent 30 Mercedes-Benz cars to the airport to pick up animals ordered. She was definitely one of the existing 835,000 millionaires in the People's Republic with a population of around 1.33 billion. She was definitely part of the 0.06 percent of the abundant life and did not feel guilty or embarrassed in the country which on half a century ago was rocked by the "Proletarian Cultural Revolution".

Half a century ago the Maoists militants even ready to kill a pig owned by a neighbor with a grenade. Pig is a sign of bourgeois class. In the early 21st century the rich pay the Tibetan Mastiff breed dog with an expensive price. As a result, we have never understood that the Chinese still consider themselves "communist" but living with such sharp social inequality.

Of course it should be noted, the Gini index, which shows that inequality, in China has begun to decline. Now almost 40.8. The lack of unequal distribution of wealth in China is even approximately equal to circumstances in the most unequal capitalist country, namely the United States, and far worse than the UK, which recorded a Gini coefficient of 36.

Presumably the shadow of Marx never pedaling again at Mausoleum of Mao in Beijing. Marx considered the private properties (Mastiff dog, Mercedes-Benz, lean pork, or a piece of land) as the sources of human alienation from the work process. He once proclaimed that it was precisely the workers -- who do not have nothing, except "chains which bind them" -- who would be the pioneers driving to a future free from isolation. But now Marxism in China has become a museum of prehistoric objects. And we do not know where are they: the proletariat.

Since the beginning, actually "Proletariat" is indeed an odd social class in China. In an article in 1926, "Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society", Mao admitted, the proletariat only amounted to two million. Industrial workers were mainly working on the railroad, mining, transportation, marine, textiles, and shipbuilding, "and a very large number of whom were enslaved in a foreign capital enterprise". But, as a true Marxist, Mao believed the working class was the "most progressive", deserve to be "the power to lead the revolutionary movement". Because, unlike the others, industrial workers live and work centered around the same location. More importantly, Mao wrote, "They have lost their means of production, they only have two hands."

But the problem that arises immediately afterwards is, how the working class, not the majority position, can use their perspective - which, according to Marxism is special - to be the standard of society at large? We know, Mao -- after Lenin -- considered it was important (not just workers, but also the role of the farmers) to move the Revolution. Mao would not say the inland was part of what Marx called the "Hamlet Imbecility". But the farmers, also the most dispossessed, always wanted to have land. They however did not want to celebrate the heroism of people who didn't have anything.

The desire is "bourgeois". In the end it can't be muffled. We can't say that human nature is to want the owner and getting greedy, but Marx had an error when he considered the private property by itself was the cause of human alienation, when people prioritized what belonged to them and no longer be a host of things and work.

In Chinese political development, alienation takes place when human crouched in front of the fruit of their own hands. This time not belong to themselves, but rather something which is almost entirely social: a symbolic system, words, slogans, and doctrine. Also the organization, either in the form of daily life control of neighboring units or the more glorious is Communist Party.

In China, the dictatorship of proletariat is different from what is imagined by Marx. When he composed his history theory, Marx took into account that at some stage of the capitalism development, the proletariat class would be abundant. Petty bourgeoisie would be swallowed up by the big bourgeoisie and, like the workers, they ultimately did not have anything else. The poor become the majority.

But, with very small number of industrial workers in the middle of the others, what happens is an anxious dictatorship. It should be defensive and offensive at the same time. It should be reassuring. It should be tight, in the management of the body and crowd's mind. Finally it's broken, too. Party should stay in power, but its proletarian ethos has been removed. Liberation is not coming from those who do not have anything, but of have and desire to have. Together with that, all the odd and insanely can occur, also an other alienation: 30 Mercedes-Benz cars to fetch the dog.

Perhaps we need to ask, what belongs and does not belong to man can be free.
***
[CZ-lacalifusa050514]
 

Shih Ming-teh

It is not easy to say what justice is, but about the injustice of people can recognize it instantly.

On the evening of February 27, 1947, in Taipei, Taiwan, a team sent by the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau came to a corner of the road which is now the Nanjing West. They seized the cigarettes sold by Lin Jiang-mai, a 40-year-old widow, and confiscated all the money from her work for several years. The woman begged her money to be returned. When she tried to defend her property, one of the officers slammed the butt of his gun to her head. The neighbor who witnessed it immediately besieged people of the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau. The officers fled, while shooting. A neighbor was killed.

The next day, the protests exploded. Crowds of angry people, especially the indigenous people of Formosa, visited the office of governor-general Chen Yi, deputy government of the Republic of China in Taiwan during the rule of Kuomintang Party. They sued the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau agents who committed violence last night arrested. But security forces greeted them with gunfire. The victims fell - an event that would later be remembered as the "228 Incident", the beginning of the first widespread resistance in Taiwanese history.








Government offices, even military bases seized. Outside of Taipei, what was happening was like a rebellion. The banks and post offices were looted. Some rebels seized the weapons from army warehouses in Taichung and Pingtung. Taiwanese people seemed dissatisfaction against the government of Republic of China, whose authoritarian so intense and felt in various forms, from the tobacco trade problem monopolized by the State to the absence of free elections and autonomy. The demands brought to the government starting from the soft to the loudest.

Answer from Chiang Kaishek's government which at that time was centered in mainland China were iron and blood. General Chen Yi prepared the forces in Fujian Province. On March 8, 1947, the troops landed in Taiwan and held a major cleanup. A few days later, March 29, 1947, The New York Times quoted an eyewitness: during the three days of the Republic of China forces satisfied themselves by killing, indulged in three days of killing. Taiwanese activists claimed the death toll reached 4,000. Other figures put the toll at less than 1000. Whatever the number, it does not mean there is no violence and oppression - two things that are easily forgotten.

Among those who could not forget it was a six year old child. Nearly two decades later, he became opponent for power which curb Taiwan: Shih Ming-teh. He was arrested because he founded the Taiwan Independence League. In the age of 21 years, he was sentenced to life, despite his imprisonment later commuted to 15 years. He was released in June 16, 1977.

In one of his writings that I find it recently -- in manuscript form in English, completed on August 22, 1989 -- he told how in one day in the month of February 1947 he witnessed three school children were killed by Chinese army bullets when they trying to survive in Kaohsiung Train Station.

The incident can be taught to anyone, especially Shih, about two cases: First, that feeling tyrannized can be so clear, while justice has not been formulated. A total of 32 charges filed by the dissidents to Chiang Kaishek. Not all forever know and an understanding of what is "fair",  including three school children who were ready to die for it.

Second, "That every time there is a dissident fall," Shih said, "another line of inexhaustible will replace it".

Just when he's free for two years, he organized a large meeting demanding democracy - that of course being bullied again. That's what came to be called Meilitao incident on December 10, 1979. Having tried to escape, Shih was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. When the Kuomintang authoritarian regime abolished the martial law, he was released - although he refused amnesty. In May 1990 Shih became a free man after a total of 25 years locked in prison.

What makes him so?

His writing, on his own, shows a man who is proud to firmness, and here and there followed by pleasure to all the applause for him. But at the same time he found the metaphor of life - and he found it in plants and bonsai trees which accompanied him during his confinement. He, who at first did not like cycads, finally saw the other. "Together with cactus, " Shih said, "The plants are able to survive on arid land, and they grow upright in a graceful way. They do not be embarrassed because they do not have the appearance and beautiful flower. They are "bad and prickly", but seem to "hide many strange things, and really have character and integrity."

How Shih saw it showed that metaphor was a mirror selected by humans of this nature in the language. There they saw their own lives. And Shih saw it in small living objects. Presumably this means that when a greater life -- life with of justice -- can't always be explained, there is always a moment where justice -- which always evasive -- is present and the more meaningful. In other words, even though justice is never total and complete, it can be shared with the living -- from moment to moment -- which fights for it.
***


[CZ-lacalifusa 050114]