Mira

Mira's Journal

November 27, 2012

FINALLY, A Video For Women Who Don't Consider Themselves Feminists

Hey ladies, just so you know, THIS is what you're really saying when you say, "I'm not a feminist, but..." so maybe think twice before you say it again in the future. OK? Thanks.

http://www.upworthy.com/finally-a-video-for-women-who-dont-consider-themselves-feminists?c=upw1

November 25, 2012

Gaza is Longing for an Arab-Israeli Spring - By Faheem Younus, MD

Gaza is Longing for an Arab-Israeli Spring
By Faheem Younus, MD
OpEdNews Op Eds 11/25/2012 at 11:09:50

Plato may have inadvertently summed up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 2,500 years ago when he is thought to have declared: "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."

The cyclical bloodshed in the Arab-Israeli conflict is a direct consequence of the rigid postures of the jaded and faded leaders on both sides. On one end, we have the Palestinian codgers -- with thick accents and thin visions -- vowing for the annihilation of the Zionists. They know it's impossible. And on the other are the Israeli sly foxes -- with slick strategies and silly logic -- vouching to "flatten all of Gaza." They, too, know it's impossible.

From my standpoint, all the six key players on both sides - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas; chief Palestine Liberation Organization negotiator Saeb Erekat; Hamas' leader in exile Khaled Mashal; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Israeli President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak -- should be retired. These grouchy old men -- with a mean age of 68 -- are incapable of seeing the light of the future without inserting the darkness of the past into the equation. Every compromise to them is a sellout.

That's why I long for an Arab-Israeli Spring. I long to see the streets of Gaza and Tel Aviv pouring with Palestinian and Israeli youth leaders, who value the safety of their grandchildren more than the legacy of their grandfathers.

For the rest of this piece go to:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Gaza-is-Longing-for-an-Ara-by-Faheem-Younus-MD-121123-174.html

November 25, 2012

Boehner's house - and a clear description of our job ahead

November 25, 2012

Thanksgiving at the Dog Park and a few etceteras

Gypsy our 18 month old family dog - visiting for the holiday - is lucky that a dog park is near my house. And so are we.
Walking through some wonderful park areas on the way

Encountering possible friends on the path

We've arrived and now the wearing out of the dog can begin so she will sleep in her crate during our Thanksgiving dinner

As you can see I"m practicing photographing her "flying" as she brings back the ball

The wearing out of the pup is complete.

Here's a close up of proof how thirsty she got

This little fellow was on the path, I liked him.

And here's a window we passed, so I show it to you.

November 19, 2012

Photos I have had with a heavy heart since 2009/Gaza in the first week Jan. 2009 - VERY GRAPHIC

The faces are burned in my memory. These are unpublished photos taken and given to me by a friend who from Germany went into Gaza after the bombings.

historical link:
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/dec08.html

My friend is a German child trauma professional.
He gathered a team of other pros, 15 in all, and they managed to enter Gaza after the attacks, but they were ejected by the Egyptians (in charge of the border) after 3 days.
The people of Gaza could not re-build because their access to supplies was blocked.

I dared post a few of these here on DU then. I dare post more of them now.

I'm showing this because I have it, it has festered in me, and now that it is happening again I have to unload a bit.
I try to not show anything resembling a personal bias in order to not get into trouble on DU. I want to share something I own that has in essence not really seen the light of day before. You want to flame me, I'll ignore you.
I will line the photos up, and let them speak for themselves:

Taking a breather to talk.
I have maybe a thousand photos.
So I venture away from the children a minute.

In all of them this little girl has impacted me the most. I have dreamed of her Post Traumatic Shock that rendered her incapable of swatting flies off her face.
Now, if she is still alive, she is maybe 7 years old. And it is all happening again.

This Mom and her little one look like they may have had the strength to make it to today.
And I hope they are still as OK as this photo shows them to be.

Needless to say I am sad posting this.
But I swear I'm better for doing it because all these years these photos have been hidden on my computer and in my mind.