An offer to save the Nasdaq from Germany’s ownership has Wall Street popping open the bolli today.
The front cover of the Wall Street Journal offsets stock market news with the tragic news involving UN workers being slaughtered. The story is pitted as a ‘religious war.’ Kinda.
Alan Kurtz of All Voices gives us this story with links – “In a bold stroke of religious one-upmanship, Terry Jones who has confessed to burning a copy of Qur’ an on US soil, has shifted blame from himself to Muslims for the massacre of 12 men at the United Nations Assistance Mission at Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan on April 1, 2011. Seven UN workers and five protestors were killed when a demonstration against Jones’s Qur’an burning turned violent.
The UN fatalities included three civilian aid workers from Sweden, Norway and Romania, and four Nepalese security guards. The incident began at Friday prayers, during which mullahs angrily incited worshipers to avenge the Qur’an burning. Thousands of rioters throwing rocks, wielding AK-47s, burning the U.S. flag and chanting “Death to America,” quickly overran and set fire to the UN compound.
Yet instead of issuing a mea culpa and making the talk-show rounds to contritely say “My bad,” Pastor Jones called the attacks a “tragic and criminal action” and demanded retaliation against the perpetrators by the U.S. government and the United Nations. “The time has come to hold Islam accountable,” he declared. “We must hold these countries and people accountable for what they have done as well as for any excuses they may use to promote their terrorist activities.”
Cafe Talk on the Matter – Joe and Michael swerve in to the next door table at the cafe in West Hollywood, we talk about this. Both are in their 70′s getting coffee before going to see a local play. They’re IT savvy grey powered people.
Joe says: “This whole thing is celebrity driven. It’s like people will do anything to get their 15 minutes of fame. They’ll kill UN workers. Whatever, just to get it. There’s vulnerable people in the world, programmed by others to do such things. I totally blame Facebook and movie stars. No, I blame Oprah. She started it on her show. We loved it, when people confessed big moments of meaning in their life to us all. Now there’s all those reality TV shows, Oprah started that. But really, I blame our American movie stars who get these ridiculous salaries and every one thinks Facebook culture offers them an opportunity to be one of them. All of this, “how many people are following me” stuff, is all a load of nonsense.”
Yes, many times it is. I try and look innocent.
Read the rest of this entry »
The UK Daily Mail reports today on the mental cost of war on soldiers on the front lines of battle, in down time, in this bizarre story:
“Shocking new details emerged today of how American troops formed a ‘death squad’ to randomly murder Afghan civilians and mutilate their corpses. An investigation by Rolling Stone magazine details how senior officers failed to stop troops killing Afghans and keeping body parts as trophies.”
Don’t these personnel play the Angry Bird game in downtime instead, like 100,000 alleged people do? I thought that was what the military do, is play video games. Shocker!
Empathy in dwelling on the shocking horrors of this story, could quite possibly lead to enlisting in a military brigade of some sort, later. So…. click on this story’s link with that risk already outlined, up front. This is a military recruiting story, for sure. Poor Afghani civilians.
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail also claim, ‘Khamis Gaddafi, 27, who may have been killed by a Libyan kamikaze pilot, had once been on a four-week U.S. tour organised by an American company with U.S. State Department approval. The revelations come moments after Barack Obama defended his decision to lead coalition forces in Libya and are sure to be highly embarrassing for the Administration.’– Children are not their parents, so why is Obama under fire here? To do so is a non-humane or fair act. Or am I just thinking way too freely here? That story is found in full, here.
Leaders children of nations are treated all the same when visiting overseas nations.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 3.28.11~
Ten things about Prince Harry Windsor‘s GQ Magazine cover’s, accompanying interview for war veterans awareness and sacrifice.
Hiking for charity is a royal thing to do:
In a world exclusive for the May issue, GQ meets Prince Harry and the Walking with the Wounded team as they prepare for their epic unaided trek to the North Pole, in an attempt to raise £2 million for charities focusing on the retraining and rehabilitation of injured British service personnel. Arctic experts give some of the disabled war veterans a 40-60% betting odds chance of completing the ambitious mission for a noble cause.
Who exactly is in the star line up of this Nanook of The North styled trek it out Posse?
Prince Harry is Patron of Walking with the Wounded, and the team comprises Captain Guy Disney, Private Jaco van Gass, Sergeant Steve Young, Captain Martin Hewitt, Founders Edward Parker and Simon Dalglish, Logistics and Training Guide Henry Cookson, and Polar Guide Inge Solheim.
Paid modeling for charitable causes is a royal thing to do as well for family traditions of charity. Chalk it.
Harry and the team were photographed by David Bailey in January 2011. A special edition front cover [pictured] will feature HRH Prince Harry, with a donation from each issue sold going to the Walking with the Wounded charity.
What frozen landscape sets can teach us about human rights beyond despair of the human price of war for veterans.
Founder Edward Parker comments of the wounded servicemen selected from the 100-plus injured who applied to undertake the challenge, “These four guys knew when they went toAfghanistan that they could get killed or wounded. The political whys and wherefores are not what we’re addressing here. These men are soldiers; this is what they do; it is their job. But what happens when they can’t go back to the day job through physical or mental injury? What happens to these men and women? We must not forget about them. They need assistance, support, money. They need help realising that, yes, their options have changed – drastically – but they can still have an impact they can still very much lead full and prosperous lives. These wounded personnel have immense courage; more so than ever before. The four guys going to the Pole with Walking with the Wounded are just the veneer on the wounded community; it is up to us and this expedition to show there is a future. If by walking 250 miles across a frozen landscape, we can inspire one disabled serviceman to lift himself up off the bed, or out of a wheelchair, or out from the depths of hopelessness, we have done our job.”
Gratitude as a trait of brotherhood. Not taking an individuals personal sacrifice to serve others lightly.
Royal Patron Prince Harry, who is joining the other eight men on the ice for up to a week, said in a message of support: “This extraordinary expedition will raise awareness of the debt that this country owes to those it sends off to fight – only for them to return wounded and scarred, physically and emotionally. The debt extends beyond immediate medical care and short-term rehabilitation. These men and women have given so much. We must recognise their sacrifice, be thankful, so far as we can ever repay them for it.”
Norwegian Nordic Austin Powers sense of humor in tricky drifting conditions of navigating the Arctic world on top of the ice capped oil rich terrain.
Inge Solhiem, the expedition’s Polar Guide, adds “Harry’s training has been going very well: he has the right attitude. I’m sure Harry has healthy concerns about the dangers – as he should. You have no idea how different the pole is from everything else on the planet. The old Norwegian explorers called it the “devil’s dance floor”. It is unpredictable. Deadly. If you’re not paying attention it will just slap you… You can walk ten miles in one day, pitch your tent overnight, and the ice will have drifted you back eleven miles in the opposite direction.”
Jaco van Gass on Afghanistan as a door
Private Jaco van Gass [pictured, right, with Capt. Guy Disney], who lost his left arm (as well as almost two-thirds of his left leg tissue), is one of the chosen team. He says “I knew what I was fighting for out there. I wasn’t just doing what the army told me to do, I wanted to be there. I loved my job and I still do. I loved every second of it and that’s why I don’t regret what happened to me. There’s not a day that goes by now when I don’t think about Afghanistan and wish I was back out there; my battalion, the Parachute Regiment, is out there now, out on the front line. I know that door has closed, but new ones are opening. I am ready for these new challenges; I am ready for the future.”–Excrutiating injuries.
Veteran Injuries have greatly increased dramatically for UK soliders
The number of single, double and triple amputees and severely injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan annually has risen dramatically since the war began in 2001. Figures from Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA), part of the Ministry of Defence, mirror the numbers compiled by independent charities for limbless service personnel, and the news is shocking. Look back as far as 2006 and the number of UK servicemen who sustained partial or complete limb amputation that year in Afghanistan as a result of injuries sustained was seven. In 2007 it had reached 12, by 2008 numbers were up to 30, come 2009 and 55 were recorded and by the end of 2010 this annual figure had risen to 76 troops who had suffered “traumatic or surgical amputation” of one or more limbs. No one has any doubts this figure will rise again in 2011. From the period 1 January 2006 to 15 January 2011, 1,608 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to UK field hospitals, categorised as Wounded In Action, as part of operation in Afghanistan, whereas 248 were categorised as Seriously Injured and 235 Very Seriously Injured.
I hope these lads take some Afghan Biscuits with them. Afghan biscuits help your skip along when hiking. One shouldn’t hit the arctic without them in your pack. They’re chocolate biscuits made with (skippy maybe) cornflakes in them. Perfect for hiking, like scroggin biscuits add strength with triple New Zealand butter and a dash of sugar via Fiji with extra dark chocolate lashings of icing for good luck and good measure.
The full feature from Walking With the Wounded expedition appears in the May issue of British GQ, out 31st March. Proceeds from this special issue, with two collector’s edition covers, will be going to Walking with the Wounded.
Click here to read what happened when David Bailey travelled to Afghanistan
This article shared via GQ’s website to assist the injured of Britain’s contribution to war via Hollywood California USA.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 3.26.11~
Photograph by J Tanner.
From Kabul, Afghanistan, Angelina Jolie is a team member right now, committed to her role as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for refugees.
In a statement that Jolie has issued via the U.N., African nations of Libya, the Ivory Coast, (or Cote d’Ivoire’s) political turmoil and unrest, Jolie allegedly has said:
“As we witness these newest crises unfold in west and north Africa, it is critical that all parties respect the fundamental right of people in danger to flee to safety—whether civilians caught in conflict in their own country or refugees and asylum seekers caught in new conflicts,” Jolie said. “All I’m asking is that civilians be protected, and not targeted or harmed.”
Jolie asks the world to address this moment, adding, “We have to give people safe passage, evacuation if needed, and ensure they have asylum. We don’t want to look back and find their deaths are on our hands.”
The U.N. has also issued a joint appeal with the International Organization for Migration for a humanitarian evacuation for people trying to escape Libya for Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Liberia. Angelina’s two day excursion to Afghanistan focuses on inspiring hope with refugees who are still trying to reintegrate almost 10 years after returning from exile. That’s quite a story, each one of these people have.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 3.2.11~
Leza Corban is a songstress who is a master at jazz singing. She can sing anything though. Click on above pic to hear Corban sing. Leza also has worked for many other recording artists, including The Strawpeople and Debbie Harwood. Here’s a classic Kiwi lounge tune called Scared of Flying. It’s what we listen to, in our down time with gorgeous beach and rural views on weekends.
In World news via the New York Times, a big budget Hollywood movie’s wardrobe department could not have found better distressed denim jeans (made in Los Angeles) to put on Libyan rebels, photographed here rather fashionably defying Qaddafi troops at Tripolis border in this pic with rockets and guns. If you’re going to die, you may as well look good, right? This photo is a bit odd, actually. Very fashionable rebel lads, I must say.
Of course, Colonel Kadafi’s latest appearance has again, for the fourth decade running now, managed to adjust global economies and push the price of oil up. How does he manage to do that by being a grumpy grandad, presented to Western Media to explain oil price hikes. Because he’s a ‘foreign face’ in the “West’ we just excuse it as ‘crazy Middle East behavior.’ We shouldn’t, when he’s acting for others. But that has been his gig for forty years now. Pretty much.
The US is further along in the big disappearing act in Afghanistan now with troops being withdrawn more and more – while the NY Post floats the rather naive journalistic concept of the USA picking “the winners of the Mid East’s new line up.” The cheek! It was always going to be the Monarch nations who were the winners. But they do make Presidents of nations look like puppets of Monarchy, in this trade off of wealth acquisition (oil hikes) for giving their people ‘democracy’ Western style. They cheapen the political world with these antics. Gotta love the front page of The Times today. It’s a little rich. Very ‘Wall Street’ is the tone of the article who are some of the most oil addicted/ dependent people in the world (like many of us as well), with how this news effects stock market bearings and outcomes.
In particular, this is the verbage penned by Helene Cooper on the matter of whose winning via the Mid East oil/ ‘revolution’ show – “As the Obama administration grapples with a cascade of uprisings in the Middle East, it has come to a stark recognition: the region’s monarchs are likely to survive; its presidents are more likely to fall.
Helene continues – “In the rapidly changing map that stretches from Morocco to Iran, two presidents have already tumbled: Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia. Administration officials said they believe that Yemen’s authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is in an increasingly tenuous position.
Yet in Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has so far managed to weather a surge of unrest, winning American support, even though his security forces were brutal in their crackdown of protesters. Officials believe that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is also unlikely to be dethroned, while the emirs of the Persian Gulf have so far escaped unrest. Even in Jordan, where serious protests erupted, King Abdullah II has maneuvered deftly to stay in power, though he still has to contend with a restive Palestinian population.”
Monarchs sit pretty and all the rest is distraction, pretty much.
The US however talks imposing ‘unilateral sanctions to deter Libya’ while the other oil family, The Bushes of Texas with good Saudi ties, cancels a scheduled public appearance because ‘appearing with Julian Assange of Wikileaks together at the same venue is the reason given for the cancelled speaking gig.’ Fair enough, but Aussie’s aren’t that scary. Or are they? A Saudi student in Texas is arraigned and arrested in a bomb plot at the exact same time. Bloggers apparently love talking about this. Why, I don’t know!
The people of Bahrain want more changes. Is their internet too slow? This is ridiculous! :)
And, The Discovery space shuttle heads into Orbit for the last time. Apparently. Here’s ten posts we’re sharing as pop culture in this moment, on the build up to Helena Ataya of Aotearoa New Zealand’s centenary celebrations, right here from the City of Angels. Enjoy.
1. The Ali Tin tote – don’t leave home for the office without it
2. Inspiring kids – Why we should sing
3. Vintage Oscars – Cary Grant & friends 1958
4. Natalie Portman for Christian Dior 2010
5. Observing the Egypt Crises – Switching out billionaire spokespeople
6. Born to be Somebody - Dianne Warren songwrites for baby Elvis
7. Helena Ataya turns 100 very soon
8. Leonardo DiCaprio on being stalked
9. Donald Trump does publicity for Jennifer Hudson
10. Don’t Call Me Fat - Bahamas tweeting with Miley Cyrus
Bonus Post – Red Carpet Paparazzi – 30 Seconds to Mars R US
Texas was doing a lot today with Saudi, Wikileaks distancing and Space Shuttle launches. Wowsa!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.25.11~
Staying in touch with family when away, is hard for many. Especially for people serving country in the military.
In a rather interesting take on a story, the New York Times depicted how important the internet is to soldiers in downtown in wait… a black and white front page photograph.
Scandalous! Are there budget cuts occurring at the NY Times or what? Or, is the black and white for effect. Subscribe to the NY Times if you don’t do already. It can be quite a good piece of news.
And are US military personnel growing Facebook like everyone else, in their downtime? They’re just like us or people in Egypt post-revolution…. Facebookers.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.19.11~
“You give your life and invariably they leave you with nothing. Young girl ain’t got no chances. No roots to keep her strong. She’s shed all pretenses. That someday she’ll belong.. She will find her place in the sun”–Tracey Chapman provides poetic political-music commentary with She’s Got Her Ticket below WSJ’s financial news.
This photograph of Bibi Aisha,18, who had her ears and nose cut off after she balked at an arranged marriage in Afghanistan has picked up top honors at the 2010 World Press Photo of The Year Awards. Such a harrowing image of a beautiful young lass, with her visage altered by laws not serving her young life well.
Photographed by Jodi Bieber the image that alerted us to real human rights needs in the world was originally Time Magazine’s controversial cover in August. Poor Bibi!
In local views, a Hollywood minute is always so fickle. It’s like a week read in tabloids, but all the celebrity story line cards are shuffled. Your votes at any given hour, best reflect a Hollywood reality. That’s why I love our 10 Hot Posts Right Now section. Your choices, your authoring via popular blog hits taken from people from 50 nations of the world.
Here’s that picture with ten choices. Eclectic as ever!
1. Saris worn as colorful tattoos amongst Indian women
2. Video – Lady Gaga‘s interview with Anderson Cooper
3. TMZ always gets the best exclusives
4. 10 Hot Posts right now
5. Vincent Cassel & Mila Kunis for Natalie Portman‘s Oscar chances
6. What a guy! Richard Chandler is a model citizen
7. FX Men: First Class trailer, German Bull dykes and echinacea chats
8. Egypt crises – Wael Ghonim ‘vs’ Hosni Mubarak – switching billionaires spokespeeps
9. Haka Patu! A filmmakers tohu for Joanna Paul
10. Deutsche Borse and the NY Stock Exchange situation
In world news and financial watch news via the Wall Street Journal, here’s what’s on Wall Street Culture’s radar today:
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.11.11~
The front page of The New York Times casts a global focus on both Afghanistan and The Middle East today. Egypt’s changing of the guard for a younger Egyptian leadership style takes the top spot. NASA ponders life on Kepler too, for variety. Here’s links to NY TImes world news agenda. Busy as we hold our breath for 79 million Eyptians well being. People who are just as important as ourselves here in America!:
Losses at Afghan Bank Could Be $900 Million
News that’s a little more lighter can also be found on these websites: Scandalous Candice; Smart Canucks; Read the rest of this entry »
Calif-A snapshot of US today: Sometimes life is like high school exams. I think this as I blog opposite an investment conscious guy wearing a blue, ‘Chicago Cubs’ tee shirt. He scours the money section, like it’s his manual with an almost religious fervor. I take a break and join the cue that is now fifteen people deep, all waiting inline at the local Starbucks patiently, as if it’s a coffee train station, like we’re all at the high school cafeteria all over again.
These days, as grown ups, it’s okay to wait. A wait in line means a treat. Personal phone time on one’s mobile phone.
We have been socialized to drink coffee every morning from exotic nations like Africa, Guatemala. We feel like we’ve traveled to these nations, when we haven’t every day. In line, we are socialized to happily spend money via internet based phone companies pressing growth areas like ‘smartphone spend’ apps, services, IT systems with major franchised store owners. It is the ‘mobile wallet’ culture that the corporate kids of America, are all for, to transact virtual dollars quicker into their own virtual worth accounts.
Each day we pour phone time into their corporate banks. They sit on top of us, like privileged wasps, drilling down into the honey of the sweet fruit of our labor. We envy their ‘clever’ over our drudgery. The trade-off for their privileged spots is that now they work with government, banking merchants and news agencies to provide our world views, in a boxed screen, like a QR code-reading, single eye, we hold in our hands.
We don’t know yet, if the eye can read us too. But it can map and track our habits. Each one of us is like a social guinea pig. Or lives via our telephones can be read, like a personal tabloid. Transparency in a digital age is the only cultural way forward, if we live in a world, where nothing is secret or unknown about us.
I notice today, that it is rare that anyone talks to each other in the cue as neighbors of community would, standing side-by-side. We don’t care, we have control of the world in our palms as our trade off. Or so we think.
If you’re a little old school, you might want the feel of papyrus newsprint in hand (the invention of Egypt and China), of wood that has been beaten to a pulp, pressed, dried and inked with journalists and politicians or corporate spokes peoples words placed on them in 26 characters of the English alphabet, with a Z being more apparent here in America than many other English speaking nations.
Instead of talking to the person beside us, we reach for a copy of the Wall Street Journal. That always makes us look smart, sorts the men out from the boys, or women out from the trophy girls with bucket loads of salon time, like we know what a buck is – an important American trait, I don’t yet possess – or maybe never will. Today, a circus of orchestrated volatile news occurring in the Middle East, shouts terror, violence – the subliminal subtext leans towards ‘more security measures needed.’ Nations are played out like their own reality TV show. Any attention in a ‘competing’ global economy is better than ‘no press.’ How else will anyone else know you exist and the tourism dollar come your way, or not. Politicians can sacrifice their tourism draw, with other nation’s leaders in secret trade offs. They become villains, to aid nations as not-so-secret-unlikely allies in a super powers race. They take turns being terrorists, in the way or nations they’re politically courting. We live in a reality TV culture, so such narratives are easily read, more and more – as if a big TV spectacle. Even the terrorist’ or ‘religious unrest’ orchestrated ones too.
The gratification of the terror-lines is that it makes you feel incredibly thankful we’re standing in the land of the military-protected, brave and the free of the US.
Like, where else would you want to be in the world right now, except somewhere incredibly protected from all that stuff out there? Doh! That’s a no brainer. Especially if you have a family on your mind. Again, we are encouraged to remain safe, and not travel. We’re in the best place.
Read the rest of this entry »
Obviously, the good people of Washington feel like they need a hug. Why not?! In between the Iraq and Afghanistan news stories, The Washington Post quite fancies John Boehner (that guy who cries on camera sometimes, to up party ratings) as being “austere.” Wow! Good word.
In the Posts entertainment news in the nation’s capitol, these stories are popular with readers: SEE IT: Poll finds Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie films sold the most movie tickets in 2010. See the full top 10. | .
And, Oprah gets a mention for launching her OWN network, while It’s Official: Chuck Berry felt ill before Chicago show.
That’s all from D.C then. I like their tastes in entertainment, most days. Hollywood can learn a lot from D.C.
Because I’d forgotten the full depths of what ‘austere’ actually meant, The M.W dictionary defines it as being: “enforced or extreme economy” and “somber, grave, strict, cold, morally strict.” Which is why I’m confused John Boehner cries on camera (ABC news, says a lot, again–even!), if this is his script via The WashPo. Or well, a crying austere guy isn’t a bad look in The House I suppose.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.2.11~
1 bilion people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. Yet we are made up of 63% H2O as people. I think true celebrity is about whose moving water flows in the world. It’s as simple as something like that.
Nicole Richie is one of the brightest stars that does all year round. She’s our girl. Click on pic to learn more about what we can do through initiatives like Global Water.
To make clean water flow in dry places where it needs to be the most, let’s do it. Thanks. Love you all.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 12.23.10~
Tags: 10 Hot Posts Right Now, 2NE1, 3D, 50 Hottest Stars in Hollywood, A Million Thank Yous, Aaron Eckhart, Abraham Lincoln, Ace of Base, Acrobats, Action Stars, Actors, Adam Lambert, Adam Miller, Adam Samberg, Adam Senn, Adam Shankman, Adrian Brody, Adrien Brody, Adventure Tourism, Afghan Biscuits, Afghanistan, Africa, Aids Research, aishwarya rai, Akon, Alabama, Alan Ball, Alanis Morissette, Alaska, Albert Wendt, Alec Baldwin, Alecia Keys, Alessandra Ambrosio, Alessandro Ambrosio, Alex Meraz, Alex O'loughlin, Alex Pettyfer, Alex Reid, Alex Rodriguez, Alexander Skarsgard, Alexandra Burke, Ali Lohan, Alicia Keys, Aliens, Alison Iraheta, All Blacks, Alyssa Milano, Amber Portwood, Amber Rose, America, America Ferrera, AMERICAN IDOL, Amy Winehouse, Anderson Cooper, Andrae Crouch, Andrew Ellis, Andy Roddick, Andy Warhol, Angela Bassett, Angelina Jolie, Angie Stone, Animation, Anna Kendrick, Anna Kournikova, Anna Lynne McCord, Anna Paquin, Anna Wintour, Anne Hathaway, Annie Crummer, Annie Leibowitz, Annie Lennox, Antonio Banderas, Aotearoa New Zealand, Apologies, Apple, Aprilynne Pike, AR Rahman, Arabic, Aretha Franklin, Arianna Huffington, Arizona, Armenian Americans, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Art, artist, Ashlee Simpson, Ashley Green, Ashley Greene, Ashley Olsen, Ashley Tisdale, Ashton Kutcher, Asian-Americans, Aspergers, Ata Te Kanawa, Atlanta, Attitude Determines Altitude, Aubrey O'Day, Auckland City, Audrey Hepburn, Audrina Partridge, Authors, Avril Lavigne, Awanui Reader, Awards Shows, Awesome Aussie, Awesome Aussies, Babies, Wale, Wallabies, Walt Disney, Walt Whitman, Walter Cronkite, Wanda Sykes, War, Warren Beatty, Warren Buffet, Washington D.C, Water, Wayne Kastning, We Are The World, Weddings, Weeds, Wellington, West Hollywood, Westerns, Whanau, Whangarei City, Whitney Houston, Will Ferrell, Will I Am, Will Smith, William Shakespeare, Willie Nelson, Willow Smith, Wind Hannah, Wings, Winona Ryder, Winter Olympics, Wisdom, Wisdoms Buffet, Witi Ihimaera, Women, Woody Allen, World History, World News, World Peace, Wynter Gordon, Yoko Ono, Young Hollywood, Young Royals, YouTube Stars, Zac Efron, Zachary Quinto, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Zara Phillips, Zoe Kravitz
[Dec. 3: Gen. David Petraeus, left greets President Barack Obama 44th President of The United States, and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry, center, on the President's unannounced arrival to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. Image courtesy of Fox News]
After a cut lip in a basketball game, 12 stitches later just before a Wikileaks US foreign affairs tirade, President Barack Obama flew out on Air Force one to be with the American Troops at Bagram Airbase:
Five Things He Spent His Time On:
Affirming the troops labors: “We said we were going to break the Taliban’s momentum and that’s what you’re doing. You’re going on the offense, tired of playing defense, targeting their leaders, pushing them out of their strongholds.”
Dinner with President Karzai cancelled: Plans for a 45 minute dinner did not eventuate due to a dust storm. The 15 minute video conference became a 15 minute phonecall instead–Obama appearing to fall into line with world perception (via wikileaks) of Kazai being a waste of time due to his instability as an ally that US diplomat Karl Eikenberry had defined as ‘erratic’ and ‘unreliable ally.’ Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Afghanistan, America, ObamaDrama, Politics, World News
The Washington Post‘s front page today says: Food banks in the US are swamped. Afghanistan’s people are unhappy–a situation that is ridiculous when they sit on a minerals rich land of Afghanistan. Afghanis live on a gold mine of mineral wealth–perhaps someone needs to tell these people that. Just saying!
Oh… and Ireland asks for a bailout.
On The Post’s website: Black Friday is a trending topic of interest today.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 11.22.10~
Tags: Afghanistan, Ireland, Minerals, Washington D.C, World News
Hilary Clinton’s in New Zealand, so here’s one from the NZ military troops to celebrate the U.S Secretary of States presence in NZ waters, that they protect and serve.
A thought: Milky Bar Kids in New Zealand rock aye?! Men in New Zealand are just brought up culturally aware and nuanced in diverse cultural lore as this video clip represents a picture of. A colorful and vibrant culture is New Zealand.
Here’s the Royal New Zealand Navy doing the haka of New Zealand (Maori warrior war dance) at the Devonport Royal Navel Base in Auckland, The Supercity. As mentioned on this blog before, the haka has been performed as an expression of masculinity and one’s inner spirit of a warrior, for over one thousand years within New Zealand shores. It’s just a part of how we roll as a rugby football playing nation.
The troops of the Kiwi King, John Key, Prime Minister.
Top Pic: New Talent: Kalani Jones
Pic Below: Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock of Hollywood, Ca.
Haka video source: Jordan Samuel Graham – my nephew.
[Image of Chelsea Clinton's Wedding Day, because I cant find the pics of when Chelsea Clinton visited Queenstown, New Zealand from back in the day, so this one will suffice, aye. Question: When will the Obama's pay NZ a visit? We have good fiscal leadership in NZ, well worth a trip down to learn and see the countryside too with the girls. A family vacation?]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 11.3.10~
Tags: 2nd & 3rd Generation Hollywood Families, A Diverse View, A MillionThank Yous, Ace of Base, Action Stars, Actors, Afghanistan, America, Aotearoa - New Zealand, Aotearoa Television Hollywood, Apia, Art, artist, Auckland - The Super City, Auckland City, California, Chelsea Clinton, Combatting Racism, Commonwealth, Community, Cross-cultural Narratives, Dwayne Johnson, Entertainment News, Grey Lynn, Grey Power, haka, Hillary Clinton, hobbits, Hollywood Entertainment News, Hollywood History, Hollywood Maori Kings, Hollywood Today, Hori = Maori, Israel, Jay V, Jordan Samuel Graham, Kalani Jones, Kool Kiwis, Krazy Kiwis, Maori, Maori Filmmaking, Marc Mezvinsky, Middle Earth, Middle Earth Politics, Military, Milk & Honey, Milky Bar Kids are KeyWe Kids, Models, New York, New Zealand, Polynesian, Polynesian Filmmaking, Polynesian Television Service Hollywood, Poneke, Ponsonby, Pop Art, Pop Culture Commentary, Porirua City, Royal New Zealand Navy, Samoa, Samoa Hollywood, Star System - The Art of American Celebrity, Star System - The Art of Auckland The Supercity Celebrity, Star System - The Art of Wellywood Celebrity, Super heroes, The Rock, UK, Wellington, Wellywood, Wellywood and Auckland Theme Parks, Western Samoa, World Peace
To think across cultures fairly is when bullying ceases in all its forms.
It does get better when no teens of the world are bullied.
Courage to not fit in – by telling all of the truth on what bullying is in many forms.
Bullying is not Love. Love sees and values all human life, through the constructed veil of any label. – Horiwood
In 2002, 1513 teens total, were lost to suicide aged 15-19–US Statistics
Between July 12th to August 13, 1500 British soldiers lost their lives–Stats
98,000 is the median number listed of Iraqi civilians (not soldiers) who were killed during the US. Iraq war – many of these women, children and teenagers.-Stats
Bullying of anyone is wrong. Just because someone is different, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have equal opportunity to add their talents to American life and culture. This is Barack Obama‘s message that I totally agree with. He implies teens who identify with being GLBT are talented.
[Subtext of the speech to the gay global community - bring your pink dollars of the world to America. Spend them with us. Jokes. And a good idea perhaps.]
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Tags: Afghanistan, America, Barack Obama, Bullying, Cross-cultural Narratives, Dustin Lance Black, Economic Teen Bullying, Economy, Foreign Press, Foreign Press News from America, Gay, Gay Bullying, Gay Teenagers, Human Rights, Iraq, Liberty, Middle East, Middle Eastern Representation, Muslim Teen Bullying, Muslims, UK, War, West Hollywood, World Peace, Youth Economic Opportunities in America
Everyone in America wants Beyonce to have a baby. On Beyonce‘s pregnancy rumors: tweets Tatiana: “Uggh! They fooled me again!!! RT Beyonce’s Mother Clears Up Pregnancy Rumors – Beyonce via “
Today, China flexes their Super Power muscle, in the control of
rare earth minerals. They’ve
cut back on exporting them 40%. Germany, the US and Japan, don’t like that idea. Rare earth minerals are used in iPhones, green technologies and prius cars, et al. Countries stopped mining their own rare earth minerals and just bought direct from China in 2000. China has the upper hand on the market, raising prices too as it wishes. Now, it hopes to lure leading green technology countries to set up shop in China, with rare earth minerals as a lure. Not a bad flex of muscle, when reminding the world, we all have things each other needs. The U.S has rare earth minerals. As do other nations also. Oh – of course,
Afghanistan is extremely rich in minerals. :)
Anyway, here’s our top ten entertainment celebrity news posts today. Other topics rating hot around the world at this second, also feature below. Enjoy!
Images via Mickey K and Splash. I wonder with rare earth minerals cut backs from China, if Flowbees will be effected?
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 10.20.10~
1. Fashion – Ava Sambora‘s dad starts a fashion label
2. WBHS school haka – All Blacks 2011 – for Rugby World Cup 2011
3. The Horiwood Top Ten – 10.19.10
4. Swim with dolphins in the beautiful Bay of Islands
5. Rock of Fashion Royalty – Georgia May Jagger for Harper’s Bazaar
6. Fifty Cent & Soldier Boy
7. Interweaving narratives: Maori Tukutuku panel
8. Sketches by Coco Chanel
9. Pop Art – Andy Warhol‘s Marilyn Monroe
10. Meet sports gladiator Luke McAlister
Other topics rating hot in America are: , , , and .
Tags: Afghanistan, Beyonce Knowles, China, Entertainment News, Hollywood Entertainment News, Horiwood Top 10, iMinerels, Think Green, Tina Knowles
On the front page of The Washington Post, for Sunday, the GOP have raced ahead on fundraising, and, soldiers save lives, in Afghanistan is the story.
Here’s what the newspaper of the nation’s capitol, is drawing as hot topics from The Post website:
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 10.16.10~
Tags: Afghanistan, Miley Cyrus, Military, Politics, Washington D.C
This just in via text: “d-child’s solider (t.i atlanta) 4 K2 maori co. Please.”
A reply, to this post, from a certain Jewish, West Hollywood publicist of a certain American pop star and (national American treasure) today for Maori soldiers today.
“Nga tane toa o Te Roopu a K2 Company – Arohanui tatou no Te Taone Nui o Nga Anahera. Ka kite tatou. Ka Tu Te Whare Ka Ora. Kia kaha roa mo ake.”
[Destiny Child's Hollywood Star, the Maori version from Hollywood today for K2 Maori Company and friends and family].
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 10.16.10~
Tags: Afghanistan, America, Atlanta, Barbados, Beyonce Knowles, California, Chicago, Commonwealth, DESTINY'S CHILD, Diana Ross, Earth Wind & Fire, Hori = Maori, Houston, K2 Maori Company, Kelly Rowland, Lil Wayne, Maori, Michelle Williams, Military, New Orleans, New York, New Zealand, Rihanna, Solange Knowles, Sunset Strip, Super heroes, Te Reo Rangatira, TI, West Hollywood, World News, World Peace
Maori soldiers have been super guys and heroes for centuries: A soldiers life, is a life, only another soldier and their friends and military families really knows.
Here’s K2 Maori company singing Hoki Mai and Pa Mai, two Maori classics, that were written for World War II Maori soldiers returning after defeating Hilter and Nazi Germany back in the day.
These two songs are still sung by every Maori school kid and horis the world over. We sing it, for the uncles, grandfathers we lost in celebration of what they gave the world as Maori men, who stood against racism.
There are only 300,000 Maori men in the world. They still choose to fight and put their lives on the line, to make a political point. This one going up, from West Hollywood, to the troops serving in Afghanistan. This is how Maori lads roll, in the NZ army anyways. They don’t hold a rugby football at home in front of internationally beamed cameras, but they’re our boys too.
They don’t imitate Lady Gaga like muppets- they all perform together, with group singing – harmony of the collective defines how they roll in the army, not individualism, which gets people killed at war. Cheers ears. :)
To Joe. Thanks for the request for “more Maori entertainment, plz. Like, K2 Maori company.”
You’re welcome, with special thanks to my K2 hori brothas, protecting Aotearoa/ NZ and the world. And still remembering to smile and sing too. ICU. Thanks for the request. Now world famous from West Hollywood too. Mauri Ora. Life to us!
[This performance recorded in Bosnia where Angelina Jolie is directing her very first movie, "Untitled War Love Story."
[Russell Crowe's Maori star, Hollywood walk of fame, The Te Ika-A-Maui version, for K2 Company today].
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 10.16.10~
Tags: Afghanistan, America, Angelina Jolie, Commonwealth, Germany, Hori = Maori, Humor, K2 Maori Company, Kool Kiwis, Krazy Kiwis, Live Music Artists, Maori, Military, Russell Crowe, Stars Hollywood Walk of Fame, Super heroes, Te Reo Rangatira, War, West Hollywood, World News, World Peace
Taking the top spot in today’s Washington Post, is the Bob Woodward book story. Top of page 1. The quote of the book everyone is talking about is Obama allegedly saying “I am not nation building in Afghanistan.” Fair enough, it would be a bad look to leave any nation looking like Iraq, so perhaps the President’s approach so far is wiser, than the last Presidents. Lessons learned.
The New York Times uses the book as a ‘critique’ on Obama’s war leadership as President today. Here’s their quotes:
“WASHINGTON via Peter Baker— Some of the critical players in President Obama’s national security team doubt his strategy in Afghanistan will succeed and have spent much of the last 20 months quarreling with one another over policy, personalities and turf, according to a new book.
“The book, “Obama’s Wars,” by the journalist Bob Woodward, depicts an administration deeply torn over the war in Afghanistan even as the president agreed to triple troop levels there amid suspicion that he was being boxed in by the military. Mr. Obama’s top White House adviser on Afghanistan and his special envoy for the region are described as believing the strategy will not work.”
First up, it’s Obama’s first term in office, so give the bloke a chance. But…
What are your thoughts? As Woodward was a journalist, it’s probably well worth the time to get Bob’s book.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 9.22.10~
Tags: Afghanistan
Peace One Day is upon us. To find out more, visit, this website. Outcomes of Peace One Day in the past include:
“In 2009, all sides fighting in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, declared that for one day the violence would stop. This allowed vital supplies to reach areas where otherwise aid wouldn’t have got through. On Peace Day, over the last 3 years, over 4 million children in Afghanistan have been immunised from killer diseases because the shooting has stopped. That’s quite an achievement isn’t it?”
Indeed. Love this event!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 9.21.10~
Tags: Afghanistan, World Peace
~”I wish I was a little less crazy, a little less out there… I wish I was a little more solid, a little more grounded”~Billy Ray Cyrus thinks humility and green.
Miley Cyrus‘ papa, Billy Ray Cyrus goes in to bat, for American’s teen Queen -after her bird imagery of her Can’t Be Tamed album, got covered in an oil slick of CNN TV coverage about endangered birds of the gulf oil crises (for reals).
Billy Ray is pictured here with band members of Brother Clyde patching up the family’s image. Nice job. Cyrus takes Iraq war lyrics and fuses them with a Florida green issue, overlay, with music video pics of current events.
His Iraq comment via the boot is this: “Lately (a single form the band’s self titled album) is coming out very soon,” Billy Ray reports. “It is a really powerful record about the sign of our times … I just got back from Iraq and Afghanistan. Seeing what is going on in our world, the song ‘Lately’ is going to speak to a lot of people. The music is going to translate.”
Musically, Billy Ray is all about experimenting (with country, grunge, rap and rock fusion) while fostering a group of up and coming, eclectic alternative india musicians with a slow down and feel good again message, for earth/ life sustainability too. Here’s the band’s new song, Lately.
Go fellah! Band members of Brother Clyde are: Jamie Miller (of theSTART and Snot), Dave Henning on base, rapper King Phaze, Dan Knight on gat, and Samantha Maloney (Courtney Love‘s Hole band). Any boy band with a girl drummer has gotta do okay.
Courage to Slow Down, love people’s lives not war acceleration without defined purpose, and take care of the earth. Wise country wisdom from Billy.
True fact: the first day, Susan K took me to Hollywood Blvd for gelato, Billy Ray walked past the gelato store, several times, doing a shoot on the Walk of Fame. Because of that, this is his plug. We had pistachio gelato. It was delicious fun. California does the best pistachio gelato. :)
Buy Billy Ray’s new single for 99 cents, . I love this pic–for branding purposes, you can never have enough symbols going on in the background. A symbol = audience’s meaning.
[Image of B.C courtesy of Country Music Love]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 7.31.2010~
Tags: Miley Cyrus, Courage To Love, Country Music, Afghanistan, Iran, World Peace, Billy Ray Cyrus, Music Industry News, War, Florida, Family Vs Fame, Miami, Susan Kanim, Music Videos, Think Green, Fathers of America, What's cooking in your kitchen for the World?, Environment, Military, King Phaze, Samantha Maloney, Jamie Miller, Dan Knight, Brother Clyde
Tags: Afghanistan, Arabic, Entertainment News, Hollywood Entertainment News, Horiwood Top 10, Middle East, Middle Eastern Representation, Milk & Honey, Music Videos, Rachel Maddow, World News, World Peace
This morning on MSNBC, the hotness that is Rachel Maddow appeared live, wearing a Burka in Afghanistan. The normally tom boyish Maddow, suddenly took on an Angelina Jolie visage. [Burka pic still being sourced at time of writing]. Maddow is a very pretty girl.
Anyway, Rachel tweets three messages via her twitter to her fans, from Afghanistan today:
“Um… man in front of me on Kandahar-Kabul flight really looks like he should be on a medevac flight instead..
“Turns out I get that exact same crick in my neck regardless of whether I’m writing scripts in NYC or in Kabul. via web
“Doing my own makeup is… foreign. via “
Lol!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 7.6.2010~
Tags: Afghanistan, Gay, Lesbians, Rachel Maddow
From within a fortified post, on the edge of Western Kandahar, Afghanistan, a vigilant police officer salutes behind the veil of a red-laced curtain, that hangs across his doorway, offering sweet refrain and immunity by keeping the mosquitos and flies outside as they pass-over his post.
It’s the simple things in life that do profound things and that we can be thankful for.
[News source: L.A Times]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 4th of July 2010~
Tags: Afghanistan, Fashion, War
Cutting through the dusty terrain of Kandahar skies, the black hawk lifts off from a NATO base, in the South of Afghanistan. On board is a wounded soldier, whose hand was crushed by an armored vehicle’s heavy door, during a sweep.
[News Agency: LA Times]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 4th July 2010~
Tags: Afghanistan
A day in the life of American soldiers serving abroad in Afghanistan.
1. Chai: 1st Lt. Jordan Ritenour drinks chai with Haji Beardad, left, and his brother Kharu Jan, center, in a pomegranate orchard under decades-old grape vines in Kuhat. Ritenour has built a relationship with Beardad, a village elder, in hopes of fostering greater cooperation with the local populace as the military tries to rid the area of Taliban influence. 2. Smoke: Pfc. Preston Young immediately alerts the command post of a blast that hit his patrol as they walked down a dirt road that connects farmland in a rural area. Two soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division were thrown to the ground in the incident, but they were not seriously injured. June 5, 2010 3. Watch: U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Lind watches over the Arghandab Valley at sunrise from a hilltop observation post. 4. Sweat: U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Hernandez, 23, right, of Phoenix pauses between sets during a workout at Combat Outpost Winkleman. The base is one of several small ones in Kandahar province put in with the aim of quelling a Taliban uprising.
God Bless America and in living lives beyond conflict may Peace be The Worlds.
[News Agency: LA Times]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 7.3.2010~
Tags: Afghanistan, War, World Peace
an iPhone application called this, would totally pop!
Minerals (in the form of vitamins) give us the feeling, that we can live forever.
Therefore iMinerels is the hot ticket of phone applications in the 2010′s :)
Health facts info, origin of minerels, benefits to health + online ordering and delivery to your door.
Is hot to trot.
Up!
[On the 4eva Young theme--here's the incomparable Beyonce Knowles in her (denim cut-offs and military storm trooper boots) and Jay Z singing Foever Young @ Coachella Music Festival for your entertainment].
Let’s go life in California!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 6.26.2010~
Tags: Afghanistan, America, Beyonce Knowles, Billionaire HQ on Horiwood.Com, Billionaire Philanthropy, China, Family Vs Fame, Health Care, iMinerels, It is what it is, Jay-Z, Leadership, Life, Live Music Artists, Medicine Science, Mr Hudson, Music Industry News, new IT technology, New Zealand
TEN CELEBRITY AND FINANCIAL NEWS POSTS SELECTED BY US IN THIS HOLLYWOOD MINUTE -2.11.11 @ 12PM
“You give your life and invariably they leave you with nothing. Young girl ain’t got no chances. No roots to keep her strong. She’s shed all pretenses. That someday she’ll belong.. She will find her place in the sun”–Tracey Chapman provides poetic political-music commentary with She’s Got Her Ticket below WSJ’s financial news.
This photograph of Bibi Aisha,18, who had her ears and nose cut off after she balked at an arranged marriage in Afghanistan has picked up top honors at the 2010 World Press Photo of The Year Awards. Such a harrowing image of a beautiful young lass, with her visage altered by laws not serving her young life well.
Photographed by Jodi Bieber the image that alerted us to real human rights needs in the world was originally Time Magazine’s controversial cover in August. Poor Bibi!
In local views, a Hollywood minute is always so fickle. It’s like a week read in tabloids, but all the celebrity story line cards are shuffled. Your votes at any given hour, best reflect a Hollywood reality. That’s why I love our 10 Hot Posts Right Now section. Your choices, your authoring via popular blog hits taken from people from 50 nations of the world.
Here’s that picture with ten choices. Eclectic as ever!
1. Saris worn as colorful tattoos amongst Indian women
2. Video – Lady Gaga‘s interview with Anderson Cooper
3. TMZ always gets the best exclusives
4. 10 Hot Posts right now
5. Vincent Cassel & Mila Kunis for Natalie Portman‘s Oscar chances
6. What a guy! Richard Chandler is a model citizen
7. FX Men: First Class trailer, German Bull dykes and echinacea chats
8. Egypt crises – Wael Ghonim ‘vs’ Hosni Mubarak – switching billionaires spokespeeps
9. Haka Patu! A filmmakers tohu for Joanna Paul
10. Deutsche Borse and the NY Stock Exchange situation
In world news and financial watch news via the Wall Street Journal, here’s what’s on Wall Street Culture’s radar today:
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.11.11~
Posted by horiwood on February 11, 2011 in 10 Hot Posts Right Now, Afghanistan, America, Angela Merkel, Art, artist, Bibi Aisha, Cross-Cultural Narratives, Entertainment Celebrity News, Entertainment Distribution, Entertainment News, Folk Music, Germany, Heritage Arts & Culture, Hollywood Entertainment News, Human Rights, Human Trafficking, Information Sharing, Lesbians, Live Music Artists, Music Industry News, Poetry, Pop Art, Pop Cultural Commentary, San Francisco, Social Media, Social Networking, Song Lyrics, Song Writers, Tracey Chapman, Transparency in a Digital Age, Wall Street Culture, West Hollywood, Women, World News