These headlines from The Huffington Post today have us praying for Egypt’s welfare:
If you know how to pray – then Pray for the Peace of Egypt, Israel and The Middle East.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.3.11~
Historians fear that Egyptians national artifacts could be at risk from looters, petrol bombing vandals who are incensed with Egypt’s unrest. These artifacts are examples of ancient civilization and human history attached to it. Go here to read that.
Let’s not forget that Egypt’s people are its gold. Today. In fact, in Egypt we see a case study of ourselves. 79 million people on public display in desert terrain, each one symbolizing how we ourselves value human rights, people, life in us all.
Such concerns dominate Egypt as ‘Hackers attack Egypt’s government archives’ and gun shots are fired at dawn by supporters of Egypt’s President. Egypt is a sweet scramble at the minute.
The good news is in all this – Egyptian women are getting liberated. That part rocks amidst the high drama via Egypt today. Egypt’s history has always valued its female queens. It looks like Egypt is about to do the same again, with letting women lead and have more of a voice in public and political life. That’s so cool.
[Photo - One of King Tutankhamun's gold sarcophagi courtesy of Getty Images].
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.2.11~
Music – Bow Chicka Wow Wow (Remix) News – Mike Posner feat Lil Wayne is the latest drive time remix.
Cyclone Yasi – wipes out 90% of Aussie’s bananas. Ick. Step on up Tonga.
Rolling tight - Selena Gomez is the all-for Demi Lovato fan.
Thomas L. Friedman: B.E., Before Egypt. A.E., After Egypt.
Marc Mezvinsky loves to ski at Jackson Hole while wife Chelsea Clinton studies at Colombia Uni.
Gwyneth Paltrow & Cee Lo Green will sing at Grammys 2011.
Obama Signs Ratification Of New START Nuclear Treaty
Oscars Wings PR – Nicole Kidman & James Franco will team for a Tennessee Williams Broadway play.
Well: How Meditation May Change the Brain
Banks who own pop culture machines – Citigroup Bank owns EMI (BMG & Warner).
The Egypt crises explains why the ‘Ewing family’ are returning for a Dallas reboot.
Google Accuses Microsoft’s Bing Of ‘Cheating’
Gabriel Aubrey and Halle Berry‘s baby Nahla custody battle – now looks at unusual child behavior. N words too.
The Wellington rugby sevens are on. Fun rugby football sporting action.
Op-Ed Contributor: Israel, Alone Again?
Cleaning up gun shot news - Kelly Clarkson talks oral surgeon pain and alcohol shots too.
Report: Borders May File For Bankruptcy This Month
Joan Rivers talks parenting & studio systems, using Charlie Sheen to do it.
Femme Fatale, Britney Spears new album – has enough songs for a deluxe edition, later. Smart.
Good Golly – A Valentine’s day retro moment - 16 again.
Kiwi ambassadors are donged: Vangelis Vitalis heads to Romania, Luxembourg, Bulgaria. Tony Fatua flies to Timor-Leste.
Zsa Zsa Gabor‘s daughter Francesca Hilton worries about her mom’s estate.
Can too much pot make you violent later on in life? Cheech Marin wife news begs that question being asked.
Ricky Gervais An Idiot Abroad documentary travel series, stars Karl Pinkington and Stephen Merchant.
Zac Farro‘s band Novel American has an Egypt friendly, ring to it.
The White Stripes can now live off music archives sales only. Nice.
Pennsylvania likes vampiring show biz dads. Lohan family awards show news.
Olivia Wilde could play Lois Lane too, in the Superman reboot.
K-11 & Kristen Stewart‘s bad *ss mother’s filmmaking ambitions are prison block gender-blurred.
CNN reporter Anderson Cooper talks journalists’ & whoppin back too in Egypt.
Black Swan humor – Dance doubles get some love via Team Spears.
Chateau Marmont is always doing way too much – Ryan Reynolds & Scarlett Johansson news.
Should Joseph Gordon-Levitt be cast in The Dark Knight Rises batman film? Y not.
Mark Bittman: A Food Manifesto for the Future
Music – a Gaga-Graham mash up. Monster by Lady Gaga meets I Want it All by Kat Graham. Press play below.
Glee‘s Jane Lynch wants to talk about her Best in Show moments in her memoir, Happy Accidents. Funny!
More advertisers stand against child teen porn, in Skins.
News Corp puts MySpace on the block
Wikileaks Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize
Kind thought for today – We are US because we think of the Kids without Facebook Presence in India & Africa. Click here.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.2.11~
Egypt. Battle. Blood (human oil). The Future.
One pic via The Huffington Post today as Pro-Government supporters clash with Anti-Government Protestors.
When are protestors cool or not cool, with governments? That rhetoric fuels Middle East led government hierarchies – across all Arab and Arab supportive media today.
[I can't help but think, that if the wealthy of Egypt had stayed and remained, the peoples blood would have more meaning in rewriting history in this moment. You know, the 'wicked flee when no one pursues, but good folks are as bold as a lion' is the thought I can't shake today, when I look at an image like this].
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA.
Crossword girl sits opposite me in the cafe, her feet in a cross-legged position on her chair as she scribbles, like it’s yoga class over coffee. It’s good to see someone writing in this day and age. Like, with a pen. I jump on Facebook and see my friend Dale from Wellington, Aotearoa-New Zealand wants to head to New Orleans for the Jazz & Heritage Festival this year. How cultured of her.
Dale must already be over racking up ten out of ten tans in Hawaii. Dale did that twice last year and loved it, but perhaps New Orleans would be more fun. She reads books anyway, so how’s that going to mesh with our spicy crawfish gumbo, serious paella palate research and sarsaparilla vodka martini sessions, with all the beaut music that dance-loving Maoris will instantly want to do, if I go with her? The world’s hottest books list, might feel a bit neglected, this US trip of Dale’s.
Then there’s all those vampire movie sets we’ll have to visit in New Orleans too, like where the Twilight Saga kids (Kristen Stewart, Alex Meraz, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson) all are filming, or where Oscar winner Anna Paquin‘s True Blood cast film too, or even where Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunce and Tom Cruise filmed the Anne Rice novel adaptation too, of that film, Interview with a Politician Vampire we’ll have to get photographs of at – as well, if we do New Orleans with a Hollywood Maori twist. I don’t know if I can cope without my new Orthodox Jewish friends nearby for too long these days in such political-economic climates of the world; or when you pick up any newspaper. But I think I just might manage.
Of course we should as Dale and I always had movie dates in the nation’s capitol of Wellington when we both worked in government in New Zealand on Sundays, so we should keep our tradition going as US movie loving hori film buffs. Already the possibilities of fun in New Orleans are sounding tres exciting, and that’s months away. I know Dale already has friends there, so that could be rivetingly wild as Dale does biz too. She’s a bright spark with a fine sense of Nati humor, I have always been proud of to have as my friend.
Knowing Dale though, while I’m running around vampire set locations, she’ll be more green thinking conscience, like wanting to go and meet the real people of New Orleans who live in the lakes and inlet areas, to talk to them about how they managed to clean up the environment after the gulf oil spill crises with BP. Remember that? 
Although my own belief is that freedom to access clean drinking water is a universal right, especially in Africa and India, thankfully President Obama has wise words on Egypt’s current revolution of change. Responding to how the Egyptian people’s internet was cut off, the 44th President of the United States of America says: “freedom to access information is a universal right.” So true. I was thinking that water makes up most of us as 63% or more of our bodies are made of the stuff, and electricity that fuels computer, internet and mobile telephone battery cells is largely dependent on water also. Knowledge is carried by water. My hope is that we get that right as human rights, on our watch and that all people of the world have it flowing freely their way.
Magazine Cover: Time‘s recent issue, depicts two American Presidents together. Cover Awards website writes: “While Obama and Reagan’s politics seem drastically different, Time points out that Obama admires Reagan’s “persona” and is approaching the second part of his presidency in a “Reaganesque fashion.” Or as Obama has said himself, “Reagan recognized the American people’s hunger for accountability and change.””
Alright, that sounded a little like current Egypt news too then today. Synergy all round.
The what’s in your taco story, outlined on this magazine cover is kinda more where it’s at here in the US politically at this juncture in voting history. That’s funny!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.1.11~
Bo Derek is still a Perfect 10 at a fashion party in Cologne. Fierce! And below is a picture of Hone Key (Prime Minister John Key)- Liz Hurley’s latest fan. In light of Liz Hurley once been a fan of Shane Warne – the cricket player, let’s just call that piece of news, sporting cricket news then from The City of Sails – in humorous Maori Hollywood news today from the City of Angels.
Celebrity entertainment news with a dash of politics and reform all round, from Hollywood today looks like this.
Christina Applegate & Martyn LeNoble have had a girl. Congrats.
The Roosevelt Hotel‘s new club attracts Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie & Elijah Wood. Cute.
Jordan’s King Fires Cabinet After Protests
Christina Hendricks could have been Wonder Woman on two key points.
Remembering Raewyn Thomson, from Hollywood today – a mother lost too soon.
Brooke Shields is hot as a leading light, in any entertainment genre.
The Daily Beast, Newsweek Officially Merge
Drew Barrymore fancies her Charlie’s Angels 3 as reformed criminals. Y not?
Apple Moves to Tighten Control of App Store
Liz Hurley has an unexpected fan.
Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon ‘s twins are one of each.
Wikipedia Ponders Its Gender-Skewed Contributions
Mila Kunis meets Chord Overstreet.
Luxury cruise liners in the South Pacific need drinking water too. Apparently.
Allying Ourselves With the Next Egypt
Justin Bieber‘s remixes album will drop for Valentine’s day 2011. Smart.
The UK like Beverly Hills housewives reality TV Show stars - Camille Grammer
Gov. Unveils $1B Bond Bill To Create Jobs
Pippa Wetzell gives birth to a rather big hobbit.
John Hamm is realistic about Hollywood super hero film franchise roles casting.
W Magazine and Kim Kardashians ‘feud’ allows Kim’s hot pics to get a 2nd run.
The Kings Speech is a little bit more hip hop language-based then we thought.
Charlie Sheen is looking like a Miley Cyrus song about The USA.
Kate Middleton‘s Kate Bush tabloid publicity is funny.
Jessica Simpson would rather “hell no” than judge The X Factor talent show.
Ricky Gervais got the TV ratings up for The Golden Globes by being a prickly MC.
Britney Spears will perform live at Grammys 2011.
Mind: A Home Treatment Kit for Super Bowl Suffering
Zsa Zsa Gabor is rushed to hospital, reports New Zealand news.
[Photographs via Getty Images & Stuff Website. Liz Hurley appears for the City of Sails courtesy of File Hurricane. Fun stuff!]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.1.11~
Progress in Egypt looks like President Murabek playing a good ‘bad cop’ in The Middle East, by saying he ‘won’t stand again.’ This comes after news that Egypt’s military have renounced using force against their country folk who are protesting openly.
The Huffington Post repoerts 1/4 million people in open protest in Cairo. While President Obama urges that ‘transition must be peaceful and must be now.’ Wise words. Other nations of The Middle East are using Egypt’s current public displays as their own model too, to align the Middle East style of leadership and politics with a new ‘era’ for modern times. Meanwhile in Alexandria, reports are apparent that Egypt’s economy is crumbling.
This is all off set in the pages of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, with local American news. That being that the ‘Health Care Reform Bill’ has been overturned by a Judge.
It’s all a go go today in the news. I write this as a USC, Trojans supporter studies for her ‘gender studies’ paper, opposite me at the cafe in Hollywood. I want to suggest Laura Mulvey‘s iconic film theory essay for her to read, but I think she has enough on her study list already. And besides, study is already over and she’s now already onto , of course! Lol. :)
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 2.1.11~
The Muslim Brotherhood have given Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei their big tick of approval as opposition leader in Egypt. Let’s look at this man for a minute.
The New York Times reports: “I could not have thought of any other person that is more deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize than Barack Obama,” Mohamed ElBaradei, then the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a videotaped statement. He went on to praise Mr. Obama’s commitment “to restore moral decency” to the lives of people around the world.”
USA Today reports: ‘ElBaradei (el-BEAR-uh-day), a Nobel laureate and proponent of democracy, has become the most visible spokesman for a coalition of anti-Mubarak groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood. After arriving from his home in Austria last week, he quickly called for Mubarak’s resignation and offered to lead a transitional government.”He’s quite qualified,” says Maher Hathout, a senior adviser with the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a civil rights organization based in Los Angeles. “He’s someone who’s not tainted by the current regime and politically shrewd.”‘
LA Times Blog has articles reporting on ElBaradei’s previous work concerning Iran’s nuclear situation. Go here to read that.
Alright that’s enough.
The man is in the Security Bizzo and he has European influences. The Middle East seems to approve of that. So that’s good.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.31.11~
I can’t help noticing that the Wall Street Journal is doing some in depth Egypt news coverage at the minute. In particular, WSJ are tracking the political principle of “choose a common enemy to unite others with many differences.” Egypt’s 82 year-old outgoing President Murabek is being used in this way at the moment in the Middle East to unite Islamists, Secularists together in Egypt and the wider Middle East too.
All of a sudden they are able to bury their differences and unite, hopefully for a good cause, in the future of Egypt’s modernization as a nation. Murabek is the common factor, all are citing to move forward.
Syria is reportedly using Egypt as a case study to learn where to relax rules on the important stuff people actually care about in the Middle East, while maintaining the things that most people can agree with in a “new era” thus wisely avoiding future political revolt, in a domino effect of revoultion, if this doesn’t occur within Syria too.
It seems to be quite positive stuff shaping up from the Egypt revolution if you read the WSJ. Unfortunately, the oil price is being driven up, stock markets globally are being impacted by the Egypt news too. If you have your money invested in oil and gold than aren’t you a smart cookie? Expect these two commodity’s value to sky rocket with Egypt’s current news. Ironically these two things are Egypt’s big export things.
Outside of the stock market, when we look at Egypt’s 79 million people in ‘crises of change’, we perhaps realize that their struggle is also our crises too, affecting us all. We are perhaps more globally connected than we all realize at times as Egypt’s news reveals.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.31.11~
Here’s some artwork in a West Hollywood store depicting Egypt’s love of their Queens. West Hollywood is a city that is conscience of other peoples human rights status in the world. Here’s ten links via one West Hollywood blog about Egypt’s plight as a nation right now that show’s one American neighborhood’s concern for the Egyptian people at this time in their nation’s epic history.
1. Washington Post – US reassures other Arab nations about Egypt’s revolution
2. Egypt’s changing leadership times – NY Times – 1.31.11
3. New Zealand’s Egypt News coverage
4. The Huffington Post’s Background Facts to Egypt revolution
5. Blog Critics ways to help Egyptians communicate outside Egypt’s internet censorship
6. The Wealthy Flee Egypt for safety, leaving 79 million fellow country folk to work through unrest
7. Art – Key of Ramses II with the poetic words of Isaiah
8. Empathy for Egyptians – one photograph
9. The Decemberists & Egypt News
10. 1.26.11 – A revolution in the age of reality TV show news footage
~Posted in The City of Angels by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.31.11~
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 »
The front page of the Washington Post tomorrow (Monday) sees the US “reassuring Arab nations” of stability in Egypt. A quick transition of leadership is being encouraged by the US in Egypt.
Pakistan doubles its nuclear arsenal too.
As Egypt’s officials work towards preserving Egypt’s treasures (hopefully the one’s beneath the ground too in the raw mineral state), Obama aligns with protestors pleas and the military of Egypt must decide where their loyalties are.
Big drama as the Middle East/ Arab nations, show who their preferred leadership choice of Egypt is at this juncture in World History.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.30.11~
Egyptians are not children needing a curfew. Period.
American tourists have been advised to leave Egypt.
Some backstory Facts of Egypt’s Revolution 2011 are:
What’s Going On In Egypt?: Protests started on Tuesday, January 25, when — inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia — thousands began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. These were the first protests on such a large scale in Egypt since the 1970s. Read more here.
Why Egypt Matters: Why is the story gaining traction? There are a number of factors that make Egypt’s unrest important, in both that country, the Middle East, and the world. Click here to see the top reasons why Egypt should matter to you.
Quick Facts About Egypt: Established in 3100 B.C., Egypt today has a population of approximately 79 million. Its people speak Arabic and 99% are Egyptian. The country staged its first modern revolution in 1919 and established independence in 1922. Continued instability due to remaining British influence led to a second revolution in 1952 and the creation of the Egyptian Republican in 1953.
[Two photo views today via The Huffington Post]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.30.11~
Egypt is a looking a bit messy today. Guest Commentary via The Associated Press today concerning Egypt: “CAIRO — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak named a vice president Saturday for the first time since coming to power nearly 30 years ago. It was a clear step toward setting up a successor in the midst of the biggest challenge ever to his rule from tens of thousands of anti-government protesters.
Mubarak named his intelligence chief of nearly two decades and close confidant Omar Suleiman, state television reported.
The president had been seen as grooming his son Gamal to succeed him, possibly even as soon as in presidential elections planned for later this year. However, there was significant public opposition to the hereditary succession.
The appointment of Suleiman, 74, answers one of the most intriguing and enduring political questions in Egypt: Who will succeed 82-year-old Mubarak?
Another question is whether his appointment will calm the chaotic streets of Egypt’s cities. In the capital Cairo, looting was rampant on Saturday and lawlessness was spreading fast. Residents of affluent neighborhoods in the capital were even boarding up their houses against gangs of thugs roaming the streets with knives and sticks.”
In addition: “Private Jets Head To Dubai: Wealthy businessmen are fleeing Cairo as protests continue. Reports the AP:
An official at Cairo airport says 19 private jets carrying families of wealthy Egyptian and Arab businessmen have flown out of the capital.
The official said the jets left Saturday carrying dozens of family members of Egypt’s business elite. He said most of the planes were headed for Dubai.
The passengers included the families of telecom mogul Naguib Sawiris, the executive chairman of Orascom Telecom, and Hussein Salem, a hotel tycoon and close confidant of President Hosni Mubarak.
The exodus of the families comes as Egypt enters its sixth day of mass unrest directed against Mubarak and what they say have been policies that further enrich the wealthy at the average citizen’s expense.
Countries Flying Out Citizens: Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan organized an additional 10 flights to evacuate their citizens, officials at Cairo International Airport said. Among those who left were families of diplomats.
Egypt’s national carrier, meanwhile, was forced to cancel 15 scheduled flights because it was unable to secure the necessary crew and service personnel, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
Change looks like this in Egypt today.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1 29.11~
Who does not feel for Egypt right now? I do.
Sending prayers to the people of Egypt’s way today.
[Image via - This Blog]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA.
Lol!
Internet today is the opium of the masses. It’s the sceptor of empire. Not guns per se. Definitely not nuclear weapons. The internet is THE WEAPON for cultural imperialistic ideological rule as a symbol of ‘fastest knowledge sharing equals power.’
Here’s (about to be Katie Couric and friends talking about the internet’s ‘main stream’ introduction on The Today Show in 1994 from ‘military information sharing technology, to information tool for ALL.’
Today China – that Communist nation! – has internet 3-4 times faster and stronger than the USA for the Chinese people. Wowsa!
At the time of writing, Egypt has turned their internet off so this nation of 80 million people has nada internet access at the minute. Harsh rule? or a flex of power?
On wordpress – the community of bloggers I blog from – one writer is so obsessed about this fact they have written a story well worth reading, titled - How Egypt Cut Off the Internet (and How a U.S. ‘Kill Switch’ Might Work) via Techland – Time.Com.
Thought II for today – if the internet was developed for military purposes by the military – then it follows a logical progression that the internet as a tool is still being used in this way today. It was designed that way. Spiritual communication, is an alternative in communicating ‘monitor free.’ It’s the story of spirit messengers in the world, from the time humanity began through to today. Everything else, can be a mere distraction from spiritual things.
[Video clip via Michael K, NYC]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.29.11~
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.
“All the world’s a stage” – William Shakespeare -playwright, poet, from As You Like It.
The front page of the New York Times is like an orchestra of orchestrated world news today. It’s doing a lot.
First up, a federal inquiry says the financial crises (they say 2008, but it’s still going) was avoidable according to a Federal study. The outcome of the survey (findings) blames the piglet ways of Wall Street culture, with The Federal Reserve also getting a wee smack on the hand too for not curbing it. Whatever! Read it here.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah government taking shape, unrest in Egypt over Hosni Murabek’s nearly 30 year-rule, and Tunisia unrest news – somehow lands on the Times as a US foreign policy situation to now sort out. Read here. Of particular note in the story, this new news is sited as effecting Palestinians, who are no longer likely to make an more concessions in the Israel-Palestine negotiations talks. Meaning, Israel-Palestine is still the central jewel of politics in the world, due to Israel’s significance as a spiritual site in the Middle East. Isn’t it fascinating how Israel-Gaza as a strip of land, is the balance of world power relationships – in many ways. It’s like the gauge of many political issues and how they’re ruled on in the world. Quite powerful to observe in the news, really. If you live in Hollywood, you just know already that Natalie Portman (Jerusalem born who speaks Arabic) better win best Oscar this year, already!
Perhaps we need to do some more wikileaks leaks confessions – to calm that hot spot of the Middle East down a little? I say this today, because I have rolled out with Lebanese people for most of my life in New Zealand and Los Angeles, and they’re really cool people. Quite civilized with very sophisticated knowledge awareness of the world, I’ve found.
Locally in the US, President Obama is proposing a bipartisan effort to ‘out rule the world’ for the USA. Obama sights America’s future as being more important than winning the next election. Good positioning of issues that help unite majority in the USA.
Gun control in communities also gets some attention too. Fair Warning website covers The Times reporting that NCR have put the stoppers on gun research reports studies. Read here if interested.
Wow! That’s the latest on the agenda unfolding for the final week of January 2011. That’s quite a bit to think about, or not.
I’m kinda glad we covered Egypt-American news off on the blog already today. :)
If we’re going to look at Egypt politically (and not historically – or neither look at what Egypt symbolizes to many cultures spiritually) – we’d have to introduce two key words on a political front. Those being the words of those two things that are a little less ‘paper economy based’ like “oil” (or natural gas) oh… and “gold … symbols of rule.”
Lofty (Rahm) is getting good press at the minute. Sending peace to Alexandria, Egypt today. Like, big time!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.26.11~
As I blog today in Hollywood as a Maori Kiwi farmer’s raised country kid son, there’s a lot going on to deal with. Nothing is as simple as those country days, in a Cosmopolitan City like Los Angeles.
I get texts on my phone asking for a meeting with a Romanian-American kid whose discovered paranormal activity in Laurel Canyon, beneath the house with a pyramid on top of it, currently on the market for 3.5 million, “why wouldn’t Tom Cruise buy it?’ is the gist of texting. Why I would even go, I don’t know?
I know that the founding Native American Indian tribes of California used to meet in the Laurel Canyon area each year, seasonally and theater would occur between the convergence of tribes there – where they would reenact a year’s worth of tribal stories for each other as tribes, in shared song and dance narratives.
Hollywood in a way, is an evolution, of this tradition, but technology (cinema, film, media, mobile telephony) is the preferred medium to convey this tradition in the world now from California. As I’ve already told this kid that, I don’t feel like going.
There’s always going to be paranormal activity in the Canyon, until Native American Indians are invited back to do what they always did on Hollywood Hills and Canyon landscapes, as people. It’s just what they do and should be allowed to do as a sign of genuine belief in the origins of freedom of expression of America’s founding fathers, mothers and their children. That’s where the concept of American family begins as a narrative in the USA, in a celebrated and ongoing healing process that should be honored and respected too for all of America with Native American Indians being a vital part of that.
I had suggested to the kid to meet with Indian tribes himself if he was so concerned about the increase of paranormal activity in Hollywod, to see if there was any interest in that and to meet with the Mayor of L.A too to get it going on. He had looked at me like I was a total spinner, (I have the same thought each day too at times, so that’s quite okay) but it’s certainly much better than entertaining ghosts in the canyon, I think. Far smarter.
Pyramid worship here of the rich and famous and Free Mason society types aside here, I think Indians have their place in Hollywood as people on this landscape that should be honored and respected as honoring the roots of a nation’s peace and human rights record and pathway forward. So that’s the end of the texting saga as I turn my phone off. Peace is the greatest gift of all in California. Least we get confused at to what robs America’s peace, we need to learn to turn our phones off sometimes to have it.
Beside me to the right, the blonde girl in the cowboy tartan red and black cowboy, all wool shirt (too hot for California actually), cut off denim shorts and black fishnet stockings talks the need of “boundary setting with her new boyfriend” to her ‘Personal Gay’ friend. He just nods at everything she says, like he’s a tamed poodle or something. What’s up with that brainless trend?
A Mexican Aztec fashion designer, with sharp cheekbones talks to investors in the cafe today about how far $100,000 investments could go, and where that would take them. He’s 50 with little Richard eyeliner Aztec eyes. A fierce statement in today’s Hollywood. He’s not big on ‘speaking the English,’ he’s like “You give me $100,000 and this is what you get for that.” Yet there’s no denying that he knows his stuff in the new wave of the fashion apparel business in California. He’s a modern merchant of Cali’s fashion world as perhaps best denoted by his leopard, tiger markings-fused silk printed gypsy-esque scarf worn over his Aztec Indian jewelry. The look in his eye, tells his investors, that he’s fearlessly forging ways forward in the current economy. Good for him! A discerning confident spirit.
He wears an old school biker leather jacket with the words L.O.S A.N.G.E.L.E.S in white leather down each black sleeve and plenty of jean jewelry chain accessories.
Beside and opposite me, Mandel an Orthodox brother studies up on the Torah on his laptop and my African-American brother, Jey Lawrence sits too. Jey’s dad researched in the Warren Beatty, Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn Hollywood-popular era of the 70′s, Jey’s family history. He mapped his families tribe back to the Southern Nile of Egypt, hence Jeys Egyptian key, eye, double spears, skin-shield tattoos. He is very Barack Obama-esque today (the contemporary inked version) and watches college football keeping up with the next generation of sporting talent. Of course being in Hollywood weird things happen all the time in good ways. My last Hollywood post was about the Key of Ramses II fused with the prophet Isaiah’s words. Then Jey sits right next to me, with a version of Ramses tattooed on his arm. His version does look like Obama’s face a bit, and we laugh about that, because it’s true.
In addition, Jey tells me that the Maori haka is a big trend in college football. Where football teams perform the haka (Maori war dance) before their football matches. What is even more awesome though is when the crowd of spectators respond and do it too. Jay says American footballers love Maori culture because it is an expression of warrior-hood and tribalness that defines community, that football represents here at community level. The Maori haka resonates with America’s belief of strong warrior communities.
I can’t argue with that. Maori culture and tino rangatiratanga (the spirit essence of the culture) is all about that. It does think of protecting everyone, and ensuring everyone remains strong warriors in community. The haka is a visual expression of this aesthetic in effect. The haka – when performed properly, is always spiritual. Jey loves it.
Jey has moved from personal fitness training to now doing hair. He says it’s way easier to manage. We talk the concept of ‘hair lockers.’ Where Jey points out the beautiful twenty-something blonde girls in the cafe and says most of these girls have weaves, or hair tracks on their scalps. I’m so dumb, I’m like “no way!”. He’s like, “yes, they all do. California is hair capitol of America.” When they get their hair done, their old hair they take off their heads and they save it. Hence all these girls have what is called a hair locker in their bedrooms at home.
I say, well, Hollywood American girls are sort of like Native American Indians, collecting hair in that scalping tradition way then. Jey says, “not a good example. But yes. You’re right. Half of Hollywood is like that.” We laugh. Servite Football team of California are Jey’s favorite college football team’s fans, he says do the Maori haka the fiercest. They’re also big on Scottish music too. Must check them out. Jey reminds me of my brother-in-laws Lou, once bro-in-law Matthew, Richard and Eddie who all play touch rugby football. Some internationally too. Jey most looks very similar to brotha Eddie who is half Maori of the Tainui Maori tribe and half Tongan of the South Pacific.
‘Don’t be a stranger,’ Jey says off to his next appointment. Dude is so Warren Beatty of Shampoo movie days in 1975 Oscar winning history, minus the attitude. We had a good conversation today, with his permission to share it with you. Yes, feel privileged.
On any given day you blog in a cafe in Los Angeles, such things go on all around you in the real Hollywood.
I love it.
Today Malia gets top billing (pictured above), with her Maori koru design aesthetic from Aotearoa-New Zealand etched into her Young Hollywood scalp. She’s all fierce, smart, beautiful like a skinnier version of Missy Elliott, the rapper; having biz meetings with a blonde guy from the U.K with a Cockney accent whose convincing Malia to sign with him as her photographer/ manager.
She is beautiful, confident, quietly resolute. As I ask to share her winning look back to the good people of Aotearoa-New Zealand where her I.D is inspired from, (and with you all) she smiles big, turns side on and says “Wurq it Mah-ree peoples of New Zeeeeeland.”
Like that. Let’s go America! :)
As a New Zealander, I am that American footballers and supporters do the Maori-Kiwi haka of New Zealand. Just get on a plane every now and again and head down to NZ to see it performed live every now and again, for reals from the source of culture, okay? :)
What a fun day. I feel like I hung out at Hollywood’s version of The White House – Hollywood coffee bar today. Thankfully Aotearoa, New Zealand is so in that picture too. Fun.
[Gosh, that was perhaps the longest blog post header written ever!]
Music today is laid back mellow, as I think about Hawaiian sun, South Pacific palm trees and beautiful Aotearoa beaches, while listening to the Zac Brown Band ‘s song Toes brought to US by 5 Gum, while thinking that I’ve already done our celebrity news today in this one post.
I can imagine my Maori-Samoan cousin Eileen Taogaga grooving to this at the Helensville pub today near the Kaipara, on a mom’s friday night off in the ‘big smoke’ of Helensville as good country Kiwi folk do in any tight knit rural community, with the best green grass in the world, far across the waters on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean of Malibu as I blog, from The City of Angels today.
~Cross cultural, living tukutuku weaving art on wood created at Melrose & Spaulding. Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.26.11. To everyone who contributed to this moment, thanks.~
KEY AT SITE RAMSES II, ABU SIMBEL NUBIA, EGYPT with Isaiah‘s prophetic and poetic, lyrical words, written originally in Hebrew, being posted in Hollywood today, especially for baby Ezra and Generation Ezra in the world.
Prophetic poetry – “I will give you the treasures of darkness – I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places… I call you by your name… though you have not known me.”
Words in Te Reo Rangatira, follow:
Ko te kupu tenei a Ihowa ki tana i whakawahi ai, ki a Hairuha, he mea pupuri nei naku tona ringa matau, kia pehia ai e ia nga iwi ki raro i a ia; maku ano e wewete to nga hope o nga kingi; ko nga tatau ka whakapuaretia ki tona aroaro; e kore ano nga kuwaha e tutakina.
As Angelina Jolie gets to play Cleopatra in 3D for Sony Pictures as the Egyptian queen in a biopic, based on Stacy Schiff‘s biography Queen Of The Nile, Cleopatra: A Life. Director Scott Rudin declares that the as yet unmade film focuses on Cleopatra as a great ruler. I’m sure Angelina will be as classy as a flemish bunny’s hat like her kids Maddox, Pax and Zahara Jolie-Pitt are too when keeping the world fair.
In your own words as a global audience – here’s what you’re searching for in Hollywood on Horiwood.Com in an age where digital transparency exists whether we acknowledge this fact or not. Trending topics of interest today are:
| elizabeth edwards | 64 |
| kim kardashian | 38 |
| megan fox | 35 |
| amber portwood | 32 |
| natalie portman | 27 |
| alex meraz | 17 |
| elizabeth edwards will | 15 |
| jason davis | 13 |
| nicole fox | 13 |
| ryan seacrest julianne hough | 12 |
| lady gaga and rolling stone | 11 |
| simon baker | 11 |
| katy perry | 9 |
| sean penn natalie portman | 8 |
| jason davis heir | 7 |
| sean penn | 7 |
| tom hardy | 7 |
| wall street journal jerry brown | 6 |
| Read the rest of this entry » |
Photographic art from Egypt via West Hollywood today where I blog.
__
A photographic work by Artist actress Jacqueline Ann Finch, granddaughter of jazz composer and vibraphonist Victor Feldman, as photographed on ochre-brown brick. Artists information – email . Ph: 213-590-8222
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.1.11~
Love this artwork today.
Man with Camel on Farm at the Outskirts of Luxor, Egypt.
____
A photographic work by Artist actress Jacqueline Ann Finch, granddaughter of jazz composer and vibraphonist Victor Feldman, as snapped today in florescent lighting. Artists information – email . Ph: 213-590-8222
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 1.1.10~
SNIPPETS OF “EGYPT’S NEW BLOOD” CHANGE VIA A NOBEL LAUREATE FOR CHEMISTRY, AHMED ZEWAIL
On Facebook Egypt’s new blood generation: “The present revolt that has erupted across Egypt is in many ways historic and should take the nation into a hopeful future. Unexpected, even by the Egyptians themselves, is that this intifada is led by youth, the so-called Facebook children, with no religious or ideological agenda other than a better future for Egypt and the Egyptian people.”
On expensive military might with youthful energy working together: “these two forces of the youth and the military offer great hope for an orderly transition to a new Egypt.”
On what caused the revolt: “the power games… the lack of transparency among those who held power; and the phony elections that led in the last parliament to a majority by Mubarak’s party, effectively with no opposition.
The economics of a revolution: “The masses of the poor have been left behind, and the middle class has actually gone backward. Only the small elite at the top has benefited lavishly by exploiting the marriage between their political influence and the capital. The corruption resulting from this marriage and the constant demands for bribes by officials has further exhausted the tolerance of the people.”
On the peoples thirst for good education: “The education system, which is central to every Egyptian household’s hopes of progress, has deteriorated into a sad state that is far below Egypt’s standing in the world. The system failed in a big way, especially when I compare it with the one I personally experienced as a student in Alexandria in the 1960s. Moreover, scientific research in Egypt, which was ahead of South Korea, has now fallen to the tail of global rankings over the 30 years of the regime’s governance.”
Four Steps to Egypts Recovery: 1. Wise men and women writing a fair constitution offering liberty and based on human rights. 2. the justice system must be guaranteed freedom of autonomy. 3. Democratic elections, not like Florida recounts wanted. 4. Transition governance - military to guard property and discourage crime while a new government forms. Murabek can exit a military hero as he always has been if peaceful.
To read more, go here.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollwood California USA. 2.2.11~
Posted by horiwood on February 3, 2011 in Ahmed Zewail, Democracy, Education, Egypt, Guest Commentary, Hosni Murabek, Human Rights, Leadership, Liberty, Life, Light, Like A Prayer, Middle East, Military, Nobel Peace Prize, Politics, Science, Technology, Wisdom, Women, World News, World Peace