(+972 Magazine)
U.S. on alert for Islamist ire to ‘Zero Dark Thirty’. Could the release of “Zero Dark Thirty” provoke violent protests against the U.S. in response to the film’s searing depictions of “enhanced interrogation” — the coercive, super-secret and bitterly debated methods used by the CIA against al Qaeda terrorism suspects? Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s acclaimed docudrama about the pursuit of Osama bin Laden opened Wednesday at five theaters in New York and Los Angeles...
(The Washington Times)
Embed, Embed, Who Wants An Embed. Know I owe some posts, such a follow-up to the tease I posted the other day, but I've been fighting the lung crud and dealing with background issues. Among those background issues is the new revised embed. Last week, I met with a MG at Bragg, and he had a very good idea for an embed and a story that has not been done. I liked him, and liked the story. However, it will take up to another month for his staff to set it up I am told. Yep, yet more delay...
(Blackfive)
NBC’s Richard Engel: ‘We weren’t expecting a rescue’. During the five days Richard Engel and a crew of four others were held in Syria, the kidnappers “didn’t really know who we were,” Engel told Savannah Guthrie during an interview that aired Friday on the “Today” show. The NBC News chief foreign correspondent also described their escape...
(Poynter)
Engel and crew believed they wouldn't make it out of Syria alive. NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his crew believed they would not make it out of Syria alive during their five days of captivity, Engel said Thursday. "There was no doubt that these were violent people and that they could have executed us at any time," Engel told NBC News' Savannah Guthrie in an interview Thursday night on "Rock Center." Engel, 39, and his team disappeared shortly after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Dec. 13. He and his team had already been captured as his last taped report from Aleppo was appearing on "NBC Nightly News" that evening...
(NBC News)
The End of You Served Radio. I just wrapped up the last episode of You Served Radio and it was sad to do but it was necessary. Tonight’s episode (which can be heard anytime along with any of the previous 219 episodes at www.youservedradio.com) was a night to reflect back at the last 4+ years of broadcasts. I used to write on upwards of 5 blogs and host the show all at the same time. But times have changed and I have to re-focus on what I spend my time on (what time I have). Regular readers of this blog know that my writings here have even been sporadic and sparse compared to that they have been like over the years...
(Bouhammer)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
A few hours ago, Bates announced on Facebook, “Flying home today. Back in the states tomorrow!”
Bates also posted a link to a radio interview he did for The Story with Dick Gordon. He’s on at the 24:40 mark.
Bates has been taking photos, drawing sketches and keeping a journal of his embed experience.
He plans to start blogging about the days spent in Afghanistan when he returns.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The Associated Press reported earlier this week that the U.S. State Department will be monitoring a new Facebook page that may have been created by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
So far, no one has yet to determine whether the Facebook page is authentic or fake. If you ask me, it doesn’t look legit. Full disclosure: It’s just a gut feeling.
Even the AP reporter says the page's contents and style "raise serious questions about its authenticity."
But that hasn’t stopped more than 18,000 people, at the time of this story, from “Liking” the page which was only created on December 13.
As Time.com points out, most of the “Likes” are most definitely not from Iran, since Facebook has been banned there since 2009.
You can judge for yourself if the Facebook page is authentic or not. The page can be found here.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
(TVNewser)
Accounts of a Siege in Syria Differ on Rebel YouTube Channels and British Television. As my colleagues Liam Stack and Hania Mourtada reported, Syrian activists said last week that members of a pro-government militia known as the shabiha had massacred dozens of civilians this month in the village of Aqrab, northwest of the city of Homs, just outside the town of Houla. What made the claim of a massacre in the village unusual were the accounts of witnesses, identified as survivors of the atrocity on rebel YouTube channels, who said that the victims were Alawites — members of the same minority sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, as President Bashar al-Assad and most members of the shabiha militia...
(The Lede)
Your Twitter archive. It’s no secret: You make Twitter what it is. And if you tweet, you may have found yourself wanting to go back in time and explore your past Tweets. Maybe you wanted to recall your reaction to the 2008 election, reminisce on what you said to your partner on your 10th anniversary, or just see your first few Tweets. We know lots of you would like to explore your Twitter past...
(Twitter Blog)
Book offers stories of local World War II heroes. Bob Percy was just a kid at the height of World War II, but the subject and especially those who served in the war was always of great interest to him. There were stories to tell of local people who were involved and the former history and social studies teacher at Southmoreland High School wanted to make sure they were told...
(TribLIVE)
Are Newspaper People Really Still Wondering If Journalism Can Exist Without Newsprint? Decades of often awkward interaction with America's "print media" professionals has proven (to me) that writers who talk about their medium are bores, and also bad writers. This goes for the people who type up rules for "curating" the Internet and the people who propose "best practices" for typing bullshit on Twitter, but it's the newspaper person who is most guilty of being terrible all the time...
(The Awl)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Image Source: NBC News File
On Tuesday, NBC News was happy to report that Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and members of his network production team were freed from their captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint.
In a story that appeared on the NBC News site, Mike Brunker wrote:
“The NBC News crew was unharmed in the incident. They remained in Syria until Tuesday morning when they made their way to the border and re-entered Turkey, the network said. They were to be evaluated and debriefed, but had communicated that everyone was in good health.
NBC News said it “expressed its gratitude to those who worked to gather information and secure the release of our colleagues.”
Engel is widely regarded as one of America’s leading foreign correspondents for his coverage of wars, revolutions and political transitions around the world over the last 15 years. Most recently, he was recognized for his outstanding reporting on the 2011 revolution in Egypt, the conflict in Libya and unrest throughout the Arab world.”
I had been following this story closely for the past couple days.
Surprisingly, despite their being a media blackout while Engel was in captivity, a number of news outlets including Gawker publicly reported that Engel had gone missing in Syria.
Even though readership is generally low here compared to mainstream media outlets, I chose not to report the news or link to the news.
Others didn’t respect the media blackout request by NBC News, going as far as tweeting, writing and posting updates about the situation.
BuzzFeed's Andrew Kaczynski has a detailed wrap up on how NBC News tried to keep Engel's disappearance a secret.
There are good reasons for media blackouts.
In 2008, CBC news journalist Melissa Fung was kidnapped while reporting in Afghanistan. CBC requested a media blackout to avoid complicating the negotiation efforts.
The good news is, Engel and his team came out of this unharmed, but it could’ve ended up a lot worse for the NBC news team.
Brunker reports that the Syrian captors executed one of the rebels “on the spot,” who had been escorting Engel and later during their captivity they were subjected to mock executions while blindfolded and bound.
Source: NBC News and BuzzFeed
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
(Boston Business Journal)
VA hosting Twitter benefits forum for surviving military spouses and children. If you are the surviving spouse or child of a veteran, here is an opportunity to learn more about your benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs forum is set for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. You can follow @VaVetbenefits and can ask questions live by using hashtag #AskVBA. If you're a member of the National Guard or Reserves, see below for how some veterans are putting those benefits to use...
(al.com)
Microsoft Wants to Kinect with Pentagon. Microsoft hopes its popular Kinect gaming accessory will score with veterans who need physical therapy. The software behemoth has paired the Kinect with off-the-shelf software in a package that can be used by injured soldiers and veterans to perform physical therapy at home, without the need to visit a medical facility. Microsoft is working with the Air Force to define requirements for a Kinect therapy system and will discuss the technology with the Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center...
(DefenseNews)
The Military Is Present. Using outreach, performance, video, photography, and therapy, artists and museums are devising new ways to connect with veterans—and to bring their stories to a wider audience...
(ARTNews)
DARPA and Defense Department look to a more open source future. As the United States military marches further into the age of networked warfare, data networks and the mobile platforms to distribute and access them will become even more important. This fall, the (retired) eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff described a potential future of the military that’s founded not only in open source thinking, but in next-generation user interfaces and biohacking straight out of science fiction. If even some of the strategic thinking he described at this year’s Military Open Source Conference in D.C. is applied to how the technology that supports the next generation of war fighters is built, dramatic evolutionary changes could cascade down the entire supply chain of one of the world’s biggest organizations...
(O'Reilly Radar)
Omar: the mysterious poster boy of the Syrian revolution. Syria's opposition movement is often associated with young burly men in rebel militias, makeshift weapons and fierce fighting. So it comes as quite a surprise that the poster boy for this bloody revolution is a chubby toddler called Omar. Without resorting to violence - bar a tantrum or two - Omar has become one of Syrian president, Bashar Al Assad's, most formidable opponents. Since pictures surfaced of the revolutionary youngster on popular opposition Facebook page, The New Syria, Assad's adversaries in the Middle East and beyond have looked to Omar as the hopeful face of the uprising...
(Al Bawaba)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The United States Marine Corps is leading the way on Facebook among the different military branches, according to the Facebook Page metrics site PageData.
As of the time of this writing, the United States Marine Corps (https://www.facebook.com/marinecorps) has 2,840,665 likes on Facebook, bringing it very close to the 3 million milestone.
The page grows by nearly 1,000 new likes per day, but it’s not the only Marine Corps Facebook page to watch.
Another Marines Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/marines) just topped 2.5 likes on Facebook recently and as of today has approximately 2,508,915 likes.
Other top military pages by likes include:
The U.S. Army - 1,668,646 likes
National Guard – 1,284,400 likes
United States Air Force - 1,166,336 likes
The U.S. Navy - 783,286 likes
U.S. Coast Guard - 165,766 likes
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
By now you've probably already seen the news reports about Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer being involved in a fight that ended up with him being hospitalized.
There has been an arrest and Meyer is out of the hospital already, but details of what went down remain sketchy at this point.
Meyer did issue a statement late last week saying, ""It's unfortunate the circumstances that have happened. This is the first time since being back from Afghanistan that I have been in fear for my life. It's also unfortunate that it happened in my hometown. Hopefully a lesson can be learned, and this can be a stepping stone to making our community safer."
It appears the media was quick to report the news about the incident without all the facts, which upset Meyer.
He took to Twitter to speak out.
On December 14, Meyer tweeted:
“Disappointed in media who let accused criminal spread lies about me without talking to poIice. Bad journalism!”
Several people responded in support of Meyer.
Laurie C @TherapyDogsRock wrote:
Sadly it's no longer journalism. It's all for "shock value" and ratings. Pathetic.
hubris @backtracesec wrote:
the media are idiots :-) #trustme
To keep up with Meyer on Twitter, you can follow him at @Dakota_Meyer
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
(Washington Post)
The Syrian conflict: a war photographer's story. I have been covering the situation in Aleppo since August. When I first arrived here, I was taken to the Hullok and Hananu districts – areas that were subject to heavy bombing. Since then, I have known what to expect. It scared me. My time is spent photographing the situation faced by civilians in Aleppo, how they cope with hardly anything and how they deal with their tragedy. There is no electricity, no petrol, there is a lack of bread. It is also now winter and the city is freezing...
(guardian.co.uk)
News orgs circulate Facebook profile, photos of man who wasn’t the shooter. Reporters and producers around the country, frantically searching for information online about the alleged school shooter, found what seemed like a match. Ryan Lanza, 24, was believed responsible for the deaths of 27 people in Newtown, Conn., at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. The Facebook profile showed a Ryan Lanza from Newtown, Conn., who currently lives in Hoboken, N.J. — a male who looks like he’s in his 20s. The photo fit the description, so countless news orgs ran with it in stories and tweets. Problem is, it was the wrong guy...
(Poynter)
Reuters journalists: Israeli troops assaulted us, forced us to strip in street. HEBRON, West Bank -- Israeli soldiers have been accused of punching two Reuters cameramen and forcing them to strip in the street, before letting off a tear gas canister in front of them, leaving one of them needing hospital treatment. Israel's military said Thursday it took the allegations seriously. "The regional brigade commander was ordered to open an investigation," Israeli Defense Forces spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said in an email...
(NBC News)
Duggan: Veteran's story reaches way beyond war. Jumping into and out of a person’s life comes with the territory in journalism. Reporters tend to meet a lot of people — “real” people, as we say in the trade, as opposed to officialdom — who are not obliged to deal with media on a regular basis. We tell their stories as best we can in the context of some issue or trend and move on. Getting to know strangers is one of the most interesting aspects of the work. But some short-term sources stand out in one’s crowded memory well after the story has been filed...
(The Coloradoan)
Google-backed Data Journalism Awards open for entries. The Global Editors Network has today announced the launch of next year's Data Journalism Awards. It is the second year of the international competition which recognises the "outstanding work in the growing field of data journalism", GEN said in a release. A total of €15,000 (around £12,000) will be awarded to eight winning projects in the Google-supported competition. Launching this year's awards at a press conference at the Guardian, Datablog editor Simon Rogers, who is a judge of the awards, urged news outlets and organisations large and small to enter. Data journalism is "not expensive", he said, "it's not about maths".
(Journalism.co.uk)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
In a recent story, Stuart Hughes a BBC World Affairs producer, says some young journalists are not only skipping training that can help prepare them for hazardous assignments, some are rushing into war zones before they've even been published in hopes of getting a big career break.
"The scarcity of entry-level positions is encouraging some young journalists to skip the unglamorous training grounds of local newsrooms and head straight to some of the most hazardous countries on the planet in search of that elusive career break." writes Hughes.
"No non-motorist of sound mind would consider climbing behind the wheel of a high-performance sports car and putting the pedal down without first having a few driving lessons. Yet ambitious writers and film-makers seem increasingly prepared to put their life at risk in some of the most hostile environments in the world without basic first aid training, insurance or protective kit, or any form of back-up plan in the event of an emergency."
Hughes spoke with journalist Sarah Topol, who received a Kurt Schork Award for her reporting from Libya for GQ magazine.
Topol admits to following the same path of cutting corners, and says she discourages others from doing the same.
Full story here.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Remember last month when Lindsey Stone created a furor after posting a photo on Facebook of herself disrespecting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers?
You know how that ended up.
Well, once again, someone has done something real stupid on Facebook to disrespect the military and it’s attracting a lot of attention.
This time, it’s happened in Fairbanks, Alaska.
According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a manager at the local Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza franchise quit after he criticized the military on Facebook and the post went viral.
Jeff Richardson a reporter for News-Miner writes:
“Dusty Westbrook posted an item complaining about frequent requests for military discounts, saying it’s “pathetic” they expect a markdown while other professions — such as health care workers, police officers and firefighters — don’t get one.
“I’m sorry YOU signed up for this job you CHOSE to take this filed (sic) YOU picked to work and defend the US I’m sorry you don’t deserve anything,” the post stated.”
On Wednesday, Boston’s Fairbanks Facebook page posted an online apology (screenshot above).
Here's what the company had to say:
"Boston’s in Fairbanks would like to set the record straight regarding comments made by Dusty Westbrook. First, we want to make it clear that Boston’s strongly disagrees with the opinions expressed by Mr. Westbrook, and that Boston’s has been, and always will be, a loyal supporter of the U.S. Military. Please know that his comments were isolated and do not represent our company.
We are deeply sorry that an individual no longer associated with our company made comments online that may have raised any doubts regarding our support for the U.S. Military, as Boston’s has always had the utmost respect and admiration for the men and women serving our country and fighting for our freedom."
Here’s a look at some of the mixed reactions:
Richard Hertz
“A lot of people are boycotting this company. The fact that an employee especially a manager who is put in that position to act on behalf of the owners. The military may be a large but it is a very small community and word travels fast. This company needs to also recognize all public service personnel. The service is terrible and the food is not great, but with limited locations in Fairbanks this company is trying to hold onto the small monopoly it has. I will continue to spread the word about this to as many people as I can. By the way Merry Christmas!”
Sandy Myatt
“I'm ex Military and until recently a Military spouse! It's hard to tell by these FACEBOOK posts, if this kid got fired or not? I personally do not believe what he said on a social networking site should have been taken as seriously as it was! For those of you up and arms about this, isn't he practicing the very thing that some many of us were willing to fight and die for...FREEDOM! Everyone is getting all worked up over Law Enforcement wanting to be able to monitor texts on a phone in the instance of a criminsl case, but a dumb ass, fast food manager has no right to post on FACEBOOK how he feels about an issue? Seriously, folks....facebook? He didn't say he hated the military, he didn't say he hated this Country...he merely stated he was sick of the Military asking for discounts in a restaurant he worked in. Scary to think that posting how you feel about something on facebook could get you fired or even worse! Get a life people...get pissed about things that REALLY matter to our Military...better combat supplies, better insurance, etc...getting excited over some kid in a Fairbanks, AK restaurant...! And shame on Bostons, a Canadian company, if they did fire this kid!!”
Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Image Source: petitions.whitehouse.gov
Death Star Petition Requires White House Response. This petition has passed the 25,000 threshold needed for a response from the White House. The White House petition is now quite operational...
(BuzzFeed)
The best (and worst) media errors and corrections of 2012. 2012 was a competitive year for hoaxes. There were many of note: the fake Bill Keller column from WikiLeaks, the teenager who fooled CNBC, the fake Army sniper who fooled “Marketplace,” the paper that got fooled by a contributing cartoonist, the amusing “Abraham Lincoln invented Facebook” hoax, and of course all of the hoax photos during Hurricane Sandy. (I’ll dig a bit deeper into what the increase in hoaxes means in my forthcoming post about the trends of note from 2012.)
(Poynter)
Social media sites connect service members and veterans with jobs and each other. Social media has become the important lifeline for military families. From keeping connected with deployed service members via Skype to building a support network through Facebook, modern technology has made communication easier for service members and their families. Now, several sites designed for active duty military members, veterans and their families are being used to help with things such as job searches, keeping in touch with fellow service members and even documenting military history...
(AL.com)
The scrappy Syrian TV station where reporters file via Facebook and Gchat. Syria’s media is almost entirely state-controlled, but through the chaos of the civil war, one scrappy, independent television station has been committed to providing citizens of Aleppo, the country’s largest city, with news about every bomb blast and street battle. The editors of Aleppo Today, who are based outside of Syria, are mainly refugees who held other professions before the war, CNN reports...
(Washington Post)
Military Homecomings Still Bittersweet For Some. Thousands of Americans are still deployed overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. A few soldiers from Fort Campbell returned home on Thursday after a nine month deployment to Afghanistan...
(NPR)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The information comes from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide.
While the total number of journalists killed in 2012 is far higher, 67 of the reported deaths have been “confirmed” by CPJ staff, meaning, that a journalist was killed in direct reprisal for his or her work; in crossfire; or while carrying out a dangerous assignment.
According to the website’s research page, “Cases involving unclear motives, but with a potential link to journalism, are classified as "unconfirmed" and CPJ continues to investigate.”
Abou Deif, a reporter for El-Fagr, died from injuries yesterday, becoming the latest journalist killed. On December 5, he was struck in the head by a rubber bullet in Cairo, Egypt during a protest.
Syria is the world’s deadliest place to be a journalist in 2012, with 28 journalists killed so far. Naji Asaad was the last journalist killed in Syria. According to CPJ, a sniper shot Asaad outside his home in Damascus.
Here’s a look at the world’s top 4 deadliest places to be a journalist in 2012, according to the number of “confirmed” killings.
1. Syria: 28
2. Somalia: 12
3. Pakistan: 7
4. Brazil: 4
Source: CPJ
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
(U.S. Army)
New Army Manual Orders Soldiers Not To Criticize Taliban, pedophilia, "anything related to Islam" or "advocate for women's rights". The new U.S. military handbook for troops deployed to the Middle East orders soldiers not to make derogatory comments about the Taliban or criticize pedophilia, among other Islamic things. Mass beheadings, gendercide, gassing of girls' schools, mass slaughter of non-believers and less than devout Muslims, attacks on US soldiers, acid attacks on women, brutal burka enforcement ..... must not be criticzed...
(Atlas Shrugs)
Who can save Ukrainian journalist kidnapped in Syria? Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva, abducted by militants in Syria in October, is in danger. The militants threatened to kill her if their demands are not met. Russian Foreign Ministry and the Syrian authorities promised to intervene, but so far the results of their actions are difficult to assess. Who can save the life of Ankhar, and what do the kidnappers need if their demands remain a mystery?
(Pravda)
At Ft. Bragg. I'm at Ft. Bragg for some meetings related to my embed. I happen to have some unexpected free time, though no transpo, so if anyone cares to meet up, drop me a line at wolf1 at laughingwolf dot net. Also, if you are a PAO with any of the groups here at Bragg, and would like to tell me about your operations or share a story, also drop me a line. -LW
(Blackfive)
Midland Students Thank U.S. Army Sgt. Evans for His Service (VIDEO). Two classes of grateful Midland School students welcomed United States Army Sgt. John Evans into their classroom to thank him for his service and learn more about what it means to be in the military on Dec. 7. Evans, 27, is a Port Chester resident who served in the army for five years and was twice deployed to Iraq. The first deployment was for 15 months and the second was 12. His active service ended in May, 2011, but he considers reenlisting every day, he said...
(Patch)
Watch ‘Wounded Warriors’ Film Starring Korn’s Jonathan Davis. Korn fans now have a chance to see singer Jonathan Davis in a different environment, as the rocker’s recent short film, ‘Wounded Warriors,’ is streaming online. The 17-minute film follows Davis as he tours Germany’s Ramstein Air Base. The movie, directed by Sebastien Paquet, finds Davis experiencing several of the tasks that soldiers go through on a daily basis. The singer says, “I’m just in shock. This film is not about me. It is about all the troops and what they sacrifice to keep our life going. I am truly grateful for every single one of them.”
(Loudwire)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The Washington Post is reporting that a Pakistani Taliban Facebook page that was being used as a recruiting tool, has been shut down by Facebook.
The Facebook page, called Umar Media TTP, had gained nearly 300 "Likes" as of last Friday.
The Los Angeles Times which wrote about the page on December 7, said, "Its latest posting invites visitors to become contributors to a new quarterly magazine the group is publishing called Ahyah-e-Khilafat, or Sign of the Caliphate."
What is surprising, as the WashPo’s Caitlin Dewey points out, is that people actually “Liked” the page.
Caitlin writes, “In fact, the most intriguing part of the now-defunct page may be the people who “liked” it. Regardless of your motive, identifying yourself as the “friend” of a known terrorist organization takes guts — or fervor, or social media ignorance, or some combination of the three. While there’s been no suggestion that the government tracked this specific page, the FBI has in the past monitored the social network as a part of certain terrorist investigations, in some cases even using it as evidence.”
Full story here.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Earlier this year, Bates, who blogs at rb-portraits.com, raised $5,000 through the crowd funding website indiegogo to help cover expenses associated with the December trip, which he refers to as “Sketching the Drawdown”.
The former Marine been updating his Facebook page regularly since arriving in Afghanistan last week.
Here’s a look at his latest entries:
December 10 - More than likely I will have access to internet while out here. Pretty calm here. My, has the war changed over the years. We are definitely in drawdown mode. Great sketches thus far.
December 7 - In Camp leatherneck sharing the media tent with a reporter from the BBC. Probably the last stop with internet for a while. I finally met my PAO who picked me up from the tarmac. She told me that the unit I'm going to has big plans for me, as they took into consideration that I used to be a grunt. Something about joint patrols with ANA. Can't disclose anything ele due to OPSEC. Hopefully it's exciting as it sounds.
December 6 - Spent the night in transient barracks with a bunch of Hungarian Soldiers. Feel refreshed and will fly out to the Marine side of the war in a few hours. Nothing exciting to report at this time.
December 6 - Made it safely in Kabul, and will be spending the night here. Jet-lagged as all hell.
You can keep up with Bates over at Facebook.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The Canadian War Museum has issued a press release today, announcing that it is expanding its War of 1812 experience to include online and travelling exhibitions.
OTTAWA, Dec. 10, 2012 -- /CNW/ - The Canadian War Museum will soon reach more people than ever with its popular exhibition 1812. The four perspectives in the current exhibition in Ottawa will soon be available via a virtual exhibition that launches today and a 140 square metre version that will travel to venues across Canada after 1812 closes January 6, 2013.
"We are delighted that anyone across Canada and around the world can now enjoy this fascinating and thought-provoking portrait of the War of 1812," said James Whitham, Director General of the Canadian War Museum. "By learning about the motivations, aspirations and experiences of the four main participants, museum-goers as well as online visitors gain a richer, deeper understanding of this historical conflict that helped shape Canada as a nation."
Supported by National Presenting Sponsor TD Bank Group and National Supporting Sponsor Ancestry.ca, the original, award-winning exhibition at the Canadian War Museum has already been seen by more than 103,000 visitors.
"As the National Presenting Sponsor of 1812, TD is proud to join with the Canadian War Museum to help ensure that the story of this founding battle is shared with communities across Canada." said John See, Executive Vice President, Wealth Management, TD Bank Group.
The smaller travelling version of 1812 is now fully booked until May 2015 at venues in Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. It will engage visitors with close to 30 artifacts; high-realism mannequins, ship and battlefield models, portrait images, landscapes, battle scenes and maps representing different perspectives on the war.
In addition, a 40 square metre text-and-image only version of the exhibition is currently touring various venues in Canada and the United States. It has already been presented at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University in Boston, the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives in Penetanguishene, Ontario and at various national historic sites across the province of Quebec.
The 1812 virtual exhibition, like the physical version, presents the War of 1812 from four distinct perspectives—American, British, Canadian (including Canadian First Peoples), and Native American. The conflict had surprisingly different meanings and consequences for its participants. By contrasting these points of view, the exhibition offers a nuanced perspective of this pivotal period in Canadian history.
Illustrated with dramatic images, works of art and artifacts, the virtual exhibition goes further in developing the concept of historical perspectives by inviting site visitors to share their own views through surveys and interactive modules. The experience will enhance their understanding and enrich their point of view on history at large.
The virtual exhibition can be found at warmuseum.ca/war-of-1812.
A complete list of all the upcoming locations and dates for the travelling exhibitions is provided in the attached backgrounder.
The Canadian War Museum is Canada's national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada's military history in its personal, national, and international dimensions.
Full press release can be found here.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
The friendly and fun crew over at the military shirt company Ranger Up, whose blog The Rhino Den won Best US Army Blog in the 2012 Milbloggies, have stirred up some controversy in the last few days after posting a photoshopped picture of the Pope to Facebook.
While obviously nothing more than a joke, some viewers haven’t found it so humorous.
A writer for NewsBusters even went as far as publishing a story blasting the company for posting the photo.
“Someone who works for the pro-military company, which was started by people who "either were or are still in the military", must have found the crass Photoshopped image funny. However, it ultimately only serves the agenda of those who would like to smear all Catholic clerics as perverts who like to abuse children.
The graphic also dishonors the hundreds of thousands of Catholics who have served in the U.S. military since the American Revolution. Many of them died in the defense of the American republic. The two Navy SEALs who were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for sacrificing their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq - Michael Murphy and Michael Monsoor - were both Catholic.
Ranger Up's decision to post the image is even more incomprehensible in light of the fact that they sell T-shirts, sweatshirts, and even fight shorts with an image of Holy Michael the Archangel on them.”
Ranger Up responded on Facebook to the NewsBusters story yesterday: “Apparently, a few people with no sense of humor are so offended they may never recover from the picture we reposted of the Pope.”
Fans also responded.
Here are a few of their comments.
Robyn Lyon: "O M G the pope pic was one of the more tame pics RU has posted... Totally harmless in my opinion... Are there not more important issues demanding attention than a photoshopped, funny pic on FB?"
Jerry Leberer: " I didn't take offense to it and I'm Roman Catholic and St. Michael has watched over me every day of my life and I've worked security and got into extremely dangerous situations and I'm in the military and served in Iraq! That guy, is a moron who needs a sense of humor!!!"
Suzzy Parker: "Why are people so upright all the time? Why is it that people feel compelled to whine when things are not always what they call " politically correct". Relax people. It's a bit of humor. No malice intended."
More at Ranger Up’s Facebook Fan Page.
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
(The Seattle Times)
Steve Scauzillo: In Afghanistan, let's set YouTube free. My first experience with YouTube, the online video channel, came about 10 years ago when my sons posted their home videos on the Internet site. As a father of teens during the digital revolution, my exposure to social media was a parental obligation. All eyes were on deck, and that included what my kids were experiencing from the World Wide Web. Turns out, the videos were creative, funny and part of what we in America call freedom of speech. Inspiration can go from child to father, so I got busy one summer making a video of my own and posting it on YouTube...
(SGVTribune.com)
'Wounded Warriors' short film (Starring Jonathan Davis from Korn) WOUNDED WARRIORS—which won the Audience Choice Award at the 2012 GI Film Festival Hollywood—is a short film documenting Jonathan Davis, lead singer of Grammy Award-winning band KORN, returning to Ramstein Air Base in Germany August 11, 2012 to visit with members of armed forces stationed there as well as those in transit from Iraq and Afghanistan...
(YouTube)
Military Family Guest Blog: How We Connect from 7,000 Miles Away. Staying connected to your deployed soldier is always a challenge, but we were determined to make it a priority. Before Tommy left, we decided to get two iPads. Although the price tag was a bit daunting, they proved to be worth their weight in gold. We have utilized every possible avenue to keep him in the loop during these past nine months. Of course Skype and Facetime have been invaluable for our communication, but Mikayla was not always on board with our scheduled video chat times. But I was able to capture the first time she crawled, and he saw that on Facebook. Four months later, he saw her first steps when I put the video in his Dropbox...
(Parenting.com)
Military Wives Go Bare for PTSD (VIDEO) Military wife and mom Ashley Wise was tired of struggling in silence as she and her children dealt with her husband's post-traumatic stress disorder following his deployments. So she decided to do something that would get everyone's attention...
(The Stir)
Acquitted blogger sues Conn. officials for $50M. A blogger who urged readers to "take up arms" against Connecticut officials is suing state government leaders for $50 million after being acquitted of threatening and inciting violence. Harold "Hal" Turner, of North Bergen, N.J., filed the lawsuit in federal court in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 21 claiming he was falsely arrested, wrongfully imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted. A jury acquitted him last year...
(KTIV)
Some Second Thoughts and Reader Feedback About the Middle East and Social Media. When I wrote last Wednesday about The Times’s Jerusalem bureau chief, Jodi Rudoren, and criticism of her social media use, many readers – and some of those quoted in the blog post – responded. Readers who are on Twitter can see some of it there (though, let’s face it, in the Twitter universe, something that old is about as fresh as Chaucer), and others can see a lively and provocative discussion in the comments below the post...
(The Public Editor)
Civil War 150 HistoryMobile making final Va. stop. A history class on wheels is ending its 2012 tour at events marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg. The Civil War 150 HistoryMobile is spending the weekend at National Park Service events relating to the Battle of Fredericksburg. Some 1,300 re-enactors are also due at George Washington's Ferry Farm in Stafford County and a Confederate encampment at Slaughter Pen Farm in Spotsylvania County. The HistoryMobile has been touring for two years, and it's planning 35 events next year...
(WSET.com)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day and many people from all over the United States remembered the fallen.
While reading through the news coverage of Pearl Harbor Day, I came across an interesting article in The Atlantic that discusses how the Associated Press learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the news flash that was sent after the AP got word of the attack.
The bulletin in the news flash read:
WASHINGTON, DEC. 7--(AP)--PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SAID IN A STATEMENT TODAY THAT THE JAPANESE HAD ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, FROM THE AIR.
The Atlantic reporter points out that part of the reason the news flash is so interesting is because of how concise the bulletin was.
“A day that would live in infamy for future generations -- a day whose consequences would mold the Greatest Generation and those that would follow it -- may as well have been sent as a tweet. The AP's bulletin clocked in, all told, at 138 characters.”
The image and story about the news flash were originally posted by AP News on Facebook in AP FLASHBACK.
The AP had this to say:
Here's an excerpt from "Breaking News: How The Associated Press has Covered War, Peace, and Everything Else," on how AP learned about the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941:
"In Washington, it was 2:20 p.m., and AP editor William Peacock was in his office contemplating lunch – a peanut butter and bacon sandwich, just delivered from the Peoples Drug Store next door – when the phone rang, and a White House operator said, 'Stand by for a hookup and statement from Mr. Early. Important.'
"Stephen Early, who as a junior AP reporter in 1917 had been sent to pick up the 'Zimmerman note,' the secret German cable that sealed America's entry into World War I, now was press secretary to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A telephone hookup connected the White House simultaneously to AP, UP, and International News Service (INS).
"Just as Peacock took a bite, the White House operator said, 'All on, Mr. Early.' The press chief spoke. 'I have a statement from the president. The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor from the air.'"
Look at the attached image to see the AP flash and bulletin that were transmitted moments later, along with an additional flash and bulletin sent after AP got word of another Japanese attack, on the Philippines.
You can read The Atlantic story here.
More AP FLASHBACK here.
(Image source: AP Corporate Archives)
[ Add comment ] | [ 0 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
