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Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Winning May Be the Only Thing for Trump, But Not For the U.S.
http://lobelog.com/winning-
A slogan from the sports world—”winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing”—which usually is associated with Vince Lombardi, although he probably got it from another football coach, has always had a vacuous quality. It sounds like an attempt to make a contrast where there isn’t really a contrast. What meaningful difference is there between “everything” and “only thing”? But if there is any semantic substance to the phrase, maybe it has to do with winning as a pure, abstract value in its own right, separate from anything about the specific endeavor that was the vehicle for one contestant winning and another one losing. Winning per se is seen as the only thing that matters because everything else about the game that was played and won doesn’t matter. And in the sports world, this begins to make sense; the activity is just a game, and it really doesn’t matter in the larger course of human events. http://lobelog.com/winning-may-be-the-only-thing-for-trump-but-not-for-the-u-s/#more-37390
Winning May Be the Only Thing for Trump, But Not For the U.S.
by Paul R. PillarA slogan from the sports world—”winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing”—which usually is associated with Vince Lombardi, although he probably got it from another football coach, has always had a vacuous quality. It sounds like an attempt to make a contrast where there isn’t really a contrast. What meaningful difference is there between “everything” and “only thing”? But if there is any semantic substance to the phrase, maybe it has to do with winning as a pure, abstract value in its own right, separate from anything about the specific endeavor that was the vehicle for one contestant winning and another one losing. Winning per se is seen as the only thing that matters because everything else about the game that was played and won doesn’t matter. And in the sports world, this begins to make sense; the activity is just a game, and it really doesn’t matter in the larger course of human events. http://lobelog.com/winning-may-be-the-only-thing-for-trump-but-not-for-the-u-s/#more-37390
A music video featuring skateboarding women has Saudi Arabia entranced
A music video featuring skateboarding women has Saudi Arabia entranced
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/03/a-music-video-featuring-skateboarding-women-has-saudi-arabia-entranced/?utm_term=.2c9028d763b8
Donald Trump Plans Revamp of Top U.S. Spy Agency
Donald Trump Plans Revamp of Top U.S. Spy Agency
President-elect works on restructuring Office of the Director of National Intelligence, tweets again his doubts that Russia hacked Democrats
http://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-officials-frown-on-donald-trumps-dismissal-of-u-s-intelligence-1483554450
Israel’s Above-the-Law Behavior
Israel’s Above-the-Law Behavior
By Lawrence Davidson https://consortiumnews.com/2017/01/02/israels-above-the-law-behavior/
Globalization Isn’t Doomed. It’s Evolving, With China As A Leader.
Globalization Isn’t Doomed. It’s Evolving, With China As A Leader.
China attaches great importance to making globalization and global governance work again.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/globalization-china-leader_us_586bcee0e4b0d9a5945c8b2a
All Aboard China’s ‘New Silk Road’ Express
All Aboard China’s ‘New Silk Road’ Express
China’s “New Silk Road” just got a
glitzy new route: a freight train service from the Zheijang province in
eastern China all the way to London. China Railway Corp. announced
on Monday the departure of the first train from Yiwu, a city of 1
million near Shanghai. It’s an impressive logistical feat, connecting
7,500 miles of rails to reach one of Europe’s largest capitals in 16
days.
WPR Articles Dec. 27 — Jan. 4
WPR Articles Dec. 27 — Jan. 4
Why Once-Welcoming Countries in Scandinavia Closed Their Borders to Refugees
By: Rik Rutten | Briefing
For
decades, Swedes have taken pride in providing a safe haven to the
world’s huddled masses, and their country took in 163,000 refugees in
2015 alone. But times have changed. Like neighboring Denmark, Sweden now
finds itself at the bottom of the European Union when it comes to
welcoming refugees.
After the Fall of Aleppo, Turkey’s Erdogan Digs In His Heels Against Syria’s Kurds
By: Iyad Dakka | Briefing
There
is no doubt that Turkey and the U.S. do not see eye to eye on Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has successfully turned a
military defeat in Aleppo into a diplomatic pressure tactic against
Washington, which Erdogan wants to back down on supporting Syrian Kurds
in the fight against ISIS.
Trump’s Supply-Side Economics Have Little Chance of Working in 2017
By: Robert Looney | Briefing
President-elect
Donald Trump’s campaign promises and tax cut plans show him partial to
Reagan-era supply-side economics—a commitment confirmed by his early
Cabinet appointments and proposed increases in defense spending. Is
there any reason to believe these economic policies would be effective
today?
What’s Holding Nigeria’s Women Back?
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In
late December, Nigeria’s top Muslim cleric called on lawmakers to reject
a bill currently under debate that would allow women the right to
inherit family wealth and property, saying it goes against the teachings
of the Quran. In an email interview, Ngozi Odiaka discusses women’s
rights in Nigeria.
Oil Auction Brings Some Good News to Mexico, and China Is Eager to Capitalize
By: Jerónimo Mohar | Briefing
On
Dec. 5, Mexico held its first-ever auction for deepwater oil blocks in
the Gulf of Mexico, which brought some much-needed economic relief.
Mexico faces the most severe crisis originating in the United States
since the 2008 financial meltdown, in the form of Donald Trump’s
presidency.
Why a Crisis Over Cameroon’s Marginalized Anglophone Regions Could Deepen
By: Robbie Corey-Boulet | Briefing Protests in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions against the use of French in courts and schools and the marginalization of the minority Anglophone population have revived a decades-old source of tension. But President Paul Biya’s government has responded with symbolic half-measures and a deadly crackdown.2016 in Review
By: The Editors | Trend Lines
In
this week’s Trend Lines podcast, WPR’s editor-in-chief, Judah Grunstein,
senior editor, Frederick Deknatel, and associate editors, Maria Savel
and Karina Piser, discuss the biggest events of 2016, including the rise
of populism, China’s growing assertiveness, and the election of Donald
Trump.
Demystifying Trump’s Confounding Statements About Nuclear Weapons
By: Andrew Futter | Briefing
While
often inchoate and contradictory, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s
recent comments about nuclear weapons have caused great concern among
observers, not to mention many within the U.S. government. It is worth
demystifying some of what Trump has said and putting this nuclear debate
in context.
How the ‘Russia Threat’ Is Fueling Latvia’s Bitter Identity Politics
By: Matthew Luxmoore | Feature
Twenty-five
years since it emerged from Soviet rule, Latvia struggles to forge a
national identity—a task made more complex by its sizeable and
unintegrated Russian community. Now a NATO and EU member, the Baltic
country is bracing itself for a potential attack by an increasingly
belligerent Russia.
Thinking Beyond Worst-Case Scenarios for 2017
By: Ellen Laipson | Column
The
drama and disruptions of the past year fill some with dread for 2017.
Without sounding too naïve, it’s possible to imagine outcomes that are
not the worst-case scenarios for three of the world’s enduring problems:
the European refugee crisis, the Syrian civil war and the
Israel-Palestine conflict.
Can Russia Really Sideline the U.S. in the Latest Syria Peace Process?
By: Judah Grunstein | Column
If
there is only one certainty about Syria’s civil war, it is that any
ultimate resolution at this point will be horribly unsatisfying. But the
current tenuous peace process negotiated and overseen by Russia, Turkey
and Iran, despite all its many flaws, represents a lesser evil than
continued fighting.
Donald Trump: Making the World Safe for Dictators
Donald Trump: Making the World Safe for Dictators
For 100 years, the United States has championed
democracies around the world. Trump is about to undo this pillar of
American security and decency.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/03/donald-trump-is-making-the-world-safe-for-dictators/
History Shows Beijing Won't Budge an Inch on Taiwan
History Shows Beijing Won't Budge an Inch on Taiwan
Much has been made of President-elect Donald Trump’s phone call
with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and his statement in a recent
interview that he does not understand “why we have to be bound by a One
China policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other
things,” Some have criticized Trump for unnecessarily shaking up a
delicate understanding on Taiwan that has underpinned decades of
U.S.-China relations.
Bishop Barron's Daily Gospel Reflecton January 4, 2017
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It started with a retiree. Now the Women’s March could be the biggest inauguration demonstration.
It started with a retiree. Now the Women’s March could be the biggest inauguration demonstration.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/it-started-with-a-grandmother-in-hawaii-now-the-womens-march-on-washington-is-poised-to-be-the-biggest-inauguration-demonstration/2017/01/03/8af61686-c6e2-11e6-bf4b-2c064d32a4bf_story.html?utm_term=.f5bbd4fd4eca&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Word of the Day: Wisdom
Building on yesterday’s Word of the Day, we recall that “the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom” (Prov 9:10).
On the tenth day of Christmas we begin to think of the mysterious “Wise
Men from the East” who used their minds so well to discern the
footprints of God in nature. Blessed James Alberione went so far as to
speak of the “sanctification of the mind” as the outcome of the Holy
Spirit’s Gift of Wisdom.Consider a New Year’s Resolution to nurture your own intellectual growth in a specific field. It could be theology (read the Catechism—or the Bible—this year!) or an area of history; you might develop your interest in science or work on a new language. We can honor God by our use of the mind.
Look it up! Wisdom 9:1-6
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
A battle is brewing over a proposal for a new source of water in the South Bay
A battle is brewing over a proposal for a new source of water in the South Bay
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-desalination-20170103-story.html
The Trump Doctrine Thus Far: Neither Rhyme Nor Reason
The Rise of Trump and Its Global Implications
The Trump Doctrine Thus Far:
Neither Rhyme Nor Reason
By Harry Sa
Synopsis
President-elect Donald Trump uses the mantle of unpredictability to disguise his foreign policy intentions. However behind his missteps the incoming Trump administration has no consistent worldview from which to fashion a coherent strategy. It is more prudent to expect US foreign policy to be reactive, piecemeal, and improvised.
http://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CO17001.pdf?utm_source=getresponse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rsis_publications&utm_content=RSIS+Commentary+001%2F2017+The+Rise+of+Trump+and+Its+Global+Implications+-+The+Trump+Doctrine+Thus+Far%3A+Neither+Rhyme+Nor+Reason+by+Harry+Sa
Congress leaves Trump with unlimited war powers
Congress leaves Trump with unlimited war powers
The failure to pass a war authorization against
the Islamic State will mean few checks on his provocative campaign vows.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/congress-trump-military-force-232815
Trump should know Americans want restraint and smarts in their foreign policy
Trump should know Americans want restraint and smarts in their foreign policy
http://www.washingtonexaminer.
Go In Haste! Be Amazed! Treasure! by Bishop Robert Barron
Who Will Really Be the Next President of the United States? David Rothkopf
Who Will Really Be the Next President of the United States?
- Op-Ed
- December 27, 2016
- Foreign Policy
http://carnegieendowment.org/2
Summary: Trump
has undertaken some moves to make his White House one of the most
complexly structured in recent memory, one that defies the lessons of
past presidencies and increasingly looks like a page out of Trump’s own
management past.
Quote of the Day
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Moral Squalidness Besmirches United Nations
Moral Squalidness Besmirches United Nations
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Bishop Barron's Daily Gospel Reflections January 3, 2017
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Will Obama's Parting Shots Hit Targets?
Will Obama's Parting Shots Hit Targets?
Will Obama's parting shots hit targets?US ties with Israel, Russia worsen amid decisions to abstain on UN vote, eject 35 Russians
by LEON HADAR | Business Times of Singapore https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/obamas-parting-shots-hit-targets-leon-hadar?published=t
The Limits of Trump's Transactional Foreign Policy
The Limits of Trump's Transactional Foreign Policy
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-limits-trumps-transactional-foreign-policy-18898?page=show
Monday, January 2, 2017
Why Did The White House Punish Russia For Hacking The Computers Of The DNC But Not China For Hacking U.S. Government Networks?
Why Did The White House Punish Russia For Hacking The Computers Of The DNC But Not China For Hacking U.S. Government Networks?
http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.com/2017/01/why-did-white-house-punish-russia-for.html#WheresEric? Clinton Foundation CEO Declared “Missing” by the Internet After Going Public with “Follow the Money”
#WheresEric? Clinton Foundation CEO Declared “Missing” by the Internet After Going Public with “Follow the Money”
http://www.thedailysheeple.com/whereseric-clinton-foundation-ceo-declared-missing-by-the-internet-after-going-public-with-follow-the-money_012017
Unbound Prayer Partners: Experiencing Christ's presence and love
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Experiencing Christ's presence and love
Throughout the Advent/Christmas season,
our weekly ePrayers have included a special series of reflections on the upcoming
Sunday readings. We hope you've enjoyed them. This final reflection for The Epiphany of the Lord is from Unbound Managing Editor Loretta
Shea Kline. Foreigners from a distant land connect with a child and family living in humble circumstances. They offer material gifts and the gift of their presence. In return, they receive spiritual gifts of untold worth. The scene could describe adventures of the Magi in the Gospel reading for The Epiphany of the Lord. It could also describe experiences of people who sponsor children through Unbound. Sponsor Kerstin Geiger reflected on spiritual gifts she's received through sponsorship in her piece, "The Unexpected Fruits of Sponsorship," featured on the website of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish in Lawrence, Kansas. Kerstin wrote that she and her husband sponsor a little girl in El Salvador, and the experience has been enriching beyond what she could have imagined. "Through the letters we exchange with our sponsored friend we get to know her life and the life of her family," Kerstin wrote. "The simple joys she shares are in stark contrast to the ridiculous madness of the complicated lives we live in our culture." Kerstin went on to say how her sponsored friend and family show her, through the witness of their lives, how grateful they are for the gifts God has given them. "They count our sponsorship as one of those gifts and little Maria Gissele prays each night for us," Kerstin wrote. "… I can only imagine the multitude of blessings God has worked in our lives because of her prayers. Of course we pray for her and her family, too, but there is no ignoring the fact that we are giving from our material abundance, which isn't even a pinch in my budget! "And she, in return, gives us spiritual riches. Which makes me realize something quite startling: We are the ones who are being sponsored spiritually; we are the ones who receive the greater gift! "How magnificent God's ways are in leading us out of our respective poverties." Through the visit of the Magi, Jesus was revealed as the Christ to the whole world. One of the ways sponsors and sponsored friends experience Christ's presence and love is through the gift of sponsorship and the relationships formed. Could there be a more beautiful gift? |
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 God of love, you sent your only son to be born among us. Let us look to the Magi and their visit to the infant Jesus as inspiration in reaching out across great divides to experience the presence and love of Christ. We ask this in your holy name. Amen. |
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Unbound Prayer Team
P.S. We welcome you to submit your prayer requests to us. These prayers are offered in the chapel at Unbound's headquarters in Kansas City and are not shared publicly. Submit a prayer request.
What Australia needs to do after Trump
What Australia needs to do after Trump
When it comes to Donald Trump, Australia needs to think about four things.
Bishop Baron's Daily Gospel Reflection January 2, 2017
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Pope: ‘A Society Without Mothers Is Not Just One That’s Cold, But Has Lost Its Heart’
Pope: ‘A Society Without Mothers Is Not Just One That’s Cold, But Has Lost Its Heart’
With Mary at the Forefront, Francis Closes Up 2016 and Ushers in 2017 in the Vatican
https://zenit.org/articles/pope-a-society-without-mothers-is-not-just-one-thats-cold-but-has-lost-its-heart/
Amazon’s Grocery Store Doesn’t Have a Single Checkout
Amazon’s Grocery Store Doesn’t Have a Single Checkout
You can simply scan your phone, pick your food up off the shelf, and walk out.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603035/amazons-grocery-store-doesnt-have-a-single-checkout/?utm_medium=email_marketing&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=engagement_amazon&utm_content=active_subs
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Putin’s Masterstroke of Nonretaliation
Putin’s Masterstroke of Nonretaliation
In refusing to expel U.S. diplomats in response to
President Obama’s sanctions, the Russian leader pulled another fast one
on the White House.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/12/30/putins-masterstroke-of-nonretaliation-obama-sanctions-expulsions-trump/
White House fails to make case that Russian hackers tampered with election
White House fails to make case that Russian hackers tampered with election
http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/12/did-russia-tamper-with-the-2016-election-bitter-debate-likely-to-rage-on/
Russian Hacking
Putin’s Masterstroke of Nonretaliation Foreign Policy
On Trump’s Reaction to Putin Not Expelling American Diplomats Ian Welsh. The hysteria knobs are already at 11. Where do we go from here?
Russia Hysteria Infects WashPost Again: False Story About Hacking U.S. Electric Grid The Intercept
Your Weekly Alarming Anonymous Friday Night WaPo Dump: Vermont Electrical Grid Edition emptywheel
White House fails to make case that Russian hackers tampered with election Ars Technica
FBI/DHS Joint Analysis Report: A Fatally Flawed Effort Jeffrey Carr
Grizzly Steppe IP and Hash Analysis JGamblin.com
Critiques of the DHS/FBI’s GRIZZLY STEPPE Report Robert M. Lee
On Trump’s Reaction to Putin Not Expelling American Diplomats Ian Welsh. The hysteria knobs are already at 11. Where do we go from here?
Russia Hysteria Infects WashPost Again: False Story About Hacking U.S. Electric Grid The Intercept
Your Weekly Alarming Anonymous Friday Night WaPo Dump: Vermont Electrical Grid Edition emptywheel
White House fails to make case that Russian hackers tampered with election Ars Technica
FBI/DHS Joint Analysis Report: A Fatally Flawed Effort Jeffrey Carr
Grizzly Steppe IP and Hash Analysis JGamblin.com
Critiques of the DHS/FBI’s GRIZZLY STEPPE Report Robert M. Lee
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