Notations For the Week-End: Jafar Panahi Wins!!!!

Banned Iranian director Jafar Panahi wins Berlin Festival's top award http://t.co/gv9pe5l5vY pic.twitter.com/VnobrkIuub
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) February 15, 2015

This is quite a film.   It was done all inside a "Taxi", was smuggled out of Iran and presented to the Berlin Film Festival.   We here @ #Outsiders are estatic over this development and sent out heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Panahi on this wonderful achievement.   

Notations From the Grid: On the Tragedy in North Carolina

As we finished the Daily "Rounds" on the Grid, we wanted to begin this with this beautiful gracious tribute to the three beautiful souls who perished by Professor Dabashi of Columbia:

Post by Hamid Dabashi.

On the eve of President's Day Week-End in the United States, we wanted to share this advise from Professor Dabashi from Columbia as he reached out to all student in the aftermath of the senseless tragedy that occurred in North Carolina.   His final thoughts are ever so perceptive: "... --lead your normal life with pride and confidence --but be judicious and always conscious and alert of your campus security resources --..."            

Post by Hamid Dabashi.


It was a welcome development as #POTUS came out strongly condemning this heinous act as noted by the White House Twitter Feed:

"No one in the United States of America should ever be targeted because of who they are...or how they worship" —Obama pic.twitter.com/1J41SVXySy
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 13, 2015

Notations From the Grid: On Press Freedom Around The World

We here @ #Outsiders were privileged as we added our voice to help with the case of the Al Jazeera Three.    It was wonderful news as an Egyptian Judge ordered the remaining two Al Jazeera Journalists released--Baher Mohammad on his own recognizance and Mohammad Fahmy by posting a security bond.

As we await the final dilemma of these two brave practitioners, it presents a broader challenge that the World continues to contend with.    Egypt has achieved its' objective as people are just simply afraid to report anymore and Al Jazeera had to shut down its' operations due to the continued repression that is ever so in Egypt today.    This very disturbing report we shared on Twitter (courtesy of the team @ +FRANCE 24 English ) is illustrative of this dilemma:

‘Drastic decline’ in press freedom across the globe http://t.co/XI8sTCVs9i😰😱😰😢
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) February 13, 2015

The United States has been ranked 49th.