On Being Thankful Always.......

It is the eve of Thanksgiving Week in the United States.    It is a time for us all to step back and remember ever more all that we're thankful for.     As we go "dark" for this Thanksgiving Week on all #Outsider Channels, we wanted to simply say thanks to all who have supported this "labor of love".  We also remain ever so hopeful about our World as we look forward to reflect upon a World that although challenging, it is one to embrace and believe in.

Wishing all the happiest of Thanksgivings....

Notations On the Eve of The Week-End: On #Iran, #IranTalksVienna & #DiplomacyIsPersonal

We here @ #Outsiders have been continuing to monitor the talks in Vienna.   As reported by +i24News earlier this evening, there are comments attributed to US officials that ssignificantgaps remain and that the Secretary Kerry may propose another extension.    As the meetings are continuing, we were gratified to see the handshake between Dr. Zarif and Secretary Kerry as witnessed by Baroness Ashton who continues her role as the meditator despite no longer being the European Union Foreign Policy Chief.   We wanted this picture to be at hand (courtesy of the team at +i24News just in case some dead-enders in Tehran or Washington decided not to have it available .    Although the agreement is the first step, getting it through a hostile US Congress and going through the "worried" in Iran is a whole different matter.

It will be an interesting and challenging Week-End.  The team at the National Iranian American Council has undertaken a concerted effort to help push for an agreement which we here @ "outsiders' were happy to lend our support to with the hashtag #DiplomacyisPersonal that we had noted earlier. This Twitter feed was to help lend further support to Congressman Rohrbacher earlier tonight:

@DanaRohrabacher hoping to count on support for #IranTalksVienna in how #DiplomacyisPersonal...Happy Thanksgiving :) pic.twitter.com/bAkolPsCVH
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 22, 2014

Despite the apparent low expectations, we here @ #Outsiders remain hopeful for a deal. It will be a welcome respite for a region in turmoil especially as we just reviewed late breaking reports of riots again breaking out in the occupied West Bank and as Syria and Iraq continue to burn.

Notations on Our World: On the "Grid" reflecting upon #Iran.....

It has been another interesting 24 hours as the World awaits what happens on November 24 whether #IranTalksVienna (One of the many hashtags prevalent on Twitter) will succeed or not.   As noted before, it will be only half the battle as the New York Times' Thomas Erderink noted in his usual even keel analysis of the minefields ahead:

 

Beyond #IranTalkaVienna Real Hurdles May Be in Tehran, not selling @JZarif & @HassanRouhani short yet 🙏via @nytimes http://t.co/5TWf2GJnoy
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2014

It is not at all helpful when Friday Prayer sermons are said to undermine the goodwill that seems to be continuing onward--as noted in a recent outreach by the folks @ MEMRI (The Middle East Media Research Institute).    We here @Outsiders noted how it was all "noise"--but it does underscore the challenge being faced by President +Hassan Rohani  and Foreign Minister +javad zarif  as the negotations continue.   One interesting signal of potential change, too, was the pardoning of the so-called #Blogfather of Iran by Ayatollah Khamenei--we here @ "outsiders" were gratified to see his Tweet and ever so happy to see him set free:

“@h0d3r: Pardonded by Ayatollah @khamenei_ir. Freed from prison, finally after 6 years, last night. #iran”glad u r back bro.🎉💥🙏😁
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 21, 2014

The struggle continues...and it is ever so fun to be witness to history...

View of the Week: Remembering Mike Nichols

Mike Nichols passed away earlier today.    He leaves a legacy of talent and beauty as exemplified in films that will endure.  The team @The Jewish Daily Forward put together a very nice retrospective on a remarkable life. We here @ "outsiders" also remember him and pray that his soul RIP:

 11 Greatest Mike Nichols Moments

On the Prowl: An "Outsider" newsflash From the Americas (11/19/2014)

One of the bright spots of conflicts around the World had suffered a setback recently as a Colombian General was kidnapped by the FARC guerrillas in Colombia.   Notwithstanding the circumstances that led to the General's Capture, the FARC has agreed to release the General and President Santos of Colombia has agreed to return the Peace Delegation back to Cuba.   

Good News Indeed!!!

The dispatch From Al Jazeera:

 FARC agree to release captured general - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Notations on Our World: On #Israel & #Palestine

The past 24 hours have been horrific yet again in the Middle East as the cycle of violence on both sides continues to escalate ever more.    What is ever more disturbing is this late breaking development as reported by the Middle East Monitor:

Post by Middle East Monitor.

If this in fact occurs it will formalize the death of the so-called peace process that began with Oslo that resulted in the historic handshakes between Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein (who are no longer with us).   The so-called process for all intent and purposes dead despite half-baked attempts by the United States to resurrect it.    One of the aspirants to the Office of the Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett underscored this in a recent opinion he did for the New York Times:

For Israel, Two-State Is No Solution Marta Monteiro By NAFTALI BENNETT The Oslo plan for a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is finished. We need a new model. This is as Akiva Eldar wrote an scathing criticism of the Israeli Prime Minister in Al-Monitor as he noted how he "captains Israel into the doldrums".       When this cycle of violence and mistrust will be broken is not certain.

View of the Week: On #BandAid30 & Remembering a Humanitarian

It is always ever so gratifying when one is witness to humanity in action.    We here @ #Outsiders just bought the single produced for #BandAid30 to support the fight against #Ebola.    The World will overcome this.

As the World is witness to such humanity by the leading artists of our World, it is also a disheartening day as the World was witness to two grieving parents work up the courage to remember their son Abdul Rahman "Peter" Kassig: 

All of us are hearbroken...& justice will be done..may his soul RIP: Parents of slain US aid worker 'heartbroken' http://t.co/ult5w94XDu
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) November 18, 2014

We are all heart-broken by his horrific death.   The same sub human mutant scum of the Earth who brutally murdered Mr. Kassig also murdered Syrian Soldiers as well.    They were all fathers and brothers and did not deserve their fate in this way--as some 200,000 Syrians have perished in this senseless war.

Abdul Rahman "Peter" Kassig sought to make a difference--and truly did what he could to live up to the admonition from Desmond Tutu when he noted for us all to remember to, "...Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world......".    That would be the ultimate legacy for this selfless soul.    As his Mother eloquently noted, good will prevail.