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.   

Notations From the "Grid": A "Musical Interlude" For All To Enjoy

 We hope all enjoy this "Musical Interlude"

On the Eve of President Lincoln's Birthday: Remembering (w/an Update on Negotiations re: Ukraine)

Tomorrow is President Lincoln's Birthday.  America celebrates President's Day as she remembers both President Lincoln and President Washington.   In that honor, we here @ #Outsiders felt that this courtesy of +Jonathan Huie was ever so crucial & timely: 

 

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

- Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865)

If you look for the bad in people

expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed

is more important than any other one thing.

- Abraham Lincoln

You cannot escape the responsibility

of tomorrow by evading it today.

- Abraham Lincoln 

In the end, it's not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in your years.

- Abraham Lincoln

We are also seeing reports of Russia and Ukraine being close to an agreement to stop the War in Eastern Ukraine.   They have been meeting in Minsk.       We have just seen reports from +FRANCE 24 and +Wall Street Journal quoting Vladimir Putin that ceasefire is slated to come into effect Feburary 15.    Hopefully this ceasefire will be last.   Over 5,000 people have lost their lives and over 13,000 have been injured.      

Notations On Our World: On the Earthquake in #India And the Future of the #Modi Juggernaut

It has been a fascinating 24 hours in India.   The ruling party, the BJP, was reduced to only 3 seats in the National Capital as the Congress Party was literally wiped off the map. The BJP pulled out all the stops in showcasing the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and the entire Union Cabinet (Similar to what is referred to as in the Federal Cabinet in the United States).   We reviewed reports of BJP's supremo, Amith Shah, not happy as he oversaw his son's wedding.

NDTV's  Vikram Chandra noted that the entire opposition can travel in Delhi on a Rickshaw -what is the normal mode of transport in Delhi & we have noted one below for reference here: 

When the results in India were announced, the AAP leader, Mr. Kejriwal, said that the results were scary and told them not to get arrogant.   He is also slated to see the Indian Prime Minister later on and is slated to invite him to his swearing in along with Union Ministers and the Delhi Lokh Sabha   (Lower House of Parliament Delegation).   

From all the reporting we've reviewed here @ #outsiders, they won the old fashioned way:  They pounded the pavement and won fair and square.    This was underscored earlier when this was released: 

Quite an scathing rebuke to PM #Modi, although Mr. #Kejriwal is inviting him to Sat. Ceremony...time will tell: http://t.co/zA2rJtHStE
— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) February 11, 2015

It was quite engaging and refreshing as the AAP leaders were on NDTV underscoring how they were different--the question is whether they can take what they have achieved in Delhi and take it to the next level.     The next immediate challenge is Bihar--the second most populous State in India which is about to hold elections which will also be fascinating to observe.

An "Outsider" Newsflash: Jon Stewart Stepping Down

The Daily Show
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We @ #Outsiders saw the reports on Jon Stewart stepping down from his role as host of the  Daily Show on Comedy Central.   We here @ #Outsiders are a fan and have featured a number of his clips throughout our "#Notations".      He has been an inspiration for us in many ways and helped to inspire guys like Bassam Yousef and others over the ensuing years.  We also were ever so impressed with his work in Rosewater.  Even though it did not gain traction for the Oscars, the story was powerful in underscoring the War against Journalism that he ever so valiantly defended.    We will have more to say on it here in #Outsiders soon.

In tribute to him and his friend (whose program is banned in Egypt), we feature this clip that we believe underscores how the true realities are ever so.