"In many ways the ugly trend of Balkanization that so polarized the 90s is, while still strong, facing now the idealistic post-tribal politics of Senator Barack Obama. And while, yes, people are still strongly influenced in their vote by the black magnetism of their tribal affiliation, Senator Obama's sunny campaign appeal has throughout favored idealism over the politics of blood identity." (Ron Mwangaguhunga/Kenneth Cole's AWERARNESS)
"As Barack Obama's plane took off from Ben Gurion Airport for Germany early Thursday, Israelis were opening up the morning newspaper to a center spread's worth of photos and quotes tailored to the local political palate. In Jerusalem strolling arm and arm with Shimon Peres at his presidential villa. In a yarmulke next to the Western Wall. In southern Israel, looking up in awe at a smiling 10-year-old leg amputee from a Qassam rocket. Just a few weeks ago, many Israelis fretted about the prospect of a Barack Obama presidency because he was a foreign policy unknown with Muslim lineage. But by the end of a 24 hours overloaded with meetings and photo ops, the political consensus in Israel seemed to be that there was an unmistakable, if incremental, shift. 'Now after this visit, if Obama were to be elected president, most Israelis wouldn't consider it to be a disaster,' said Gerald Steinberg, a political science professor at Bar Ilan University. 'Compared to Bush, Obama comes across as incredibly intelligent and someone who can fix America and its foreign policies. And Israelis respond to that favorably.'" (Observer)
"Down on Broadway and 28th, this past Tuesday night, at the penthouse atelier of Isabel Toledo and Ruben Toledo, Glenda Bailey, editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, and Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT hosted a cocktail reception for Isabel on behalf of her Couture Council of The Museum at FIT ..Almost two hundred guests joined Couture Council founders Liz Peek, Yaz Hernandez, and Sarah Wolfe and FIT President Dr. Joyce F. Brown and designers such as Isaac Mizrahi, Vera Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, Carolina Herrera .." (NySocialDiary)
"I had a spy in Thursday's Star Wars awards show for fan films, and part of the program was devoted to FANBOYS. This is the pic that had Star Wars fans upset because The Weinstein Company wanted to remove the sentimental primary plotline, about a kid with cancer whose last wish is to see Star Wars Episode I before he dies. The pic's producer brought on stage was Kevin Spacey, who said the movie has been restored to its original form, the cancer plotline returned, and all this was due to the power of committed fans. Nobody on stage mentioned the Weinstein name -- but Spacey did say the fans had defeated The Dark Side..." (DeadlineHollywooddaily)
"Some belt tightening has started at AOL, as it prepares and dresses itself up for a sale: It is discontinuing some of its tech projects, and also trimming some of its content blogs under the Weblogs Inc network." (Paidcontent)
"'Barack Obama’s adventure is an adventure that rings true in the hearts and minds of Americans and Europeans,' Sarkozy said, per a CNN translation. Obama called Sarkozy a 'rock star' and said he could not think of anybody 'who better captures the enthusiasm and energy of France than your president.' The realty of the reaction to and resonance of Obama's visit may be much more complex, however. While many Europeans see Obama as a symbol of change in the United States, in France, where racial issues play a particularly divisive role in domestic politics, Obama has become a symbol of some French voters' hopes for their own country. 'The French are looking in the mirror and reflecting on their own shortcomings when it comes to multiethnic and multiracial society,' said Georgetown professor Charles Kupchan, who is also a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. 'I think it’s safe to say that it would be almost unthinkable that a minority would be a leading contender for the presidency of France.'" (Politico)
"If you think food prices in American supermarkets are bad consider for a moment how tough it must be in East Africa. In countries like Ethiopia and Somalia, where poverty and drought and civil war are the norm, the rise in food prices is hitting particularly hard. According to Oxfam International, 2.6 million people in Somalia and 4.6 million people in Ethiopia require emergency assistance. Banff-born pop star Sandi Thom joined Oxfam Scotland workers as they put up an 11,000-litre water tank as an example of how donations can help." (Ron Mwangaguhunga/Kenneth Cole's AWERARNESS)
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