Yad Vashem

I had the rare opportunity to photograph inside Yad Vashem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yad_Vashem

Wailing Wall-Jerusalem

The OLD City

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_on_the_Rock

Masada

Masada, Israel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada

Petra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

Tel Aviv, Israel

Hang in there, hard to post from the Kibbutz

New Posts coming SOON, Petra Pix worth the wait

Posting to resume soon-Israel bound

Desert Mountain Membership

Good afternoon~

 

We would like to inform you and your office that Desert Mountain have membership available without the requirement of purchasing property!!!   We have a limited quantity of “loose” memberships to sell.  We would love for you to pass the word along that will inform the community that they can apply for a Desert Mountain membership but not have to purchase a property to do so!

 

We are excited to offer a Member Referral Program as a way of the Club saying “thank you” for your support. Accordingly, the program rewards those of you who continue to encourage your clients, friends and family to discover The Desert Mountain Club first-hand. If you have friends, family or business associates that wish to join Desert Mountain Club please contact Nicole Forbes, Membership Relations Manager for details and an introduction to the Club. If you wish to nominate a new member simply email Will@iamcarefree.com

The Pink Slime Jet

Airframe: TOTAL AIRFRAME TIME 1175 HOURS SINCE NEW; 759 LANDINGS Engine Specs: LEFT ENGINE: (MSP GOLD) 1175 HOURS SINCE NEW; 759 CYCLES CENTER ENGINE: (MSP GOLD) 1175 HOURS SINCE NEW; 759 CYCLES RIGHT ENGINE: (MSP GOLD) 1175 HOURS SINCE NEW; 759 CYCLES APU: GTCP 36-150F (MSP GOLD) 522 HOURS SINCE NEW Additional Equipment: THIRD VHF COMM THIRD AUDIO SYSTEM NAV INTERFACE TO ELT AIRCELL ST3100 IRIDIUM PHONE W/ 3 HANDSETS HONEYWELL "EASY"" COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT FUNCTION THIRD FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HONEYWELL EASY ELECTRONIC JEPPESEN CHARTS SECOND RT-300 RADIO ALTIMETER LSS-860 LIGHTING SENSOR SYSTEM SECURAPLANE XL-245 (LEAD-ACID) BATTERIES HEADS UP GUIDANCE SYSTEM (CAT III CAPABLE) ENHANCED VISION SYSTEM THIRD INERTIAL REFERENCE SYSTEM KGS ELECTRONICS AUXILIARY 115VAC 60 HZ POWER 9 ELECTRICAL OUTLETS CONCORDE LEAD ACID MAIN BATTERIES TELEFLEX TAIL RECOGNITION LIGHT SYSTEM EASY VIDEO INTERFACE HONEYWELL MH ENTERTAINMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM HONEYWELL MHS ENTERTAINMENT CONTROLS (4 EACH) HONEYWELL MHL (LCD) ENTERTAINMENT CONTROLS (8 EACH) HONEYWELL MHT (6.5" LCD TOUCH SCREEN) CONTROL (EACH) SONY STEREO HEADSETS (6 EACH) HONEYWELL 15" LCD MONITOR W/ PIVOT FUNCATION HONEYWELL 20" LCD MONITOR ROSEN PLUG-IN LCD MONITOR RECEPTACLE (2 EACH) ROSEN PLUG-IN 8.4" LCD MONITOR W/ARM (2 EACH) ROSEN 10.4” PLUS-IN LCD MONITOR W/ARM (1 EACH) HONEYWELL MINI DVD-C MULTI-REGION COLLINS AIRSHOW 4000 CABIN DISPLAY ALL MATERIALS TO MEET PUBLIC AIR TRANSPORT REGULATIONS LOG BOOK HOLDER ON L/H BULKHEAD THIRD FLIGHT DECK SEAT - ERDA W/FLOOR STORAGE DRAWER AND FOLD DOWN HANGER BAR CREW CLOSET WITH HORIZONTAL STORAGE FOR AIRCRAFT MANUALS MED AUX. WORK SURFACE AND STORAGE (2) 25 INCH CREW LAVATORY W/ FOLD DOWN SINK 36 INCH GALLEY UPPER SECTION : DUAL HIGH TEMPERATURE OVENS WITH DIGITAL CONTROLLERS, STORAGE RACKS, AUTOMATIC COFFEE MAKER (VENDOR: TIA, MODEL: 1602 W. HOT / COLD WATER SPIGOT) AND STORAGE FOR STANDARD GLASSWARE. TWO (2) STORAGE RACKS WITH ADJUSTABLE DIVIDERS HOLDING MINIATURE LIQUOR BOTTLES 36 INCH GALLEY LOWER SECTION : SINK (ROUND), TRASH DRAWER, 1 ICE DRAWER, 1 COLD STORAGE DRAWER, POP-OUT WORK SURFACE AND STORAGE DRAWERS FAUCET ASSEMBLY (VENDOR: VOLA, MODEL: KV1) 30 INCH AUXILIARY GALLEY: HEADER STORAGE COMPARTMENT, TIA MICROWAVE OVEN, POP-OUT WORK SURFACE, 2 DRY ICE TRAYS, 14 BUS BINS, 4 VERTICAL STORAGE RACKS, 2 PULL OUT STORAGE DRAWERS, 2 CUSTOM BINS. GALLEY POCKET SLIDING DOOR AFT CABIN DIVIDERS (REMOVABLE) W/ MANUAL SLIDING DOOR SINGLE LAZY BOY RECLINER TYPE LEG RESTS (3 EACH) 76" DIVAN: 5" OF BERTHING & FOLD-DOWN CENTER SEAT BACK CUSHION INCORPORATING A SNACK TABLE & FOLD-DOWN ARMRESTS DINING/CONFERENCE TABLE W/ TELESCOPING LEGS & TRACKING TABLE TOP WITH A 12" PLUG IN EXTENSION FOR MANUAL TABLE (INCLUDES STORAGE) ADDITIONAL LAV ASSIST HANDLE IN LAVATORY FOLD DOWN HANGER BAR (BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT) EMTEQ LED LIGHTING;- INDIRECT LIGHTING IN CABIN, ENTRY, GALLEY, AND LAV AREAS EMTEQ LED LIGHTING- DIRECT READING LIGHTS AND TABLE LIGHTS THIRD EROS OXYGEN MASK (ADDITIONAL) ENLARGED OXYGEN BOTTLE (115 CU. FT.) FIRST AID (THERAPUTIC) OXYGEN SYSTEM W/ 1 MASK AND 1 OUTLET SMOKE HOOD PASSENGER TYPE, VENDOR: BROOKDALE MODEL: EVAC-U8 (8 EACH) WINSLOW LIFE RAFTS 12-MAN AND 406 ELT W/STORAGE FABRIC PROTECTION TREATMENT CUSTOM METAL PLATING CUSTOM TABLE INLAY CUSTOM WOOD VENEER SIDELEDGE CUSTOM GRANITE GALLEY & AFT LAV COUNTERTOPS, BULLNOSE & BACKSPLASH, SINK COVER & GALLEY POP OUT WORK SURFACE SHEEPSKIN INSERTS FOR FLIGHT DECK SEATS Exterior: OVERALL WHITE WITH BLUE & GREY STRIPES. Interior: ELEGANT 13 PASSENGER FIRE BLOCKED INTERIOR FEATURING A FORWARD FOUR (4) PLACE CLUB, MID FOUR (4) PLACE DINETTE GROUP OPPOSITE A STORAGE CREDENZA AND AN AFT 3 PLACE DIVAN ACROSS FROM A TWO PLACE CLUB. FORWARD CREW LAV AND AFT FULL SIZE LAVATORY. FORWARD RHS FULL SERVICE GALLEY AND LHS AUXILLIARY GALLEY WITH GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, DUAL HIGH TEMP OVENS, MICROWAVE, COFFEE MAKER, ICE DRAWER, TRASH DRAWER, GLASSWARE STORAGE, ADDITIONAL STORAGE RACKS, BUS BINS, DRY ICE TRAYS, AND POP UP WORK SURFACE. ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH AIRSHOW 4000 DISPLAY, 15” & 20” LCD BULKHEAD MONITORS, INDIVIDUAL SEAT LOCATION MONITORS AND LED INTERIOR LIGHTING.

Opinion

How ABC News smeared a stellar company with 'pink slime'

By Dan Gainor

Published March 23, 2012

| FoxNews.com

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TV news loves a health scare. Think deadly Tylenol. Killer tomatoes. Mad Cow Disease. Alar in apples. And lots more. Sometimes, as with Tylenol, they are legit and important. Other times, like Alar, they are entirely bogus. 

Yet every time, the template is the same. Someone gets sick and the ravenous media tear at the company or industry for not being safe. 

This time, however, ABC News has turned that idea on its head in its usual quest for tabloid headlines. It’s going after a company, Beef Products, Inc., for making a product that's not only already safe, it's one we’ve all been eating for years. 

But that hasn't stopped ABC and reporter Jim Avila. The network's news division has decided to declare open war on … beef. So far, they’re winning. In a series of 10 stories in just about two weeks, ABC has so demonized the company and its products that Safeway, SUPERVALU and Food Lion just stopped buying it. Ditto Kroger and Stop & Shop. 

The meat, often called "lean finely textured beef, is made up of beef that is just harder to get at, so the meat isn’t lost. It’s treated to get rid of the fat and included with the rest of the ground beef. The USDA declares it healthy, but it is less expensive. As an added bonus, it is treated tiny amounts of ammonium hydroxide to make it safer to eat. 

But network broadcasts and activist videos act as if this treatment is somehow bad. This is beyond simple irresponsibility. ABC is out to destroy a family owned business to push the agenda of a couple of “whistleblowers” who don’t like the company’s beef. One of these whistleblowers, whom ABC has relied on heavily in its reporting, has dubbed it “pink slime.” 

That, editors will tell you, is headline material. Slimy journalists might add that it’s the path to winning journalistic awards – facts be damned. 

ABC has covered the story almost round the clock in recent weeks with stories on “World News with Diane Sawyer” and “Good Morning America.” Print and web outlets have reported the story, but Avila has been the face of the anti-beef attack. -- Competitors at NBC did only two stories and CBS just one. 

Predictably ABC News has hyped its reports by using the term “pink slime” 52 times in just a two-week span (making it harder than usual not to associate Avila’s activist reporting with the word “slime”but that's another story.) 

In his March 22 victory lap report about the stores pulling the beef, Avila and anchor Diane Sawyer kept calling the meat “pink slime” like a 4-year-old who has just learned a dirty word. In all, they said it 10 times, while the term itself cropped up on the screen several more. 

According to David Muir of ABC, the network’s “reporting on pink slime” has “sparked a grassroots movement.” Diane Sawyer crowed “Jim’s story prompted a public outcry.” 

But let's look at the facts here. Beef Products Inc., which makes the beef, is trying to prevent deadly E. coli bacteria. While a couple of the stories mentioned the goal to “kill germs” or “kill bacteria,” neither of those phrasings sound especially scary. E. coli is so terrifying that the Centers for Disease Control gives it a separate page on its website, saying some forms can “cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.” 

It’s a reality that mom Nancy Donley knows all too well. She lost her only son to the disease when he ate “contaminated ground beef back in 1993 when he was only 6 years old.” Donley wrote recently to defend the company against ABC’s attacks, saying the firm’s “use of ammonia hydroxide in minute amounts during processing improves the safety of the product and is routinely used throughout the food industry.” 

It’s also a reality even ABC journalists know well. When Topps Meat Co. recalled more than 21 million pounds of meat in 2007, it sent the company into bankruptcy. The cause? E. coli. ABC mentioned the story eight times including one Sept. 30, 2007, piece that highlighted the danger.

Topps Meat Co is now out of business. 

Beef Products, Inc., the firm that Avila and ABC are attacking is the exact opposite. The International Association for Food Protection gave its singularly best award – called the Black Pearl Award, to the company just five years ago. Only one firm each year gets that award. 

But then again this is ABC, which has its own awful record of covering food stories. 

Veteran TV watchers will remember ABC’s dose of similar slimy food ethics when its reporters cooperated with unions to go undercover at Food Lion. That case became a classic example of out-of-control TV journalists in quest for awards, not professionalism. ABC initially lost in court but won on appeal, though it still earned a much-deserved black eye in the process. 

So you know to be suspicious when ABC claimed “USDA officials with links to the beef industry labeled 'pink slime' meat.” Actually, USDA officials labeled meat as meat. 

To be fair, sometimes ABC had the honesty to refer to the meat as “so-called pink slime,” but typically they treated it like the meat was actually called that term. Even when Avila was giving the few words to the company's side, he still called it “pink slime.” For example, he said: “And the American Meat Institute insists pink slime is not an additive, so no label is necessary.” 

Most of the ABC stories didn’t mention the company’s argument. You know, the basics of journalism, like the fact that the product is actually meat, not some foreign substance. 

That’s always what the news outlets are looking for. Major media have attacked a long list of industries in recent years – coal, oil, guns, Wall Street, banks and more. Each time, they savage an industry, they do it for ratings, never caring what damage they do to a company, shareholders or employees who might soon be looking for work. 

In ABC’s case, it’s clear they care more about headlines than health, never even mentioning the dangers of E. coli that the company, and industry, both fight against. What’s next for ABC and Avila? A war on companies that fight ebola? 

Dan Gainor is the Boone Pickens Fellow and the Media Research Center’s Vice President for Business and Culture. His column appears each week on The Fox Forum. He can also be contacted on Facebook and Twitter as dangainor.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/23/how-abc-news-smeared-stellar-company-with-pink-slime/#ixzz1r62dyXFJ

WAKE UP AMERICA!

10 Reasons Why The Reign Of The Dollar As The World Reserve Currency Is About To Come To An End


The U.S. dollar has probably been the closest thing to a true global currency that the world has ever seen. For decades, the use of the U.S. dollar has been absolutely dominant in international trade. This has had tremendous benefits for the U.S. financial system and for U.S. consumers, and it has given the U.S. government tremendous power and influence around the globe. Today, more than 60 percent of all foreign currency reserves in the world are in U.S. dollars. But there are big changes on the horizon. The mainstream media in the United States has been strangely silent about this, but some of the biggest economies on earth have been making agreements with each other to move away from using the U.S. dollar in international trade. There are also some oil producing nations which have begun selling oil in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, which is a major threat to the petrodollar system which has been in place for nearly four decades. And big international institutions such as the UN and the IMF have even been issuing official reports about the need to move away form the U.S. dollar and toward a new global reserve currency. So the reign of the U.S. dollar as the world reserve currency is definitely being threatened, and the coming shift in international trade is going to have massive implications for the U.S. economy.



A lot of this is being fueled by China. China has the second largest economy on the face of the earth, and the size of the Chinese economy is projected to pass the size of the U.S. economy by 2016. In fact, one economist is even projecting that the Chinese economy will be three times larger than the U.S. economy by the year 2040.



So China is sitting there and wondering why the U.S. dollar should continue to be so preeminent if the Chinese economy is about to become the number one economy on the planet.



Over the past few years, China and other emerging powers such as Russia have been been quietly making agreements to move away from the U.S. dollar in international trade. The supremacy of the U.S. dollar is not nearly as solid as most Americans believe that it is.



As the U.S. economy continues to fade, it is going to be really hard to argue that the U.S. dollar should continue to function as the primary reserve currency of the world. Things are rapidly changing, and most Americans have no idea where these trends are taking us.



The following are 10 reasons why the reign of the dollar as the world reserve currency is about to come to an end....



#1 China And Japan Are Dumping the U.S. Dollar In Bilateral Trade



A few months ago, the second largest economy on earth (China) and the third largest economy on earth (Japan) struck a deal which will promote the use of their own currencies (rather than the U.S. dollar) when trading with each other. This was an incredibly important agreement that was virtually totally ignored by the U.S. media. The following is from a BBC report about that agreement....



China and Japan have unveiled plans to promote direct exchange of their currencies in a bid to cut costs for companies and boost bilateral trade.



The deal will allow firms to convert the Chinese and Japanese currencies directly into each other.



Currently businesses in both countries need to buy US dollars before converting them into the desired currency, adding extra costs.

#2 The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Plan To Start Using Their Own Currencies When Trading With Each Other



The BRICS continue to flex their muscles. A new agreement will promote the use of their own national currencies when trading with each other rather than the U.S. dollar. The following is from a news source in India....



The five major emerging economies of BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- are set to inject greater economic momentum into their grouping by signing two pacts for promoting intra-BRICS trade at the fourth summit of their leaders here Thursday.



The two agreements that will enable credit facility in local currency for businesses of BRICS countries will be signed in the presence of the leaders of the five countries, Sudhir Vyas, secretary (economic relations) in the external affairs ministry, told reporters here.



The pacts are expected to scale up intra-BRICS trade which has been growing at the rate of 28 percent over the last few years, but at $230 billion, remains much below the potential of the five economic powerhouses.

#3 The Russia/China Currency Agreement



Russia and China have been using their own national currencies when trading with each other for more than a year now. Leaders from both Russia and China have been strongly advocating for a new global reserve currency for several years, and both nations seem determined to break the power that the U.S. dollar has over international trade.



#4 The Growing Use Of Chinese Currency In Africa



Who do you think is Africa's biggest trading partner?



It isn't the United States.



In 2009, China became Africa's biggest trading partner, and China is now aggressively seeking to expand the use of Chinese currency on that continent.



A report from Africa’s largest bank, Standard Bank, recently stated the following....



“We expect at least $100 billion (about R768 billion) in Sino-African trade – more than the total bilateral trade between China and Africa in 2010 – to be settled in the renminbi by 2015.”

China seems absolutely determined to change the way that international trade is done. At this point, approximately 70,000 Chinese companies are using Chinese currency in cross-border transactions.



#5 The China/United Arab Emirates Deal



China and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to ditch the U.S. dollar and use their own currencies in oil transactions with each other.



The UAE is a fairly small player, but this is definitely a threat to the petrodollar system. What will happen to the petrodollar if other oil producing countries in the Middle East follow suit?



#6 Iran



Iran has been one of the most aggressive nations when it comes to moving away from the U.S. dollar in international trade. For example, it has been reported that India will begin to use gold to buy oil from Iran.



Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are not likely to go away any time soon, and Iran is likely to continue to do what it can to inflict pain on the United States in the financial world.



#7 The China/Saudi Arabia Relationship



Who imports the most oil from Saudi Arabia?



It is not the United States.



Rather, it is China.



As I wrote about the other day, China imported 1.39 million barrels of oil per day from Saudi Arabia in February, which was a 39 percent increase from one year earlier.



Saudi Arabia and China have teamed up to construct a massive new oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, and leaders from both nations have been working to aggressively expand trade between the two nations.



So how long is Saudi Arabia going to stick with the petrodollar if China is their most important customer?



That is a very important question.



#8 The United Nations Has Been Pushing For A New World Reserve Currency



The United Nations has been issuing reports that openly call for an alternative to the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency of the world.



In particular, one UN report envisions "a new global reserve system" in which the U.S. no longer has dominance....



"A new global reserve system could be created, one that no longer relies on the United States dollar as the single major reserve currency."

#9 The IMF Has Been Pushing For A New World Reserve Currency



The International Monetary Fund has also published a series of reports calling for the U.S. dollar to be replaced as the reserve currency of the world.



In particular, one IMF paper entitled "Reserve Accumulation and International Monetary Stability" that was published a while back actually proposed that a future global currency be named the "Bancor" and that a future global central bank could be put in charge of issuing it....



"A global currency, bancor, issued by a global central bank (see Supplement 1, section V) would be designed as a stable store of value that is not tied exclusively to the conditions of any particular economy. As trade and finance continue to grow rapidly and global integration increases, the importance of this broader perspective is expected to continue growing."

#10 Most Of The Rest Of The World Hates The United States



Global sentiment toward the United States has dramatically shifted, and this should not be underestimated.



Decades ago, we were one of the most loved nations on earth.



Now we are one of the most hated.



If you doubt this, just do some international traveling.



Even in Europe (where we are supposed to have friends), Americans are treated like dirt. Many American travelers have resorted to wearing Canadian pins so that they will not be treated like garbage while traveling over there.



If the rest of the world still loved us, they would probably be glad to continue using the U.S. dollar. But because we are now so unpopular, that gives other nations even more incentive to dump the dollar in international trade.



So what will happen if the reign of the U.S. dollar as the world reserve currency comes to an end?



Well, some of the potential effects were described in a recent article by Michael Payne....



"The demise of the dollar will also bring radical changes to the American lifestyle. When this economic tsunami hits America, it will make the 2008 recession and its aftermath look like no more than a slight bump in the road. It will bring very undesirable changes to the American lifestyle through massive inflation, high interest rates on mortgages and cars, and substantial increases in the cost of food, clothing and gasoline; it will have a detrimental effect on every aspect of our lives."

Most Americans don't realize how low the price of gasoline in the United States is compared to much of the rest of the world.



There are areas in Europe where they pay about twice what we do for gasoline. Yes, taxes have a lot to do with that, but the fact that the U.S. dollar is used for almost all oil transactions also plays a significant role.



Today, America consumes nearly a quarter of the world's oil. Our entire economy is based upon our ability to cheaply transport goods and services over vast distances.



So what happens if the price of gasoline doubles or triples from where it is at now?



In addition, if the reign of the U.S. dollar as global reserve currency ends, the U.S. government is going to have a much harder time financing its debt.



Right now, there is a huge demand for U.S. dollars and for U.S. government debt since countries around the world have to keep huge reserves of U.S. currency lying around for the sake of international trade.



But what if that all changed?



What if the appetite for U.S. dollars and U.S. debt dried up dramatically?



That is something to think about.



At the moment, the global financial system is centered on the United States.



But that will not always be the case.



The things talked about in this article will not happen overnight, but it is important to note that these changes are picking up steam.



Under the right conditions, a shift in momentum can become a landslide or an avalanche.



Clearly, the conditions are right for a significant move away from the U.S. dollar in international trade.



So when will this major shift occur?



Only time will tell.