A homeless New York man with the American flag in the background

Photo by C. G. P. Grey ([1]) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

In an article titled 'Five Ways to Promote Your Text-to-Give Campaigns on Social Media', on February 28, 2011, the blog of Social Media Guide for Non-profits explains how ‘nonprofits are experimenting with Text-To-Give fundraising’, and goes on to explain how nonprofits must tap social media, especially Twitter, Facebook, and photo-sharing sites like Flickr.com to drive home the message to wealthy, or above poverty-threshold Americans that they must donate more so that the poor and hapless Americans are not forced to beg.

The site also quote startling statistics to show: “Approximately 1.4 million New Yorkers rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. Please don't make them beg..."

Please see the non-profit blog's illustrated photo below:

Malibu Coastline

Malibu Coastline, originally uploaded by videoal.

The author of this photo says, "The City of Malibu, California was incorporated March 28, 1991. It has 21 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and its population is around 13,000. Malibu is home to many celebrities". True, from the photo itself one can make out how beautiful Malibu is, with its crystal clear beaches, emerald sea waves gently lapping the shore and the Eden-garden like landscape!

Obama Signs Historic Health Care Bill

US President Barack Obama signed the historic health care reform legislation bill into law during a triumphant ceremony for congressional Democrats, Chip Reid of CBS reports in this video.

Tiger Woods' first interview after break from golf

Tiger Woods said that he is concerned about the reception he will get from fans when he returns to competition at Masters Tournament next month after almost four months he was away from golf. Woods spoke with ESPN and the Golf Channel in his first interviews since admitting marital infidelity and taking a break from golf. Bloomberg's Erik Schatzker reports in this video.

Barack Obama: It's Time to Pass Health Care Reform

President Barack Obama addresses the House Democratic Caucus and says that the time is now to vote for health care reform for America.

US Airline Passenger Bill of Rights

Video: CBS Travel editor Peter Greenberg discusses the new three hour rule for holding planes on the tarmac and the Virgin America flight that held passengers for 16 hours.

It is expected that new rules regarding how the passengers are going to be compensated and how airlines have to behave in case of undue delays are expected soon, possibly by the end of April. As you can understand from this video, it is expected that while airlines passengers may welcome the legislation, airlines are not likely to be amused.

According to a recent report in USA Today, "The rule also requires airlines to provide adequate food and water for passengers within two hours during a delay, as well as operable lavatories and, if necessary, medical care."

But from April 29, the video says, if the Airline does not take care of you, like feeding and hydrating you, and do not return you to the gate after three hours, they have to pay $27,500 per passenger. It is definitely going to improve the situation and mitigate the suffering of the passengers who some times wait without any facilities for hours together.

That said, there is hope that the passengers won’t be stranded on the tarmac indefinitely. This comes amidst stories of passengers who waited indefinitely, only to be told later impassionedly that their flights are cancelled.

However, there are reports of airlines saying that the new rule will only prompt more cancellations it is profitable for them to cancel flights rather than pay $27,500 per passenger as fine. So, the so-called "Passenger Bill of Rights" that is going on the Senate this week is going to cause quite a bit of flutter! Happy flying till then!

Hillary Clinton re-affirms US support for Israel

Hurva Synagogue, Jerusalem, originally uploaded by Tom on Formosa.

Photo: Hurva Synagogue, Jerusalem

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the US and Israel had a ‘close, unshakeable bond’ but the US wanted both Israel and the Palestinians to prove their commitment to peace. Clinton also said the US had an ‘absolute commitment to Israel's security’. This follows reports of the American envoy George Mitchell’s postponed visit to Israel.

Meanwhile mounting tensions in Jerusalem have led to violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police, who said that about 60 Palestinians had been arrested. The situation in East Jerusalem worsened in recent days with the settlements issue and rededication of a synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City, which Palestinians have condemned.

The reopening of the Hurva synagogue, which was destroyed twice in the past, in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City triggered a violent backlash. Thousands of people gathered in Gaza to protest against the rededication of the synagogue which is near the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site.

The Hurva Synagogue, is a historic synagogue located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Law is unequal in East Jerusalem

The Washington Post reports, "An Israeli court case finds that land owned by a Palestinian should be turned over to Jews who claim it was an ancestral home.". View the video report.

US Israel ties worst in 35 years

Photo: Jerusalem with the Dome of the rock in the background the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, taken on 10 November 2008.

Israel's Ambassador to the US Michael Oren has recently said that ties between the two counties are at their lowest in 35 years, the Israeli media reported following announcement for building 1,600 new homes in occupied Jerusalem. The US is waiting for a formal response from Israel, a strategic ally of the US, to its concerns, as the Palestinian leaders feel that talks with Israel are now doubtful, though Israel's PM said Jewish settlements did not hurt Arabs in East Jerusalem.

"No government in the past 40 years has limited construction in neighborhoods of Jerusalem;" he said, and continued, "Building these Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem does not hurt the Arabs of East Jerusalem or come at their expense."

The two countries’ relations were in tough terrain in 1975, because of a demand from the then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger that Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin withdraw Israeli troops partially from the Sinai Peninsula where they had been stationed since the Six-Day War of 1967.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the main disputes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem has been criticized by the United Nations and other international bodies. The Palestinians demand East Jerusalem as they want it as the capital of their state.

After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War Jerusalem was divided into two parts. The western portion populated mainly by Jews came under Israeli rule, while the eastern portion populated mainly by Arabs came under Jordanian rule.

East Jerusalem refers to parts of Jerusalem captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, and it includes Jerusalem's Old City and some of the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; such as the Temple Mount, Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Fallen Sequoia Becomes A Tunnel

The Fallen Sequoia Redwood becomes a Tunnel, Sequoia National Park California, originally uploaded by Darvin Atkeson.

According to the author of this photo, “Though they are the largest trees in the world, the Giant Sequoia Redwood trees have a very shallow root system and sometimes a good wind will bring one down.” He says, this fallen redwood tree was made in to an attraction in Sequoia National Park by cutting a tunnel on the trunk of the tree.

He says, “I could not have been more wrong. Sure I had seen giant sequoia trees in other parks such as Yosemite but it was nothing like Sequoia National Park. I highly recommend a visit to one of the less visited National Parks in California… The park is also located right next to Kings Canyon National Park…”

Well, I have seen something called “Tunnel Log”, probably this very scene, and I have it in my old photo collection. It is an old black and white photo from the park service with an old automobile passing through it. I have also read details about the tree that fell sometime ago. Come back for that photo and details on the tunnel tree.

The American Scene

The one country that always fascinated me is the United States of America, and the Americas in general. That includes all the countries in North America and South America. I have a lot of collected materials, photos, information, etc., from various sources, but mainly from my friends in USA. I will be posting them in this journal. I look forward to contacting more friends from America. Thanks! Keeping visiting and posting comments.