What’s interesting out there today?

We can start with Pres. Obama’s Mid East trip.

From Politico

“On his stops in the Holy Land Thursday, President Barack Obama turned again and again to a subject not obviously connected to the current troubles in the mideast: the struggles of African Americans in the United States.

One of the parallels the president drew—comparing the plight of Palestinians to that of blacks in the U.S.—has drawn criticism in the past when he raised it in this region.”

“Obama’s comments—which invoked life under Jim Crow in the U.S. or perhaps even under slavery—seemed to give support to Palestinian narratives that describe Arabs and Palestinians as second-class citizens in Israel. That line of criticism deeply angers many Israelis. Some critics of Israel go so far as to use the word apartheid, a word that angers Israelis further.

But at stops in Jerusalem later on Thursday, Obama invoked the history of African-Americans in the U.S. in ways far more pleasing to Israelis and Jews generally.”

The race card? How original. 🙄

Also note his habit of just saying whatever he thinks his audience wants to hear. Always in campaign mode.

While he fiddles, others point out the obvious. From USAToday

“President Obama’s first journey to Israel as president comes amid earth-shattering change in Middle East, much of it for the worse. The Arab Spring, which once raised hopes of freedom and dignity, has diverged onto the dark path of Islamist authoritarian rule. In Syria, tens of thousands of people have died in a bitter civil war that might have recently seen its first use of chemical weapons. And Iran continues its march toward nuclear weapons capability, heedless of international condemnation. Obama’s effort to seek peace between Palestinians and Israelis is in tatters.

That’s why the White House has been lowering expectations for Obama’s trip to Israel all this week. He will announce no new peace plan, grand design or major foreign policy initiative. His advisers are calling the trip a “listening tour.” That is what you call a state visit when you have little to say.

Despite downgrading the trip, many see Obama’s arrival as the sequel to his 2009 visit to Cairo, where he announced a “new beginning” with the Muslim world. Four years later, that doesn’t auger well for renewed efforts in Israel and the West Bank. According to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, confidence in Obama in Muslim countries dropped from 33% to 24% in his first term. Approval of Obama’s policies declined even further, from 34% to 15%. And support for the United States in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Pakistan is lower today than it was in 2008 in the closing year of George W. Bush’s administration. That collapse of support has not happened elsewhere.”

Ouch. Lower than Bush. That’s gotta sting his ego a bit. So much for soft-power huh? Doesn’t seem to be working real well. Then again, it’s probably Bush’s fault. Most things are.

____________________________________________________

This bothers me. Sure it’s limited now, but you know it’s ever expanding.

From NBCNews

“The U.S. government is expanding a cybersecurity program that scans Internet traffic headed into and out of defense contractors to include far more of the country’s private, civilian-run infrastructure.

As a result, more private sector employees than ever before, including those at big banks, utilities and key transportation companies, will have their emails and Web surfing scanned as a precaution against cyber attacks.

Under last month’s White House executive order on cybersecurity , the scans will be driven by classified information provided by U.S. intelligence agencies — including data from the National Security Agency (NSA) — on new or especially serious espionage threats and other hacking attempts. U.S. spy chiefs said on March 12 that cyber attacks have supplanted terrorism as the top threat to the country.

The Department of Homeland Security will gather the secret data and pass it to a small group of telecommunication companies and cyber security providers that have employees holding security clearances, government and industry officials said. Those companies will then offer to process email and other Internet transmissions for critical infrastructure customers that choose to participate in the program.”

____________________________________________________

Looks like some officials are standing up to the promotion of sex on a college campus in their state. I’ll skip the details, but yeah, I’d have to agree. IMHO I don’t see much of educational value in it.

CONTENT WARNING!

From TownHall

“A group of Tennessee lawmakers is preparing to issue an ultimatum to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville – either defund the first-ever “Sex Week” or they will defund the university.”

“This is truly an offense to the people of Tennessee,” State Rep. Susan Lynn said on the House floor. “I am offended for the people of my district at the University of Tennessee having sex week.”

A university spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that the nearly $20,000 event is being funded by student fees and university money.”

____________________________________________________

Gee, do you think the promotion of stuff like the above in our learning centers has anything to do with this? I can’t help but think that promoting an “if it feels good do it” mentality leads to stuff like this, not to mention more abortions.

From CNSNews

“Calling it “The Great Crossover,” a report by academics and social activists shows that for the first time in history the median age of American women having babies is lower than the median age of marriage – 25.7 and 26.5, respectively.

These “dramatic changes in childbearing,” the report states, results in dramatic statistics about American children. Among them, 48 percent of first births are by unwed mothers, and by age 30 two-thirds of American women have had a child, typically out of wedlock.

Kay Hymowitz, an author of the report and a William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, said at an event to release the report on Wednesday at the Brookings Institution, that it reflects how the view of what marriage is about has changed.”

____________________________________________________