Rescuing Youssif: I hope that some of you were able to watch the special hour that pre-empted AC360° on Monday evening. What a brave little boy. And what a brave family – to risk everything to come to the United States for the kind of treatment that will make dramatically improve the quality of Youssif’s life. He’ll receive the best treatment possible at the Grossman Burn Center – it is truly the best place that he could be. Unfortunately, the decision of whether or not the family returns to Iraq will still loom high and be very difficult. But at least the family has witnessed the compassion and generosity that Americans are capable of offering - first hand.
And if they do decide to return to be with their relatives, we can only hope that whatever security that has been established through the US military ‘surge’ will remain intact and perhaps even improve if the coalition government ever decides to operate as it was envisioned to operate.
You can follow Youssif’s progress here on CNN.com. I didn’t take a lot of screen caps of this special, as much of it was, quite frankly, a little difficult to watch. But here are some that chronicle the more hopeful moments in the hour:
Asia Tsumani – 3rd anniversary: Certainly not an anniversary to celebrate, but it was three years ago today that we were first learning of the devastation in Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India.
It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history, killing over 230,000 people. The rebuilding efforts have, by most accounts, progressed well. Perhaps some New Orleans officials could learn some lessons here??? Memorial services are being held throughout the region – you can read more here.
There was also a recent interesting article about how survivors’ tales passed down by elders in certain affected communities may help to prevent future loss of life, should a similar disaster occur at some point in the future.
Moving on to more positive news and notes: before New Year’s, many people still have additional holidays to celebrate!! For example, today is Boxing Day, and also the start of the Kwanzaa celebration!
Boxing Day is December 26, the day after Christmas, and is celebrated in Great Britain and in most areas settled by the English (the U.S. is the major exception), including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Historians say the holiday developed because servants were required to work on Christmas Day, but took the following day off. As servants prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes.
Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday about the festival of the first harvest of the crops. It begins on December 26, and lasts for seven days. The name Kwanzaa, sometimes spelled Kwanza, comes from a phrase which means "first fruits" in Swahili, an East African language.
I was reading an article about the writers’ strike (which is beginning to have a measureable impact on the Southern California economy), and it’s interesting to note that the one programming genre that broadcasters are ignoring to “fill in” their prime time schedules is – perhaps not surprisingly – NEWS!!
And speaking of news – or at least the fake kind – I was SO happy to see that Stephen Colbert has been named “Celebrity of the Year” by the Associated Press!! It will definitely be interesting to see how The Colbert Report (and The Daily Show) fare without their ultra-talented writing staffs.
Both Gary Tuchman and Randi Kaye have interesting blog entries today – Gary talks about how US troops have actually been in the Persian Gulf region for 18 Christmas holidays, dating back to the first Gulf War. And Randi comments about the tiger attack yesterday at the San Francisco Zoo, and about whether wild animals really should be held in captivity. I haven’t been to a zoo since sixth grade, for the very reasons she cites – I can’t stand to see animals like that in cages, solely for human viewing pleasure. It amounts to sanctioned cruelty – IMHO. You can always check out the AC360° blog – and the CNN.com homepage headlines – via the links on the sidebar!!
And how does Anderson celebrate Christmas? Or at least what did he tell "Entertainment Tonight" that he does to celebrate? Here it is: Christmas looks a lot like any other day to newsman Anderson Cooper. "To be honest, I usually end up working, which is a little pathetic," he confides to ET. And just as honestly - I think it's pathetic that he's being quoted by "Entertainment Tonight" - but that's just (very humbly) IMO. :-(
Thanks for visiting ... updates posted as needed ... have a terrific day!!
1 comment:
Newsblooz: I would like to wish Happy Holidays to those celebrating Boxing Day today and the beginning of Kwanzaa.
Youssif’s story is so tragic, he is yet another innocent victim of George Bush’s horrible war. I wish him the best of luck!
I was delighted to hear that AP named Stephen Colbert "Celebrity of the Year;" he certainly deserves it! I am anxious for the return of "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show!"
Gary and Randi have excellent blog posts today! In regards to Gary’s post I am sorry to say it, but thanks to Bush’s irresponsible actions I think the infants of today may find themselves fighting and dying in the Middle East for many years to come. As for Randi’s tiger blog I have to admit that I also do not visit zoos. As a child I was always uncomfortable watching the animals pace back and forth in their cages; they always seemed miserable to me. One day I made eye contact with a gorilla and the sadness I saw in his eyes was so profound that it overwhelmed me. I will never forget that moment.
I wish people like Jack Hanna, who make their living off of these creatures, would concede that these animals are miserable in zoos. I am tired of their excuse that since some of them are bred in captivity they do not miss being free; it sounds like they are trying to suggest that instinct doesn’t exist. Anyone who knows anything about animals knows that just isn’t true!
Something tells me Anderson doesn’t really work on holidays, but I would like to wish him a happy holiday season no matter how he chooses to spend it.
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