President-elect Joe Biden introduces his foreign policy and national security team on Nov. 24 in Wilmington, Del. Mark Makela/Getty Images Joe Biden won the election, but whether he wins the transition is another question. The peaceful transfer of power always tests an incoming president, but this time promises to be particularly perilous. The coronavirus pandemic […]
Can Joe Biden win the transition? Read More »
USA
President Donald Trump brought his bid to subvert the 2020 election to a new low Tuesday, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court and legislatures in a handful of battleground states to “have the courage” to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Speaking at a White House event that was supposed to focus on COVID-19 vaccine distribution,
Trump calls on Supreme Court to ‘have the courage’ to overturn Biden’s election victory Read More »
USA
Two are from San Diego County SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For their swearing-in session on Monday, Assembly leaders moved their house from the state Capitol to the Golden 1 Center to make sure lawmakers were appropriately spaced. COVID-19 safety concerns meant that families and guests were excluded from the event. Just hours later, however, five California
These California lawmakers distanced for work. Then they shared dinner at a restaurant Read More »
USA
Washington (AFP) – The White House unveiled a $916 billion stimulus proposal on Tuesday in a final dash to break a months-long logjam over new aid for the coronavirus-stricken US economy before President Donald Trump leaves office in January. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the plan, which he said includes “money for state and local
White House proposes new $916 bn stimulus plan to break deadlock Read More »
Travel and Food
The idea of a Holocaust Haggadah is fabulous; we have a Tu’B’ Shevat Seder Haggadah, why not one on the Holocaust—especially since Yom HaShoah occurs within a week after Passover ends? Historically, the Passover Haggadah provided a practical template how to convey the meaning of Passover; Rabbi Rosenberg’s Holocaust Haggadah aims to create a practical syllabus on how to make the Holocaust relevant to the themes of Passover and redemption. For the children of Holocaust survivors (like myself), we must find new and creative ways to preserve the sacredness of Jewish memory. This is similar to the way the retelling of Passover serves to challenge new generations with the seminal thoughts since the time when the traditional observance of Passover ceased with the destruction of the Temple. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
A Holocaust Haggadah To Help Preserve Memory Read More »
Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
History in the making occurred today in the United Kingdom as they are the first country that began administering their citizens with the vaccine to COVID-19. The first to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was 90 year old Margaret Keenan. She received the first of two doses this morning at 6:31 a.m. local time by nurse May
Margaret Keenan, 90, First In The World To Receive Approved COVID-19 Vaccine Read More »
International
In September Dorothy L. Parker, President of San Diego Independent Scholars and project editor, reached out and invited likeminded independent scholar organizations to participate in a writing and art project about Covid-19 experiences. The result is a collection of 31 essays about pandemic experiences, thoughts, impressions and history. The writers represented a range of backgrounds, academic disciplines, and perspectives. They were seasoned and experienced, most over 65. [Oliver B. Pollak, Ph.D]
Independent Scholars Offer 31 Essays on the Covid Pandemic Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, Oliver Pollak
Howard Rubenstein’s play Prometheus Bound” is based on the play of the same name attributed to the famed Greek playwright Aeschylus (c. 525 BCE – c. 456 BCE), called the father of tragedy, from which it was freely adapted, and based on the epic poem “Origin of the Gods” by the Greek didactic poet Hesiod (c. 750 BCE – c. 650 BCE). The late Dr. Rubenstein of San Diego, California, wrote his version in ordinary English which made the play accessible, meaningful, comprehensible, thoughtful, and entertaining. It is very good. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Modern ‘Prometheus Bound’ a Delight to Read Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Iranians were left shocked this week after videos surfaced online showing an Israeli flag and a thank you message to the country’s spy agency on the streets of Tehran, following the killing of a top nuclear scientist, allegedly by Israel. The Israeli flag was raised on a pedestrian bridge in the Tehranpars neighbourhood of the
A month before the White House sees a new first family living there, First Lady Melania Trump unveiled a new tennis pavilion the the south grounds on Monday. The pavilion replaced a smaller structure and cleaned up the existing tennis court and children’s garden. The new design is meant to reflect the look and feel of
First Lady Melania Trump Reveals New Tennis Pavilion At The White House Read More »
Sports & Competitions, USA
PHILADELPHIA — Sen. Pat Toomey said Tuesday that it’s “completely unacceptable” for President Donald Trump to pressure state lawmakers to overturn Pennsylvania’s election result, a rare rebuke from a Republican elected official as Trump continues his effort to subvert the will of the voters. “It’s completely unacceptable and it’s not going to work and the
The actions by the president [Franklin D. Roosevelt] and his administration included welcoming Nazi warships to U.S. ports; allowing deceptive labeling on German imports to elude anti-Nazi boycotters; censoring anti-Nazi remarks by cabinet members; and refraining from publicly condemning the Hitler regime’s persecution of German Jews (from 1933 until late 1938). Our essay noted that none of this is mentioned in the exhibit on “Americans and the Holocaust” at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Washington, D.C. None of the museum’s staff historians have disputed the accuracy of our essay. Instead, the museum issued this statement by its communications director: “The exhibition reveals how many segments of American society, not just the president, but also Congress, the State Department, the media, and the public knew about the persecution and murder of the Jews while it was happening but for the most part failed to respond.” In other words, don’t focus the blame on FDR, because everybody was doing it.
‘Everybody Did It’ Is Poor Excuse for FDR’s Inaction on Holocaust Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
My tenure on the San Diego City Council concludes on December 10 but my love for our city will never end. Four years ago, I was a first-time elected official. I had never run for anything—except maybe the bus. I came to City Hall with the goal of serving District One’s constituents in an open and transparent way and to keep San Diego safe, clean, and prosperous. [Barbara Bry]
Barbara Bry’s Councilmanic Farewell Read More »
San Diego County
New York (AFP) – An independent US federal ethics watchdog called Monday on President Donald Trump to take disciplinary action against his own trade adviser, Peter Navarro, for attacking election rivals while in his official government role. In a letter to the outgoing US leader, Henry Kerner, head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC),
US govt watchdog calls for sanctions on Trump adviser Read More »
USA