Israel's treatment of women is hardly that of a democracy

Israel bus

? David Silverman/Getty
A woman on a bus looks out at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man in Jerusalem, Israel.

A 'dignified' dress code and gender segregation show Israel is fast becoming bigoted about dissent and difference

While we've been distracted by alarmism over newly elected Islamist leaders enforcing hijabs and bikini bans in the Arab world, Israel is already embroiled in attempts to rein in this unruly matter of female "immodesty".

Last week, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported on businesses in the southern town of Sderot signing up to a "dignified" dress code - whereby female employees must be "modestly" clothed. So far 20 stores have adopted this long-sleeves directive, initiated by a religious group which says it did not actively threaten to boycott non-signatory shops - but which, nonetheless, has considerable buying power. Not surprisingly, the women subjected to this new code have described it as religious coercion.

This is on top of some other instances of an apparent increase in ultra-religious modesty decrees. There have been recent religious pronouncements that men should walk out of army ceremonies where women are singing (immodestly, of course); along with attempts to erase women's faces from billboard advertising and increased attempts to impose gender-segregated queuing in stores.

Last week, religiously imposed gender segregation of buses prompted a stand-off, as a female passenger simply refused to move to the back - despite requests to do so from the bus driver and a police officer called in to sort out the dispute. Dozens of public bus lines used by Israel's ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi) sector have been gender-segregated for years. Israel's supreme court tried to reverse this practice a year ago, but balked at actually banning the "women at the back" policy - making it more a voluntary issue.

The woman who stood up to it all sparked a round of indignation at these religious dictates in the Israeli media - and from Israeli leaders, including prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who issued some generic outrage premised on those favourite politico buzzwords: unity and coexistence.

Netanyahu is in a coalition that includes dominant religious parties - a support base he isn't likely to antagonise. Israeli governments are adept at making the right noises over religious enforcements in public spaces, but meanwhile doing nothing to seriously tackle the flourish. Underpinning this is the matter that, while Israel might be secular on the streets, it has never been secular as a state - with fundamentals from birth to death managed in some way by rabbis.

But this vocal protest premised on liberal, secular values is an easy run for Israel's leaders. Gender rights is one of the cornerstones of Israel's self-image as "the only democracy in the Middle East". Officials championing the subject can rely on solid support from mainstream Israelis - still a non-Orthodox majority - who worry that the Haredi sector's influence over public norms is getting out of hand. Part of the public fight-back includes a plan, on New Year's Day, for a mass boarding of gender-segregated buses to challenge this arrangement.

Pointedly, there is a big difference when it comes to defending another component of Israel's "only democracy" calling card: freedom of expression. In that frame, the Israeli government is currently trying to pass a series of laws that salute the spirit of McCarthy, while large sections of the public seem to have approved the line that any criticism of the country is basically treason.

But it seems unlikely that these trends are unrelated. Israel is increasingly becoming a place that's bigoted about dissent and difference. If the landscape as a whole is more aggressively intolerant, why shouldn't that include the Haredi sector, too?

Source: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/239231-Israel-s-treatment-of-women-is-hardly-that-of-a-democracy

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Obama Administration Approves New Renewable Energy Products (ContributorNetwork)

In what Interior Secretary Ken Salazar calls "nothing short of a renewable energy revolution," the Obama administration approved two more renewable energy projects, the Associated Press stated. Here are the details:

* Approved on Dec. 20 were a 300-megawatt solar farm on public land southwest of Phoenix and a 200-megawatt wind farm east of San Diego. These are the 24th ad 25th renewable energy projects approved on public lands in the past two years, the AP reported.

* The Sonoran Solar Energy Project includes up to 3,700 acres of Bureau of Land Management managed land near Buckeye, Ariz. Developed by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, it will generate enough electricity to power about 90,000 homes.

* According to San Diego-based KPBS, the Tule Wind Project in southeastern San Diego County, about 70 miles east of San Diego, will produce 186 megawatts of electricity -- enough to power 65,000 homes -- using 62 wind turbines. Project developer Iberdrola Renewables plans to increase that amount to 200 megawatts. The project still needs to gain approval from the California Public Utilities Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs, California State Lands Commission and the County of San Diego. It is expected to create 337 jobs during construction.

* According to a late November news release, the Bureau of Land Management will be giving priority status to 17 renewable energy projects in 2012 as "part of the administration's efforts to diversify the nation's energy portfolio." Solar projects include five in California, three in Nevada and another in Arizona. Wind projects to be given priority status in 2012 include one each in Arizona, California and Nevada, along with three in Wyoming. The BLM has also prioritized two geothermal energy projects in California and Nevada.

* In 2010, Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced an environmental analysis of a proposed 677,400 acres of public lands in six Western states available as solar energy zones and appropriate for solar energy development.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111221/sc_ac/10730653_obama_administration_approves_new_renewable_energy_products

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Steven Spielberg 'Never' Thinks About Retiring

'Adventures of Tintin' and 'War Horse' director tells MTV News, 'I don't feel any different than when I was 12 years old making movies.'
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Steven Spielberg
Photo: MTV News

In looking at Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg's résumé or IMDb page, it's the stuff of two or three careers, not just one. Who knows when the man sleeps, as he has not one but two highly anticipated, expected-to-be-blockbuster films in theaters this holiday season: "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse."

Not that we anticipate he'll slow down anytime soon, with "Lincoln" and "Robopocalypse" set to hit theaters in 2012 and 2013, respectively — not to mention the slew of films on which he serves as a producer, plus the constant rumblings about the possibility of more "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park" movies.

When MTV News sat down with the prolific director recently during the press day for "Tintin," we asked his thoughts about slowing down.

"I never think about being tapped out or retiring. Even though I'm turning 65 in a matter of a week, I never think about that; it just doesn't occur to me," he replied. "I just love so much the work and the discovery: the whole process of discovering a new story, a new way to shoot a film, working with new actors I've always wanted to work with and never got a chance to until now. And so, for me, every day is a new day, every day is exciting.

"And I don't feel any different than when I was 12 years old making movies with my dad's 8-millimeter movie camera: I've got that same kind of percolation every time I get onto a set."

Check out everything we've got on "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676394/steven-spielberg-war-horse-adventures-of-tintin.jhtml

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Adam Lambert says "lesson learned" after arrest (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Former "American Idol" finalist Adam Lambert brushed off his arrest in Finland on Thursday, blaming his bad behavior on travel, booze and "irrational confusion" and adding "lesson learned" on Twitter.

"Jetlag+Vodka=blackout. Us?blackout=irrational confusion. jail+guilt+press=lesson learned. Sauli+Adam+hangover burgers= laughing bout it. :)," Lambert tweeted to fans.

The "Whataya Want From Me" singer, 29, was involved in an argument in a Helsinki bar with his boyfriend, Finnish reality TV star Sauli Koskinen. Their quarrel became physical and the pair were arrested, questioned then later released by authorities, according to media reports.

Koskinen also addressed the incident on his blog, writing in Finnish, "publicity is not easy. But celebrities are only human people."

Lambert, whose colorful costumes and makeup earned him the nickname "Glambert," rose to fame in 2009 on U.S. singing contest "American Idol," but lost in the final round of the No. 1-rated TV show to Kris Allen.

Despite being the runner-up, Lambert forged a solid career and now enjoys a loyal following as a singer. His single "Better Than I Know Myself" was released on Tuesday, and is currently at No. 30 on the iTunes singles chart.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111222/music_nm/us_adamlambert

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Utah Woman Andrea Chavez Accused Of Assaulting Ice Cream Truck Driver's Face Because Prices Were Too High

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah -- A Utah woman faces misdemeanor charges after police say she sprayed an ice cream truck driver in the face with cleaning solution because she was upset about the driver's prices.

Authorities in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville say 65-year-old Andrea Chavez told them she sprayed the woman because "she charges too much for ice cream."

The incident happened Aug. 7 at an apartment complex. Charges were filed Monday, though the reason for the delay was unknown. A message left for Salt Lake County prosecutors was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Police say the driver was briefly hospitalized after being hit in the eyes with Mean Green cleaner, a product described on its website as a blend of nontoxic, biodegradable detergents.

Court papers say Chavez fought off Taylorsville police officer Mike Ikemiyashiro when he tried to take her into custody, threatening to "sock him in the face" and kick him in the groin.

Salt Lake County sheriff's office records show Chavez was booked into jail after the incident and held for three days. She was released when no charges were filed. By law, authorities can hold someone in jail for only 72 hours without filing charges.

On Monday prosecutors charged Chavez with four misdemeanors: assault against a police officer, assault, interfering with an officer and committing a violent offense in front of a child. If convicted, she faces a combined punishment of two and half years in the county jail.

An arraignment is set for Jan. 4 in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court.

It wasn't immediately clear Tuesday if Chavez had an attorney. A telephone message left at a listing under her name wasn't returned.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/ice-cream-truck-driver-assaulted_n_1161987.html

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Lenovo ThinkPad X130e delayed until February, early-adopting school districts to blame

We'll be honest: when Lenovo said it would ship the new student-friendly ThinkPad X130e starting on December 20th, we didn't actually program an alert in our calendars, reminding us to place our orders on the very first day it became available. But it looks like at least a few you did just that, and were quite taken with this durable 11.6-inch laptop. As it turns out, though, you'll have to wait a little longer to get yours -- Lenovo's product page is now saying it won't be available for individual purchase until February. Apparently, it's because the X130e's rubber bumper, recessed ports, reinforced hinge and Core i3 / Fusion innards were just too irresistible to educators: a Lenovo rep told us all the early units have been scooped up by hungry school districts, meaning individual students and other fans of inexpensive, ruggedized laptops will have to wait for a later batch.

[Thanks, Markus]

Lenovo ThinkPad X130e delayed until February, early-adopting school districts to blame originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/lenovo-thinkpad-x130e-delayed-until-february-early-adopting-sch/

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Gerard Butler rescued at big-wave surfing spot (AP)

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. ? Gerard Butler is OK after being rescued during filming for a movie at Mavericks, a treacherous Northern California surf break known for stories-high waves.

The 42-year-old "Of Men and Mavericks" star was held underwater Sunday afternoon when a set of 15-foot waves rolled in.

The San Mateo County Times ( http://bit.ly/rwDfAI) says filmmakers were shooting Butler paddling out with competitive surfers Greg Long, Zach Wormhoudt and Peter Mel.

A safety patrolman on a Jet Ski swooped in and picked up Butler.

Wormhouldt says the actor was shaken up but not seriously injured. Butler was taken by ambulance to Stanford Medical Center for examination, and he was later released.

"Of Men and Mavericks" is about Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered Mavericks as a teen but died in a free-diving accident in 2001 when he was 23.

Butler's publicist Rupert Fowler didn't immediately respond to an email message sent Tuesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111220/ap_en_mo/us_people_gerard_butler

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Archos announces the 70b Internet tablet, Honeycomb priced under $200

Archos 70b

Archos has been around for quite a while, but they are looking to break into the Android tablet market in a big way with their 70b Internet Tablet, which features Honeycomb and checks in at $199.  We don't have all the details when it comes to specs, but what we know puts this one squarely at odds with the likes of the Kindle Fire or HTC Flyer:

  • 1.2GHz CPU
  • 512MB RAM
  • HDMI out
  • 1024x600 capacitive screen
  • Starting at 8GB internal storage
  • Micro SD Card slot
  • Android Market and Google Apps

Starting at $199 and coming in January 2012, it's certainly worth a look, which we'll be doing come CES -- which is right around the corner.  Hit the break for the full press release.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/r6dETKGQkBg/story01.htm

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Opting to track, not treat, early prostate cancer (AP)

WASHINGTON ? John Shoemaker visited six doctors in his quest to find the best treatment for his early stage prostate cancer ? and only the last one offered what made the most sense to the California man: Keep a close watch on the tumor and treat only if it starts to grow.

Very few men choose this active surveillance option. Yet Shoemaker is one of more than 100,000 men a year deemed candidates for it by a government panel. That's because their prostate cancer carries such a low risk of morphing into the kind that could kill.

The risk for them is so low, in fact, that specialists convened recently by the National Institutes of Health say it's time to strip the name "cancer" off these small, lazy tumors.

In the meantime, the panel wants more of those men offered the option of delaying treatment until regular check-ups show it's really needed. That endorsement promises to fuel efforts by the Prostate Cancer Foundation and a few other groups to spread the word to the newly diagnosed.

Shoemaker's journey shows how difficult that may be, from doctors who don't even bring it up to the fear factor.

"With prostate cancer, you hear the "C" word, so to speak, and people freak out," says Shoemaker, 69, a businessman from Los Altos, Calif., who was intent on examining all his options.

Five years after his diagnosis ? and five biopsies plus numerous blood tests and ultrasound scans later ? Shoemaker's happy he found a surgeon who argued against immediate treatment. He's confident his prostate tumor hasn't grown, and avoided the pain and side effects of surgery or radiation.

Some 240,000 men a year in the U.S. are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Earlier this month, the NIH-appointed panel found that most have the low-risk kind, a legacy of using problematic PSA blood tests to screen healthy men for possible signs of this slow-growing cancer that will affect most men's prostates if they live long enough.

Yet 90 percent of such men choose immediate treatment such as surgery or radiation, risking serious and long-lasting side effects, such as impotence or incontinence, without good evidence about who will live longer as a result. One recent study tracked 731 men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer for 10 years and found no difference in survival between those who had surgery and those who weren't treated unless they went on to develop cancer symptoms, an older option known as watchful waiting.

Active surveillance is much more aggressive than watchful waiting ? men get regular scans, blood tests and biopsies to check the tumor, although the NIH panel found the degree of monitoring can vary by medical center. Active surveillance is designed to monitor men closely enough that they can get curative treatment quickly if it looks like they'll need it, well before any symptoms would begin.

"It's not treatment versus no treatment; it's about timing of treatment," Shoemaker's physician, Dr. Peter Carroll of the University of California, San Francisco, told the NIH. He's a well-known prostate cancer surgeon who also leads one of the country's few large active-surveillance programs, tracking more than 900 men for over five years. Most are treatment-free so far, and none has gone on to die of prostate cancer.

What's the advice for men? The NIH panel said men with a PSA level less than 10 and a Gleason score that's 6 or less are candidates for this type of active surveillance. The Gleason score measures how aggressive prostate cancer cells look under the microscope. Urologists can provide those numbers.

Then what? Today, what men decide to do next largely depends on the advice of the specialist they wind up seeing, and many either don't offer active surveillance or present it in a negative way, as doing nothing, the NIH panel learned. There's also the patient's instinctive "get it out" reaction.

Enter the National Proactive Surveillance Network ? at http://www.npsn.net_ a collaboration of two large active-surveillance programs, at Johns Hopkins University and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with the Prostate Cancer Foundation. First, it aims to educate men about active surveillance.

Within a few months, an interactive section of the site will be added to link men with doctors who offer active surveillance and track how they fare with input straight from the patients themselves, said Hopkins' Dr. H. Ballentine Carter.

"To me, it's an individualized approach rather than the one-size-fits-all approach of treating everyone," Carter says.

Beyond whether and how men choose surveillance, behavioral scientist Kathryn Taylor of Georgetown University wants to know how they decide to stick with it. About a quarter of men abandon the observation approach within two or three years, and as many as half by five years, the NIH panel learned. It's not clear how much of that was because they needed treatment, and how much was just the anxiety or getting tired of repeat biopsies.

Taylor is beginning a study of 1,500 newly diagnosed, low-risk prostate cancer patients at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California to see how many are told about active surveillance and what helped or hindered their decision.

"Living with untreated cancer is very difficult," she says, "and not everybody can do it, not surprisingly."

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111220/ap_on_he_me/us_med_healthbeat_prostate_cancer

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