No Elvis Costello for Israel?

Elvis Costello a famous jazz artist has recently cancelled two shows in Israel, citing the Palestinian conflict as the source of his change in plans. How do you think this is going to be taken by Israel? The Palestinians? It seems as though this might be part of the international discontent with Israeli treatment of Palestine. This happening as the US pledges 3.2 billion$$$$$$ to support Israel next year. How does this make you feel as a citizen of the US?

Hiking or Espionage

Last july, coming close to a year ago three hikers were detained after crossing the Iraq/ Iran border unintentionally during a backpacking trip. There mothers are there as I write this to visit their children and hopefully bring them home. They have been charged with espionage because of so called links to American Intelligence. The US state department has said that any charges would be unfounded but with no diplomatic ties to Iran all communication has been routed through Sweden. How does this situation strike you? Do you think that the State Department should be doing more? Would you go to Iraq to hike?

UPDATE: The mothers of all the hikers recently vsited Tehran to try to secure the release of their children. However they were unsuccessful. They did learn that two of them are now engaged. Hmm proposing in one of the most infamous prisons in the world..

Terrorism

The term terrorism is synonymous with how we view the middle east. To us the south western portion of Asia is soo far away, so distant, and exotic. We conjure up images of men on camels armed with ak-47s trumping through the sand dunes looking for americans to kill. This simple view point is not only ignorant but extroidinarily simplistic. Terrorism in the Middle East is in fact Extremely (haha get it.. extreme.) complex and layered. The reasons they exsist are deeply rooted in Islamic culture and the result of thousands of years of wars and instablilty. However since the attacks of september the 11th terrorism has been pushed to the forefront of world affairs. It has even percipated to our small town here in Plymouth, NH. How do you view terrorism, and who does it? Where do you think they are primarily from? How has it affected you personally?