July 18

“Fear. And hamburger.”

--Russian-born novelist Gary Shteyngart, on what makes Americans tick; Shteyngart image from article

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Clinton Visits Pakistan for Security, Afghan Talks - San Francisco Chronicle:

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan today for two days of strategic talks on development and security that got a boost from a newly announced Pakistan-Afghanistan trade deal. ... Clinton and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will head the Strategic Dialogue talks that will examine projects on education, energy, law enforcement, health, counterterrorism, market access, science and technology, security, women's empowerment, economics, defense and public diplomacy. During her visit, Clinton will take questions from the public in a town-hall meeting and give a TV interview." See also (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6). Image from

Buy Inside a U.S. Embassy: How the Foreign Service Works for America At Amazon! - Davins Blog: Just another Blogtranscripts weblog: "Who works in an embassy? What do diplomats actually do? Inside a U.S. Embassy is the only book that truly answers these questions. Inside a U.S. Embassy is a unique resource, taking readers inside embassies and consulates in over 50 countries, providing detailed descriptions of Foreign Service jobs and first-hand accounts of diplomacy in action. ... Customer Reviews: ... Being curious about what the Public Diplomacy section does, I was a little confused about finding the term 'Public Diplomacy' in only one place in the book (in the 'Embassy Flow Chart') and instead finding a profile of a 'Public Affairs Officer.' While I’m assuming a Public Affairs Officer works in the Public Diplomacy section, what’s the difference between a Public Affairs Officer and a Public Diplomacy Officer (a term used on the Department of State website). A minor gripe." Image from article 1emb

Kazakhstan - a long way to go on PD? – Lena, Global Chaos: "I just find it all too ironic that Kazakhstan

is going over and beyond in its attempts to prove 'democratization and progress' to the world, coming up with various public diplomacy and "image-making" overtures, while not making any real attempts to improve the facts on the ground - substantially, that is." Image with caption: Air Kazakhstan was the former national carrier of Kazakhstan until it ceased operation in 2004. Air Astana is currently the principal airline of the country.

Africa Affiliate ……..proudly associated - Africa’s Brand Challenge: "In a world increasingly connected by 24/7 media, there has to be a 'brand' strategy for Africans-the message has to be coordinated and consistent, and it has to respond to stereotypes already in circulation. Nation-branding, then, is what you get when you take traditional public diplomacy strategies and add marketing tools designed to change global perceptions."

Through a Nazi Lens - Masha Leon, Jewish Forward: "When I was invited in June by Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in a conference titled 'Public Diplomacy and Polish-Jewish Relations,' to be held in Warsaw in October, I had mixed emotions.

Yes! What a wonderful opportunity to revisit the city my mother and I fled a few months before the ghetto walls went up. Still, I have been reluctant to return to the 'new' Warsaw." Image from

RELATED ITEMS

Unlikely Tutor Giving Military Afghan Advice - Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times: In the past year, Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia Institute, responsible for the construction of more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, mostly for girls, have set up some three dozen meetings between General McChrystal or his senior staff members and village elders across Afghanistan. The collaboration, which grew in part out of the popularity Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea” among military wives who told their husbands to read it, extends to the office of Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mr. Mortenson, 52, thinks there is no military solution in Afghanistan — he says the education of girls is the real long-term fix — so he has been startled by the Defense Department’s embrace.

Amiri: US Seeking to Launch Negative Propaganda over Iran's N. Issue – FARS: "The United States is attempting launch a negative propaganda against Iran's peaceful nuclear program by fabricating fake documents, said Shahram Amiri, the Iranian scholar who was kidnapped by the CIA last year."

Comic Art Propaganda Explored: 'Hansi The Girl Who Loved the Swastika' – Fredrik Strömberg, Comics Alliance:

The Hansi comic book was part of a series of biographies of famous Christians in the 1970s, like the musician Johnny Cash, the football coach Tom Landry, and the concentration-camp survivor Corrie ten Boom. The Hansi comic book was based on the autobiography of Maria Anne Hirschmann, who actually lived through most of what is described in the comic. Image from article

MORE QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY

“Beaten and beatitude — beat, the Beats.”

--Robert Faggen,"Jack and Allen, in their own words: An assemblage of about 200 letters between Beat men Ginsberg and Kerouac offers insight into their friendship, their souls and their writing,”
Los Angeles Times

"Digital technology is also transforming reading from a famously solitary experience into a social one."

--Alex Pham and David Sarno, “Electronic reading devices are transforming the concept of a book: Digital tools advance beyond screens that talk and play videos, connecting readers to authors and online fan communities,” latimes.com