Added On July 3, 2011
CNN's Nadia Bilchik and TJ Holmes discuss Monaco's fairy tale wedding, and the scandal that overshadows.
Monday, July 4, 2011
A Fairy Tale With A Beautiful Long Veil
Added On July 3, 2011
CNN's Nadia Bilchik and TJ Holmes discuss Monaco's fairy tale wedding, and the scandal that overshadows.
Reporting For CNN, Bahrain Journalist On Trial
Added On July 4, 2011
CNN's Nic Robertson speaks with a Bahraini journalist accused of destablizing the country.
Cameraman As Target
Added On July 4, 2011
Video posted online appears to show a cameraman being fired upon in Homs, Syria.
Mr. Aqui.
Fear & Insecurity But Hopeful
Added On July 4, 2011
The director of the Abu Dhabi Gallup Center discusses a poll about Egyptians' thoughts on politics, religion and money.
Added On July 4, 2011
CNN's Diana Magnay reports on how the Egyptian police are trying to improve their tarnished image.
CNN At Confusing Demo
Added On July 1, 2011
For the first time, minders take CNN to anti-government demonstrations. CNN's Arwa Damon reports.
Happy Fourth!
FREEDOM to be straight; freedom to call the President a 'Dick' although not quite as public as recently -- I called George W. Bush a 'Dick' many times, and worse, but never on television. Freedom to be an agnostic or an atheist, or if you prefer, a catholic; freedom to obey the law or abide by the consequences; freedom to be a bigot or respect others. There are an unlimited number of freedoms in America, that's why I moved to this blessed Country which now I call my own, which I am very proud of, which I love so much and which I would defend to death if necessary.
| Viva America! | Viva Freedom! | Viva the 4th of July! |
Sunday, July 3, 2011
They Are Noisyyyy!!!
July 3rd, 2011
03:09 PM ET
Reporter's Note: President Obama has to be a pretty responsible citizen. The rest of us? Well, I suppose it is kind of optional.
Dear Mr. President,
I was watching that annual demonstration of fireworks danger on video the other day; you know, the one where they usually blow up a watermelon or a mannequin with firecrackers to show how dangerous they are? And it occurred to me that there is a basic flaw in this display. Because every year when I see it, the first thought I have is: Wow, wouldn’t it be fun to do that!
Usually I try to be a level headed fellow, but I have to admit, I love fireworks and I love places where normal people can set them off. And I hate laws against them.
Yes, I know that they can hurt people and I know that plenty of very well meaning folks have raised alarms about the dangers of fireworks, especially around children. I respect their point of view. I just don’t share it. I love the sizzle of the fuses, the swoosh of the rockets, and the skull rattling clatter of a big string of firecrackers lighting up the night. I love the smell of the burnt powder filling the air and the blue smoke trailing out over a twilight field.
Maybe it is easy for me to enjoy because my parents taught all of us kids to be very careful with such things. We were not allowed to touch them when we were too small, and as we became old enough to play along on the Fourth, we were held to high standards of safe behavior. Perhaps you would not have noticed as a casual observer as we set off outrageous amounts of fireworks around my folks’ house, but my father and mother were steadily keeping on eye on the apparent chaos, and even a slight infraction in the safety rules brought a sharp and unmistakable correction. And through years of celebrations involving the most aggressive fireworks any private citizen can possess, no one was ever hurt.
You know what I would say to people? The same thing we say about power tools, rat poison, swimming pools, cars, alcohol and so much more - in the wrong hands, or handled improperly, these things can be very dangerous. Of course they can not be allowed in the hands of children, or drunk people, or idiots who don’t know how to use them safely. But good heavens, I would say the same of karaoke machines!
With the proper care, however, fireworks are simply part of life - a great, explosive, thrilling, beautiful and highly enjoyable part of any great celebration.
That said they are illegal in my neighborhood, and being a law abiding type I don’t light any here. So…can I come over? I mean, as president couldn’t you sign something to let you and I blast some off on the White House lawn? Let me know.
OH, and don’t miss my latest special STORIES: REPORTER tonight on CNN at 7:30pm. You’ll like it!
Regards,
Tom
Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.
Find more of the Foreman Letters here.
It's A Jungle Out There
It's a jungle in Anderson's mind. We all have a jungle inside our minds, some of our jungles are scary, some are ugly, some are pretty, some are lonely, some are busy, some are serious, some are funny; but Anderson's is peaceful, sunny and beautiful.
Twitter In YouTube Clothes
Tout Micro-Video Sharing Adds CNN Anderson Cooper 360 Team
Not too removed from it's block-buster public relations move in getting Shaquille O'Neill to announce his retirement using it, Tout, the micro-video sharing site (think 12 Seconds-plus-three combined with Twitter) started by San Francisco Internet
Entrepreneur Michael Downing in partnership with SRI (Stanford Research Institute) in 2009 has added CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 team.
Kaj Larsen and Neil Hallsworth, who travel the World on assignment for Anderson Cooper 360, have said, again via Tout, that they will use it to announce what they're doing.
Since Shaq's big Wednesday June 1st splash Tout, the site has seen a number of high-profile additions, like Larry Flint, the Founder of Hustler and Penthouse magazines. Tout also added a high-profile executive: Scott Epstein from Google.
Epstein came over as a adviser to the firm, but "immediately saw the product's huge potential," according to Downing. So, on June 8th, and on the heels of Shaq, Epstein joined the Tout family.
How Does Tout Work?
Tout very simply allows you to upload a 15 second video using an app or a designated part of a YouTube video. Here's Touts own YouTube video on how Tout works:
Stay tuned for more on Tout.
Posted By: Zennie62 | July 02 2011 at 08:41 PM
Independence Day
July 2nd, 2011
03:34 PM ET
Reporter's Note: President Obama is presumably cleaning the grill out in the Rose Garden in preparation for the 4th of July. I mean, of course, when he’s not reading my daily letter.
Dear Mr. President,
So here we go into another Fourth of July weekend. I’ve always enjoyed this holiday and expect I will once again this time around - which reminds me that I need to put up our red, white and blue bunting on the porch later today. My wife ordered it online a few years back and we had our doubts about the quality, but when it arrived it was really decent material, bright colors, with heavy duty construction. I suspect it was made in China. Ha!
We hang an American flag outside our door for this holiday every year, and frankly we have one out there many other days as well; except when have our seasonal flag up for the New Orleans Saints, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Mardi Gras, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and on and on it goes. Hmm. It never really occurred to me until this moment, but we have a lot of flags. I wonder where my wife keeps them all? I have not noticed a particular flag closet anywhere.
Back to this holiday. Most people I know refer to it as the Fourth of July, and I generally see the words “Independence Day” only in advertisements. Which is a shame, because independence is really what it is all about.
What I like most about being an American, I think, is this commitment to the idea that “we the people” are the authority of the land; that we are to be free to independently determine what we want from our society; that our government exists to serve our interests, not the other way around.
A lot of DC big shots clearly lose track of that notion now and then. They start acting like America is a great big life-support system for their vaulting ambitions. And that’s when the trouble starts. See, we didn’t fight the American Revolution and throw off one king, because we were dying to have another. To the contrary, we wanted nothing to do with royalty. We wanted to be independent. And I suspect most of us still do.
I suppose it is tempting when the parades roll, and the flags wave, and the fireworks thunder over the National Mall, to think that this is somehow a celebration of all things governmental. But I hope you and all your influential friends will take a little time this weekend to remember that the celebration is really about the whole vast country - about all those independent souls coast to coast, who may agree with you, or may not, but who are free to think and say what they will. Because that’s the whole point.
If you can come over this weekend, that would be great. We’ll be barbequing several times I am sure, so give a buzz if you’re headed our way and I’ll throw some extra burgers on.
Regards,
Tom
Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.
Find more of the Foreman Letters here.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
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