Wednesday, December 31, 2014

U.S. publishing giant erases Israel off map (Harper’s Magazine)



U.S. publishing giant erases Israel off map
After strange excuse, company takes sudden action
A Middle East with no Israel?

That’s what students in that region of the world will see when they open their new world atlases as provided by the American-based mega-corporation HarperCollins.

And apparently this batch of maps did not come from the company’s fiction department.

The Telegraph of London has reported the global publishing house sells English-language altlases to schools in the Middle East that show Syria and Jordan extending to the Mediterranean Sea. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are also shown, but Israel is nowhere to be found on the map.

UPDATE: Shortly after WND’s posting of this article, HarperCollins vice president for corporate communications called and sent the following statement via email:

“HarperCollins regrets the omission of the name Israel from their Collins Middle East Atlas. This product has now been removed from sale in all territories and all remaining stock will be pulped. HarperCollins sincerely apologizes for this omission and for any offense caused.”

Erin Crum, vice president of corporate communications for HarperCollins, would not say how many of the maps had actually been delivered to customers in Arab countries.

Besides some unflattering media coverage, the HarperCollins atlases also drew sharp criticism from the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, which accused the company of “harming peace efforts in the Middle East,” the Telegraph reported.

“The publication of this atlas will confirm Israel’s belief that there exists a hostility towards their country from parts of the Arab world. It will not help to build up a spirit of trust leading to peaceful co-existence,” Bishop Declan Lang, the chairman of the Bishops’ Conference Department of International Affairs, told the Tablet, an international Catholic newspaper.

“Maps can be a very powerful tool in terms of delegitimizing ‘the other’ and can lead to confusion rather than clarity. We would be keen to see relevant bodies ensure that all atlases anywhere reflect the official United Nations position on nations, boundaries and all political features,” added Jane Clements, director of the Council of Christians and Jews.
 
Collins Bartholomew, the subsidiary of HarperCollins that specializes in maps, told the Tablet that including Israel would have been “unacceptable” to its customers in the Gulf region and the change incorporated “local preferences.”

The Tablet said it had discovered the customs officers in one unnamed Muslim country only permitting the import of school atlases once Israel had been deleted by hand.

HarperCollins is one of the world’s largest publishing houses and its stable of imprints includes the Thomas Nelson lineup of Christian books, which it acquired in 2011.

Just last year, another major publishing house, Scholastic Inc., was caught selling children’s books that omitted Israel from an illustrated map. Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher of children’s books, was forced to apologize after parents began complaining and negative reviews started showing up on Amazon and Twitter. The company said in a statement it apologized and “regretted” printing a book that “inadvertently omits Israel” on a map.

HarperCollins Publishers is a wholly-owned division of News Corp., the global media company overseen by Rupert Murdoch and various family members. It includes news services such as Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education and pay-TV distribution. Headquartered in New York, the activities of News Corp. are conducted primarily in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.

HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a subsidiary of News Corp.

Note: Alwaleed bin Talal is a stockholder in News Corp, the Saudi Arabia prince, and a benefactor for the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
K. Rupert Murdoch is the chairman & CEO for News Corp, and a papal knighthood knight.
papal knighthood is an honor conferred by pope from the Roman Catholic Church.
Was Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) A Nazi? Why Join the Hitler Youth?
By Austin Cline
Agnosticism/Atheism Expert
Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) is the pope emeritus for the Roman Catholic Church, and an associate of George Weigel.
George Weigel is an associate of Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), and a contributor for the Wall Street Journal.
John J. Studzinski is a papal knighthood knight, a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and a director at the Human Rights Watch.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and the Human Rights Watch.
George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch, and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.       
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights Watch, Media Matters, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Media Matters monitors Fox News.
Chuck Hagel was the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a professor at Georgetown University, and is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense for the Barack Obama administration.
Alwaleed bin Talal is a benefactor for the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, a stockholder in News Corp, and the Saudi Arabia prince.
Hugh B. Price was a director at Georgetown University, and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Nemir A. Kirdar was a director at Georgetown University, and is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Donald F. McHenry is a professor at Georgetown University, and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Haim Saban is a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a friend of Shimon Peres, and the founder of the Saban Family Foundation.
Shimon Peres is a friend of Haim Saban, and the president of Israel.
Saban Family Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Harper's Magazine.
Harper & Row was the owner of the Harper's Magazine, and the predecessor for HarperCollins.
HarperCollins is a subsidiary of News Corp.
Martha L. Minow is a director at the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Newton N. Minow’s daughter, and Barack Obama was her student.
Newton N. Minow is Martha L. Minow’s father, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.                    
Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.
Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.
Shimon Peres is the president of Israel, and a friend of Haim Saban.
Haim Saban is a friend of Shimon Peres, a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the founder of the Saban Family Foundation.
Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Saban Family Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Francis E. George is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a cardinal for the Roman Catholic Church.
papal knighthood is an honor conferred by pope from the Roman Catholic Church.
K. Rupert Murdoch is a papal knighthood knight, and the chairman & CEO for News Corp.
Alwaleed bin Talal is a stockholder in News Corp, the Saudi Arabia prince, and a benefactor for the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
HarperCollins is a subsidiary of News Corp.












New biblical scholarship class similar to seminary curriculum


New biblical scholarship class similar to seminary curriculum

A class in biblical scholarship begins Sunday, Jan. 4, immediately after the worship service at Mooring Presbyterian Church. Sponsored by the church and the Theological Center in Naples, the class will be led by Revs. Sam and Bunny Sewell from 11:15 a.m. to noon every Sunday.
The Sewells, who have been teaching biblical scholarship in Naples for more than two decades, explain that the class is very different from Bible study in that it aims to provide a curriculum similar to that which is taught at accredited seminaries. Topics include how the Bible was written, how scholars reconcile apparent inconsistencies and how individuals can strengthen their faith by learning how the Bible applies to today’s world.
The primary resource for the curriculum is the Interpreter’s Bible, for which the instructors own the digital software and the 12-volume set. The complete set is also available in the church library. Participants in the class should bring their own Bible along with a notepad, pen or pencil and highlighter.

The contributors to the study materials reflect a wide range of Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish backgrounds and bring a wealth of fresh perspectives to biblical interpretation.
Attendance is free, although freewill offerings will be appreciated. Register by signing up in the foyer at Moorings Presbyterian Church or by calling or emailing the Sewells at 591-4565 or bunnysam@bestselfusa.com. ¦

MSNBC Closes 2014 In Last Place, Hemorrhaging Viewers



MSNBC Closes 2014 In Last Place, Hemorrhaging Viewers
by John Nolte30 Dec 2014
How bad was 2014 for MSNBC?

So bad, the left-wing cable news network lost the 2014 ratings war to CNN.  Yes, that CNN.

According to Deadline, MSNBC is hemorrhaging viewers, especially in the all-important news demo (viewers aged 25-54):

[T]hrough December 22, MSNBC lost 17% of its primetime news demo viewers, clocking a worst-since-’05 169,000 of them. To put this in perspective, this is roughly the size crowd as that of the Porcupine Caribou Herd in Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories, according to a recent photo census (which, unlike MSNBC, represents an increase in number — the largest population for the Porcupine Caribou Herd since the early 1990s.)

For the 13th consecutive year, Fox News annihilated its left-wing counterparts at CNN and MSNBC. In total viewers, Fox beat MSNBC and CNN combined.

In some areas, MSNBC barely beat Headline News:
2014 total day viewers — total and news demo viewers, respectively:

Fox News: 1,052,000 – 214,000

CNN: 399,000 – 126,000

MSNBC: 347,000 – 108,000

HLN: 257,000 – 105,000

2014 primetime viewers — total and news demo viewers, respectively:

Fox News: 1,756,000 – 301,000

CNN: 516,000 – 181,000

MSNBC: 590,000 – 169,000

HLN: 334,000 – 117,000

Fox News
Media Matters monitors Fox News.

Note: Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Media Matters, the Aspen Institute (think tank), the International Rescue Committee, and the Robin Hood Foundation.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.  
Walter Isaacson is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.
Henry A. Kissinger was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank) and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
Harold E. Ford Jr. was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, is a political commentator for MSNBC, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Michelle Obama is an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, the founder of Bloomberg LP, Emma Bloomberg’s father, and was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation.
Bloomberg News is a division of Bloomberg LP.
Emma Bloomberg is Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter, and was the senior planning officer for the Robin Hood Foundation.
Jeff Zucker is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, the president of CNN Worldwide, and was the executive producer for the NBC Nightly News.
CNN Worldwide is a division of CNN.
Brian Williams is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, and the anchor for the NBC Nightly News.
Tom Brokaw was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, the anchor for the NBC Nightly News, and is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.
International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Michelle Obama is an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Diane Sawyer was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, a co-anchor for 60 Minutes, an anchor for the ABC News, a co-anchor for Good Morning America, and a co-anchor for the CBS Morning News.
CBS Morning News is a CBS News program.
Walter L. Cronkite was the anchorman for the CBS News, and a member of the Bohemian Club.
CBS News Anchor: I'm Glad to Sit at the Right Hand of Satan!
George H.W. Bush is a member of the Bohemian Club.
George H. W. Bush New World Order Quotes
Richard M. Nixon was an honorary member of the Bohemian Club.
Henry A. Kissinger is a member of the Bohemian Club, an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).
International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Michelle Obama is an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Robin Hood Foundation, and Media Matters.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.  
Media Matters monitors Fox News.