Pentagon Grants Limited Benefits to Same-Sex Spouses, But Not in Time for Some

The Pentagon announced today that it will begin granting a list of benefits to same-sex spouses this year. You may remember, I hosted an episode of the Stream on Al Jazeera English about this topic last month. 

Toward the end of the episode, I pressed Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan—who while struggling with breast cancer was also fighting for her spouse, Karen, to receive her death benefits—on how she could remain loyal to an organization that by some accounts seemed less than loyal to her in return. You can see in the video above that she never wavered in her support of her military leadership. 

Yesterday morning she finally lost her battle and died without the comfort of knowing that her family would be taken care of with the benefits that she earned. For many today’s announcement is great news, but for CWO Morgan it’s literally a day late and well more than a dollar short.

wearenotafraidofruins asked: Would you share what books or websites you have been reading lately?

Two of my favorite books last year: Steve Jobs bio and We Die Alone. I always read the New Yorker, particularly anything by David Grann. Most of my reading tends to be driven by whatever story I’m working on for my show Fault Lines.

Here’s a Google+ event from earlier this week in which we screened “Rio’s Red Card” and afterward had a Q&A session with the filmmaker and some folks in a Google hangout. The doc follows a favela in Rio that’s struggling to not be destroyed in the path of a new stadium, as the city prepares to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

Join me, won’t you?

I’ll be hosting Al Jazeera’s exclusive documentary screening on Rio’s favelas at 6:30pm. Be sure to tune in here: http://ow.ly/htzwW

The Washington Post is reporting the Pentagon is prepared to give some benefits to same-sex partners in the military. You can see their story here.

We covered this topic a couple of weeks ago on The Stream. Check it out above.

This is a fascinating photograph, but, in my opinion, not Tibbon’s best. I was completely blown away by her website. If you like photography in the least, take a moment and surf through her site: http://www.galitibbon.com/default.asp guardian: Pilgrims watch as an infertile worshipper is lowered into a baptism pool by priests in Lalibela, a small town in Ethiopia’s highlands From the Sony world photography awards’ professional shortlist Photograph: Gali Tibbon View high resolution

This is a fascinating photograph, but, in my opinion, not Tibbon’s best. I was completely blown away by her website. If you like photography in the least, take a moment and surf through her site:

http://www.galitibbon.com/default.asp

guardian:

Pilgrims watch as an infertile worshipper is lowered into a baptism pool by priests in Lalibela, a small town in Ethiopia’s highlands

From the Sony world photography awards’ professional shortlist

Photograph: Gali Tibbon

(Reblogged from guardian)

New York Times led with this yesterday:

Broad Powers Seen for Obama in Cyberstrikes

“One senior American official said that officials quickly determined that the cyberweapons were so powerful that — like nuclear weapons — they should be unleashed only on the direct orders of the commander in chief.” 

We covered the rhetorical escalation of cyberwarfare on Fault Lines two years ago (see above). It’s a prescient episode written and produced by my friend and colleague Andrea Schmidt at @whatescapes.

A Hard Life on the 'Roof of the World'

Beautiful photos… The Kyrgyz people of the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan live a traditional semi-nomadic life in an isolated, inhospitable land. There are no doctors, no trees and no roads, yet photographer Matthieu Paley keeps coming back.

Here’s my second favorite commercial from the Super Bowl. I’m a sentimental softy.

Here’s my favorite commercial of the night, even though it completely fails to include Hispanic families who have long been a pillar of US agriculture. It’s still a terrific commercial based on the quality of the photography alone. And I have a sentimental sweet spot for Paul Harvey. 

The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. View high resolution

The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.

sebalt asked: Hi, I was wondering what regions or peoples of the ancient world interested you in particluar during your studies (and maybe still do).

I was interested in Ancient Greece. So when I learned to read the language I started with Homeric, then Attic and ended up with Koine Greek. To do it over, I might consider doing it in exactly the opposite order. Today I’m more fascinated with people of the present. 

Another Unsolicited Endorsement

Dick Van Dyke is one of TV’s greats. In fact, I’m pretty sure I was in my teens before I realized Rob Petrie couldn’t actually be my favorite uncle. Have you ever wonder what TV he likes to watch? Al Jazeera. 

Dozens of jobs available at Al Jazeera

For everyone who’s ever contacted me about working at Al Jazeera: We’re hiring, big time!

Thank you Daily Show for proving why we need Al Jazeera America! More investigative journalism, ala Fault Lines, less holograms, ala WTF???

This is a must-watch.