Hasta La Gadget!

WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) – The United States and Iraq have started preparing for an offensive by summer to recapture the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was taken by Islamic State militants last June, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Preparations include selecting and training military units for the planned assault and cutting supply lines to Islamic State fighters, General Lloyd Austin, head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, told the Journal.

Mosul is the largest city in a self-declared Islamic State caliphate straddling the border between northern Iraq and eastern Syria.

A senior Iraqi official told Reuters in November that Mosul was the focus of government efforts to defeat Islamic State, because of the city’s size and symbolic status.

The U.S.-led forces have been conducting air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria, including 16 since Wednesday that were centered on Mosul.

The Journal quoted Austin as saying that Iraqi forces must be ready before the offensive could begin.

“If we did things alone or with some of the other allies on the ground, it could move faster,” he told the newspaper. “But the Iraqis have to do this themselves.”

Austin said he had not yet determined whether to recommend that U.S. ground troops accompany local units pushing into Mosul but added the military would “do what it takes,” the Journal said.

He told the paper that two Iraqi divisions were expected to lead the force fighting to retake Mosul. The newspaper quoted military officials as saying those forces would receive four to six weeks of U.S. training. (Reporting by Peter Cooney; Editing by Ken Wills)

Seth Rogen has provided further context and explanation for a joke he made about “American Sniper.”

“I truly hope this clears things up,” Rogen wrote in a tweet on Thursday, before linking to a screenshot of text that included an apology to anyone who was offended.

I truly hope this clears things up: pic.twitter.com/1lLM4cA5je

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 23, 2015

On Sunday, Rogen tweeted that “American Sniper,” Clint Eastwood’s film about Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, reminded him of “Nation’s Pride,” a fake Nazi propaganda film found in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” After the comment was picked up by numerous news outlets, Rogen clarified that he wasn’t comparing the two films, but merely making an observation.

In the wake of the joke, Rogen was slammed by various public figures.

“You are fortunate to enjoy the privilege and freedom of working in and living in the United States, and saying whatever you want (regardless of how ignorant the statement) thanks to people like Chris Kyle who serve in the United States military. Your statement is inaccurate and insensitive to Chris and his family,” country singer Craig Morgan wrote on Facebook. “I’m sick and tired of people like you running your mouth when you have no idea what it takes for this country to maintain our freedoms. If you and anyone like you don’t like it, leave.”

“Seth, I like your films, but right now, I wanna kick your ass,” actor Dean Cain wrote on Twitter. “Chris is an American Hero. Period. Go to war. Then we’ll talk.”

“Seth Rogen, your uncle probably molested you,” Kid Rock wrote in a post that chastised both Rogen and director Michael Moore. “I hope both of you catch a fist to the face soon. God bless you Chris Kyle, Thank you for your service.”

In response to Kid Rock, Rogen tweeted the following:

And what’s super weird is that @KidRock IS my uncle.

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) January 23, 2015

WASHINGTON — Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney did not emerge from a Salt Lake City meeting on Thursday with a proposal about how to reconcile their competing plans to run for the White House next year, advisers to both men indicated after the talk.

“You are not, in fact, the sinner or the saint; you’re the infinite consciousness, whose destiny is to play an infinity of roles.”

Thus spake Deepak Chopra — venerable healer and space-age wise-man — offering his voice to Duality: the new motion picture written by and starring Sarah Lynn Dawson, directed by Emad Asfoury, and executive produced by Peymaneh M. Rothestein. The production, best described as a spiritual quest, also stars international actor-martial artist Jon Foo. Plus, in an altogether unexpected and delightfully refreshing turn, the project features actor-singer-director-multihyphenate Don Most (of Happy Days fame) as a seasoned sage — well, in one of the worlds represented, anyway.

Emad Asfoury, Peymaneh Rothestein, Deepak Chopra, Sarah Lynn Dawson

Nothing is simply as it seems in Duality (it tends to be more), and while of course the path of a young man in search of self is one of storytelling’s ancient and universal motifs, it’s brought to life (or: to lives, plural) with smashing visual poetry by Mr. Asfoury: a master photographer turning his skills to the moving image. Ms. Dawson also includes a fair share of popular Persian poet Rumi. Call it a Rumi with a view? While Hollywood dependably delivers “high-concept” movies, Duality explores one of the highest concepts: Who are we, really? It’s gentle yet provocative — no mean feat.

Deepak prepares to narrate Duality

It was my great pleasure to discuss making movies, hopes, dreams, and life itself with the cast and creators of Duality. In the grand tradition of global gurus, Dr. Chopra proved elusive, however his imprimatur (and velvety voice) are all over Duality — and I’m sure I’ll catch up with him, y’know, in infinity or eternity or somewhere like that. Meanwhile, enjoy our talks!

First up, Executive Producer Paymaneh Rothestein — who made this production possible:

Don Most. You grew up with him. But there’s much more to the story. Dig it:

Sarah Lynn Dawson. She hangs out in various universes. Happy Birthday!

And the man with the movie camera: director Emad Asfoury:

Pretty cool, eh? I think so. You can venture further into Duality via the link below — and expect to see and experience much more from the formidable forces behind it. (I have it on good account from Mr. Asfoury that they’ve just returned from a retreat — or is it an advance? — to the Chopra Center in San Diego, so they’re charged up and ready for action.) Ms. Dawson will be seen in several films in 2015. You need to experience Mr. Most crooning the classics. And the crew are hard at work on dark comedy WTF (Welcome to Fresno), Mr. Asfoury’s next directorial effort, A’am Israel, and an expansion on Duality — currently called Awaken.

Dr. Chopra represents

Do these people sleep? It’s all in a day’s work — or a night’s — for these minds questing through darkness and light. Tidily, Dr. Chopra offers another reflection to tie these myriad concepts together:

“Another word for duality is complementarity; life is the experience of contrast.”

Photos and videos courtesy of Emad Asfoury & Co.

Duality Official Site

“How many times have you told yourself ‘no’?”

That’s the first of many questions posed in “Untapped,” a motivating, emotionally-charged poem written by spoken word artist Ashlee Haze, born Kiera Nelson. The 25-year-old poet was commissioned to write the poem by the Brothers Young Productions and Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential, as a means of promoting their upcoming feature film of the same name.

Haze’s poem chronicles her own experiences with self-doubt. In it, Haze says, “I’ve known the feeling of thinking that you’re not enough… I used to tell myself that no one wanted to hear what I had to say.”

Haze, who has been doing spoken word art since she was 10, wrote the poem for teenagers having a similar experience today. In an email to The Huffington Post, Haze said that she “wanted to write something that they could listen to on the way to class or a dance recital and truly be reminded that they are their own best masterpiece.” Executive producer of “Untapped,” Mac Maguire, told HuffPost that the poem and film are about the “hope, inspiration and empowerment of young people.”

Indeed, Haze knows firsthand the freeing power of art; she calls poetry her “saving grace.” She says, “Writing a poem about feelings of negativity and self-despair is an act of bravery… I take the burden from myself and let the poem carry it. That how I get free.”

Haze will be among the 72 women performing at the Women of the World Poetry Slam in New Mexico this March.

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