In theory, the dialogues and negotiations between Israel and Palestine should occur on the platform of UN. But why has it been the U.S. which provides that sort of platform instead?

The No. 1 country on the Earth possesses inherited interests in allying with Israel, mainly for two reasons:
1. Many influential Jewish people and Zionists live and work in the U.S.
2. Christianity, the de facto religion of the U.S., has a very closely knitted relationship with Judaism, which is the religion of Israel.

If Palestine were much more powerful, which platform of dialogues would it choose? The U.S., UN, or an influential Arab country?

Do you like listening to singers who have squeaky voices? I don't, I think.

What's going to be caused by the groundswell of the Chinese people who hold PhD degrees from Western universities?

Sourcing good technologies takes many years.

Always figuring out sales channels.

I don't know if I can trust George Soros as a fount of philosophical wisdom, which he apparently has promoted as the silver bullet for his financial investments successes.

Willfulness is a double-edged sword.

I kind of suspect that Mr. Obama may personally be more interested in social justice, disseminating democracy across the world, Israel vs. Palestine, and so on, than he's interested in the economy.

As the holder of the top job in the U.S., he's got to manage the most important issues.

Maybe he's not naturally interested in managing the economy. But when the recession has been making nearly everyone frown for several years in a row, man, he's got to remember that for average American voters, "it's the economy, stupid."

Text and pics - Vulcan

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_Mantegna_045.jpg)

Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and metalworking.

(By rhiannonstone / http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhiannonstone/5213808680/ / CC)

Quote: "Vulcan, the bare-assed god of the forge, is the largest cast-iron statue in the world and a beloved symbol of the city of Birmingham(, Alabama, U.S.A.)."

(By IvorF/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivorf/3878904096/ / CC)

Quote: "Vulcan bomber in silhouette at the Shoreham Airshow 2009."





"
Vulcan is the patron God of the English steel making city of Sheffield. His statue sits on top of Sheffield Town Hall.

A Vulcan Statue located in Birmingham, Alabama is the largest cast iron statue in the world.

The word volcano is derived from the name of Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands of Italy whose name in turn originates from Vulcan.
"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_(god)#Legacy