Analysis: Netanyahu is steering a course that pleases neither side

Binyamin Netanyahu became prime minister of Israel barely three months ago and already finds himself in an unexpectedly difficult position, torn between mounting US pressure for a Middle East peace deal and the loyalties of his rightwing coalition allies, many of whom oppose a Palestinian state. His key policy speech last night was an effort to navigate the difficult course between the two.

Netanyahu's message was mixed. On the one hand, he finally mentioned the prospect of a Palestinian state, although he said that could come only under strict conditions. On the other hand, he refused to meet US demands for a halt to settlement activity and insisted Palestinians must accept Israel as a Jewish state if a deal was to be achieved.

His words left some on both sides frustrated and still may not have done enough to prevent Israel sliding towards a serious diplomatic confrontation with Washington. "Netanyahu did not make any tangible concessions in his speech, nor pose any threat to his coalition," wrote Aluf Benn, a correspondent with the Ha'aretz newspaper.

The Palestinians were furious. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Netanyahu had created new preconditions and that he seemed intent on setting a unilaterally dictated solution rather than a negotiated peace. "He announced a series of conditions and qualifications that render a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state impossible," he said.

He noted Netanyahu had not mentioned the Arab Peace Initiative, which first emerged in 2002, under which the Arab states offered Israel full diplomatic recognition in return for a Palestinian state in land Israel captured in 1967 with a capital in East Jerusalem and an agreed solution for refugees. Nor did Netanyahu mention the 2003 US Road Map, which also calls for a Palestinian state and a halt to settlement activity.

Mustafa Barghouti, a moderate Palestinian MP, said Netanyahu had not endorsed the creation of an independent Palestinian state. "He endorsed a ghetto," he said. "He endorsed a state that would be subject to Israeli control. Mr Netanyahu has proven that there is not partner for peace in Israel. His whole speech was about the consolidation of apartheid ... This will not lead to peace."

On the Israeli right, the reaction was just as sharp but for opposite reasons. Rightwing MPs were angry that Netanyahu had even countenanced a Palestinian state. Aryeh Eldad, of the National Religious party, which is in the ruling coalition, said he had broken his own promises.

"There is no such thing as a demilitarised state. Netanyahu knows very well that no political force on earth can prevent a country from arming itself or signing military treaties like any other country," he said.

Others were more cautious. Daniel Ben-Simon, a former journalist turned Labour party MP, said Netanyahu had taken a "big step" by mentioning a Palestinian state. "But we will have to see it on the ground. He will need to show the world that he means what he says," he said.

Unrest challenges Iran's republic

There were outbreaks of violence around Tehran's university on Sunday

As demonstrations against the Iranian election result continue, the situation in Tehran is becoming unpredictable and potentially explosive.

Throughout Sunday, crowds gathered in a number of areas. Often they were not organised protests.

In traffic jams, car drivers hooted their horns in opposition to the government. Crowds stood on the pavement, chanting and showing v-signs.

In some places, the police were out in force. Some of them were in full riot gear. Others charged into action on the back of motorbikes.

They seem to have been given clear instructions not to open fire. Though occasional gunfire has been heard, mostly police have been wielding truncheons and batons in often brutal fashion.

Stifled aspirations

It is difficult to get any reliable picture of the scale of the protests in Tehran, let alone the whole country.

President Ahmadinejad's almost casual dismissal of their complaints just adds to the anger

But they spread rapidly during the evening. The cheers and chanting echoed even in customarily quiet middle-class neighbourhoods.

Many Iranians came out on to their roofs to shout "down with the dictator".

It has become a challenge not just of an election result, not just to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei himself.

That means it is, in effect, a challenge to the whole basis of the Islamic Republic.

For two years I have watched as young, ambitious Iranians go about their lives with growing frustration.

They feel the system stifles their aspirations. Now they feel that their intelligence and their pride has been insulted by an election result many Iranians believe is blatantly fraudulent.

And President Ahmadinejad's almost casual dismissal of their complaints just adds to the anger.

Without precedent

Make no mistake, President Ahmadinejad still has plenty of supporters.

Mr Ahmadinejad is confident in the support of the supreme leader

They turned out in large numbers in the victory rally he held in central Tehran on Sunday afternoon.

He has focused his rhetoric on foreign governments and the international media, blaming them for stirring up the trouble.

There is a danger now that the two sides could come to blows.

And many people will fear that the government will authorise the police to open fire, if the situation slides further out of control.

Yet it is hard to see what political compromise is possible.

Mr Ahmadinejad is defiant, confident in the support of the supreme leader.

The opposition will know that the formal appeal process has minimal chance of success.

It is a situation without precedent in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic, and the outcome is impossible to predict.

LIVE RIGHT NOW: Verdict reached in 'Rockefeller' trial

LIVE RIGHT NOW: Verdict reached in 'Rockefeller' trial

(NECN: Boston, Mass.) - The jury has reached a verdict in the "Clark Rockefeller" kidnapping trial in Boston. We're bringing you the court proceedings live on NECN.com

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New report finds silent majority on Twitter

New report finds silent majority on Twitter

(NECN: Ted McEnroe) - If silence is golden, millions of people who have signed up for Twitter are wildly rich. More on that in a moment, but first:

If you've been following the Boston Globe saga and wondering how newspapers like the Globe have found themselves in such a bind - a new report from the Pew Internet and American Life project sheds light on part of the problem - showing that online classified ads on Craigslist and other sites are costing newspapers billions. The report found that the percentage of Americans who have used online classifieds has more than doubled - from 22% four years ago to 49% today. That's great news for Craigslist, which has generated $100 million in revenue from paid ads alongside their free offerings.

But it's been disastrous for the newspaper industry. Since 2005, newspaper classified ad revenues have fallen by 43%, from $17.4 billion to just under $10 billion, according to Pew.

While circulation woes get the headlines - as fewer Americans read a daily paper - it's this advertising shift that has some of the most direct impact on newspapers' bottom lines.

And it turns out the voice in "Field of Dreams" has been dead on for Twitter. "If you build it, they will come."

But they might not do anything when they get there.

Cambridge (Mass.)-based marketing firm Hubspot finds in its

June "State of the Twittersphere" report that while millions of people are signing up for Twitter accounts each month, more than 55% of them aren't following anyone - which makes the service pretty useless, sort of like joining Facebook and not finding any friends. It's quiet and lonely.

Meanwhile - Hubspot also finds that more than half of all Twitter accounts - just under 55% - have never tweeted.

If you don't follow anyone on Twitter... and don't talk to anyone on Twitter... do you make a sound? Probably not.

Even more active users haven't always done much to make themselves easier to find or more attractive to other users - 76% haven't entered a bio to tell people who they are, and 69% don't say where they are from - the little pieces of information that make you much more likely to be followed and become more engaged in the Twittersphere.

But those who are active on the service, once they get into it, seem to have some staying power. They tweet an average of once a day.

And if you're curious - Thursday is the biggest Twitter day. So get tweeting!

Stricter tobacco regulations pass Senate

Stricter tobacco regulations pass Senate Play video

(NECN/ABC) - For those who thought they were just blowing smoke, the United States Senate has finally said 'No' to Big Tobacco.

"There's a new cop on the beat and that new cop on the beat is the FDA," Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Majority Whip Ill.) said.

Fifty years after the surgeon general first warned about the health effects of tobacco, the Senate approved landmark legislation Thursday. It gives the federal government new power to regulate the $89 billion tobacco industry.

The bill restricts advertising to young people, forces cigarette makers to put much larger warnings on each pack and bans flavored cigarettes, which critics said are solely designed to lure children.

The bill also forbids cigarette makers from using words like "light" or "mild", which could give the impression they are less hazardous. It also requires cigarette makers to list all of their ingredients.

"Many of these products contain a lot of poisons and the consumers aren't actually aware of that," American Cancer Society's Daniel Smith said.

For the 20-percent of Americans who smoke, the law means for the first time, the government will have the right to regulate how much nicotine is in cigarettes. It is a bill most tobacco companies and tobacco-state senators have fought since it was first introduced more than a decade ago.

"The United States Senate's made a big mistake. This is not in the public health interest," Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)

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Millions in unclaimed funds and some of it could be yours

Millions in unclaimed funds and some of it could be yours

Video Gallery <1> Unclaimed funds 1:52

Indianapolis - A big awareness campaign is underway right now to reach Hoosiers with unclaimed property.

On Friday Attorney General Greg Zoeller will host a press conference to push the website, Indianaunclaimed.com, which is the best resource to quickly find out if your name is on the list.

Zoeller will also announce how much property is unclaimed in Marion County and that number is in the millions of dollars. Plus, he will award a check to one lucky Hoosier for thousands of dollars.

It really highlights the fact that everyone throughout the state should check and see if they have money out there, especially during a down economy when people can use money the most.

"Really, there's new properties that are found all the time so even if people have looked as late as a couple of months ago, they ought to check back because we're always getting new properties in and it's large amounts too," Zoeller said.

Actual items from bank lock boxes are less then one percent of what is unclaimed, it's mostly cash.

"Taxes that people have forgotten about, utility bills they are owed money back for and their last paycheck is one of the number one things," Zoeller said. " If Hoosiers don't go online, and find it after 25 years, the property goes to the state of Indiana and the legislatures have the opportunity to use it for the benefit of the state as a whole."

Zoeller encourages people to not only check for their name on the list, but to look for family, friends and co-workers.

In Thursday's Indianapolis Star, an insert listed the names of people who are owed money in
Marion County. There will be another insert printed in next week's paper as well.

Where is Your Phone Number?

by Jeff Mulligan (C) 2009

There is probably a major problem lurking on your sales
page right now. And it could be hurting your profits.

Experts agree that one of the most important factors in a
successful website is credibility. This frequently
translates into the credibility of the site owner. People
are more likely to buy from somebody they believe in.

Is your website as credible as it could be?

People judge credibility by many subtle factors. Does the
design of the site look professional? Is the site well
written? Are there typos and grammar errors strewn
throughout the site? Is the author believable? Does the
author have experience in this market or with this product?
These are all important factors.

We also know that a strong guarantee is a key part of a
successful sales page. Taken one step further, the reader
needs to believe he will actually get a refund if
requested. And herein often lies a major inconsistency.

Look at your sales page and ask yourself: Who is standing
behind the product? What do you provide for contact
information?

If there is only an e-mail address, or worse yet, no
contact information at all, then you do not have a
believable guarantee.

If you want someone to believe that you stand behind your
product you need to be reachable. Put your complete
contact information on your web site. I'm not just talking
about an e-mail address. Consider adding your snail mail
address and even, dare I say, your phone number.

At first, I worried about using this approach. I feared
getting calls at all hours of the night. I worried about
getting overwhelmed. But, I reasoned, I could always remove
the phone number if it became a problem.

Turns out, having my phone number on the site is a
blessing. I have made dozens of sales because I have been
available to answer one or two simple questions from a
prospect. I now look at each telephone call as an
opportunity to help someone solve their problem and,
frequently, earn their business.

I have received numerous comments from customers saying
that one of the reasons they purchased is because they can
tell there is a real person standing behind this
business. The fact it is, I only get about one or two phone
calls a day. And my sites have thousands of visitors every
day.

In summary, take a look at your own sales page or contact
page with a critical eye. Do you look like just another
anonymous web site? Or is there a person there; ready,
willing and able to help. The answer to these questions may
have a lot to do with your conversion rates.

At the very least, test putting your phone number on your
web site. If you are worried about privacy, use a voice
mail box like that at http://GotVmailDemo.com. If it
becomes a problem, you can just cancel the service.

Even if your web business is part time, with a
good voice mail system you will sound professional and you
can return phone calls when you are able. Try this
credibility improvement. And see if it doesn't improve
your sales.


Resource Box:

Jeff Mulligan has an MBA and 20+ years of marketing
experience as an ad agency Senior VP and VP Marketing for
two software companies, one of which was publicly traded.
Jeff owns CBmall, a free site that provides 15 different ways
for ClickBank affiliates to earn income on thousands of
popular InfoProducts.

Check It On CBM

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Oh My GOD!!! Free Jonas Brothers show at Irving Plaza!

Free Jonas Brothers show at Irving Plaza!

Squeeeeeeee, New York City area fangirls!

Everybody’s current favorite boy-band is playing a free show tonight at Irving Plaza near Union Square in Manhattan. Putting area parents in a bind, the just-announced show starts at 9pm and doors open at 8pm.

Nick, Joe and Kevin’s new album “Lines, Vines and Trying Times” is set to drop on Tuesday, and the free show is just one of a whirlwind of stops in and around the Big Apple. The Brothers Jonas will appear on “Good Morning America” for everyone whose parents are like, OMG, so uncool.

I can’t even imagine what the doors will look like at a free Jonas Brothers show, but if you miss out or your parents hate you, you can catch the dreamy teen sensations at Nassau Coliseum July 19th through the 21st. Which is like, OMG, totally a million years away and Ashley’s mom is letting her go and why can’t I ever do anything fun?!?!

U.S. State Department Condemns Anti-Gay Violence In Iraq

The U.S. State Department has issued a statementcondemning the torture and murders of gay men in Iraq and has begun discussions on the issue with the Iraqi government in Baghdad.

"In general, we absolutely condemn acts of violence and human rights violations committed against individuals in Iraq because of their sexual orientation or gender identity," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. "This is an issue that we've been following very closely since we have been made aware of these allegations, and we are aware of the allegations," Kelly told reporters when asked about anti-gay violence in Iraq. "Our training for Iraqi security forces includes instruction on the proper observance of human rights," Kelly said. "Human rights training is also a very important part of our and other international donors' civilian capacity-building efforts in Iraq," the spokesman said. "And the US embassy in Baghdad has raised, and will continue to raise, the issue with senior officials from the government of Iraq, and has urged them to respond appropriately to all credible reports of violence against gay and lesbian Iraqis," Kelly said.

Dozens of gay Iraqi men and boys are believed to have been killed and tortured in recent months by Islamic militias. Protests from activists and bloggers in other nations have forced the U.S. government to take this action, slow it has been in coming. In April openly gay U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) visited Iraq where he registered formal complaints with the U.S.-installed Iraqi regime.

Jamie Czerniawski, who appeared in the ABC reality show “Wife Swap,” is accused of stabbing her husband with a kitchen knife ...

Jamie Czerniawsk, a Monmouth County mom and former 'Wife Swap' (TV Show) contestant has been arrested on charges of aggrevated assault after stabbing her husband Charles over Memorial Day Weekend.

Jamie says that her husband became jealous and angry after she recieved a phone call from a mutual male friend. Court documents filed after the incident state that Jamie used a kitchen knife to assault her husband.

Jamie Czerniawsk is out on $75,000 bail. Charles Czerniawsk has hired a lawyer and denies Jamie's statement that the stabbing was in self defense.

7 O.C. residents vie for $60K Twitter wine job

7 O.C. residents vie for $60K Twitter wine job

Seven Orange County residents are among more than 300 people competing for one of the coolest jobs being promoted right now in the food and beverage industry:  a $10,000 a month gig Tweeting about wine.

Yep, that’s right.

Murphy-Goode Winery in Sonoma County is hunting for a social media guru to foist its brand into the bold world of Facebook and Twitter.

The main skills needed:  ability to taste hundreds of wines, and write about it.

Applicants must submit their application via video, which is hosted on the winery’s Website.

"John" from Irvine

Since word of the “Really Goode” job hit the Internet in late April, more than 300 video applications have been submitted to the California winery.

The public can vote on their favorite applicant, but the winery will have final say on who gets the job. So far, seven wine drinkers/job seekers are from Orange County: Huntington Beach (3 ) Dana Point, Aliso Viejo and Irvine.

Lauren Yacker, 34, of Huntington Beach, who recently got laid off from her Irvine public relations job, thinks she’s up for the task.

“It would be so amazing for an OC Gal to have a real chance at getting a job like this in this economy,” Yacker (shown above) told me via email. “I think that I have the perfect personality for this job — I’m outgoing and high energy.”

And most importantly: “I do drink wine, and enjoy it.”

Yacker, who joked in her video (below) that she’s got the right name to “yack” online about wine, is using her marketing prowess to harness votes.

She’s emailed her Murphy-Goode video to all her business contacts, hoping she’ll snag enough votes to earn the winery’s attention. She’s also using her Facebook and Twitter pages to bring attention to her video, which according to her, is among the Top 30 most popular videos.
Still, she’s up against some stiff competition. The top vote-getter so far is chef-blogger Jenna Weber from Florida. She’s studied cooking in Paris, and pens the Eat Live Run food blog, which gets about 700,000 page views a month.
To vote for Yacker or any other candidate, you must go to the Murphy-Goode site.
If you are interested in the job, the deadline to apply is June 19. A winner will be selected in mid-July. The job starts in August.
Good luck.