Things We Learned on Twitter Today- Syria is Still a Mess

The following disturbing tweet came from "The New Yorker" this afternoon:

"Reports from inside Syria: "There was nothing but shooting and sound of explosion, no water, no electricity."

Turkey, my late father's country, has brought in 8,500 refugees from Syria so far. Many of the refugees are staying at a camp in Boynuegin in the Hatay province. I was not aware that actress/humanitarian activist Angelina Jolie had visisted the camps back on June 17.

The image above is a mosque in Aleppo, Syria, the country's second largest city.

SIDEBAR: I just finished reading comic writer Jane Borden's debut memoir "I Tottally Meant To Do That," which I got from the Regulator Bookshop in Durham, NC. The book is about Borden's transition as she relocated from Greensboro, NC, to New York. In an interview with "The New York Daily News," Borden said: "Moving to New York City is an adjustment for anyone. But it's particularly a tough transition when you come from the South."

Quote of the Week-Jon Voight

Today, we are quoting both Jon Voight and his fellow Oscar-winning co-star Jane Fonda on our respective blogs.

Both won Oscars for their work in the 1978 political drama "Coming Home," which lost the Best Picture Oscar to "The Deer Hunter," a film that also focused on the plight of Vietnam War veterans.

Ironically while Fonda has mostly maintained her liberal political views, Voight has evolved to a very vocal right-winger. Many have speculated that his erractic relationship with his movie-star daughter Angelina Jolie may have caused the dramatic shift but there seem to be few public explanations as to why Voight's views changed, presumably during the War in Iraq which he supported.

Voight has appeared frequently on Fox News programs with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Mike Huckabee. He has also been a key-note speaker at Tea Party rallies.

The actor who gained fame with "Midnight Cowboy" (1969) and "Deliverance" (1972) also virtually disowned "Coming Home" in a "Vanity Fair" retrospective piece about Vietnam War-era films. Voight has also criticized Fonda for 'aiding and abetting those who wish to destroy Israel.'

Yet, surprisingly enough, Voight did appear with co-star Dustin Hoffman at a 40th anniversary screening of "Midnight Cowboy," which won an Oscar for Best Picture, in Los Angeles last year.

Here is his quote of the week. We actually couldn't find one that had anything to do with politics!:

"Angelina adopted a Cambodian baby. I'm a grandfather today."