The Newest Phenomenon in Israeli Politics

Posted on Jan 16, 2013

Naftali Bennett, a “forty-year-old settlement leader, software entrepreneur, and ex-Army commando,” is the face of Israel’s new religious right, and he’s ready to give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a run for his money; a woman stole a train in Sweden and crashed it into an apartment building; meanwhile, although Jodie Foster’s coming out speech certainly made a statement, some LGBT activists argue she should have done so sooner. These discoveries and more below.

On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that have found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies.

The Party Faithful
At a makeshift theatre in the port of Tel Aviv, hundreds of young immigrants from Melbourne, the Five Towns, and other points in the Anglophone diaspora gathered recently to hear from the newest phenomenon in Israeli politics, Naftali Bennett.

What Happens When China Goes ‘Gray’?
Developed economies are beginning to struggle with aging populations and more retirees.

Stolen Train Crashes Into Building in Sweden
A woman stole an empty commuter train from a depot Tuesday and drove it to a suburb of Stockholm where it derailed and slammed into an apartment building, officials said.

Would More Drivers Use Mass Transit if It Mimicked Private Cars?
Personal Rapid Transit is probably best described as a hybrid between the private car and public transit, with some more familiar elements of the taxi and elevator thrown in.

The Atlantic Yanks Scientology Advertorial After Outcry
The Atlantic pulled an advertorial package singing the praises of the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, last night after the sponsored content drew the attention—and ire—of both reporters and readers, and no doubt sparked an untold number of newsroom conversations about the ethics and optics of such revenue-generating efforts.

Aaron Swartz: Academe Is Complicit
There’s not much more to say about Aaron Swartz.

Can Dead Authors Survive The Age Of Twitter And E-Books?
Apparently, while browsing in bookstores, people often pick up classic novels, which are inexpensive and prominently displayed reminders of what we only pretended to read in high school and college but now would actually appreciate.

How to Avoid Being Labeled an Enemy Combatant
Remember when President Obama promised to close the Guantánamo detention camp? Remember when he didn’t?

The End of Labor: How to Protect Workers From the Rise of Robots
Technology used to make us better at our jobs. Now it’s making many of us obsolete, as the share of income going to workers is crashing, all over the world.

Jodie Foster: What Her Gay Coming Out Means in 2013
Yes, if she’d done it 20 years ago, 10 years ago, even five years ago, it would have had a much greater impact.

American Perceptions of Class Conflict
Economists may be worried that conflicts among them undermine their credibility—and so they seek to find areas of widespread agreement, limiting themselves to a survey of a few economists at a few elite universities.

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