graphic by magpie girl
Some of you may have noticed a new feature we’re calling Beyondoweiss. It's my bag: it's for personal and idiosyncratic posts that I do like this or this, often touching on marriage, though some of them, like this one, touch on the central concerns of the site.
We decided to do this for a couple of reasons. This website began as a personal blog at the New York Observer nearly six years ago. Overawed by the freedom of the internet, pleased that I did not have a news burden of writing for the front page, I did a lot of flakey-stupid posts like this one about a half avocado in my refrigerator. But I also did a lot of personal writing about Jewish identity and the Jewish presence in the Establishment and my intermarriage and my response to the Middle East, and those posts helped to animate this site. As Adam Horowitz said to me, when he signed on in 2008--with the commitment that he would not be writing such posts; go figure!--my personal narrative gave Americans a way to get into the issue. It felt important to both of us to keep a place for that stuff on the site. My dear boss at the Observer had come up with the name Mondo, and now Adam, a great editor in his own right, came up with Beyondo.
That name sets that material off a little. We have promised again and again to professionalize the site, and to us that means: more reliable news gathering, more influence in the discourse, more access to Palestinian voices, and a concerted effort to nurture brave new talent (many, many people helped me to become a writer and journalist). It means trying to give this site a lasting footing.
This site began like so many other internet sites as an outlet for a misfit who was hugely frustrated. The surest sign of its success is that it was taken over by the creative forces of social media—all the commenters and contributors who know more about the issue than I do. But I still crave the personal freedom of this medium, and the freedom from the news burden, and that’s why I liked the idea. I’m not sure where Beyondo will go. I might take it into water issues and literary and environmental concerns, maybe I’ll throw in a diary or two.
far out! totally cool! i can’t wait. so where will it be featured on the front page? will it have it’s own little spot that is always there or a dropdown tab up top near ‘us politics’ israel/palestine’.
your personal posts are some of my favorites ever phil. great naming idea from adam.
Yes, like Annie says, they’re a big part of what makes the site special.
Good luck with this new project, Phil.
Some emphasis on water issues and environmental concerns would be good.
Great, Phil. Maybe before you dip into your environmental issues, you’ll start reading more widely on it beyond Naomi Klein who, while writing a great line, is not doing her homework.
Start with this agricultural activist, Rosalind Peterson, from CA, and read the docs on her site, which are voluminous. Watch her video here.
link to agriculturedefensecoalition.org
Look what some of these so-called environmental bastards are planning. Just read the first few pages to understand it. This is criminal.
link to agriculturedefensecoalition.org
hey, what’s not to love about geoengineering, mrw?
The Royal Society has been working on Geoengineering & Geoengineering Governance Rules & Regulations for many years. The Royal Society Geoengineering Working Group is almost entirely made up of those that want to conduct research and implement many different types of Geoengineering Experiments.
Geoengineering (or the new term, Climate Remediation officially coined on October 4, 2011, by the Bipartisan Policy Center which is a private congressional lobbying group), also has under its umbrella genetically modified trees, plants, seeds, crops, etc. The intention is to drive a carbon tax which will fund many private corporations who will engage in a myriad of geoengineering schemes and make huge sums of money under government and other contracts or to fund under a U.S. government budget in 2012.
Since research, scientific knowledge experiments, and military actions are not covered under most international treaties and conventions…it opens the door for these experiments to be used around the world. Solar Radiation Management is one such experiment that will only “mask” temperature or global warming…this is not a fix. Once started it cannot be stopped as the warming it “masks” will then show up immediately and fast. The water vapor, sulfur or aluminum oxides gases, used to make small particles in the atmosphere will need to be used continously…as the particles will fall back to Earth on a constant basis…polluting air, water, soils, causing acid rain and other problems.
Looking forward to you going beyondo the advertising
campaign.
I have to say, I’m rather fond o’ these Mondo-beyondo musings.
I think all of those are great ideas Phil. Your autobiographical articles are also interesting.
I am fondo of mondo beyondo.
I am fondo of mondo beyondo and Jean-Paul Belmondo.:)
Does that mean Breathless? Or is Godard obviously an anti-semite because he’s beyondo?
Yo, Phil, what movie do you want to live?
Ok, I’ve been reading mondoweiss for as long as I can remember (probably 2005) and I like this idea. Yet I hope we’ll still find beyondo in the posts flow of the site because it is convenient not to have to check another news flow. My two cents…
“Personal blogging” from Phil has always made his writing interesting (as opposed to people like Raimondo or Greenwald who won’t let “who they are” be an integral part of their discourse – except Greenwald on homosexual marriage maybe). I’m in awe of what mondoweiss has become but it’s true that the personal connection to Phil is a bit harder to find these days. Good luck to beyondo!
I agree, Phil’s personal stories, especially his me-and-my-wife stories [originally "the assimilationist"] was a relaxing oasis from the start. Never in my life, will I forget the absolutely important discussion of who was guilty of the ink-stain on his favorite jeans.
Thanks commenters! I’ll be on the case!
I love BeyondoWeiss. Notes on my racism is one of my all time faves, although it seems most of the readers like the mushroom story the most!
Look, Phil, the reason why we come here, although I love Adam Horowitz’ writing– I think he has a gift, a gift that at times exceeds yours–is because of you. I came here when you were a nothing in terms of the blogosphere, a reject of something. (And if i could have bankrolled you all by myself, I would have done it.) But I came here after following you from Mondoweiss at the Observer, where I thought you got a raw deal. I loved your ass at the Observer.
I thought you were smart and daring. I still do. Some of the best pieces you write here are the backstops, the ‘hey, shit, what am I doing’ pieces. If Beyondo is where they will live, so be it. Just let us know on the homepage. It’s still your blog, after all.