JawsBlog |
|
|
A true anti-idiotarian, blogging about politics, Israel, neuroscience, and anything else that crosses my mind. Blogroll 
< ? Brandeis Ring # > Archives 
|
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
'Crats': rodents harass Israeli soldiers
I'm waiting for the Palesitinains to claim that these giant rats are mutants caused by some secret Israeli radioactive/biochem weapon. Something absurd like that. On a more serious note, I eagerly await a post from Publius & Co. (who is a major rat blogger for those who don't know) [via ATS] Just in time for your belated Hannukah and Christmas present giving, the brand new, Terrorist Playing Card set. Modeled after the US Central Command deck of 52, this deck will appeal to the pro-Israel members of the Zionist Neocon Cabal™ (or any other pro-Israel person with a warped sense of humor). Play cards with celebs such as: Abdalla Shami, Basem El-Saadi, Imad Fayez Mugniyah, Ismail Abu Shneb and many more! The cards are made in Israel, so purchasing them will benefit the Israeli economy! And while I'm on a post dedicated to non-PC humor, there's also the set of infamous ATS Palestinian Lightbulb Jokes. Any one got any ISM lightbulb jokes? I'm not big on all this "year in review"/predictions for "2004" type stuff. I think a lot of it is simply silly, and in some cases may just be used to boost a columnists' ego. Granted, there are some funny ones. I guess my real issue is that so many people make these, and they're just fodder. That's my not so deep thought for the morning. I'm waiting to go to the gym (perhaps that'll improve my mood). MEMRI is apparently reporting (via translation) that: Report: Al Qaeda Big Arrested Strategic Disinformation? or is it really good news? Tuesday, December 30, 2003
I've been behind on political blogging the past few days--you'll have to forgive me for that. What's with Dean whining about being attacked by other Dem candidates? For goodness sakes, it's politics after all! This is par for the course. Dean is sounding more and more like a sissy. As for the Dean-McAullife feud--I think this is more of a fight for the control of the party. McAuliffe was the Clinton's man, and he "represents" them, while Dean seems to be more of a representative of the further left-flank of the party. It's a fight for control of the party I guess. But again, Dean shouldn't be complaining that he's being attacked. Speaking of the Clintons, Clark is the first one to use Bill in an ad. Reinforces the idea that Clark is the Clintons' candidate. Back to Dean, what's with his whole thing now about raising the Minimum Wage? It doesn't make much economic sense. On Economics, Donald Luskin gets a 2 for 1 -- nailing both Paul Krugman and Brandeis prof Robert Reich. Well done! Regarding AG Ashcroft excusing himself from the CIA leak investigation...I'm dissapointed that the story returned. I thought the whole Plame-Wilson thingy was moot. Darn. And what about that LA Times story about weapons smuggling. (*Cough* Syria *cough*) I've completed three more books and I promise to write a brief review about each of 'em. The three most recent ones I've completed are: The New Anti-Semitism by Phyllis Chesler Left Illusions: An Intellectual Odyssey by David Horowitz Treason by Ann Coulter Here's the article from the Plain Dealer on the magnesium alloy plant fire which started yesterday, and lit up the sky (and also made a lot of booms). And it looks like a lot of other media outlets have picked up on the story. It was quite a sight! Sorry about the lack of blogging today. As usual the schedule in my house is totally FUBAR (nothing new though). I've been trying to find time to work on my grad school essay, which I'm very close to completing. And that's why I've not been blogging to much today. I hope to make some posts later on. Monday, December 29, 2003
A Magnesium (Mg Now, those of you who have taken basic chemistry have likely seen how Mg can explode (didn't anyone else's teachers show the videos of it?) Anyway, there's a huge yellowish glare on the horizon--and its a sight to be seen and occasionally you hear a giant rumbling noise like thunder, and more often you hear little "pop" noises. It's simply an awesome sight from this far away. Here's the story (with pix and video) from the local NBC affiliate: Fire at Garfield Heights magnesium plant As I noted below, I'm back in Cleveland. It's a yucky day out today. Not that it matters. I'm planning on returning to blogging as usual...after all, I know that my Grandfather (z"l) would not want me to stop working (or being productive) on his account. That's the kind of man he was. He was a very motivated man. On a side note, I may wind up telling stories about his life here and there--so you'll have to excuse me for that. I'm going to have to start crawling through the news again to find topics. I've also gotta finish my grad school apps. Yikes! Too much at one time. Well, at least the Browns actually won yesterday. For the first time in who knows how long. And I finished reading Horowitz's latest book "Left Illusions" and now I'm reading (for laughs) Coulter's book Treason. I've got mixed thoughts on it so far--but the jokes about MoDo are priceless. As per dad's request (make that demand), mom, my siblings and I all came home from Chicago last night. In other words, we're back in Cleveland. I've got some things to get done around here. More blogging to follow Friday, December 26, 2003
Dad, Grandma and my uncles all returned from Israel this morning...my uncles just in time for minyan, and my dad and grandma later (they were on seperate flights--it's a very, very, very long and confusing story, which I won't bother retelling). After minyan this morning, [just for our family] brunch/lunch was served, first we served the avelim (mourners) then we were told to help ourselves. There was a bit of a subdued mood, but it was the first time the whole family had been together in one place since the summer of 2002. Grandpa's presence though was missing. Nevertheless, we knew he would want us to do what we normally did--kibbitz (talk), catch up on things, tell stories (the usual Jewish family gathering). Then visitors began to pay Shiva calls throughout the afternoon. We then davened again. Then when it came to dinner, the order got mixed up, and a plate was sent, but the food was identical to what was served for brunch. So someone in the family had a kosher burger place deliver. Very good burgers...although very very filling. It's a shame, I'd been losing weight recently. I guess that streak is over. Darn...(same goes for my gym streak). Tonight we had more visitors and talked somemore, then it was just our family, and we cleaned up and set things up for tomorrow morning. minyan is at 0700 (too early for my taste, but not my choice). I'll be up for it and in attendance though. There's no question about that. It's been a long day and I've been doing a lot of things (hence the lack of blogging)--mostly helping out. Tomorrow will be a shorter day b/c of Shabbos (did I mention that my dad's family is very religious?) And for those of you unfamiliar with Jewish mourning practices and/or don't understand some of the terminology I've been using, here's a good primer on it. Thursday, December 25, 2003
I've been able to get a WiFi internet connection here in Chicago at my grandmother's appartment, so I may blog very sporadically. Granted, it's not going to be my usual musings, rather, I'm just going to share whatever is on my mind at the given point in time. It's strange to know that my grandfather z"l is no longer with us. He lived 83 wonderful years on this planet, was married to my grandmother for 52 of those years. He's now b'ezrat hashem in heaven, where he is being reunited with his mother and sister who he last saw when he was 18. (He was in Japan with his father on a buisness trip when the Nazis invaded Romania--the Nazis proceeded to murder my great aunt and great grandmother). He moved from Japan (later during the war) to Panama, where he met grandma. The two of them eventually moved here to America, and lived the American dream. He was a very religious and pious man, always yirat hashamaim and a man full of chesed. Grandpa was a very loyal Zionist; whenever HaTikvah was played, he insisted on standing up at attention. He invested much in the land (through charity and purchasing bonds) and Israel was always in his heart and mind. He is now in Israel, as per his final requests. My grandma, dad and uncles are currently flying back from Israel (they made a very quick trip there to bury my grandpa), and they'll be back stateside early this morning and will return to Chicago later in the AM. We have not seen them since Tuesday. It's going to be interesting to see how they are doing. I hope to keep grandma in high spirits. That will include replying to all her requests, even her insisting that I eat more food (even when my body doesn't want me too)--you've gotta love Jewish mothers and grandmothers. They're going to be sitting shiva here at the apartment for the week. I'm not sure how long I'll be here in Chicago to help out. I"ll have to see. Today we prepped the house, took phone calls, made arrangements for things (food people are sending over, finding out what time minyan is at, the usual...) It's wierd to think about it that my grandfather is no longer alive. I last saw him in April for Pesach. He took ill 4 months ago, and that was the beginning of the end per-say. (I'll explain in another post). I'm going to try to get some sleep now. After I take care of my little brother. Thank you all for the notes you've left me in the comments. I really appreciate them all. I seriously, seriously do. Thank you! P.S. An aside, I may be using more Hebrew/Judaic terminology in the comming posts regarding what's going on. my appologies for not providing a definition (sorry, I'm a bit lazy right now). I'll try to link to a page tomorrow with more info. To all my christian friends and readers (as well as guests), my best wishes to you (and your families) for a merry Christmas and a happy new year! For those of you who are Jewish--again, Happy Hannukah! Wednesday, December 24, 2003
My grandfather passed away tuesday in the early hours of the morning. A memorial service was held yesterday for him here in Chicago (where I currently am). We escorted his casket to the airport, and he is currently being internned (most likely literally now) in Bet Shemesh (Israel) as per his request. I'm here at my grandmother's apartment in chicago right now, setting things up for the shiva house. Blogging will be light and very sporadic in the interim Tuesday, December 23, 2003
As I mentioned previously, I'm supposed to be heading to Chicago this Wed to go visit my very-ill grandfather who is sadly passing away. We got a call tonight that things wern't looking very good, so there's a chance that I'll be out of here as early as tomorrow. Long story short, my grandfather has been sick for a long time, and right now I guess my grandmother is simply looking for a sense of closure. I'll put a more through eulogy up at an appropriate time. In that case, I just wanted to take this oppertunity to wish everyone (to whom it applies) a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (and to the Jews out there--Happy Hannukah and Happy night of Chinese food and movies!!) Take care... Monday, December 22, 2003
First Clark basically says that he'll give up our soverignity And I would say to the Europeans, I pledge to you as the American president that we'll consult with you first. You get the right of first refusal on the security concerns that we have. We'll bring you in. And now, he credits Clinton for the for Ghadafy Breakthrough (!?!?!). He apparently said:
Now didn't Reagan (or was it Bush Sr.) put the sanctions on Lybia? I know that Reagan showed the crazy Col. Ghadafi a bit of the the military muscle of the United States....Clinton did jack squat that with regards to Lybia. Did we hear anything really about Lybia in the 90s? (Note: I'm not including any of the crazy things Gadafi said). Anybody? Anything? This really shows through the theory that Clark is the Clinton's choice for the nomination. He's sucking up to them. Oh, and by the way General--the CIA and MI6 were able to infiltrate and discover the program, as well as the fact that they intercepted a shipment of items bound for Libya. And don't forget what Gadafi said to Italian PM Berlusconi about not wanting to go out like Saddam... (anyone remember the exact quote?) Nice try Clark...but you're...wrong... According to this article in the Sunday Mail (Australia) the Mossad was tracking/bugging Saddam's wife and their son Ali. I'm very skeptical of this report, mainly because I don't think the Mossad would normally publicize such information. That's very unlike the Mossad--which is traditionally a very, very, very secret organization. Unless this is a new face of the Mossad? This story seems a bit too wierd for me... An interesting event took place Saturday in the Ohio city of Vermillion (it's on the coast of Lake Erie). Currently there's a debate going on in Ohio over Concealed Carry (CCW), with the Gov not being too supportive of the idea and making demands, while the State Legislature has approved a CCW bill. Gov Taft (R) is threatening a veto of the bill unless a compromise can be reached, and there are rumors that such a compromise may occur, or the State Senate may have enough votes to override a veto. This past Saturday a group called "Ohioans for Concealed Carry" held an event in Vermillion. About 75 people went to the town, armed, with their personal firearms clearly visible (which is legal BTW). Some stores asked that people with guns not enter, while other buisnesses welcomed them. Ironically, the buisnesses who welcomed guns did more buisness as they got the gun carriers plus the protesters who were in the area. Here are some write ups on the event: Armed shoppers don't conceal feelings -- Cleveland Plain Dealer Armed and shopping in Vermilion --Lorain Mourning Journal Concealed guns openly supported--Akron Beacon Journal I'm not sure how I really feel about the CCW issue. As I've said many times before, I'm not a gun person myself, but I know of many people who are. I mean just look around the Blogsphere, there's Emperor Misha, Kim DuToit, Frank J, Rachel Lucas, CD, Dok Russia just to name a few.... (leave a note in the comments if I accidentally ommitted you) These people seem to be very responsible gun owners, and I think that they may have a better idea about these things than someone like me would. One thing in the CCW bill that is appealing is that in order to get a CCW license, among other things, you need to be certified in using the firearm. I think if you're going to carry, you need to be trained. The one concern I have is that some people will take advantage of this, and cause problems. I'm still undecided on this issue...and I just thought I'd share this story, and see what people in the blogsphere think. Fortunately, I don't live in Dennis Kucinich's district, as he's a total space cadet (and that's an understatement). Instead, I'm stuck with an anti-war, tax-and spend, race baiting democrat. (Yes, Kucinich is still worse then her). But I was happy to see the following letter in yesterday's Plain Dealer
Bah....another bad thing about living in Northeast Ohio Bush declares: "We must get rid of Arafat" I want to find the original piece in Hebrew... Way to Go Mr. President! Time Magazine's Person of the Year: 
Hooray! Three Cheers for the Soldiers! Woooohooo! More Cheering! They sure as hell deserve it! The Mudville Gazette shares his thoughts with Time Speaking of the troops, apparently one of 'em had the privledge to smack Saddam Hussein! Way to go! The army better not even think of trying to court martial this soldier (like they tried with LTC West). Hell--that soldier deserves a medal! And a beer! So the threat level is back up to Orange ("Elevated")--as if you hadn't heard already. That means we're supposed to be "extra vigilant"...but does that mean that we still have to bend over backwards to be politically correct? Interesting piece out in the Weekly Standard: MAG: Clinton administration warned of al Qaeda links to Saddam's Iraq... One problem, I heard that the tests for EMTPA in the soil all turned up negative in Sudan. Besides that...it's an interesting read...thought provoking too Looks like Al Gore's son was arrested for possession of weed. Do I really care? No. He's a Harvard student by the way. It looks like the French looking Senator from MA, John F. Kerry, who by the way served in Vietnam has started a trend of Democrat presidential nominees who like to curse in public. Today on C-Span Wesley Clark joined the club stating: "GENERAL CLARK ON C-SPAN: 'I'll beat the s--- out of them'..." Speaking of the Democrat 9; wasn't it funny last week when Sharpton was ahead of both Kerry and Edwards in the polls? And on that topic, it looks like Dean is a sore-front runner (yes, I just made that term up). Dean: Stop the Attacks. You pansy. Politics is a full contact game...with some foul language thrown in for that matter. Stop whining. Now going onto pundits and punditry. As usual, Eric Alterman succeeds in demonstrating why he is one of the biggest Asshats out there. You open up the dictionary under Asshat...Alterman's photo is there. What am I talking about? Poor and Stupid has the whole thing covered. Speaking of which, Donald Luskin, and some other Clueâ„¢ economists have found that Krugman has lied about economic stats in an article in the upcoming edition of The Nation. This isn't Krugman's first time falsifying data--apparently he did so in 1992 with the NYT No wonder Krugman served as a Financial Advisor to Enron! I'm starting to see the connection! Going onto another magazine: Newsweek: U.S. TEAMS HAVE COME CLOSE TO FINDING BIN LADEN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS... Damn it! So close! Let's hope that we start to get close on several more occasions--and take care of what needs done (if you know what I mean). Speaking of which, how do these reporters get interviews with these jihadis anyway? Shouldn't the CIA be tracking these punks down? I mean that makes sense, no? Sorry for the lack of blogging today. I was woken up and told that I had 30 minutes to get myself together, because we were going to visit my grandparents. All in all, it was a good visit and it was very good to see 'em. Just a note, due to a family medical issue I'm going to be unexpectedly out of town from Wed-Sun, so posting will be sporadic if it occurs at all. Just a note Sunday, December 21, 2003
Wow! I open the newspaper this afternoon, and what do I read: U.S.: Al-Qaddafi Eager to End Weapons Programs I was shocked! The UK Telegraph is now reporting: Revealed: the real reason for Gaddafi's WMD surrender. This comes from a country who in 2002 denied having WMD . I'm very suprised by this apparently sudden turn of events. I think that Gaddafi may have seen what happened to Saddam and taken the lesson that he should change course, or he could be next. I am still somewhat skeptical about Gaddafi's sincerity over this whole thing. Only time can tell how truthfully sincere he is. If he is telling the truth for a change, this is a blow to both Iran and North Korea's programs---as well as some of the other Arab states who had smaller investments in it. Probably the wierdest thing (thus far) to come out of this is the NY Times saying that Bush was right in his policy towards Libya. The NY Times commending President Bush? What's going on here? Is Maureen Dowd sitll on vacation (please, please, please)? What a weird turn of events! Well, as I've said before, I'm a self confessed book worm. Since being home last friday, I've read five books so far. And here's some thoughts on each of 'em. Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden by Peter Bergen. Interesting book, well researched, and his personal story about meeting Bin Laden was probably the most interesting part of the book. It's a short read. Dangerous Diplomacy by Joel Mowbray--The State Dept. is messed up and is in definite need of reform. Mowbray's expose of State's view of things paints a quite worrysome picture. He also gives State and the former INS a hard slap on the wrist. The book could've been better written though. Why America Slept by Gerald Posner--Again, another disturbing book. This book is a good starting point for anyone interested in understanding Islamic terror in the US and how it long failed to deal with terrorism. It also has some interesting details about the efforts undertaken since 9/11 and the intel we've gained from it. It's an easy read, and covers a lot of things. I'd liken a lot of it to a "review" article in a science journal (except this was much more detailed than a journal article). Derilection of Duty by Robert Patterson--I read this since I had heard Peterson on a local radio show once. He seemed like a genuninely good guy, and that's the impression I had from reading his book. He's very critical of the Clintons (not in the same way as Dick Morris seems to be), but from the standpoint of a military officer. He confirms some of the things other books mention, and reaffirms some other things. It's not a "hit piece" on the Clintons like one you'd expect from the Right-Wing pundits, rather its a man sharing his thoughts. The Janson Directive by Robert Ludlum---Back to Fiction I go. I'd seen this book displayed in a lot of airport shops recently, and I'd read the cover flap, and it sounded interesting. And boy, was it a good intrigue novel! If you're into spy/military/action/espionage intrigue stories--this novel is for you. It's a page turner! It's very well writtena nd detailed as well (not to the level of a Tom Clancy novel, but you get the idea). I won't make any comments about what happens in the book, as I don't want to ruin the story for anyone. Right now, I'm currently reading The New Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis and What we must do about it by Phyllis Chesler. I'll post more on it when I'm done. Saturday, December 20, 2003
The so called "International Solidarity Movement" (ISM), which is more of a pro-palestinian anti-Israel group (yes, it's the one Rachel "St. Pancake" Corrie was apart of), is exploiting a pro-Israel program. According to the Jerusalem Post: Birthright Israel concerned ISM activists are exploiting trips Now Birthright Israel is a fantastic program. It enables Jewish young adults, ages 18-26 who've never been to Israel with an organized youth trip to have a free 10 day trip (click the link for more info). It's a great oppertunity, and it helps Israel a lot! It's ashame that the ISM bastards are taking advantage of this, taking spots that other people could have and are also exploiting the generous philanthropists sponsoring this program. This just goes to show how morally-devoid the ISM can be (it probably won't suprise many). Friday, December 19, 2003
Damn it, blogspot deleted my last post and I've gotta jump in the shower. to all the Jews out there, HAPPY HANNUKAH Being up till 4am, and having to taste test chocolate (some of which was bad mind you) is not a good combination. I officially attest to it. I spent most of the day in bed...sick...sigh... At least the gift bags are out and done with. And be sure any chocolate you eat is fresh--and not bad. Groan Again, sorry for the lack of blogging. There was so much stuff I could've blogged on--from Al Sharpton being in 4th place in the Dem. primary polls, Oreilly and Drudge, the snow squals that hit here (and made it a pain in the ass to drive)...so many things. Instead--I was running errands or out doing other things most of the day. So I just spent the past 6 hours with my mom making gift bags for my little brothers school teachers,aides, etc. We were making "gourmet" chocolate covered popcorn. But of course, murphy's law reared its ugly head. Our popcorn popper was failing on us, so it took extra long to make the popcorn. Then we ran into problems with the chocolate. The worst part was, since mom doesn't eat chocolate, I had to be the "Taste tester" (and some of the chocolate was bad...I think I'm gonna be sick). In short--it was not fun, especially at the end when the air popper suddenly began to work like normal. Argh. I'm off to bed... I really do hope to blog tomorrow, but in case I don't--HAPPY HANNUKAH to all the Jews out there! Thursday, December 18, 2003
Page A1 of Wednesday's Plain Dealer: Court concurs: Cow-llision not covered
Ladies and Gentlemen--this is a legal ruling of landmark significance! Lawyers--take note! /sarcasm I mean really people--a cow is not a vehicle. (Nor are Deer for that matter) What ever happened to good old common sense? One can only wonder. Geez...I don't know why they call it vacation, if I'm working all the time. So today was crazy. Spent the morning at an appointment then driving cross suburbs. Spent an hour bringing up Hannukah stuff from the basement. Then the afternoon after a delay, finally got to the gym. Then mom decided we needed to hit a store. That, came home, had to "hide" so little brother could do work. Had dinner, fed guniea pig. Then had to work with brother. Then wash the dishes. Sat down to read. Did things on computer for mom and dad. Then set up one computer to defrag itself, then waited to for mom to be done on this machine (2 hrs)--while I read more...and finally here now. It's ashame. Today would've been a great blogging day (in terms of content). There was Derrick Z. Jackson's assine (make that more assinine than usual) column in the Globe. [for more jabs at Jackson and the Boston Globe as a whole, be sure to visit SillyGlobe). The man is an asshated idiotarian. Howard Dean's campaign is acting all wimpy--complaining about that private Dem group who are running an attack ad. Speaking of Dean, calling for a cut in the "Bush Tax"---that's just dumb. Speaking of which, that reminds me--there's a big story going on here in Cleveland with a lack of finances. A judge is supposed to rule tomorrow about whether or not the mayor can lay off ~400 fire and policemen to save money. And oh, it's a controversy. Rumsfeld Ponders Ways of Making Saddam Talk. I've got an idea! Make him listen to music from Barney and other annoying kids TV shows! Or make him watch endless amounts of infomercials! Okay, I guess its time for bed now Wednesday, December 17, 2003
That's what Drudge is reporting (via CBS): 9/11 Chair: Attack Was Preventable. I don't totally disagree. For all the books and stuff I've read, there are a lot of things that could have been done against terrorists domestically way before 9/11 that could've possibly prevented the plan. Does this mean that "Bush knew 9/11 was going to occur"? Sorry moonbats, but I don't think so. Rather, I think (like the article) that some departments and figures are in for a shuffling. Let's start with Foggy Bottom--who knows where to start? Second, George Tenett deserved a pink slip long ago...do it already. As for people at the NSA, DIA, NRO, and other TLAs--the people are probably secrets, so, they may not even exist. This story is definitely going to develop I didn't do very much exciting stuff today. Here's a recap of what I did: 7am--woken up by little brother 7-7:40 get brother ready for school 7:40--take brother to school 8am--back home--eat breakfast, get self together 9am-ish start cleaning up kitchen 11ish--start cleaning up other areas of the house 1:30ish--go out for errands w/ mom. Visit new strip-mall, and wander around Barnes and Noble for a good 30-40 minutes (I was curious to see whats popular) Then go to Trader Joe's It was my first time in Trader Joe's and wow was I impressed. I have to start by admitting that I'm big on fruits, esp. dried fruits--and there was a whole aisle at the store of dried fruit. Then the other aisles were full of other good stuff--it was amazing. After that, had to gas up the car, put air in the tires (did I mention that it was on/off rain snow today?) Go to the post office, to mail an envelope. When I enter, there's a line and there are 4 clerks--then 2 somehow dissapear. I hate the post office. Then had to kill time before picking up mom from JCC. Did that. Went home, had to take brother to a lesson, then drive across the suburb to the library to get a book, drive back for my brother. Then I came home and had to "dissapear" as not to distract my brother from his work. (6:45ish-8:45ish) Fun times, no? And this evening I've been reading or online occasionally. Fun day, no? Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Halevy: Saddam's capture likely to spur Arafat's fall
The sooner the better So apparently there are actually lawyers who want to defend Saddam, according to a round up found at JBCorrigan's blog As predicted, Ramsey Clark is willing to defend the Butcher of Baghdad. Doesn't he know that Saddam didn't tolerate communists? I guess being a dictator is good enough for Clark. Anyone know if Stanley Cohen is going to also represent Saddam? Well, hands down, so far the Idiotarian of the Day™ award goes to Rep. Jim McDermott (- Second place goes to this knock-knock joke I got in my email:
Let's hear it for tolerance /sarcasm Update Hillary Clinton is now also in the running for the day, as she today Praises Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
Wow! Was there a mass serving of "punch" today? So Dean apparently gave this "Foreign policy" address thingy today. Whoop-dee-do. Yawn. He brought up his plans for dealing with Israel, and he apparently said:
Israelis aren't stupid--they remember what happened in the 90s with the post-Oslo negiotiations. Clinton is no longer too "hot" in their books--rather his status has plummeted along with that of the Israeli Labor party (who got destroyed in last years elections). Dean has no clue what he's talking about here (nu?) and I think this is strike II or III against him when it comes to an Israel policy Update: Apparently I blogged too soon. Looks like Dean recycled the old "unilateral" meme during his talk today (according to LGF). Or as LGF put it: Angriest Dwarf bows to UN Monday, December 15, 2003
Here's what I got in my email from some of the "progressives" I attend school with. I've mostly refrained from making detailed comments--but I'll leave it to you to form your own opinion. [As usual, names and addresses have been removed]
Note: I don't recall any republicans formally stating that this was a slam-dunk for the election. Rather the White House is a "Gloat Free Zone"
Think of Saddam as an elected leader? What are you smoking? And the Iraqi military didn't keep him in power...he killed all deserters. How long have you had your head under the sand? BTW, the rest of your analysis isn't on target--you aren't well versed in the ways of the ME I assume.
Common sense?
First off, I don't think Saddam is going to the ICC. Second, we supported Iraq for a time during the Iran-Iraq war because of the greater picture within the Cold War. The USSR backed Iran (and we were still very angry at Iran over 1979)...don't forget the historical context. Oh, and the US isn't a signatory to the ICC anyway.
Note: I think this person really smoked up too much. Perhaps a Kucinich supporter? This person is a bit too radical or of the deep end I think. The mass corporate media? Huh? And yes, there were those in the anti-war crowd who did hope (and who continue to hope) that we lose. Finally: GI Joe is a real American hero Then a link to an article in "The Nation" was sent out. But I try to hold some standards here--and I refuse to link to that rag. Update Rush Limbaugh has also visited the lefty sites and found some stuff. And it looks like he found the enterance to DU So I spent the whole afternoon cleaning house and then trying to get my little brother to the table to do his homework. That's not an easy task. Then he forgot a book at school, so I had to race him back up there, to get the book then bring him home, give him dinner, and then mom took over. Crazy times. So as promised, I've got a compilation of sayings from Brandeis' own "progressives"...and I'll report and you decide. Can't really blog much right now...I'm supposed to be doing laundry, vaccuming and cleaning through piles of old crap that've been placed in my room since I went to school (fun, no?) But here's a "Teaser" of what's to come....craziness from Brandeis' leftists (or to use their terminology "progressives") over the Hussein arrest. The post will have a major drink alert appended to it. Take my word on that one. Sunday, December 14, 2003
I've read a multitude of blogs today, and there've been various statements made about what people think the Saddam captured picture looks like. I've heard: "SF Street Bum", "Karl Marx", "Ted Kazinsky" (a.k.a. The Unibomber). Anyone else got any ideas? Unless you've been living in a cave (or a pit) you know that Saddam Hussein is now in American custody. I thought the President gave a good address this afternoon...he timed it very well. He did it at an hour when many people are returning from church and before football started. It was a short and succint address. LGF has a pretty good round-up of the emotions in the arab world over Saddam's demise. Now, I'm very suprised that Saddam went without even firing a shot; or even committing suicide. For all the preaching he's done about not being taken alive, and/or being the great arab warrior---his being taken alive without a fight is a huge insult/slap in the face--to say the least. Saddam also represented one of the few remnants of the Ba'athist/Pan-arabist ideal--similar to the one espoused by Nasser. His going down in defeat was a major insult as well--especially at the hands of the infidels And I could really care less that the Palestinians are "mourning" the loss of their hero Saddam. They were dancing in the streets on 9/11--so I don't have much sympathy for 'em. It's no secret that Saddam was one of the biggest financial and emotional backers of their cause (to wipe Israel off the map)...so this only serves 'em right. Case in point: Arafat Saddened by Saddam's capture. Arafat deserves to be in jail right now (and that's only being nice) Yes, I know I'm a little late to join in on this game (but I haven't been able to get to the computer yet this morning) We got Saddam Hussein! Woooooohoooooo! Take that you terrorists! More to come.... (I've got chores to do) Update: So my little brother ran into my room this morning, rather early, to wake me up (groan) and he said "they caught Saddam". Now this being my little brother, I didn't believe him, and told him that he was lying and to let me go back to sleep (I like my sleep). He said, "no really, they did". So I flaled my arms about and hit the on button to the clock radio located near my bed. It was already set to the news/sports AM station and there was a special report by ABC (Radio) News reporting that the Butcher Of Baghdad was in US Custody. Hoooray!!!! I think that the troops of the 4th ID (and any SF troops with them) deserve a beer for this mission. We should start a 4th ID beer fund! Bartender--got any ideas? Granted, it's not as good as the steaks Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) is offering:
The blogsphere is abuzz over this...and it's obvious why. A giant HOOAH for the troops! Keep up the good work!!! Woooohoooo! I'll give my personal analysis on this whole thing later, but for the time being, check out...oh just about any other blog for more reaction. Saturday, December 13, 2003
I'm blogging from my room back in Cleveland now. It's very cold here (20 degree range). I'm bored out of my mind right now as well (and no, there's no cable tv at home). Let's see, I woke up not feeling well today, had a late lunch with the family, then this afternoon I went with my dad and brother on a walk to the library. I like the local library, as it gives me a chance to catch up on reading for pleasure, which is something I don't really get to do at school. Why? Because of the lack of time, and lack of access to good titles. So already today I skimmed through "Terror Inc." (not too interesting if you're familiar with the subject material). I think I'm going to start Robert Ludlum's "The Janson Directive" next. It's supposed to be a good read. I'll periodically mention the books I've read/am reading here. Otherwise, I'm stuck doing chores/errands around the house here (sigh). I've gotta go find something that I can fix myself for dinner too. D'oh! (well, it is better than Sherman though) Friday, December 12, 2003
I'm leaving tomorrow (or I should say later today--look at the time!) to head back home to Cleveland for about a month (it's "winter break"). My schedule of fun filled vacation activities includes...uh...finishing up my grad school apps, and um...uh...I'll have to get back to you on the rest. Blogging will resume from Cleveland starting Saturday night/Sunday Remember the Justice Incident of late October? (look back at the archives of this blog if you don't know what I"m talking about). Well apparently in Dallas, TX: An ad for Holiday Ad Has Hidden Hate Message--Hanukkah Flier Contains Anti-Semitic Line Now what happened in this ad was very, very pronounced and obvious (more so than the Justice line). Yet somehow this slipped through the cracks. I can't even imagine what happened to let this occur? During the course of the past week while I've either been studying for finals or helping a friend (from another school) out with her neuroscience class, I've apparently said some stupid things...and I've been "profiled" as a result. These words of genius include: "there's no good fruit fly porn" [when I was studying Drosophila Courtship] "all these great diagrams... it's like neuroscience porn!" (Don't ask) Thursday, December 11, 2003
A very slow day today...I honestly didn't do very much today. I spent about 2 hours on the phone with one friend of mine helping her out with her neuroscience course. I've still got writers block plaguing me over my grad school admissions essays. D'oh! Oh well. My mom also scanned in my senior pix to the computer back home and sent them over to me. No, I'm not going to post 'em. I don't like 'em much (I really don't like photos or videos of myself much). It's one of those sub-concious things I guess. I'm not really sure why. I'm heading home to Cleveland tomorrow for winter break. So I'll be blogging from home then. I don't know how much time I'll be able to get on the computer (my house is a crazy place) but I do plan on continuing to blog. I don't really know what else to blog about right now. Perhaps an idea will "hit" me very, very soon. We'll just have to see... Palestinian prime minister warned Israel against unilateral moves...."The fire will burn, the terror will grow," he said. The last time that Israel undertook unilateral peace moves...was the Oslo accords, and we know how well those turned out. I woke up this morning....look out the window, and for the first time in a week I see....grass?!?! It's raining like crazy outside right now, and the snow is melting. How soon till the floods start? There are some good columns by the Pundits today.....among the better ones: Larry Elder: Hillary Clinton accuses Bush of 'undoing the New Deal' If an column can be a fisking--Elder has come pretty close to doing it. George Will: A few questions for the Democratic candidates Now those are real questions. I wonder if we'll ever see questions like those asked at a debate any time soon. If they were asked, perhaps I'd tune in and watch? Thomas Sowell: Economic 'Power' Sowell addresses the "Wal-Mart boogy man". And for the record, yes, I have shopped at Wal-Mart before...many a time (if anyone cared). Robert Novak: Dean's Urban Legend If you're gonna read one, this is probably the one to read. Novak even makes a mention to blogs. He mentions the urban legend Dean spread that "Bush ignored Saudi Arabian warnings of the 9/11 terrorist attacks". Then goes on to examine the source of this rumor. Perhaps Pravda? The World Socialist newspaper? Not really very reliable sources, no? Finally, Cal Thomas has a good quote in his article, over the SCOTUS upholding CFR:
In the past 24-hours, two bad ideas have floated accross the radar screens of the news: Social Security checks could go south of border Homeland security chief endorses legalizing undocumented immigrants *Groan* Damn it! I hate when this happens! I hate it when I get a bad case of writers block (like I have right now). It is...so....so....so....frustrating. I'm just struggling on writing my grad school application essays. Argh. That is all. Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Long time readers may remember how I was previously griping about the extremely trimmed down amount of courses being offered. So I come across this email about a new class being offered today.
And this is where my tuition dollars go? Blogger is finally back up and running. I had my oral exam this afternoon, and boy was it rough. But it's over, that's all that matters. All over. All that's left to do is work on my grad school essay(s). Sigh. Off to work I go Tuesday, December 09, 2003
From the AP Wire: Democrats Criticize Bush, but Sometimes Leave Out the Facts One of my suitemates is in the process of applying for jobs, and he's looking at applying for a goverment position. He then mentioned the pay range he'd receive. Then the thought dawned on me: If you're working for the gov't--your salary comes from Gov't revenue (better known as taxes). Then you also have to pay taxes, in essence, giving back the gov't what it gave you. That's very messed up. And therefore its a not so deep thought So the campus humor/satire magazine has finally made its semester appearance on campus today. (A bit late I may add). Now, having read it, I feel qualified to give it a review. It wasn't very good at all--even by Gravity standards. There was only one Robert Reich joke, and it wasn't even that funny! "Jewish Eye for the Queer Guy" was significantly lacking. The "cut out your own peyos was just...stupid. The professor quotes were--eh. It looks like the quality of humor has slipped on this campus over the course of the past couple years...sigh.... (and yes, for the record, I've seen 5+ years worth of Gravity issues--I've had to spend a few hours too many in the Media Coalition office) Drudge is linking to this article in the Guardian: Israel trains US assassination squads in Iraq Now as this is al-guardian I'm instantly somewhat skeptical of the story and or at least the way its going to be reported. I'm going to thus break this article down:
Now I think it's common knowledge that allied armies often train together and/or conduct joint operations. Supposively this is also very common in the Special Forces community, where they trade techniques, tactics and other tools of the trade. The IDF also has a lot of experience in Urban Warfare, so they're a great source for training and knowledge.
Now this is where I'd raise the first red-flag. I'm interested in knowing who these "sources" are. Are they military sources? Intel sources? Gov't sources? This is very sketchy--especially the claim that "consultants" have visited. I wouldn't be suprised if there have been some Israeli officials who have visited the country secretly; nor was I suprised to hear rumors that Israeli SF troops may have been part of the original invading force in Western Iraq (to prevent possible missle launches). Nor would it suprise me to hear that the Mossad has agents in the country. But I wouldn't expect any valid "source" to confirm this.
And as we noted yesterday, the number of attacks have decreased.
Why? Because the terrorists want a Dem in office? Or because the terrorists know that they're losing their grasp and are trying to go for one last hoorah.
Another strong claim (US SF troops in Syria) from "sources"--again sketchy. But if they're attempting to neutralize the Jihadis before they cross the border, more power too 'em. As for the liquidation of guerrilla leaders...I guess the CIA is too rusty in that area to teach.
Emphasis on the "former" part. This individual could have a political axe to grive. It's an open secret that the US works with Israel...but to do so in such a "public" nature is not very normal--and could backfire. As for the new tactics...I'm not sure that I share that individuals view. I don't think that the locals would mind if the neighborhood thugs were no more.
This quote doesn't have a source, so I'm assuming it's the same as the former. He seems quite off his rocker.
Now, this should've been back at the top part of the article. It's sort of redundant now, but I'm not here to critique journalistic merit. I've also heard rumors that some Israeli buisness consultants may have ventured to Iraq as well.
Which is harmless--simply harmless. Good armies learn from the experiences of others--both past and present.
eh, nu This is one smart Israeli official. He hits the hammer on the head with his comments.
That's right again! You learn from others but then you figure out what is best for your plans and make the appropriate decisions.
I don't get this "whithin the bounds of human rights" part of the quote. But the latter part of his quote rings very true, especially within the Arab world. Most then won't fight an enemy they know they can't beat. I say most as one must not forget the really wacked out fighters.
Talk about being behind in the news. The NYT reported this factoid a few weeks ago.
And here comes the al-guardian spin. But wait, it gets better:
Who is this "he"? That's bad writing and the editors should know better.... For more on Israel's Special Forces check out: http://www.isayeret.com First off, B.C. The Imperial Torturer has a MUST READ post up over at the Rott about the failure of France's 35-hour work week system. I can only read it and laugh at all the professors here on this campus who champion such a system as being a "model". Second, in the more amusing news section, Indymedia Israel is currently being investigated. It's about time the Israeli gov't go after a media outlet that isn't right of center (as the Israeli goverment has frequently raided Arutz-7 and gone after right-of center figures while ignoring lefties). (Note: Israel does not have a guarenteed right to free speech like we have here in America) Looks like much championed Brandeis alumnus Thomas Friedman lost his cool at an event the other night in NY Monday, December 08, 2003
According to calculations, if you were to purchase all the items in the "First Night of Christmas song"...would be $65,264.28 I've got a dilema on my hands. First off, it's finals season (yuck). Second, I've got a bad head cold (as I've mentioned before) and it's throwing me for a loop and then some. Third, tonight (monday) the Browns are playing on Monday Night Football! (I'm blogging during a commercial). I'm torn--do I keep prepping for my exam or do I study, or should I try to balance both? (all while dealing with my cold). Speaking of MNF, wh't's with Butch Davis' jacket? Since when is that dog the Browns logo? That doesn't look like any of the good Dawgs... Back to work/football I go Update: Yeah...the Browns offense (which is weak in the first place) really killed itself in the last 2 minutes or so of the first half.....sigh..... So yeah, the whole simpsons quote thing...that was so last nights news around here. No word yet from the Simpsons Club (yes, we have one) or the administration. And yes, there's at least one Rachel Cohen enrolled at the University. But via Steve comes this other great quote about the city in which Brandeis is located (Waltham, MA):
Perhaps this will get the backwards folk in Foggy Bottom to put a sock in it: US forces in Iraq adopt IDF strategy
Perhaps those Israelis do indeed know how to fight terror. Next time, don't be so hard on 'em. Speaking of Foggy Bottom, why do they insist that we continue to fund the Palestinian Authority, especially in light of events like this: Ramallah eateries stop sale of 'American food'
I guess they can't say "Hamburger" 'cause it has the word "ham" in it? And I assume that "Broasted" is a typo for "roasted". A friend's away message today
I'm one of the former, those who tolerate 14-degree (and colder) weather. I'm used to it from Cleveland where cold weather and snow are very, very common. But my question is...if you don't like cold weather, why did you choose to come to college in New England? I mean you've gotta expect these things, no? Yeah, I spent the day studying for finals. Granted, in the past 24-hours, I've also come down with a bad head cold, so I didn't sleep much (stuffy nose and sinus headache) and have subsequently become a bit cranky as a result. Fortunately a friend had some pseudophedrine, and that worked okay...at time it didn't work too well...and I"m not taking any of it before bed. Too bad no one around here has any NyQuil. Perhaps I'll actually be able to make it to a drug store tomorrow (when the roads are better plowed). So I spent today studying/prepping for finals. Today was full of hours after hours of neurogenetics. Fun...I know. My thought of the evening: why do people research fruit fly courtship? Sunday, December 07, 2003
From tonight's episode of the Simpsons:
Now naturally, there's a lot of excitement on campus that our school was mentioned on the Simpsons. However, don't you people realize that they were making fun of our school? If you understand it, then it's really funny... From the lady who created the term "the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" comes a new term: the "right wing apparatus" And read the rest of the article Sixty-two years ago, our nation was attacked at Parl Harbor. The Japanese launched a suprise raid against our Naval Base in Pearl Harbor. 2,390 American lives (Navy, Army, Army Airfoce, Marines and Civilians) were lost in this unpresidented attack. Today we remember all those who were murdered on that day, while serviing their country. 
The forward superstructure and Number Two 14" gun turret of the sunken USS Arizona afire after the attack Here was the speech that FDR gave right after the attack. and here is the link to the USS Arizona memorial museum Continuing on my many posts decrying the so called "geneva accords" Here's two articles that prove my point. Bill Clinton offers to market Geneva Initiative Annan: Geneva is a breakthrough Again, must I say more? Today December 7th is Noam Chompsky's, idiotarian extrordinaire, 75th birthday. In light of this "occasion", the idiotarian morelocks will likely be going crazy (yes, crazier than usual). As such, I think it would only be appropriate that a fatwa be issued to go after the idiotarians with more vigor than usual. This is also a warning that the idiotarians may try stupid (make that stupider than usual) things to mark this event. You have been forwarned. That is all. Update: For those of you not familiar wth the SOB known as Chompsky, here's a small insight: he thinks there's only a "small" problem of anti-semetism in the west Saturday, December 06, 2003
A general rule of thumb at college parties: Don't drink the punch (you don't know whats in it)... However, it looks like some of the Democrats have been hitting the punch a bit too much. Let's star with the french looking John F. Kerry (who by the way served in vietnam). He's reported to have said in an interview with Rolling Stone:
Dropping an "F-bomb"....not a smart move for politicians. I think this is a further sign of Kerry's big time campaign troubles. Plus he's behind ~30% in NH polls to Dean. Now another Dem has decided to spout off at the mouth, and its Hillary. She's reported to have said: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton blasts President Bush and his "radical" administration on Saturday for attempting to dismantle the "central pillars of progress in our country during the 20th century." Clinton makes the comments to Saturday editions of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE, sources tell DRUDGE.
Wow...I can only wish President Bush would undo some of these programs. Lets start with Privatizing social security. Unfortunately, GWB has enlarged the size of the Gov't (doh!)
What the hell is a "compassionate conservative"... and a "hard right turn" you've gotta be kidding me. Look at the Medicare Bill...the increases in Federal Spending...
That's just beyond absurd. I think the Punch really got to her.
She's wrong again. If trusting the UN is making us safer, than I can't imagine the future. President Bush has made our nation a lot stronger and safer
I highly doubt that. What about Carter? or your husband? The moral of the story: Don't drink the Punch It's snowing quite hard here in Boston. We've been told to expect 18-24 inches by the time this current NorEaster ends. It's a pretty snow as well. I'll see if I can get some photos taken of it. (from a friend w/ a digital camera). We're basically snowed in here...sadly... Being the bright college kids we are, we've got some alcohol left over from last night (oh, what happened here was absolutely crazy--but I won't share the story). Otherwise, nothing else to do. It's the kind of weather that makes me want to curl up in a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. Friday, December 05, 2003
This post from Tom of Hootinan about some idiotic group called "Babes against Bush". You know what I think--there needs to be a counter-group...Babes for Bush. The JerseyGOP website has a good start with their GOP Babe-of-the-Week. But I think there's a need for a grassroots effort! I think that it would be a big boost! Whose with me? Time for some punditry links: Bush Derangement Syndrome by Charles Krauthammer, MD Kerry's arguments don't carry by Jonah Goldberg The domesticated Dean by Rich Lowry And interestingly enough, for some reason Ann Coulter has two different columns this week. The one on her website differs from that seen at TownHall. At Town Hall there was: Massachusetts Supreme Court abolishes capitalism! But at FrontPage Magazine and on her website was: Judicial Tyranny? Finally, speaking of Coulter: The new talking Ann Coulter doll is outselling all talking presidential action figures made by toy maker Talking Presidents, the company's John Warnock tells this column. ---John McCaslin Good News: * My Cellular Neuroscience presentation went well (save for technical difficulties) * I'm done with 3 courses * Unemployment is down to 5.9% Bad News: *I've still got one final to go *I've got to work on my Grad school apps *Lori and Maripat have closed Right We Are From one of the LLL professor run email lists come these two emails:
[Note: This prof is dissapointed that Daniel Pipes was simply welcomed, let alone the fact that he had an enthusiastic welcome from many students.] in reply to the above letter came this one:
All I have to say is cry me a river. Dennis Prager is a brilliant man and a great writer. As for the radio hosts, they're defending Israel from the likes of you loony surrender lobby leftists. Perhaps we should see if we could get Mr. Prager to speak on campus next semester...hmm... Long time readers know that I'm not a big fan of "Peace Studies" programs. We've got a "Peace, Conflict and Coexistance" program here at Brandeis. Now the school has just announced that they're offering a Masters in "Coexistance and Conflict" (and I have no clue what its all about) Peace studies also produces "scholars" such as professors (some of whom I really dislike and have public animocisty with) who write articles like this: September 11 and the Field of Peace Studies [warning, it's an idiotarianesque article, so you've been forwarned]. With that intro, today Rush Limbaugh reported that:
Small problem folks, look at the B-2 Stealth Bomber (and once your done oogling over its awesome firepower and abilities) Notice how the B-2 doesn't have a tailfin Rush hits the nail on the head when he says
The man hits the nail on the head. And people wonder why I think the field of "Peace Studies" is a total and complete joke... At long last, if anyone is interested, you can view my powerpoint presentation on Voltage Gated Calcium Channels. [opens in new window, powerpoint or powerpoint viewer required] Thursday, December 04, 2003
More signs that the Geneva Accords are bad: *Jimmy Carter Likes it; Bill Clinton Likes It *Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan like it *The NY Times is fawning over it Doesn't anyone else remember how the NY Times oogled over the "Saudi Peace Plan" (what an oxymoron)? Thank goodness there are op-ed writers like Jeff Jacoby and Steven Plaut (among others) who have Clue™ |
