What's Up With The CIA?

Hat tip to BlackBerrySpeak Mag for this one. So what do we think they're hiding? Any ideas?

Lawmakers, CIA in Dispute Over Release of Documents About Nazi War Criminals
By Malia Rulon/AP

[snip]

But the law's authors - Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. - say the CIA is withholding information about Nazi war criminals, suspects or collaborators who were recruited and hired by the U.S. government after World War II to provide expertise on the former Soviet Union.

[snip]

Documents released last year indicate there was a closer relationship than previously thought between the United States and individuals with Nazi ties after WWII. A working group created to declassify the information is trying to determine exactly what they did for the CIA and the status of their employment.

This request challenges the CIA's deeply held reluctance to release any intelligence-related information and the law's broad mandate for disclosing details about Nazi war criminals.

For more, click here.

Ragen Picks

Naomi Ragen found a great article worth reading! It says it all about Europe -- out of the mouth of a German writer, no less. He nails it, I think. Do you?

Europe - Thy Name is Cowardice
(Commentary by Mathias Dapfner CEO, Axel Springer, AG)
A few days ago Henry Broder wrote in Welt am Sonntag, "Europe - your family name is appeasement." It's a phrase you can't get out of your head because it's so terribly true. Read the whole article here.

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Another hat tip to Naomi Ragen is this interview with Brigitte Gabriel -- a Lebanese Christian. It might take a while to download but it's worth it -- bone chilling and inspirational at the same time. Go here. to watch it. You can learn about Ms. Gabriel's efforts here.

Surprise..... A Peaceful Rally

As I said, today was spent at a rally that was full of controversy for the Jewish community. They went nuts over a similar one in Berkeley. Why don't the Jewish groups worry about adopting a position that's advocated by of all groups CAIR?! The Jewish Federation turned down a chance to participate, which upset me. I wasn't surprised the likes of the Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) and Peace Now declined. Please. But the Federation?! Adding insult, The Jewish Journal wrote a rather negative article about it this past week. I don't get it. But unlike Berkeley, this one was rather calm and without any protesters.

Marvin Hier from the Simon Wiesenthal Center/Museum of Tolerance gave a very moving speech.

LA Mayor Jim Hahn also gave a speech, showing his support against terror. He drew a tiny comparison to the guy who attempted suicide on the LA metro system but who changed his mind (yet neglected to back his stupid SUV off the tracks!). He said the big difference of course was that this bozo didn't have people encouraging him to do it, how it's a mind set we are fighting. Sad but true.

There were many other moving speeches, including Nonie Darwish, who is the woman behind Arabs for Israel. Fascinating story, fascinating woman. Another was a journalist whose brother was killed on this very bus. It was rather surreal for her and for her son, because I got the impression they didn't realize it was that bus until they got there. All in all, a very moving experience. I highly recommend attending if you ever get the chance.

Weekend Reading

Tomorrow I'm headed to the rally where Jerusalem Bus # 19 will be on display. I promise to report back about it. In the meantime, here's a bit of interesting reading.

Intelligence squelched
By Melanie Phillips
"I had the misfortune to take part in a high-profile and packed debate in London in the 'Intelligence Squared' series. The motion was 'Zionism today is the real enemy of the Jews'. The motion was proposed by three Jews..."

[snip]

"This sport of Jew-baiting has now become the vogue among the British media, which uses Jews to unleash the most blatant untruths and vicious lies and libels about Israel so that the media can disavow any anti-Jewish prejudice, on the grounds that Jews cannot be anti-Jew. Alas, would that this were so."

Read the whole article here.

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Hat tip to Naomi Ragen for this one, which shows yet another reason to find the UN worse than neutral -- but actually helpful towards terror:

Despite Israeli Alerts, U.N. Transfers Thousands to Hamas Affiliates
By Benny Avni - Special to the Sun
UNITED NATIONS - A United Nations agency transferred thousands of dollars to a Palestinian Arab charity affiliated with terrorism long after Israel warned of the terror connection, though the U.N. publicly claimed payments to the organization had stopped. Read more here.

Glick's Column One: Whither Israeli democracy?

The Jerusalem Post's Caroline Glick takes on the Israeli court system (by comparing it to events in the US) this week. It's another good one! Check it out in comments.

Remembering A Friend

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know about the friend of a friend, Nicole Weissberg, who has been missing since the Tsunami disaster. Well my friend, Lilia, wanted to honor her dear friend, so she sent us all a beautiful note about her. With her permission, I am putting it in the comments section. It is a moving tribute to someone who was obviously quite exceptional. Please read it.

Honor and Memory

Remembering the Wannsee Conference and the Liberation of Auschwitz

This article is posted by participants of the January 27, 2005, BlogBurst (see list at end of article), to remember the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, sixty years ago, on January 27, 1945.

On January 20th, we marked the anniversary of the 1942 Wannsee Conference. In the course of that Conference, the Nazi hierarchy formalized the plan to annihilate the Jewish people. Understanding the horrors of Auschwitz requires that one be aware of the premeditated mass-murder that was presented at Wannsee.

Highlighting these events now has become particularly important, even as the press reports that '45% of Britons have never heard of Auschwitz' (Jerusalem Post, December 2, 2004).

The Holocaust, symbolized by Auschwitz, the worst of the death camps, occurred in the wake of consistent, systematic, unrelenting anti-Jewish propaganda campaign. As a result, the elimination of the Jews from German society was accepted as axiomatic, leaving open only two questions: when and how.

As Germany expanded its domination and occupation of Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, the Low Countries, Yugoslavia, Poland, parts of the USSR, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Italy and others countries, the way was open for Hitler to realize his well-publicized plan of destroying the Jewish people.

After experimentation, the use of Zyklon B on unsuspecting victim was adopted by the Nazis as the means of choice, and Auschwitz was selected as the main factory of death (more accurately, one should refer to the “Auschwitz-Birkenau complex”). The green light for mass annihilation was given at the Wannsee Conference, January 20, 1942, and the mass gassings took place in Auschwitz between 1942 and the end of 1944, when the Nazis retreated before the advancing Red Army. Jews were transported to Auschwitz from all over Nazi-occupied or Nazi-dominated Europe and most were slaughtered in Auschwitz upon arrival, sometimes as many as 12,000 in one day. Some victims were selected for slave labour or “medical” experimentation. All were subject to brutal treatment.

In all, between three and four million people, mostly Jews, but also Poles and Red Army POWs, were slaughtered in Auschwitz alone (though some authors put the number at 1.3 million). Other death camps were located at Sobibor, Chelmno, Belzec (Belzek), Majdanek and Treblinka.

Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army on 27 January 1945, sixty years ago, after most of the prisoners were forced into a Death March westwards. The Red Army found in Auschwitz about 7,600 survivors, but not all could be saved.

For a long time, the Allies were well aware of the mass murder, but deliberately refused to bomb the camp or the railways leading to it. Ironically, during the Polish uprising, the Allies had no hesitation in flying aid to Warsaw, sometimes flying right over Auschwitz.

There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.

If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.

For full text, click here.

List of BlogBurst participants

MUST READ: Tom Carter wrote something amazing to mark the occasion here.

One Survivor's Remembrance

To help me honor Jan. 27, 2005, this is from my friend Sahbra Anna. As a very young girl, she suffered the inhumanity that was the Holocaust. This is only a small part of her story. She is kind enough to let me use an excerpt from her upcoming autobiography, in celebration of the liberation of Auschwitz. While she wasn't at that particular death camp, (Bergen-Belsen was where she, alone, was sent) I feel this is certainly fitting.

Please read the excerpt in comments.

BlogBurst! Take Part!

Do you have a blog yourself? If you want to show solidarity tomorrow in honor of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, join up with BlogBurst. What's a that, you ask? A BlogBurst is a simultaneous, co-ordinated posting by a large group of webmasters and bloggers on a given topic.

What do you have to do? Well send the following info below to: IsraPundit@yahoo.com

name
e-mail
site URL
site name
country

And visit here to find out more about it!

An Interesting Question

Gindy asked the following question in another subject and I think it's too important a topic to leave in the bowels of the Haloscan debacle:

Have you heard Albright or anyone else (except for Ross) say this before so plainly? I am curious.

"I hope ... the new (Palestinian) leadership will understand what is being offered. Arafat turned down the best deal that any Palestinian will ever see," she told businessmen Wednesday at a lunch organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. Read article here.

My answer in the comments section.

Haloscan Appears Not For Me

If anyone checked out my site over the last hour, you probably saw it looking freaky. That's cause I tried to set up Haloscan. Don't get me wrong -- their instant install was flawless. Silly me forgot to read the thing and see that it doesn't transfer over comments from blogger. Sorry, I can't lose a single one of your pithy or helpful comments and I don't have the energy to copy every single post's comment section over. So, I'm sorry but we're stuck with Blogger here at Outside the Blogway for the foreseeable future.

The Dark Side

I've gone and done it. I crossed over to the dark side today. Despite being a PC owner for years and years, I bought a Mac G4 PowerBook. I haven't said anything to my family. This is one way to test if they read my blog. Haha.

I want to edit and I'm told final cut is so much better (and on a mac) than the PC's avid. And an even better bonus? If you buy a notebook this week at CompUSA, you get a free TiVo. I'm in heaven. Trying it out tonight by setting it for Game Show Network's awesome twosome, "The Name's The Same" and "What's My Line" -- both circa the mid-1950s at the moment. Anyway, it's expected to rain for the next few days here. Guess you all know what I'll be reading and doing. Anyone with helpful TiVo or Mac advice, I'd love to hear it.

Something All Women (and Men Who Love Them) Must Know

My sister has breast cancer. She was diagnosed in the fall. Sorry if you know me IRL and this is how you're finding out, but it's not like it inspires me to make calls and inform people. Good news is she will eventually be fine. But she has been through hell and wants you to make sure you don't go through this too. See her MUST KNOW advice in the comments -- it could save your life.

Food For Thought

On Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol, from The Weekly Standard, talked about how Natan Sharansky's [former Soviet dissident and political prisoner, now Israeli Cabinet Minister] book influenced Bush's inaugural speech... Kristol then shared that when Sharansky watched the president's speech, he turned to someone and said he wished Andre Sakharov (another former soviet dissident) was alive to hear those words come out of the mouth of an American President.

A Sad Day

Fox News is reporting (via the AP) that Johnny Carson has passed away from essentially emphysema. When I can find a link, I'll post it in the comments section.

On a personal note, I had the privilege of seeing Johnny several times. During the summer of 1988, I did an internship on the NBC lot. I befriended members of his props staff, and they invited me to watch the show with them backstage whenever I wanted (which I did often). Johnny seemed to be a bit shy, so I never approached him but I do recall one time he looked at me and gave me a thumbs-up. He was brilliant. He was one of the few people who understood that the interview was about the person he was interviewing -- not himself. There isn't anyone who gets it today who has a show. It's a shame no one learned from him. He was an original.

Blogger is driving me nuts

Not sure why my template is all screwed up this morning. :( Had to switch templates to get it to line up correctly. Any advice on what to do when it pushes your posts all the way down past your links?

Four Fronts, Same War

Read a fantastic blog entry about why we are fighting the war in Iraq and how it relates to WWII, etc.  Great history lesson if nothing else. Bravo to KevinE at A Jewish Perspective.
 
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Diplomat: IAEA Tours Egyptian Laboratory
"CAIRO, Egypt - U.N. nuclear inspectors toured an Egyptian laboratory during a review of the country's fuel programs prompted by irregularities in Egypt's reporting of its nuclear activities, a Western diplomat said Friday."

[snip]

"The Associated Press first reported that IAEA inspectors found suspicious traces of plutonium particles in Egypt late last year." Read the rest here.
 
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Check out the newest alert from Honestreporting.com --

Palestinian Insiders
AFP and AP employ reporters who also receive paychecks from the Palestinian Authority.

"One of the cardinal rules of responsible journalism is the independent status of the journalist ? while journalists may belong to political parties, they cannot actively work for a party relevant to the sphere they cover, lest their independence and neutrality be jeopardized." 

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Daniel Pipes has another good one about our dear friends from CAIR. Check it out.

Radical Islam's Hypocrisy[: The Ehrgott & Okashah Cases]
New York Sun
The mentality of radical Islam includes several main components, of which one is Muslim supremacism: A belief that believers alone should rule and otherwise enjoy an exalted status over non-Muslims. This outlook dominates the Islamist worldview as much in the streets of Paris as in the caves of Afghanistan.

Two Takes on Iraq

Check out American On Line's blog entry about how those from Iraq who live in Israel aren't being allowed to vote. It knocked the wind right out of me.

Also, in the comments section, read Caroline Glick's latest column from the Jerusalem Post. She discusses how Israel could learn from America's policy in Iraq. It's a must-read.

Monday Thoughts -- UPDATE

1/21/05

Below, I linked to an article about Ella from Sderot and how she needed our prayers. Sadly, her injuries were too much, and she was laid to rest today. Article from Jerusalem Post in the comments section.

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Martin Luther King Day. Just wanted to acknowledge its importance. What an amazing man. I wish we would remember his teachings more.

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Victor Davis Hanson really nails what he tackles. Here is one article that came out January 7 -- I'm a bit slow. But check it out -- it's solid:

The Disenchanted American
Are we growing world-weary?
"There is a new strange mood of acceptance among Americans about the world beyond our shores. Of course, we are not becoming naïve isolationists of 1930s vintage, who believe that we are safe by ourselves inside fortress America — not after September 11. Nor do citizens deny that America has military and moral obligations to stay engaged abroad — at least for a while yet. Certainly the United States is not mired in a Vietnam-era depression and stagflation and thus ready to wallow in Carteresque malaise. Indeed, if anything Americans remain muscular and are more defiant than ever." Read the rest here.

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I wish the MSM would do more to cover the victims of mortar attacks in Israel. Naomi Ragen once again is alerting us to what's going on. Please say a prayer for this brave girl.

"Seventeen year-old Ella from Sderot was on her way home from the Bnei Akiva  youth movement Saturday night with her friend and her  ten-year-old brother when the alarm sounded.  They raced for the nearest shelter, but when they heard the whistle of the missle, they knew they wouldn't have time to reach it.  Ella's friend lay flat on the street, Ella  threw her body over her little brother's to protect him.  He emerged with only slight wounds, but Ella herself sustained serious head injuries and is now unconscious and in critical condition in Soroka Hospital." Read the rest here.

UN Update

From IMRA (no commentary on my part...bold words say it all):

Oil-for-Food Scandal: The UN's Own Tsunami

As the UN struggles to lead global relief efforts for victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the world body's senior staff are experiencing a tidal wave of their own.

[snip many paragraphs]

The staff changes are significant. First, Malloch Brown replaces Iqbal Riza, Annan's veteran chief of staff. The 70-year-old former Pakistani diplomat, known for his behind-the-scenes machinations against the U.S. and Israel, sought to spin his departure as a planned retirement. In fact, as Judith Miller reports in The New York Times, the decision came after a private meeting with Annan.

[snip even more to the one eye-popping fact at the end, tho no surprise]

UN Marks Holocaust: The UN General Assembly on Monday will hold a Special Session to mark 60 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camps, approved by at least 138 states. This is the first time ever that the UN will commemorate the Holocaust.

For more on the last part, click here.

Covering the Coverage

I decided, for a lark, to watch two of the networks' coverage of the lead-up to the parade. While reading this, keep in mind that I'm not even a big fan of President Bush. I'm just very patriotic and love my country.

ABC's Peter Jennings (whom I've detested and boycotted for years) stayed true to form and decided to point out all the bad stuff of the day -- grumbling that the parade hadn't started yet, how it looked like a banana republic with the tanks, etc..pointing out the protestors and how the secret service had to pepper spray some of them. He was practically daring the president to actually reach out and touch real human beings, maybe at a baseball game or something. Does this guy not live in today's reality? Does he think people aren't wanting to shoot this man dead? I'm impressed Bush even bothers to do this much when his life must be constantly at risk. OK, so Bush does finally get out and then a little later gets back in. Jennings decides he has to point out that the president "only had a little further to go" before he'd be in the White House "compound" but oh well. Bush couldn't catch a break! Jennings was totally looking for everything bad. After the president settled into his box at the White House, Jennings mentioned he "was surrounded by family, that some 130 members of the Bush family were there, whether they liked it or not, are part of a political dynasty." Not sure if "whether they liked it or not" applied to the first part of the sentence or the latter. Either way, I say if you are so tired and feel such disdain for America, Peter Jennings, then GO BACK TO CANADA!

Dare I say, his coverage greatly contrasted (CBS) Dan Rather's, who wasn't nearly as bitter or snippy about it and instead actually talked about what was going on rather than just commenting on bad things. Color me surprised.

OK, that's all the time I could dare spend on the networks. And friends wonder why I watch Fox News... it's because it doesn't try to make me hate the fact I'm an American.

Where You Go in a Handbasket

In case anyone was wondering if the folks in Berkeley had truly lost their minds, click here for the proof. If you didn't know, the carcass of bus #19, which was blown up in Jerusalem on Jan. 29, 2004 by a suicide bomber, was flown to Berkeley for a rally showing support for Israel. This was getting a lot of press (check out Naomi Ragen's site--hat tip to her for the link "here" above) because a local area rabbi, Rabbi Kelman, sent a note to his congregation to boycott the event. You have to read this report and see what has happened in my own country, the great USA -- never mind my own state! Way to go kids, our future -- you're scaring the crap out of me.

For more info about charming activities taking place at our lovely institutions of higher learning, especially Columbia University, check out Campus Watch.

I give thanks every day that I'm no longer in school.

Nicole/Tsunami Update... A Friend's Report

A friend is in Phuket and has been emailing back-and-forth with Morgan, who is in Bangkok and has Nicole's cousin Lindsay with him. He brought a brush with hair for DNA purposes but it was not accepted by the government cause they said they couldn't prove it was her brush. Her family did get something to them that was approved eventually but only because they had the FBI do the DNA and send it to the government -- lots of time wasted with bullshit.

According to friend, the Thai government is doing nothing, letting US, Canada and Israel (and any other government it can find) handle it all. Quote from friend, "Never seen an entire government with their fingers up their ass and just sit there spinning on it so they can look busy but they actually do nothing. The government there is the biggest folly." He really hates the Thai government.

Also, he says that malaria, cholera, dysentery are expected because dead bodies are decaying all over and the rainy season makes it worse and helps it spread; rabies is next cause the poor dogs are eating rats and any other dead animals they can find cause they're starving...They were people's pets and are frightened, wanting to play with people but they've consumed rabies and will give to others if they bite so they will be fed poisoned food to put down some 100,000 dogs. These were someone's loved pets but their owners are no longer alive...

He also says that the child slave trade is definitely in full swing. Anytime he sees a child alone, waiting for their parents to return, he grabs them and takes them to the closest orphanage or member of the clergy for safety. The orphanages are full; the children are now in tents without much food or water, and clothing is also a very big problem. My friend is building many houses with one big room and a bathroom for hundreds of people -- it’s done via a contract from Canada. This friend's contribution to the tsunami right now is over $300,000.

He added that Israelis were first to start doing the DNA tests....they identified almost every last Israeli there after hundreds were missing. They're now being approached by all other foreign nationals for help.

The Passing of One Great Dame

Condolences to all who loved Ruth Warrick, aka Phoebe Tyler Wallingford of All My Children. She also played Orson Welles's wife in Citizen Kane. Ruth was royalty to the world of daytime television, proven last May when she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the Daytime Emmy Awards. She was class personified, and she will be deeply missed.

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UPDATE:

Great quote in the NYT from La Lucci:

Susan Lucci... (who was an original cast member of AMC along with Warrick for three decades) said in a telephone interview Ms. Warrick had little in common with the judgemental, status-driven Phoebe.... "I always counted myself lucky, especially at the beginning, to be in the presence of such a glamourous legenadry actress. She would have all these wonderful stories about Orson Welles and Citizien Kane..."

Ms. Lucci also said Ms. Warrick had a playful side. In the 1970's, when streaking was all the rage, she dashed through the studio wearing nothing more than a fur coat, which she briefly opened for a laugh....

Movie Saturday

I wasn't able to post anything yesterday because I spent the whole day watching 4 films up for Oscar contention. I will now give my reviews.

MILLION DOLLAR BABY
This one stars Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman and has boxing as its backdrop. OK, I don't like boxing, I mildly like Swank and Eastwood tho I adore Freeman. That said, this film was fantastic. Definitely the best of the day, possibly the year (tho it has stiff competition from Hotel Rwanda). Terrific pacing (thank you Clint -- hope he gets the Oscar), flawless acting and even had humor thanks in no small part to Jay Baruchel from the dead TV show Undeclared. A definite must-see.

THE AVIATOR
This one stars Leo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Alan Alda and Alec Baldwin (yeah, that other Kate stars too I guess but in my opinion, she's barely in it, tho good) and directed by Martin "I need to be introduced to a good editor" Scorsese. I'm a Kate Hepburn buff so I was excited to see this solely for the performance of Blanchett, who plays her. And that part was indeed good. Unfortunately, it's such a small part of this very lonnnnnng film, it can't save you from feeling you might have just wasted 3 hours of your life. You'll be left thinking, "Huh?" a lot in this film. I think if you're obsessed with Leo (which I am so not), then it might be a tolerable film for you. For the rest of humanity, skip it.

GARDEN STATE
This one stars (written and directed too) Zach Braff from NBC's Scrubs and Natalie Portman. This was our favorite "feel good" movie of the day. Very sweet, well acted, good story and directing. While it was a bit predictable, that wasn't a detraction for me. Just a sweet, charming story that I really enjoyed watching. Not on par with Million Dollar Baby, but that's okay. Very few movies will be this year. I highly recommend this one.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
This one stars Gerard Butler (most of the people I saw it with were obsessed with him), Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver and a host of rather forgettable actors and was directed by Joel Schlockmeister, I mean Schumacher. If you can watch it without your brain (so tons of holes, like why Madame Giry seems to be the same age as all the men, don't bother you, etc.), not care that Christine seems to be incapable of displaying an emotion and that it's filled with Andrew Lloyd Webber's usual crap, you should be fine. Sadly, I wasn't able to do this. It wasn't nearly as boring as The Aviator, but that's not saying a lot. Again, if you're obsessed with the star, in this case Gerard Butler, you'll have a great time. Or if you're a fan of rooting for unbelievably dysfunctional couples...

Caroline Glick's Column One -- PLUS UPDATE!!

Caroline Glick from the Jerusalem Post does it again. This week she tackles demographic naysayers claiming that Arabs will outnumber Jews in the Jewish State by 2020 in her newest article, "The demographic bomb is a dud" located here. The trouble with the numbers in this projection is... surprise, surprise... because they were culled by the PA and Israeli society simply accepted it as truth. We should have known better. A new report has come out, which she discusses, that has far more reliable data. Her last paragraph says it all:

"The entire 117-page report can be accessed on-line at www.pademographics.com. Given that it shows that the government's current policies are based in large part on an uncritical acceptance of fraudulent data whose purpose was to demoralize us into capitulating to our post-modern foe, hopefully Olmert and Sharon will take a look at it."

You should too -- and her article. It's free to register at jpost.com if you haven't already. For her articles alone, it's worth signing up.

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UPDATE:

Cal Thomas (I know, I can't believe I'm linking to him either) has an excellent article on this very same subject. Check it out. The man is AWESOME on Israel.

Oh..................

Oh, Harry, oh oh Harry
I still can't believe Prince Harry thought wearing an Nazi army shirt and swastika arm band was a good idea. He apologized (though not in person) for doing so but does he really understand what he did and why there's an uproar over it? Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center has requested that Harry join the British delegation in attending the 60th Anniversary of the liberation from Auschwitz. Harry has said he won't. Naomi Ragen opined that perhaps Harry didn't know it was wrong because he watched the BBC. Perhaps. Her take did make me chuckle, albeit in a sad way. It does make me wonder what kind of education he's getting and what kind of man he's turning into. I don't think his mother would be proud of him. Not one bit. But he's the one who has to live with that. You can read more about this here.

Oh Venezuela!
Folks, keep your eye on this country south of our border. Gindy's blog has a Question of the Day about which modern non-Muslim country uses its police to raid a Jewish school with the specific purpose of terrifying and alienating it's students and community at large. Read all about it. And the bigger question -- why isn't the mainstream media writing anything about this?

Oh America........
Today I was watching Washington Journal on C-Span2. Josef Joffe, who is the editor and publisher of Die Zeit in Germany, was a guest. I was appalled by the calls he received. One was saying stuff straight out of the Arian Nation handbook. Another called had to know if he was Jewish. On and on.... Finally the moderator asked Joffe if he'd get a similar reaction in Germany. He said something to the effect of Germans aren't as into Hitler... Again, I was appalled by it all on his behalf. But it's smart for me to get a reminder that anti-Semitism isn't restricted to outside the US. It's not just in Europe. It's not just in the Arab world. It's in my own backyard. Read Josef Joffe's article, A World Without Israel on www.foreignpolicy.com.

A Little of This and That

First something good --

Israeli innovative bandages saving American lives in Iraq
In the Gulf War in the early 1990s, US soldiers fighting on the Middle Eastern battlefield sometimes found themselves using dressings dated from World War II to patch up their wounds. In the present Iraqi conflict, however, American forces are now using an advanced new bandage, developed in Israel, that can save lives by stopping traumatic hemorrhaging wounds, and can also be used as a tourniquet, or a sling. Read more
here.

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There is an organized boycott of Israel that Naomi Ragen is trying to prevent. It involves Caterpillar tractors. Naomi gives lots of useful info about how to thwart them. Check it out here.

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I have felt for a long time that Putin is far more dangerous than Bush lets on (or knows). This next article sort of solidifies my take on the situation:

A cold wind is blowing
By Amir Oren
Russian President Vladimir Putin is a personal friend of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. At least that's what Sharon was seduced into believing, reckoning that he had persuaded Putin two years ago to give up selling advanced anti-tank weapons and planes to Syria. Read the rest here.

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We all know and fear that Abu Mazen is engaged in doublespeak. Check out the following:

"Appearing before cheering crowds last night, Abu Mazen said that the period of the 'little Jihad [holy war] had ended, and now the big Jihad is beginning.' This quote led to a quaint exchange on Israel Radio's morning newsmagazine." Read more
here.

A Friend of a Friend

Loved ones of missing wait, hope
Nicole Weissberg, a University of Denver graduate student, was finishing a five-week trip around Southeast Asia and was supposed to meet her boyfriend in Phuket, Thailand, on Dec. 27. But she wasn't at the airport when he landed.

For the rest of the article, click here. And please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

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UPDATE: Nicole's cousin, Lindsay, was just on "Dayside with Linda Vester" on FOX NEWS, flashing many pictures of Nicole and asking for help in finding her.

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UPDATE: January 11, 2005

Nicole's boyfriend is going back to the area to search some more. The media campaign did a great job of rounding up volunteers to help with the search. CNN is going to aid him in his search when he gets to Thailand! They're going to put him in touch with people and are talking about escorting him from place to place, which will give him some much needed clout.

As I hear more, I will update.

First-hand account of the Tsunami

This is a harrowing letter about the Bernstein family's frightening encounter with the Tsunami and how they were rescued because of the kindness of the Jewish community (which many news organizations decided to leave out of Mrs. Bernstein's interviews despite her pleas for them not to do so). Check out the Jan. 10, 2005 entries on Naomi's site -- it's done in three parts. It truly is a must-read.

Men: Words to the Wise

OK, I promised on occasion I'd have silly or mundane posts. Here's one that fits that bill.

So I'm watching my soaps, and nothing peeves me more than seeing the guy lean into the girl to kiss her and what does he do first? LICK HIS LIPS. Dudes, that ain't hot. I know you think we want nice, moist lips heading our way... that's what lip balm is for. When you lick your lips, they're just wet. Now I know from experience that it isn't easy to break this habit. Ladies, if you want to know a great way to get your guy to kick that habit, I've got the plan. After complaining to my boyfriend several times (and having him feel horrible every time he forgot), I turned the tables on him. I licked MY lips. Boy, did that boy back off quick and exclaim, "I'm so sorry. I get it now." Case solved.

I've asked other women offline if that ever happens to them (and if it bothers them or was this just some weird peeve of my own), and they all squealed with discomfort. So online ladies, feel free to leave a comment if you agree or not. Guys -- read and learn.

This woman needs our help!

I received an email, with this very moving article, from Naomi Ragen. I'm posting it in its entirety in the comment section. There is a single mother who needs our help. I know you all have already donated heavily to the Tsunami but hopefully there's a bit left over to help.

Chicken or the Egg?

It's really peeved me in the past to hear members of my government (or fellow citizens or annoying govt folk/princes from other countries) say that hatred against the US around the world is caused by our relationship with Israel. Seems like a convenient crock of crap from people who have their own anti-Israel agenda. A while back, I read an article that discussed said hatred of the USA. Is it tied to Israel?

But unlike most, this article took a fresh approach -- what if it's not Israel they hate but rather they hate Israel because of her being a staunch ally to the US? I wasn't blogging at the time but it's something I feel could use further examination. What do you all think? Read the article, "Eye of the Storm: What if it's not Israel they loathe?" by Amir Taheri on Naomi Ragen's site.

Happy 70th Birthday to Elvis Presley

I grew up watching his movies on TV all weekend long -- with my sister. Hard to believe he'd be 70 if he were still alive.

Different Kinds of Bravery

Today had me out of the house for the most part, which is why I haven't done much with my blog or posting comments on others' blogs. One thing I did today was see an amazing movie, Hotel Rwanda. Don Cheadle was brilliant. So was Sophie Okonedo. It's a hard, hard film to sit through, very upsetting but what an experience. I cannot recommend it enough. It will definitely have you talking about it for quite some time. Makes me profoundly sad (not that I wasn't already) about the genocide that happened there. To honor that, I remind you of the friendship of two very special people, David Gewirtzman and Jacqueline Murekatete, both survivors of genocide -- Mr. Gewirtzman from the Holocaust and Ms. Murekatete from Rwanda. Read about them in this moving past article from the Washington Times.

I think Nonie Darwish is an amazing writer. She is brave, and she is open. Her Web site, Arabs for Israel, fills me with hope. Here is a wonderful article of hers I think people should read:

Inside the Forbidden Country
By Nonie Darwish
I recently appeared as a speaker at the second annual Jerusalem Summit held at Israel's King David Hotel.  In doing so, I deliberately flaunted the rules that govern Arab behavior toward Israel.  Israel's neighbors, the dictatorships that compose the Arab League, forbid their subjects to visit or do business with Israel and its citizens.  I am an American raised in Gaza and Egypt; needless to say, I expected my visit to raise some eyebrows. Read the rest here.

Dolphin Update

A dolphin was saved! It took three tries but one has survived 10 days after the horrible Tsunami. The fate of the second smaller dolphin is unknown. Read about it here.

Moved By Words; Pictures That Move

From the ADL:

Farrakhan In His Own Words
Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, has long expressed anti-Semitic and anti-white rhetoric, that mark him as a notable figure on the extremist scene. A number of recent speeches testify to the unchanging nature of his views.

Howard Sherwood's letter to the editor of the wretched LA Times (how many times can I boycott something I refuse to subscribe to?--Esther):
"David Hirst's analysis of the situation in the Middle East is shockingly distorted, using purported facts and inaccuracies to support his theories ("Path to Peace Runs Through Palestine," December 22)." Read more here.

And elsewhere:

Check out Daniel Pipes's take on Hollywood! If you're into entertainment, you should definitely check it out. My pal Ed says of the article, "Holy Cow! I've sworn off episodic TV, but I may have to make an exception for 24."

Trouble in the Holy Land
By Aaron Klein
Five Israeli Defense Force soldiers are suing a Palestinian filmmaker for allegedly falsifying information in a documentary claiming Israeli forces committed genocide in a refugee camp, while a French producer is screening a film using video footage to dispute the Palestinian claims. For the rest of the article, click here.

Vote No!

For the past several weeks the Christian Science Monitor has been conducting an on-line poll asking the question:

"Should US-based churches boycott certain companies doing business with Israel?"

Please click here and vote NO! (it's halfway down the middle of the page)

As of the email I got about it today, 59.5% have answered yes.

A Stench is in the Air...

I smell human waste.

Child trafficking gangs are taking advantage of orphans from the Tsunami! You'd think I'd stop being surprised by the lengths the scum of the earth can continue to stoop down to. So these kids have lost everything, and now they're in danger of being snatched from hospitals by people looking to sell them? Disgusting. Check out this article and this one.

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I smell a rat.

OK, how many times do the Iraqi insurgents need to blow up a class of graduating cadets before we realize, and then capture, the wretched spy within who is obviously alerting the bad guys about our every move? Enough already!

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I smell a molded scone.

From Honestreporting.com --
A new, comprehensive poll of British opinion on foreign nations was just released by The Telegraph. The results: Israel is considered by Britons the #1 'least deserving of international respect,' the 'least beautiful country,' the country Britons would 'least like to take a holiday in,' and would 'least like to live in.' Read the entire alert report.

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I smell a rusty, crusty link in the chain.

From my pal Ed, "This is long and rather choppy, but it's full of good material. Arab connections to the Nazis apparently were well known at the time. We don't hear much about it now." Read the article he's talking about here.

A Fact to Ponder

From Naomi Ragen:

Saudi Arabia has pledged $10 million for millions of Muslim refugees of the tsunami disaster.

Last year, Saudi Arabia raised $150 million dollars for the families of suicide bombers.

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If this is true, well....that's too much to even wrap my mind around.

Some surprises....Some not...

Julie Stahl has two great articles on cnsnews.com that I wanted to bring to your attention. The first is a delightful article about our "disturbed" outgoing Secretary of State. He's disturbed but not greatly disturbed. Uh huh. The other article is yet another sign of how moderate the PA is...oh yeah, I'm filled with hope. Sigh.

Powell 'Disturbed' by Campaign Picture of Abbas With Terrorists
Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell said a picture of PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas -- the frontrunner in upcoming Palestinian presidential elections -- campaigning on the shoulders of terrorists was "disturbing," but he said he didn't think it reflected Abbas' "overall approach to governing." Continue reading here.

Palestinian Imam Warns Against US Embassy Move to Jerusalem
A Palestinian preacher on official Palestinian Authority television threatened that America would be "buried" if Washington moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem." I've got some words for him. I'll be putting them in the comments section sometime today. Continue reading the article here.

Naomi Ragen also makes some excellent points in Where are the Arabs when Moslems really are Refugees? Good question. Good answers, anyone?

And after my slams against Tony Blair, I feel I should post this article from the Washington Times entitled, Tony Blair and Mideast Realities. I found it very interesting.

Two of my favorite animals have tales to tell

I wanted to share a couple of animal stories I found of interest today.

Cats. I love cats. And unless you live on a farm (and even then, I'm not convinced), it is my feeling your cat should be an indoor cat. Why did I come to this conclusion? Because I was told that their life expectancy drops dramatically otherwise. Think of it, they could get in a fight, killed by bigger animals, hit by cars, catch diseases, etc. Read this wild tale of a family coming around to my way of thinking.

Rescue workers try to turn trapped dolphins into survival story
In the midst of so much death, rescue workers recovering bodies of tsunami victims in southern Thailand were working hard Monday to keep two special survivors alive: a female dolphin and her calf swept into a small lagoon by powerful waves.

With a Little Help From My Friends...

Occasionally I get suggestions from pals, so I thought I'd share a couple.

From my buddy, The Weez: "This editorial piece talks about the foolishness of the academic boycott of Israel, specifically mentioning the strides in Israeli medical breakthroughs.  Not sure if you want to put it on your blog, but it might be worth a look." I agree -- so here it is.

A suggestion from my pal Ed: "This is the lady whose superb reporting has driven the media coverage, or what there is of it, of the Oil-for-Food scandal. She deserves a Pulitzer Prize -- but probably won't even be considered."
THE REAL WORLD Blue: The Next Orange? Forget reform. The U.N. needs regime change. BY CLAUDIA ROSETT.

As for my own finds, gotta love that golden oldie, "Truth--PA-style," right? Thankfully, sites like IMRA are around to set the record straight. In another charming development, PA TV is spouting that the killing of Jews is mandatory. Check this out. On the other side of the coin (or is it?), an Egyptian columnist is saying being friendly to Israel helps PA. Is this good news or a wolf in sheep's clothing?

Happy New Year!

Another Place In Need of Donations (Tsunami-related)

Below is a snippet of a letter from Chabad of Thailand, whose staff are involved in finding Israelis and helping their families. My thanks to wonderful writer Naomi Ragen for bringing it to attention:

"As the only Jewish service agency in the country dealing with this catastrophe, our offices and staff in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui have put everything else aside, working 24/7 to assist those in need and comfort. I therefore turn to my colleagues for urgent help in funding our humanitarian efforts during the crisis."

Chabad of Thailand's response to the crisis was immediate and is growing daily. Donate here.

Articles of Interest

"Lessons of the Gaza Security Fence for the West Bank" by Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog
This is an excellent presentation/summation. You should really check it out.

Remember how Tariq Ramadan wanted to come to the US to accept a position to teach at Notre Dame? There is an excellent article at The American Thinker, which as an added bonus also includes plain-speak about Arafat. Check it out. Thanks to Daniel Pipes and his newsletter for pointing out this particular piece. By the way, while reading it, you will come across a link to Ramadan's article in the charming LA Times. Should you wish to tell the LA Times what you think of them publishing this article, send an email to: letters@latimes.com