So which is it?

I'm confused. Today we had the president of the United States finally admit that we're at war -- "We are at war, we are at war against al-Qaida," he said. Uh huh. Then about two articles down from that on my yahoo news comes this: "A Jordanian doctor-turned-suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees at a base in Afghanistan is regarded by his family as a martyr in Islam's holy war against the United States, his wife said Thursday."

So the people who hate us think what's going on is Islam's holy war against the United States while our president seems to think we're only at war with al-Qaida.

Oh, I feel in good hands.

Confused by Ft. Hood Incident? Don't be...

Read a great article explaining why Maj. Hasan was definitely engaged in jihad and not just some random nut-job at the media/govt, etc. want us to believe. For most of the people reading this blog, you probably already know -- but feel free to direct those uninitiated to the article. The best was this summary at the end:

The ultimate lesson? So long as Muslim doctrines are downplayed in the West, so long will warning signs, even concrete intelligence, be ignored, so long will such seemingly inexplicable incidents occur, so long will the media continue grasping for straws and Americans be "completely blindsided," so long will "Muslim grievance" be the default answer, so long will appeasement and concessions (domestically and internationally) be the only solution, so long will jihadis and Islamists grow emboldened and contemptuous, expecting more. Ad infinitum.

Conversely, if the Fort Hood massacre causes Americans to begin taking Islam's doctrines more seriously, the thirteen slain, while dying tragically, will not have died in vain.

That lethal idiot, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan

I know it's been forever since I've done a blog entry, but this lunatic has driven me to it. So he was soooo upset that as a Muslim, he was facing harassment? Really? Hey, brain surgeon, what do you think your homicidal actions have now accomplished? You have made every bigot who ever said anything to you feel justified for having done so and to make matters worse, you've now made life harder for your fellow Muslims in the service. Well done! I hope they all visit you and tell you exactly what your actions have done to help them fit in.

My Heart is Heavy

I just read the news. Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the Israeli soldiers kidnapped after a raid by Hezbolla, have finally returned to Israel -- in caskets. In return, the Hezbolla get like 200 dead bodies and several live prisoners, including a bloody murderer who killed a man in front of his little girl's eyes, and then crushed her skull -- HE gets to return to Lebanon a hero. Words fail me. My heart is broken ... and turned black at the same time, harded by an anger I can't even put words to.

Sorry for Being MIA

I'm finally coming out an incredibly stressful quarter. During my time "away," I found out my boyfriend was being transferred to Las Vegas, we decided to buy a house, had to go find the house, had to find the financing, sign the papers, do the hidious move, start to unpack, find a job, start the job, etc., and now I'm just coming out the other side. So that's where I've been. Whew!

I'm still not completely settled so I can't promise what my blogging schedule will be, but I will try to visit all of you sometime soon. I have definitely missed you and want to wish a happy belated holiday season and New Year...and soon Valentine's Day.

Dancing With The Stars

Mario Lopez was robbed.

FBI Witch Hunt Against Jews?

Apparently, the FBI believes Jews are a huge threat. Why else do they keep investigating Jews and their ties to AIPAC? Their latest target is Congresswoman Jane Harmon. And I’m disgusted. This story doesn’t even make sense! How in the world would AIPAC’s support get her a chairwomanship? Smells like a witch hunt to me, and I find that very scary (I must be freaked out to actually do two posts in one day):

Probe of Harman's AIPAC Ties Confirmed
By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 25, 2006; Page A06

Federal law enforcement sources confirmed yesterday that the FBI opened an investigation in 2005 into whether Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) improperly enlisted the aid of a pro-Israel lobbying group, but they cautioned that no evidence of wrongdoing was found.

The inquiry focused on whether Harman had made promises to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in exchange for its support of her desire to become chairman of the House intelligence committee if Democrats take control of the House, several law enforcement sources said.

Although the case is still considered open, officials said, the allegations have not been substantiated, and there has been no significant investigative activity on the issue in recent months. The inquiry was first reported by Time magazine.

Harman -- who has hired prominent GOP lawyer Theodore B. Olson, a former solicitor general -- told Time that the allegations were "irresponsible, laughable and scurrilous."

Sources said the Harman inquiry was an outgrowth of the ongoing criminal prosecution of two former AIPAC lobbyists who are charged with violating the Espionage Act in connection with receiving national defense information and transmitting it to journalists and employees of the Israeli Embassy who were not entitled to receive it. Lawrence Franklin, a former Pentagon analyst who pleaded guilty to passing government secrets to the two lobbyists, was sentenced this year to more than 12 years in prison.

Time reported that investigators were looking at whether Harman -- who is involved in an intraparty dispute over who might head the intelligence panel -- promised to try to persuade the Justice Department to "go lighter" on the former AIPAC officials.

AIPAC spokesman Patrick Dorton said yesterday that the group "would never engage in a quid pro quo in relation to a federal investigation or other federal matter."

Disturbing News From The Front, Part II

Another note from my friend volunteering in Israel…

guys,

here is what i have for you this week....totally unbelievable....

1. we met and spoke with some medics who were on a infiltration during the war/action.....4 of their soldiers were injured including the commander but none were killed....here is the kicker....a reporter went with them and documented the whole event (we got to see it...amazing) ..and when they came across a house of hezbollah and the action started heating up....the commander yelled for his troops to take their helmets off....why???? because the hezbollah were dressed in israeli uniforms....he didn't want his men to shoot the wrong person....luckily they didn't.....

2. i found out why you are not hearing about any of this back there and none of it is hitting the news....the agreement was that israel pull out of lebanon....and that 15,000 UN troops...(only 5000 showed up and most are muslim)....and the lebanese army were to police and disarm hezbollah.....well....they aren't...israel has been doing flyovers and photographing hezbollah rearming....and this time with rockets that will hit tel aviv and jerusalem.....they have presented the evidence to the UN....and the UN told them that the information was obtained illegally via these flyovers and thus they would not act on them.....and by the way....the french have threatened to shoot down the israeli air craft......

to say i am angry just doesn't say it....not enough....some of the soldiers i spoke with feel that we are going to have to do this all over again in 6 months....maybe a year...some feel a little longer....on top of that...hamas has declared war on israel...again....and are ready to move against israel....

unbelievable....

Disturbing News From The Front

This is an email I received yesterday from an old Sar-el buddy of mine, who is back in Israel volunteering, with some disturbing news from the front:

guys,

sorry for the mass e mail but so much has happened....it is now 1 week since i have been on base....a lovely place called bet hillel....we work at times just a few hundred yards from the border.....the work is hard but very rewarding.....there is so much i want to tell you and none of it good.....

first, some jobs....like building bunkers.....laying razor wire....clean machine guns....but yesterday i was rewarded with a great honor...10 of us were asked to help move something from one place to another but that was it....we showed up at a school for handicapped and challenged kids....the school was for all kids....jewish, christian, muzlim, druse....anyone who need this extra care....it was a school of peace....so w start moving things...tables....chairs....chest...blackboards....in the middle of the moving they asked us to come into the school....we had no idea why....to get more stuff....who knew.....until we were inside....the school was hit by a katusha rocket...destroying a class room....steel balls shoot into the hall way destroying it and then the infirmery next store was destroyed....the foundation on the second floor is craked and ready to fall out from under us.....what more could i say...what more could we do...we left and with a little more zeal and feeling better for what we were doing we finished our job with great pride....and as we headed to the new school to unload the classroom stuff a car came to a screeching halt....a women jumped out and hugged me....she was from houston....she had made aliyah 2 years ago and was a teacher at the school.....she said she had heard that some volunteers were moving the school and had to come down to see us and thank us.....incredible.....how she found out i had no idea....

then to top it off i was up to till 2 in the morning speak with the soldiers on the base....and was i educated....we had already heard that a patrol of soldiers had returned that afternoon patrol.....one of the volunteers is fluent in hebrew and translated what they were saying...they were on patrol on the israeli side and came in contact with hezbollah on the lebanese side of the border.....and they couldn't do a thing.....unless hezbollah shoots at them....they must leave them alone.....last nite i spoke with soldiers that were at an outpost where they watch hezbollah.....bringing in arms....rockets....ammunition....everything.....and they can do nothing about it.....they go to the UN outposts and trade food and items with the UN soldiers.....all the UN outposts are on the lebanese side....none on the israeli side.....information flows from israel to the UN and then from UN to hezbollah but not the other way....and by the way a lot of the UN forces here are muzlim....bottom line.....they feel that within 1 year they will have to be back and do it again....if not sooner......also the rockets are bigger and can hit tel aviv this time....

i don't know what to do....and am sorry for sharing this with you....but felt you needed to know....i am so outraged....the work i am doing just doesn't seem to be enough....

anyways...miss you all

Condi Wants To End 'Humiliation Of Occupation'

If this is an accurate article, it makes me ill.

US Supplies Fatah With Arms, Rice Decries "Occupation"
By Ezra HaLevi & Hana Levi Julian

The Fatah faction received a new shipment of arms Thursday as part of a Western aid package to bolster forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas. Secretarty Rice promises a PLO state.

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday America could have no greater legacy than to have divided the Land of Israel and established a Palestinian state to end the "humiliation of occupation." Rice made the statements at a dinner marking the third anniversary of the American Task Force on Palestine.

"The Palestinian people deserve a better life, a life that is rooted in liberty, democracy, uncompromised by violence and terrorism, unburdened by corruption and misrule and forever free of the daily humiliation of occupation," Rice said. "I promise you my personal commitment to that goal."

"I believe there could be no greater legacy for America than to help bring into being a Palestinian state for people who have suffered too long, have been humiliated too long," Rice added.

"I know that sometimes, a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel must seem like a very distant dream but I know too... that there are so many things that once seemed impossible that after they happened they simply seemed inevitable," she said.

Rice praised Mahmoud Abbas, who is hanging onto his position as Palestinian Authority chairman, for his moderation. Arutz-7 reported Tuesday that Abbas dismissed demands that Fatah recognize Israel - just one day before he told Rice that such recognition is a must.

Made-in-U.S. Arms Arrive in PA
Thousands of M-16 assault rifles, made in the U.S., were delivered to Fatah forces in Judea and Samaria as part of the effort to strengthen Abbas in his opposition to Hamas leader and PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

Fatah is the political party headed by the late terrorist chieftain Yasser Arafat. The Al-Aksa Brigades terror group operates under its authority.

According to PA security sources quoted by the Middle East Newsline (MENL), "The weapons are meant for PA forces but they end up with Fatah in the war against Hamas." The deal, meant to increase Abu Mazen's power in the struggle for control of the PA government, was approved by Israel.

The two factions have been fighting bitter clashes in Gaza, leading to speculation that a civil war may ultimately hit the streets. The Hamas terror organization is currently the majority faction in the PA after winning January 2006 elections in a landslide victory against Fatah.

The victory at the polls, however, led to a loss at the bank; international funding dried up as a result of the new regime. Hamas has continued to resist international pressure to force the terror organization to officially acknowledge Israel's right to exist, renounce violence and uphold peace agreements signed by the previous Fatah-led PA government.

The latest efforts by Qatari officials to build a unity government of Hamas and Fatah failed after Hamas once again insisted on maintaining its refusal to officially recognize the Jewish State. In the wake of that failure, Abbas again threatened to disband the current PA government and call for early elections.

Bill Clinton vs. Chris Wallace, Fox News

So I saw the uncut version of this now infamous interview on Fox News Sunday. I'm proud of how Chris stood his ground. I couldn't tell whether Bill had just lost his mind, attacking Chris personally, or whether or not this was one of the more calculated moves of his career. Thoughts on this car accident?

Rosh Hashanah

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year filled with good health, hope, joy and perhaps most important of all... peace.

Shana Tova from the Blogway...

Pope Bruhaha

So Muslims are upset with what the Pope... quoted?! I, for one, don't buy the Pope's denial that it was just a quote and not representative of his views. It's not like he just riffs a talk -- I'm sure he must give great thought to what he says in public or at least he should. Given that, what was wrong with what he said? Is it untrue? I imagine most of us would say it's true for a seemingly growing portion of the religion's followers. So then, what's the beef? Oh right. Only they can say that. If any of us infidels call a duck a duck, then the masses in Gaza, etc., have to freak out and make everyone pay. Doesn't that just prove the Pope's point?

Another Fallen Hero

Oriana Fallaci, the brave writer who inspired all who knew of her, has lost her battle with cancer. Please visit Roman Wanderer's beautiful tribute to this amazing woman.

Timothy John "T.J." Hargrave: Husband, Father, Brother, Son... American Hero

Timothy John Hargrave of Readington, N.J., was killed by Islamic fundamentalists while working at his job as vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald, in the North Tower, 105th Floor. He was 38 years old.

He is listed as victim #562, but as you will read, T.J. was so much more... an incredible man, who leaves this world greatly diminished by his absence.

This despicable act left his wife Patty without her beloved husband, his daughters Corey, 9; Casey, 7; Amy, 5 without their adoring father, his mom Kathryn, sisters Maureen, Pat, Kathy, Mary Ann, Jeanmarie, Carolyn and brother Jamie, as well as countless others in his extended family, heartbroken. But they weren't the only ones affected. T.J. had a huge impact on everyone's life he touched, as witnessed by the many testimonials to him on the Internet. They speak of his zest for life, his sincerity, kindness, brilliance and his loyal friendship.

T.J. started working at age 6 and didn't stop until Sept. 11.

As a child, his work was acting. He was in many television commercials. The first film he did was released in 1971 and called "Such Good Friends," exposing him to legends behind the camera as well as in front of it. The film was directed by Otto Preminger, written by Elaine May, and also starred Dyan Cannon, James Coco, Ken Howard, Burgess Meredith, Louise Lasser and Laurence Luckinbill. In 1974, he joined the longest running soap opera, "The Guiding Light," creating the character of Tim "T.J." Werner. He left the show in 1976, apparently because he had shaved his head along with every other wrestler on his high school team, freaking out the producers. T.J. didn't seem to mind; it was just another funny story he could tell. His leaving allowed a then-unknown actor by the name of Kevin Bacon to take over the role. T.J. then went on to star in a made-for-television movie called, "The Prince of Central Park," with Ruth Gordon, Dan Hedaya and Brooke Shields.

As an adult, he worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. "People were flabbergasted when they found out," said his wife, Patricia. "He was someone who knew a little bit about everything."

But most of his prodigious energies went to those close to him: his wife, Patty; the friends they had made as far back as the Wayne, N.J., high school, DePaul, they both attended; his seven older siblings; his three young daughters; and all the girls on the soccer teams he coached.

"He was passionate about everything, and he was an everlasting friend," his wife said. "Once you were in his life, you stayed there. And he was the most devoted father you can imagine. He'd never played soccer a day in his life, but he wanted the girls to be involved in team sports, so he learned. I tell them, 'Some parents have their kids in soccer so they can have some time by themselves, but your father had you in soccer because he wanted to be with you.' He was more than a devoted father, more than a devoted husband," his wife said. He was "an everlasting friend to anybody that he ever met." He and his wife would have celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary in November, 2001.

Of course, no one can honor him better than his own family. In 2002, his daughter left this note for him:

Dear dad,
I miss you. You have been very, very nice. I'd do anything to get you back.

I love you and miss you.
love your peanut cori

Corinne Hargrave (Stanton, NJ )

And then this one from his wife:

T - I've spent every second of every day of the last 4 1/2 months thinking about you. My mind will always be filled with wonderful memories of our 20 years together. Although way too short (no I don't mean you), I am so grateful for that time. I love you for so many reasons, way too many to go into, but... to list a few: your absolute devotion to and love for Cori, Casey, Amy and me, for all you taught me over the years, the confidence you instilled in me, your level-headedness with our girls, the fun we knew we would have when you were around, and in general, just the brilliant person you were. I thought about it the other day, and if I was asked to describe you in one word, it would be BRILLIANT - that was your entire being - you were the smartest person I ever knew, and your caring, loving personality shone on all of us, enabling us to bask in that brilliant light and warmth that was you.

I know the impact you have had on so many of us, through the way you lived your life, will stay with us, and guide us, forever.

I will love you forever and miss you always.

Love, Patty

May G-d bless T.J. and his family.

Information in this entry was taken from various publications and Web sites including a profile published in The New York Times on November 24, 2001 and an article from the AP. You can find information on T.J.'s acting career on the Internet Movie Data Base.


2996: Honoring the 9/11 Victims -- We will never forget


Find out more information on the project as well as a list of participants.