Right Truth

February 18, 2010

Palms, Knuckles, and Fingertips: A Rich Assessment of Palin Hate

By Paul A. Ibbetson

Oh, it is indeed a hard time to be a liberal. The storm clouds of destiny are so close one can feel the humidity of the humiliation that is about to rain down on the liberal left. The thunder, of course, is the American people who have had enough of uncontrolled spending and the quickstep to socialistic left with which Barack Obama and his political supporting cast has taken this country with an arrogant indifference to opposition by the American people. So, as is the case in a free country, our system will be used to wash away these destructive forces and the nation will begin to heal itself and hopefully, be wiser for the experience.

I have written about Palin Hate many times and have been observing its evolution as liberals attempt to come to terms with their upcoming ideological defeats in 2010 and 2012. This documentation has been a dirty business with many twists and turns and as always, with each writing, a little more is learned about both Palin and her attackers. The latest attack comes from liberal New York Times columnist Frank Rich. For the most part Rich blindly stabs his trident at Palin like most of the frothing left that knows they hate the former governor of Alaska for some reason or another but fail to make a coherent argument. To continue a documentation of the evolution of Palin Hate, I will give you an assessment of Rich’s most overt thrusts at the Palin camp.

First, Rich does what all liberals do when they see red. He does what liberals accuse conservatives of doing; he bashes women. Out of the gate and in defiance of every feminist who ever voted democrat, Rich frames Palin as the evil, maniacal plotting female. In fact, when talking about Sarah Palin and the incident in which she wrote crib notes on her hand for a speech and was later made fun of by White House court jester Robert Gibbs, Rich takes pity on giggling Gibbs who he sees as a helpless pawn in Palin’s elaborate plan to gain backlash support from the American people. In fact, Rich eludes that Palin’s only quality of note may be her plotting nature when he says, “you had to wonder if Palin, who is nothing if not cunning, had sprung a trap.” All I can say to Frank Rich on that component of his Palin attack is that he pushed the point home very aggressively, “women, you just can’t trust them,” I’m sure the feminists would all be proud.

At this point, Rich’s attack echoes the usual subliminal and overt liberal talking points of the left which include intolerance for financial success, anti-capitalistic spew, guilt by association, bathroom yardstick talk of who has the longest “conservatism,” perpetuating the one-dimensional view of the Tea Party movement, Americans being brainless cattle, and finally the always popular liberal slap at Christianity.

The attacks by Frank Rich on Sarah Palin anger a majority in this nation. He probably does more to promote Palin to the public stage than his cohort, the press secretary, in that he shines even more light on the desperation of the modern liberal today with his multiple-layered attacks. It is important to remember that Frank Rich is playing the best cards that he has against Sarah Palin which when placed on the table appear to depict that Palin is a tricky financially successful woman who believes in God and has hordes of Tea Party followers. This is the best that a New York Times columnist can do after examining everything from the palms, knuckles, and fingertips of the Palin crib note incident.

In the end it is hard not to take at least some pity on Rich who is reflecting not the death of real journalism but the death throes of a liberal ideology that has been exposed and is being rejected by the American people. Palin, as well, should not be elevated to some position of the divine but simply as a person who has a message that rings true with the majority of the nation, a majority which is now about to bring a long-needed cleansing rain to this country.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008 and 2009 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m. www.ibbetsonusa.com. For interviews or questions, please contact ibbetson91.9@gmail.com

Debbie on February 18, 2010 at 07:56 PM in Current Affairs, Main Stream Media, Paul A. Ibbetson, Politics, Women | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Arabic translators poisoning military

The U.S. Army is investigating allegations that Muslim Translators at Fort Jackson in South Carolina tried to kill military members by poisoning their food. Five individuals have been arrested.

The suspects were part of a Arabic translation program called "09 Lima" and use Arabic as their first language, two sources told Fox News. Another military source said they were Muslim. (Fox)

A source with intimate knowledge of the investigation, which is ongoing, told CBN News investigators suspect the “Fort Jackson Five” may have been in contact with the group of five Washington, DC area Muslims that traveled to Pakistan to wage jihad against U.S. troops in December. That group was arrested by Pakistani authorities, also just before Christmas.

Coming as it does on the heels of November’s Fort Hood jihadist massacre, this news has major implications. (from CBN News, hat tip: StoptheACLU, via Infidels are Cool)

You may remember that in January 2003 Islamic militants arrested in Britain were plotting to lace the food supply on at least one British military base with the poison ricin... British officials found traces of ricin in a London apartment where the first arrests were made ... American officials said the reports showed that one of the suspects worked for a food preparation company and had been in contact with individuals who worked on at least one British military base. (source here, and NYT)

Debbie on February 18, 2010 at 06:37 PM in Current Affairs, Military, Religion, Terrorism, US News | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Americans are the most attractive looking people in the world, according to a new survey.

In a poll of more than 5,000 globe-trotting Britons, the Telegraph reports that Americans came in number one as the "most attractive people in the world". Now look at the top 20 and tell me what you see, or what you don't see and why you don't see it:

Top 20 'best looking nations'
1. America
2. Brazil
3. Spain
4. Australia
5. Italy
6. Sweden
7. England
8. India
9. France
10. Canada
11. Mexico
12. Portugal
13. Wales
14. Russia
15. Japan
16. Ireland
17. Argentina
18. Netherlands
19. Scotland
20. Germany

Your turn, give you answers in a comment.

Debbie on February 18, 2010 at 05:53 PM in Current Affairs, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

How can he do it with a straight face?

U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama was just on television announcing another executive order establishing the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Obama stood there with a straight face, telling Americans basically that not enough tax money is coming into Washington and we need to get our debt and deficit under control. Does he think the American people are stupid?

He and his administration are the reason we are in this mess. Not one thing Obama has done has created one job, or helped our economy in any way. Jobless numbers are up again today. At what point will someone tell him "what you are doing is not working?" I'm beginning to agree with Rush Limbaugh, who says this is all part of a grand scheme on Obama's part to destroy this great nation.

Obama is suddenly expecting Americans to see him as bi-partisan. Well there is nothing bi-partisan about this commission, as you will see below. And what about Congress? Isn't this their job? Oh, right. Congress is part of the problem.

Dana Perino, commenting on Fox after Obama's signing of the executive order, asked about the cost of this commission, along with all the other commissions Obama has created since he took office. How much will it cost? Certainly the members will receive salaries, they will need office space, they will need assistants and clerical staff, equipment, travel expenses, and on and on. I wonder what the total cost of all the government jobs Obama has created is costing American workers.

It's no wonder more and more Americans are trading in their pay checks for unemployment checks, more depending on the government to sustain them while Washington lives high on the hog on the backs of the few that still have jobs.

The commission's directive is to bring down the government's massive deficits by 2015 -- to reduce the federal budget deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product in five years.

The commission will be chaired by former President Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson.

The 18-member panel is to include eight Republicans, six named by GOP leaders in Congress and two by the White House. The commission's role is to figure out ways to bring down the federal budget deficit and to propose ways to curb the high costs of medicare, medicaid and social security. (White House Blogs Fox News)
The commission is likely able to offer up only unpopular ideas -- cutting Social Security and Medicare or raising taxes -- meaning getting Congress to go along will be no picnic. It has to vote them up or down or could just shelve them.
Obama faced a $1.4 trillion deficit last year and the 2010 budget year is likely to be $1.6 trillion. Under his proposed 2011 budget, the president would permit a $1.3 trillion deficit.

Obama said the continuing red-ink trend could "hobble our economy" and "will cloud our future." (Fox)

The day is young and the usurper-in-chief could again take to the teleprompter and lie to Americans about something else. Telling lies seems to be his strongest suit.

Debbie on February 18, 2010 at 10:07 AM in Current Affairs, Economy, Politics, US News | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

February 17, 2010

Obama Orders NASA To Reach Out To Muslims

The tipping point has finally been reached in my mind when it comes to Barack HUSSEIN Obama and Islam. While on the one hand Obama is cutting funds to NASA and axing the space program as far as manned space and return to the moon is concerned, while at the same time NASA is supposed to start an outreach to the Muslim world. Indeed, the (NASA) mission will shift from space exploration to Muslim diplomacy, as per the commander-in-chief’s orders.

This comes on the heals of Obama's announced the appointment of White House lawyer Rashad Hussain to be our OIC ambassador at something called the U.S.-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar via teleconference. (JoshuaPundit) Does anyone now question that Obama's true sympathies lie with the Muslim world????

As Mark Wittington says, "This kind of approach fits neatly in the Obama administration's view of America's role in the world. No longer will the United States be considered as the sole super power, a unique, exceptional nation that all others should look up to. The United States will be just another country, no different, no better, and perhaps no worse than France or India."

While a number of Muslim countries have space agencies, and even home built satellites, primarily communication and weather sats, only one Muslim country claims to have its own capability to launch things into low Earth orbit. That country is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran's space program is thought by most analysts to be designed to develop ballistic missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction against targets in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, Europe and North America. It is unlikely that the Obama administration is seriously contemplating an alliance with the Muslim world's primary space power, such as it is.
International cooperation in space is not new. The International Space Station has Russia, the European Union, Japan, and Canada among its partners. American instruments have flown on foreign space probes such as the Indian Chandrayaan-1 and visa versa. International astronauts have flown on numerous space shuttle missions. It was contemplated even during the Bush administration that astronauts from other countries would fly on planned flights back to the Moon and to other destinations.

But each of these arrangements was with countries with the technical acumen and the economic strength to contribute something to the effort. The soft power, diplomatic effects have certainly been a consideration in previous joint space projects. But in most cases, NASA has been the primary partner, the leader, taking on only international partners that had something to contribute.
The Obama administration approach to international space partners appears to be a change from previous practice. Not only will partners be chosen, not for their ability to contribute, but as kind of beneficiaries of space largess, but NASA will no longer be the clear leader. (continue)

ScrappleFace in 2006 wrote one of their fine satire articles stating that Muslims Demand A Prayer Room In NASA Moon Base. Little did they know how prophetic they were. From Women's News 2006:

The first Saudi Arabian citizen to work for NASA in the United States is a woman, reported the Kuwaiti paper Alseyassah July 18. Machael el-Shamemre, 22, just graduated from Florida Institute for Technology in Melbourne, Fla., with a degree in astronomical engineering. Shamemre will work in a team producing a rare and precise weather satellite for meteorological information.

"I will do my best in order to show the world that the Saudi Arabian woman is capable of doing a great job in different fields of work for her strong will and her ambition," Shamemre said. "I want the girls of my country to know that nothing can stand in front of their success as long as they want to prove themselves within their traditions and their religion."

When will people wake up to the fact that Obama hates this country, is trying to do everything in his power to bring American down???

Debbie on February 17, 2010 at 11:36 PM in Current Affairs, Politics, Religion, Science, US News, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

The Tactical Citizen's Guide to Countering President Obama Mind Control Tactics

The Tactical Citizen's Guide to Countering

President Obama Mind Control Tactics

By R.J. Godlewski

“But it must not be thought that I say this out of personal experience: for in the many years that I have been before the public my secret methods have been steadily shielded by the strict integrity of my assistants, most of whom have been with me for years.” Harry Houdini

Stop, and think about this for a moment. President Obama‟s rise to political power within the United States seems to represent the stuff of Hollywood legend. A man from a troubled, barely verifiable past, born in Hawaii, traveled to Pakistan and Indonesia, educated in the Ivy-league, earning a professorship at a prominent university in Chicago, and serving as, well, a community organizer to boot. Admittedly, this brief synopsis leaves much to be desired, but it is sufficient for our discussion here.

Contrary to popular opinion, I have only one primary beef with the man. You will note that there is no mention of military service, not an inkling of entrepreneurial challenge, or even a suggestion of long-term political wisdom within the first paragraph. Mr. Obama‟s resume would never find itself past the slush file for any companies that I worked for and, as near as I can tell, he would never receive a security clearance for any position involving national defense – and this man is currently our commander in chief!

My first post-military encounter with such background investigations turned up several misunderstandings that sabotaged my efforts to gain clearance (though, surprisingly, I had just held a secret clearance at that particular time) to work for the federal government. One involved my breaking a date with a girl by saying that I would be “out of town” on that particular day. When the story finally reached the ears of the DoD investigators, it had morphed into a tale of me being “roasted” a la Dean Martin at a business conference in Kansas City! Hogwash. Another story was based upon facts, though still misguided as they were.

During a conversation with a friend, I mentioned that I had applied to U.S. Navy Scuba Diving School while in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and actually had my request approved by my superiors aboard the U.S.S. Jason (Fact #1). Unfortunately, the petty officer handling my request forgot to send it on to base command and asked me if I still wanted the request submitted when the error was detected (by me), but I told her that I no longer wanted the request delivered – I had erroneously thought that the request would do me no good as I was soon to leave that command – and so the option of attending Navy dive school ended right there (Fact #2). I did, however, become a certified open-water (PADI) diver on my own and proceeded to make hundreds of dives in the waters around Oahu (Fact #3). Somehow, after probably a couple of years of memory loss, that friend apparently told the investigators a combination of the two stories and arrived at a third: that my becoming a diver while in the Navy meant that I was a Navy diver. Of course, I was not a Navy diver – ever – but that is not the moral of the story.

What is important is that anyone going to work within the national security field is scrutinized to the point where civil libertarians would die from shock. They investigate everything and the subject never knows from where any „charges‟ come from (I only found out about the above two examples through a lot of detective work on my part). Just the other week an investigator representing the U.S. Air Force knocked on my front door to inquire of my neighbor down the road. I do not know my neighbor. I don‟t even think that I have ever seen the man. And, yet, here was a federal investigator asking me questions about him. When the government states that they will check you out back to your eighteenth birthday, they mean everything associated with your life from your eighteenth birthday onwards!

What is worrying about President Obama is that I can come up with a list of about one hundred or more items that would prevent him from being cleared for any entry-level government job involving national defense. There is his questionable background, friendship with known enemies (or simply those who hate his country) of the United States, frequent travels to foreign locations, etc. If Barack Obama isn‟t the most “unclearable” person that I can think of, then perhaps he is one of the CIA‟s most spectacular covert operators instead. However, I am not holding my breath on discovering the latter.

This represents my primary beef with President Obama – there is just something peculiar about his background that seems decidedly at odds with what is normally required for national security operations and, because of this, perhaps the thought that our foremost leader in the defense of our country is actually prepared for this mission is just a little too good to be true. And, above all else, I demand that my president be true to his country and the Constitution he is under oath to uphold.

So now, how did Barack Obama become elected as the nation‟s forty-fourth president when he offers no experience or training beyond most citizens of his age? That is where the “magic” of the man comes under scrutiny and magic it is. By "magic‟, of course, I am referring to the practice of illusion. (continue reading)

pdf download found here: http://www.rjgodlewski.com/TacticalCitizensGuideToCounteringObamaMindControlTacticsByRJGodlewski.pdf

Debbie on February 17, 2010 at 03:37 PM in Current Affairs, Politics, R.J. Godlewski, US News | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

There is some good news...

If I were an easily depressed person, that would be my state of mind after reading headlines at the Drudge Report, news on the web, and websites I follow. But there is always some good news to balance out the bad. The Conservatives Unveil New Action Manifesto -- Giants of conservatism pen new manifesto on economic, social, and national security issues. The GOP has also challenged the Democrats to a televised debate on jobs. Maybe they are finally taking Rush Limbaugh's advice.

Enjoy this week's Watcher of Weasels Council submitted articles:

Council Submissions

Mere Rhetoric - Confirmed: College Doesn’t Make Kids Smarter, Just More Liberal
The Provocateur - Intern Dispute Turns Into First Amendment Battle
Right Truth - Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Captured
The Colossus of Rhodey - “Iron Man was right”
Rhymes With Right - Mayor Parker Considers Making One Ride Free – And Another More Expensive
The Glittering Eye - Sometimes You Need More Than a Narrative
Soccer Dad - The administration’s goldstone omission
Joshuapundit - Life 2.0
Wolf Howling - A Dangerous Retreat From The War Of Ideas
The Razor - Of Chinese Wheelbarrows and Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program
American Digest - Notes on Love and Death

Non-Council Submissions

Submitted By: Mere Rhetoric – TongeLashing - Why doesn’t Jenny Tonge allow an investigation into her life?
Submitted By: The Provocateur – Peach Pundit - The Curious Case of Ken Hodges
Submitted By: Right Truth – Plank’s Constant - Christians Driven out of Holy Land
Submitted By: The Colossus of Rhodey – The Chronicle of Higher Education - The Night They Burned Ranum’s Papers
Submitted By: Rhymes With Right – Texas Conservative’s Blog - Inside the Medina Movement, A Scary Look
Submitted By: The Glittering Eye – The Pakistan Policy Blog - Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect
Submitted By: Soccer Dad – Legal Insurrection - More Rights for Terrorists Mean More Dead Terrorists
Submitted By: Joshuapundit – Harry’s Place - Hate speech, Israel’s legitimacy and the “war” on Andrew Sullivan
Submitted By: Wolf Howling – M. Zhudi Jasser @ DC - Failing at force protection: The misguided Pentagon report on the Ft. Hood massacre
Submitted By: The Razor – Stormbringer’s Thunder - Working on the Minimalist Philosophy
Submitted By: American Digest – Armed and Dangerous - Who bears the costs of moral vanity?
Submitted By: The Watcher – Legal Insurrection - More Rights for Terrorists Mean More Dead Terrorists

Debbie on February 17, 2010 at 03:06 PM in Current Affairs, Politics, US News | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Muslims asked to repudiate shariah law

I received an email from Former Muslims United, Nonie Darwish, Wafa Sultan and Amil Imani, which I found very telling.

In the fall of 2009, Former Muslims United mailed copies of the “Freedom Pledge,” asking Muslims to repudiate the Shariah law consensus permitting execution of apostates from Islam, to over 100 Muslim American leaders. Only two pledges were returned.

Now the group is planning a panel discussion, here's the info:

Nonie Darwish, Wafa Sultan and Amil Imani are all directors of Former Muslims United Incorporated. Former Muslims United is a new civil rights organization formed in late 2009 to advocate for the rights to religious freedom and freedom of speech for people who have left Islam, also known as apostates. Under the Islamic Shariah legal doctrine, Muslims are not permitted to leave Islam. Under Shariah law, apostates may be the victims of violence, forced divorce, discrimination and murder. Apostates are also denied free speech under Shariah law, as numerous Shariah authorities describe any criticism of Islam or Shariah by apostates as “treason.”
In the meantime, since September 2009, Former Muslims United has submitted cases of threats and discrimination against apostates to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice; has assisted in several individual cases of apostates seeking help; and has issued a proposal to the Islamic Society of North America to conduct a parallel session on "Civil Rights, Social Justice, and the Rights of Former Muslims to Religious Freedom and Freedom of Speech in America" at the ISNA July 2-5 Annual Convention. The three panelists will discuss the ongoing threats to civil rights of former Muslims in America, the positions on apostasy taken by the Council on American Islamic Relations and the Islamic Society of North America’s Director of Communications and Leadership Development Louay Safi, and their plans to expand their activities on behalf of former Muslims in the U.S. and in partnership with organizations for former Muslims worldwide.

Copies of the list of individuals and organizations who have been mailed the Freedom Pledge will be provided at the event, as well as the full text of the FMU proposal for an open dialogue on the civil rights of Former Muslims sent to ISNA for the ISNA annual convention.
For more information, contact Nonie Darwish at (866) 760-6682

info@formermuslimsunited.org

www.formermuslimsunited.org

I commend them for all they are trying to do, but as you can see from their initial outreach -- only TWO pledges returned -- I'm very doubtful they will get any help from the ISNA or any other Muslim group. As we all know, the goal of the hardcore Muslims is Shariah law.

I would like to mention Muslims Against Sharia, which is doing a fantastic job and need our support. Their goal is to reform Islam. Check out their blog here. http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/

Debbie on February 17, 2010 at 02:04 PM in Current Affairs, Religion | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

PURIM AND THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

A Historical, Archaeological & Geographical Perspective

By: Yehuda Landy

Reviewed by: Fern Sidman

As Jews, we are blessed to enjoy the observance of many holidays; all of which are steeped in rich meaning, symbolism and profound lessons for life. We are taught that the one holiday that will endure forever, even after the coming of Moshiach and the final redemption will be that of Purim. As we immerse ourselves in the joy and gladness of Purim, we are also cognizant of the fact that the timeless and eternal story of Purim, as told in Megillas Esther, is one that genuinely embodies the resilience of the Jewish soul as manifested in total faith and hope in Hashem and the determination to survive against all odds.

In this recently published book, "Purim and the Persian Empire - A Historical, Archaeological & Geographical Perspective" (Feldheim Publishers), Rabbi Yehuda Landy, a noted Torah scholar, lecturer, author and archaeology expert examines the enigmatic qualities of Purim and answers the litany of questions that we have all pondered as he takes us on a trenchant sojourn into the fascinating world of the Persian Empire. Megillas Esther virtually comes to life as we gain a cogent understanding and new insights as we study excerpts of the text that are laden with Talmudic, historical and archaeological scholarship as evidenced in the presentation of ancient artifacts, maps and magnificent photographs.

This book is the culmination of a four-year research project which spanned three continents, as the author explains that his inspiration for this endeavor began on a visit to a special exhibition at the British Museum in London named "Forgotten Empire", that dealt exclusively with the material culture from the same Persian Empire with which we are familiar from the Book of Esther. While this book is not "meant to resolve any halachic issues", says the author, "it is meant as a tool for understanding and visualizing the events of the Megillah." Beginning with a historical backdrop of the Persian Empire in Jewish history, the author informs us that after the conquest of the Babylonian empire by the kings of Persia and Media, life improved dramatically for the Jews as their new Persian rulers permitted them to return to their land and to "rebuild the Beis HaMikdash and the wall around Jerusalem." While the darkness of the Babylonian exile had ended and Jews lived in relative freedom from oppression, it became clear that their new Persian rulers were not immune to strains of virulent anti-Semitic proclivities as manfiested in the city of Shushan prior to the story of Purim.

The narrative is greatly enhanced by the stunning photos of original artifacts from that era which included clothing, cosmetics and furniture as well as the gold and silver tableware and drinking vessels from Achashverosh's palace. We transform into time travelers as we embark of a guided tour of the cities of Shushan and Jerusalem in all their resplendent glory and are treated to spectacular visuals of the king's gate, the courtyard of the women's residence, the king's treasuries, the inner courtyard and the king's gardens among many other anicent sites of the empire.

The author delves into the chronology of the Persian empire according to Chazal and provides us with a historical backdrop of the reign of such Persian kings as Daryavesh (Darius the Mede), Coresh, Cambyses and Xerxes, who is also believed to have been the real Achashverosh. "Although his name was pronounced by the Greeks as Xerxes, the Persian pronunciation was Chashiarsh. Chashiarsh, when pronounced in Hebrew, turns into Achasverosh" says Rabbi Landy. A most intriguing and informative chapter on the archaeological evidence of such ancient cultures as Assyria, Babylonia and the Persian cities of Pasargadae, Shushan, Persepolis and Hamadan sheds light on the decadence of the era and the societal influences that held sway amongst the respective populations. "The earliest documented identification of Shushan appears in the diary of Benjamin of Tudela (1165). He also makes mention of the tomb of Daniel wihch is located there", the author concludes.

Historical and archaeological material are the predicate for our study of Megillas Esther in the second part of the book. Citing numerous sources from mesechta Megillah in the Gemara as well as historical proof, we get a rare glimpse into the inner machinations of the mind of Achashverosh, the faith-based motivations of Queen Esther and Mordechai and the hatching of Haman's diabolical scheme of annhilation of the Jewish people. Following the miracle of Purim, the author clues us in to what became of Esther and Mordechai. "The Jews of Persia had a tradition that Mordechai and Esther are buried in the city of Hamadan, which was the original capital of Media. The custom to visit their graves before Purim continues until this very day."

This detailed account of the holiday of Purim will surely be a captivating treat for history buffs and a must read for anyone who wishes to slake their desire for Talmudic and historical knowledge of this juncture in the annals of Jewish history. We are left incredibly inspired; even breathless, as we witness G-d's miracles as they unfold before our very eyes and as we forge a personal connection to those who summoned up the kind of faith that has sustained our people since time immemorial.

Debbie on February 17, 2010 at 09:44 AM in Books, Fern Sidman, Israel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 16, 2010

The truth about Japan's 'Unit 731' experiments

The Imperial Japanese Army's notorious medical research team carried out secret human experiments regarded as some of the worst war crimes in history.
Its scientists subjected more than 10,000 people per year to grotesque Josef Mengele-style torture in the name of science, including captured Russian soldiers and downed American aircrews.

Julian Ryall in Tokyo writes in the UK Telegraph that the bones of the victims of Unit 731 recovered from three different mass graves, will now be examined to reveal the truth of the experiments inflicted on the innocent victims. She reports that the experiments included 'hanging people upside down until they choked, burying them alive, injecting air into their veins, placing them in high-pressure chambers,.... subject to live vivisections, exposed to extreme cold or killed in tests in pressure chambers'. Some of the bones 'bore the marks of saws and some of the skulls had drill holes and portions of the bone cut out'.

Read the article here.

Debbie on February 16, 2010 at 07:58 PM in Current Affairs, Military | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Who do we believe when it comes to Iran's nuclear capabilities?

The situation with Iran is turning into a 'he said - he said' scenario and things could get very dangerous if we don't get the facts. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, "According to information we have they (Israel) are seeking to start a war next spring or summer, although their decision is not final yet." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by saying his country is not planning a war with Iran and that Tehran's concerns over such a conflict are the result of the threat of additional international sanctions.

On the one hand, Ahmadinejad wants us to believe their nuclear program is strictly for energy and he wants to supply the entire region with nuclear power and he thinks the "whole world should be free of nuclear weapons, because we see such weapons as inhumane."

Then on the other hand he tells us they they have the capability to build and deliver a bomb if they so choose.

Ahmadinejad also said, "Right now in Natanz we have the capability to enrich to more than 20 percent and to more than 80 percent, but because we don't need to, we won't do so."

Last December, however, The Times of London reported it had a secret document, which "intelligence agencies" dated to early 2007, proving that Iran was working on the final component of a "neutron initiator," the trigger for an atom bomb.

The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) says Iran cannot make usable fuel for the nuclear power plant it is building. Then the ISIS turns around and says that Iran may still be able to build a bomb -- Iran would have to divert nearly all of its low-enriched uranium at Natanz, now under U.N. watch, to a new cascade of centrifuges, enrich that to 90 percent, then explode a nuclear device. (Creators Syndicate)

We're all talking about strikes on Iran, whether Israel will attach Iran's nuclear sites, whether more sanctions will do any good at all, and whether an embargo would be advisable, and we seem to be depending on the word of a known dictator and terrorist. Is anyone but me worried?

Ahmadinejad wants to work out some kind of deal concerning the three Americans arrested in Iran last year and Iranians being held in the U.S. According to Reuters, Iran said last year it believed 11 Iranians were being held in the United States, including a missing nuclear scientist and a former deputy defense minister who disappeared in 2007.

For some background, here's Iran's relations with other countries as nuclear production increases and sanctions are considered, via Realite EU:

Iran announced last week that is has successfully produced its first batch of uranium enriched to 20 percent. Experts say this is only a step away from enriching to the 93 percent needed to produce nuclear weapons. [1] The international community is increasingly concerned about Iran's nuclear weapons development program and believes that Iran is playing for time and is not interested in settling the nuclear dispute. [2]
The Islamic Republic continues to ignore all previously issued sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council and the EU and proclaims Iran’s "right" to further enrich uranium. [3] Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently declared his country a "nuclear" state, which would not be bullied. [4] On February 14, 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began a trip to the Persian Gulf. Iran will be the "unspoken focus" of her visit. [5] Leaders of the world are currently in the process of a major campaign to implement stronger sanctions against Iran. [6]

Following is a list of backgrounders highlighting Iran’s relations with various countries:
Russia: Russia Sending New Signals on Iran Sanctions (11.02.10)
Germany: German companies enable Iran’s nuclear program and infrastructure (14.01.10)
Yemen: Iran and Al-Qaeda Source of Growing Terror in Yemen (31.12.09)
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia and France Discuss Nuclear Development As Iran Moves Forward (17.11.09)
Turkey: Turkish-Iranian Ties Strengthen Ahead of Ahmadinejad Visit (10.11.09)
Gulf States: Iran and the Gulf States: A Region Going Nuclear? (21.09.09)
Great Britain: British-Iranian relations since the Iranian elections of June 2009 (14.09.09)
France: Sarkozy: Iran Definitely Working on Nuclear Weapons (16.09.09)
Egypt: Egypt-Iran relations on edge over Iranian nukes (09.09.09)
Austria: Austria and Iran: Relations (04.08.09)
Switzerland: Switzerland and Iran: Deepening Ties (04.08.09)
Italy: Italy's Relations with Iran in Spotlight as G8 Meet (07.07.09)
Spain: Spanish-Iranian Relations (02.09.08)
China: China’s Relations with Iran (05.08.08)
Lebanon: Lebanon and Iran: Backgrounder (28.05.08)
Syria: Syria and Iran: Relationship at a Crossroads? (25.05.08)

References below the fold:

Continue reading "Who do we believe when it comes to Iran's nuclear capabilities?" »

Debbie on February 16, 2010 at 04:16 PM in Iran Watch, Israel, Military, Terrorism, US News, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Cleaning out the in-box

Global Warming:

Admidst the burgeoning scandals springing from the climate change alarmist movement, ConocoPhillips, BP America, and Catepillar have all announced that they will be leaving the U.S. Climate Action Partnership. In case you are reporting or commenting on this story, I thought you might find Myron Ebell's statement of use. Let me know if you would like to interview him about it.

Best,

Christine

Director of Communications

Competitive Enterprise Institute

202.331.2258

Yet with all the unraveling of global warming 'data', the insanity continues:

Council on Foreign Relations Interactive Monitors Oceans, Nonproliferation, Finance, Other Global Governance Issues
To identify the challenges to multilateral cooperation, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) has launched the Global Governance Monitor, a comprehensive online guide that illustrates how the international community is addressing its most daunting transnational threats.

To date, the monitor has three components: oceans governance, nuclear nonproliferation, and global finance. Future guides are planned for climate change, violent conflict, and public health.

Israel:

Ambassador Dore Gold, one of our side's most articulate and persuasive voices on security and international matters, has launched a new website at www.dore-gold.com. Dore is the author of New York Times best selling books including, The Fight For Jerusalem, Hatred's Kingdom, and The Rise of Nuclear Iran.

The site includes archives of some his most important television interviews and his debate with the infamous Goldstone. And his blog contains his thoughts on the most pressing issues facing Israel, Jerusalem, and the Middle East.

Please help spread the word about the site.

GUNS:

Criminals for Gun Control, hehehehe (hat tip Marcus Wilder)

Debbie on February 16, 2010 at 03:16 PM in Current Affairs, Guns, Israel | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Captured

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar -- described as close to al Qaeda Osama bin Laden and second in command to the Taliban's spiritual leader Mullah Muhammad Omar -- has been captured in Karachi, Pakistan, during a secret raid by US and Pakistani intelligence forces. (New York Post) Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations. The hope is information obtained from Baradar could lead to the capture of other senior officials, specifically Mullah Omar. (New York Times)

Lt. Col Shaffer on Fox News this morning dismissed the significance of Baradar's capture, stating that Baradar has been living openly in Karachi and we could have nabbed him any time we wanted, so why now? Shaffer also questions why a public announcement of Baradar's capture is being made at this time, wondering if this is to counter the negativity of Americans toward President Barack Obama's treatment of Abdul Farouk Umar Abdulmutallab, the Christmas Day underwear bomber.

Schaffer said our attention should not necessarily be on the capture of Baradar, but on what's going on behind the scenes, what we are not being told. One unidentified official said that Baradar's arrest "has proved to be "really valuable," that "Baradar had been in custody for about two weeks and was "providing intelligence information . . . It's a very significant takedown."

American, British and Afghan forces continue a slow but concerted efforts in Marjah, hindered by massive amounts of buried bombs and snipers. It was suggested that Baradar's capture was part of this push against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

'If Pakistani officials had wanted to arrest him, they could have done it at any time,' said Sher Mohammad Akhud Zada, the former governor of Afghanistan's Helmand province and a member of the Afghan parliament. 'Why did they arrest him now?'

Baradar heads the Taliban's military council and was elevated in the body after the 2006 death of military chief Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Usmani.

He is known to coordinate the movement's military operations throughout the south and southwest of Afghanistan.

His area of direct responsibility stretches over Kandahar, Helmand, Nimroz, Zabul and Uruzgan provinces. [snip]

The New York Times said it learned of the operation against Baradar on Thursday but delayed reporting it at the request of White House officials who argued that publicising it would end a valuable intelligence-gathering effort by making Baradar's associates aware of his capture.

The newspaper said it decided to publish the news after White House officials acknowledged Baradar's capture was becoming widely known in the region. (Daily Mail)

StratFor also downplays Baradar's capture, saying the reported arrest was a 'major development,' but cautioned it may not have a significant impact on the battlefield in Afghanistan.

Ron Moreau, a correspondent for Newsweek magazine based in Islamabad and who as recently as last year Moreau was in contact with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in an interview by NPR's Melissa Block, said that Baradar "has almost absolute power within the Taliban."

"Baradar is running not only the military show, in terms of strategy and almost day-to-day operations, but he has also been the political leader and also a leader who has tried to get a little bit more transparency and accountability from a rather diffuse and sometimes undisciplined and unruly Taliban organization," Moreau said, adding that Baradar has controlled almost all of the Taliban's treasury.

So, what does the capture of Baradar mean for the future of the Taliban? Moreau said that Baradar's successor may be Abdul Kayum Sakir, a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, released in 2008. (NPR)

Not surprisingly, the Taliban has denied the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar while Pakistan's Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, also denied the capture calling it "propaganda".

Also not surprising, the Obama administration is touting this capture as a huge deal. Bruce O. Riedel, a former CIA officer who last spring led the Obama administration’s Afghanistan and Pakistan policy review, said his capture could cripple the Taliban’s military operations, at least in the short term.

As with most captures of bad guys, time will tell how valuable he really is and how valuable any intelligence he gives up will be to our over all efforts to defeat the enemy in the global war against Islamic terrorists.

Debbie on February 16, 2010 at 01:02 PM in Afghanistan, Current Affairs, Military, Pakistan, Terrorism, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

February 15, 2010

Hamas commander assassinated by ... the Irish? UPDATE

Everyone assumed that Israel assassinated the Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his hotel room in Dubai, but now ...

Claims that British and Irish passport holders are among an alleged 11-man hit squad wanted in Dubai for the apparent assassination of a Hamas commander are tonight being investigated by London and Dublin.
Dubai police say the main suspect is Peter Elvinger, 49, who holds a French passport. He was the gang’s logistical co-ordinator and the one who booked room 237 in Al Bustan Rotana, down the corridor from the victim’s room – 230.
The other suspects were identified as Irish nationals Gail Folliard, Kevin Daveron and Evan Dennings; British nationals Paul John Keely, Stephen Daniel Hodes, Melvyn Adam Mildiner, Jonathan Louis Graham, James Leonard Clarke and Michael Lawrence Barney. Also wanted is Michael Bodenheimer, a German national. [snip]
The details given by Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim are the most comprehensive accusations by Dubai authorities since the body of al-Mabhouh was found on January 20 in his luxury hotel room near Dubai's international airport.
Tamim told reporters the alleged assassination team was made up of six British passport holders, three Irish and one each from France and Germany.
But he did not directly implicate Israel - as Hamas has done. The group has accused Israel's Mossad secret service of carrying out the killing and has pledged to strike back.

Alleged leader Peter Elvinger holds a French passport, while Gail Folliard is Irish
(see other images and continue reading at The Daily Mail, hat tip Bookworm Room)

UPDATE: From Legal Insurection:

Uh, not so fast. The Irish government says that three of the alleged perps identified by Dubai do not exist:
The Irish government says the trio of alleged passport-holders identified on Monday in Dubai as Gail Folliard, Evan Dennings and Kevin Daveron do not appear in Ireland's records of legitimate passport-holders.
"We are unable to identify any of those three individuals as being genuine Irish citizens. Ireland has issued no passports in those names," the department said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The Irish government says the passport numbers publicised by Dubai authorities also are counterfeits, because they have the wrong number of digits and contain no letters.
I'm not even an amateur sleuth, much less a sleuth, but even I found it hard to believe that an elaborately organized hit squad would use their real names and passports.

I guess they don't read Jean le Carré in Dubai.

More at The Telegraph.

UPDATE II: Original assumption seems to be correct, it appears to be an Israeli Mossad hit

"It has all the earmarks of an Israeli assassination," said former CIA intelligence officer Robert Baer. "There are very few intelligence agencies that have the ability to pull off something like this."
Intelligence officials say the Israeli intelligence unit, Mossad, has returned to its "old school" methods in tracking down people it suspects could be threats to Israel.
"Mabhouh was probably in Dubai to meet with the Iranians, because that's where you go to do business or arrange arms shipments with them," said Baer. (ABC Blotter)

See a list of Israel's greatest "hits" prior to Dubai, you've got to love the Mossad. (hat tip Marcus Wilder)

Debbie on February 15, 2010 at 07:39 PM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Unintended consequences of strike on Iran

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, held meetings with senior commanders of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) General Staff, and warned against the "unintended consequences" that a military strike against Iran could trigger, according to Arab News. Vice President Joe Biden will be visiting Israel in the next few weeks, but still no plans for President Barack Obama to grace Israel with a visit. Obama is too busy visiting Muslim and Arabs I suppose. Mullen still hopes that diplomacy, sanctions and dialogue would work but stressed military action was still on the table. What will Biden's message be to the Israelis?

That Washington opposed an Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities on the one hand, but would stand behind its key ally in the Middle East by giving all possible assistance in dealing with the nuclear threat from Tehran. (Arab News)

National Security Advisor General (rtd) James Jones told the Fox News yesterday that tougher sanctions against Iran could trigger regime change in Tehran. Jones was quick to add, "We are not actively engineering regime change in the sense that we believe that the people of Iran will carve out their own destiny..." (Indian Express )

Speaking to students at Carnegie Mellon's campus in Doha, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "Iran is moving toward a military dictatorship" and suggested Iran's Revolutionary Guard appears to have gained so much power that it effectively is supplanting the government. (Mail Online)

Israel may have been in better hands if Clinton had been elected, but I suppose time will tell. Iranians have suffered under the military and special police for years and years, that is really nothing new. The people have just recently decided to stand up. Can they create a new regime on their own? It seems like a gargantuan struggle. We need to remember that Israel is fighting for her life too.

But what are those unintended consequences of a military strike on Iran?

Debbie on February 15, 2010 at 04:08 PM in Current Affairs, Iran Watch, Israel, US News | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

Call to action for free speech

Subject: Free Speech for Journalists! Please meet Senate staffers on the Hill Feb. 16 2:00 PM re Free Speech Protection Act

Please meet Senate staffers in Dirksen 152 this Tues.Feb. 16 at 2:00 PM re Free Speech Protection Act-vital to protect journalists from being sued in foreign courts under foreign law.

Journalists, You can help get Freedom of Speech for all journalists, freedom to investigate terrorist activity without fear of overseas lawsuits in foreign courts! Please come meet with us this Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 PM in the Senate Minority Judiciary Conference room in Dirksen 152, to discuss the Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 (Senate Bill S.449) that will come before the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 24 or sooner. The judiciary staffers of five Senators (Sessions, Coburn, Cornyn, Hatch, and Grassley) will be present, as will Dr. Paul Williams, one of the journalists who inspired the bill, plus Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld's legal expert.

This is an extremely crucial bill, and is also newsworthy because it has truly bipartisan support, and is a bill all Senators can support, Democrats as well as Republicans. The Washington Post has written editorials in favor of the bill. We are meeting to see if we can get the four undecided Republican Senators (Cornyn, Coburn, Hatch, and Grassley) to get on board.

Please help us pass this important bill, which is vital to protect journalists who are exposing terrorist activity from being sued in foreign courts under foreign law. Senator Sessions, the Ranking Member, and most of the Democrat Senators on the Judiciary Committee are in favor of the bill. We need to get Republican Senators Cornyn, Coburn, Hatch, and Grassley on board as well. This is one bill that truly deserves bipartisan support! Please meet with us this coming Tuesday, Feb. 16. At 2:00PM. Thank you so much, Dr. Hugh Cort, (cell 205-213-5621). Please see more info about the bill below.

Dr. Paul Williams and Rachel Ehrenfeld have already met with the staffs of several other Senators, including Senator Arlen Specter, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Leahy, and others who are supporting the bill. I just learned from Dr. Ehrenfeld that Senator Sessions is backing the bill, which is great. I think it is still important to meet with Senator Sessions' judiciary staffer, and definitely the judiciary committee staffers of the four undecided Republican Senators to discuss the bill.

The Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 (first proposed in Feb. of 2009) will protect authors and journalists such as Paul Williams and Rachel Ehrenfeld (and Joe Sharkey of the New York Times) who have been sued by people in foreign countries in the courts of those countries, under the laws of those countries, which often have no 1st Amendment rights of freedom of speech as we have here in America. For example, Rachel Ehrenfeld wrote the book Funding Evil, about how Islamic extremists in Saudi Arabia are funding Al Qaeda. Rachel was then sued by a wealthy Saudi businessman in England under British law that does not have free speech protection like we have here in America. The English court awarded him a big judgment against her. She then had to spend thousands of dollars in her home state of New York to fight the Saudi from getting her money. She succeeded in getting the State of New York to pass Rachel’s Law, which protects journalists and authors from foreign lawsuits. Now she wants to pass the Free Speech Protection Act to get such protection nationwide.

My friend and colleague, Dr. Paul Williams, wrote a book about Al Qaeda’s plans for a nuclear attack on America, in which he wrote about some terrorists who the FBI had spotted in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, including Adnan Shukrijumah, who FBI Director Robert Mueller has called, “the next Mohammed Atta”, the man Osama bin Laden has chosen to lead the next 9/11 against America (which may well be a nuclear attack). The terrorists were spotted near McMaster University, home of the largest research nuclear reactor in Canada, where several news reports came out that the terrorists had made off with some nuclear material. For writing about these news reports in his book, Dr. Williams was sued by McMaster University, which has a large number of Islamic students, and is heavily funded by wealthy Saudis. Dr. Williams has thus far had to spend over $50,000 of his own money to fight this lawsuit in Canada, which is being held under Canadian law (which does not protect freedom of speech), for writing a book in America!

If these lawsuits are allowed to have jurisdiction in America, it will have a very chilling effect on journalists who are trying to expose funders of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. However, if Senator Sessions and the other Senators pass the bill, American journalists will be allowed to investigate terrorism issues without fear of foreign lawsuits in foreign courts intimidating their research. In these perilous times, as you may well imagine, it is more important than ever to find out what is happening with terrorist groups!

Sincerely, Dr. Hugh Cort, President,
American Foundation for Counter-
Terrorism Policy and Research

For more information, see my interview with Dr. Paul Williams here. If you cannot attend the above meeting, please call, email, fax, your politicians and urge them to pass the Free Speech Protection Act.

Debbie on February 15, 2010 at 02:32 PM in Current Affairs, Dr. Paul Williams and Michael Travis, US News | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

No global warming since 1995

Data for vital 'hockey stick graph' has gone missing

There has been no global warming since 1995

Warming periods have happened before - but NOT due to man-made changes

Data: Professor Phil Jones admitted his record keeping is 'not as good as it should be'
The academic at the centre of the ‘Climategate’ affair, whose raw data is crucial to the theory of climate change, has admitted that he has trouble ‘keeping track’ of the information.
Colleagues say that the reason Professor Phil Jones has refused Freedom of Information requests is that he may have actually lost the relevant papers.
Professor Jones told the BBC yesterday there was truth in the observations of colleagues that he lacked organisational skills, that his office was swamped with piles of paper and that his record keeping is ‘not as good as it should be’.
The data is crucial to the famous ‘hockey stick graph’ used by climate change advocates to support the theory.
Professor Jones also conceded the possibility that the world was warmer in medieval times than now – suggesting global warming may not be a man-made phenomenon. (continue at Daily Mail, hat tip Naive & Abroad)

World may not be warming, say scientists. (TimesOnline, hat tip Marcus Wilder)

“The temperature records cannot be relied on as indicators of global change,” said John Christy, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a former lead author on the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ). [snip]
The doubts of Christy and a number of other researchers focus on the thousands of weather stations around the world, which have been used to collect temperature data over the past 150 years.

These stations, they believe, have been seriously compromised by factors such as urbanisation, changes in land use and, in many cases, being moved from site to site.

Christy has published research papers looking at these effects in three different regions: east Africa, and the American states of California and Alabama.

“The story is the same for each one,” he said. “The popular data sets show a lot of warming but the apparent temperature rise was actually caused by local factors affecting the weather stations, such as land development.” (continue reading)

Debbie on February 15, 2010 at 09:29 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

February 14, 2010

Target Practice (the movie, an update)

I received an update from the writer/director/producer of Target Practice the movie, Richmond Riedel. The film will screen at the Macon Film Festival on Friday February 19 in the Douglass Theater on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Five friends on a fishing trip ... A hidden training camp for homegrown terrorists -- that is the premise of the movie "Target Practice" and I cannot wait to see it. See the trailer here. Here is the latest press release as the movie makes it's way through the various film festivals, special screenings, and eventually into a theater near you.

WOODLAND HILLS, CA, February 08, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- "TARGET PRACTICE," directed by Hollywood vet Richmond Riedel, is a nerve-wracking, relentless thriller concerning 5 friends on a weekend fishing trip who discover a hidden training camp for homegrown terrorists - molded after recent real-life discoveries in both the U.S. and Canada - and has already been picked up for distribution by Big Screen Entertainment Group and Warner Bros/WEA (Warner Elektra).

Theatergoers in Macon GA will get an early chance to view the film when it screens in the Macon Film Festival on Friday February 19 in the Douglass Theater on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

The Macon Film Festival marks the film's 15th festival appearance and it's been winning nominations and awards across the country, including Action Film Of The Year at the Action On Film International Film Festival (AOF) in Pasadena, CA, Best Action Film at the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival in Fargo, ND, the Silver Screen Award in the Nevada Film Festival, Runner-Up Best Feature at the Appalachian Film Festival in Huntington WV, and the Award of Excellence in the international Accolade Film Competition.

The film has also been getting terrific reviews in the press. The trade Variety (the film industry Bible in Hollywood) wrote "...politics give way to pure, unadulterated action in Richmond Riedel's impressively mounted 'Target Practice'... a relentless pace and astute storytelling ... Pic never lets up ... certain twists are quite brilliantly pulled off ... extremely tense and executed with great energy ..."

"TARGET PRACTICE" stars Eltony Williams, who has appeared in "24," "Bones," "Castle," "CSI:Miami," "The Unit," "Ghost Whisperer," and "Numb3rs," and Joey Lanai, who appears in the upcoming films "Callous" and "In The Darkness."

The screening in the Macon Film Festival is open to the public and will afford theatergoers in Macon an advance opportunity to see this intense film before its release in June. Tone shifts between moments of serene calm and sudden, shocking bursts of violence. It's not for the faint of heart but it's definitely a terrific piece of cinematic mayhem and suspense, and will be showing at the Douglass Theater on Friday February 19 @ 7:15 PM. In addition, the film's award-winning director, Richmond Riedel, will be on hand for a Q&A following the screening.

The Douglass Theater is located at 355 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Macon GA 31201. For more information, you can call the theater at (478) 742-2000 or go online to www.maconfilmfestival.com. Industry and Media professionals are encouraged to contact Battlefish Productions at targetpractice07@yahoo.com to be added to the guest list for this event.

The official website for "TARGET PRACTICE," including a more detailed synopsis, trailers, production stills, complete reviews, and cast & crew info, can be found athttp://thetargetpracticemovie.com/

Debbie on February 14, 2010 at 07:33 PM in Current Affairs, Film, Military, Personal Responsibility, Politics, Terrorism, US News | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

But I Don't Like Spam

An Army chef whose supply helicopter was shot down by the Taliban devised an ingenious menu to feed frontline troops for six weeks on a diet of nothing but Spam.

Army chef Corporal Liam Francis's recipes included sweet and sour Spam, Spam fritters, Spam carbonara, Spam stroganoff and stir fried Spam Photo: SWNS

Corporal Liam Francis, 26, was left without fresh food after insurgents downed a chopper flying supplies to his Forward Operating Base near Sangin, Afghanistan.

Cpl Francis only had one ingredient in his store cupboard - hundreds of tins of Spam - famously immortalised in a Monty Python sketch.

He created an ingenious menu from the tinned pork and ham including sweet and sour Spam, Spam fritters, Spam carbonara, Spam stroganoff and stir fried Spam.

But father-of-one Cpl Francis, married to wife Nadine, 27, of Tidworth, Wilts., admitted that ''morale improved'' when fresh food finally reached their base. [snip]

''The first day off Spam, I prepared battered sausages, chips and curry sauce. The Sergeant Major said it was the best meal he had ever had - he'd never seen morale so high.'' (continue reading at The Telegraph)

Debbie on February 14, 2010 at 09:00 AM in Afghanistan, Food and Drink, Humor, Military, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

February 13, 2010

Reception Honoring Veterans, Wounded, Fallen, and Families (Right Truth Exclusive)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
National Observance to mark Iraq Liberation Day,
Arlington National Cemetery,
Washington DC, 9 April 2010

GENERAL DAVID H. PETRAEUS,
KEYNOTE SPEAKER

POC: Jason Eugene Cain, Executive Director, Commission on Universal Remembrance and
Coordinator, National Observance to mark Iraq Liberation Day,
Email: jaycain26@yahoo.com

Families of the Fallen, who wish to receive the Letter of Commendation of the Minister of Defense of Iraq, on behalf of their fallen hero, please advise Jason Cain of your attendance by 19 March 2010

On the eve of Iraq Liberation Day, 9 April 2010

Ambassador of Iraq hosts Families of America’s Iraq Fallen, Soldiers, the Wounded: Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz moves the American Military Family with inspirational words on Remembrance

BY DR. CEDRICK EDGECOMBE (Ph. D.)

RIGHT TRUTH EXCLUSIVE, 14 February 2010. On 8 February, the Ambassador of Iraq to the United States, H.E. Mr. Samir Suma’idaie, hosted a reception at the Ambassador‘s Residence in Washington DC, attended by the National President and the National Executive Board of American Gold Star Mothers, deputations of America’s Wounded and Veterans, and representatives of the Defense Attaches Corps. The reception marked the life and accomplishments of the Honorable Viola Herms Drath, the Honorary Chair of the Commission on Universal Remembrance, which will convene the National Observance to mark Iraq Liberation Day at Arlington National Cemetery on 9 April 2010. The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, states: “Viola’s lifelong commitment to our nation’s veterans has had a great impact. Her countless contributions to our troops and military families serve as an inspiration to us all.” A sentiment echoed by the Chief of Staff, United States Army, General George W. Casey: “Mrs. Drath is to be commended for her unwavering support of our troops and their families.”

Dr. Henry A. Kissinger states: “Viola has been a clear voice for human rights and humanitarian aid, for workable solutions in the Middle East and elsewhere and, most recently, she is spearheading the Universal Remembrance Commission, to honor those who lost their lives in all of America’s conflicts. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a remarkable woman and great dynamic figure, a distinguished fellow German-American, for whom no challenge has ever been too great and whose efforts have never flagged.”

The widow of the late Colonel Francis S. Drath, USA, Deputy Director of the United States Selective Service System under General Lewis B. Hershey, USA, and grandmother of 1st Lieutenant William F. Dywer, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Army, readying deployment, appointment in 2007 to the White House Commission on Remembrance, the independent Congressionally-chartered Government agency mandated to promote yearlong acts of Remembrance in honor of America’s Fallen, capped a distinguished career as journalist, author, academic and counselor to Presidents. The Vice President of the United States, the Honorable Joseph Biden: “Mrs. Drath’s tenure on the White House Commission on Remembrance set an important marker on how we honor our Fallen. Her tireless devotion to America’s troops, veterans and families deserves our gratitude, her unwavering commitment to advance understanding, reconciliation and peace among peoples and nations our respect.”

The evening convened in the spirit of “Universal Remembrance,” in Commemoration of the Fallen, and in Celebration of the Living. It took place in advance of the National Observance to mark Iraq Liberation Day, which will again convene at Arlington National Cemetery on 9 April, with the Adjutants General of the United States serving as the Host Committee, chaired by Major General Greg Wayt, USA, the Adjutant General of Ohio and President of the Adjutants General Association of the United States, and Lieutenant General Roger P. Lempke, USAF-RET., a former Adjutant General of Nebraska and a past-President of the Adjutants General Association of the United States, serving as Chair of the Planning Committee. Mr. Jason Eugene Cain, himself a recently returned decorated veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, serves as the Coordinator.

Staff Brigadier Ali M. al-Aaragy, Iraqi Defense Attache, with Members of the American Military Family

Now in its third year, the National Observance brings together Uniformed Services of the United States, Iraq, and Allied Powers, enjoined by Members of the Defense Attaches Corps, veterans, and military families. It draws inspiration from the Washington Declaration, adopted by the 2008 Universal Remembrance Convocation and chaired by Staff General Radhi Dahham al-Assal, the Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Iraq. The Washington Declaration forming the basis of the ICMR Interim Report, which the ICMR Co-Chair, GEN Rene Perret, France, presented to the UN Military Staff Committee in September 2009, and which informs ongoing consultations among UN Member States, in advance of the 2nd Universal Remembrance Convocation in fall 2010.

The Vice Chief of Staff, United States Army, General Peter W. Chiarelli: “The concept of the “universality of Remembrance” allows us as brothers in arms --- and as citizens of the world --- an important opportunity to express the sacrifice of patriots of all nations. As we remember our Fallen, in countries the world over. I hope I can give light to a common cause. That we choose to pursue an idea. An idea whose time has come. An idea that transcends the pliability of politics. But instead brings to light the consensus of remembrance on behalf of those who have given the last full measure.”

Sentiments echoed by the Honorable Paul Wolfowitz who, thanking Mrs. Drath for her years of untiring service to the Nation, and directly addressing himself to the Mothers of America’s Fallen, underscored the importance for us to remember as a Nation, and as a Coalition of Nations. Citing the late Sergeant Michael Curtis Carlson, whose funeral at Arlington National Cemetery Mr. Wolfowitz attended, he went on: “I want to live forever; the only way that one could possibly achieve it in this day and age is to live on in those you have affected. I want to carve out a niche for myself in the history books. I want to be remembered for the things I accomplished. I sometimes dream of being a soldier in a war. In this war I am helping to liberate people from oppression. In the end there is a big parade and a monument built to immortalize us in stone. Other times I envision being a man you see out of the corner of your eye, dressed in black fatigues, entering a building full of terrorists. After everything is completed I slip out the back only to repeat this the next time l am called. I might not be remembered in that scenario, but I will have helped people.”

Ms. Ruth Stonesifer, National President, American Gold Star Mothers
H.E. Mr. Samir Sumai’ daie, Ambassador of Iraq to the United States
Honorable Paul Wolfowitz, former Deputy Secretary of Defense

A Joint Statement of the National Commander of the American Legion and the Director-General of the Royal British Legion reads: “Mrs. Drath’s unwavering commitment to U.S., U.K. and Allied troops, our veterans, our military families is inspiring and deserves our full support. To mark Iraq Liberation Day, 9 April, upon her initiative and hosted by the Adjutants General of the United States, Armed Forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq and Allied Powers will again enjoin in joint observances at Section 60, Arlington National Cemetery, to commemorate our Fallen, and to celebrate the Living.”

Jason Eugene Cain, the Executive Director, Commission on Universal Remembrance and Coordinator for the National Observance to mark Iraq Liberation Day, reading the Joint Statement of the National Commander, American Legion, and the Director-General, Royal British Legion

The National President of American Gold Star Mothers, Mrs. Ruth Stonesifer, whose son Kristofor, a Sergeant with United States Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, fell early in Operation Enduring Freedom, and speaking on behalf of the AGSM National Executive Board, thanked Mr. Wolfowitz for his moving words and appreciation of the Fallens’ service to the Nation. A member of the Planning Committee for the National Observance, she thanked the former Deputy Secretary of Defense for joining them in the run-up to the observance and expressed her hope for all to be united again at Arlington on 9 April. Mr. Wolfowitz attended the observances in 2008 and 2009.

Ambassador Sumai’ daie and his Guests

Ambassador Sumai’ daie concluded by saying: “Americans and Iraqis are partners for peace and democracy. On 9 April, Americans and Iraqis, together, celebrate the seventh anniversary of the liberation of Iraq from the yoke of tyranny. Together, we mourn our Glorious Dead and fortify ourselves for tomorrow's battle. Let us resolve to finish the fight America's and Iraq's fighting sons and daughters have so honorably fought. Our partnership is symbolized for ever by the joint grave at Arlington National Cemetery of an Iraqi hero, Iraqi Air Force Captain Ali Abass Alrubaeye, interred alongside four American heroes, USAF Capt Derek Argel, Captain Jeremy Fresques, Major William Downs, and Sergeant Casey Crate. For our tomorrow, they gave their today. Derek, Ali Abass, Jeremy, William and Casey are often on our minds. And in our hearts, always. On behalf of the Government and People of Iraq, I salute them and all our Fallen.”

Debbie on February 13, 2010 at 07:49 PM in Current Affairs, Military, US News | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day came early for me today. See what the sweet hubby Grouch gave me:

He's so sweet. One dozen red roses, a box of chocolates, a teddy bear, a card. What a guy. My soul mate.

Debbie on February 13, 2010 at 01:10 PM in Holidays | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

Saturday Cartoons

Thousands demonstrate in Oslo to protest Prophet Mohammed cartoon:

In 1997, an Israeli woman named Tatiana Soskin drew this caricature of Mohammed as a pig authoring the Koran and tried to display it in public in the city of Hebron. She was arrested, tried and sentenced to jail. (continue reading at The Last Crusade)

(Click images to enlarge, hat tip David)

Congratulations to all the winning entries in the Watcher of Weasels articles. Please join us oin Wednesday for next week’s contest.

Winning Council Submissions

First place with 2 1/3 points! – American Digest - Barack Obama: Imaginary Friend of Democrats. Cause and Cure.
Second place with 2 points – (T*) – The Razor - Symbols Aren’t Leaders
Second place with 2 points – (T*) – Bookworm Room - San Francisco mulls expanding gay rights program at expense of academic programs
Third place with 1 1/3 points – Wolf Howling - Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Change
Fourth place with 2/3 points – (T*) – The Provocateur - A Conversation with Wade Rathke
Fourth place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Right Truth - Palin’s RINO Problem
Fifth place with 1/3 points – The Colossus of Rhodey - Why I haven’t bought a Marvel comic in a couple years

Winning Non-Council Submissions

First place with 2 2/3 points! – Douglas Murray @ Telegraph Blogs - Geert Wilders: On Trial For Telling The Truth
Second place with 1 2/3 points – (T*) – Doug Ross Journal - The Sublime, Timeless Wisdom of Arianna Huffington Somehow Reduced to Ashes By Anonymous Commenter at Green Room
Second place with 1 2/3 points – (T*) – Jerome Ravetz @ What’s Up With That? - Climategate: Plausibility and the blogosphere in the post-normal age
Third place with 1 1/3 points – Big Lizards - Here’s Exactly What We Don’t Need
Fourth place with 1 points – Buckhorn Road - Apparently, our republic is “anti-democratic”
Fifth place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Pajamas Media/Victor Davis Hanson - Why Fear Big Government?
Fifth place with 2/3 points – (T*) – Zenpundit - Guest Post: Cameron on “A Response to a Most Remarkable Conversation”
Sixth place with 1/3 points – Yaacov Lozowick’s Ruminations - Response to Naomi Paiss

(T*) – Indicates a Tie.
(D*) – The Provocateur received a 2/3 point penalty in the council submissions category for failing to vote in this week’s contest.

Debbie on February 13, 2010 at 12:32 PM in Current Affairs, Economy, Politics, Religion, Terrorism | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

February 12, 2010

More reasons to eat chocolate

It has been known for some time that eating dark chocolate is good for your heart, but now there is research that indicates dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa, the higher the better for your health, helps prevent strokes and limit the severity of strokes. You can find these chocolates almost anywhere, including Wal-Mart or other groceries.

There is no research that shows white chocolate (which is really not chocolate), milk chocolate, or any chocolate other than dark chocolate has any medicinal benefits. More research will be done on the other chocolates.

On most packages the percentage of cocoa in on the front packaging. You can purchase chocolate bars that are sweetened, semi-sweet or 'baking chocolate' which can be unsweetened and used in cooking or to make sauces and candies.

A study of nearly 50,000 people found that those eating chocolate were 22 per cent less likely to suffer a stroke than those that didn't. And those who did suffer a stroke but had indulged in chocolate were 46 per cent less likely to die as a result. (The Telegraph, hat tip Marcus Wilder)

A new analysis, which involved a review of three prior studies, suggests eating about a bar of chocolate a week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke. But the evidence is still limited, says study author, neurologist Gustavo Saposnik at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto. [snip]

One study they looked at found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate. Another study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than people who didn't eat chocolate.

The research appears in this week's Neurology and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd annual meeting in Toronto in April. (USA Today)

Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!

Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins.

Fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of bioflavonoid called flavanols which are strong antioxidants that help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure. The heart-healthy flavanols in cocoa, especially the epicatechins, prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries.

Flavanols help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes ... (more)

This latest information on chocolate comes on the heals of recent studies on wine is good for your health. Not only is red wine good for your heart, but so is white wine, and any form of alcohol (vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila, etc.) in moderate amounts on a daily basis.

I make sweet hubby candy using unsweetened chocolate and Splenda, rather than sugar. One piece a day after dinner. What a simple thing to do to improve your chances of heart and artery health.

Go forth, eat chocolate, drink wine or other alcohol, and be healthy!

Debbie on February 12, 2010 at 10:55 PM in Current Affairs, Drinks, Health | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

Michele Bachmann Quote of the Day

Michele Bachmann speaks to the Republican Jewish Coalition, cross-posted from Israpundit:

Michele Bachmann (R-Minn) (“one L, two Ns”) made an extraordinarily impressive presentation last week to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Los Angeles, covering a wide variety of topics ranging from health care to taxes to terror trials.

She first went to Israel in 1974, at the age of 18, to live on a kibbutz, and has been to Israel four times since being elected to Congress in 2006. The following is an excerpt from a three-minute extemporaneous answer she gave to a question on the connection of Israel ’s security to that of the United States :

. . . I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle.

Right now in my own private Bible time, I am working through Isaiah . . . and there is continually a coming back to what God gave to Israel initially, which was the Torah and the Ten Commandments, and I have a wonderful quote from John Adams that if you will indulge me [while I find it] . . . [from his February 16, 1809 letter to François Adriaan van der Kemp]:

I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. If I were an atheist, and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations. If I were an atheist of the other sect, who believe or pretend to believe that all is ordered by chance, I should believe that chance had ordered the Jews to preserve and propagate to all mankind the doctrine of a supreme, intelligent, wise, almighty sovereign of the universe, which I believe to be the great essential principle of all morality, and consequently of all civilization.

. . . So that is a very long way to answer your question, but I believe that an explicit statement from us about our support for Israel as tied to American security, we would do well to do that.

Bachmann was the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Minnesota (having served in the Minnesota State Senate since 2000) and was re-elected in 2008.

She holds an LLM in tax law and spent five years as a federal tax litigation attorney, owns a small mental health care practice with her husband (employing 42 people), and is one of the leading advocates in Congress for foster and adopted children (having opened her home to 23 foster children along with her five natural-born ones).

More on her at her website.

Nice!

Debbie on February 12, 2010 at 04:00 PM in Current Affairs, Israel, Politics, Quote of the Day, Religion, US News | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

The Green Revolution: The Second Wave

What The Press Failed To Report

By Ilana Freedma

The Gerard Group

On Wednesday night I stayed up until my eyes were burning, reading the tweets coming from Iran as the uprising of February 11 unfolded. It was the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution and the day the Green Revolution had chosen to demonstrate against the repressive Iranian government. It was 4 am before I finally packed it in. Despite the eight and a half hour time difference, it was difficult to tear myself away as I watched history unfold through the magic of cyber communications.

In preparation for the day, the Iranian government had attempted to shut down the lines of communication. Cell phones all over Iran were down. So was the Internet, Google e-mail, and many of the television stations. The primary vehicle for communications that night, therefore, was Twitter, which amazingly stayed open throughout the long day and the following night.

The pace of conversation over Twitter was almost overwhelming, with thousands of new tweets every few minutes. There were no videos, but a constant flow of reports, conjectures, confirmations, and much repetition of information that had been tweeted before. But the energy level was high, and the chatter was remarkable.

We in the West may find it difficult to understand what is now going on in Iran. We depend on the press to keep us informed and, even more than usual, the press let us down. As the streets of Iran filled with opposition Green demonstrators and the government forces who would try to beat them back, the world media barely reported anything out of the ordinary. What they did report, largely toed the government line. They played down the demonstrations, later calling them a "disappointing turnout" and a failure.

According to the tweets coming in throughout the day, however, the reporters had been warned against writing anything derogatory about Ahmadinejad or his speech. In fact, as of Wednesday, 63 foreign reporters had already been arrested, and the mainstream media representatives must have understood that the stakes were high and personal. They fell in line and reported the pap demanded by the Iranian government.

So on Thursday, when we should have been hearing about the demonstrations, we heard nothing, except what the Iranian government wanted us to hear, which was very little. But while the mainstream media was largely silent about what was happening in Iran, the real news came over Twitter in a flood of information. It was this newest form of electronic communication that kept us in the game, bringing us the news as it unfolded. Although many of the tweets were unverifiable, there was so much activity, with thousands of tweets coming over our Internet every few minutes, that it was possible to make sense out of most of it.

It was through Twitter, for example, that we heard about how Green Movement's elderly leaders Mehdi Karroubi, former president Mohammed Khatami, and Zahra Rahnavard, the popular wife of opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, had been beaten severely by Ahmadinejad's thugs. Tweeters reported that thousands of green supporters were pouring into the streets, and, significantly, that in some places, women were removing their head scarves, in defiance of laws which require them to keep their heads covered.

Another story, important in order to understand the context, reported interviews with people who helped to form the huge crowds of Iranians who came to support the government. They had been bribed with food and home goods and transported from long distances, to appear at the official demonstration in Teheran and show solidarity with the President and his regime.

Tweeters also reported that the official Iranian television, broadcasting Ahmadinejad's speech at Azadi Square in Teheran, may have used a filter to wash out the green color displayed by the large numbers of opposition demonstrators who were present in the square, in order to minimize their apparent numbers. They also said that videos being aired on official television of the assembled crowd, prior to his speech, were from another year, when the sky was blue, the weather warmer, and the crowd less hostile. It must have been a pretty obvious deception; this year the sky was overcast, the temperature was a bitter 37 degrees, and opposition was definitely in the air.

Ahmadinejad's speech was long and rambling. Someone tweeted that it seemed more like gossip than a speech to the nation. The "news" that had been promoted as "world changing" before the speech, was that Iran was now a nuclear nation, but the evidence he gave to back up his claim was either old news or just plain doubtful.

What really happened on Wednesday, February 11 was that an arrogant, psychotic, but extremely powerful dictator used all his resources to brutally clamp down on public opposition, even including the Western press in his oppressive tactics. The repression was harsh, violent, and calculated.

But despite Ahmadinejad's most cruel efforts, the groundswell in Iran is not likely to go away. This is a revolution that will appear in waves, and each wave will be larger and achieve more than the last. The first wave was memorialized by the brutal death of Neda, the beautiful young woman whose murder in the street was caught on camera and who became the symbol of that first wave of rebellion. The second wave happened this week.

I believe that it will ultimately be disclosed that our media has vastly under-reported what happened in Iran on February 11. We will find that there were many more people who responded to the call to come into the street and support the Greens than our media reported. That the media failed to do their job, leaving most of us in the dark, is a disgrace.

The Green movement did not expect to overturn the government on Wednesday, but they made a statement that will in time be heard around the world. I believe that the shaky government, led by a psychopathic megalomaniac, will ultimately fall because of the tenacity and courage of the Iranian people. Ahmadinejad's lies and threats will fail to gain him the power he craves, and, despite his dearest dreams, he will not conquer the world.

The people of Iran are angry and full of courageous energy. They will not give up. Perhaps it is best summed up in the words of a tweeter who wrote on February 12, "My people, Sooner or later, no matter what it takes, Iran will be free, a secular democratic nation."

Ilana Freedman is CEO and Director of Intelligence at Gerard Group International.

She has been a respected intelligence analyst of homeland security and business intelligence for over twenty years. For an interview or speaking engagement please call: 800-950-4213. For more information, please visit our website at www.gerardgroup.com

For continuing information about events in Iran, visit www.planet-iran.com

The following petition appears on-line to protest the brutal attack by government agents on non-violent citizens of Iran, whose only crime is to disagree and to protest the actions of their government.

The Islamic Republic of Iran under the Ahmadinejad administration and at the behest of Ayatollah Ali Khamenie is increasingly clinging to power through the use of repression and military force against all civil and constitutional laws of Iran.

The Iranian regime has engaged in all imaginable uncivil behavior and actions including outright killings, mass arrests, torture, and rape of Iranian citizens who have participated in peaceful civil demonstrations or in grieving for deaths of their loved ones.

Major media have reported that on Saturday and Sunday Iranian government security forces opened fire into crowds of protesters who gathered for commemoration of Tāuso'ā and Āshurā, killing at least 10 people, wounding 100s, and arresting over 1000 at this time. The use of violence against peaceful civilians exercising their human rights is against any international rule of conduct and against the Islamic Republics' own civil and constitutional laws.

This bloody, treacherous, inhumane, and unjust conduct of the Islamic Regime against demonstrators has been the bloodiest and the largest since the June 20th fraudulent presidential election. These violent episodes are rather sad indications of desperate attempts for survival by the government, tragic reminders of the pre-1979 indiscriminate shootings of demonstrators by the nearly falling Shah's regime and, if history is any consolation, these undoubtedly would fail as well. We, the undersigned:

· Unequivocally and vociferously condemn the use of violence, killings, and mass arrests of Iranians.

· Support the inalienable rights of Iranians and demand an immediate stop to the use of violence as well as arbitrary arrests.

· Wish to bring this urgent situation to the attention of the international community, civil rights, religious, and civic organizations around the world.

· Extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to all Iranians, especially families that have lost loved ones, and mourn their loss.

Debbie on February 12, 2010 at 10:30 AM in Current Affairs, Iran Watch, Politics, Religion, Terrorism, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Patient Evil e-book Chapter Sixty-Three

Patient Evil

An R.J. Godlewski and Right Truth Blog Exclusive eBook

Chapter Sixty-Three

Colonel Oleg Shuliakovskii’s entrance into the concrete block room, heralded by the faint sound of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik serenade as the rust-coated steel door swung open, typified the Russian’s ancestry. Born of a White Russian father and an East German mother, the blonde, blue-eyed soldier seemed composed of pure muscle and devotion to duty.

His limbs moved in cadence while his eyes never left the vicinity of the tall Arab sitting lotus style in the corner. That the guards’ vertebrae audibly snapped when they jerked to attention suggested to Muhammad that this was no mere colonel commanding their allegiance. The suspicion was confirmed when the intruder whispered a command to the far guard and the young solder leap over a small stool to depart for some unseen task, briefly permitting Mr. Mozart’s music to swirl yet again into the confines of the otherwise uncivilized room.

“My name is Colonel Shuliakovskii,” the gravelly-voiced Russian spoke as if introductions were a mere distraction, “and you are Muhammad ibn al-Ilah Talib."

The Arab remained silent, but stared directly at the muscular colonel’s piercing eyes.

“You are, as the Americans like to say, a hot commodity.” Shuliakovskii continued unconcerned. “I could receive fifty million American dollars for you right now – dead or alive – but we Russians are not interested in Yankee money. We print that much ourselves every day. Nor are we interested in the Americans’ concept of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’. If we want to possess certain information, we simply retrieve it. You see, even here in post-Soviet Russia we still do not care much about what the rest of the world thinks.

“I am not a diplomat. My job is to win wars and since the world is nearly always in conflict against one another, my trade is not affected by political opportunists or international courtesies of the type that plague the West.”

The colonel slowly orbited the room, first circling counterclockwise in a large, sweeping pace before hastening his retreat in the opposite direction while compressing the volume of his walk. Not once, however, did his gaze leave the Arab’s face.

“Of course, being an officer in the Russian army merely facilitates my real power.” Shuliakovskii continued. “A mere formality that has very little to do with commanding soldiers in battle. My superiors use me to extract the heretofore mentioned information and what I seek from you is of utmost importance.”

Muhammad’s own stare focused squarely upon the Russian’s pupils, but he remained silent.

Shuliakovskii’s pacing ceased abruptly. “Your people have a plan for unleashing a terrible destruction upon New York City using a large thermonuclear device. You, yourself, also have designs for attacking Jerusalem with a smaller but comparatively destructive weapon. What we need to ascertain is just how far along your operations are to maturation.”

Feigning disinterest for a few seconds, Muhammad slowly rose to his feet, straightening the wrinkles within his hospital tunic as if cleanliness mattered within the filthy space.

“We know about these plans because you had talked during your unfortunate medical condition.” The Russian emphasized the last words to hint that his prisoner had been drugged extensively.

“Unfortunately, you were not too cooperative. This suggests that your followers are working independently of your presence. To know for certain, we must dissect your thoughts carefully.”

The thought of mental dissection snagged the attention of the Arab and his posture stiffened measurably. His lips began to curl in upon one another and his nostrils twitched noticeably.

“That is correct.” Colonel Shuliakovskii barked. “I possess no patience for Muslims and less concern for Arabs. Your kind murdered my son while in Afghanistan and therefore you all must die. You might be willing to die for your Allah but before I am done with you, you will be worshipping my shitty underwear!”

Muhammad’s face turned a burnt umber in color as he glanced first towards the guard bearing the Bizon submachine gun and then quickly back towards the unapologetic colonel.

“We defeated you Russians,” Muhammad’s voice flowed out deeply and precisely as he leaned towards the offending Russian. “And we’re defeating the Americans…”

In a literal blinding flash, Colonel Shuliakovskii launched his right land straight towards the Arab’s face with his index and middle fingers protruding. The impact of his digits caught Muhammad’s left eyeball as each tore into the Arab’s optical socket between the orb and the bone of the skull.

Pinched securely between his fingers, Shuliakovskii violently extracted the organ from Muhammad’s face and yanked aggressively to snap the optical chords foaming with blood and body fluids before slamming the Arab’s eyeball onto the concrete floor with a nauseating splat.

As Muhammad staggered backwards with a suffocating cry, covering what remained of his face with his hands, Colonel Shuliakovskii crushed the wayward eyeball with his heavy right boot.

“This is what I think about Muslims,” the hoarse voiced colonel wiped the blood off his hand on the uniform of the remaining guard, before turning back towards the growling Arab. “You will now be able to see that I mean business…”

(In case you missed previous chapters of Patient Evil eBook, you can go here to the Patient Evil home page)

Debbie on February 12, 2010 at 08:42 AM in Books, Current Affairs, Military, Personal Responsibility, Politics, R.J. Godlewski, Religion, Terrorism, US News, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

February 11, 2010

Obama Dumber Than Palin, says Ted Rall

Let's set aside the fiction that public officials care about the country.

Let's accept an assumption that everyone else can get behind: Politicians are skilled at looking out for themselves.
By this low standard, Obama is dumber than dumb. We're not talking Dubya dumb. We're not even talking Sarahcuda dumb.
We're talking pulling-off-your-mask-so-the-clerk-of-the-bank-you're-robbing-can-hear-you dumb.
A year ago, Obama comes into office facing a global economic meltdown. Half a million jobs are vanishing each month. Millions of Americans have just lost their homes to foreclosure; millions more are on the chopping block. So what does he focus on?

Healthcare reform. [snip]
Things went wrong from the start. Mainly, this was because Obama was too dim to understand... (continue reading)

You can go read the entire article. I don't agree with the author on most of what he says, but I DO agree with him on Obama, ha. I love it.

Debbie on February 11, 2010 at 06:47 PM in Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Death Tax for Elderly in UK

Gordon Brown has refused to rule out a compulsory 'death tax' to pay for the care of elderly people who can no longer look after themselves. (The Telegraph)

Debbie on February 11, 2010 at 06:38 PM in World Scene | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Another Act of Defiance as Iran Marks Islamic Revolution Anniversary

Another Act of Defiance as Iran Marks Islamic Revolution Anniversary
via Realite EU.
As Iran again defies the will of the international community by evading all attempts to negotiate a deal that will suspend any nuclear weapons program on Thursday, February 11, Iran will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which marked the birth of the Islamic Republic and the end of Iran’s western-backed monarchy under the Shah. [1] The anniversary comes however, on the heels of the worst political crisis in the history of the Islamic Republic as opposition supporters accused the authorities of "fraudulently" re-electing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. [2]
The Iranian leadership is determined to maintain control of the streets on the anniversary, which represents one of the "most emotionally charged days in the Iranian calendar." In recent weeks, Iranian authorities have instigated a wave of arrests across the country in an effort to suppress and silence the political opposition as the Islamic Republic observes the anniversary of the revolution. [3]
On Tuesday (Feb. 9) Iran announced that it began to enrich high-grade uranium, which means enriching uranium to 20 percent purity level. By doing so Iran is ignoring all previously issued UN resolutions and all threats of possible new, wider sanctions coming from the international community. [4] As a result of Iran’s non-compliance with demands from world powers, US President Barack Obama said that the United States is developing a "significant regime of sanctions that will indicate to them how isolated they are from the international community as a whole." [5] He further said: "That [enriching high-grade uranium] indicates to us that despite their nuclear posturing that their nuclear power is only for civilian use that they in fact continue to pursue a course that would lead to weaponization. That is not acceptable to the international community." [6]
The most powerful Western European nations – France, Germany and Britain, as well as the United States are convinced that Iran’s regime is secretly developing nuclear weapons under the "camouflage of a civilian nuclear power program". [7] The US and France are leading a group calling for a "fourth, broader set of UN sanctions" and even Russia, which has been unwilling in the past to take a hard stance on Iran, said economic measures should be considered. [8]
The White House wants the new sanctions to be focused on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the government body believed to run Iran’s nuclear program. [9] White House officials are talking about a "systematic" effort to drive a "wedge" between Iran’s population and the IRGC. [10] The sanctions could include expanding travel bans for individuals and institutions that have close ties to Iran’s government and the IRGC. European states however, are more in favor of sanctions that target the banking sector and Iran’s financial and insurance market. [11] The US is trying to mobilize Arab and Asian states to join Europeans in cutting of financial transactions with front companies for the IRGC. [12]
Despite numerous resolutions issued by the UN Security Council as well as sanctions imposed by Europe, Iran continues to ignore all international actions designed to pressure it to stop its uranium enrichment program. Instead, the Islamic Republic called the sanctions illegal, [13] Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed them as a "childish idea and a big mistake" [14] and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran has "shown world powers they cannot block its nuclear progress." [15]

According to experts, the most serious ideas for strong effective sanctions are:

Freezing assets and issuing travel bans

In December 2009 Crédit Suisse was forced to pay 536 million dollars for helping clients in Iran (and elsewhere) conduct secret financial transactions. Crédit Suisse "established a business model to allow these rogue players access to U.S. dollars." [16] The Crédit Suisse fines are part of efforts to use the global financial system to pressure Iran to stop its nuclear weapons development program. [17]

In January 2009, the British Bank Lloyds TSB was fined 350 million dollars for aiding Iran and Sudan in evading US sanctions. [18] The sanctions were violated by Lloyd’s TSB which deliberately falsified wire transfers to disguise their origin, channeling Iranian (and Sudanese) money into the American banking system between 1995 and 2007.The US Justice Department said that between 1995 and 2007, Lloyd’s TSB routinely removed customer names, bank names and addresses from payments so that wire transfers would pass undetected through filters at US institutions.In a plea agreement, [19] Lloyd’s TSB admitted a single charge of violating the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The bank will serve a form of probation for two years. This was the biggest penalty ever issued for a breach of US sanctions. [20]
According to The Financial Times and Il Reformista, an Italian newspaper, the EU3 have issued a list of 34 Iranian entities and 10 individuals allegedly linked to Iran’s nuclear or biological weapons program. The list includes state-run organizations like the Sharif University of Technology, Iran Insurance Company, Iran Air Cargo, Iran Space Agency and Razi Institute for Serum and Vaccine Production. Six banks are also named, including Bank Tejarat. [21]

On March 13, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama extended one of the many sanctions against Iran imposed in 1995 under the Clinton administration because Tehran "dealt in terrorism and sought weapons of mass destruction." [22] The sanctions prohibit US companies from helping the development of the Iranian oil industry, trading or investing with the Islamic Republic. [23] Furthermore, Iran faces UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt its uranium enrichment program, which the Islamic regime ignored over the past five years. [24]

In March 2009, US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 11 companies linked to Iran’s Bank Melli, which play a major role in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. [25] Bank Melli is labeled as a "proliferator" by the US, the EU and Australia for its role in Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. "The international community has recognized the proliferation risks posed by Iran’s Bank Melli. We will continue to take steps to protect the integrity of the international financial system by exposing the banks, companies, and individuals supporting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs," Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey said. [26] Bank Melli provides financial services for Iranian front companies and entities engaged in proliferation activities. Bank Melli has also facilitated the purchase of sensitive materials used by Iran’s nuclear and missile industries and has handled transactions for other designated Iranian entities, such as Bank Sepah, Defense Industries Organization and Shahid Hammat Industrial Group. [27]
In July 2009 the EU announced that it will not release the assets of Bank Melli because of the sanctions imposed against Iran. A Luxembourg-based court on behalf of the EU said : "Freezing of the funds of entities owned or controlled by an entity engaging in nuclear proliferation is necessary and appropriate in order to ensure effectiveness of the measures adopted." [28]

More than 2 billion US dollars allegedly held on behalf of Iran in Citigroup Inc. accounts were ordered frozen by a US court in 2008. This appears to be the biggest seizure of Iranian assets abroad since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on December 11, 2009 said: "I think that you are going to see some significant additional sanctions imposed by the international community." [29]

Prevent arms sales to Iran

Iran has an "antiquated missile defense system, dating back to the 1960’s and 1970’s." [30] Iran has therefore decided to increase its military capabilities through domestic and international sources. In 2006, the United States called on all countries to stop arms exports to Iran. [31]

In March 2007, the UN Security Council imposed a round of sanctions against Iran, leading to a ban on arms sales and expanding the freeze on assets. The resolution imposes a strict import and export ban on Iranian weapons, stating that: "Iran shall not supply, sell or transfer directly or indirectly from its territory or by its nationals or using its flag vessels or aircraft any arms or related materiel, and that all States shall prohibit the procurement of such items from Iran by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and whether or not originating in the territory of Iran." [32]

UN diplomats have said that since Iran is already under sanctions, the most the UN committee could do at this time was try to embarrass Tehran as much as possible. [33]

In November 2009, Jacques Monsieur, a Belgian arms dealer faced maximum prison sentence for illegally exporting jet engines and parts from the US to Iran. [34]

On March 18, 2009, a defense official in the Federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service confirmed that Russia and Iran signed a contract enabling Russia to sell S-300 air-defense missiles to Iran. One month before, Russia froze the sale of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. [35] Russian media had previously reported that Iran sought to buy Russian surface-to-air S-300 missiles. [36] The S-300 is one of the most sophisticated missile systems in the world [37] and supplying it to Iran would "markedly change the military balance in the Middle."
Naval blockade targeting refined oil

While it is the second largest oil exporter within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and possesses the world’s second largest natural gas reserves, Iran does not have enough oil refineries, which is why Iran needs to "re-import its own oil once refined". [38] The BBC reported: "the strongest tool in the armory of the U.S. and Europe may be to impose an embargo on petrol sales to Iran." [39] A naval blockade on Iran would prevent the Islamic Republic from importing refined oil. This would have a huge impact on Iran’s economy and would be "virtually crippling the Islamic Republic’s infrastructure." [40] According to Olivier Guitta from the "Middle East Times", since sanctions and resolutions have not proved effective, the "only weapon that can avert a war" with Iran is to use an energy blockade as a last resort. [41] 85% of Iran’s revenue comes from oil. [42] Iran therefore has two vulnerabilities within its system: Not only is the country dependent on oil for financial reasons but it also needs to get its own refined oil. Embargos or naval blockades would obviously endanger Iran’s stability. A possible international export ban of "refined petroleum products to Iran, coupled with an embargo" on the oil that Iran is exporting every day, could “jeopardize the regime," writes Guitta. [43] In October 2008, US President Obama said: "If we can prevent them [Iranians] from importing the gasoline that they need, and the refined petroleum products, that starts changing their cost-benefit analysis. That starts putting the squeeze on them." [44]

On December 16, 2009, the US House of Representatives approved the Iran sanctions bill, imposing sanctions on foreign companies that help supply fuel to Iran. The bill is a measure to punish the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program and permits President Barack Obama to impose sanctions on firms that directly provide Iran with fuel. [45] Obama administration officials said that the move to impose sanctions against Iran will begin in January 2010. [46]
References below the fold...

Continue reading "Another Act of Defiance as Iran Marks Islamic Revolution Anniversary" »

Debbie on February 11, 2010 at 09:13 AM in Iran Watch, World Scene | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

Give Me the Ball! Entitlement in the Political Field

By Paul A. Ibbetson

Hardly a day goes by that we do not hear about a famous sports player breaking societal rules for his or her own personal deviant desires. Whether it is marital infidelity, unscrupulous financial dealings, or just the case of the sensationalized beloved being jerks to their followers, there is an undeniable trend that some believe that all is owed to them no questions asked.

Of course this is not just a phenomenon predominant in the sports industry. It is a mental state of mind that brings about the arrogant belief of entitlement, the idea that a person deserves everything at once just for being who they are despite their personal actions. Cases of entitlement gone bad at times catch the public’s attention with out-of-control sports figures, those who fail to conform to team rules and create general chaos on and off the field, and then complain that they were not given their fair share of time to play, bonus dollars to perform, or face time in front of the camera.

The transition from sports to politics is made easily by listening to the actual architect of the entitlement philosophy (the modern day liberal). Even today, the microphones are still warm from the liberal breath of former Bill Clinton political mouthpiece James Carville and his statements that allude to entitlement. Carville said about this year’s Super Bowl that other than people living in Indianapolis, anyone who did not root for the New Orleans Saints was less of a human being. With his snappy Cajun style of banter, Carville fused the New Orleans Saints football team with years of economic and racial inequality to frame a football team that Americans should not just support because of love of team, but because they deserve to win because they are who they are, entitled.

This same bold challenge to defy the entitled at the ballot box was recently thrust at Scott Brown in his historic upset win in Massachusetts. Liberals found it distasteful that a Republican would have the audacity to even run in an election on a ballot that once held the name of Ted Kennedy. We see the same entitlement mentality on the defiant lips of people like Bertha Lewis from the infamous brothel-builders at ACORN. The idea that their organization should be punished with investigative probes or withdrawn governmental funding is a foreign concept that has no potential to become a reality, because in the minds of the entitled, they are deserving of the rewards they receive simply by their state of existence.

Whether it is the million-dollar crybabies that derail great sports teams, or the loudmouth politicians that throw away party voting majorities, or anywhere it is found in society, the entitlement mentality will continue to be a destructive force. While the “entitled” of the world are doomed to their own self-designed demise, their effect can be minimized if we educate the next generation to reject this flawed, destructive mindset. For the future of our youth, we must reject the notion to allow entitlement to continue despite the volume with which we are instructed otherwise. We must take the time to show our children why liberalism itself creates such negative by-products as entitlement, and highlight the ever-present examples of individuals who go down in flames clutching blindly to entitlement as though it will save them. Despite the pervasive nature of entitlement within the culture today, it is not unachievable to create a future where success and all the adulations that come with it are based on what one does by his or her own hand, and not through the blind fallacies of entitlement.

Debbie on February 11, 2010 at 08:50 AM in Current Affairs, Economy, Paul A. Ibbetson, Politics, US News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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