Judeopundit: May 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Improving Job-prospects for Polar Bear Chorus

Here's an interesting development:

First it was the film and the book. Now the next stop for Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is opera.

La Scala officials say the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera on the international multiformat hit for the 2011 season at the Milan opera house. The composer is currently artistic director of the Arena in Verona. [...]

It doesn't seem like such promising material for an opera. Don't you need some sort of conventional dramatic plot-line with characters? You could have a heroine who gets skin-cancer and who spends the whole second act dying, I suppose. Will the hero be big Al? Where will they find a tenor with the proper girth? If only Pavarotti were here . . . (Hat Tip: Discarded Lies)

Friday, May 30, 2008

Gut Shabbos!

Sorry about the infrequent posting lately. I have been involved in a secret writing project related to Zionist world domination. This situation may continue through Shavuot, but I will try to keep a hand in. Gut Shabbos!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

"Blasphemous" exam question leads to "seething"

This is from Tehran Times although an identically worded article appears in several Indian news sites. Is the reader here presumed to be unwilling to endure knowing what the question was?

The Muslim Organizations in India have launched strong protest and demanded action against a Professor who set a blasphemous question in the History Paper of MA in Ranchi University.

Despite passage of three weeks, Muslim residents of Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkand, are seething in rage and demanding to know the identity of the professor who committed blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The language used in the paper so incensed the Muslim students that they immediately assembled in large numbers and attacked the university building where the examination was being held. Police had to resort to baton-charge to bring the situation under control and tension prevailed in the city where communal rioting was feared.

Later delegations from the Muslim community met the administration and university officials to demand action against the perpetrator of the crime. The university officials refused to disclose the name of the culprit who set the inflammatory question, for reasons of his personal security even though he had been debarred from the examiner panel.

Coming in the wake of blasphemous occurrences in Holland and Denmark, framing of a blasphemous question, totally irrelevant to the course of study, is indicative of the insensitivity shown to religious feelings of the 15 percent Muslim segment of the Indian population, opine observers.

In case you are wondering what the question was, here is the Chronicle of Higher Education:

According to a local newspaper, the question on a master’s history exam was: "Prophet Muhammad began his career as a trader and ended as a raider. Comment."

Monday, May 26, 2008

Firas Press: "Violent clashes between Hamas and Islamic Jihad"

This has the usual garbled bits due to auto-translation, but it's interesting stuff:

jeeps raided dozens of Hamas yesterday afternoon Tuffah region east of Gaza City and devastated the region and destructive arrogance after violent clashes took place between members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad elements to control the backdrop of a mosque in the neighbourhood.

She said well-informed local sources and eyewitnesses that violent clashes erupted between members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad elements used sticks and stones and evolved to the use of arms by members of Hamas and against a background of Hamas attempt to control the mosque Golan location Islamic Jihad movement since its inception.

The sources said that members of Hamas forces called in the executive and Qassam that attended the venue in large numbers and attacked elements of Islamic Jihad who inevitably assaulted a mosque as some cadres of the Fatah movement who they may be the place, Israeli forces shot and attacking some members of Islamic Jihad and Fatah movement, also attacked in their homes to some Citizens who they may be the place and tried to reform among members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The sources pointed out that some elements are still online Qassam Mosque near Joulani disputed between Hamas and Jihad, which had been threatening renewed clashes between them.

Mention that the elements of Hamas trying to control the Golan Heights since Mosque years

According to another current Firas headline: "Iran provides Hamas sophisticated communications network and canned 'EEP'." See EOZ for a write-up this story based on a different source.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Jimmy Carter tries to think of reasons why Israel might want to limit the flow of arms into Gaza, can't think of one

Jimmy Carter's moral dementia has progressed considerably. From AFP:

Former US president Jimmy Carter on Sunday described Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip as "one of the greatest human rights crimes now existing on Earth."

Israel provides fuel to Gaza even as the Gazans mount attacks on the facilities and workers providing the fuel. It can't stomach taking rigorous enough action to stop Hamas from making good on its threat to make Sderot into a "ghost town," and it is tolerating an Iran-funded arms-buildup in Gaza while Iran announces almost daily that Israel is about to be destroyed. One has to wonder what other great "human rights crimes" "exist" on the Jimmy Carter Earth. Keeping Carlos the Jackal in prison?

In a speech at a literary festival in Hay-on-Wye, in Wales, the 83-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner said: "There is no reason to treat these people this way," referring to the blockade, in place since the Islamist Hamas movement seized Gaza in June 2007 . . .

Earlier this month, Carter held two meetings in Damascus with exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal. Both the United States and the European Union regard Hamas as a terrorist group, despite its victory in the 2006 elections, and refuse to talk to the radical movement.

Since then, both Palestinian and Israeli officials have tried to downplay the importance of the meetings.

Despite Carter's Nobel prize--that must be constantly born in mind.

Carter also said the United States had to begin holding direct talks with Iran over the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing a nuclear bomb, despite Tehran's denials.

"We need to talk to Iran now, and continue our discussions with Iran, to let Iran know the benefits, and the detrimental side, of continuing with their nuclear programme," he said.

If only we could explain the benefits of their nuclear program to them.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Revelers perform sprightly machine-gun dance to celebrate impending end of "security chaos"

I'm too polite to wonder, of course, if this may actually portend the continuation of security chaos. From Al-Hayat Al-Jedida courtesy of Google Language Tools:

Muhaned Jadou - Dhiab said Major General Ali "Abu Al-Fath" Commander of the National Security Forces in the northern governorates, the public security forces, up day and night in order to serve our people in various shades and colors, stressing that the security plan was not directed against any party, But aimed at ending the security chaos phenomenon in the governorate of Jenin.

This came during a speech Brigade "Abu Al-Fath", during the festival organized by the Mass yesterday, the People's Committee of the services in the Jenin refugee camp, Fatah and Events camp, support and supports the efforts of security agencies in implementing the security plan "smile and hope" to impose the rule Public law and order in the governorate of Jenin. He saluted the brigade "Abu Al-Fath" and those who attend the festival, said that this festival important step to unify Palestinian ranks, and devote all efforts to build a strong society capable of building and development, on the road to establishing an independent Palestinian state.

He thanked Major General "Abu Al-Fath" All delegates, events and personalities for their solidarity and would stand together with public security forces and support in implementing the security plan "smile and hope" to impose law and order in the governorate of Jenin.

Ah, the audacity of hope.

Update: You'll feel like doing a sprightly machine-gun dance when you check out the blog-carnival equivalents of security plan "smile and hope." The "smile" aspect is amply covered by Carnival of the Insanities. In keeping with the insanity theme, you also might drool a bit. On the hope front, Frume Sarah is making a hopeful debut as host of Haveil Havalim.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Firas News: "Killing a child in a suspicious object exploded in Gaza"

Work Accident?

Firas Press: Palestinian medical sources announced this afternoon in the killing of innocent children Astal 12 years by a mysterious explosion east of Khan Younis civilian in southern Gaza. Dr. Atef whale reception manager at Nasser Hospital Khan Yunis access child dead by the explosion of a suspicious object east of the town Khan Younis in the place where he was playing.

"Rodong Sinmun Calls for Heightened Vigilance against 'Liberty' and 'Democracy' Touted by Imperialists"

(North) Korean News keeps churning out this stuff--the world's most self-defeating propaganda, making ever greater leaps into a realm beyond caricature on a daily basis:

The world progressive people should not be taken in by "liberty and democracy" of aggressive nature much publicized by the imperialists but wage a dynamic struggle for genuine freedom and democracy.

Rodong Sinmun today urges this in a signed article.

It is sheer hypocrisy for the imperialists to claim that a capitalist society is a "free world" allegedly giving people all sorts of freedom, the article notes, and goes on:

This is nothing but a foolish attempt to keep mankind from longing for socialism and create illusion about capitalism among people in a bid to westernize the world.

The imperialists' loudmouthed "liberty and democracy" is a slogan for aggression and interference to realize their ambition for world domination.

"Liberty" and "democracy" advertised by the U.S. are the keynote of the strategy for "peaceful transition" to capitalism. By touting "liberty" the U.S. seeks to raise the wave of bourgeois liberalization in other countries in a bid to prod the people of those countries into expressing suspicion and distrust in their own systems and offering resistance against them and make the jungle law governing the struggle for existence prevail in a society where one is allowed to live and behave as one pleases and sacrifice others for oneself. Its ultimate aim is to bring down the systems of those countries.

Failure to maintain vigilance against "liberty" and "democracy" advertised by the imperialists may entail irrevocable grave consequences. The world progressives should draw a lesson from the miserable plight of those countries where the destiny of the country and the nation is being trifled with due to the wave of "liberalization" spread by the imperialists and heighten vigilance against "liberty and democracy" advertised by them.

Now the imperialists regard "freedom" of thinking as an important means to destabilize and degenerate socialist countries. They are spreading bourgeois idea and culture, talking about "freedom" of thinking. They have gone the lengths of using intelligence institutions and other plot-breeding organizations for spreading bourgeois idea and culture in socialist countries and, at the same time, pressurizing them to accept "freedom" of thinking, attaching political and economic strings. They thus seek to spread bourgeois idea and culture worldwide in an effort to realize their ambition for world domination with ease. This is precisely the reason why the revolutionary people should intensify ideological education to prevent the ideological and cultural poisoning of the imperialists and defend the socialist cause.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

That's about it for Bananas

The Independent's Johann Hari, author of a particularly fragrant editorial about Israel, is back, and he has cast himself in the role of the Ahmadinejad of the banana.

Below the headlines about rocketing food prices and rocking governments, there lays a largely unnoticed fact: bananas are dying. The foodstuff, more heavily consumed even than rice or potatoes, has its own form of cancer. It is a fungus called Panama Disease, and it turns bananas brick-red and inedible.

There is no cure. They all die as it spreads, and it spreads quickly. Soon – in five, 10 or 30 years – the yellow creamy fruit as we know it will not exist. The story of how the banana rose and fell can be seen a strange parable about the corporations that increasingly dominate the world – and where they are leading us . . .

The "rise" part is interesting, but we'll skip to more doom:

Not long after Panama Disease first began to kill bananas in the early 20th century, United Fruit's scientists warned the corporation was making two errors. They were building a gigantic monoculture. If every banana is from one homogenous species, a disease entering the chain anywhere on earth will soon spread. The solution? Diversify into a broad range of banana types.

The company's quarantine standards were also dire. Even the people who were supposed to prevent infection were trudging into healthy fields with disease-carrying soil on their boots. But both of these solutions cost money – and United Front didn't want to pay. They decided to maximise their profit today, reckoning they would get out of the banana business if it all went wrong.

So by the 1960s, the Gros Michel that United Fruit had packaged as The One True Banana was dead. They scrambled to find a replacement that was immune to the fungus, and eventually stumbled upon the Cavendish. It was smaller and less creamy and bruised easily, but it would have to do.

But like in a horror movie sequel, the killer came back. In the 1980s, the Cavendish too became sick. Now it too is dying, its immunity a myth. In many parts of Africa, the crop is down 60 percent. There is a consensus among scientists that the fungus will eventually infect all Cavendish bananas everywhere. There are bananas we could adopt as Banana 3.0 – but they are so different to the bananas that we know now that they feel like a totally different and far less appetising fruit. The most likely contender is the Goldfinger, which is crunchier and tangier: it is known as "the acid banana".[...]

Groovy.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

IRIB: Upcoming "Israel's End conference" in Iran

This is the featured story at IRIB at the moment. They're big on holding international conferences in Iran:

IRI's Justice Seeking University Students Movement and University Students Basij Organization will jointly hold International Conference of "Israel's End" on May 26th, 2008.

According to public relations of the above mentioned Students Movement, the timing of the conference is adjusted to coincide with the sad 60th anniversary of Palestine's occupation by the Zionists (Nakba).

The guests of the conference that would be attended by Iranian and foreign students of universities in Tehran will be intellectuals and university professors from Egypt, Venezuela, Morocco, Lebanon, Indonesia, America, Pakistan, Argentina, India, Iraq, Syria, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, France, Tunisia, and a number of other countries.

Supporting the Palestinian nation's righteous liberation movement and signs of the illegitimate Zionist regime's upcoming downfall are among the topics would be discussed in the international conference.

I wonder who those "intellectuals" from America will be.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

New York Times discovers high incidence of Obamically incorrect thoughts among aged Jews

This exploration of new Journalistic horizons is called "Many Florida Jews Express Doubts on Obama." Obama is obviously the kind of candidate favored by the NY Times, and the Times editorial staff demonstrates boundless condescension when the subject of retired Jews comes up. Maybe the retirees are onto something.

At the Aberdeen Golf and Country Club on Sunday, the fountains were burbling, the man-made lakes were shining, and Shirley Weitz and Ruth Grossman were debating why Jews in this gated neighborhood of airy retirement homes feel so much trepidation about Senator Barack Obama . . .

Mr. Obama is Arab, Jack Stern’s friends told him in Aventura. (He’s not.)

He is a part of Chicago’s large Palestinian community, suspects Mindy Chotiner of Delray. (Wrong again.)

Mr. Wright is the godfather of Mr. Obama’s children, asserted Violet Darling in Boca Raton. (No, he’s not.)

Al Qaeda is backing him, said Helena Lefkowicz of Fort Lauderdale (Incorrect.)

Michelle Obama has proven so hostile and argumentative that the campaign is keeping her silent, said Joyce Rozen of Pompano Beach. (Mrs. Obama campaigns frequently, drawing crowds in her own right.)

Mr. Obama might fill his administration with followers of Louis Farrakhan, worried Sherry Ziegler. (Extremely unlikely, given his denunciation of Mr. Farrakhan.) [...]

If you say so.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Ramattan: "Gazans distribute pollution masks"

This is just sad on so many levels.

Palestinian college students in Gaza on Wednesday distributed pollutions masks to pedestrians the city.

The volunteering students said that they try to participate in protecting people from the severe pollution in Gaza resulted in the use of cocking [sic] oil for vehicles as a result of lack of fuel.

"We support using alternatives if we don’t have petrol but we can't allow using something to harm our health like cocking [sic] oil," one of the student told RNA.

Several reports issued by Human rights organizations in Gaza warned of the use of cocking [sic] oil for cars, asserting that it causes cancer.

I didn't know cars could get cancer.

Update: EOZ discovers another health-hazard associated with the Gaza fuel shortage.

"Brilliant Juche-Oriented Architecture"

The Dear Leader is an expert on everything, as you probably know. In a current item from (North) Korean News we learn that architecture, too, can be Juche. What are the "revolutionary essence and characteristics of socialist architecture"? Something to do with gaudy monuments to Kim Senior:

The architectural art of the DPRK is on the road of steady development under the guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

On May 21, Juche 80 (1991), he made public the famous work "The Theory on Architectural Art" by consummating the achievements and experiences accumulated in the 1970s and 1980s when he ushered in a great heyday in architecture.

In the work he propounds an original idea on the essence and characteristics of architecture, especially on the revolutionary essence and characteristics of socialist architecture, Juche-oriented one.

And he clarifies anew the principle and theory on architectural creation and theory on architecture and guidance which should be maintained consistently by the parties of the working class in architectural practice.

The validity and vitality of the work have been convincingly proved after its publication.

Notably, the new history of the architecture for the immortality of the leader is attributable to the outstanding architectural idea and wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.

Determined to see President Kim Il Sung lying in state and add eternal shine to the President's revolutionary feats, he took care that the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the supreme sacred temple of Juche, was refurbished as the typical model of the architecture for the immortality of the leader.

All the structural elements and decorations of the palace give an excellent architectural depiction of the faith of the Korean soldiers and people to always hold the President in high esteem.

Under the energetic guidance of Kim Jong Il, towers for the President's immortality inscribed with the words of confidence of the Korean people "Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Will Always Be With Us" have been erected in all parts of the country and the Monument to the Founding of the Party and the Monument to the Victorious Battle in Musan Area have been built as grand monumental edifices in the Songun era to convey the revolutionary exploits of the President down through generations.

The area of Mt. Paektu which bears brilliant marks of the revolutionary history of the President has been converted into a socialist fairyland of the Songun era.

Such new architectures as the e-library of Kim Chaek University of Technology and Kim Won Gyun Pyongyang Conservatory and the recently rebuilt Moranbong Theater, East Pyongyang Grand Theater and Taedongmun Cinema demonstrate the advantages of the Juche-oriented architectural idea and theory put forward by Kim Jong Il.

Sudan Dictator: "Iran's strength is our strength."

It's a wonderful day for an Axis-hood. From IRIB:

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday condemned reble attacks on the Sudanese nation and called on the Sudanese people to keep resistance and patience until the crises were resolved.

The President made the encouragement in a phone conversation with his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir.

Ahmadinejad said the enemies of the Sudanese naiotn are unhappy that the country was pursuing Islamic beliefs.

"Enemies of free nations should know that they will not get any benefit from such inhumane measures," he added.

IRI President also said that the two nations of Iran and Sudan were enjoying progressive bilateral relations.

President Ahmadinejad expressed hope that the next joint commission of the two countries to be held in Khartum would be helpful to promote their mutual ties.

Omar al-Bashir for his part thanked President Ahmadinejad for his attention to Sudan's affairs.

"We have enemies. However, we have also many fighters who are able to confront them powerfully," Bashir affirmed.

"Our enemies will keep their enemity until we abandon our religion. However, we will show them we are adherent to our religious beliefs," Sudanese President vowed.

He wished greatness, dignity and strenght for the Islamic Republic of Iran and said "Iran's strength is our strength."

North Korea develops Pesach Cake

Better than starving, but not by much:

Han Tok Su Pyongyang University of Light Industry has developed the technology for producing raw potato farina and applied it to industrial production.

The farina is made by the method of dehydrating and drying potato in a certain temperature before grinding. Its production method and process are simple compared with those of making starch and boiled potato farina. Its energy consumption is lower and its actual extraction rate is higher than others.

The raw potato farina is also good for health as it keeps most of the nutritive substances even after production.

An analysis shows that it contains not a small amount of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and PP the starch does not have.

Having 56.47 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, raw potato farina food for a meal is enough for people to take vitamin C needed for activity.

It, with various kinds of mineral matters such as K, Na and Mg, is used as raw material for cooking various foodstuffs.

The taste of the noodle, cake, bread, pancake, dumpling, fried dish and others made of the farina is as good as those made of rice or wheat flour.

Cooks and housewives unanimously say that the farina can be cooked like wheat flour and its food is tasty.

Let's not get carried away.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Press TV (Iran): "Saudi-Israeli plot against Hezbollah"

Conspiracy of the day:

Former Saudi Ambassador to the US Prince Bandar bin Sultan 'has asked Israeli premier Ehud Olmert to take steps against Hezbollah'.

Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan has formally requested Olmert to deploy Israeli troops along its borders with Lebanon to intimidate Hezbollah into stopping its moves against Lebanese PM Fouad Siniora, the Israel website Filkka reported Wednesday.

Bandar bin Sultan travelled to occupied territories and asked Olmert to do what was necessary to support Siniora, the report added. He also offered to fund any Israeli war against Hezbollah, according to the report.

Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert who face charges over a bribery case, said that he could not wage a war on behalf of Saudi Arabia, but he would discuss the issue with Israeli officials.

The World Arrogance has also been active on the Blogging Front. World Arrogance Psy-Ops are detailed at the suspicious Carnival of Insanities while the usurper Zionist entity attempts to deploy the Ima in order to block the development of the Ummah with Haveil Havalim 166.

Some Nakbalogy and Nakbalotry from Joseph Massad

Massad's latest, via Al-Ahram, is a sort of giant invocation to the Palestinian deity Nakba. He asks, "What are the political stakes in reifying the Nakba as a past event, in commemorating it annually, in bowing before its awesome symbolism?" The mistake, according to Massad, is failing to realize that the Nabka lives. "The Nakba is in fact much older than 60 years," Massad explains, "and it is still with us, pulsating with life and coursing through history . . . " When does the Nakba properly begin?

I hold that the Nakba is a historical epoch that is 127 years old and is ongoing. The year 1881 is the date when Jewish colonisation of Palestine started and, as everyone knows, it has never ended.

This business of discovering the beginning of relevant history is an important part of the Nakbalogist project. What about the various 19th century Arab plunderings and the 1837 earthquake in Safed, the site of the first printing press in the Ottoman empire, events that led, along with some pre-Zionist aliyot, to the establishment of a Jewish majority in Jerusalem before Massad's magical cut-off date? Never mind--we live in the age not of history, but of narratives. The Palestinian one is the Nakba and not only does history not begin until 1881, it never progresses beyond 1881. As Massad explains "Much as the world would like to present Palestinians as living in a post-Nakba period, I insist that we live thoroughly in Nakba times." Massad also makes a great deal of the fact that "Nakba" is a Semitic word with a three-letter-root:

While the Nakba has been translated into English as "catastrophe", "disaster", or "calamity", these translations do not fully grasp the active ramifications of its Arabic meanings. The Nakba as an act committed by Zionism and its adherents against Palestine and the Palestinians has rendered the Palestinians " mankubin ". English does not help much in translating mankubin, unless we can stretch the language a bit and call Palestinians a catastrophe-d or disaster-ed people.

Of course, what Massad is doing with the word is perfectly intelligible in Hebrew, but anything Jewish having to do with Palestine must be held to be Colonialist, and Colonialism doesn't involve three-letter-roots. How menuchevet!

To the Nakbalogist, the Arabness of Palestinians is a sore-point:

The survival of the Palestinians after the Nakba started, and despite its assiduous efforts to efface them, has made the Nakba a less than successful Zionist victory. It is in this context that Israel's insistence on calling Palestinian citizens in Israel "Israeli Arabs" is designed to silence their Palestinian-ness. Zionism's insistence that Palestinian refugees be settled and given the nationality of their host countries is aimed also to erase their name.

Perhaps I can't object to this point since the converse is certainly true--insistence on the name "Palestinian" is obviously meant to erase the "Arabness" of Palestinans and hence their kinship with other Arabs. How else could one describe one born and grown old among his linguistic and religious kinsmen as a "refugee," a non-participant in the triumphs of Arab-nationalism but rather one of the eternal "mankubin"?

Nakbalogists who think they have English readers uncomprehending of three-letter-roots almost never suggest any actual post-Nakba reality. The post-Nakba reality, of course, involves the end of the ancient Jewish presence in the Middle East, something that a narrative of eternal Nakba inflicted by Jews on Palestinian victims could never admit. Massad accordingly treats us to a thoroughly dishonest non-admission:

Palestinians are often reminded that "much greater" peoples than they have opted for self-displacement from countries that denied them rights to a country that granted them rights, namely European Jews themselves who came to visit the Nakba upon the Palestinians. If Palestinians in Israel want to remain in Israel, they must accept the normalcy of the Nakba and must acquiesce in their new status as mankubin who cannot and will never have equal rights with Jews. Their refusal of the effects of the Nakba is what makes Palestinian citizens of Israel want to reverse its effects by calling on Israel to repeal its racist laws and become an Israeli, rather than a Jewish, state.

Palestinians would accept an "Israeli" state, a Medinat Yisrael? Oh well, Nakbalogists are nothing if not conceptually agile.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Pal Petrol Authority: Don't shoot missiles at Israelis providing us with fuel--they might "fabricate pretexts" to cut shipments

Follow that reasoning? From Ramattan:

Mujahid Salama, Chairman of Petrol Authority, warned Palestinian military factions from the consequences of continuing to target crossings with rockets.

Mujahid said that these rockets could cause a humanitarian crisis if the Israeli authorities reduce the quantities of fuel as a result.

He warned the military factions not to enable Israel to fabricate pretexts to reduce the quantities of fuel shipments for Gaza as it threatens the work of hospitals, schools, universities, and other vital sectors.

Israel closed the fuel terminal because of an attack by Palestinian militants which claimed the lives of two Israelis.

And there's a whole world of Israeli targets they can blast away at without jeopardizing their fuel supply at all.

IRNA: "Islamic world urged to stand against Western-style human rights"

In which we learn that "only 20 percent of the international documents signed by Iran on human rights, were different, in words, from Islamic concepts." I wonder what is included in the 20 percent--freedom of speech? From IRNA:

Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of Iran's Judiciary Mohammad-Javad Larijani called on all Islamic states on Thursday to stand against the Western-style human rights.

Addressing a local gathering of judiciary officials, Larijani criticized the West's interpretation from the human rights.

He stated that after the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the country committed to fulfill international undertakings on human rights.

Iran has decided to fulfill those international commitments in accordance to its interest as an Islamic country, stressed the official.

He explained, "Tehran's strategy is to conform international commitments on human rights to the Islamic concepts and then enforce" them nationwide.

According to Larijani, only 20 percent of the international documents signed by Iran on human rights, were different, in words, from Islamic concepts.

"80 percent of international documents signed by Iran on the human rights issue are not literally different from Islamic principles," Larijani said.

Latest Cartoon at Arab News

In the great tradition of Der Stürmer:

Here is the link to the image.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

How to sound like you're writing in all caps, even when you're not

A pro-Hillary guest post at the Taylor Marsh blog takes issue with a number of other bloggers sympathetic to Obama, including one who writes that "it's probably too much to ask" for Obama to comment on "the often-sexist viciousness Clinton has faced." "Grey" replies:

That is astonishingly wrong, and all the more disappointing since it comes from Walsh who, normally, gets it just about right. A "contentious" campaign is neither a reason nor an excuse not to address sexism, just as it gives no cover not to address racism, something Sen. Clinton, also in the middle of a "contentious" campaign, has done, and several times, just as she should have. Has it occurred to anyone that one of the reasons the campaign has been so contentious is that the chauvinism has run rampant and unchecked? Sen. Obama has not only not addressed sexism, but benefited from its ill-effects and engaged in some of his own; giving him a hall pass on it because he's busy and tired is shocking.

Someone else criticizes Clinton for undermining Democratic chances by attacking the "presumtive nominee" and elicits this:

Look, you ludicrous, pseudo intellectual, self-promoting, pontificating, meandering quack: this is a political campaign, not a bluegrass revival, okay? Clinton is running for President and, as a candidate, she has every right to question her opponent, his positions and his deficiencies, of which there are many. It is not her job to make Obama glimmer so you can adore him a little more, nor is it her responsibility to make what is unsavory about him palatable to the masses. It is wholly and absurdly disingenuous to act as though the Republicans would have no idea how to go about beating him if only it weren't for Clinton, passing them notes during class. Give me a break already, and grow the hell up.

Let that be a writing lesson to you: use too many figures of speech, especially the structural ones like paradiastole ("nor is it" etc.), and you will come across as someone who is about to have an aneurysm. (Hat tip: memeorandum)

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

IRNA: Electoral College "creates an appropriate environment for Jews"

A new article from Gholam Waltmearjanstani:

On May 14 1948, Israel declared independence after occupying Palestinian territories. The new Israeli government needed international recognition and support to maintain its existence.

At the time, the United States, one of the two super powers after the World War II, immediately recognized the newly established Israeli government. The then US president Harry Truman explaining reasons for Washington's move -- although it could impact US ties with oil-rich Arab countries -- said that Jews would have more votes than Arabs in future US presidential elections.

Truman's move easily indicates the impact of Jewish lobby in the US power system, particularly foreign policy, and also shows a kind of tradition in American presidential elections since 1948.

Successors of Truman are still following up this tradition, after 60 years of the foundation of Israel.

In this regard, following points are interesting to know:
1) A belief of the Jewish influence on the American presidential elections has become a tradition in the US, given the fact that Truman emphasized it as a general rule, and his successors attached much more importance to the rule, as is clearly seen in the current presidential elections.

2) According to the US federal constitution, the president and vice president are elected based on a system known as 'Electoral College' in which any candidate who receives half plus one of the whole 538 votes will become president.

The system creates an appropriate environment for Jews as 89 percent of them reside in 12 states which have the highest representation in the Electoral College.

3) Americans have a low political participation, while Jews massively participate in various elections -- sometimes Jewish participation reaches 90 percent -- and draws the attention of presidential candidates.

In addition to a high political participation, Jews having a strong hand in financial, media and campaigning can easily act in favor of or against any candidate.

Jews spend huge amount of money in the campaign for their favorite candidate, while other American classes cannot afford this.

Just the liberal Jews. Frum Jews spend all their money on Yeshiva tuition.

4) Given Israel's position in the US foreign policy, presidential candidates have to keep in mind Israeli interests when they campaign for presidency, and they have to define their future policies in accordance with Israel's interests in the Middle East and the world too. That is why the candidates spare no effort in this regard, especially when the issue of the 60th anniversary of Israel's foundation is there; otherwise any candidate's ignoring Israel and issues related to it is tantamount to turning a blind eye to Jewish votes and their financial, political and media support.

5) But the reality is: although Jewish influence is crucial for US presidential candidates, their role is not always determining.

Jews usually support Democrats and cast more ballots for them.

But, Republicans while being aware of this fact always try to attract more votes from Jews.

In the US presidential elections in 2000 and 2004, Jewish votes for George Bush were less than 20 percent, but Bush won the elections, and of course he made efforts to take more Jews votes in both rounds.

All the above-mentioned issues indicate Jewish dominance over US presidential elections, as the candidates use every possible opportunity to gain support of Israel and Jews.

The coincidence of the 60th anniversary of Israel's foundation with the important stages of the US presidential campaigns is an event which, on one hand, proves the candidates' support of Israel and Jews, and on the other hand, has created a kind of competition among them to gain more support and votes by Jews.

The Jewish agency has announced that all US presidential hopefuls have joined the US-based Committee to honor 60th anniversary of Israel's foundation. The committee, set to hold various ceremonies across the United States, has definitely provided presidential hopefuls Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain with the opportunity to declare their support of Israel.

On the other side, Israel and the US Jewish bodies are using the ceremonies as a chance to assess the candidates on their stance toward Israel.

The honoring ceremony of Israel's foundation is not the only tool candidates use to attract Israeli and Jewish support. They are using other opportunities to reach their goals.

For example:
1) Prior to attending the ceremony, the only Republican candidate John McCain visited Israel where he met senior officials and prime minister Ehud Olmert. As a part of efforts to reach his candidacy goals, McCain announced support for an attack on Iran, in case of any Iranian threat on Israel and Tehran's attaining of nuclear weapons.

There, McCain called Iran a big threat to security in the Middle East and the world. He repeated his support for Israel, saying Tel Aviv has the right to self-defense against the Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah.

2) Democrat candidate Barack Obama, among other pro-Israeli-and- Jewish efforts to gain support, has launched a weblog in Hebrew, with the aim of informing Israelis of his plans to expand ties between Washington and Tel Aviv, as he said.

Although Jews say Obama is Muslim, with a Muslim father, he has denied it, carrying out many pro-Jewish religious activities. Calling for Jews' support, Obama has not ruled out military action against Iran which he has set as a red line; although he advocates an active policy along with tough sanctions against Tehran.

3) Many rabbis in the US consider Hilary Clinton, another Democrat presidential hopeful, as the candidate supporting Israel.

She has been able to gain 24 percent of votes by supporting Jewish ideals in the US.

Clinton's official stance is: Israel, with its capital Beit-ul-Moqaddas, has as a Jewish government with defendable borders.

It has the right to exist and should be immune from anti-occupation movement of the Palestinians.

Measures and remarks by US presidential hopefuls are indicative of the old attitude of American officials about Jews and their influence on presidential elections.

That's the way it is in America: He who controls crystal meth production controls the political system.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Friday, May 09, 2008

Rafsanjani on the Jewish "nuisance" in Germany

In which we learn that outside of Germany, where "influential Jews" created a "nuisance," Jews "faced no extraordinary hardships at all." From IRNA:

Referring to the ongoing human catastrophe in Gaza, he said, "The Jews used to lead good lives however in the world they lived prior to the establishment of Israel, save for those who lived in Germany during the leadership of Adolf Hitler."

Rafsanjani added, "Even there, they faced those problems due to the nuisances the influential Jews used to create for the German governments, one after the other, resorting to their wealth and the media they had under their control, but in other countries they faced no extraordinary hardships at all."

He said, "In Iran they have always enjoyed the right to have members at the parliament, and that right is still observed. But due to what they did in Palestine, they created problems for the Jews throughout the Islamic World. It was a great mistake, as the stone they threw in the well takes 40 wise men to pull out, and God willing, the wise would one day solve this problem of the region and the world."

I don't think they'll come looking for him when the need wise men.

Nasrallah "threatened to cut off Walid Jumblatt's hand"

This is from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. The actual title is "Crisis can only be solved through national dialogue." I guess that means dialog with threats of maiming.

Secretary General of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hezbollah said Lebanon's crisis could only be solved if the government agreed to resume the national dialogue.

"We are ready for dialogue but I have two things to say: The government's illegal decisions must be rescinded and (the March 14) must respond to (Parliament Speaker Nabih) Berri's call for a national dialogue," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday.

Nasrallah also warned that the Lebanese government's moves against the resistance movement amount to declaration of war on behalf of the Americans and the Zionist regime.

He said Fuad Siniora's government was seeking to disarm the Movement. "We have not used our weapons inside the country but we will use them to defend ourselves," he commented.

Nasrallah meanwhile threatened to cut off Walid Jumblatt's hand if he dared to touch Hezbollah's weapons. "Whoever is going to target us will be targeted by us."

Bold in the original.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

IRNA: "Ahmadinejad calls Zionist regime a 'stinking corpse'"

Is this a new variation? Previous names for the usurper Zionist entity include "infectious gland" and "cancerous bacterium."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here on Thursday labeled the Zionist regime as a "stinking corpse" and said those who think they can revive the corpse of this fabricated and usurper regime are in mistaken.

Lambasting the 60th anniversary of establishment of the Zionist regime, he said those who attend such a shameful ceremony should bear in their mind that their names will be listed as Zionist criminals.

Addressing Majlis representatives, he said the philosophy of existence of the Zionist regime is now under question and the usurper and fabricated regime is moving towards annihilation.

The Zionist regime is a puppet for bullying powers, he said adding that the global arrogance established the Zionist regime 60 years ago in Palestine to continue its historical straggles with the Muslim world but after the Lebanese nation slapped it in the face, they are like dead rats.

"If any regional countries assist the Zionist regime, they will burn in fire arising from nations' hatred," said the president.

"If some think that they can make any change in the global calculations, they are in mistaken because nations around the world will bury them ," concluded President Ahmadinejad.

His tone is a bit threatening, wouldn't you say?

Further thoughts: What's frustrating about apologists such as Juan Cole who see Ahmadinejad as merely advocating "regime change," whatever that would mean to a Khomeinist, is the fact that Ahmadinejad seems to be exerting maximum effort to rattle the proverbial saber. See Memeorandum.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

No Imperialist beef!

(North) Korean News covers an unlikely front in the all-people struggle to smash Imperialist plots:

Struggle of people from different social standings is going on day after day in south Korea against traitor Lee Myung Bak for totally allowing the import of beef from the U.S.

A large-scale candlelight rally was held at Chonggye Plaza in Kwanghwamun of Seoul on Saturday night in the wake of similar rally on Friday.

It was attended by members of political parties and civic and social organizations including the Democratic Labour Party and the Headquarters of the All-People Movement for Checking the S. Korea-U.S. FTA and citizens and students, at least 20,000 all told.

Prior to the rally, the Citizens' Solidarity against Policy staged a signature campaign against the import of American beef.

Members of the organization informed the citizens of the danger of "mad cow disease," calling upon them to turn out in the struggle to oppose the import of the American beef.

Meanwhile, an all-people cultural event against the import of American beef was held in front of a bell house in Seoul. [...]

"An all-people cultural event"! Gotta love that totalitarian rhetoric.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Apartheid in Lebanon--call Jimmy Carter!

It is pretty well known that the Palestinians in Lebanon are among the Arab world's most badly treated Palestinians, but the facts at the end of this Daily Star excerpt are stunning:

With inflation in double digits and the cost of living rising, the Lebanese government has proposed raising the minimum wage for the first time in a decade, but Palestinians say they continue to be marginalized in the labor market. Several hundred Palestinians protested at the edge of the Shatila refugee camp in south Beirut on April 30 ahead of the May 1 Labor Day holiday, traditionally a time for workers' to air their grievances.

"We are humans, we have the right to live," shouted the protesters. "We are half-humans in Lebanon."

Palestinians in Lebanon are barred from working in 70 professional vocations. They cannot work as lawyers and doctors, and cannot own or inherit property. [...]

Half a million Lebanese are self-employed and would not benefit from the wage increase, while Palestinians do not qualify as they are refugees, not citizens, in Lebanon. They are also barred from holding jobs in dozens of occupations. [...]

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Hezbollah-controlled areas "off-limits to the media"

They have to stifle press-freedom--it's the only way to resist the Zionist enemy. From Asharq Alawsat:

[...] Ever since Hezbollah succeeded in extending its influence over the suburbs, the south and some of the local districts in the heart of Beirut, it has practiced strict and meticulous control over interviews, photographs and any media material leaving these areas. The party justifies such measures by saying that it is confronting "potential risks posed by the Israeli enemy," as it claimed in its recent statements and as it always declares to justify its policies.

It is only natural that such strict security control has resulted in imposing images and positions that are carefully selected and ever changing so that many who live under this influence have come to practice self-censorship, and in many cases refrain from openly expressing what they want to say.

What led to the absence of effective journalistic coverage of a region that was plundered in 2006 required the establishment of a construction company to rebuild it ('Waad' company). And although the inhabitants of the southern district unanimously agree that reconstruction has yet to effectively begin; still, no questions have been asked about reconstruction.

The Lebanese media is incapable of obtaining information about the crisis in the suburbs because of the imposed media blockade, which has extended to include the inability to access or observe any movements in Hezbollah's general surroundings.

The area is strictly off-limits to the media. [...]

Update: Fortunately, Hezbollah and other topics having to do with the Middle East are not off-limits to Blog Carnivals. This week's Haveil Havalim gets the critically undermedicated treatment at Simply Jews. His "no names" approach in this edition is inspired by Carnival of Insanities, which is also worth checking out this week.

New hope for Fatah-Hamas media unity? Evidently not.

Maan presents an account of an attempted conciliatory meeting between the "television directors" of the two principal Palestinian factions. It doesn't look promising:

The directors of rival Hamas- and Fatah-affiliated television networks held a public dialogue for the first time in months at a conference for journalists sponsored by the Ameen Netork on Friday.

Bassem Abu Summayya, the chief of Television and Radio for Fatah-allied Palestine TV spoke at the conference in Jericho, while Fathi Hammad, the director of Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV appeared via videoconference from Gaza.

Dr. Essmat Abdul Khaleq lay the grounds for the dialogue, saying that the conversation was aimed at strengthening professional and humanitarian values.

The journalists were also shown film clips of some of the most venomous and degrading material aired on both stations. Since fighting between Hamas and Fatah turned violent last year, both sides have used their media to demonize the other. Graphic images of Hamas fighters torturing Fatah leader Sameeh Al Madhun, for example, were some of the pictures that were used in Hamas' and Fatah's media battle.

The Palestinian Authority has banned Al-Aqsa TV from working in the West Bank, and Hamas has prohibited Palestine TV from operating freely in Gaza.

While both senior journalist said they welcomed the chance for dialogue, the conversation itself was not without accusations.

Bassem Abu Sumayya said, "Hammad and I depend on the political leaders to solve this situation as it was before the coup in Gaza. We used to interview some Hamas representatives until Hamas boycotted Palestine TV channel as well as forcibly seized our headquarters in Gaza. Unfortunately this was ordered by Mr. Hammad. They also decided to arrest any journalist who works for Palestine Television."

Abu Sumayya denied that Palestine TV blacklisted political leaders who are against Fatah.

Fathi Hammad said, "Our mission is to define our points of strength to the world." He also declared that Hamas is ready for any initiative regarding reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

Hammad added that the Palestine TV staff can return to their headquarters in Gaza after coordinating with the government and the security services in Gaza. He said that they will not allow any woman on television who is not wearing a hijab, a headscarf.

As the debate ended, the journalists at the conference were left wondering if Hammad and Abu Sumayya could do anything to resolve the present conflict?

Journalist Hamdi Farraj said that it would be unfair to consider the conflict between Hamas and Fatah to be between Hammad and Abu Sumayya, who actually cannot be held responsible for decisions made by political leaders.

In case you were thinking that they led independent media organizations.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Pal Poet remembers the Babylonian Nakba

This is from a website called PNN, the Palestinian News Network. The article, entitled "Al Nakba: some of us left without our shoes," is pretty poor in quality, even as Israel-bashing, but the sudden veer into the topic of Babylon is interesting:

In the southern West Bank, refugee Abu Yasser from Deheisha Refugee Camp talks about his experience being driven from Telasafi, now within Israeli boundaries, in 1948. He is a poet and grinds coffee with an old wooden urn, the sound like a song from his past [...]

“I worked in the farm there. There were about 2,000 people living there on 30 dunams of land. We really lived like kings. The sun was beautiful, everything was. The spring time was stunning. But then after World War I came the Balfour Declaration from the British to make here to create nationalism for the Jews in Palestine. We had relationships with the few Jews and the Christians who lived here, we had no problems. No one was against his colleague or anything like that. All of us were living on our land here. All of the people were alright together, I mean we went to Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to pray and the Christians were in Jerusalem to pray and the Christians were in Bethlehem. And the Jews were around too, in Rachel’s Tomb. I remember the Jews being there. But 2,000 years ago there was Babylon in Iraq. But then came the Jews who took 70,000 dunams from Babylon, and wrecked a lot of lives there. But they drank, ate and worked. But this is no huge problem; I mean what was anyone to do. [...]

Qassam rockets had not been invented yet, I guess.

How to wean yourself from organic kool-aid

Anyone who has ever focused his conservatism-enhanced gray-matter on organic produce for a moment instantly realized that it is massively more expensive to produce than regular-guy produce and not worth the wasted resources. Now, the Independent, awakening in horror to the sight of the giant organic carbon footprint winding across the leftist landscape, offers a pretty good debunking of organic food. Even I was unaware that organic foods can be grown with nastier pesticides than regular-guy produce:

Food scares are always good news for the organic food industry. The Soil Association and other organic farming trade groups say conventional food must be unhealthy because farmers use pesticides. Actually, organic farmers also use pesticides. The difference is that "organic" pesticides are so dangerous that they have been "grandfathered" with current regulations and do not have to pass stringent modern safety tests.

For example, organic farmers can treat fungal diseases with copper solutions. Unlike modern, biodegradable, pesticides copper stays toxic in the soil for ever. The organic insecticide rotenone (in derris) is highly neurotoxic to humans – exposure can cause Parkinson's disease. But none of these "natural" chemicals is a reason not to buy organic food; nor are the man-made chemicals used in conventional farming.

We also learn in the course of the article that organic isn't "more sustainable," isn't "healthier," doesn't "contain more nutrients," and more. You can still buy alfalfa sprouts; just don't waste your money on organic ones.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad