Terror Torpor

Here is another example of dangerous political correctness. Better to hide identifying features from the public than to risk offending the terrorists. "A suspect in the Islamic terror plot to attack the Frankfurt airport is reported to be on the loose in the UK. The Brits aren’t releasing any pictures of the suspect, of course; that might lead to Islamophobia."

"Pandering Politics at its Worst".

My pal Diane just told me about Hillary and her "baby bonds". Captain's Quarters has more, via Free Republic:

"Hillary Clinton decided to create another entitlement program for her cradle-to-grave nanny state vision. In her address to the Congressional Black Caucus, Hillary said she'd like to spend $20 billion each year on checks to newborn infants. 'I like the idea of giving every baby born in America a $5,000 account that will grow over time, so that when that young person turns 18 if they have finished high school they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that downpayment on their first home,' she said. Where does Hillary plan to get that money? It's easy to talk about writing checks, but the federal budget already runs in the red, especially on entitlements. If we talk about spending even more money that we don't have, why stop at $5,000? John McCain wondered aloud in his blogger conference call whether $100,000 wouldn't sound more compassionate, as long as we didn't talk about how we plan to pay for the program. This represents pandering politics at its worst. Want to get votes for an election? Promise to buy people off with free money! It takes the worst instincts of Norman Hsu to suggest yet another entitlement Ponzi scheme to get elected to office. The company Hillary keeps has started to rub off on her."

Will her $5,000 per baby include babies born to illegal aliens? THAT alone should inspire a new flood of immigrants if she is elected. Why should we hard-working citizens continually be taxed to death to support everyone else? And what exactly are parents responsible for these days, anyway? They seem to do less and less while expecting others to do more and more.

Crazy for Hillary

According to the New York Post, George McGovern will endorse Hillary Clinton. The thought of another Clinton presidency
gets more nauseating by the day.

How They Stand

Rubicon3 mentioned this helpful chart showing where the Presidential candidates stand on the important issues.

You Say Bagel, I Say Bagels

A blog with the wonderful name of The Jew & The Carrot links to this amusing Jewish Daily Forward article on language.

Up In Smoke

Read about the Canadian solution to Muslim depression, at Nealz Nuze. I thought this was a bad joke at first, but it's yet another example of politically correct kowtowing.

Celebrity "Experts"

Greg Crosby has a terrific column about the annoying propensity of today's celebrities to give their opinions on politics: "I don't know if Red Skelton was a Democrat or a Republican. I don't know how Desi Arnaz voted in presidential elections. I haven't a clue how Nat King Cole felt about the Korean War. And I'm glad. It's a funny thing, but somehow Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Perry Como, George Burns, Doris Day, Steve and Edie and all of the other great entertainers who made frequent appearances on television years ago, did so without feeling a need to spew out their personal politics to millions of viewers. Boy, how things have changed!"

Too Little, Too Late

Via Nealz Nuze, here's news that Congress denounced Ahmadinejad yesterday. But I would much rather have had President Bush denounce him in his speech at the U.N. The impact of that public rebuke would have distracted somewhat from the nauseating and overwhelming free publicity that "Adolf Jr." (as Sean Hannity called him) has been receiving since last week.

Sickening Speeches

I am very upset that President Bush squandered a perfect opportunity to lambaste the Iranian Nazi at the United Nations today. He spoke about Burma the way he should have spoken about Iran. What a waste. Meanwhile, Ted Belman at Israpundit sums up Ahmedinejad's U.N. speech:

"Ahmedinejad gave a very good speech. He was long on platitudes and short on truth or facts. The West was blamed for everything, Iran or Islam for nothing. He provided great fodder to the left in the world and I am sure they will be strengthened by his words. He pitted the unaligned and underdeveloped world against the imperialist world and gave notice that the the time of domination is over. I am sure that he provided the English translation which kept referring to God rather than Allah implying that we pray to the same God. Not so. Allah is not God. Neither is Ahmedinejad. At least at Columbia he got what for. Columbia as an issues pales in comparison to the power of his speech. "

UGH-madinejad

There's a lot of great reading out there on the Web today about the dictator FrontPage Magazine calls "Hitler's Muslim Nephew", including Atlas Shrugs and Little Green Footballs, to name just two websites. When I heard the applause for his remarks at Columbia, I nearly drove off the road. New York needs to be disinfected with Lysol as soon as he's gone.

Message to Liberals from Life-Of-Rubin

Here's a succinct message from The Life-Of-Rubin Blog:

"Message to Liberals: You're not unpatriotic because you have an opposing opinion. You're not unpatriotic because you oppose the war. You're not unpatriotic because you hate our President. You're unpatriotic because you give comfort and honor to our enemies. You're unpatriotic because you interview them and give them a stage to play their mind games. You care more about respecting an evil murderous dictator then you're own President. Even that doesn't make you unpatriotic, but it does make you wrong."

Death of Common Sense

I thought of this item by Lori Bergman titled "The Death of Common Sense" after reading more excuses for the fake-bomb-wearer at Logan Airport. I also thought of Ralph Kramden in the above costume! Her mother excused her by saying, "...it may have been a mistake because Star used the shirt the day before on career day at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and when she went to pick up her boyfriend at the airport. 'It was just sleepyheads. She must have been just asleep to the fact of where she was going,' Stephanie Simpson said." Shouldn't going to an airport with a fake bomb have been inexcusable even before September 11?

Yom Kippur Reading

Here is the Yom Kippur edition of Soccer Dad's great series "If...You Must". And here's a story about how the last Jew in Afghanistan observes Yom Kippur.

Rallies Against Evil

This is from an e-mail I received from Jennifer Packer of The Israel Project:

"Several groups are planning rallies Sunday and Monday to protest Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's planned visit to New York, where he is scheduled to speak at Columbia University Monday and address the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday. At 12:30 p.m. Sunday, New York City Council Member David I. Weprin (D-Hollis), chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, will join other elected officials, community groups and civic leaders to protest Ahmadinejad's visit and urge Columbia to rescind its invitation. The rally is to take place at Columbia's main gate at W. 116th St. and Broadway. On Monday, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York are sponsoring a rally at 12 p.m. (rain or shine) at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 2nd Ave. at 47th St., across the street from the United Nations. One of the speakers at the "National Rally to Stop Iran Now" is Debra Burlingame, sister of Charles F. "Chic" Burlingame, III, (Capt., USNR, Ret.), pilot of American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11. She is co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America and a director of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. Burlingame can be reached at 914-844-3146 or db@911familiesforamerica.org. The rally is being held in cooperation with the United Jewish Communities, the UJA-Federation of New York and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. For more information, contact the Conference of Presidents at 212-318-6111 or info@conferenceofpresidents.org or the JCRC at 212-983-4800, ext. 161 or info@jcrcny.org. Also on Monday, students from Columbia and other universities incuding Rutgers, Brooklyn College and Queens College as well as high school students, are scheduled to join together from 1-3 p.m. to protest Ahmadinejad's speech to students and faculty. Ahmadinejad's address is scheduled for 1-2:30 p.m. at Lerner Hall, located at W. 116th St. and Broadway. The students will join activists from dozens of Jewish organizations including StandWithUs, Hasbara Fellowships and The David Project, at W. 116th St. and Broadway"

I sincerely doubt these rallies will get the media attention they so deserve, but we can hope.

Chemo Chaos

My pal Diane told me about this infuriating story. Sweetness & Light comments on this NY Times item which states: "The federal government has told New York State health officials that chemotherapy, which had been covered for illegal immigrants under a government-financed program for emergency medical care, does not qualify for coverage." S&L says, "Look at how the New York Times perverts the language to promote its agenda. By 'immigrants' they mean illegal aliens. By 'emergency care' they mean long term chemotherapy and other prolonged treatments." The mere fact that LEGAL Americans can't even afford medical treatments that illegals are given free should outrage everyone, especially those of us who work hard to pay for our medical care.

Clueless in New York

The Iranian Nazi can't understand what all the outrage is about. This obscenity is yet another reason why the United Nations should be moved to another country. Then these so-called "diplomats" can't have an excuse to besmirch New York. Andrea Peyser comments here.

Clueless in Boston

I saw on the news this morning that this lunatic, arrested at Logan Airport wearing a fake bomb strapped to her chest, had "no idea of the seriousness" of her actions. According to the Boston Herald, "the student, Star Anna Simpson, said it was a 'piece of art' she wanted to show off, authorities said." Isn't this unbelievable?

Soccer Dad, the Juggler!

Soccer Dad is juggling carnivals once again, and providing more great reading.

Questions

Why are O.J. Simpson and "the taser boy" getting more news coverage than the visit of that Iranian murderer to Ground Zero? And, why are officials saying (1)that his request was denied because of "construction site issues" rather than the fact that he's a dictator; and (2) that there is nothing they can do to stop him? This is an extreme and outrageous case of political correctness.

Obscene Request

Regarding the mere thought of that murderous Iranian dictator visiting Ground Zero, Mitt Romney is absolutely right: "'Ahmadinejad's shockingly audacious request should be met with a vehement no,' Romney said in a statement. 'It's inconceivable that any consideration would be given to the idea of entertaining the leader of a state sponsor of terror at Ground Zero. This would deeply offend the sensibilities of Americans from all corners of our nation.'" That should be the end of that. There should be no further discussion.

Barry Manilowlife

This sounds like a joke, but isn't:

"U.S. recording artist Barry Manilow canceled a planned appearance on "The View" because he doesn't like conservative panelist Elisabeth Hasselbeck. 'I strongly disagree with her views,' Manilow said in an exclusive statement to TMZ. 'I think she's dangerous and offensive. I will not be on the same stage as her.'"

This is yet another example of celebrities thinking too much of themselves. If I were Elisabeth Hasselbeck, I wouldn't even dignify his remark with a reply, unless she thinks "The View" needs higher ratings. This almost begs for us conservatives to wear T-shirts reading "I'm dangerous and offensive".

Rosh Hashana Video

Smooth Stone has a cute short video for the High Holy Days. The title is very clever -- I wish I had thought of it!

Top Pop Culture Quotes

Betsy's Page made me laugh today with this item about suggestions for the top pop culture quotes of all time. Like Betsy, I am always quoting from "The Godfather", but I didn't realize how much (and how obscurely) until I held the door open for a co-worker and said, "Cicci! A porte!" -- in Italian!

General Hillary

Courtesy of Lucianne.com.

Haveil Havalim #134 is Up!

Haveil Havalim #134 is up at Soccer Dad. You may have withdrawal symptoms, because the next edition won't be out until October 7!

If The Robbery Fits, Don't Acquit

When I heard that double-murderer O.J. Simpson was a suspect in an armed robbery, I thought maybe at last they can lock him up where he belongs. Andrea Peyser has a scathing report here

Pol Polls

Per this Fox poll, "Rudy Giuliani Preferred President Over Hillary Clinton If Terrorists Attack America". However, this ABC News poll reports "48 percent of Americans in this ABC News "Good Morning America" poll said they'd rather have Clinton as their traveling companion on a drive across country, versus 39 percent who'd want Rudy Giuliani along for the ride." Well, that's MUCH more important!

Happy Rosh Hashana!

Here is a New Year's wish by an unknown writer; it includes my favorite line: "May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift, your abs, and your stocks not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your cholesterol, your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise."

"Remembering the Jewish Victims of September 11"

This is a great article. The obsession with the Jews and with Jewish conspiracies never ends, and Anne Morse writes, "Along with all of the other victims on September 11, the many Jewish victims deserve to be fully recognized, mourned — and remembered."

Remembering Edward Beyea

42 year old Ed Beyea was part of the quilt of life that made up the World Trade Center on September 11, 2007. He went to work every day, was a great friend and co-worker, and had many people who loved him and cared about him. He worked at Empire Health Care for over 12 years, and Empire paid its own heartfelt tribute in words and pictures here, on pages 1 through 7. Page 1 lists the names of the 11 Empire employees & associates, including Ed and his great friend Abraham Zelmanowitz, who refused to abandon him and who perished with him while waiting for the help they were sure would arrive. The tribute to Ed says,

"Ed Beyea knew that the secret of life is laughter and was always in amazingly good spirits. Quick-witted and quick to laugh, driven and determined, he was an inspiration to his colleagues. He celebrated life every day. His ability to find strength to continue regardless of what obstacles were placed in front of him spoke volumes about his character, and he inspired great loyalty in his friends. An Empire employee for more than twelve years, Ed took pride in his work writing code, developing software, and most recently, working with object modeling."

And Abe's tribute says:

"Abe worked with many technical computer systems, including one called 'PC Friend.' The name PC Friend is a perfect description of a project of Abe’s because he was a true friend to everyone and everything. With a warm, fatherly approach, Abe’s colleagues remember him as someone who would always lend a helping hand. Abe was a highly spiritual man who was committed to his faith. During the September 11 attack, Abe stayed with his friend Ed, a wheelchair user, so Ed wouldn’t have to wait alone for rescuers. President George Bush referred to Abe’s actions as one of the truly heroic acts of that fateful day. Abe was a dedicated Empire employee for more than 12 years."

Page 2 of the Empire 9-11 In Memoriam section displays a gorgeous quilt made in support of Empire Health Care by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma Government Program Associates. You can clearly see the work and the emotions that went into each square.

As can be seen in another testimonial on Empire's page 3 of their site

"Empire also created the Abraham Zelmanowitz-Edward Beyea Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of the friendship between these two men who were victims of the terrorist attacks. The scholarship program is funded through the Empire World Trade Center Disaster Relief Fund and was established for the 16 children who are dependents of the victims, including employees, spouses and consultants who were lost as well as several seriously injured employees immediately hospitalized following the tragedy. On October 12, 2001, Empire held a Remembrance Service in honor of the employees, consultants and spouses of employees who were lost in the attack. The service, held at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan, was attended by 1,800 Empire employees and families of the victims."

As they were generous and helpful in life, they continue to live on in the good they do for others through this fund.

Look here at the two quilt squares created in memory of Ed and his Empire colleagues. This square includes this tribute: "I met Ed in high school and he soon became a very close friend. There are so many special memories......cruising in the yellow (VW) bug, tobagganing parties, double dating with the "Limey", writing articles for the school paper, senior skip day, Cherry Lane, riding his motorcycle, and bartending at the Yacht Club. What fun we had!! Ed had a gift for story telling...he kept us laughing with his great sense of humor and his skillful delivery of the punchline. In spite of this, he took his friendships very seriously. He was very sincere in that. Ed taught us that life is to be enjoyed, and to live each moment to the fullest. He exemplified this, both before and after his accident. Ed will always have a place in my heart, and I feel fortunate to have known him. My deepest sympathies to Ed's family and friends. Mary (joyce) bennett (corning, NY)

And this square is from Empire Health Care, Albany, in memory of its employees Edward Beyea, Vivian Casalduc, Elvira Granitto, Winston Grant, Ramon Grijalvo, Cynthia Giugliano, Jerome Lohez, Angela Scheinberg, and Abraham Zelmanowitz, and its associates Alexander Ortiz and Ayleen Santiago.

These quilt squares are part of The United in Memory 9/11 Victims Memorial Quilt™, a tribute to all the victims of September 11, seen in the gallery at the beautiful and important website United in Memory™. Thanks to Kim Monins of United in Memory™ for generously giving me permission to use the photos of Ed's quilt squares.

So here's to the family and the many friends of Ed Beyea, who will never forget him. Here's to the 2,995 other friends, couples, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children, and grandparents who also make up the 9/11 quilt of life. They're in our hearts forever, and we will remember them, forever.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2007

When events the magnitude of September 7 leave you virtually incoherent even six years later, it's a comfort to have so many writers on the Internet who can speak for you. During lunch at work today (where nobody mentioned today's anniversary but did disparage Gen. Petraeus), I read posts by Meryl Yourish and by Michelle Malkin, and they spoke for me.

Israeli Neo-Nazis

A friend told me about this story earlier today, and I had trouble believing it. Then I read about it at Smooth Stone. While reading the story, all I could think was, "At least they're not Jewish!"

Haveil Havalim #133 is Up!

Haveil Havalim #133 is up at Crossing the Rubicon3. According to HH founder Soccer Dad, "She is one of the original hostesses of Haveil Havalim and one of the 3 bloggers I originally consulted about the process."

"..We Will Get You and We Will Send You to Hell."

The New York Daily News deconstructs Osama Bin Laden and his latest tape here:

"Say, look who's back. Hi there, Osama. Cave life treating you okay these days? How are the old kidneys? Whatcha got there, new video? Sure, stick it in. Little anniversary message for all us infidels, eh? 'Escalate the fighting and killing against you, this is our duty,' blah blah blah. 'Warmongering owners of the major corporations realize that you have lost confidence in your democratic system,' mumble mumble mumble. 'I invite you to embrace Islam,' blah blah. Nothing more than about two stars for this particular video. Try again. But these camcorders really are a lot of fun, aren't they? And so easy to work, too. Even a caveman can do it. So, that's all you got for us this time, hey? Okay, well, you're still alive and loose, anyway, we'll give you that. But we will get you and we will send you to hell."

"9/11 Horror Must Also Be Recalled"

The New York Sun has this excellent column by Alicia Colon titled "9/11 Horror Must Also Be Recalled". Some of the many sentiments I found myself agreeing with include these: "What I find most disturbing is that the level of anger against the elements that attacked us has dissipated."; "Even now, I cannot see a passing aircraft heading toward Newark's airport without thinking of the planes that flew into the towers."; "What we truly need to remember is how united we were in the weeks following September 11, 2001."

Just Vote No

On September 11, Channel 7 in New York will cut away from 9/11 memorial coverage ... and will air "Live With Regis & Kelly" instead. The Daily News website has a poll asking if you agree with the station's decision. When I voted no, I expected the results to show an overwhelming response. To my surprise, 53% voted no, 47% voted yes! Go vote yourself.

Bravo, Pavarotti!

This link takes you to a video of Pavarotti singing Recondita Armonia from Tosca, one of my favorite arias by that great tenor. While I was raised on Jussi Bjorling, and while I liked Domingo better as both tenor and actor, there's no doubt that we won't see the likes of Luciano Pavarotti again. Farewell, and thank you.

The Sderot Situation

Meryl Yourish discusses the lack of response by Israel to the barrage of rocket attacks on Sderot. Why haven't they already retaliated?

Nosh a Little

I knew I was going to like this Rosh Hashanah article just from the title alone: "Goodies that make you want to challah"

A Severe Case of Bush Derangement Syndrome

Kesher Talk reveals one of the most amazing examples yet of Bush Derangement Syndrome. (For a refresher course in BDS, read Charles Krauthammer's column here.)

German Terror Plot

Still another terrorist attack has been thwarted. But what if it had succeeded? "The German police have arrested three Islamic militants suspected of planning large-scale terrorist attacks against several sites frequented by Americans, including discos, bars, airports and military installations."

The Random Thoughts of Professor Sowell

Here's another of Professor Thomas Sowell's wonderful columns of "Random Thoughts". Among the many thought-provoking statements is this one: "Sometimes it looks as if the Democrats are out to win at all costs, while the Republicans are out to compromise at all costs."

Oyasumi Vay!

Isn't this great? Smooth Stone has a video of a Japanese pilgrimage to Israel.

Bill Clinton in 22 Words

In only 2 sentences, Lucianne.com sums up Bill Clinton during a speech Sept 2 in NH:

"Bubba bites lip, tears up, tells same anecdote differently for the 8th time. It's payback hell with a year left to go."

The New York Times article about his speech-making, titled "Meet the Missus", is here.

The "Weariness" of September 11

I came across this article on Lucianne.com:

"As 9/11 Draws Near, a Debate Rises: How Much Tribute Is Enough? By N. R. KLEINFIELD. Again it comes, for the sixth time now — 2,191 days after that awful morning — falling for the first time on a Tuesday, the same day of the week. Again there will be the public tributes, the tightly scripted memorial events, the reflex news coverage, the souvenir peddlers. Is all of it necessary, at the same decibel level — still? Each year, murmuring about Sept. 11 fatigue arises, a weariness of reliving a day that everyone wishes had never happened. It began before the first anniversary of the terrorist attack. By now, though, many people feel that the collective commemorations, publicly staged, are excessive and vacant, even annoying. 'I may sound callous, but doesn’t grieving have a shelf life?' said Charlene Correia, 57, a nursing supervisor from Acushnet, Mass. 'We’re very sorry and mournful that people died, but there are living people. Let’s wind it down.'"

Incredible! "September 11 fatigue"? After 10 years they are still grieving Princess Diana in England. After 44 years we are still mourning the loss of President John F. Kennedy. After 66 years, World War !! veterans still weep when they remember the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yet we are expected to find September 11 tributes "fatiguing" after 6 years? Why? The media is at fault here for having downplayed the scope of the attacks and for having not shown the film footage enough. "Fatigue"? There must be something wrong with me, then, because I'm not the slightest bit fatigued, and I intend to keep remembering.

Rate the Candidates

Reader's Digest has an interesting section on the Presidential candidates. This is the longest political season I can remember, and I can't wait for it all to be over with and anyone but Hillary in the White House, but in the meantime: "How much do you know about the top 2008 Presidential candidates? Learn their backgrounds, their values, and their political positions. Then, see how a panel of experts rated them on key Presidential qualities and give them your own grade. Check back often to keep track of how they rank."

"If...You Must" - Labor Day edition

Here is Soccer Dad's current edition of "If...You Must", a good way to start the (thankfully) short work week!

Haveil Havalim #132 is Up!

Haveil Havalim #132 is up at Life in Israel. No theme -- just plenty of good links.

Darryl Worley - Have You Forgotten

I heard this song on the radio today and was glad to hear it. I think a lot of people still need reminding.

A Dog's Life

From Metafilter comes this fascinating story of a World War I hero: Stubby, the military dog! "The story of Sgt Stubby of the 102nd Infantry, the most decorated dog of WWI, is an amazing tale. As a stray he wandered onto a troop barracks in the U.S. & was adopted by one of the young recruits. Barely a pup when he was smuggled aboard a troop transport to the front lines, he served in over 17 battles, providing morale boost up & down the trenches, early warning (through his enhanced sense of smell) for gas attacks, and even uncovering & capturing a German spy in the trenches. Though largely forgotten today, upon his return to the U.S., Stubby was met with a hero's welcome, and went on to become the original mascot for the Georgetown Hoyas. After his passing in 1926, his preserved remains were put on display by the Smithsonian, wearing the special coat he was given to hold the large number of medals & awards he received for his service in the Great War."

Watcher's Council Winners

Soccer Dad links to the winning Watcher's Council entries at Watcher of Weasels.

Crime News

Blogs for Bush reports : "Senator Craig resigns. So ends a long political career...as regards the even longer career of Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment. Later, though, we do hope to have some reaction from Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and William Jefferson (D-LA)." Hopefully we won't have to hear any more details, unless it's that his wife is divorcing him. And crooked, disgraced former District Attorney Mike Nifong was sentenced to a whopping one day in jail.