List of Words To Be Banished

Here is the annual list of irritatingly annoying words that should be banished from the English language. "Cool" and "awesome" should make the all-time list.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here is a New Year's Prayer:

"May you get a clean bill of health from your dentist, your cardiologist, your gastro-entomologist, your urologist, your proctologist, your podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your plumber and the I.R.S. 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. May New Year's Eve find you seated around the table, together with your beloved family and cherished friends. May you find the food better, the environment quieter, the cost much cheaper, and the pleasure much more fulfilling than anything else you might ordinarily do that night. May what you see in the mirror delight you, and what others see in you delight them. May someone love you enough to forgive your faults, be blind to your blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues. May the telemarketers wait to make their sales calls until you finish dinner, may the commercials on TV not be louder than the program you have been watching, and may your check book and your budget balance - and include generous amounts for charity. May you remember to say "I love you" at least once a day to your spouse, your child, your parent, your siblings; but not to your secretary, your nurse, your masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor. And may we live in a world at peace and with the awareness of God's love in every sunset, every flower's unfolding petals, every baby's smile, every lover's kiss, and every wonderful, astonishing, miraculous beat of our heart."

Best Quote of the Day

The son of assassinated Benazir Bhutto says, "Democracy is the best revenge".

Haveil Havalim #147 is Up!

Haveil Havalim #147 is up at the always-reliable Soccer Dad. Once again, there's a great deal of excellent reading here.

"Mental Whiplash"

Great satire from The People's Cube: "Iowa Man Sues Clintons For Mental Whiplash."

A Winning Smile

This is proof that people today are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want.

Mail Call

This is a list of the commemorative postage stamps coming out in 2008. I can't wait to get the Bette Davis stamp.

Funny Turns Serious

Little Green Footballs links to this great piece by Scott Ott, who is known for his satire at Scrappleface. But the assassination of Benazir Bhutto calls for great seriousness, and he has eloquently met that challenge.

A Politically Correct Year

This is yet another article about political correctness, this time from the UK. Among many ludicrous examples is this one:

"For decades, children have enjoyed singing about the little donkey which is said to have carried the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem. But one group of young singers was ordered to change the traditional lyrics of the Christmas song - because they were said to be 'too religious'.Instead of 'Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way', the youngsters were told to sing 'carry Lucy' for fear of offending non-Christians."

Lucy???

Tragedy in Pakistan

Michelle Malkin says: ""They tried and failed when she returned to Pakistan in October. They tried and failed with a baby suicide bomber. Yesterday, they stopped a 15-year-old with a bomb packed full of nails trying to kill her. Today, they succeeded. Dammit, dammit, dammit." And Mark Steyn writes in
NRO's The Corner: "Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan had a mad recklessness about it which give today's events a horrible inevitability. As I always say when I'm asked about her, she was my next-door neighbor for a while - which affects a kind of intimacy, though in fact I knew her only for sidewalk pleasantries. She was beautiful and charming and sophisticated and smart and modern, and everything we in the west would like a Muslim leader to be - though in practice, as Pakistan's Prime Minister, she was just another grubby wardheeler from one of the world's most corrupt political classes"

Our Presidential Candidates

Read this amusing article, "A curmudgeon's look at the presidential candidates".

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here's an article about my favorite Christmas movie, "A Christmas Story" , which is shown for 24 straight hours each year on TBS. The whole thing is terrific, but I do love the leg lamp, and the Chinese restaurant scene at the end!

Haveil Havalim #146 is Up!

If you can't make it to a Chinese restaurant tonight or tomorrow, at least you have some wonderful reading to pass the time when you visit founder Soccer Dad's Haveil Havalim #146!

O. Henry

Read the wonderful O.Henry short story, "The Gift of the Magi".

Islamofascism in the News

If you like Mark Steyn like I do, you should go to this link at American Thinker. It seems he is under fire in Canada because he writes the truth about Muslim extremism. The Free Mark Steyn website gives you all the details and tells how you can support him. In other news, Little Green Footballs reported yesterday that "Yesterday Belgian authorities arrested 14 Muslim men in a prison breakout plot for an Al Qaeda terrorist; tonight they’re all free to go." Oh well!

Vanessa Redgrave Alert

Smooth Stone discusses the latest Vanessa Redgrave outrage:

"Have any of you seen the film, Atonement? I wanted to see it, along with some other films, over Christmas vacation. But, now I refuse to. I refuse to give one dime to anything that has Vanessa Redgrave associated with it. Why? Two suspected al-Qa'eda operatives released from Guantanamo Bay have walked free from court although they are still wanted in Spain on terrorism-related offences. One of the men, who is accused of distributing extremist propaganda produced by Osama bin Laden, had half of his £50,000 bail surety met by the actress Vanessa Redgrave, the terrorist sympathizer".

Charlierblog3

I just came across this entertaining blog called Charlierblog3, in which "a public librarian in Virginia posts things he thinks are cool, neat, spiffy, funny and odd." There's a lot to read here, and a lot of things to e-mail your friends.

Poster Problem

Neal Boortz linked to this ridiculous story: "The Motion Picture Association of America rejected a poster for a documentary on terrorism, showing soldiers walking away with a hooded detainee. They are afraid that the children will see it." Oh, please!

Good Reading

Soccer Dad is not only juggling interesting Carnivals, he also has the latest Watcher's Council nominations. Read and enjoy!

Great Achievements by Israelis

Smooth Stone reports that "A groundbreaking discovery in the field of artificial intelligence, conducted by two Tel Aviv University academics, and Israeli research into treating Parkinson's disease, have been selected as among the past year's greatest advancements in science by the leading journal, Scientific American."

Sing a Song of Christmas

The Anchoress features this clever and entertaining a capella version of "The Night Before Christmas".

6th Annual Right Wing News Conservative Blog Awards

From Right Wing News comes their list of the Conservative Blog Award winners.

Sick of Politics?

Gossip columnist Liz Smith says: "Sick of politics with 11 months to go? Thanks to Roy Marcus of the America Silk Mills for reminding us of this: 'Nearly half a century ago, as 1960 got going, John F. Kennedy didn't even announce until December 1959.'"

The Warm & Fuzzy Side of Hillary Clinton

Well, THIS should be a flop: "Hillary Clinton seeks to warm up her image". How do you "warm up" Lady Macbeth?

Blogging Tips

From Instapundit comes this link to an interesting article, "Top 10 Tips for New Bloggers From Original Blogger Jorn Barger". #1 is the main reason I started this blog, along with the need to vent occasionally.

Haveil Havalim #145 is Up!

Congratulations to Soccer Dad on the third anniversary edition of his series Haveil Havalim! What a wonderful idea this was, and what terrific reading it has provided over the years.

Losing Our Identity

From Lucianne.com, this story from the UK Telegraph:

"Britain is losing its identity because of over-zealous political correctness and a failure to deal with immigration, the Chief Rabbi has warned.Sir Jonathan Sacks said that the drive for a multi­cultural society had left Britain increasingly intolerant and that too many people were embarrassed about their history. "

Just change the word "Britain" to "America", and the same could be said about our own situation.

Support Israel

Here's some encouraging news we probably won't see trumpeted on the Big 3 networks:

"(IsraelNN.com) Americans’ support for Israel in the conflict with the Arabs of Judea, Samaria and Gaza remains extremely high, with 62 percent of Americans considering themselves supporters of Israel and only 9 percent as 'supporters of the Palestinians.' These are some of the findings of a new bipartisan poll commissioned by The Israel Project (TIP)."

Support Our Troops

Here are ways you can support the troops this Christmas season.

Another Menorah

Speaking of menorahs, look at the one that Meryl Yourish found!

Chanukah With Charles & Camilla

The website Israellycool has this great photo of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla lighting a menorah. He looks slightly dopey, as usual, but it's the thought that counts!

"Offended Muslim Syndrome"

The amusing website The People's Cube discusses a new disorder: Offended Muslim Syndrome!

"Symptoms of Offended Muslim Syndrome (OMS): Irritability, agitation, anxiety at the sight of women who are not fully covered; Prolonged rage or unexplained killing sprees; Significant changes in immigration patterns; Brooding about the past glory of the Caliphate; Decreased effectiveness and minimal work productivity; Difficulty in understanding new information without a trial lawyer; Feelings of despair or hopelessness about the existence of Israel; Recurring thoughts of death to the infidels."

Baseball Bums

Here's the list of the players named in the Mitchell Report. Some of the names don't surprise me, but seeing Roger Clemens' name was a shock. Incredibly, Senator Mitchell "doesn't want to impose discipline" on these cheaters, which makes this whole scandal worse. And Bud Selig is so wishy-washy, it makes you miss Bart Giamatti even more. Good thing my disillusionment with baseball was already complete years ago, after the strikes and the continued whinings for larger, more obscene salaries; otherwise, I'd be even more nauseous over this latest chapter in the destruction of what used to be a glorious game.

"The Jewish Americans"

Doesn't this sound like a good read? It is the companion volume for a PBS series that will be shown on TV in January. "The Jewish Americans, Three Centuries of Jewish Voices in America, Written by Beth Wenger. What was it like for the first Jews to arrive in the New World? How did a Bavarian immigrant’s crockery business expand into one of the nation’s top department stores? How did Yiddish theater and humor influence Hollywood and mainstream entertainment? How has Israel affected American Jewish identity? This magnificently illustrated book, companion to the major PBS television documentary produced by David Grubin, tells the history of Jews in America in a captivating and accessible collection of first-person accounts, interviews, distinguished scholarly writings, and profiles of prominent Jews as well as ordinary Jewish immigrants."

Meltdown Moron

What kind of a mind thinks up a story like this? More amazing is that Fox's John Gibson doesn't think this liar should be prosecuted at all! "A pregnant Toledo attorney who was the focus of national headlines after she disappeared last week has recanted her story that she was kidnapped at gunpoint near her office and later released near Atlanta." The excuse given for this hoax? She "had a meltdown". Well, she should first have a meltdown -- in jail!

Tom Lehrer

Visit Yourish.com for a video version of Tom Lehrer's "Hanukah in Santa Monica". And if you like that, you'll also enjoy this animated version of Lehrer's "The Elements". Learning the periodic table was never so much fun. (If the link doesn't work, go to http://www.privatehand.com/flash/elements.html)

Nix on St. Nick

Cindy Adams discusses Santa's troubles with political correctness:

"For openers, he's lost a few elves. Previously he had a non-union shop. Santa's helpers just signed on with a handshake. Came the Patriot Act and such paperwork - mother's maiden name, birth date, Social Security number, picture ID, name of your nearest munchkin. Resisting this invasion of privacy, some old-timers grumbled 'Kiss my mistletoe' and headed home to Elfville. Also there's the Equal Opportunity folk. Accusing St. Nick of chauvinism. I mean, I've always liked the old geezer - although, personally, I think Nicky could use a little makeover - but the truth is his workshop is male-dominated. When's the last time you heard of any elfette? Elfess? Elfix?"

Haveil Havalim #144 is Up!

Haveil Havalim #144, the "too many latkes edition", is up at Jack's Shack.

"The Lyrical Terrorist"

I just heard this story of "the lyrical terrorist" on Fox News.

"During her trial, Ms. Malik insisted that she was not a terrorist and that she called herself the “lyrical terrorist” to impress men. 'It was only because it was a cool name, it doesn’t mean I am a terrorist,' she said dismissing the poems as 'meaningless.' Prosecution accused her of being 'deeply involved with terrorist-related groups' and the court was told that she wrote poems with grisly and provocative titles like 'How to behead.' The court heard that she had written on the back of a till receipt that 'desire within me increases everyday to go for martyrdom.'

Yes, that's "cool", alright.

Hanukah in Iraq

Atlas Shrugs has this nice story about how our Jewish troops are celebrating Hanukah in Iraq.

Lest We Forget

Today is the 66th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Got a Million?

My pal Diane told me about this. I've heard of nerve, but this takes the cake: "...we came across a personal ad from an Upper West Side family in search of a 'philanthropic, wealthy person who would not miss a million bucks' to give them said million dollars to buy a place." I hope this turns out to be only a hoax -- but I bet some fools will actually donate money to these nervy beggars!

Movie Madness

First a quiz show about Hitler, now this. Betsy's Page reports on Oliver Stone's next project: a documentary about Iranian President Ahmadinejad!

Sorry, Santa!

This whole politically correct to-do over the phrase "ho ho ho" was preposterous enough -- but now they are actually FIRING Santas who dare to exclaim the "offensive" words! How is this allowed to happen, and how many more people will become victims of this insane PC, created by a minority of lunatics? Neal Boortz reports:

"A few weeks ago I told you about Santas in Australia who are being forced to say 'ha ha ha' instead of 'ho ho ho' because it is offensive to women. Well John Oakes is 70 years old. He has been a Santa for 10 years. On Monday he was fired for saying 'ho ho ho' and singing Jingle Bells. He worked at Cairns department store in Northern Australia. He was asked to speak to the manager at the end of his shift where he was told that his services will no longer be required because he said 'ho ho ho' and 'that's not appropriate.' Sigh."

We ought to have a "ho-ho-ho -in" to show our solidarity with Santa and our contempt for the political correctness that is destroying everything.

Name That Dictator!

Rubicon3 reports some vile but unsurprising news: "A Palestinian Authority radio contest featured a laudatory biography of Adolf Hitler replete with his military victories, heroism and no mention of the Holocaust....The Voice of Palestine contest offered a prize of 600 shekels to the person who guessed Hitler's name."

*Sigh*

Can't people just let us enjoy the holidays without making an issue out of everything?

"Environmentalists in Israel are encouraging Jews to light fewer candles during Hanukkah … to help the environment. The Green Hanukkah campaign says that every candle that burns completely produces 15 grams of carbon dioxide. The campaign estimates that one million Israeli households light candles for eight days, and it would do significant damage to the atmosphere. United Torah Judaism MK Avraham Ravitz says that environmentalists are 'crazy people' who are playing with the minds of innocent Jews. Instead, Ravitz thinks that the environmentalists should encourage people 'to light one less cigarette instead.'"

You Can't 'Mecca' This Stuff Up

Don't you love the senseless, moronic, pandering political correctness that continues to plague our society?

"The job of the nurse used to one of caring for the sick and needy. But not - it would seem - in today's politically-correct Britain. Now, nurses are being encouraged to spend valuable time turning around the beds of Muslim patients up to five times a day - so they can face Mecca....We have a huge Muslim population in Dewsbury and if we are having to turn dozens of beds to face Mecca five times a day, plus provide running water before and after prayers, it is bound to impact on the essential medical service we are supposed to be providing.'"

Unbelievable! I wouldn't want to be a patient in that hospital, would you?

Ted Kennedy's Memoirs

Look at these funny Photoshopped covers for Ted Kennedy's memoirs!

Happy Hanukah!

Here's a list of reasons that Hanukah is better than Christmas. One reason not on the list is that we don't participate in frenzied shopping stampedes. I always have to explain that no, Hanukah is NOT like Christmas, and that it's NOT all about expensive gift-giving. They can't seem to grasp the concept.

Haveil Havalim #143 is Up!

The wait is over! Haveil Havalim #143 is now up in its entirety at Soccer Dad.

The Few. The Proud. The Marines.

I was just forwarded this beautiful tribute to the Marines from 2003 and think it's worthy of being passed on. If our media weren't so anti-military, it would be nice to see this printed on the front page of every newspaper: "This is a poem being sent from a Marine to his Dad. For those who take the time to read it, you'll see a letter from him to his Dad at the bottom. It makes you truly thankful for not only the Marines, but ALL of our troops."

As Columbo Would Say...

Just two more things.. Smooth Stone has revamped his site into a great-looking new webpage, so take a look. Also, Soccer Dad has more carnivals to juggle, so stop by.

"The Shunning of Israel"

Nothing ever changes. Phyllis Chesler in Israel Insider discusses the despicable but not surprising shunning of Israel, at Annapolis :

"At the recent Annapolis meeting, behind closed doors, up close and personal, the assembled Arab foreign ministers refused to shake hands with Tzipi Livni, Israel's Foreign Minister. She asked her Arab counterparts, especially her Saudi counterpart, why they did not want to shake hands with her. 'I am not plague-ridden' Livni said. According to the Dutch minister, all the Arab ministers backed away from her as if 'she were Dracula's sister'. (These details are contained in both the Washington Post and Guysen International News)..... In addition, the United States, Israel's strongest ally, apparently just circulated the Annapolis resolution to members of the UN Security Council -- but without first showing anything to Israel's Ambassador, Dan Gillerman who was, at the time, busy celebrating the General Assembly's November 29th, 1947 resolution that created a Jewish state. What a difference sixty years can make! (These details in The New York Sun). Livni and Gillerman have just both been publicly shunned. Israeli diplomats will have to grow bionic skins in order not to suffer the effects of such interpersonally cruel behavior. But look: Israelis have been kidnapped, blown up and wounded for life by Islamist terrorists. It can always be worse but the two kinds of assaults are intimately connected. The fact that the world allows the state sponsors of terrorism to isolate and shame Israeli diplomats also allows and even encourages terrorist fanatics to continue their murderous rampage. One breeds the other; this is the cycle of violence."