Truly Awesome

I love watching NASA-TV and also listening to Mission Control audio. They are replaying today's launch of Discovery, and this time the word "awesome" actually fits.

Jon Voight: Friend of Israel

Listen to Jon Voight on Israel.

A Second Wedding

The Jewish Daily Forward's Bintel Blog includes this nice story: "Marrying Mosaically: A couple immigrates to Israel and decides to have a second wedding. The bride and groom just happen to be, respectively, 88 and 97 years of age, and hail from a remote region of northeastern India. The Jewish Press reports on an exotic yet traditional Jewish wedding in Kiryat Arba." You can see a photo of the happy couple here.

Too Much Hot Air

Are carbon ration cards in America's future, too? At least the readers of the Daily Mail article seem suitably outraged.

Dole On McClellan

I agree completely with Bob Dole's assessment: "'There are miserable creatures like you in every administration who don’t have the guts to speak up or quit if there are disagreements with the boss or colleagues,' Dole wrote in a message sent yesterday morning. 'No, your type soaks up the benefits of power, revels in the limelight for years, then quits, and spurred on by greed, cashes in with a scathing critique.'"

Oil Crisis Cartoon

I found this great editorial cartoon (above) at Lucianne.com today.

Hooray for LBJ!

I have read Robert Caro's brilliant biography of Lyndon Johnson, but I never realized, as Rubicon3 reports, that LBJ was a "hero of the Jews".

Book of the Week

The clever Scott Ott at Scrappleface comments on Scott McClellan's book and reports on another shocking tell-all!

Mason & Felder

The writing team of Jackie Mason and Raoul Felder discusses the Obamas and the Jews.

Bad Baby Names

Be sure to check out Betsy's Page for the latest in hilariously bad baby names. I feel sorry for these kids. And whoever knew there were so many names that rhyme with "maiden"??

There He Goes Again

Michelle Malkin links to A Blog For All, who discusses the detestable Jimmy Carter:

"The mouth of the South, former President Jimmy Carter can't help himself. He has this overwhelming desire to open his mouth about most any subject, especially Israel. He thinks it's important to reveal that he thinks Israel has about 150 nuclear weapons in its arsenal. Doesn't he forget the reason that Israel needed to develop those weapons - the fact that every other country in the region sought its destruction on multiple occasions and all but two continue down that path today? Iran is currently engaged in a nuclear program that even the Saudis think is going to result in nuclear weapons, and they don't want to suffer those consequences either. Why reveal that information? What is gained?..."

Haveil Havalim - FrumeSarah Style

It's time for Haveil Havalim - FrumeSarah Style! You'll be impressed at the effort this first-time host has made.

Remembering Our Veterans

Betsy's Page has some World War I memories; The Mansfield, OH, News Journal writes "Do not forget the reason for Memorial Day":

".... Memorial Day should never be used by any group to grind any kind of political ax. There are many other days of the year for that. It should not be used to generate profits for any company. It should not be used just as a great excuse for a three-day weekend, which unfortunately is too often the case, especially since Congress turned Memorial Day into a three-day weekend with the National Holiday Act of 1971. No, today should be simply used to stop and say "thanks" to the men and women of our Armed Forces. It should be used as a day to spend a few quiet moments thinking about the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who went into harm's way and never came home again. It should be used as a day to stop and offer a prayer for the souls of the brave men and women who did what their country asked them to do, regardless of their own personal fears, feelings and misgivings. It should be used as a day to learn more about the great sacrifices these men and women made on our behalf. A day to teach our children about those sacrifices."

Two Video Clips

Barking Moonbat Early Warning System shows this video of what Christopher calls "probably the most haunting video you will see today. In 2004 Robert Ballard returned to the wreck of the RMS Titanic…". And Blackfive has the most touching video.

Crazy Cicadas!

This is exactly the sound of the cicadas I am hearing now. as they have emerged after 17 years. It's a continual sound that reminds me of the noise of the Martian machines in the original "War of the Worlds".

Memorial Day Tributes

The New York Post's Cindy Adams has written "A Salute To Our Brave Military", remembering some famous people who have served. Bret Schulte urges that we restore meaning to Memorial Day: "Memorial Day is Monday. Some believe it shouldn't be. While millions prepare to go to the beach or take a family picnic or just spend a day at the mall, veterans groups and others fret that the meaning of Memorial Day is lost amid the hubbub of a long weekend and the unofficial marker of summer."

Watcher's Council

Check out the Watcher's Council's winning posts at Soccer Dad.

Emergency in Burma

Read what the United Nations considers to be a priority in Burma: "If any one story sums up what the U.N. has become, this is it. It’s at once so clueless and out-of-touch to be darkly comical (Hey, you know these people rebuilding their lives amid the bloated corpses and amoebic dysentery and famine really need? Some condoms!)..."

Farm Bill Cave-In

Read The Anchoress on the Republicans and the Farm Bill:

"If the GOP does not now trash the farm bill……they will be beyond saving. Especially now that Nancy Pelosi - as incompetent a House Speaker as has ever held the post - has decided that Congress does not even have to send the president whole and complete bills (staggering arrogance!), if the GOP does not find the gumption to first DEMAND a revote and then do a 180 and represent the will of the people over their own fat, they deserve to lose everything, for the foreseeable future."

Blame Bush

The Farm Bill goof is obviously Bush's fault: "A portion of the bill had been omitted from the version of the legislation that had been sent to Bush’s desk, where it was vetoed. The error had Democrats scrambling and put the pre-Memorial Day schedule in a shambles."

Sick Excuse of the Day

Doesn't ANYONE ever take personal responsibility for their own actions any more, or is it easier to make up sick lies like this one?

"In efforts to avoid creditors, a woman in South Carolina wrote a fake obituary for a daughter who she said died in Iraq."

(Via Nealz Nuze, which always has a lot of good but infuriating items.)

A Wonderful Address

I've always loved author and narrator David McCullough, but I love him even more after hearing about this commencement speech: "In a heartfelt ode to the power and joys of education, acclaimed historian David McCullough exhorted Boston College graduates yesterday to 'make the love of learning central to your life.'

'We are what we read, to a very considerable degree,' the writer said. With dismay, McCullough cited a survey finding that one-third of college-educated Americans had not read a single novel in the past year, and he called on graduates to 'read, read, read!' 'Read the classics of American literature that you've never opened. Read your country's history. . . . Read about the great turning points in the history of science and medicine and ideas.' He also pleaded with graduates to rid the vernacular of a 'verbal virus': the rampant use of 'like,' 'you know,' 'awesome,' and 'actually.' 'Just imagine if in his inaugural address John F. Kennedy had said, 'Ask not what your country can, you know, do for you, but what you can, like, do for your country, actually.'"

Jihadists in N.C.

Smooth Stone reports on Jihadists in North Carolina.

No-Nobama

Via Conservative Grapevine, Rush Limbaugh has a list of things you can't say about Obama.

Amusing Headline

Here's the amusing headline of the day, via Obscure Store:

"Deputies arrest passenger who allegedly threw bottle after being called name for listening to Mariah Carey tune"

.

"Demoralized"

That word perfectly describes the state of the Republicans today: "Robert Novak captures it pretty well: 'Today's Republican Party -- divided, drifting, demoralized -- is epitomized by the farm bill.' Thank you, Senators Alexander and Corker, for jumping on the bandwagon as it heads into the abyss."

Gas Pains

A reader at Free Republic has a good suggestion for dealing with the high gas prices:

"My energy plan: declare a national energy emergency; uncap all our oil wells that were capped back to the 60’s and forward; use the tons of exploration maps the oil companies have locked up for years and start drilling immediately; ban all the red tape for drilling and refineries; tell environmentalists to go to hell; drill offshore in the Gulf and Pacific. As for refineries, drop all the red tape and work non-stop 24/7 with thousands of workers just like we did in WWII to vamp up to win a war. My guess is that prices would drop quickly with that announcement."

It's Haveil Havalim Time!

You're sure to find something good to read when you visit "Ima on (and off) the Bima" and Haveil Havalim #166: The MommyBlogger Edition

Ted Kennedy

Kathy Shaidle at Right Wing News says exactly what I was thinking: "Oh pu-leeeeeeze. In the midst of this embarrassing, wrongheaded preemptive media eulogizing of Edward Kennedy, at least spare a thought for the woman he killed."

A Good Question

Regarding the Democratic hysteria over Bush's "appeasement" remark, one of Lucianne.com's readers, in reply #9, asks, "Where was/is their anger every time Ahminadinnerjacket announces that he is going to wipe Israel off the map? They NEVER get upset about that. In fact, they want to go talk to him about the arrangements."

Finally, Some Presidential Spine!

I agree with President Bush's categorization of Democrats as appeasers:

"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along . . . We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Read Kathryn Jean Lopez's entire article, in which she ends by saying "The world does not actually revolve around Barackstar. It doesn’t even revolve around contemporary Democrats. There are two very different ways of looking at the world, represented by the two parties here in the U.S. President Bush, obviously, believes the other party’s approach is wrong. To say so, in his mind, was of historic importance, for obvious reasons. Obvious, at least, to any statesman who can see before and beyond this current election season. Thank you, Senator Obama, for helping make clear where you stand on that front."

Gloom and Doom

The Wall Street Journal wonders "Who Stole the American Spirit?"

There is no denying that the current financial morass is deep and painful. But taking the long view, there is something both startling and disturbing about the gloom that has settled over Wall Street and the country in general. In fact, looking back over the past century, it would be a stretch to rank the current problems as especially notable or dramatic. Something else is going on – namely a cultural rut of pessimism that is draining our collective energy, blinding us to possibilities, and eroding our position in the world.

And, how come you never hear politicians talk about what a great country America is, and how lucky we are to be Americans?

More About Oil

Betsy's Page reports on an Investor's Business Daily series about what "Democrats and Congress have done to keep us from drilling to increase American supplies of oil." We keep hearing these stories, so why aren't all Americans outraged?

More Political Humor

I just love these clever Argus Hamilton comments on the news!

"Teddy Kennedy said Friday Hillary Clinton should not be Barack Obama's running mate because she's not worthy of it. Teddy's support has been an invaluable help to Obama. The Kennedy family has a long history of getting rid of troublesome blondes."

"John McCain said Barack Obama is clearly the choice of Hamas after a terrorist leader had praised the Democrat. Obama objected to McCain's remark immediately. He's slept through sermons for twenty years and he's not going to be blindsided again."

The Change We Deserve?

Unfortunately, the Republicans continue to self-destruct. Michelle Malkin reports on their inane new slogan, "Change You Deserve":

"Conservatives have spent the entire campaign season eviscerating Democrat candidates who’ve tattooed themselves with the empty 'change' slogan. So what do the brain-dead strategists and p.r. market wizards of the GOP go and do? Wrap themselves in 'change.' What about self-preservation? What about sovereignty? What about consistent adherence to constitutional principles? Nope. We get more insipid 'change.' The crack research staff at GOP HQ somehow missed that 'Change You Deserve' is the marketing slogan for Effexor, an anti-depressant. Brilliant."

I need an anti-depressant myself after reading this.

"I Am The Master Of My House"

I love it when the good guys win!

"Walter Funk, 77, stared in disbelief Saturday morning when he found a strange young woman casually walking through his home. In the minutes to come, paramedics would carry someone out on a stretcher. It wasn't Funk. A brazen morning burglary that might have led to tragedy closed with a female suspect pinned by a 160-pound retired construction worker who doesn't like surprises. 'When you are in my house, I am the master of my house,' said Funk, a native of Germany who has lived on 123rd Street N in Seminole 20 years. 'You don't leave me. You don't get away.' And Nicole Mason-Suares didn't."

(via Obscure Store)

"The Dumbest Generation"

Here are "8 reasons why this is the dumbest generation". (via Interesting Pile)

Haveil Havalim Time!

Wow! What an array of enjoyable, wonderfully written posts at Haveil Havalim #165, the Happy 60th Birthday Israel edition, over at Jack's Shack!

VP Madness!

Cast your vote in the latest round of VP Madness!

I Love the Internet!

See an amusing roundup of posts regarding Obama's visit to 57 states. Of course, it didn't take very long for some creative and clever people to come up with this pin. (above)

To The Rescue

Guess who's helping out in Myanmar? Israel, of course!.

Carnival of Israel

Yid With Lid has a special Celebrating Israel Blog Carnival that's worth seeing. (via Soccer Dad)

News Tidbits

Argus Hamilton is a riot. Among his many recent comments on the news are these:

"Roger Clemens apologized for personal mistakes Sunday which center around the affair he had that began when the girl was fifteen. Admitting it may be a ploy for sympathy. He just has to introduce her as his page and Congress will get off his case."

"New Mexico police arrested self-proclaimed prophet Wayne Bent at his compound near the Colorado border. He heads a cult that considers him the Messiah. These Obama impersonators are everywhere now that it looks like he might get the nomination."

2 Ridiculous Lawsuits

Via Neal Boortz, "Some idiot driver in Minnesota who struck and killed a dog is now suing the dog's owners for damages on the vehicle." (Full story here, but Boortz sure summed it up nicely.) And Obscure Store summarizes
this too long, very moronic story: "Woman files claim against city after son steps in dog poop. She wants the city of Norwalk to reimburse her for $54 she spent at Stride Rite replacing her toddler's ruined shoes, and the wasted $50-plus in expenses she spent for parking and aquarium admission. She writes in her claim: 'After parking, we exited the garage and my 1-year-old son was walking around the structure outside the door of the garage and stepped in a large pile of fecal matter.' The city's response: Poop happens."

Save Your Money

Rex Reed has a scathingly funny review of the movie "Speed Racer" that you have to read. Here is an excerpt:

"Even for summer trash, this abomination by the creatively challenged Wachowski brothers is a train wreck so bad that words literally fail me, but I will say it looks like somebody ate 25 cafeteria Jello-O congealed salads and then threw up all over the sets. ... Few summer movies promise to be more nauseating than Speed Racer, unless you count the one with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as siblings (you need a barf bag just for the trailers)."

Election Tidbits

As always, National Review Online has had plenty of great election coverage. Last night, at NRO's The Corner, Kathryn Jean Lopez wrote: "You know that look you look out at a loved one with when you're proud of them as they face a loss/embarrassment bravely? That's the look on Bill and Chelsea Clinton's faces tonight." Argus Hamilton quipped today, "Democratic Party officials hailed record turnout for Tuesday's primaries. It got ugly toward the end. After a tip from Michael Vick on Monday, both Hillary and Barack Obama were arrested on separate farms in North Carolina for breeding attack ads." And The Asheville Citizen-Times had an unintentionally funny caption the other day: "People pose with cardboard Obama during the Barack Obama for President rally at UNC-Asheville on Friday May 2." Obama IS a cardboard candidate; or as the saying goes, "There is no there there."

Interesting Interesting Pile

I always read Interesting Pile every day. He scans the 'Net so you don't have to! Among the many interesting, fun, and delightful websites today is this one that lists 60 fun things you can do for little or no money. Most of the things are very simple and involve using your brain and your creativity, like we used to do many years ago -- or are those things now extinct?

A Bit of Hot Air

After voting at an amazingly empty polling place today, I needed a laugh, and Andy Borowitz provides one, here:

"After a week in which a chorus of television pundits talked about the Rev. Wright controversy ad nauseam, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama introduced a proposal today to silence such repetitious discussions. 'I am proposing a gas-bag holiday,' Sen. Obama told a capacity crowd in Indianapolis. 'Under my plan, all gas-bags would go on vacation until the second week of November.'"

"Indestructible Spirit"

The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles has a cover story on "The indestructible spirit of Holocaust survivors". The photographer for this story says, "The prophet Zechariah proclaims that the people of Israel will prevail 'not by might, nor by power, but by spirit alone ... will you survive.' Clearly, it was not by might, nor by power that they prevailed, but by the strength of their enduring spirit."

New York Post on Israel

The New York Post has several good editorials today about Israel's 60th anniversary. You can read them here.

Carnival Juggling!

Make sure you visit Soccer Dad, who is adeptly juggling several carnivals today.

It's Haveil Havalim Time!

Take a look at Haveil Havalim # 164 - no names edition, hosted by Simply Jews.

Outrageous Holocaust Comparison of the Day

Moonbattery reports :"Baltimore Bureauweenie Compares Plastic Bags with Holocaust. Liberals would be hard pressed to push moral equivalence any farther than Baltimore City Councilman James Kraft, who has equated failure to ban plastic shopping bags with the Holocaust. Squeaks Kraft: 'We don't want to be criticized by future generations for not doing enough now as were those who dealt with the Germans then.'"

Melanie Phillips, on Israel

Israpundit links to this article by Melanie Phillips commemorating Israel's 60th anniversary:
"Melanie Phillips says that the prosperity and growing cultural confidence of Israel is a fitting riposte to the Western intelligentsia, American meddling and the daily propaganda assault that ignores the Islamisation of the Palestinians."

May Madness!

Congressional Quarterly has launched a game called VP Madness: "Modeled after the NCAA college basketball tournament bracket, VP Madness lets you select John McCain’s running mate from a competitive field of potential GOP vice presidential candidates." Cast your first round vote today!

Lou Gehrig

Soccer Dad remembers Lou Gehrig, who ended his consecutive game streak sixty-nine years ago today. He defined good sportsmanship and was a truly great baseball player, but he had the misfortune to play on the same team as Babe Ruth, who got most of the attention. It's also a shame that many people are most familiar with his name because of the disease associated with it. To listen to his farewell speech, go
here.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Read Atlas Shrugs' post about Holocaust Remembrance Day. Pamela writes: "Never in my lifetime did I imagine that this day would become an historical refutation of the new lie." In 1945, General Eisenhower visited the concentration camps. He "understood that many people would be unable to comprehend the full scope of this horror. He also understood that any human deeds that were so utterly evil might eventually be challenged or even denied as being literally unbelievable. For these reasons he ordered that all the civilian news media and military combat camera units be required to visit the camps and record their observations in print, pictures and film. As he explained to General Marshall, “I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’”

Jewish Antisemites

Little Green Football's Charles Johnson writes: "In one of the most disgusting displays of abject self-hatred I’ve ever seen, a group of British Jews makes a sickening statement." Read it here, if you have the stomach for it.