Tortured!

Atlas Shrugs is "sick in her soul" over the torture of the Mumbai victims and says,

"Dr. Bostom wrote me, 'The 'coverage' of the Mumbai massacre(s) has been an appalling spectacle of IGNORANCE, denial, and scapegoating--of the victims. If Hindus and Jews (and in the end, all potential non-Muslim victims of jihad) don't realize their shared predicament --targeting by jihad hatred-- after these events, then they never will, possibly hastening their separate destruction."

Haveil Havalim Time!

This is Not Your Father's Haveil Havalim (Issue #193) contains a lot of terrific reading and is hosted by What War Zone?

More on Mumbai

Here's another lovely tribute to the Holtzbergs. But predictably, according to Little Green Footballs,

"Some American Muslims are justifying the massacre and refusing to denounce it, and blaming it on either Israel or America. For example: The Ignored Puzzle Pieces of Knowledge » Mumbai Attacks. And then there’s this creep, 'Yousef al-Khattab,' aka Joseph Cohen."

Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg

Here's a tribute to Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg. Michael Savage referred to their rescued son as The Little Moses. All Jews are greatly affected by this tragic story.

TIME to Be Nauseous

When I saw this magazine cover on the newsstand today, my first impulse was to turn the magazine around to face the other direction! As a great admirer of FDR, I find the comparison extremely insulting.

More on the Senseless Stampede

Ed Morrissey puts it in perspective:

"I’ve seen people get into shoving matches and fistfights, and I’ve heard of injuries, but a death and a miscarriage? This didn’t happen because of a fire erupting or a terrorist/hostage situation, as we have seen in Mumbai. Hundreds of people trampled others to death so that they could get to cheap retail goods the fastest — presumably to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ."

Shop Till You Die

I just saw this story at Michelle Malkin's website and wondered again how Christmas shoppers can turn into such wild animals:

"Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede. A worker died after being trampled and a woman miscarried when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart Friday morning, witnesses said. The unidentified worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m."

I'm just waiting for one of these crazy, greedy people to sue Wal-Mart.

Chalk One Up for the Religion of Peace

The terrorism-deniers on the radio this morning were actually blaming the U.S. and U.K. for the massacre in Mumbai. I guess we haven't gone far enough in our kowtowing to Muslims. So let's now add Mumbai to the illustrious list of terrorist attacks that include the Achilles Lauro, the first World Trade Center bombing, the Khobar Towers, the USS Cole, the September 11 attacks, the Bali bombings, the July 7 London bombings, the 2005 Jordan "wedding bombings", and the continual attacks in Israel.

Good Reading

Need something good to read? Check out the medical carnival Grand Rounds 5.9 at Dr. Deb; and see the latest Watcher's Council submissions at Soccer Dad.

While Civilization Slept

Will this help to wake up the West at long last when even the September 11 attacks did not seem to do so? Andrew Bolt aptly describes the savage terrorist attacks in India as "Cruel barbarity against us all" :

"The slaughter in Mumbai was a barbaric attack not just on India, but on us. On the West. For the first time in India, Muslim terrorists have singled out Westerners and Jews, and the places they are most likely to visit. And that makes al-Qaida a prime suspect -- either as a partner with local terrorists or prime mover....This is the struggle Obama inherits, and it will not end until Islamists horrify enough fellow Muslims by their pointless slaughter - and until Bush's dream is fulfilled, and Muslim nations share our love for the freedom now under such savage attack in Mumbai."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Here's an article about the great stuffing vs. dressing debate. As a Northerner, I had never heard that delectable necessity called anything but stuffing ... until I moved to the South. But either way, have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

"The 'Um' Season"

What a great description of Thanksgiving and Christmas this is!

"For us Jews, Thanksgiving is an uncomplicated treat as we enter the 'um' season. 'Got your tree yet?' 'Um...' 'Where are you going for Christmas?' 'Um...' 'Mommy, is Santa coming to our house?' 'Um...' Of course many people assume that everyone else is celebrating Christmas, and that's fine. I've never met anyone who minded being corrected in that assumption. The compensation for being odd-man-out at this time of year, and excuse me, my frazzled Christian friends, if I gloat a bit, is no stress. Thanksgiving is like a lower-stress Christmas. It's the 'joy' without the 'oy.'"

"The 'um season'" -- perfect! As the only Jew at work, I not only "um" but am virtually mute the entire month of December!

Turkey Time!

I love this Thanksgiving Waiver from the Center for Consumer Freedom.

Muslim Mayhem

Atlas Shrugs reports on the vicious terrorist attack in India:

"Muslims have attacked at least 7 hotels and restaurants. There are over 100 injured, possibly 80 dead and the battle is still going on. They are holding hostages.If you think you are safe in the west, stop drinking the bong water. Are we allowed to talk about it, or is this insulting to Islam and in violation of the UN resolution against 'defaming Islam'".

Let's hope for a strong response from the West and the quick release of American hostages.

Bailout Rage

This is simply outrageous: "Bailout costs more than Marshall Plan, Louisiana Purchase, moonshot, S&L bailout, Korean War, New Deal, Iraq war, Vietnam war, and NASA's lifetime budget -- *combined*!" (From Boing Boing via Free Republic)

The Hilarious Allan Sherman

The Anchoress offers some Allan Sherman songs, including the wonderful "Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max"! Boy, that brings back memories -- when I was a kid, we played his "My Son The Folk Singer" album all the time, and I still remember his
"Jump Down, Spin Around (Pick A Dress O'Cotton)".

"The Rape of Europa"

Last night on PBS, I saw the documentary "The Rape of Europa", about how the Nazis stole and plundered priceless art works and family heirlooms across Europe. At one point, someone commented that it was impossible to reconcile their love of art with their evil inhumanity. Towards the end, the film showed a Christian man who was reuniting Torah crowns and other artifacts with families of their original owners. He was emotional when he said that he rang the bells on the Torah crown to the owner over the phone. The film was extremely powerful, moving, and infuriating, and I signed up for the book at the library today.

Carnival-Juggling Time!

Soccer Dad is juggling Carnivals, including a new one of his own colorfully called Shiny Happy Dhimmi . ("Dhimmitude", from what I have always understood, means the appeasement of radical Muslims. Melanie Phillips published an excellent description of dhimmis and dhimmitude here)

Our Flag Is Still There

After some repairs and restoration, our wonderfully historic American flag, the original Star Spangled Banner, is back on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. I got to see it there many years ago, and it's truly a sight to behold.

How's This for Obamamaniacal Gall?

Blogs for Victory says that the New York Times thinks President Bush should resign now so Obama can take over. The Democrats are even crazier than I thought!

Watcher's Council

Soccer Dad has published the latest winning Watcher's Council posts. Soccer Dad himself tied for 4th place with this entry!

Haveil Havalim Time!

According to Jack, you can find Haveil Havalim #192: The Thanks and Giving Edition at Ima on (and off) the Bima. Stop by for some tasty morsels!

OK To Be An American...Now

This article, from Lucianne.com, leaped out at me and made me do a double take. The title of it is "It's OK to be an American now". Now?! It has ALWAYS been okay to be an American! I'm sure a lot of readers will also feel the same way.

November 22: A Tragic Day

On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated. I was 8 years old and vaguely remember watching the funeral on television.

Funny Christmas Carols

Lenore Skenazy offers some "Funny Updated Christmas Carols". I particularly like this one:

Ring my Cell Rock
(to "Jingle Bell Rock")

Ring my cell, ring my cell, ring my cell rock.
You're in the car and bored, so you talk.
Call me 'bout nothing 'cause minutes are free.
"Now I'm turnin' left," you tell me.

Ring my cell, ring my cell, ring my cell rock.
Ring all the time, I'm losing my mind.
Blather and chatter because you're my spouse,
Though you just left the house!

What a nightmare, it sits right there
To pass the time away.
Turn your phone on and you drone on:
"I had a cheese Danish today, yay!"

Nonstop yap, there's my cell ringin' again,
Clackin' around the clock.
I hear the ringle and wish I were single.
That's the ring my cell,
Jingle ringle hell,
That's the ring my cell rock.

Sign of the Times

Above is a sign I wish I could see in American restaurants when kids are running around screaming & crying while their parents sit there oblivious! This is from the Telegraph's "Sign Language" section.

Criminals and Good Samaritans

It's nice to read about a community's outrage and generosity, but I sure hope these animals are caught and given the maximum sentence for this senseless cruelty: "West Tennessee citizens, outraged after thieves stole and dismantled a 5-year-old girl's wheelchair, are responding with offers to help little Annabelle Hulgan of Memphis."

Fun With Words

The Telegraph reports that "A fascinating list of the correct word for unusual items and phenomena has been compiled for a fascinating new book that might help stop the use of 'thingummy', 'whatdoyoumecallit', and 'whatsit'." I love stuff like this!

Par for the Course

Honesty must be extremely rare these days when this story about golfer J.P. Hayes makes headlines.

Terrorists of the Sea

On his radio show last night, while discussing the increasing incidents of Somali piracy, Michael Savage was talking about how emasculated our Navy has become. So it was encouraging to read that another Navy, the Indian Navy, has won a victory against those terrorists.

Bailout Blahs (continued)

I totally agree with these great points on the auto bailout talk from Betsy's Page:

"Whatever the decision of whether to fund the car companies mismanagement, we will see an ever-growing line of supplicants begging for the federal taxpayers to save them from their own profligacy and poor budgetary management....How many irresponsible people and companies are we going to continue to bail out? Have we gotten to the point that we believe that the federal taxpayers can fund the total negation of consequences for bad decisions?"

Annoying Cliches

Lifehacker links to this amusing BBC article on the 20 most hated cliches. I noticed that the extremely annoying "at the end of the day" made a previous list.

Morning Joe

Argus Hamilton jokes: "NBC News put Joe Scarborough on a seven-second delay Wednesday for swearing on his morning talk show. He's had problems with the network before. Last month NBC News took him off the air for a week when he mentioned Barack Obama's name without crossing himself."

Presidents and Pooches

Stanley Siegelman has written a poem about Presidential dogs. I loved the last stanza.

Read Jewish World Review!

As always, there's a lot of terrific reading over at Jewish World Review, including Mark Steyn on why Americans should feel grateful on Thanksgiving; and this funny Dave Barry lesson on "driving while stupid":

"Of course, more and more, drivers do not have time for steering, as they are busy making phone calls, eating, reading, changing CDs, putting on makeup, brushing their teeth, etc. I recently received mail from an alert reader named Kate Chadwick who reports that she drove behind a man who was SHAVING HIS HEAD, with his 'visor mirror positioned just so, windows wide open for hair disposal, and for a significant portion of the ride, no hands on the wheel.'"

Throw The Switch!

There's been a despicably heinous crime committed against a baby
in Britain, and Eye On The World asks the same question I always ask: "Why do the liberal left spend more time and effort in defending the rights of murderers, terrorists and thugs than they do their victims?"

A Quiz You Can't Refuse

If you love "The Godfather" movies as much as I do (and they are on AMC again this weekend), you might enjoy this quiz. I scored 100%.

Haveil Havalim Time

It's time for Haveil Havalim, The “Mama Rachel” Edition at West Bank Mama.

If...You Must!

Soccer Dad's much-missed series If...You Must is back!

101 Ways to Save Money

Here's a list of money-saving ideas. Many of these consist of simple good old-fashioned common sense, which too many people today lack. Those of us who were brought up by Depression-era babies have no problem with cutting back and making do.

Nervy Criminal of the Week

How is this for gall? (via Obscure Store)

"A miffed bank robber vowed to file a complaint after finding the cash drawers empty at a Springettsbury Township bank that had just opened Thursday morning."

This reminds me of the episode of "Cops" where a woman called police to report that the cocaine she had just bought wasn't the real thing!

Grand Rounds

You can find the latest edition of the medical Carnival Grand Rounds at Musings of a Distractible Mind. A list of upcoming hosts is published here.

Good Point

John Podhoretz writes: "Bill Ayers claims Republicans 'demonized' him. This makes no sense. You can’t 'demonize' someone who is already a demon."

2008 Weblog Awards

You can find a lot of your favorite bloggers nominated for the 2008 Weblog Awards.

The Hole Truth

Read Joan Nathan's short history of the bagel.

President Bush: Friend of Israel

Jason Maoz writes: "Whatever else can be said about George W. Bush and his legacy on this day that his successor is being chosen, it is a near certainty that we shall not see a president quite as instinctively pro-Israel as he for a very long time to come – a president who entered office determined to pursue a policy that unambiguously favored Israel over its enemies."

Majesty

Last night, our local PBS station had a wonderful documentary called Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work. How Queen Elizabeth, at age 80, has the stamina to make so many visits and do so much meeting and greeting is just amazing. In a related note, Prince Charles is 60 years old!

Bailout Blarney

Regarding the original bailout, former Mayor Ed Koch exclaims, "We were had!" He writes,

"I find it incredible that this is happening and no one is calling foul. Where are all the hotshots who supported Paulson in his psyching us all out by conveying that if we did not follow his plan, we would find ourselves in another Great Depression? Why aren't they at the very least denouncing what is now happening? We are keeping alive, in addition to banks, other institutions that have done a terrible job and were greedy. Those companies should be permitted to declare bankruptcy so that someone in the private sector can buy them at a discount, if they are worth purchasing. Everyone is lining up to get their federal handout."

Also, shouldn't the people at AIG be arrested, for going on not one but two obscenely expensive post-bailout spa junkets? If anyone deserves a perp walk, it's them!

Happy Thanksgivoween!

Here's a good article about how Thanksgiving and Christmas are starting up earlier and earlier each year. I am literally driven out of stores by the continual Christmas carols that are annoyingly played. MUST we hear "White Christmas" already?

Europe's Oldest Vet

Read about the oldest survivor of World War One, who, at age 112, says, "That's why I go on," he said. "The children must not be left and not know what so many good men have done for them, on their behalf, on my behalf, on your behalf."

Graciousness, and Lack Thereof

While reading an article about President Bush's graciousness towards Obama, I couldn't help noticing this dig at the end:

"Ending a tumultuous second term on a positive note certainly can't hurt his standing as he returns to private life. But it won't be enough to alter Bush's legacy, said Hess, who worked in the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations and advised presidents Ford and Carter. 'The encyclopedia is still going to read: `George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, who created a war in Iraq' or `who let the country be flooded by Katrina,' Hess said. "It's not going to be, `George W. Bush, who left the office gracefully.'"

Yes, President Bush somehow deliberately steered Hurricane Katrina toward "the whole country" to intentionally flood it. What a guy!

VETERANS DAY 2008

Remembering and appreciating our armed forces today and every day!

Two Moronic Stories

It's amazing the ridiculous news items you come across while on the Internet. I spotted these two stories today: (1) If the Deep South wants to look stupid and act like it's the 50's and 60's all over again, they are certainly going about it the right way, as can be seen in this story from Mississippi: "Schools not allowing students to mention Obama." (2) And here's the latest bribe to get people to take responsibility for themselves, from England: "Pay the obese to take a walk: New £30m health drive sees fat people paid to walk their children to school."

How To Win Friends and Influence Wyoming Jews

I don't listen to NPR, but a co-worker told me that she heard this story and thought I would like it: "Wyoming Rabbi Reaches Out, One Challah At A Time."

Haveil Havalim Time!

Jack says it's time for Haveil Havalim #190 - Post Election Panic! over at Jewlicious.

Kristallnacht

Here's the November 11, 1938 New York Times report on Kristallnacht. This was the start of the Holocaust.

For Those Who Love History

The UK Telegraph is printing 70 year old articles about WW2, as well as readers' memories. And for some great photographs, see the 20th century in Britain, in pictures.

Blacks and Jews

I came across this lovely tribute last night, probably via Jrants, and even though I'm a Republican and I didn't vote for Obama, there's no way I can deny the truth of what this says:

"As Commentary’s John Podhoretz wrote on Tuesday night: 'America, it appears, is on the verge of electing a black man as its president…. the immensity of this single cultural moment dwarfs almost any other in my lifetime. Its positive social impact is incalculable; it was only eight years ago that Al Gore traveled to Harlem to kiss Al Sharpton’s ring…. Sharpton was, at that point, by default the most important black politician in America. Obama’s ascension to the White House, if it does nothing else, may at last bring down the curtain on race hucksters like Sharpton, whose power has always been rooted in the political alienation of inner-city blacks.'
And as The Atlantic’s Ross Douthat noted, '…Obama has just been elected president of a nation in which he could have been bought and sold as a slave just generations ago. I don’t think there are any words adequate to the occasion of America electing its first black president, so I’ll just say this: This may be a bleak day for the Republican party and for conservatism, but come what may in the years ahead, it's great for our country. Barack Obama deserves congratulations tonight, but so does the nation he’s about to govern. We’ve come a long, long way.'
Oh, and those who have their bags packed and their passports ready in anticipation of the coming deluge might consider this: the election of a black man as president should make Jews feel more secure in America rather than less.
African Americans have endured infinitely greater prejudice, hardship and discrimination – slavery, lynching, Jim Crow, etc. -- than have Jewish Americans, and yet earlier this week the nation entrusted its highest office to a black man. Not only did Obama win tens of millions of white votes, he carried states where not so long ago blacks were prevented by law from using the same public facilities as whites and actually took their lives into their hands simply for attempting to exercise, as American citizens, their right to vote.
America has arrived at the point where a black man will sit in the Oval Office while his black wife will do whatever it is First Ladies do and their black children will roam the White House and play in the Rose Garden. If the country has come this far in its comfort level with and acceptance of blacks, how much more so is that the case with Jews, who already for decades now have been the nation's most successful and influential ethnic subgroup?"

Tattoo U.

I agree with this Daily Mail article about women who wear tattoos, "the most tasteless, tacky, tawdry, terrible plague to infect our nation since mad cow disease."

Annoying Phrases

These are the top ten most annoying phrases (via Interesting Pile):

1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science

Read the comments section, too.

Read The Anchoress

Read the usual very good posts at The Anchoress, including links celebrating "I Love George W. Bush Day.

Watcher's Council Entries of the Week

Here are some of this week's Watcher's Council submissions from Soccer Dad.

Better Late Than Never

I've noticed a spate of pro-George Bush articles lately, including this one, in which the author states

"The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time. Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty -- a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House."

Analysis By Boortz

Here's Neal Boortz on the election, and it's exactly the way I feel:

"This has been a 'what's in it for me' vote. Are you going to give me health care? Are you going to make sure my job is guaranteed? Are you going to cover my child care costs? You aren't going to make me pay taxes, are you? How about all those evil rich people? Aren't you going to take some of their money away from them and give it to me? After all ... I work for my money, they cheated and stole for theirs. Make them pay their fair share of taxes. Me? I'm tired of paying any share. The big question for me today is whether or not freedom, economic liberty and self-sufficiency can make a comeback in America. Right now it seems that a dismaying number of Americans think that they are owed a living; that it is the government's job to guarantee their economic security. Can we ever turn that around and return to a time when people accept the responsibility for their own lives and eschew the idea of using government as a tool of legalized plunder?"

A Brief Postmortem

Congratulations to Barack Obama, Kay Hagan, John Murtha, and maybe even Al Franken -- and heaven help the rest of us.

Michelle Malkin offers us some advice:

"What do we do now? We do what we’ve always done.
We stand up for our principles, as we always have — through Democrat administrations and Republican administrations, in bear markets or bull markets, in peacetime and wartime.
We stay positive and focused.
We keep the faith.
We do not apologize for our beliefs. We do not re-brand them, re-form them, or relinquish them. We defend them.
We pay respect to the office of the presidency. We count our blessings and recommit ourselves to our constitutional republic.
We gird our loins, to borrow a phrase from our Vice President-elect.
We lock and load our ideological ammunition.
We fight."

Thank You, President Bush

Hashmonean and Breitbart pay tribute to our President. As the latter says simply, "I still like George W. Bush. A lot."

Liberal Lunacy

Here are some Notable Quotables from the Media Research Center. They represent "the latest outrageous, sometimes humorous, quotes in the liberal media."

It's The Most Politically Correct Time of the Year!

Here's the first of what will undoubtedly be a host of "banning Christmas" stories this year.

Carnival-Juggling at Soccer Dad

The very versatile Soccer Dad is juggling four Carnivals for your entertainment pleasure.

VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN!

Without hesitation, I endorse Senator John McCain for President. If you're a conservative Republican who believes in fiscal and personal responsibility, less government, and a firm response to terrorism, please cast your vote for this proven leader. He's good for Israel, and good for America.

Today's New York Post editorial says: "...Early on, The Post endorsed Sen. John McCain's presidential candidacy, citing his lifelong record of service, his courage and his clear grasp of the problems and threats facing this country. Since then, the subprime-mortgage crisis and Wall Street's woes have supplanted national security as the campaign's principal issue. All the more reason, frankly, to cast a vote for John McCain."

Watcher's Council Winners

I'm suffering from electionitis (nausea, queasiness, and an allergic reaction to 24-hour cable news) but found an antidote in Soccer Dad's report on the latest winning entries from the Watcher's Council.

Jpix!

This is something I had not seen before. Sharon from Little Frumhouse on the Prairie announces the 20th edition of Jpix, the carnival of photographs by Jewish bloggers. What a nice discovery, and what great pictures!

Haveil Havalim Time!

Haveil Havalim #189 - The Elections Edition is up at Esser Agaroth, where you can read posts on both Israeli and American elections.

The Great Reverse Shlep!

Israpundit kvells about Pamela Geller and the The Great Reverse Shlep. (This is the antidote to Obama's nervy Great Shlep, in which grandchildren were told to visit their grandparents in Florida and convince them to vote for The Messiah.) Pamela writes:

"These folks ........ Russian Jews, flew in from New York for the schlep. They lived under Obama's proposed socialist poltical system and they want to do anything they can to keep America free.There were a number of folks there who fled socialist countries -- and they were desperate to help get the message out."

The Right Kind of Cartoons

Barking Moonbat Early Warning System links to some very well-drawn political cartoons at Red Planet Cartoons. Their slogan is "Political comics on the right side of history". Take a look!