Cash for The Clap?

This was on the radio today; even the talk show host thought it was a bad joke at first:

"About 125 officials and volunteers are spending Saturday walking through a neighborhood where a cluster of cases have been reported, offering free blood tests for syphilis and HIV. Anyone who agrees to be tested will get a Wal-Mart gift card."

Argus Hamilton Quips

I had an extremely hectic work day, but Argus Hamilton's latest column gave me a much-needed laugh, with items like this:

"Michael Jackson's death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner on Monday. It seems fitting that his death was every bit as weird as his life. He is survived by his parents, three children, four brothers, three sisters, six noses, a chimpanzee and five non-disclosure agreements."

Laughter Can Be Murder

I first laughed over "Murder By Death" in the movie theatre many years ago, and last night it was shown on TCM. The witty dialogue, sight gags, and great cast make it one of my favorite comedies. Enjoy!

Haveil Havalim Time

West Bank Mama is the host of Haveil-Havalim Number 232 - The Back to School Edition. It looks like she deserves an apple herself for a job well done.

9/11/01: The Falling Man

I have never forgotten this stunningly-written portrait of "The Falling Man".

And Toto, Too!

Happy 70th anniversary to one of my favorite movies, "The Wizard of Oz". Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch asks its readers to name their favorite lines.
(What I always found funny was that so many people I know were, like me, afraid of either the Flying Monkeys, the Witch-on-the-Bicycle, or both!)

Reading, 'Riting, and Robert Hall

Here's a column by Greg Crosby about going back-to-school shopping in the good old days. He ends this way:

"Robert Hall clothing stores are long gone - having bit the dust around 1977. The catchy little back to school jingle is no more. The store and the jingle were pure Americana. While I feel a tinge of nostalgia for the jingle, the greater loss by far is the lack of teaching pro-American culture in our public schools. Teaching patriotism and American history has been, for the most part, tossed out along with the back to school jingle many years ago."

Rachel Lucas on Auschwitz-Birkenau

Rachel Lucas has written this beautiful post on her visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau.

Watcher's Council

Soccer Dad reveals this week's Watcher's Council nominations and Watcher's Council winners.

Liberal Lunacy

The Media Research Center has released its latest newsletter full of liberal Notable Quotables. And according to Newsbusters, Keith Olbermann says that if you watch Fox News, you must be 'tin foil hatters, conspiracy theorists, paranoids and racists.' Yep, that's me alright!

Favorite Back-to-School Commercial

I never fail to get a kick out of this annual commercial - plus, it's a lot better than the soon-to-come bombardment of Christy Lane and Snuggie commercials for XMAS! Sing along!

Let's Remember The Victims!

This is a very good article: "If you British can't see why America is so enraged about the Lockerbie bomber being freed, read on."

Tweet4Shalit!

Soccer Dad reminds everyone to Tweet 4 Shalit today in celebration of Gilad Shalit's 23rd birthday.

"The Path of Appeasement"

Michelle Malkin reports on today's outrage :

"How much more suffering does the Obama administration want American relatives of Lockerbie bombing murder victims to take? Fresh off delivering a hero’s welcome for freed Lockerbie jihadist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, blood-stained Libyan terrorist-enabler Moammar Gadhafi is headed to America next month. And he wants to pitch a tent in upscale Englewood, NJ after speaking to the UN General Assembly."

Grand Rounds

Grab your prescription pad! Grand Rounds is going on at The Examining Room of Dr. Charles. It was at his website that I first came across Grand Rounds years ago.

Get Out of Jail Free

Argus Hamilton takes on the release of the Lockerbie bomber, and other news:

"Scotland released the Libyan who bombed a Pan Am flight Thursday. He was dying of prostate cancer so they let him go. The next day Charles Manson walked through San Quentin Prison with a rubber glove in his hand trying to get someone to check him."

Looks like this release has given Bernard Madoff an idea...

What Sept. 11 Means to Obama

I had wondered recently how Obama would deal with the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. I should have known, and Michelle Malkin has a report:

"Matthew Vadum reports that Obama’s left-wing allies are preparing plans to re-brand 9/11 as a national service/eco-zealot propaganda day...Makes perfect sense coming from a president who believes that the root of 9/11 jihadi stems 'from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers.'"

It gets worse every day.

Punishing 85% for 15%

Bravo!

Haveil Havalim Time

Take a look at all the wonderful links at Haveil Havalim #231 - The Rav Kook Memorial Edition . Esser Agaroth commemorates the "74th Anniversary of the death of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhaq Kook ztz"l ("Rav Kook"), first Ashkinazy Chief Rabbi during the British Occupation of Eretz Yisra'el."

PC (Womyn)tality

Obviously the United Kingdom has nothing better to do with their time than come up with another list of words they find "offensive", as you can see, here:
"The National Gallery in London believes that the phrase 'gentleman’s agreement' is potentially offensive to women and suggests that staff should replace it with 'unwritten agreement' or 'an agreement based on trust' instead. The term 'right-hand man' is also considered taboo by the gallery, with 'second in command' being deemed more suitable....Advice issued by the South West Regional Development Agency states: “Terms such as ‘black sheep of the family’, ‘black looks’ and ‘black mark’ have no direct link to skin colour but potentially serve to reinforce a negative view of all things black." Enough already!

Dancing With The Czars

If you'd like a quick Who's Who of Obama's Czars, you can't do better than this presentation!

Making Nice to Terrorists

Abe Greenwald wonders what you can possibly say about Obama's overtures to rabid anti-American Muslim extremists in Pakistan. Yesterday I was thinking that it was 3 weeks till the 8th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. I remembered how President Bush was continually demonized and criticized for frequently talking about the scope and the evil of September 11. It seems that Obama doesn't talk about it enough.

Mensches and Schmucks

It's amazing what you stumble across online. While looking for something at work yesterday, I found this article and had a good laugh, especially at the sign!

If...You Must for 8/21/09

Let's end the week with another edition of "If...You Must", by Soccer Dad.

Argus Hamilton Quips

Don't forget to read Argus Hamilton's take on the news!

"House Chairman Henry Waxman demanded to see the personal financial records of every health insurance executive. It's to intimidate them into keeping silent in the health care debate. While Henry Waxman was home in L.A. he went to Dodger Stadium, where following the National Anthem he walked to the mound and threw out the First Amendment."

Liberal Lunacy

Dave Weinbaum has a list of names guaranteed to drive liberals crazy. You can probably guess most of them already!

Scottish Compassion

Check out this chart to see the Scottish equivalent of punishment for these other notorious murderers.

President Bush + African Gratitude

This is a great article about President George W. Bush and the lives he saved in Africa. Lucianne.com comments on the story this way: "Shhhhh! Let's keep this on the hush-hush or the Times will have it on the front page and we won't believe it."

Watcher's Council Winners

Soccer Dad lists the latest winners.

If...You Must for 8/20/09

I'm getting spoiled now! Here is Soccer Dad's "If...You Must" for today.

Beloit College Mindset List: Class of 2013

Whenever I see a list like this, it makes me glad I was born in the simpler 50's!

"Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. Members of the class of 2013 won't be surprised when they can charge a latté on their cell phone and curl up in the corner to read a textbook on an electronic screen. The migration of once independent media—radio, TV, videos and CDs—to the computer has never amazed them. They have grown up in a politically correct universe in which multi-culturalism has been a given. It is a world organized around globalization, with McDonald's everywhere on the planet. Carter and Reagan are as distant to them as Truman and Eisenhower were to their parents. Tattoos, once thought "lower class," are, to them, quite chic. Everybody knows the news before the evening news comes on."

Space..The Final Frontier

What a beautiful Hubble video from The Anchoress!

Bush War Bad, Obama War Good

After hearing the name of the detestable Cindy Sheehan recently, I wondered why the anti-war protests and the daily body counts had suddenly stopped. My suspicions were verified in Byron York's excellent column on the silence of the anti-war protesters. He says,

"It's an extraordinary change in the mindset of the left. I attended the first YearlyKos convention, and have kept up with later ones, and it's safe to say that for many self-styled 'progressives,' the war in Iraq was the animating cause of their activism. They hated the war, and they hated George W. Bush for starting it. Or maybe they hated the war because George W. Bush started it. Either way, it was war, war, war....For many liberal activists, opposing the war was really about opposing George W. Bush. When Bush disappeared, so did their anti-war passion."

Read it all.

Stand for Freedom in Iran

There will be a "Stand for Freedom in Iran" rally in New York on September 24, to protest the unwelcome appearance of that lunatic Ahmadinejad at the UN General Assembly.

Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds Blog Carnival - Vol 5.47 Invisible Illness is up at the Invisible Illness Week blog, part of a website whose mission it is to educate people about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, September 14-20-2009. This is

"a designated time, worldwide, in which people who live with chronic illness, those who love them, and organizations are encouraged to educate the general public, churches, health care professionals and government officials about the affects of living with a disease that is not visually apparent."

If...You Must for 8/18/09

You can always trust in Soccer Dad's "If...You Must"!

Illegal Health Care

I think health care should be stopped entirely for illegal aliens. Can't we get our priorities straight?

Holocaust Survivor .. and Scholar

Here's an article about Israel's oldest Ph.D recipient:

"When the University of Haifa awarded him a doctorate in July, Schwartz, 81, became what is believed to be Israel’s oldest Ph.D. recipient. His doctoral research upholds the ruthless and cruel nature of the slave labor camps set up by the Nazis and their collaborators. But it challenges the received wisdom that the Nazis exploited their slave labor rationally or well."

Haveil Havalim Time

Haveil Havalim #230 is up at Letters of Thought. This blog is new to me, and it looks great!

Mobwear

Instapundit reports on Robin Givhan's latest fashion critique, this time on the attire worn by un-American, Town Hall mobs.

"By and large, the shouters are dressed in a way that underscores their Average Guy -- or Gal -- bona fides. They are wearing T-shirts, baseball caps, promotional polo shirts and sundresses with bra straps sliding down their arm. They wear fuchsia bandannas and American-flag hankies wrapped around their skulls like sweatbands. A lot of them look as though they could be attending a sporting event and, as it turns out, the congressman is the opposing player they have decided to heckle. If not for the prohibition on signs and banners inside these meetings, one could well expect to see some of these volatile worker bees wearing face paint and foam fingers, albeit the highlighted digit would be one expressing foul displeasure rather than competitive rank or skill level."

And then:

"The elected officials stand in front of a lectern or roam the hall -- making sure not to stray too far from the protective reaches of their security detail, just in case a yeller lets a right hook fly. At the town halls hosted by Sens. Arlen Specter and Claire McCaskill, both legislators dressed for business. Specter was in a dark suit and tie. McCaskill wore a chocolate brown jacket with a narrow standing collar. Sen. Ben Cardin wore a dark suit with a navy striped tie to his meeting with his health care mob. They all peered at the irate speakers in some combination of stoic disbelief, subdued annoyance and preternatural calm."

Well, pay us $150,000 a year, and we'll be able to wear suits and designer clothes, too! Also, I doubt she would have written a column like this if it were Republican policies that were being criticized.

Defending Israel

Read this excellent defense of Israel. Professor Steven Plaut lists and corrects 14 lies about Israel. As he says,

"The Middle East conflict is and has always been based on Arab opposition to Israeli-Jewish self-determination. There is one and only one cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict, even if that single cause is buried beneath an avalanche of media mud designed to obfuscate and confuse. That single cause is the refusal of the Arab world to come to terms with Israel’s existence within any set of borders whatsoever. The cause of the war is Arab refusal to come to terms with Jewish self-determination in any form whatsoever. The Middle East conflict is not about the right of self-determination of 'Palestinian Arabs,' but rather it is about the Arab rejection of self-determination for Israeli Jews. For a century, the Arabs have attempted to block Jewish self-determination, using violence."

Winston Churchill

Max Hastings has written a book on Winston Churchill, and it's excerpted in the Daily Mail.

"His tale will never lose its capacity to move us to awe, laughter, tears, astonishment. Mankind will never forget his moral example, which will define political leadership for the rest of time. Hitler created World War II. The struggle later became dominated by the might of Russia and the United States. But no one human being could claim greater credit for the destruction of the vast evil of Nazism than Britain's prime minister. This cataclysmic event became, in the eyes of the world and posterity, Winston's war."

We could use a Churchill today!

Murderous Muslims

News of Muslims killing Jews hardly causes a ripple, but maybe the news of a Muslim terrorist killing other Muslims, including children, in a mosque it will wake people up. But somehow I doubt it.

Winning Before Morality

Jeff Pearlman is right when he says that "Rick Pitino's actions prove winning comes before morality for coaches":

"Rick Pitino rebuilds programs, wins championships and turns out pros. That, there's no denying. But Rick Pitino also cheated on his wife and five children in a restaurant with a woman (who in a strange twist of fate later became his co-worker's wife), and gave said woman $3,000 -- which depending on whose side you believe, to have an abortion (her claim) or buy health insurance (his)."

Winning seems to come before morality for politicians, too!

Pro-Obama, Good; Anti-Obama, Bad

To educate you the proper way, Michelle Malkin lists the do's and don't's of townhall meetings.

Happy V-J Day!

You can listen to the news report here.

Gr-r-r!

Many stories have infuriated me lately, including the news that
the Lockerbie murderer may be freed -- on "compassionate grounds"! He certainly didn't have any compassion for his 300 victims, so I find this obscene.

Also, I couldn't get over the entitlement mentality expressed in this story of a money giveaway in New York.

"'It's free money!' said Alecia Rumph, 26, who waited in a Morris Park, Bronx, line 300 people deep for the cash to buy uniforms and book bags for her two kids. 'Thank God for Obama. He's looking out for us.'"

Excuse me, but while Soros' money might be free, stimulus money is not "free money" -- it's taxpayer money!

The Media and the Messiah

Here is Michelle Malkin on the unsurprising hypocrisy of the mainstream media. She says, "Journalists don’t care about nutballs and extremely extreme extremists unless they can be used to embarrass conservatives."

Watcher's Council Entries

Soccer Dad has compiled the latest Watcher's Council entries.

Argus Hamilton Quips

Argus Hamilton comments on the news, and he includes this zinger:

"Joan Rivers was subjected to a celebrity roast on Comedy Central Sunday in New York. It was vicious, personal and devastating. When she signed up for President Obama's mandatory end-of-life counseling, she didn't know she was going to get dinner."

Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds Vol.5.47 is in the waiting room at The Covert Rationing Blog, presented by DrRich.

If...You Must, for 8/11/09

Look what's back! It's If...You Must, Soccer Dad's terrific series of interesting posts.

Good for the Sowell

Here are some random thoughts by Dr. Thomas Sowell, including this one:

"How long will it be before the public gets tired of the little know-it-all sermonettes by Barack Obama — especially since nothing that he is doing is actually working?"

I've been tired of them -- and him -- since January!

Oy Gevalt!

What would bubbe say?

More Obamacare Posters

Once again, the clever folks at The People's Cube have created some perfect posters, this time to commemorate the rise of Obamacare.

Sticks and Stones

The Democrats sound more and more desperate in their name-calling, and hopefully their own words will finally reveal their true colors. The Republicans should stop talking about Obama's birth certificate already and should just let the Democrats keep talking. And in case you need reminding, John Leo describes the rabid hatred of George W. Bush by the Left. I guess protest is only un-American and extremist if it's aimed at liberal Democrats.

Watcher's Council Winners

The winning Watcher's Council entries are up at Soccer Dad, whose own post won first place!

Having a (Matzoh) Ball

Take a look at the world's biggest matzoh ball (story sent to me by Soccer Dad, who knows what I like!)

Yasgur's Farm

Of course I'm familiar with the name, but until now I knew nothing about Max Yasgur. Haaretz filled me in.

Haveil Havalim Time

According to Jack, you can find Haveil Havalim #229 - Modi'in Edition at Ill Call Baila. She always does a good job as host.

Russian Teardrop

I was sent this beautiful 9/11 tribute at work the other day. There are 21 slides in the presentation. (I received it as a large-sized PPS e-mail attachment but can't figure out how to insert it in a blog post, so the below version will have to do). You can read more about the sculpture here.

Russia_Honor_USA-911

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by tdhoanh | Upload your own presentation

Murderous Mansons

These murderous creatures should NEVER be paroled -- and Charles Manson should have been executed 40 years ago. Susan Atkins was one of the most cold-blooded of the killers, and I have no sympathy for her whatsoever, only for the victims.

Israel, 1948

Take a look at these photos from Israel in 1948.

"I Am The Mob"

Take a look at some of the members of the manufactured right-wing extremist mob. (via Maggie's Farm).

"I am the mob. My kids are the mob. My grandma is the mob. My family members did not shed blood for this country so that their elected officials could silence them into shame if they dared to speak out and voice their concerns. Are you the mob?"

Yes, and I'm proud of it! I can't be happier to see people waking up at long last, and I hope it wakes up the Republican Party as well.

Ph.Dumb

Remember the good old days when students used to get their Ph.D. in physics or math? Why bother anymore when you can get your Ph.D. in text messaging!

This Day in History, 1945

The beginning of the end of the brutal savagery by the Japanese against our citizens: "Surrender or else".

Argus Hamilton Quips

Argus Hamilton writes:

"President Obama sent a note to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday that congratulated him on his re-election. This a week after he gave anti-Israeli Irish politician Mary Robinson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It's President Obama's way of letting Israel know that he's not going to play favorites between good and evil."

Watcher's Council Nominations

A list of Watcher's Council nominations are now available at Soccer Dad.

Double Standard

I guess it was fine to portray President Bush as Hitler or as a chimp, but don't you dare show Obama as The Joker!

The Age of Greatness

What a wonderful story! Jack Borden is a living example of the old-fashioned work ethic. Plenty of lazy young people could learn a lot from him.

Watcher's Council Winners

Soccer Dad has the names of the latest Watcher's Council winners.

Proud Member of a Manufactured Mob

Every American should feel personally insulted by this disgraceful DNC ad. The Democrats have crossed the line, even for them.

Boo to Boomers

Jim Mullen has written an insightful parable.

Grand Rounds

My pulse has quickened after learning that Grand Rounds 5.46 is up at Emergiblog.

Definitely Bad for the Jews

New York magazine wonders if all the recent scandals are bad for the Jews.

Paul McCartney

The Washington Post called my favorite Beatle "a performer without peer."

Yes to BDS

Mark Steyn comments about a new twist on Bush Derangement Syndrome.

Haveil Havalim Time!

According to Jack, you can find Haveil Havalim #228 at Frum Satire, a second-time host.
("Founded by Soccer Dad in 2004, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world.")

Catering to Criminals

Deroy Murdock has no sympathy for Michael Vick, and neither do I. To treat him as a "victim" is bad enough, but why reward him, pay him millions, and have him take the place of an upstanding deserving player? So far the sports commentators have made is sound as if every team would have absolutely no problem accepting him in their clubhouse. Would you want to work closely with such a criminal in your office and pretend that nothing had happened?

Pictures Speak Louder ...

Speaking of the Beer Summit, take a look at this picture. It shows the evil racist Sgt. Crowley helping Professor Gates down the White House steps, while the President walks ahead, oblivious.

Airport Angst

Why all the fuss? He was only "a crazed, drunken homeless man" with a fake bomb, not one of those who cause "man-caused disasters". Those silly policemen should have been more sympathetic and considered his feeeelings! Maybe they will be invited to the next White House Beer Bash to apologize.

Open Letter on Obamacare

Read and pass along this open letter on Obamacare by Jan Mel Poller, who says

"In summary, We the People want thoughtful deliberations and time to read understandable bills. We do not want to be hustled, railroaded, lied to or misled. If health care for uninsured is in a crisis, then take some of the money from the Stimulus Bill and cover these people while the new laws are worked out. Since we have no way to hold a referendum for citizens to change society changing bills being pushed through the House and Senate, I think that these bills should not be voted on before the people elected in 2010 take office in 2011. That allows us to make our desires as a society known."

Exactly right!

Arrogance

Andrea Mitchell said:

"People with insurance who oppose ObamaCare 'may not know what’s good for them'".

How silly of me! For a minute there, I actually thought I was happy with my employer's health insurance plan!