Propaganda works

Very interesting piece in EU Referendum regarding the tragic event in Qana:

Whatever else, the event in Qana was a human tragedy. But the photographs do not show it honestly. Rather, they have been staged for effect, exploiting the victims in an unwholesome manner. In so doing, they are no longer news photographs - they are propaganda. And, whoever said the camera cannot lie forgot that photographers can and do. Those lies have spread throughout the world by now and will be in this morning's newspapers, accepted as real by the millions who view them.

While the world condemns Israel for it "excessive force" against Lebanon, what is lost (to those in the MSM, and thus readers/watchers of the MSM) is this:

Only through these sources [blogs and other alternative media] do we learn that Hezbollah gunmen (in civilian clothes) have been preventing civilians from evacuating, have been deliberately using civilians as "human shields" and have been employing strategies for maximising Israeli "collateral damage" in order to provide a potent propaganda weapon, a ploy which the western media so easily fall for.

So Hezzbollah keeps a shelter filled with women and children near where they are shooting off rockets. Israel can determine where the rockets are coming from, but not where the shelterful of children are located. Or that they are located in the same spot. Israel bombs the shelter, and Hezbollah has the images it needs.

The death of innocents is tragic. But it isn't Israel that is killing them, even if the ordinance belong to them.

Via Ace.

"This Ever Happen to You ?" Department

Last night, a mosquito bit me right on the lip. How weird is that?

RIP John O'Brien

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Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

A Warning To My Children

Krista Posted This

So I don't have to: Your Brain on Conservativism/Liberalism

The Answer

John Climacus from Alpaca Burger Forum has the answer to all the world's ills. Puppies.

Sage words.

No comment

Mahatma Sheehan

It's so sad, she is just wasting away.

H/t Hot Air

The Voice of Moderate Islam

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi is a monthly columnist for the Detroit News. His "Faith and Policy" columns usually are aimed at urging understanding for Islam and acceptance. He says things like this:

"(Islam) existed 1,000 years before the establishment of this great republic and always promoted the message of love, peace and justice."

He is presented as a moderate voice of Islam, and he is very popular among Detroit's Muslim community. Today's column:

Lebanon, one of the most beautiful and hospitable countries in the world, has gone through unimaginable pain and suffering in the past two weeks. Israel declared this unjust and immoral war under the excuse of its two soldiers being captured by the Lebanese resistance. Lebanese forces said they took the Israeli soldiers to negotiate the release of their own captured people and 495 other hostages- Palestinian women and children who have been held a long time.

Lebanese resistance not Hezbolloah. And, Israel is holding 495 women and children hostages? Propaganda much? This man is a student of Joseph Goebbels.

The Lebanese started firing their Katyusha rockets on northern Israel three days after the Israeli invasion or, more accurately, after three decades of Israeli occupation and aggression. Israel never left the Lebanese Shaba farmlands, and Israel was planning this war for a long time.
*********
There was no need to create this headache for the region. Israel's real enemy is not Hezbollah, Iran or Syria but its own arrogance.

Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up.

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi is head of something called the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Sounds like a nice place? You wouldn't think it was an organization lead by a man who cozies up with Hezzbollah and the Ayatollah Khomeini, but that's exactly what it is.

So, when Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi offers that Hezbollah isn't the bad guy, he isn't exactly speaking from a position of disinterest or moderation.

This from CBN News:

A research paper for the U.S. Institute of Peace state that, "in 1991, Mohammad Ali Elahi received a four-month visa which enabled him to inspect American branches of Hizbullah (Tehran's network of agents) and to reinforce Tehran's influence on Shi'ite communities (in Dearborn)." 

That's a pretty serious accusation, if true.

Regarding Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent call to wipe Israel off the map, Elahi wrote:
--"It is very clear that Mr. Ahmadinejad was not making an anti-Semitic statement."
--"The Iranian president's quip can best be understood in the context of the Declaration of Independence."
--and, "Israel must stop instigating violent conflicts in the Muslim world." 

This is the voice of "moderate" Islam? Yikes. A bit more:

Elahi denies that he is an agent of the Iranian government. But he says Iran is a democracy--and that the U.S. should have supported the 1979 Iranian revolution, the same revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini and Islamic Sharia law to power.
“That was what people wanted,” Elahi said, “and they stood for it. I mean, that was a revolution made by the people.”
And what about 9/11? According to a 2001 upi article, Elahi suggested that the Israeli Mossad was behind the attacks on the World Trade Center. Elahi says he was misquoted. But he still is not convinced that al-Qaeda carried out the attacks alone.
“Honestly, in my heart? I don't have an answer for that,” Elahi said. “Maybe, and maybe not. They may have done it just by themselves, or they may have had some help from some others.”  
But Elahi said he is still not sure whether Israel was involved in the attacks.

Ok, let me see if I can sum up the views of moderate Islam: Israel's only problem is its own arrogance; calls for wiping Israel off the map are not anti-Semitic, but Revolutionary; Iran is a democracy; and the Israeli Mossad may have been behind 9/11. Did I miss anything?

Shesh, It's no wonder there is so much support for Hezzbollah in Detroit.

A Picture says 100 Words

For the past week, the talking heads have been using the phrase "excessive force" over and over again; Israel is using excessive force again Lebanon. Why does the IDF have to leave cities in ruins? Why are they shootting at citizen? This graphic on the Jawa Report explains it all.

Truth be told, terrorists are cowards who hide behind women and children. It is those who use civilians as shields who are responsible for the death tole in Lebanon.

What a Tool

"If I was president, this wouldn't have happened," said Kerry during a noon stop at Honest John's bar and grill in Detroit's Cass Corridor.

A pretty from my garden

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Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Kinda busy- yesterday I took in a Tigers game, and today I'm trying to figure out what Science curriculum to use with my kids this year.

Besides, it's Friday.

Say what?

United for Lebanon. By their hate for Israel. They say they are marching for peace, but the minute they use the "Z" word, the jig is up:

"We know that the president is being bought by the Zionist lobby. We know that the (U.S.) Congress is being bought by the Zionist lobby. ... But we know that the American people are a great people," he said.

Amid cries for the end of terrorism committed by Israel, there isn't one demand for Hezbollah to back down. Matter of fact:

.At one point, a speaker held a portrait of Hassan Nasrallah, Hizballah's secretary-general. The crowd burst into applause.

Color me SHOCKED! Certainly these people don't support the terrorist organization Hezbollah?!? I mean, American muslims have been claiming they denounce terrorism, haven't they?

(crickets)

Fact is, one of Detroit's most popular Lebanese restaurants has been tied to Hezbollah. The owner of "La Shish" has been charged with tax evasion, and supporting Hezbollah. Last time I checked, he was hiding out in Lebanon. He is probably one of the "Americans" we are footing the bill to transport out of danger.

Update: We're NUMBER 1! From Northeast Intelligence Network:

According to the same federal source providing information to the Northeast Intelligence Network, Detroit is the main center of Hezbollah's fundraising activity in the U.S.

And more:

Many of the 7,000 plus Detroiters in Lebanon are active in Dearborn's Bint Jbeil cultural center (the Lebanese American Heritage Club also features mostly Hezbollah fans). Bint Jbeil is a Hezbollah-dominated city in the South of Lebanon, a frequent destination of Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who is very at home there. Bint Jbeil is a frequent source of shellings on Northern Israel.

Bint Jbeil natives now living in our country so strongly support Hezbollah that they got Republican Congressman Joe Knollenberg (and his then top staffer, Paul Welday) and then-U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham to give Hezbollah forces in Southern Lebanon about $86 million of our tax money, no strings.

Given this information, and the fact--as I've detailed numerous times on this site--that several Shi'ite Muslim Lebanese U.S. citizens from Dearborn have been indicted and/or convicted of laundering money to Hezbollah, is it a good idea to rush to bring 25,000 such persons back to the U.S. at a time when Hezbollah is at war against the strongest U.S. ally? Does the fact, that Hezbollah numerous times--and especially now--has announced veiled and not-so-veiled intentions to attack Americans on U.S. soil, necessitate urgently bringing these terror-sympathizing Americans back to U.S. soil?

How much ...

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Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

is that doggie in the window?

If you're not watching

If you are not watching "So You Think You Can Dance", you must click here and watch the modern dance piece done by contestants Ivan and Allison. It moved one of the judges to tears, and was really exceptional.

Steyne

Mark Steyn discusses the myth of the "passive primitive man." You know, the ones who lived in beautiful harmony with nature until Western Civilization had to come and ruin it all.

In his shrewd book Civilization And Its Enemies, Lee Harris writes:

"Forgetfulness occurs when those who have been long inured to civilized order can no longer remember a time in which they had to wonder whether their crops would grow to maturity without being stolen or their children sold into slavery by a victorious foe. . . . That, before 9/11, was what had happened to us. The very concept of the enemy had been banished from our moral and political vocabulary."

It's worse than Harris thinks. We're not merely "forgetful." We've constructed a fantasy past in which primitive societies lived in peace and security with nary a fear that their crops would be stolen or their children enslaved. War has been the natural condition of mankind for thousands of years, and our civilization is a very fragile exception to that. What does it say about us that so many of our elites believe exactly the opposite -- that we are a monstrous violent rupture with our primitive pacifist ancestors? It's never a good idea to put reality up for grabs. You can bet your highest-denomination axe on that.

It is only in our modern times that we have the luxury of clamoring for "peace" above all else. But it is naive and dangerously foolish to believe that peace is what everyone wants. Whether we are dealing with drug gangs, rouge states, or terrorist organizations, peaceful means just simply will have no effect.

For some, war is a means to an end. And, I'm not referring to Bush.Reading through the "7 Phase plane" to establish an Islamic caliphate, it appears that we might now be in "phase three"- AHEAD OF PLAN. Phase one was basically 9/11. Phase Two, or "Opening Eyes", was designed as a recruiting, and making the world aware of the "Islamic community." The current situation in Israel makes me wonder if we are advancing into the Third Phase :

This is described as "Arising and Standing Up" and should last from 2007 to 2010. "There will be a focus on Syria," prophesies Hussein, based on what his sources told him. The fighting cadres are supposedly already prepared and some are in Iraq. Attacks on Turkey and -- even more explosive -- in Israel are predicted. Al-Qaida's masterminds hope that attacks on Israel will help the terrorist group become a recognized organization. The author also believes that countries neighboring Iraq, such as Jordan, are also in danger.

The rest of the phases involve the collapse of the Arab governments (phase four), the creation of the Islamic state, or caliphate (phase five), a great battle between the Islamic army and the "non-believers" (phase six), and the "definitive victory" with a world-wide Islamic caliphate (phase seven).

Some needs to explain to me exactly how peaceful means can be used in this situation. Or with Hezbollah or Iran or North Korea or in Sudan. Because, you know, I like Peace.

Obviously

Yesterday it was too hot for editing as well. I blame my keyboard, it's acting funny.

Please

A Someone go work out for me. It's too hot.

Is this blog on?

Yesterday, a lefty-nitwit posted this on dKos:

Imagine a world without Israel by qrswave

Or is that not allowed?

Muslims, Jews, and Christians could live in peace without fear of mutual destruction.

There would be no more need for US AID or justification for Dimona.
We could bring down the Wall, send prisoners home, and families could be reunited.
We could dismantle checkpoints, open crossings, and pull down barbed wire fences.

There would be no more settlements or armed settlers because the people would be united.
We could replant trees and olive groves and rebuild battered cities.

No more suicide bombers or sniper fire, and no more dead civilians.

No more targeted killings and hell-fire missiles, or systematic demolitions.

Palestinians and Jews could live together and the world could address other issues.

What a simpler place this world would be

if there was no need for a Jewish majority - where there would otherwise be none.

Is it so hard to imagine?

Really, it was even a bit too stupid for the Koskids. But, a commenter on Ace's blog has come up with a wonderful version of the "Imagine meme." One that I fully support. Here's just a bit of it:

Imagine there's no jihad
It's easy if you try
No Islamic Republics
No virgins in the sky
Imagine all the people
Riding buses without fear

The whole poem should be read, but since it's from someone else's comments, I don't feel right doing that. Go click here and look for the comments by Tom at 9:17 this morning.

Trolling the HuffPo

This is a special kind of stupid.

Behold!

Look what I found. It's a list of all the moonbats concerned peace activists who are signing on to fast for a whole day! Twenty-four hours! Some of them are pledging to fast a specific day every week. I am overwhelmed by their idiocy commitment to a venture that will be ignored is sure to get the attention of those in power and accomplish nothing will result in the troops being brought home ASAP.

Unless they are needed in Iran. Or North Korea.

Burka, Burkcha, Burqa

In this defense of the Burka, the author writes:

To those who wear it by choice, the burka is a symbol of faith, modesty and protection. But to the Western mind-set, it symbolizes oppression.

I would say that it is more than just a "symbol" of oppression. It is a tool for the oppressors. You HAVE to click on that (second) link.

h/t: Hot Air

Update: Not to say that there aren't a few days out of every month that I would mind crawling under a burka.

It's Unbelievable

Don't know why that song popped into my head, must be the English accents of the singer. But, this story really is unbelievable.

They paid £5,000 to book a lavish ceremony at the attraction's hotel and planned to spend the first day of their honeymoon on the theme park rides with their 60 guests.

Unfortunately the happy couple did not realise their day out would clash with a special Muslim fun day that means married couples will be banned from going on rides together, all women must cover up their bodies in accordance with religious custom and alcohol is forbidden.

Now the devastated couple must decide whether to put up with the restrictive rules on September 17 and share the attraction with up to 28,000 Muslims or reorganise their 'dream' wedding

The idea behind "Sharia Day?" "The park was hired out to an Islamic company for the fun day aimed at 'integrating Muslims into the wider community." What aspect of this fun day demonstrates the word integrating?. Sounds more like appeasement. Look, if Muslims want to live in a world divided by the sexes- where women are not allowed to dress normally, swim, or drive- they can remain in the Middle East.

Park restrictions for the day include no music, halal-only food, gender segregated rides, and no alcohol. But, there is this:

Yaseen Patel, director of Islamic Leisure, said women would have to wearing clothing that covered up their bodies, although they would not have to wear the traditional Muslim head scarf.

How's that for allowing a little integration?

h/t: Jawa Report

Starving for Peace

These people are, like, so totally inspiring.

I need $52

Seeing as thought I haven't gotten the OK to purchase next year's school supplies, I don't see my hubby handing me fifty-two buck for this.

Justin, whose last name is not being disclosed at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, is a Navy SEAL and former Spotswood resident who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. The Navy is turning to Justin's hometown community to help him find a bone marrow stem cell donor who could save his life.

For those in his community, the cheek swab is free. But, if you want to join the bone marrow registry (which is where all those tested end up), there is a $52 fee to offset the cost.

For Krista

Or anyone else who have kids who, on occasion, drive them nuts. At least your kids didn't do this.

H/t: Dave of Garfield Ridge.

Islamic Nutter-Animals

I don't care what reasons they give, thisis the work of disturbed animals. The reason?

Here is a film on the remains of the bodies of the two American soldiers kidnapped near Yussufiyah (south of Baghdad). We are showing it to avenge our sister who was raped by a soldier belonging to the same division as these two soldiers," said a preamble by the Mujahedeen Al-Shura Council, an al-Qaeda dominated alliance of armed Sunni groups in Iraq.

Backward, Islamic, nutter-animals. They murdered and desecrated two soldiers in retaliation for a crime committed by another. Here's an idea, how about reporting the rape and murder to the authorities ? How about holding the individual(s) responsible for the crime? The idea that justice is somehow balanced by punishing someone, anyone (even the innocent), for a crime is retarded. By this tit-for-tat system of justice, the actual rapist and murderer, if the allegations are true, should go free since someone has already "paid" for the crime.

Religion of Pieces, update 5

It is never title, or even in the first few paragraphs. It sometimes isn't mentioned at all. But, where there is terrorism, you will almost always find "radical" Islam, or Islamic extremists. Here it is in the very last sentence of the article:

All of India's major cities were reportedly on high alert following the attacks, which came hours after a series of grenade attacks by Islamic extremists killed eight people in the main city of India's part of Kashmir.

Of course, it isn't mentioned that the train bombing was caused by "Islamic extremists". We wouldn't want to jump to hasty conclusions.

Update: Images, courtesy of the Religion of Pieces. These animals need their own island. Free from twenty-first century decadence and technology.

Young Americans

This is, in no way, safe for work. Or in front of children, pets, or grandmotherly types. But, it really kicks arse.

I'm going to go watch it again.

Love notes to Jeff

Remember complaints over using the "moonbat" word? Well, I'd say "moonbat" is much nicer than some of the terms used by this liberal:

Like you facist (sic!) hypocrites never send threats to liberals. Jeff, you got everything you deserved. At least Dr. Frisch didn’t go around pushing the UC-Santa Cruz chancellor to suicide like your chipmunk-faced chink bitch friend Michelle Malkin.

Only conservative fags like to play the victim. You have a small dick.

I really don't know what to say.

It can't be proven

But, you would have to be pretty thick to not suspect that the DoS attack on Jeff is a fine example of the liberal's selective love for "freedom of speech."

Most liberals would be happier than pigs in shinola if Fox News Channel was taken off the air. Or Rush Limbaugh. What I love about living in a Capitalist society, is that if you don't like something or someone, you can speak with your wallet. Turn the TV or radio channel, or boycott their product. The Dixie Chicks are learning that lesson right now; they spoke freely, and now people aren't interested in giving them their money. But, the attack on Jeff is something completely different. This is an attempt to silence by force. Internet terrorism. Lame.

Fund-raising time

Cindy Sheehan admires Hugo Chavez so much, let's all help her move there! Pledges accepted here Her comments have been featured everywhere, but in case you missed them:

MSNBC'S Norah O'Donnell: Would you rather live under Hugo Chavez than President Bush?

Sheehan: Um, yes, (giggle). You know, Hugo Chavez is not a dictator like you, like you introduced him. He's been democratically elected eight times.

O'Donnell: Saddam Hussein was democratically elected.

Sheehan: Yeah, hold on a second, though. He is not anti-American. He has helped the poor people of America. He has sent aid to New Orleans. He has sold heating oil to disadvantaged people in America, in the United States of America, at low cost. The people of his country love him.

Oh, Cindy, you're gonna love it there!

Who, exactly, is closeminded?

Wikipedia defines "Liberalism" as the following:

liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. Broadly speaking, liberalism seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power, especially of government and religion, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy that supports relatively free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of minorities are protected.

While that may hold no resemblance to the politics of today's American liberals, I think my argument (which I haven't made yet) is even further elucidated by the OED definition of "liberal.":

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) indicates that the word liberal has long been in the English language with the meanings of "befitting free men, noble, generous" as in liberal arts; also with the meaning "free from restraint in speech or action", as in liberal with the purse, or liberal tongue, usually as a term of reproach but, beginning 1776–88 imbued with a more favorable sense by Edward Gibbon and others to mean "free from prejudice, tolerant."

So, it is with great irony that I read the following comment over at Blue Girl's joint. Basically, what was said, was that the individual would never date a conservative. Go read it, I'll wait.

What part of "free from prejudice, tolerant" is expressed by refusing to even consider dating a "conservative?" How many liberals have turned away in disgust after discovering the person they thought was "normal" was revealed as a conservative. It has happened to me. I'm not crying crocodile tears, because if someone is so narrow minded that they see no value in diversity of thought than I'm not interested in knowing them.

About nine years ago, I joined a pregnancy board. For the uninitiated, those are internet boards for women who are all "due" about the same time. While pregnant, the topics remained safely within the realm of swollen ankles and false contractions. When the glow of the new baby wore off, things began to get a bit more hectic. Discussions occasionally became political. As the roller-coaster of angry debate ensued, eventually people where kicked off, or banned, or left. Eventually, the group was divided into two groups; a "right" and "left." But even that was not bland enough, and further division ensued. I have no idea if either of the groups exist anymore, but I imagine they both have dissolved into a state of milk toast.

The problem was, there could be absolutely no dissension. What started out as politically driven segregation, was eventually finely tuned down to differences in habits as inane as TV watching. For me, it was an inability for people to deal with differences. Everyone says they do not want to be surrounded by people who think exactly as they do, but that is a lie. Most people do, on both sides of the political isle.

Which brings me back to the man who will not date a conservative. That is fine, he can do what he wants. But, I would be interested to know how he reconciles that with the basic tenets of the "liberal" label he attaches to himself.

I LOVE THIS

Out of the mouths of babes.

Last meal

The demonstrators crouched in the muggy evening next to a piece of pink plastic, spread down the road as a table and table-cloth in one. It was covered with wilted pink sunflowers and plates of vegetarian curry, white rice, and beans.

Of COURSE that would be their last meal. Anti-war, feminist, vegans.

The demonstration aimed at highlighting the costs of the war, in which more than 2,500 U.S. soldiers and thousands of Iraqis have died, said CodePink spokeswoman Meredith Dearborn.

"We have to put our own lives on the line, and I'm willing to do that," said activist Diane Wilson, who pledged to fast until the United States withdraws from Iraq.

Dearborn said 2,700 other activists nationwide, including actors Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, would work as a relay team passing the fast daily from one to another.

What kind of wussy "fast" is that? Hey, River Rat, how about you and I share a fast. I'll fast all night, up until about 9 am, then you pick it up for an hour or so while I eat my breakfast. Email me, we'll work out the details. I like to eat dinner kinda early, is that going to be a problem with you? I could be done by 6 pm, so you could hand off the fast to me as I'm slipping into a food coma.