This blog refers to the Israeli military trying to board and inspect a flotilla of so called aid ships to Gaza. The Israelis imposed an embargo on Gaza to prevent the importation of missiles and other weapons that would be used by Hamas. They do not interfere with normal products and aid.
There has been an international outcry because 10 members of the flotilla are dead.
The flotilla included those who laid in wait for the Israelis with clubs, knives, and they took two soldiers guns and shot the Israeli soldiers. Many Israeli soldiers were clubbed and stabbed and are in hospitals as I write.
Some Jews have joined the rest in condemning Israel for both boarding the flotilla, for using force even though they were attacked as is shown on film, and also say that the force was more than necessary.
Now, the U.S.rightfully uses drones in Afghanistan, and while it is really a nice warm fuzzy feeling to see some of the Taliban killed, there is also collateral damage. Collateral damage are nice words for killing civilians, and civilians is a nice word for women and children. The Taliban, like other, insurgents like to live amongst women and children as shields. Hammas and Hezbollah do the same. Does anyone see the similarities?
In this story, the insurgents were amongst the innocent sailors. They clubbed and stabbed and shot Israeli soldiers who wanted to inspect and not fight. Israel has to inspect to protect its citizens against rockets and weapons being shipped to Gaza. This was a trap, I believe set-up in Turkey.
Now what doesn't the Israel haters, including some Jews, and the oil buying international community who has to kiss up to the Arabs, know about this situation?
So, did the soldiers use too much force? If I were being clubbed, knifed and shot, I would kill all needed to assure stability without much concern for collateral damage. That is the risk of allowing insurgents, etc. to mingle with ordinary people. I think, in this case, the Israelis showed amazing restraint.
The Arab and anti Israeli propaganda machine is in full bloom.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
CHECK YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
I remember a TV commercial of yesteryear showing a native American Indian near a freeway, with tears welling-up seeing the exhaust from cars and the litter by the side of the road. I had the same feeling that as I had recently watching Sarah McLachlan doing the tear jerking ASPCA commercial. We care about America as long as it doesn't impact our lifestyle.
I watch cars near a busy intersection. Still tons of trucks, SUVs with a driver and no passengers. I don't know how many square meters Costco allocates for bottled water. There are lots of cars in the diamond lane but almost half have are cheating with only one occupant.
Ms. Christie Aschwanden wrote an article about the carbon footprint of air travel. It was published by Mother Jones. It is both stirring and articulate. It is a reminder that some will sacrifice for the common cause. I haven't been in a plane in 15 years and don't intend to. My home is significantly green. I guess I don't mind peeing weeing uphill because that's what a single person's effort feels like.
Yet, there are some 50% of the people who find it more convenient to deny global warming. I guess they all vote Republican.
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I watch cars near a busy intersection. Still tons of trucks, SUVs with a driver and no passengers. I don't know how many square meters Costco allocates for bottled water. There are lots of cars in the diamond lane but almost half have are cheating with only one occupant.
Ms. Christie Aschwanden wrote an article about the carbon footprint of air travel. It was published by Mother Jones. It is both stirring and articulate. It is a reminder that some will sacrifice for the common cause. I haven't been in a plane in 15 years and don't intend to. My home is significantly green. I guess I don't mind peeing weeing uphill because that's what a single person's effort feels like.
Yet, there are some 50% of the people who find it more convenient to deny global warming. I guess they all vote Republican.
Please see my E-commerce site: www.attitudejewelry.com
Friday, May 21, 2010
Asking a Supreme Court Candidate if they are Gay
Being gay does not form any more a set of beliefs than being white, being Jewish, or being of mixed ethnicity. That is the core premise Glenn Greenwald of Salon used today make this a legitimate question. However, if the core premise is wrong, what follows is tainted logic. There are gay conservatives, Republicans, Progressives and Liberals who come from normal and abnormal families. Being gay does not give a clue.
Asking a person if they are gay, even as a Supreme's candidate would not be an issue if the stupid religions did not call gay people abominations. If the Mormon Church did not have hissy fits about gay rights, if the right wing nuts did not rail about gays.
Asking this question just gives the prejudice, bigots, discriminators fodder for the fires of hate.
As well, there is a defacto tie to the question of being gay and the imagery of what gay people do sexually. In our society, it panders to the prurient interest. Nice try Greenwald but no cigar.
When people accept that being gay or bisexual is a gift and not an abomination, it will be perfectly acceptable to ask.
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Asking a person if they are gay, even as a Supreme's candidate would not be an issue if the stupid religions did not call gay people abominations. If the Mormon Church did not have hissy fits about gay rights, if the right wing nuts did not rail about gays.
Asking this question just gives the prejudice, bigots, discriminators fodder for the fires of hate.
As well, there is a defacto tie to the question of being gay and the imagery of what gay people do sexually. In our society, it panders to the prurient interest. Nice try Greenwald but no cigar.
When people accept that being gay or bisexual is a gift and not an abomination, it will be perfectly acceptable to ask.
Support my E-Commerce site. http://www.attitudejewelry.com
IS RAND PAUL A RACIST
I really believe that the article by Joan Walsh in the May 21, 2010 Salon, may start a different dialogue on the candidate Rand Paul. It seems that he is a stereotype poster boy for the ultra right Tea Party mentality of keeping government out of anything that has to do with private lives, private enterprise.
It follows that, according to Rand Paul, government can make rules concerning government property, protection of the citizens, dealing with other countries, military, but not private business.
This is the core belief of Rand Paul. The fact that what flows from this is the enormous potential for prejudice and discrimination in housing, the workplace, retail businesses. This is not just against black people but anyone for any reason.
No, we do not need all social outcomes to be total equality and that is what our 3 branches of government decide. But, America is better than allowing rank discrimination in the hands of a landlord, a retailer, a private university, etc. It is our moral standing that has bode us well not just in the U.S., but worldwide. The core belief of Rand Paul, would create an environment that promotes, hate, discrimination and prejudice. America does not need to revert back 60 years and beyond, it does not need a Rand Paul because it does not need defacto discrimination.
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It follows that, according to Rand Paul, government can make rules concerning government property, protection of the citizens, dealing with other countries, military, but not private business.
This is the core belief of Rand Paul. The fact that what flows from this is the enormous potential for prejudice and discrimination in housing, the workplace, retail businesses. This is not just against black people but anyone for any reason.
No, we do not need all social outcomes to be total equality and that is what our 3 branches of government decide. But, America is better than allowing rank discrimination in the hands of a landlord, a retailer, a private university, etc. It is our moral standing that has bode us well not just in the U.S., but worldwide. The core belief of Rand Paul, would create an environment that promotes, hate, discrimination and prejudice. America does not need to revert back 60 years and beyond, it does not need a Rand Paul because it does not need defacto discrimination.
Support my E-Commerce site. http://www.attitudejewelry.com
Monday, May 10, 2010
THE OLD COPY MACHINE
I was reading and listening to a CBS News report telling that almost all copy machines from 2002 on have a built-in hard drive that keeps a digital record of all copies, all scans and all faxes. On many machines, there could be 20,000 records.
When you sell the machine, or have it picked up for recycling, trade it in, the hard drive can be read by anyone with software available for free on the Internet. So, if you are a government organization, or a doctor, a bank, a shrink, a lawyer (oh sorry), a business with sensitive data like employee records... oh you get the idea, this would be a field day for naughty people. And if a famous Madame sold her copier, how many famous people would get the Tiger syndrome. Of course, not me.
I think there should be a facility required on all of these machines that have hard drives for the user to be able to clear the drive using a code.
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When you sell the machine, or have it picked up for recycling, trade it in, the hard drive can be read by anyone with software available for free on the Internet. So, if you are a government organization, or a doctor, a bank, a shrink, a lawyer (oh sorry), a business with sensitive data like employee records... oh you get the idea, this would be a field day for naughty people. And if a famous Madame sold her copier, how many famous people would get the Tiger syndrome. Of course, not me.
I think there should be a facility required on all of these machines that have hard drives for the user to be able to clear the drive using a code.
Please see my E-commerce site for fantastic gifts: www.attitudejewelry.com
Monday, May 3, 2010
CONAN SEEMED LIKE A CRY BABY
Last evening, May 2, 2010, 60 Minutes interviewed Conan with most of the time spent on his losing his Tonight Show slot, Jay Leno leaving the 10 PM slot and accepting the Tonight Show once again. I viewed the some 20 minute interview.
I felt ashamed that Conan's body language and innuendo seemed to blame everyone but himself. I watched Conan, from time to time, with an open mind, and found him to not be funny nor interesting enough for my taste. Perhaps young people like his slap stick humor, but I think it is not funny or sophisticated enough. Conan tried to change something that worked. That something is the Carson or Leno style. I think he should have adopted some of this rather than being just his unfunny self.
Conan complained that 6 months was not an adequate test. I know that six months is not the longest test in the world, but I really don't think that something that doesn't work is going to start getting better simply as a function of time. If Conan were hilarious, probably he'd still have the Tonight Show and Jay would have to struggle to improve the 10 PM slot.
As an aside; Leno could do well with leaving Toyota alone as he has exhausted that humor to the point of boredom, but in balance, I'd pick Leno for the 11:35 time slot any day.
As to Leno acting honorably. I just think show business is about ratings, money, audience, management, and humor. it is grossly childish to think this is a buddy system. I don't think Leno is either honorable or otherwise. He did the right thing for himself and his employers by taking the Tonight Show back.
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I felt ashamed that Conan's body language and innuendo seemed to blame everyone but himself. I watched Conan, from time to time, with an open mind, and found him to not be funny nor interesting enough for my taste. Perhaps young people like his slap stick humor, but I think it is not funny or sophisticated enough. Conan tried to change something that worked. That something is the Carson or Leno style. I think he should have adopted some of this rather than being just his unfunny self.
Conan complained that 6 months was not an adequate test. I know that six months is not the longest test in the world, but I really don't think that something that doesn't work is going to start getting better simply as a function of time. If Conan were hilarious, probably he'd still have the Tonight Show and Jay would have to struggle to improve the 10 PM slot.
As an aside; Leno could do well with leaving Toyota alone as he has exhausted that humor to the point of boredom, but in balance, I'd pick Leno for the 11:35 time slot any day.
As to Leno acting honorably. I just think show business is about ratings, money, audience, management, and humor. it is grossly childish to think this is a buddy system. I don't think Leno is either honorable or otherwise. He did the right thing for himself and his employers by taking the Tonight Show back.
Check out my ECommerce site; www.attitudejewelry.com
Saturday, April 24, 2010
WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGES FROM GREEN TO YELLOW
There is a moment when the light turns from green to yellow and before it gets to red, that provides a window of opportunity to decide on one course or another. To do something or not, go along or to reject,
We all can't help what we think or feel, but we certainly can control what we do or say. The moment of truth is when we make follow the choice. It separates us from the lower form of specie because in these moments while the light is changing, we can choose amongst the alternatives, and good mental health is said to be choosing that which is in our best interest.
I was commenting on Huffington Post about Ms. Shukert's article about her youth and when she posed nude for a photographer she didn't know.
It was clearly not in Ms. Shukert's best interest to go along with the photographer. She offers the usual discourse... a ledger, where stupidity and youth is on one side, the side that should have said no, and excuses like wanting to live in N.Y.because I'm not boring like others in her hometown. She felt license because she is more free, uninhibited, more modern. She also blames it on her youth, innocence et al.
I'm happy the author was not harmed or damaged by this episode. If she can teach others to recognize the light changing, perhaps they will make better choices before it turns red.
Please check out my ECommerce jewelry shop for unique stuff:
It is http://www.attitudejewelry.com
We all can't help what we think or feel, but we certainly can control what we do or say. The moment of truth is when we make follow the choice. It separates us from the lower form of specie because in these moments while the light is changing, we can choose amongst the alternatives, and good mental health is said to be choosing that which is in our best interest.
I was commenting on Huffington Post about Ms. Shukert's article about her youth and when she posed nude for a photographer she didn't know.
It was clearly not in Ms. Shukert's best interest to go along with the photographer. She offers the usual discourse... a ledger, where stupidity and youth is on one side, the side that should have said no, and excuses like wanting to live in N.Y.because I'm not boring like others in her hometown. She felt license because she is more free, uninhibited, more modern. She also blames it on her youth, innocence et al.
I'm happy the author was not harmed or damaged by this episode. If she can teach others to recognize the light changing, perhaps they will make better choices before it turns red.
Please check out my ECommerce jewelry shop for unique stuff:
It is http://www.attitudejewelry.com
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