A More Human Martha

It was interesting to read about Martha being interviewed, by all people, Howard Stern. I always saw Martha Stewart's stint in the joint as a sacrificial lamb kind of situation. The fact that she lost all her close friend during the trial pretty much says she never had any close friends to begin with. Pretty sad really.

Festive Season

I've been meaning to write for quite sometime. But writing hasn't been giving me any joy lately. Every time I try, the words I write seem flat and unappealing. Thoughts swirl, mental notes are taken to add certain details to my future reviews, and do lists fill my head. To no avail. I can't get myself to write a single meaningful word.

However, I do want to mention how much I love winter lights. Driving on a late night through suburban New England neighborhoods with every other house aglow in golden, white, or blue lights makes me giddy. What is it about holiday lights that makes me so happy? (I'm also a big sucker for fireworks, I turn into open-mouth baby watching lights flicker on and off in the sky.) I guess I'm just a big sucker for shiny sparkly things. The crisp cold nights with bushes, trees, and lawns aglow embody the wonderment of the New Year season for me.

A few years ago driving late at night I happened to spot a real deer buck coming out of the forest. It was dark and I was alone, he slowly moved across the snow covered lawn. I seemed to spot him right as he stopped next to the lawn ornament deer. There he was a real in the flesh creature juxtaposed with his electric glowing counter part. I stared and he stared back and then turned to walk back into the forest. My interaction seemed full of magic, a simple and pretty mundane encounter in my mind turned into something legendary. And that is why I love the lights. The world for a tiny moment becomes a place where ordinary can become profound and things can change for the better. All it takes is a few little light bulbs.

See corny and lame. I'll stay off the blog for a while.

Seems to me the title of the article might be a tad misleading....

Just a tad. Another anti-Semitic inaccurate headline about the situation in Israel.

Let's look at the situation : There are two countries. They agree to a "truce" after one country (let's call A for assholes) has been shelling the other country (let's call her B for ease) non-stop. There were few causalities (plus: people wounded, property destroyed, and people generally terrified of living under a constant threat of violence from the rockets launched thus causing more than half the population to have post-traumatic syndrome) so the world press/opinion gave the shelling a "pass". Country A agreed that it would "stop shelling." What they meant by that is "stop shelling much." So the world reported that a truce has been reached, even though country B was still being shelled. Yesterday, two boys were wounded, one critically. So country B decided to not be a major pussy and be a minor pussy and made the announcement that it might, just maybe, start protecting it citizens by targeting country A's Kassam rocket launchers. So what would you expect an article on the subject to be titled? This would be the least of my expectations.:
Country B to React to Country A's Horrible Attack

Instead AP goes with this little gem:

Israel threatens to renew attacks

After two vague paragraphs about "shaky truce" and Abbas being a moderate the the article launches into why Israel is actually considering protecting its citizens. So while Israel threatens to attack, Palestinians are actually attacking. But yet the headline leaves one feeling that it's the big bad Israel flexing its insensitive and arrogant muscle and killing the cowardly Palestinians who hide behind women and children and cry "occupation" at every chance they got.

I'm so tired of reading and writing about crap like this. The double standards imposed on Israel while other countries get to protect themselves without a peep from the world community (btw good for them - as See Dubya quips "It’s hard when there are armed men with guns shooting back at you instead of women and children running away, Musa.") gets my goat. So I write pointless blog entries about it, rather badly I might add. And although it feels rather pointless it gets the little bursts of anger out of me and lets me breathe easier.

Threesome Game

Don't click on this if you don't have a lot of time to waste. Not only is it cute but it gives a false sense of accomplishment.
via k_sra

Kirk Douglas Makes A Wish

On his 90th birthday Kirk Douglas makes an unusual public wish.

THE WORLD IS IN A MESS and you are inheriting it. Generation Y, you are on the cusp. You are the group facing many problems: abject poverty, global warming, genocide, AIDS, and suicide bombers to name a few. These problems exist, and the world is silent. We have done very little to solve these problems. Now, we leave it to you. You have to fix it because the situation is intolerable.

You need to rebel, to speak up, write, vote, and care about people and the world you live in. We live in the best country in the world. I know. My parents were Russian immigrants. America is a country where EVERYONE, regardless of race, creed, or age has a chance. I had that chance. You are the generation that is most impacted and the generation that can make a difference.

A nice reminder of how great America is and what needs to be done to keep it that way.

Iraq Sudy Report

I wasn't going to write today about the infuriating report. Ever since I learned that James Baker was heading the committee I assumed I wouldn't like it. How is it good to bring a bunch of guys from '91 to give a new prospective on the current situation? Washington really needs new blood, just watching these senile geezers made me angry. Anyway, guess who Baker and co. (bi-partisan - yay) chose to throw in the well under the bus? Those pesky Jews living in Israel of course!

Since I wasn't going to write anything profound on the topic, except how much I would like Baker to go fuck himself, I'm glad Rabbi Yonah wrote and quoted Mitchell Bard on the report:

Apparently American foreign policy about Iraq [which, lets not forget would have had the bomb if Israel had not blown up its reactors] includes manipulating Israel, and a strange ignorance of the current situation in the Middle East. Or as Mitch Bard writes, it is as if James Baker thinks its still 1991, and forgot that Hamas controls the Palestinians.

And Ace summons up my feelings pretty well:

Can someone please explain to me how the US benefits by rewarding Iran further for its unending support of terrorism against us in Iraq?

I've never heard anything so stupid in my life. We lose a big prize to Iran, and Baker's advice is to offer even bigger prizes to Iran for helping kill 2800 of our soldiers?

Or is it just that Baker wants to see Israel crushed, and figures this is as good a time as any to help the Arab terrorists wipe it off the map?

The fact that Bush is even giving this report the happy-talk treatment disgusts me.

Sounds About Right

I usually don't take these stupid personality tests but this one seemed right on the money. I still feel it's a load of crap though.

via Lola

You are a very emotional and sensitive individual. Your life and love of life is dominated by your emotions - you have great feeling towards your fellow man and you are always full of enthusiasm but be careful, you tend to let your heart rule your head and this being so, you could be easily hurt - as perhaps you may have indeed been hurt in the past.

Everything seems to be going against you at this time. Try as you may you are meeting with considerable resistance at every turn. Nothing is going as you would plan. The situation is difficult and you are trying to persist in your objectives against resistance. It would appear that you are being very secretive about your future plans just in case people around you try to thwart you.

Matters are not progressing as well as you would have hoped and you are having to make concessions - but you still believe that your goals are realistic it's just that people can't seem to see your point of view. You know what you want but you'll only accept suggestions under duress.

You are exhausted, over stressed and you refuse to give in. You are trying to minimise the tension by being physically active. It would seem that you are experiencing problems with an existing relationship and try as you might, you find it impossible to alter the situation because there is no co-operation. There is an urgent need for proper understanding which may only be accomplished by communication. At this time you feel that there is no 'give and take' on either side. This is resulting in constant depression. You are irritable and it could be said by your nearest and dearest that 'you are hard to live with'. You feel the urgent need to get away from it all - even it's only for a little while. You may be finding it difficult now to make firm decisions - you are restless and generally uptight.

Circumstances are such that you have been exposed to considerable stress and tension, perhaps due to unfulfilled emotional needs. You would like nothing better than to escape from it all by retiring to some 'fantasy land' where you are permitted to RELAX and get back your strength.

Awesome.

Mason drops lawsuit against "Jews for Jesus"

I was hoping that through this lawsuit "Jews for Jesus" would get exposed to the frauds they really are. I guess Mason is a class act for just accepting their apology and not pursuing monetary compensation.

"There's no such thing as a Jew for Jesus. It's like saying a black man is for the KKK," the 75-year-old Mason said. "You can't be a table and a chair. You're either a Jew or a gentile." - Jackie Mason

So true.

For more information on the deceptive practices of "Jews for Jesus" see Jews for Judaism.

Monday Quiz

I love Edward Gorey! And the result couldn't be more perfect! (There's text in yellow under the picture that is hard to see. Scrool over to see it better.)

What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?

You will be sucked dry by a leech. I'd stay away from swimming holes, and stick to good old cement. Even if it does hurt like hell when your toe scrapes the bottom.
Take this quiz!








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So Sad

I had such high hopes for John Bolton staying on as the ambassador to the UN. Guess it is not to be. His mustache will be missed.