Judea Pearl On The Evils Of Anti-Zionism*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Judea Pearl writes an interesting article for the "Los Angeles Times." I'm not sure I agree with his conclusion that anti-Zionism is worse than anti-Semitism, but he does highlight the hypocrisy of the academically enlightened in their viewpoints on the state of Israel. His answer to letters sent in response to this article is also interesting, if not historically accurate.

You can find an earlier posting from this blog concerning the mentioned symposium at UCLA here.

The Arab League Vs. The Rest Of The World*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Yes, the hubristic criminal in the foreground is Omar al-Bashir. I've commented on this evil individual before.

Apparently the above image was taken as he received a very warm welcome at the Arab League Summit in Qatar. And here it is important to note that as these nations continue to support genocide, rape, and other atrocities by denying that any international court has power to intrude--and for disingenuous reasons such as political destabilization--they continue to force an ugly wedge between themselves and their occidental counterparts.

Sadly, while not every Arab nation is represented at this summit, many in the West will increasingly begin to associate their Arab and Muslim neighbors with this kind of arrogant wickedness. It's all very unfortunate. And unnecessary. Why don't these nations pick up on this? I think that they do, but would rather have conflict in any sphere--political or otherwise--than stick their necks out and be on the right side of Sudan's suffering people.

I hope the international community will take a strong stand against this. But I also know that America will have to speak loudly if that is to be a realistic possibility. Perhaps President Obama, with all his distractions, would be wise to include this issue in his agenda. After all, what freedoms we have must be shared with the world if this American experiment is to reach its full potential. And at the very least, the world must accept that the individual human life has intrinsic value--to do otherwise is a confirmation of darkness, despair, and degradation.

And there's already too much of that.

Reality Check*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

You might be forgiven for wondering just whom is pictured above, though he should be quite familiar in a few days. His name is Bishop John M. D'Arcy of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese in Indiana. And he is one among a growing number of Catholics opposing President Obama's recent love affair with the Culture of Death. To the point, he and nearly 65,000 other good souls are protesting the honorary degree and speaking engagement offered by the University of Notre Dame to last year's ballot box regret. Significantly, they argue that the President's endorsements of stem cell research and abortion run contrary to fundamental Catholic teachings and basic morality. And I would have to agree.

It will be very interesting to see if Notre Dame--a fine institution of higher learning with a history of hosting sitting presidents--will rescind their offer. Otherwise, one might begin to wonder just who pays the bills to keep the place running. Granted, I very much see the point in seeking out powerful men such as the President to come and speak, even if there are basic differences in belief. But for those who so stridently carryout political doctrines obviously arrayed against the foundational ethics of the school, the students, and the board of directors? Honestly. Here's to hoping those scheduling speakers at Nortre Dame wise up soon.

In other news, the Cue-Card-in-Chief, et al. are officially tucking tail on the War on Terror--or at least this is so when it comes to selling the whole idea to the American public. Sadly, it appears that the whole thing has strangely been renamed "Overseas Contingency Operation." I'm about as thrilled as you are. Let us hope that this is just another PR stunt. . .or a silly word game to obscure the true nature of the rough and tumble work we must be about on the global scale. As if we couldn't take the truth after six years of war. Sheesh.

Thankfully, it seems at least that the willingness to fight in Afghanistan remains, though one prays this does not mean playing patty-cake with that murderous horde of zealots called the Taliban. Carpet bombing is too good for them, as are cushy seats and tea with any administration official or public servant of the USA.

And finally, some sanity over the whole AIG debacle from one Jake DeSantis. He makes some very important points about the true nature of those who made honest sacrifices to salvage the company's image and bottom line. If I haven't said so clearly before, taxing bonuses is indeed a bad idea, and government takeovers are a downright rotten idea. Long live the Jake DeSantis' of the world--may they be working somewhere much more deserving of their talent, common sense, and guts.

AIG Is Dirtier Than First Assumed (And That Doesn't Even Mention The Politicians Involved)*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

It turns out that AIG bonuses were even larger than first assumed--$218 M to be exact, and we shouldn't be surprised if they get larger as more digging is done. Whatever the case, it seems our President was too busy filling out his NCAA brackets, insulting intellectually disabled athletes while interviewing with Jay Leno, and sending love notes to Iran to do anything about it. Or maybe he just didn't want to get sued.

Am I the only one sensing a lack of focus by the administration on what matters most here? Apparently Mark Steyn over at "National Review" thinks much the same while noting the hypocrisy of so many outraged politicians (and yes, they just might be the ones who passed the bailout without reading it).

Now there is the question of just how to punish this wanton spending on bonuses. Shouldn't we reward talent, even if the company fails? But is this really talent if they are responsible for the company failing? Maybe the company shouldn't be allowed to get that large? Maybe we should just tax the bonuses? There are all sorts of questions, some good and some bad. What I do know is that these lawmakers should have read the bailout bill before they voted to disperse taxpayer money. Better yet, they should have let AIG fail. After all, the market generally rewards merit, a quality in seriously short supply here.

In the end, while we have to admit that executive bonuses are often obnoxious, this sort of government involvement--too much and too late--is even worse.

Putin The Spy*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Here is an interesting bit of historical lint--Vlad Putin during his swinging, sexy spy days in the KGB. The linked photo was taken by Pete Souza, who swears this suave tourist was just a bit too interested in snapping photos of President Reagan in Red Square. Or human rights in America. Whatever the case, the authenticity of the photo seems to be under dispute.

Obama's No Friend Of The Military*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Stabbing American soldiers in the back sure didn't take him long. I guess we should be thankful he didn't spit on them. I mean really, did President Obama actually think he could raise money for Veterans Affairs by making our men and women in uniform suffer the inadequate services of private insurance companies?

The answer is clearly no. What he and his far-left ideologues attempted here was to stop not only current American warfare, but also all American warfare. The notion being of course that war of any kind is unjustified, and that it is especially so for enlightened Americans. What he clearly refuses to acknowledge is that though we prize peace, some wars must be waged with all our might if we and much of the rest of the world would be free. In the end, a virtue such as the love of peace can be corrupted into a vice if taken too far. Clearly, that is at least some of what we have here in this twisted and asinine display of liberal political fantasy.

Importantly, by causing soldiers to work with independent insurers, the quality of care is drastically cut--sometimes to nothing, and that undoubtedly would be devastating to our warriors in need of long-term care--the out of pocket expenses would be untenable, and recruitment rates would surely plummet. In fact, the brave men and women who keep us safe would find far less strength in the field, and that would be catastrophic for them, their families back home, and freedom loving people throughout the sane world.

As Commander David K. Rehbein of the American Legion argued, cutting the armed forces down by their roots is grossly immoral, whether or not President Obama or his hit man Rahm Emanuel want to hear it. This is appalling, it's shoddy treatment of those who have every right to demand our unwavering and complete support, and it's very telling of the current administration's willingness to place political principles above American blood. All involved should be deeply, terribly ashamed.

MEA CULPA. . .KIND OF: The ongoing financial disaster named Christopher Dodd finally admits to securing an outrageous $165 M in bonuses for AIG executives right after working citizens bail them out for $170 M. . .no wonder some are connecting the dots to Geithner's resignation.

GOOD NEWS: Mukhtar Mai--the women's rights advocate extraordinaire who suffered gang rape at the order of her local tribal council in Pakistan--is now married to the police officer assigned to safeguard her well being. Granted, the polygamy issue does give one pause, but at least she is safe and enjoying a relationship traditionally denied such victims. Here's to her happiness and that special hell most assuredly reserved for her attackers.

CENSUS 2010 UPDATE: A clean census? Well, now ACORN is involved. If The Golden Boy President's first 100 days are any indication, the Democrats are going to need all the gerrymandering help they can get for the next election.

Rembering The Founding Citizens*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Most of the major networks are refusing to cover it as an inspiration for what is happening right now--the protests, that is.

If you haven't heard yet, tens, hundreds, even thousands of Americans are gathering in major cities to protest the bailout of homeowners who could never pay their mortgages, the greedy banks that gave them their ridiculous sub-prime loans, and various other criminals inside and out of government positions that politicked for this economic disaster. However successful, these Americans have got the right idea--protesting like the no-nonsense citizens that fought and prayed our free country into existence.

Fittingly enough, they are calling these communions with commonsense "Taxpayer Tea Parties." And please note, this sentiment is on the upswing: there is a simple form letter available to sign online and festoon the office of our Big-Talker-in-Chief with, along with a list of upcoming venues where Americans still possess their sanity. Thank goodness.

I say Rick Santelli--whomever he is--should be awarded a lifetime free of personal and / or corporate taxes just for the idea. . .

WATCH THIS: Below is the report from FoxNews on the political downfall of Chas Freeman. It was not swift enough.

Some Good News*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Finally, some justice might be served for terrorist Bill Ayers. Here's to hoping the charges stick. And so many of us wonder why President Obama is so comfortable talking to Iran. . .perhaps he just understands those misguided souls.

In other news, here's the story of a real hero in those horrific Alabama shootings. He deserves to be remembered.

And finally, the movie "Brothers at War" seems a very promising documentary on the service and sacrifice of our heroes in Iraq. Perhaps we'll come out of this with the proper respect for our soldiers. Whatever the case may be, this film goes a long way towards that admirable goal.

PROP. 8 UPDATE: Okay, so maybe not exactly Prop. 8 news. . .but it does highlight one side's politically equivalent statement of "we don't like you, so we're taking our ball and going home" for the gay marriage debate.

"Big Love" Is Bigotry? Probably. But Also Attention Starved*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

In the interest of full disclosure concerning my viewpoints, it should be mentioned that the questionable dramatic value of "Big Love" has been mentioned in these pages before, notably in reference to Executive Producer Tom Hanks and his not so subtle jab at the Mormons (or more accurately, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

Interestingly enough, some controversy has currently cropped up over the very likely inaccurate and smarmy depiction of some of this faith's sacred ceremonies to advance the plot line. To be perfectly honest, I don't really bother watching--there's already so much superior television pumped out by that dramatic genius J.J. Abrams (really, he's like Midas without the regrets) and just so little time for viewing. But as I've said before, this is offensive and cheap and most people know it. And it's also a tacky way to stir up free advertising through the controversy that usually ensues.

Yet an interesting trend has developed in response among those of a more tolerant attitude--the impulse to ignore such pettiness. Significantly, famous sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card--a member of said church--comments on the patent ineffectiveness of such assaults in "National Review," while the Church itself has thoughtfully produced a simple and direct statement more or less signifying that it will far outlast the length of this television show's sanctimonious stumbling through the world of politicized entertainment.

I say well done.

While arrogant and narrow attacks such as this should very much be mentioned in media outlets, it seems evident that playing the better Christian part comes in turning the other cheek. And there's a plot line I'm sure HBO didn't see developing.

Phoenix Is Awesome*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Joaquin Phoenix never fails to entertain. This time, he jumped off stage to show a heckler what was up during one of his packed hip-hop concerts. I wonder how long this experiment will last. . .or how long it will take the rest of Hollywood to catch on.

The Culture Of Death*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

The Culture of Death. With the signed order to open up previously untouchable embryonic stem cell lines and uncap federal funding for the same, it's clear that the Obama Administration is perfectly pleased to adopt this bit of nastiness from the far-left. And if you don't believe that, you might peruse a previous posting on the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius to HHS. The pieces are adding up.

And significantly, President Obama is doing this while taking a cheap shot at President Bush. You might remember the latter as the man who did much to elevate the embryonic stem cell argument to a lofty level of sophistication--scientifically and ethically--in an unarguably admirable manner. With this current set of ideologues, it seems cold, hard science will beat mere ethical considerations every time, so long as you can get over the fact that the two cannot reasonably be untangled.

No wonder Charles Krauthammer--a former member of the President's Council on Bioethics--found at least three reasons not to attend the signing.

BAD NEWS: Wow. And we wonder why anti-Semitism tends to take root.

Wicked People*

*Images courtesy of AP Images.

Omar al-Bashir danced, laughed, and even smiled after getting word that he would be facing a warrant for war crimes charges before the International Criminal Court at The Hague. In case you have not heard, this is the same pseudo-man responsible for the rape, mutilation, and murder of children, women, and men in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Approximately 2.5 million have fled with stragglers being raped, especially in the case of little girls, and often this is by military orders. 300,000 have been murdered according to various sources, including the first article linked in this entry. Aid organizations, not surprisingly, have also been tossed out.

Heartbreaking. Horrific. Appalling. These words do not begin to describe the utter darkness of these acts, especially for the children. Clearly, these millions of wounds will not heal for generations. And yet with all this blood on his hands, al-Bashir is still so unabashedly gleeful. So just to be clear, he should unquestionably suffer an ignominious death at the hands of his lawful executioners. Him, and all like him. And I believe that should go without saying.

Other wickedness of a lesser--though still very disturbing--degree is President Obama's nomination of Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services. She's governor of Kansas, and oh, an ardent supporter of abortion. Especially late term abortion. This latter link comes in her associations with one Dr. George Tiller, a skilled practitioner of this barbaric procedure. A gentleman, I'm sure. Thankfully, anti-abortion activists have picked up on this and are attempting to block this audacious attack on the value of human life. That said, I generally don't bother writing to politicians, but I may make an exception in this case. President Obama should be ashamed for even thinking of her as a possible nomination and he should hear that from American citizens.

The Gift Giver (And No, It's Not The President)*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Thank goodness the internationally insensitive days of President Bush are gone and we have President Obama to usher in an age of. . .well, poor gift giving.

You're Kidding, Right? Ayers And Churchill?!*

*All images courtesy of AP Images.

Wow. I must say, the University of Colorado has really outdone itself this time with its most recent cadre of esteemed guests. Do they just not get enough media attention down there?

If the above report is accurate, self-loathing homegrown terrorist Bill Ayers and his unquestionably dim anti-American friend Ward Churchill are due to appear together in this loftiest of academic circles.

Ahhh, together at last. . .I'm sure the chain smoking of various substances and condescending vitriol for traditional western values will be in abundant supply. And all that while wrongly sheltering under that very last shield of the coward--free speech. Apparently all they need is Aquavelvajad--nickname courtesy of the impossibly witty Dennis Miller--and they would be hosting the Trifecta of Anti-American Sin, Bloodshed, and Idiocy that seemingly smells so sweet to the so-far-from-normal-left. Sheesh.

And President Obama should be very nervous at this development as reasonable people might start to suspect that he ran in some rather nasty circles before his ascendancy and installment to the highest office meant to protect American citizenry. In fact, a shrewd man in his position might threaten to yank the good university's federal funding. . .

Ann Coulter Pulls No Punches At CPAC*

*Image courtesy of AP Images.

Ann Coulter is really funny. Hilarious, actually.

At CPAC, I kept thinking she was going analyze some gaffes of the current administration, provide some sobering historical commentary on what this election means, maybe even unload some well deserved jabs at McCain and whip the party into shape. . . and she did, though with a much more generous helping of her caustic wit than we are usually allotted.

I say well done. Just what the GOP needs.

See some rather low quality video with high quality remarks by Ann Coulter at CPAC 2009: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Enjoy.

UPDATE: Here's a taste of Rush Limbaugh's comments. The 90 minute speech is worth watching.