Wednesday, February 24, 2010 - 200th Edition!

1. Divisions Within Canada's New Democratic Party - For a very long time, Canada's political scene was dominated by the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party. [The current Conservative Party is not "your father's" Conservative Party of Sir John A. MacDonald, John Diefenbaker, Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney - that party, more properly known as the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, merged with the Canadian Alliance in 2003 to form the Conservative Party of Canada].

In any event, a new party emerged in 1961 - the social democratic party known as the New Democratic Party, or the NDP. The party is definitely on the left side of the political spectrum. Despite considerable involvement over the years from the Jewish community, including from the late David Lewis, it has often taken very anti-Israel positions on issues that one would think would be rather opposite to the principles it purports to stand for.

[Another recent new party is the Bloc Quebecois - based entirely in Quebec and dedicated to the protection of Quebec's rights in the federal arena, as well as to sovereignty for Quebec. The Bloc currently holds 48 seats in the federal Canadian Parliament - 11 more than the NDP - and thus in theory, either party holds the balance of power in the current minority government situation. The Bloc has also been accused of having a less than friendly attitude towards Israel.]

Current NDP leader Jack Layton has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Two of the senior people in the NDP are expected to assist Mr. Layton with his leadership responsibilities - one of whom is quite pro-Israel and the other of whom is not. It will be interesting to see what will transpire - John Ivison: NDP flees from divisions over Israel - Full Comment.


2. More On The Dubai Takedown -



5. I'm Not Convinced - I.H.T. Op-Ed Contributor - Declare a Palestinian State - NYTimes.com. And where did the figure of 6,000,000 Palestinian refugees come from? First - it is obviously a "charged" number that Palestinians will immediately claim to equal the most frequently cited number of Jews murdered in the Shoah, thereby (in my opinion) demeaning
the almost scared nature if that figure. Second - this broad definition of who constitutes a refugee - it is my understanding that descendants of Palestinian refugees under the authority of the UNRWA are the only group to be granted refugee status on the basis of descent alone. Why, you may ask, aren't the descendants of the larger number of Jews kicked out of all the Arab countries at the same time considered refugees with their own organization to look after them - well perhaps it is due to the fact that Israel, with assistance from the world's Jewish population, took in and resettled a huge number of those people rather than cynically use them as pawns. And it did so at a time when it had next to nothing in terms of national wealth.





8. This Might Be Awkward - Haaretz: Son of Hamas Founder Worked for Shin Bet – Forward.com - beats the heck out of the Montagues and the Capulets.

And look at the BBC story (BBC News - Hamas man's son Mosab Hassan Yousef 'was Israeli spy') with the incredibly moronic comment - "Mosab Hassan Yousef could not be reached for comment".

Gee - I wonder why??

(father - no longer among the living)

(son - hopes to remain among the living)


9. Have To Have An Iran Story - can't have a 200th edition without some Iran stuff.
And since Russia can't seem to make up its mind (I bet an Iranian nuclear missile landing somewhere in Russia in support of Russia's Muslim minorities might persuade them) - I am not going to cheer for its men's hockey team tonight in their Olympic quarterfinal game against Canada - (truth be told, I was never going to root for them). As we used to cheer in the bad old days of the USSR, "da da Canada, nyet nyet Soviet". GO TEAM CANADA - here are some great memories - especially when Mario Lemieux's 1987 Canada Cup winner (the third highlight below) was benefited by a non-call on an obvious hooking penalty that should have been called on Dale Hawerchuk - the referee was Don Koharski (a native of Nova Scotia!!!!! - great work)




10. Wasn't There A Movie About This? - Tunnel Vision: Convict Digs Out of Prison With a Spoon - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International. Oh yeah..... and if you don't have the time to watch the whole video, watch the following one!



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Tuesday, February 23, 2010


1. What Is The Name Of That Place - Oh Yeah, Iran - enough already (like that's going to happen anytime soon).

2. Functionary? How About Murderer? - How dare the EU refer to the target of the Dubai hit as a functionary? Call him what he was - an admitted murderer, a senior Hamas military commander, and a key player in smuggling Iranian rockets into Gaza for use against Israeli citizens - Mossad Under Suspicion: EU Demands Israeli Cooperation over Dubai Killing - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International.

The late unlamented Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
May he rot in hell

Mind you, not that they'd admit it, but the countries that make up the EU know all about functionaries and death. The Shoah could never have occurred without the participation of, among others, the French police and German railway workers.

Drancy Concentration Camp near Paris

3. Archaeological Proof - A World-Historic Find in Jerusalem. Speaking of which, try your hand at this quiz about Palestine.



5. You Go, Girl!


6. Them Jews Is Everywhere! - Jewish Ice Dancer Wins Olympic Silver – Forward.com. Must be a conspiracy of some sort.



8. Canadian Controversy - No, I'm not talking about the "Own The Podium" story from the Winter Olympics nor even about the trials and tribulations of the Canadian Men's hockey team. I have not really followed this story (It's not about the Middle East ) very closely, but as usual, it leads to criticism of the Harper Government in Canada and its support for Israel.

9. The Shoah And Hungary - You may know that Hungary was the last major Jewish population centre to remain largely untouched by the Shoah - that is, until 1944 when the Germans occupied Hungary and deported its Jewish population to Auschwitz to be murdered. This link provides a good history of one of the last tragic acts of the Shoah. In any event, the latest news from Hungary is that Hungary has passed a Holocaust denial bill, some 65 years after the fact.


10. Not Too Swift! All I can say is OUCH!

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Monday, February 22, 2010

1. I Never Thought Of It Like This - Ian O'Doherty: Only one group could be behind the latest hit -- the Irish Jews - Ian O'Doherty, Columnists - Independent.ie.


On a more serious note, here is a column that puts forth the views of various writers regarding the Dubai take-down - Targeted for death - latimes.com. Finally, leave it to the BBC to put things in perspective - The Muqata: BBC: 7-13% of World Jewry work for the Mossad - and where's my damn paycheck???????










"But this view draws a false distinction between containment and force. A preventive attack might not end Iran's nuclear ambitions. Defense Secretary Robert Gates argues that a successful attack would delay the Iranian program by at most a few years. Yet a policy of containment will not save the White House from having to make tough choices about using force. Indeed, Iran can be contained only if Washington is prepared to use force against an emboldened adversary armed with the ultimate weapon."


7. The Destruction of Dresden 1945 - The Allied utter devastation of Dresden in February 1945 has been the subject of intense scrutiny by revisionist historians (such as the infamous Holocaust denier David Irving). Here is a story from The National Post that makes the essential point - you do what you have to do to win a war.

"Every February, one particular chapter of the Second World War seems to be discussed in the Post: the bombing of Dresden by Allied forces in February, 1945. This year was no different, with Bill Twatio questioning why this “Florence on the Elbe” was targeted.

More than two dozen readers responded with explanations. Here are a few that didn’t make it into print last week.

“War is, by definition, armed conflict, with the intention of imposing one side’s will over the other’s,” wrote Eric Warburton. “War is not an exercise in sportsmanship; you do whatever you have to do to win.”

“I had two uncles who were fighting at that stage of the war,” stated Ian Molyneaux. “One was part of an RAF crew that flew missions as part of Bomber Command. Both of them survived. Attacks like the one on Dresden shortened the war and saved lives. Even if only the life of one Allied soldier, one Allied airman or one person in a Nazi death camp was spared, it was worth it — no matter how pretty the buildings in Dresden were.”

“My father was on three ships sunk by German bombs,” added Michael K Power. “He was captured on the Island of Leros and spent almost two years in German prisoner of war camps. He escaped, and was recaptured six times. He was successful the seventh time.

“What did my father think about Dresden?” Mr. Power continued. “His words: ‘It had to be done. The Germans had to be stopped. We were lucky. The Germans were tough and well disciplined. We were very, very, lucky that we beat them.’ ”

And some readers just begged us to stop writing about this event.

“For some correspondents, the bombing of Dresden appears to be the only event of consequence in the Second World War,” wrote Jim Peat. “Those who actually lived through those days and were on the receiving-end of a bomb will tell you that they are sick and tired of reading the same rubbish each year, and wish that the Post would drop the subject.”


8. Plain Speaking Politician - Lt. Col (ret.) Alan West, now a Congressional candidate. In this video he details his reasons to support Israel. West is a decorated war hero whose awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Commendation Medal (two Oak Leaf Clusters, one Valor Device), Army Achievement Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Valorous Unit Award, Air Assault Badge and the Parachutist Badge. And now he's running for Congress. (thanks to Seraphic Press).


9. What Are They Thinking In The White House? Just the latest in a series of puzzling moves - Investors.com - Our Islamist Envoy

10. I'm Guessing The Caller Is Blonde - she is a moron in any event.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

1. Interesting.... - Israel unveils new drone fleet that can reach Iran - Yahoo! News





4. And This As Well - VDH's Private Papers::The Tragic Truth of War - to paraphrase US General "Blood & Guts" George Patton - "...no one ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making the other guy die for his country." Patton's actual version was somewhat saltier.


5. Dubai Murder Mystery - More Thoughts - the story continues to unfold:
6. US Diplomacy - The latest U.S. Mideast position: lots of noise signifying nothing - The Globe and Mail. Take the time to read the comments posted by readers - very anti-Israel and often very crude - that Israel practices genocide on the Palestinians, and that sort of thing. Nasty.






10. We All Need A Laugh - you cannot be human if you watch this and fail to smile!


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Saturday, February 20, 2010 - motzei Shabbat

1. Let's Start With Iran This Time - Before I get to the list of articles below, I have to single out this one - Russia will honour Iran missile deal: minister - Yahoo! News. Gee, thanks guys. Glad to see you have a concept of "honor" - honoring a commercial contract that will only enhance Iran's ability to protect its burgeoning nuclear arms ambitions and increase pressure on the West to act now before the weapons are deployed and operational. Maybe we should reach out to Poland, Ukraine, Georgia and, why not, Chechnya - the US must have lots of extra nuclear stuff just lying around. Bastards.

This picture of Ahmanutjob made me think of "Devo", pictured below


2. New Attraction - from the Canadian Federation of Jewish Students - Size Doesn't Matter - check it out - what a great initiative!
3. Criticizing Israel - Is Israel above criticism? Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newspaper. I'd answer the title of that article with this crap from one of the usual suspects - Rick Salutin - And this is our foreign policy … - The Globe and Mail. I sent this letter to the Globe & Mail in response - maybe I'll get published there - will let you know:
"To the Editor:
Rick Salutin suggests that Canada's foreign policy only has one pillar - total support for whatever Israel does. It seems to me that his columns only have one basic pillar, depending on the day - total criticism of the Conservative Government, Israel, the US or capitalism - and preferably more than one at a time. Talk about the pot and the kettle!"
4. Haredim - While I am the first to admit that I am not the largest fan of the haredim, the following article is not intended simply as an attack on them, but rather for the story itself. Escape from Israel's Ultra-Orthodox: The High Price of Religious Defection - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International


6. More On The Dubai Hit - remember, the world now has one less despicable terrorist in its midst. And if it was a Mossad job, why is Dubai holding some Fatah people (sent back from Jordan) as suspects?


8. Human Rights Commissions - A Dangerous Evolution



10. No Reason For Concern... - Quebec "snowball" jihadist gets life in prison - Jihad Watch. Nothing happens here, right? What about the Toronto 18? What about Montreal? Or Montreal again?

11. Where's The Outrage? Is Goldstone On His Way? Where Are The Usual Suspects? Pajamas Media » Middle East Terror and Double Standards




13. Other Olympic Stories - The whole "Own The Podium" thing is out of all proportion. What is wrong with trying to win, and being honest about it? Why the world finds Canada's quest for Olympic gold strange and adorable. - By Dahlia Lithwick - Slate Magazine


15. Terrorism, Obama and Hamas - Commentary » Blog Archive » Is Barack Obama the Last Best Hope of Hamas? Meanwhile, the Hamas Thugocracy has the temerity to warn off the West - 'West will lose by helping Israel' - Hamas will confront Western nations that support Israel? Sounds like a threat to me - anyone listening?

(Happy Face!)
(can also be used as a picture for Rick Salutin)

16. UC Irvine And Free Speech - UC Irvine's free speech debate - latimes.com

17. First Israeli NBA Player - Omri Casspi of the Sacramento Kings has his own Nike ad:


18. Tiger's Apology - Not the official version. Tiger Woods Sincerely Apologizes for Sleeping with Ugly Chicks on Sports Pickle. But seriously, what justifies the major US networks breaking away from regular programming to cover this event live? I'm a Tiger fan - as a golfer - but this ain't the moon landing!


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