A world between two Poles. The late Pope John Paul II is remembered in this extraordinary Debka analysis, which details the relationship between the Carter administration's Polish-born national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and a Polish archbishop named Karol Wojtyla. Debka traces how the relationship between the two men, which began in 1976 and continued "for years after Wojtyla’s investiture as Pope John Paul II on October 22, 1978", changed the course of history. In Debka's analysis, the religious passion of the Poles living under a Communist regime was none other than the "doomsday weapon" of the cold war; but, the Israeli site argues, the Americans drew some wrong lessons from their success against Communism, believing that fundamentalist Islam could be productively harnessed in West Asia in the same way that Catholicism was in East Europe. The rest, as they say, is history. Read the article at the link.
Andrea Dworkin remembered. Barry Deutsch (aka Ampersand) had his criticisms of Andrea Dworkin (1946-2005), but that hasn't stopped him from posting a tribute to her life and work. Go there for Dworkin-related links.
2005-04-17
New to Blogroll
A few new names on the sidebar:
Greater Democracy is a left-of-center group blog critiquing both the Bush Administration and current liberal strategy. In a current post, Michael Cudahy cautions against the mentality of "educating the masses" and instead counsels respect for the ordinary citizen. 'Instead of trying to educate and scare the masses, I would suggest that it would be better to engage them in an active dialogue about their ambitions and the dreams they hold for their children. They know what works and what doesn’t. And, they are becoming abundantly familiar with the abuses of power rained down upon them by this self-righteous and insensitive administration. There is a growing hunger for boldness and innovation. -- for honesty and an understanding of the problems that threaten this nation. Americans can be motivated by the power of eloquently articulated ideas. It is a formula that has worked for decades. It is an equation that can win today.'
Cry Freedom has conservative news and views, Mac news, and White Trash Wednesday participation. Safari users, did you know that the latest OS X update will let you read Beth's Vast Right Wing Conspiracy in all its Alabama splendor? I'll bet you missed the new LHOTP, too.
American Dinosaur (hat tip: Cry Freedom) hails from Arizona and is a member of the Alliance of Free Blogs. Current posts have all the poop on the ACLU and the latest news on Minuteman.
Urth: The Drowned Land appealed to my inner Gene Wolfe fanatic - also lots of sports news, although I confess to being a sports illiterate.
Obviously Right has news on a disturbing trend in Belgium; also a number of good posts about media bias.
My sidebar is currently a bit disorganized but I'm planning to clean it up a little bit this week. I'm using BlogRolling but not exclusively, as I still find I like the flexibility of organizing my own Blogger template (imperfect though my understanding of HTML may be); also I like the idea of having a backup in case BR goes down (or, conversely, I screw up the Blogger linklist). Links may be found in either or both of these locations. The links I've just added today are on BlogRolling. I'll try to work something out where BR complements my basic template.
Greater Democracy is a left-of-center group blog critiquing both the Bush Administration and current liberal strategy. In a current post, Michael Cudahy cautions against the mentality of "educating the masses" and instead counsels respect for the ordinary citizen. 'Instead of trying to educate and scare the masses, I would suggest that it would be better to engage them in an active dialogue about their ambitions and the dreams they hold for their children. They know what works and what doesn’t. And, they are becoming abundantly familiar with the abuses of power rained down upon them by this self-righteous and insensitive administration. There is a growing hunger for boldness and innovation. -- for honesty and an understanding of the problems that threaten this nation. Americans can be motivated by the power of eloquently articulated ideas. It is a formula that has worked for decades. It is an equation that can win today.'
Cry Freedom has conservative news and views, Mac news, and White Trash Wednesday participation. Safari users, did you know that the latest OS X update will let you read Beth's Vast Right Wing Conspiracy in all its Alabama splendor? I'll bet you missed the new LHOTP, too.
American Dinosaur (hat tip: Cry Freedom) hails from Arizona and is a member of the Alliance of Free Blogs. Current posts have all the poop on the ACLU and the latest news on Minuteman.
Urth: The Drowned Land appealed to my inner Gene Wolfe fanatic - also lots of sports news, although I confess to being a sports illiterate.
Obviously Right has news on a disturbing trend in Belgium; also a number of good posts about media bias.
My sidebar is currently a bit disorganized but I'm planning to clean it up a little bit this week. I'm using BlogRolling but not exclusively, as I still find I like the flexibility of organizing my own Blogger template (imperfect though my understanding of HTML may be); also I like the idea of having a backup in case BR goes down (or, conversely, I screw up the Blogger linklist). Links may be found in either or both of these locations. The links I've just added today are on BlogRolling. I'll try to work something out where BR complements my basic template.
This is not a hate crime.
Racially motivated crimes against whites are not conidered "hate crimes" in New York. As many as 30 young people beat up four girls, calling them "white crackers", yet somehow it wasn't a hate crime:
Read the rest at the link. Hat tip: LaShawn Barber.
Invoking the name “Martin Luther King” and screaming “Black Power!” a gang of up to 30 black teens attacked four white girls in Marine Park in what police are saying is not a bias crime.
The March 30 attack was a hot topic at state Senator Marty Golden’s recent public safety forum.
According to witnesses and parents of the victims, four young girls from St. Edmund’s had the day off from school due to Easter recess. They were playing basketball during dismissal from nearby Marine Park Junior High School, when several Marine Park students demanded to use the court.
After adults intervened and asked them to wait their turn, the teens left - but returned in a pack of up to 30, both boys and girls, and stormed into the park.
Witnesses say the attackers were all black and called their victims “white crackers” during the bloody melee, which raged for almost 20 minutes.
“This is not being looked at as a bias crime,” NYPD Deputy Inspector Kevin McGinn said at the meeting.
Read the rest at the link. Hat tip: LaShawn Barber.
Morning Report: April 17, 2005
Three held in plot to kill Shas leader. Three Israeli Arabs have been arrested on charges of conspiring to assassinate Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of Israel's religious Shas Party and former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. Arutz Sheva: 'It was released for publication that the General Security Service (GSS) arrested three Israeli Arabs on suspicion that they were planning to assassinate former Sephardic Chief Rabbi and spiritual leader of the Shas party Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The three, residents of northern Jerusalem, are members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group. It is suspected that aside from the plan to murder the rabbi, they were planning other terror attacks in the capital as well.' Debka: 'Shin Beit is holding three PFLP members from E. Jerusalem in plot to murder ultra-religious Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Two still under questioning. Same terror group assassinated Israeli tourism minister Zeevi three years ago.' Jerusalem Post: 'Members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who established a cell in northern Jerusalem and planned to assassinate Shas mentor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef while leaving his Jerusalem home, as well as other attacks in the capital, were recently arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police. In January cell members studied the route leading to and from Yosef's home, the security arrangements and monitored his movements. Their arrests prevented them from carrying out the attacks. Details released by the Shin Bet on Sunday revealed that the cell members are all residents of neighborhoods in northern Jerusalem, received funds and instructions from a senior PFLP member in Jerusalem and maintained close contacts with PFLP members incarcerated in Jericho for their involvement in the assassination of former government minister Rehavam Ze'evi. The identities of three of the members revealed by security officials are Salah Hassan Hamori, 20; of Dahiat Al Barid in north Jerusalem is the holder of a Jerusalem identity card and French citizenship. Hamori was incarcerated in the past for PFLP activities. Matsem Dieb Sheikh, 25, of Anata and Mussa Darwish, 22, also the holder of a Jerusalem identity card lived in Issawiyah. ... ' Further details in Jerusalem Post article at the link. (A7, Debka, JPost)
State hiring Iran freedom activists? Regime Change Iran reports that the US Department of State is soliciting applications for grants to promote human rights and democratization initiatives in Iran. The State Department website announces: 'The Office for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL/PHD) announces an open competition for assistance awards. DRL seeks to provide grants to educational institutions, humanitarian groups, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals inside Iran to support the advancement of democracy and human rights. Due to current sanctions on Iran, United States Government funds may not be used for activities involving the Government of Iran. Organizations may submit grant proposals that focus on promotion of democracy and human rights in Iran. While this RFP does not solicit proposals targeting concerns in other countries, DRL will consider proposals that include other countries when 1) for security or other reasons it is necessary to invite Iranians to neighboring countries, or 2) exposure of Iranians to individuals or groups in other countries is of direct benefit to Iranians. In this later regard, while DRL prefers new program ideas, the Bureau would consider ideas to expand current successful human rights and democracy programs to include Iranians.' (State Dept. via RCI)
Ethnic Arabs clash with Iranian security forces in Ahwaz, Iran. From Iran Focus, via Free Iran: 'Tehran, Apr. 16 - Anti-government protests erupted yesterday through the night in the city of Ahwaz, southwest Khuzestan province in Iran, leaving at least six people dead and hundreds injured or arrested. Ahwaz, close to the Iraqi border, is a major hub of Iranian ethnic minority groups, and its largely Arab population has faced brutal repression undere clerical rule. Fierce fighting occurred when Iran’s State Security Forces were dispatched to quell angry residents who were complaining of government plans to redefine the ethnic make-up of the province. Some 3,000 residents gathered in Kurdvani Square on Friday morning and thousands more in Sheling-Abad, Malashiya, Ameri, and Kut Abdollah districts of the city of Ahwaz, demanding the authorities stop what they called “ethnic cleansing”.' (Iran Focus via Free Iran)
State hiring Iran freedom activists? Regime Change Iran reports that the US Department of State is soliciting applications for grants to promote human rights and democratization initiatives in Iran. The State Department website announces: 'The Office for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL/PHD) announces an open competition for assistance awards. DRL seeks to provide grants to educational institutions, humanitarian groups, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals inside Iran to support the advancement of democracy and human rights. Due to current sanctions on Iran, United States Government funds may not be used for activities involving the Government of Iran. Organizations may submit grant proposals that focus on promotion of democracy and human rights in Iran. While this RFP does not solicit proposals targeting concerns in other countries, DRL will consider proposals that include other countries when 1) for security or other reasons it is necessary to invite Iranians to neighboring countries, or 2) exposure of Iranians to individuals or groups in other countries is of direct benefit to Iranians. In this later regard, while DRL prefers new program ideas, the Bureau would consider ideas to expand current successful human rights and democracy programs to include Iranians.' (State Dept. via RCI)
Ethnic Arabs clash with Iranian security forces in Ahwaz, Iran. From Iran Focus, via Free Iran: 'Tehran, Apr. 16 - Anti-government protests erupted yesterday through the night in the city of Ahwaz, southwest Khuzestan province in Iran, leaving at least six people dead and hundreds injured or arrested. Ahwaz, close to the Iraqi border, is a major hub of Iranian ethnic minority groups, and its largely Arab population has faced brutal repression undere clerical rule. Fierce fighting occurred when Iran’s State Security Forces were dispatched to quell angry residents who were complaining of government plans to redefine the ethnic make-up of the province. Some 3,000 residents gathered in Kurdvani Square on Friday morning and thousands more in Sheling-Abad, Malashiya, Ameri, and Kut Abdollah districts of the city of Ahwaz, demanding the authorities stop what they called “ethnic cleansing”.' (Iran Focus via Free Iran)
2005-04-15
The Shul I Don't Go To
There's an old joke about a Jew who's shipwrecked on a desert island. Finally he's rescued, and they find he's built not just one but two synagogues on the island. They ask him why. "One is the shul I pray in," he says, "and the other is the one I never step foot in!"
There's a liberal synagogue just a few blocks from where I live, which I'll call, arbitrarily, Beth Emeth. The atmosphere is nice, the people are friendly, the services are pleasant. But it's not right for me.
Why? Lots of reasons. I guess part of the problem is liberal Judaism itself. (By "liberal Judaism" I mean the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements collectively, as opposed to Orthodox Judaism.) In many ways my issues with liberal Judaism mirror my difficulties with American liberalism generally: it's become smug and self-satisfied, it has reduced the spirit of true inquiry and idealism to a set of political dogmas, and it has embraced reform for its own sake - to the point where the reforms themselves take on more importance than that which is being reformed.
Beth Emeth is in many ways a typical liberal Jewish synagogue. There's a lot of emphasis on social action - which is all to the good - but not much real dialog about important issues. As you've probably already guessed, I was the lone voice of dissent when the rest of the congregation were voicing their anti-war and anti-Bush sentiments. That by itself wasn't the problem - I mean, I could live with it. What bothered me was the realization that religious issues - even basic things like the divinity of the Torah - were open to debate, while political issues were not. The Torah was less sacred than liberal doctine.
(Were there other people who agreed with me? Well, sort of. Occasionally someone would come up to me after services and tell me privately that he agreed with me, or knew someone else who did. But no one else wanted to say so in public.)
The rabbi, whom I'll call Rabbi X, is nothing if not a scholar. And he won't let you forget it. It's hard to catch him on a Shabbat when he won't begin his talk by mentioning the famous philosophers he's read or the famous rabbis he's schmoozed with. He doesn't take kindly to being challenged; in the first part of 2003, I had an e-mail discussion with him about Iraq, which went smoothly until it became clear that my opinions weren't exactly the same as his. Then - suddenly - the conversation ended. His messages became terse and abrupt, and he soon stopped answering my e-mails altogether. Rabbi X had, in fact, originally leaned towards supporting the war, but then reversed himself; in fact, he gave a talk on the High Holy Days in which he publicly did "teshuvah" (repentance) for having supported the war in Iraq.
Liberal intellectuals like Rabbi X are very fond of speaking grandly about "dialog" and "competing narratives" and (my favorite) "the encounter with the Other". And who is the Other? There's the beauty of it - the Other is whoever you want him to be. For Rabbi X, as for so many Jewish intellectuals, Palestinians are the quinetessential Other. But Iraqis are not the Other; and American conservatives are most definitely, emphatically, not the Other. Why? Because when you designate someone as "the Other", you are obligating yourself to enter into a dialog with them. And many, many so-called "liberals" are afraid of that dialog.
I could tell you a lot more stories about Rabbi X, but I think you get the idea. I am not writing this post to single out a particular congregation or a particular Rabbi. The problem is not with this or that rabbi, or this or that congregation; it's with liberalism generally. It's with a political and cultural movement that has barricaded itself in ideology and has closed itself off from any ideas it finds challenging.
The problem, in short, is that American liberalism has isolated itself - to such a degree that liberals might as well be living on a desert island.
There's a liberal synagogue just a few blocks from where I live, which I'll call, arbitrarily, Beth Emeth. The atmosphere is nice, the people are friendly, the services are pleasant. But it's not right for me.
Why? Lots of reasons. I guess part of the problem is liberal Judaism itself. (By "liberal Judaism" I mean the Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements collectively, as opposed to Orthodox Judaism.) In many ways my issues with liberal Judaism mirror my difficulties with American liberalism generally: it's become smug and self-satisfied, it has reduced the spirit of true inquiry and idealism to a set of political dogmas, and it has embraced reform for its own sake - to the point where the reforms themselves take on more importance than that which is being reformed.
Beth Emeth is in many ways a typical liberal Jewish synagogue. There's a lot of emphasis on social action - which is all to the good - but not much real dialog about important issues. As you've probably already guessed, I was the lone voice of dissent when the rest of the congregation were voicing their anti-war and anti-Bush sentiments. That by itself wasn't the problem - I mean, I could live with it. What bothered me was the realization that religious issues - even basic things like the divinity of the Torah - were open to debate, while political issues were not. The Torah was less sacred than liberal doctine.
(Were there other people who agreed with me? Well, sort of. Occasionally someone would come up to me after services and tell me privately that he agreed with me, or knew someone else who did. But no one else wanted to say so in public.)
The rabbi, whom I'll call Rabbi X, is nothing if not a scholar. And he won't let you forget it. It's hard to catch him on a Shabbat when he won't begin his talk by mentioning the famous philosophers he's read or the famous rabbis he's schmoozed with. He doesn't take kindly to being challenged; in the first part of 2003, I had an e-mail discussion with him about Iraq, which went smoothly until it became clear that my opinions weren't exactly the same as his. Then - suddenly - the conversation ended. His messages became terse and abrupt, and he soon stopped answering my e-mails altogether. Rabbi X had, in fact, originally leaned towards supporting the war, but then reversed himself; in fact, he gave a talk on the High Holy Days in which he publicly did "teshuvah" (repentance) for having supported the war in Iraq.
Liberal intellectuals like Rabbi X are very fond of speaking grandly about "dialog" and "competing narratives" and (my favorite) "the encounter with the Other". And who is the Other? There's the beauty of it - the Other is whoever you want him to be. For Rabbi X, as for so many Jewish intellectuals, Palestinians are the quinetessential Other. But Iraqis are not the Other; and American conservatives are most definitely, emphatically, not the Other. Why? Because when you designate someone as "the Other", you are obligating yourself to enter into a dialog with them. And many, many so-called "liberals" are afraid of that dialog.
I could tell you a lot more stories about Rabbi X, but I think you get the idea. I am not writing this post to single out a particular congregation or a particular Rabbi. The problem is not with this or that rabbi, or this or that congregation; it's with liberalism generally. It's with a political and cultural movement that has barricaded itself in ideology and has closed itself off from any ideas it finds challenging.
The problem, in short, is that American liberalism has isolated itself - to such a degree that liberals might as well be living on a desert island.
Why Terri Schiavo Matters
The April 11 print edition of National Review carries a good analysis of the Terri Schiavo controversy beginning on p. 14. One thing they point out (as I've argued here - scroll down to point #3) is that the many questionable aspects of the Schiavo case lend substance to the "slippery slope" argument of pro-life absolutists. NR says it better than I can:
I'll be posting some final thoughts on Terri Schiavo this Sunday. There is more to talk about here. It's not just Terri. There are people in nursing homes whose lives and well-being depend on our willingness to affirm the value of life. And yes, that is exactly what this is about. You do not have to be a pro-life absolutist (I am not) to sense that there is something very wrong here. I used to think the talk about a "culture of life" versus a "culture of death" was just a lot of right-wing rhetoric. Now I'm not so sure.
Opponents of assisted suicide have good reasons for persisting in efforts to save Terri Schiavo's life. But supporters of assisted suicide may have even better ones.
The opponents have always asserted that allowing assisted suicide at all, while bad in itself, would lead to further evils: that we would start by allowing people who want to die to kill themselves, but end up allowing the killing of people who do not want to die. If we were supporters of assisted suicide, we would want to disprove these predictions. We would want to make sure that safeguards are in place to prevent such abuse. Even if we granted that she said both that she did not want to be on life support and that she did not want to be in a coma, it would not establish that she would not even want food and water when she is not in a coma.
Terri schiavo has had no MRI or PET scan. Only a CT scan has led some neurologists to conclude that her cerebral cortex has liquefied; other neurologists [and radiologists - aa] dispute the possiblity of reliably making that inference from CT scans. Many of the initial demonstrations of fact under Judge Greer relied on the testimony of Dr. Ronald Cranford. He is certainly a medical expert; but he is also a right-to-die zealot who advocates the removal of feeding tubes for patients with Alzheimer's dementia. ...
I'll be posting some final thoughts on Terri Schiavo this Sunday. There is more to talk about here. It's not just Terri. There are people in nursing homes whose lives and well-being depend on our willingness to affirm the value of life. And yes, that is exactly what this is about. You do not have to be a pro-life absolutist (I am not) to sense that there is something very wrong here. I used to think the talk about a "culture of life" versus a "culture of death" was just a lot of right-wing rhetoric. Now I'm not so sure.
Morning Report: April 15, 2005
Bolton vote next Tuesday. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to vote next Tuesday on whether to confirm John Bolton as US Ambassador to the United Nations. Fox News reports: 'Committee chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., has put Democrats on notice in a letter to ranking member Joe Biden, D-Del., on Thursday that the panel has, or is about to get, everything it needs to make a decision, and he expects a vote on April 19. The committee is seeking to declassify and post online more raw documents from its investigation, as Bolton has requested.' Democrats continue their effort to prove that Bolton is a bad, mean person, researching allegations of verbal abuse on the part of Bolton - 'a major effort that will amount to nothing if it does not change the mind of Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, whose swing vote could block the nomination from a floor vote', according to Fox. (Fox)
Debka: Israel apprehends Syrian infiltrator. According to the latest bulletin from Debka: 'Armed infiltrator from Syria to Golan Heights admitted he was member of Syrian-based Fatah and had planned to abduct an Israeli soldier and take him back to Syria. He was captured shooting inside an Israeli military position. No one hurt. Israeli spokesman said incident grave breach of post-1973 truce. Damascus must stop sheltering terrorist bases.' Debka also notes: 'Islamic website issues travel warning to Syrian fighters crossing into Iraq to fight with insurgents. Syrian regime said “up to its ears in work” for Americans, has set up checkpoints at Qameshli and Deir ez-Zor border zones and arrests all outsiders. Fighters advised not to display beards, long robes or pray at mosques.' (Debka)
Dire straits. Continuing his series on Chinese naval strategy and Taiwan, Wretchard argues that Beijing's primary concern is not Taiwan but the security of its access to petroleum imports: 'The real strategic center of Chinese interests is the South China sea through which the commercial and petroleum lifeblood of China flows.' Regarding Taiwan itself, 'Taiwanese diesel electrics could respond to mainland saber rattling by taking station to the Bonins northeast of Taiwan and would be far better suited to littoral warfare than the nuclear attack boats Beijing is building. Moreover, any combat between Taiwan and China in this area would be exceedingly dangerous, because it would occur virtually within Japanese territorial waters. China would have to be very careful in naval operations or risk attacking Japanese fleet units by accident.' Part 2 examines the potential roles of the Pacific islands, and how Japan factors into the equation: ' ... as China is seen as representing a threat to Japan, any attempts to reach out to "the first island chain" (which includes the Aleutians) and the "second island chain" (which includes the Bonins, which is Japanese territory) will bring a reaction from Nippon.' (Belmont Club)
Debka: Israel apprehends Syrian infiltrator. According to the latest bulletin from Debka: 'Armed infiltrator from Syria to Golan Heights admitted he was member of Syrian-based Fatah and had planned to abduct an Israeli soldier and take him back to Syria. He was captured shooting inside an Israeli military position. No one hurt. Israeli spokesman said incident grave breach of post-1973 truce. Damascus must stop sheltering terrorist bases.' Debka also notes: 'Islamic website issues travel warning to Syrian fighters crossing into Iraq to fight with insurgents. Syrian regime said “up to its ears in work” for Americans, has set up checkpoints at Qameshli and Deir ez-Zor border zones and arrests all outsiders. Fighters advised not to display beards, long robes or pray at mosques.' (Debka)
Dire straits. Continuing his series on Chinese naval strategy and Taiwan, Wretchard argues that Beijing's primary concern is not Taiwan but the security of its access to petroleum imports: 'The real strategic center of Chinese interests is the South China sea through which the commercial and petroleum lifeblood of China flows.' Regarding Taiwan itself, 'Taiwanese diesel electrics could respond to mainland saber rattling by taking station to the Bonins northeast of Taiwan and would be far better suited to littoral warfare than the nuclear attack boats Beijing is building. Moreover, any combat between Taiwan and China in this area would be exceedingly dangerous, because it would occur virtually within Japanese territorial waters. China would have to be very careful in naval operations or risk attacking Japanese fleet units by accident.' Part 2 examines the potential roles of the Pacific islands, and how Japan factors into the equation: ' ... as China is seen as representing a threat to Japan, any attempts to reach out to "the first island chain" (which includes the Aleutians) and the "second island chain" (which includes the Bonins, which is Japanese territory) will bring a reaction from Nippon.' (Belmont Club)
2005-04-14
Music Notes
Return of the Caped Avenger. Rick Wakeman fans, rejoice! The keyboard guru of progressive rock has unleashed a collection of new recordings, modestly titled The Ultimate Rick Wakeman Experience. It's a 3-CD set including new renditions of classic tracks from Journey to the Centre of the Earth, The Six Wives ..., and King Arthur, as well as Yes tracks like "Starship Trooper". There's also a set of lovely Italian songs with Mario Fasciano. So get to your record store by horse, by rail, by land, or by sea, and check it out.
Another innovative keyboardist, Alice Coltrane, released her first new album in a quarter-century last year; it's called Translinear Light and it shows she's in top form. The widow of the famous saxophonist released several albums in the 1970s before leaving the music world to devote herself full-time to spiritual pursuits a the Vedantic Center ashram, which she founded in 1975. This release features new versions of her classic "Blue Nile" and the traditional "This Train", and lots of strong new music. Her son Ravi Coltrane produced the recording and appears on several of the tracks.
Another innovative keyboardist, Alice Coltrane, released her first new album in a quarter-century last year; it's called Translinear Light and it shows she's in top form. The widow of the famous saxophonist released several albums in the 1970s before leaving the music world to devote herself full-time to spiritual pursuits a the Vedantic Center ashram, which she founded in 1975. This release features new versions of her classic "Blue Nile" and the traditional "This Train", and lots of strong new music. Her son Ravi Coltrane produced the recording and appears on several of the tracks.
213 Things You Can't Do in the Army
... or, I strongly suspect, any other branch of the Armed Forces. Hat tip: Uncle Jimbo.
Read the full list here.
1. Not allowed to watch South Park when I'm supposed to be working.
2. My proper military title is 'Specialist Schwarz' not 'Princess Anastasia'.
3. Not allowed to threaten anyone with black magic.
4. Not allowed to challenge anyone's disbelief of black magic by asking for hair.
5. Not allowed to get silicone breast implants.
6. Not allowed to play 'Pulp Fiction' with a suction-cup dart pistol and any officer.
7. Not allowed to add 'In accordance with the prophesy' to the end of answers I give to a question an officer asks me.
8. Not allowed to add pictures of officers I don't like to War Criminal posters.
9. Not allowed to title any product 'Get Over it'.
10. Not allowed to purchase anyone's soul on Government time.
11. Not allowed to join the communist party.
12. Not allowed to join any militia.
13. Not allowed to form any militia.
14. Not allowed out of my office when the president visited Sarajevo.
15. Not allowed to train adopted stray dogs to 'Sic Brass!'
16. Must get a haircut even if it tampers with my 'Sampson like powers'.
17. God may not contradict any of my orders.
18. May no longer perform my now (in)famous 'Barbie Girl Dance' while on duty.
19. May not call any officers immoral, untrustworthy, lying, slime, even if I'm right.
20. Must not taunt the French any more.
21. Must attempt to not antagonize SAS.
22. Must never call an SAS a 'Wanker'.
23. Must never ask anyone who outranks me if they've been smoking crack.
24. Must not tell any officer that I am smarter than they are, especially if it's true.
...
Read the full list here.
2005-04-13
First Woman Provincial Governor in Afghanistan
Via Afghan Warrior:
Read full post here.
Afghanistan named its first female provincial governor. President Hamid Karzai appointed Ms Habiba Surabi as the governor of Bamian province last month and made a step forward in the slow political progress of women since the fall of Taliban more than three years ago. Surabi, who was selected from an all-female short-list, served as a Minister of Women's Affairs in President Karzai's previous transitional government for almost three years. The previous administration of President Hamid Karzai approved the constitution enshrining equal rights for women last year. Conditions for women in Afghanistan have gradually improved since the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001, who barred women from education. Ms Surabi, the 48-year old wife and mother of three children, is an ethnic Hazara.
During her 3 years of service as Minister of Women's Affairs, she also learned to speak fluent English. Ms Surabi said "My appointment has opened a way for other women" in her speech. She believes that President Karzai, by choosing her, sent a powerful signal that women were equal to men. ...
Read full post here.
2005-04-12
Morning Report: April 12, 2005
Three suspected terrorists indicted. Dhiran Barot, Nadeem Tarmohammed and Qaisar Shaffi were indicted on charges of plotting terrorist actions against the New York Stock Exchange, the Citicorp Building in New York, the Prudential building in New Jersey, and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in the District of Columbia, according to news reports. The suspects are being held in Britain, where they were arrested last year. The 32-year-old Barot, a Briton of Indian descent who converted to Islam some years ago, was charged with possessing reconnaissance plans for US interests and notebooks containing information on explosives and poisons - material deemed "of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism." Barot is known variously as Abu Eisa al-Hindi, Abu Musa al-Hindi and Issa al-Britani, and is believed to have had close ties with Osama bin Laden. (CNN, MSNBC)
Wretchard: China and the poisoned pawn. Today's Belmont Club looks at the pros and cons, from Communist China's standpoint, of an "out of the blue" (OOTB) attack on Taiwan, versus a phased attack that would begin with a blockade and end with an invasion as a "coup de grace". Neither is a particularly attractive option for the Beijing regime: 'China's strategic choice then is between an OOTB pitting 5 or 6 lightly armed divisions against 12 Taiwanese to take advantage of surprise or to advance with a much larger force against up to 8 USN battlegroups. This is complicated by the fact that one US response to a Chinese blockade of Taiwan might include a counter-blockade of China's fuel imports. The growing Chinese dependence on Middle Eastern oil has a created a vulnerability that did not exist a decade ago.' Read the full analysis at the link. (Belmont Club)
Hezbollah drone penetrates Israeli airspace. Hezbollah flew another drone over Israel on Monday - the second such mission in five months. Debka reports: 'Israel confirms Hizballah drone penetrated Israeli airspace but reports it turned tail in seconds after air force fighters scrambled. According to Hizballah TV, unmanned spy vehicle photographed N. Israeli towns of Acre and Nahariya and returned to Lebanon undetected. DEBKAfile: Lebanese terrorist group timed action for Bush-Sharon talks in Texas Monday.' Ha'Aretz elaborates: 'The IDF said Hezbollah is resorting to gimmicks, because the political situation in the region does not permit it to carry out actual terror attacks. Hezbollah's television station Al-Manar reported last night that a drone had entered Israeli skies at 5:15 P.M. and had flown over the Nahariya, Acre and "18 other settlements in the territory of the Zionist enemy." Citizens in the Nahariya area detected the drone and reported it to police. The Air Force's anti-aircraft systems picked up the drone but did not fire rockets at it, and the F-16 planes did not hit it either. The Air Force admits an operational failure, which will be investigated. After the last incursion, in November 2004, the anti-aircraft systems were upgraded in the north. Yesterday's drone was apparently of the same make - Iranian - as the one flown in November. [Known as 'Mirsad-1' - aa.] Although capable of carrying explosives, Hezbollah has refrained from putting it to this use. IDF sources said the intelligence value of such a brief flight was limited. According to IDF officers, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah wants to prove capable of action against Israel, yet escalation in the north would not serve the interests of his patron, Syria, which is under international pressure to withdraw from Lebanon. Nasrallah is therefore opting for provocative acts with propaganda value.' (Debka, Ha'Aretz)
Wretchard: China and the poisoned pawn. Today's Belmont Club looks at the pros and cons, from Communist China's standpoint, of an "out of the blue" (OOTB) attack on Taiwan, versus a phased attack that would begin with a blockade and end with an invasion as a "coup de grace". Neither is a particularly attractive option for the Beijing regime: 'China's strategic choice then is between an OOTB pitting 5 or 6 lightly armed divisions against 12 Taiwanese to take advantage of surprise or to advance with a much larger force against up to 8 USN battlegroups. This is complicated by the fact that one US response to a Chinese blockade of Taiwan might include a counter-blockade of China's fuel imports. The growing Chinese dependence on Middle Eastern oil has a created a vulnerability that did not exist a decade ago.' Read the full analysis at the link. (Belmont Club)
Hezbollah drone penetrates Israeli airspace. Hezbollah flew another drone over Israel on Monday - the second such mission in five months. Debka reports: 'Israel confirms Hizballah drone penetrated Israeli airspace but reports it turned tail in seconds after air force fighters scrambled. According to Hizballah TV, unmanned spy vehicle photographed N. Israeli towns of Acre and Nahariya and returned to Lebanon undetected. DEBKAfile: Lebanese terrorist group timed action for Bush-Sharon talks in Texas Monday.' Ha'Aretz elaborates: 'The IDF said Hezbollah is resorting to gimmicks, because the political situation in the region does not permit it to carry out actual terror attacks. Hezbollah's television station Al-Manar reported last night that a drone had entered Israeli skies at 5:15 P.M. and had flown over the Nahariya, Acre and "18 other settlements in the territory of the Zionist enemy." Citizens in the Nahariya area detected the drone and reported it to police. The Air Force's anti-aircraft systems picked up the drone but did not fire rockets at it, and the F-16 planes did not hit it either. The Air Force admits an operational failure, which will be investigated. After the last incursion, in November 2004, the anti-aircraft systems were upgraded in the north. Yesterday's drone was apparently of the same make - Iranian - as the one flown in November. [Known as 'Mirsad-1' - aa.] Although capable of carrying explosives, Hezbollah has refrained from putting it to this use. IDF sources said the intelligence value of such a brief flight was limited. According to IDF officers, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah wants to prove capable of action against Israel, yet escalation in the north would not serve the interests of his patron, Syria, which is under international pressure to withdraw from Lebanon. Nasrallah is therefore opting for provocative acts with propaganda value.' (Debka, Ha'Aretz)
2005-04-11
We are Unitarian Jihad!
I know these people. (Hat tip: Mythus Mage.)
Read the whole thing at the link.
You can get your Unitarian Jihad name here.
If you have issues with orthodox Unitarian Jihad doctrine, you can use the First Reformed Unitarian Jihad name generator.
As for how to fit your Unitarian Jihad name on your name tag, there are no easy answers.
Unitarian Jihadism is a questioning faith.
Greetings to the Imprisoned Citizens of the United States. We are Unitarian Jihad. There is only God, unless there is more than one God. The vote of our God subcommittee is 10-8 in favor of one God, with two abstentions. Brother Flaming Sword of Moderation noted the possibility of there being no God at all, and his objection was noted with love by the secretary.
Greetings to the Imprisoned Citizens of the United States! Too long has your attention been waylaid by the bright baubles of extremist thought. Too long have fundamentalist yahoos of all religions (except Buddhism -- 14-5 vote, no abstentions, fundamentalism subcommittee) made your head hurt. Too long have you been buffeted by angry people who think that God talks to them. You have a right to your moderation! You have the power to be calm! We will use the IED of truth to explode the SUV of dogmatic expression!
People of the United States, why is everyone yelling at you??? Whatever happened to ... you know, everything? ...
Read the whole thing at the link.
You can get your Unitarian Jihad name here.
If you have issues with orthodox Unitarian Jihad doctrine, you can use the First Reformed Unitarian Jihad name generator.
As for how to fit your Unitarian Jihad name on your name tag, there are no easy answers.
Unitarian Jihadism is a questioning faith.
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