Bad Bush! BAD BUSH!!! Of: Some of Bush's "Mistakes"

Here are some of the Idiot's hi-lights (from the Telegraph)...

1) No WMDs

Mr Bush built his entire case for war on the claim that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. However, he chose to ignore conflicting evidence and forever undermined not only his presidency, but the reputation of US intelligence agencies and his country in much of the world.

2) "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"

Mr Bush could not control the weather, but he had control in naming the director of FEMA, the agency in charge of disaster mitigation. His appointee, Mike Brown, was woefully underprepared and failed to facilitate proper aid to the stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina. Despite his tragic miscues, Mr Bush famously told his pall "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

3) No Post-War Plan for Iraq

The outgoing president achieved his goal of ousting Saddam Hussein but had little planned for a destabilised post-Saddam Iraq. After six years, thousands of military casualties, an untold amount of Iraqi civilian deaths, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent, the war is still not over.

4) Permitting Torture

By stating that the Geneva Convention did not apply to "enemy combatants," Mr Bush paved the way for waterboarding, attack dogs, and other draconian interrogation tactics that will forever be associated with his presidency.

5) Ignoring Pre-9/11 Terror Memo

Just weeks before 9/11, while spending a holiday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr Bush received a memo from the CIA entitled, "Bin Laden Determined To Strike in US". While the President cannot respond to every single threat presented to the country, the timing and nature of this particular warning will forever blight his legacy.

6) "Mission Accomplished"

Mr Bush's bombastic declaration of victory in Iraq while aboard an aircraft carrier in May 2003 was premature to say the least: the vast majority of war casualties have occurred since the unfurling of the "mission accomplished" banner. He has admitted this was one of his biggest mistakes.

7) Entering Iraq without a UN mandate.

After months of deliberation, the UN Security Council could not come to an agreement over the proposed invasion of Iraq. Mr Bush impatiently led a "coalition of the willing" into the country and his decision is still considered by the UN to be illegal.

8) Insisting there was a link between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda

Mr Bush aimed to strengthen his case for war by linking the perpetrators of 9/11 to Saddam Hussein. As of today there is little to no evidence supporting his claim.

9) Failing to capture Osama bin Laden

After 9/11, Mr Bush's primary goal was to capture al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. More than seven years have passed and the only evidence of Bin Laden is a series of grainy video tapes taunting Mr Bush and the United States.

10) Abandoning the Kyoto Protocol

In 2001, Mr Bush refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol, a treaty that requires participating countries to lower their greenhouse gas emissions. He cited its effect on the economy, but the auto industry is already on the brink and global climate change is a real problem. Even merely as a sign of intent, his signature would have been helpful.

11) Refusing to let Katrina ruin his holiday

Hurricane Katrina hit towards the end of a long summer holiday for Mr Bush. His immediate response was not to view the damage personally, but at five miles high through the window of Air Force One on his way back to Washington.

12) Underestimating the cost of the war

Like a contractor's ever-inflating estimates of a home renovation, Mr Bush's original $50-$60 billion price tag on the Iraq war sounds like a steal now. The current cost is closer to $600 billion.

13) Lack of body armour for US troops

Due to the budget constraints of an expensive war, many US troops lacked proper armour for the challenges in Iraq. There have been reports of families turning to eBay to purchase protective gear for their sons and daughters stationed in the Middle East.

14) Failure to include Louisiana's coastal parishes in state of emergency plan

On August 27, 2005, two days before Hurricane Katrina hit, President Bush declared a state of emergency for parts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. Not included on that list were the coastal areas of Louisiana that included New Orleans, the city hit hardest by Katrina.

15) Tax cuts for the wealthy

Believing wealthy Americans would take their fortunes to tax shelters, Mr Bush granted large tax cuts to keep their cash in the US. Critics contend it disproved the trickle down theory, as the economy headed into recession.

16) Losing focus on Afghanistan

The early campaign in Afghanistan was relatively successful. Rather than continuing the effort there however, Mr Bush quickly switched focus to Iraq. Many, including President-Elect Barack Obama, believe that a greater presence in Afghanistan would be more effective in the war on terror.

17) Limiting stem cell research

One of President Bush's earliest decisions was to restrict the research of embryonic stem cells. These types of studies have shown tremendous results in lab rats (such as reversing the course of Parkinson's in the rodents). Humans will have to wait for his policy to be annulled before seeing any benefits.

18) Appointment and backing of Alberto Gonzales

Mr Bush appointed an old Texan friend Alberto Gonzales as his Attorney General after the resignation of John Ashcroft. Widely criticised as a sycophantic foil to "Dubya", Mr Gonzales oversaw questionable US attorney dismissals and the NSA's warrantless wiretapping before eventually resigning. Along with Mike Brown, Alberto Gonzales is an example of Mr Bush's perceived penchant for surrounding himself with "yes men" rather than qualified individuals.

19) Awarding lucrative Iraq reconstruction contracts to Halliburton

Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's old employer, received a large reconstruction contract in Iraq shortly after the onset of the war. Rumours of it not having to bid are unfounded, but claims of a conflict of interest remain. In addition, their exportation of the country's oil has been a largely unsuccessful endeavour.

20) Warrantless Wiretapping

Shortly after 9/11, President Bush authorised the warrantless wiretapping of certain telephone calls for the sake of national security. Eavesdropping would often top most Presidents' list of reprehensible acts but Mr Bush, supported by Congress, contended that it helped keep America safe.

How Stupid Are the Palestinians?

Well, Israel killed 1,300 of them, while ten Israelis died (some by "friendly fire"). And yet:

"VICTORY"

Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Gaza-based Hamas administration claimed a "popular victory" against Israel. 

Um. Ok. Sure. Kind of like how Saddam Hussein won Desert Storm in 1991.

When only one of them is left standing, will he still say they "won" the war?

While I'm on the subject, I can't believe Israel is AGAIN falling for the cease fire ruse. How many times do they have to be fooled until they take of this terrorist problem once and for all?

An Homage to Our Fearless Criminal...

Enjoy. Thanks, Idiot, for a wonderful eight years. Let's hope, in all sincerity, we never hear from you, your puppet-master, Cheney, or any other Bush EVER again.

Awesome...

Found this online. Translation: "Forgiving Hezbollah is God's job. Our job is to arrange the meeting..." Attributed to General Norman Schwarzkopf.

Same applies to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PLO, and all the other little terrorist "organizations" out there...

"I'm SO Sorry for Your Loss..."

That's a line I've getting since my father died over three weeks ago. That, and "Hamakom."

Frankly, I'm sick of it. As most of my friends know, I had a rather... complicated relationship with my father. And that's putting it nicely. Even gently. Honestly, I hated the guy. He fucked up everything he touched. He even almost screwed up my marriage before it ever began. His shenanigans in my family are legendary. I thank God every day my wife outsmarted him and did NOT let him screw up our marriage.

I don't even know where to start. Most recent? Earliest "screw you" event I remember? I guess I'll start with the most recent shining moments of Yaakov Aharon.

My mom. He screwed her over most of all. Forty-five years of pure hell, verbal, and sometimes physical, abuse, and certainly psychological abuse. He even cheated on her at one point sometime in the 1970s, after I was born. If only she had left him then. He messed her up so completely that she really is not functional enough to take of herself financially. She has no idea how to pay bills, what to pay, and how to go about managing her money.

On top of that, my schmuck father actually CANCELED his life insurance policy about two years ago. I only found out about it WAY too late, about four or five months ago. He insisted on paying over a hundred dollars per month for cable, over fifty for high speed internet access, and about eighty for cell phone service. But he couldn't be bothered to pay two hundred dollars for his life insurance policy because "I couldn't afford it." So. How did this leave my mother? Fucked up financially, that's how. She should now have $157,500 sitting in her bank account. Instead she has about $400. And all she's going to get for the rest of her life in $1264 (plus a 2.5% "cost of living" increase every year). She'll be able to survive on this, but that's pretty much it. Survive. Not live comfortably.

Way to go Yaakov.

But wait there's more. He also managed to screw someone, or rather an organization, AFTER he died. I told him quite bluntly a few months ago to make sure any post-death needs are taken care of BEFORE he passed on. I knew he had no plot and no money to deal what needed to be dealt with after his death. He said it was all taken care of with his rabbi. Well, guess what. It wasn't. There is now a bill at the Chevra Kadisha (Jewish burial society) of Los Angeles for about $4000. A close family friend called me about raising money to pay the bill. I told her I had no money and was simply not responsible. Period. The man should NEVER have canceled his life insurance policy. She asked me about asking my rabbi about raising the money. Problem is, the rabbi here is having trouble raising a lousy $300 or $400 to get someone in desperate need a decent pair of tefilin, so raising $4000 is out of the question.

Heh, Oh, well. I guess Yaakov managed to screw the Chevra Kadisha too. Way to go again, Yaakov.

Oh, by the way. He died owing me $4000. $4000 I was going to use last year to pay my 2007 taxes. Taxes I currently owe the IRS. And, since we made very little money this year, taxes that will be paid by what should have been a sizable refund upon which we were greatly depending.

Thanks, Yaakov.

He screwed some of his best friends. The most recent were someone here in my town who lent him $2000. Do you think Yaakov paid him back? Hell, no. And this caused Shalom Bayis (peace in the home) issues with the guy's wife to the point where she basically ordered him not to speak to my father any longer. Do you think my dad paid him back when he made about $55,000 in one shot in mid-2007? Hell, no. He decided to renovate his house, instead, and waste about $30,000 on that. Guess what's happening to the house in about three months? You guessed it! It's going back to the bank. Screwed a friend, screwed the bank. Good going, Yaakov!

When he sold his first house in Las Vegas (the one he never should have sold to move out to the Midwest for ten months to be near me), he sold it to one of his oldest friends, pretty much the ONLY one he managed to retain consistently for about thirty years. Now, while the friend never should have bought the house (at the height of the market, too), Yaakov, dear old dad, never should have sold it to him, knowing the guy's financial situation and inability to hold on to the house (and he didn't for more than a couple years - he lost it, it went into foreclosure). They didn't speak to each other until pretty recently, and the relationship was never close again.

Speaking of houses. He bought one in 1991. It ruined him financially. It was right before the recession. He had a variable rate mortgage. When it ruined him, he blamed my mother and friends he claimed "pushed" him into buying the house. Except HE was the one who signed the papers and handed over a down-payment, not my mother, not his friends, not the realtor. All he had to do was say no. He didn't. He blamed everyone but himself.

More house stuff. Back in the eighties, we moved to a town called Emmanuel. It's on the West Bank in Israel. My father bought a condo there. He had co-signers on the loan. One was a dear and close friend. They were our neighbors in Rechovot and convinced my father to move to the brand new, all religious town of Emmanuel. We did and Gershon, poor Gershon, co-signed on the loan. His mistake. Nearly three years later, my father decided we were moving back to the States. Do you think he put the condo up for sale? No. Do you think he continued to pay the mortgage? No. He simply shucked all responsibility and walked away. I heard later that Gershon got so depressed because he was essentially left with the mortgage that he almost killed himself. That's what my father did to people. Really great guy, Yaakov Aharon. Really great. Thank God someone came along and bought the condo before it was too late.

He treated me like crap. He treated my sister that way too. Everything in his life was about him, not his family. He made and wasted more money than anyone I know. He always HAD to buy chachkes. He could never save money. He fucked my education, and my sister's as well. What a guy. Great guy.

And he had (and still has) so many people fooled. I couldn't believe how many people were at the funeral crying over this person. It was astonishing. He really had many people fooled.

And again. He left my mother hanging high and dry.

I have to say Kaddish for this man I essentially hated. I feel like a hypocrite. I don't really know if I can continue. I really don't want to. The reason I have done so thus far is because I am a halacha following Jew. Whether this continues after shloshim (the first thirty days after the burial) is questionable, at best, at this time.

I'm sure I'll have more to say later.

What Really Happened In The Middle East - Terrorism Awareness Project

Great lesson on anti-Jewish terrorism in the Middle East and on why the Arabs are REALLY waging an endless war against us:What Really Happened In The Middle East - Terrorism Awareness Project

Let's Have Someone Attack YOUR Country and See How YOU Feel About It...

Secretary-General of the UN:

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was heading to the region for a week of talks with leaders in Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Syria aimed at ending the bloodshed.

"My message is simple, direct, and to the point: the fighting must stop. To both sides, I say: Just stop now," Ban told reporters before his departure.

Say, Ban. How about North Korea lob a few missiles at your home village of Eumseong (where you were born), or Chungju (where you were raised) in South Korea or at Seoul. Wouldn't you say retaliate with all you've got? Hmm? Asshole.

My Sentiments Exactly

Especially the last paragraph...

The Bush Nightmare is Over.

Happy to Comply?

Hamas "Member of Parliament" Fathi Hammad, bragging about the Hamas use of human shields. Translation by MEMRI. 

Fathi Hammad: "[The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people has developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking. For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all the people living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideen and the children. This is why they have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: "We desire death like you desire life."

Um. We're happy to comply? Well, at least to, that's the correct response. After all, how long to we, as Jews, have to take THEIR abuse? Rockets, suicide bombings in marketplaces, schools, and restaurants, stabbing attacks, and shootings? Frankly, I think it's time for Israel simply not to care about where Hamas terrorists are hiding. If it's behind children, women, and the elderly, tough luck. The casualties are on Hamas, NOT Israel. We've taken enough abuse.

Crisis in the Senate

Captain Funk-a-Dunk? Sue/not sue? Caroline?

This is a GREAT clip!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Crisis in the Senate - Deliberative Disorder

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Democrats ALWAYS raise taxes and NEVER cut them!

NOT!!!s

All those naysayers were wrong, I guess...

Gaza Ground Offensive

As I said earlier, wipe them the hell out. All of them. Don't let even one terrorist or potential terrorist live.

But Olmert here is the biggest joke:

In his first public comments on the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet on Sunday that he was well aware of the risks, but that Israel could not allow its civilians to continue to be targeted by rockets from Gaza.

All of a sudden, Olmert's concerned with the safety of Israeli civilians. So, what happened a year ago, when Hamas was bombing the hell out of Sderot and even reaching Ashkelon? Then it WASN'T important enough to keep Israeli citizens safe?

What a Schmuck.

Then, there's the international "condemnation" of Israel's offensive. I understand the Arab world's condemnation. I'm even cool with it, even the though the Arab world itself is full of hypocrisy. After all, they're always screaming about the poverty rampant in Gaza, but they provide very little money to help alleviate the situation, even though they can certainly afford it.

However, the rest of the international "condemnation" is just ridiculous. What other country on the face of this planet would tolerate what Israel has tolerated over the last eight years? If a terrorist-launched rocket hit the empty Nevada desert in the middle of the night, the US would respond swiftly, decisively, and overwhelmingly. So would any other country that had the ability to respond to such an attack.

Israel, apparently, does not have that right. Well, world, screw you. Jews have just as much right to defend themselves as anyone else. You don't like it? Well, as I said, screw you.

Casualties in Gaza

Quote from an article today:

Diplomats said the deadliest conflict in the Gaza Strip in four decades could get even bloodier after days of air strikes that have killed at least 410 Palestinians, about a quarter of whom, U.N. figures showed, were civilians, and wounded more than 1,700.

So, about 100 civilian casualties. Know what I say? Tough shit. There are ALWAYS civilian casualties in war. Did anyone really condemn the United States when there were civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq? No. Korea? Vietnam? No. How about the Holocaust while it was happening? And the "we didn't know" excuse is bullshit. The world knew and the world ignored. The Red Cross knew. They ignored too. And what we got were SIX MILLION Jewish casualties. And they weren't even involved in the war. They were casualties merely because the had the wrong parentage.

Civilian casualties happen in war. There's really nothing anyone can do about it. In truth, Israel has been as careful as possible to limit civilian casualties. And are the terrorists anywhere near as careful? Hell, no. Quite the opposite, in fact. They SPECIFICALLY target civilians and children.

Civilian casualties? Tough shit. If the civilian population, which is quite large and does not want all this conflict, actually rose up and rebelled against Hamas and the other terrorist organizations, none of this would be happening. Unfortunately, Hamas and their cronies rule with an iron fist and absolute fear, just like any other military dictatorship, and the large majority of the population finds itself seemingly helpless.

Sitting Shiva...

Is really tough, but we're getting through it. I'm back home now and am really glad to be here. I missed my kids terribly, to the point of physical pain in my stomach. Nothing gave me greater comfort and nichumim than coming in last night and hugging them long and hard.

My relationship with my father was... complicated and not always pleasant. I am aware of the good he's done for many people. We received emails and phone calls and a large of outpouring of nichumim from friends all over, even as far as Israel. One friend mentioned my father will always hold a special place her heart because he introduced her to her husband (now of over twenty years).

I don't know how much I'll want to put in writing about my dad, but time will tell. I'd like to thank everyone for their words of nichumim.

Please stay tuned. I'll be back to normal (or what passes as normal for me!!!) very soon.

Am Kshe Oref.

Baruch Dayan Ha'Emes

Well, all the screw-ups regarding my father's health over the last eight months finally killed my father.

My father, Yaakov Aharon HaKohen ben Esther passed away early this morning in Las Vegas, NV. He is survived by my mother, Edit, my sister, Lelach, and myself, as well as ten grandchildren.

Baruch Dayan Ha'Emes.

You Gotta LOVE These Guys!!!

It's a redo, but even funnier because they all join in for Dreidel!!!

Remind Me Again Why the Banks Got Bailouts?

ABC News: AP Study Finds $1.6B Went to Bailed-out Bank Execs

That's an astounding number, considering things were already spiraling a year ago, and they KNEW things were going to hell a year ago, since even our auspicious government and president admit we've been in a recession for over a year now.

Chutzpah, pure and simple...

The Unbearable Darkness of Cheney...

It seems Cheney may be a bit bitter at Joe Biden. Why? Because Biden has not asked Cheney for any VP advice... 

Cheney Says Biden Hasn't Asked for any VP Advice

WASHINGTON – Joe Biden soon will succeed Dick Cheney as vice president. So does Cheney have any advice for Biden?

Not really, it seems.

Cheney says Biden hasn't asked for any advice.

Biden has called Cheney "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history." Biden also has said he couldn't name a single good thing that Cheney had done.

Cheney says he strongly disagrees with the idea that he dangerously expanded the powers of the executive branch. Cheney also says he doesn't think Barack Obama will give Biden as consequential a role as Cheney has had under President George W. Bush.

Cheney spoke on "Fox News Sunday."

Gee, golly, now why might it be that Biden wouldn't ask advice from Cheney? Hmm. Let's see. Cheney used his office for personal gain and fortune (as did the Idiot). Cheney is a VERY dangerous man. He had WAY too much power. On top of that, CHENEY was Bush's puppet-master, so OF COURSE Biden won't have as "consequential" a role as VP as Cheney did. Obama, after all, will actually put the tattered Constitution back together and UPHOLD IT!!!

Robin Williams: The Reign of Error Is Over!!!

This is TOTALLY awesome!!!



Thanks to my sister!

Another Dad Update...

He had surgery yesterday. They took out his colon. That's not good. They also said he has tumors on his gall bladder (which can be easily removed) and his liver (not as easy). Apparently, if the spots on the liver are not numerous, there is a procedure called RFA they can use to remove the spots. I've not yet spoken to the surgeon, so I have NO idea what the extent of the damage is. I'm hoping to hear from the surgeon sometime today.

Please pray for him. His name is Yaakov Aharon HaKohen ben Esther.

Sniff! Rest In Peace, Nurse Chapel/Computer Voice/Lwaxana Troi!

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, of Star Trek fame, and widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry passed away yesterday. She was pretty cool. She played in the unaired (then, at least) pilot, The Cage, which had a different captain, Captain Christopher Pike. She was the second in command, but NBC decided the public would not accept a woman in a command position (and apparently, they already hated the character of Spock). She played Nurse (Doctor in the movies) Chapel (whose unrequited love of Spock was never really reciprocated...) in the original series. She played Lwaxana Troi, Deanna Troi's mother in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. And, probably most famously, she played the voice of the computer in EVERY Star Trek series, including the infamously horrible animated series. And, she was apparently slated to reprise that role in the new Star Trek movie due out May 2009. I don't know if they managed to actually record her voice before she passed away yesterday. I sure hope they did...

Rest in Peace, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry.

News About My Dad...

He had to have surgery again. Apparently, they missed something the first time around. They removed some of the tumors (yes, now it's plural), and left some in. I'm not sure WHY the surgeon left some in, but she did.

My dad has been having problems finding a malpractice attorney. Not because he doesn't have a case. He CERTAINLY does. If, that is, he lived in a state where one could pursue a malpractice suit and make oneself and one's attorney a lot of money. Unfortunately, despite my numerous objections, my parents decided to return to Las Vegas (before my father fell ill), which is in the state of Nevada, which has a cap of $350,000 for malpractice suits, which means the vast majority of malpractice attorneys in Nevada no longer take malpractice suits because malpractice suits are simply no longer worth the time.

And now, due to the negligence of the insurance company and the doctors and numerous hospitals he was in, he may very well die.

Isn't that LOVELY?

Considering Bankruptcy...

Well, no deals have closed, and I haven't made a dime in about fifteen months. Every single medical equipment deal I've worked to sell in the last fifteen months has fallen through. EVERY SINGLE ONE. It's gotten to the point where I've had to go to rabbis in my community to beg for money to get us through the month. Thank God they came through. However, even that was not enough and we are now over thirty days behind on one of our credit card payments.

So, it's now time to start considering bankruptcy. Filing Chapter 7, as I understand it, will allow us to keep our home, cars, and furniture. I hope. We'll probably be speaking with a bankruptcy attorney in the near future. The one question I have is the car I drive, which we own outright. We'll see...

Oy. Life really sucks... But at least bankruptcy will mean a fresh start and eliminate our credit card debt. That will lower our monthly obligations by a rather large amount...

Quote of the Day...

Reading an article about the proposed auto bailout and whether President Idiot would give federal money, the White House declared they were looking at an "orderly bankruptcy" rather than a federal bailout:

President George W. Bush, asked about an auto bailout, said he hadn't decided what he would do but didn't want to leave a mess for Barack Obama who takes office a month from Saturday.

I'm sorry, WHAT?! Doesn't want to leave a "mess" for Obama?!?! What the hell does he THINK he's leaving?! Everything nice and orderly and tidy?! I'm surprised Obama even still WANTS the job!!!

Doesn't want to leave a mess, indeed.

Why History Can't Wait - Person of the Year 2008 - BARACK OBAMA!!!

Barack Obama made Time person of the year!!!

Unfortunately, the runners-up were Hank Paulson, the $700,000,000,000 Man, and Sarah Crazy Failin' Palin!

I guess this has as much to do with influence as with good deeds and character. And Obama CERTAINLY had far more influence on the planet than anyone else this year...

Headline of the Day...

SEC chairman says agency failed to probe Madoff

No shit! Really?! How can that POSSIBLY be?!

Oh, yeah. Deregulation. That's done this country SO MUCH good!!!

Sodom and Gomorra...

I'm watching a fascinating documentary about the possible historical accuracy of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra. It aired a couple of nights ago on the Discovery Channel.

Boiled down, it essentially traces a meteor strike that took place around 3100 BCE. The fallout from the strike, in which the meteor shattered as it descended toward the Alps in Europe, struck what is now Southern Israel and the Dead Sea, essentially incinerating Sodom and Gomorra.

The theory of the meteor strike is based on a Sumerian clay tablet found in southern Iraq. It describes a light falling from the sky and describes trajectory using known constellations. Using computers and modern science, scientists today were able to trace what they believe is an exact date for the strike: June 29, 3123 BCE.

The reason I thought this was cool is because it fits in beautifully with the idea that God uses nature to perform his tasks. I discussed this concept nearly two years ago here. God didn't need to create sulfur and brimstone and "rain" it down from the sky. He put a meteor in motion and had it strike when it needed to strike.

This then begs the question: Pre-Destiny or Free Choice? Well, both, really. God, obviously, knew what was going to happen based on the free choice of the citizen of Sodom and Gomorra. They CHOSE to be evil, so God, at whatever point in history, put the meteor in play.

The real miracle that would have happened would have been if the people of Sodom and Gomorra HAD repented and become good people. Then, God would have deflected that meteor and the destruction never would have happened! Quite likely, that is what happened (or something similar) with the city of Nineveh in the story of Jonah. They DID repent, and the destruction never happened...

So, is science the bad guy always trying to disprove God's existence? Or is it the good guy demonstrating events in the Old Testament could very well HAVE happened? Well, probably a bit of both, depending on whom we're discussing...

I'm Changing My Name...

Yesterday and Today: Part Two...

Yesterday:


Today:


Once again: Stupid sons of bitches...

Yesterday and Today...

Yesterday.

Today.

Nothing learned. Not then. Not now... Not Democrats. Not Republicans.

Stupid sons of bitches.

What the FRAK?!?!

Ready for the last half season of Battlestar Galactica? Don't know what the Frak is going on? Don't even know what "FRAK" means? Enjoy!!!

More on Illinois Governors and Prison...

Apparently, the current and immediately former governors of the state of Illinois are not the only state governors to face or go to prison!

Here's some information about the three former Illinois governors who have gone to prison in the past 35 years.

-- Otto Kerner, a Democrat who was governor from 1961 to 1968, served less than a year of a three-year sentence after his 1973 conviction on bribery, tax evasion and other counts. He was convicted of arranging favorable horse racing dates as governor in return for getting horse racing association stock at reduced prices. Kerner died in 1976.

-- Dan Walker, a Democrat who was governor from 1973 to 1977, served 1 1/2 years of a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty in 1987 to bank fraud, misapplication of funds and perjury. The charges were not related to his service as governor.

-- George Ryan, a Republican who was governor from 1999 to 2003, was convicted of corruption in 2006 for steering state contracts and leases to political insiders while he was Illinois' secretary of state and then governor. He's serving a 6 1/2-year prison term.

In addition, William Stratton, governor from 1953-1961, was later indicted but was acquitted on charges of income tax evasion.

Jeez! What IS wrong with this state? Is it the job? The fact that Illinois was home to some notorious crime lords, such as Al Capone? I dunno, but I hope they get their act together soon and elect someone who's actually NOT crooked!

What the Hell Is Wrong with the State of Illinois?!

They seem to have major governor issues there, be they Republican OR Democrat! 

CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiring to get financial benefits through his authority to appoint a U.S. senator to fill the vacancy left by Barack Obama's election as president.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Blagojevich also was charged with illegally threatening to withhold state assistance to Tribune Co., the owner of the Chicago Tribune, in the sale of Wrigley Field. In return for state assistance, Blagojevich allegedly wanted members of the paper's editorial board who had been critical of him fired.

A 76-page FBI affidavit said the 51-year-old Democratic governor was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.

The affidavit said Blagojevich discussed getting a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated withlabor unions.

It said Blagojevich also talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she might get $150,000 a year in director's fees.

He also allegedly discussed getting campaign funds for himself or possibly a post in the president's cabinet or an ambassadorship once he left the governor's office.

"I want to make money," the affidavit quotes him as saying in one conversation.

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said in a statement that "the breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering."

"They allege that Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States senator," Fitzgerald said."

Among those being considered for the post include U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr.

Blagojevich also was charged with using his authority as governor in an attempt to squeeze out campaign contributions.

Well. So much for the Democrat. But whom did this guy replace? 

Blagojevich took the chief executive's office in 2003 as a reformer promising to clean up former Gov. George Ryan's mess.

Ryan, a Republican, is serving a 6-year prison sentence after being convicted on racketeering and fraud charges. A decade-long investigation began with the sale of driver's licenses for bribes and led to the conviction of dozens of people who worked for Ryan when he was secretary of state and governor.

Heh. Oops!

Desperation Breeds Stupidity...

Are people really this stupid? First of all, as I understand it, there is no constitutional prohibition against running for president as long as the candidate was born in the USA: 

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Well, Obama was certainly born in the US, as ascertained and proven by several third party sources, including, as the article below mentions, Factcheck.org. Second, even if Obama DOES have dual, or even triple citizenship, there's no prohibition against him running and being president. 

Court: No Review of Obama's Eligibility to Serve

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has turned down an emergency appeal from a New Jersey man who says President-elect Barack Obama is ineligible to be president because he was a British subjectat birth. The court did not comment on its order Monday rejecting the call by Leo Donofrio of East Brunswick, N.J., to intervene in thepresidential election.

Donofrio says that since Obama had dual nationality at birth — his mother was American and his Kenyan father at the time was a British subject — he cannot possibly be a "natural born citizen," one of the requirements the Constitution lists for eligibility to be president.

Donofrio also contends that two other candidates, Republican John McCain and Socialist Workers candidate Roger Calero, also are not natural-born citizens and thus ineligible to be president.

At least one other appeal over Obama's citizenship remains at the court. Philip J. Berg of Lafayette Hill, Pa., argues that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii as Obama says and Hawaii officials have confirmed.

Berg says Obama also may be a citizen of Indonesia, where he lived as a boy. Federal courts in Pennsylvania have dismissed Berg's lawsuit. Federal courts in Ohio and Washington state have rejected similar lawsuits.

Allegations raised on the Internet say the birth certificate, showing that Obama was born in Hawaii on Aug. 4, 1961, is a fake.

But Hawaii Health Department Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino and the state's registrar of vital statistics, Alvin Onaka, say they checked health department records and have determined there's no doubt Obama was born in Hawaii.

The nonpartisan Web site Factcheck.org examined the original document and said it does have a raised seal and the usual evidence of a genuine document.

In addition, Factcheck.org reproduced an announcement of Obama's birth, including his parents' address in Honolulu, that was published in the Honolulu Advertiser on Aug. 13, 1961.

As I said. Desperation breeds stupidity. Are people really so desperate for things to remain status quo?! 

I just wonder what these fools are going to say in four years, at the next election, when, God willing, Obama does actually work hard to end the wars, save the economy, and reform healthcare, making this country an all around better country. Will they still complain and say he ruined everything? Based on what?

Am I Missing Something?

I understand the auto industry bailout is important, much as I am against it.

But I'm just a bit curious, because I seem to be missing something. The auto industry is in trouble because people have essentially stopped buying automobiles at this time because the economy, well, sucks. Since that's the case, I'm quite unclear as to how giving the auto industry money will solve that problem. Certainly, it will keep production going, but since most people are no longer buying cars, and certainly not NEW cars, how, exactly, is this going to help?

In other words, shouldn't the government be investing all this money into CREATING jobs and getting the economy going again rather than throwing more and more money away, to be wasted, since people can't afford to buy new cars or take out loans (financial industry)? Shouldn't the government be more concerned with the rest of us, the vast majority of us, and be creating new industries to truly stimulate our economy?

Oh, wait. I forgot. For the upper echelons, our government is Socialist, so they need to throw money at the financial institutions and auto industry. For the rest of us, it's capitalism as usual, which means screw the rest of us, let's bail out our big business friends.

Someone at the office of one of "my" senators told why, and it's so simple. She said the industries spend millions of dollars on lobbyists, and since I DON'T have a lobbyist and can't afford one, well, I'm basically shit out of luck.

Why the Auto Industry SHOULD Get the Bailout...

At least they sell something TANGIBLE! Again, I don't LIKE the idea of bailing out the rich, but at least in this case it also helps out the hundreds of thousands of auto industry workers AND all the businesses involved, such as suppliers of materiel AND local businesses.

Jon Stewart says it best:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Autoerotic Explanation

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Still ClusterF#$king to the Poorhouse!!!

This one's mostly about the impending and probably imminent auto industry bailout.

Seriously, I know most of us feel this bailout business should NOT be going on. So why are we allowing "our" government, the one "of the people, by the people, for the people," to do this?!

Oh, so you guys DROVE to Washington, thereby making yourselves look poor? Do you think we're all THAT dumb? Assholes.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Clusterf#@k to the Poor House - Bean on a Plate Edition

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Lame Duck!!!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Lame Duck Presidency

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Gonna Miss Him SO Much!!!

But not really enough to want to keep him around. Besides, history has yet to be written...

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

End Times Countdown - Bush Exit Interviews

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

That's MY Kind of Bailout...

A Little More Information About Murdered Rivka Holtzberg...

Making this even sadder:

Rabbi Dov Goldberg said during the service that Rivka Holtzberg told him "a month ago that she was five months pregnant."

Which makes these murders even more animalistic and disgusting.

No. Animals aren't that cruel.

Headline of the Day...

Ford Says CEO Will Work for $1

Easy to say after you've made, what, hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars already AND managed to grind the company into the ground, isn't it?

Once again: WHERE'S MY FUCKING BAILOUT?!?!?!

A Tough Read... A Sad Day... A Heart-Wrenching Moment...

This article is a tough read, it's sad, and the picture is heart-wrenching. Baruch Dayan Ha'Emes.

Orphan of Slain Rabbi in Mumbai Heads to Israel

By MARK LAVIE

JERUSALEM – The cries of little Moshe Holtzberg wounded hearts Monday at a tearful memorial for his parents in India. "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" he wailed, clutching a toy basketball while squirming in the arms of mourners at the Mumbai synagogue.

Then the toddler and the caretaker who rescued him from the terrorist attack boarded a jet along with the bodies of his parents and four other Jews slain at the Chabad House to fly to Israel — a place the curly-haired 2-year-old had never seen.

The wrenching scene at the service played over and over again on Israeli television as government officials, Chabad leaders and relatives prepared for a late-night airport ceremony to receive the victims — and to plan for the future of the orphaned Moshe.

Moshe's father, Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, and mother, Rivka, 28, ran the headquarters of the ultra-Orthodox Chabad Lubavitch movement in Mumbai. They were among six Israeli citizens killed at the center during the city's three-day terror siege.

Moshe was spirited out of Chabad House on Thursday by Sandra Samuel, a nanny who had worked at the center for years. She found him crying beside his parents' bodies, his pants drenched in blood.

"I don't know that he can comprehend or that he will remember seeing his parents shot in cold blood," said Robert Katz, a New York-based fundraiser for Migdal Ohr, an Israeli orphanage founded by the boy's family.

Moshe was accompanied to Israel by his maternal grandparents, Yehudit and Shimon Rosenberg, who had flown to Mumbai on Friday. Samuel came along, too, to provide the dazed child a familiar face as he starts his new life.

When terrorists seized Chabad House, Samuel locked herself in a laundry room, then she heard Moshe's mother screaming "Sandra, help!" Then the screaming stopped, and it was quiet, Katz said.

She cracked open the door of her hiding place and saw a deserted staircase. She ran up one flight and found the rabbi and his wife, covered in blood and shot to death. She snatched up the crying boy, bolted down the stairs and ran out of the building.

"She's been there with him throughout," Katz said.

Though Samuel had no passport or papers, Moshe's granduncle, Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, helped arrange for her to get a visa to Israel. In a sad coincidence, Grossman is founder of the Migdal Ohr orphanage.

At the memorial service, Rosenberg struggled to deal with the deaths of his daughter and son-in-law as his grandson cried nearby. "The Lord giveth. The Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord," he said, quoting the Book of Job.

Moshe's father was a dual American-Israeli citizen and his mother was Israeli. The couple lived in Israel and New York before they moved to Mumbai in 2003.

It was unclear who would who get custody of Moshe, Chabad officials said, though the closely knit ultra-Orthodox outreach group would provide a large safety net.

The toddler has an older sibling who has Tay-Sachs, a genetic disorder that strikes Jews of eastern European origin. He is permanently hospitalized in Israel, Katz said. The couple's first-born child died of Tay-Sachs.

The Foreign Ministry said the government would arrange funerals for those killed in Mumbai and send representatives to the ceremonies, as it does for victims of terror attacks at home.

"There are going to be thousands of people at this funeral," Katz said. "This couple wasn't living in the West Bank. They weren't settlers. They weren't occupying anyone's land. They were killed because they were Jews, simple and plain."