A Little Joy...A Little Laughter...A Lot of Wine...Repost

...It's Purim

Contrary to popular misconceptions, Purim is not the Jewish Halloween.

From Judaism 101

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.

Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.

The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck.

Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, which is usually in March. The 13th of Adar is the day that Haman chose for the extermination of the Jews, and the day that the Jews battled their enemies for their lives. On the day afterwards, the 14th, they celebrated their survival. In cities that were walled in the time of Joshua, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, because the book of Esther says that in Shushan (a walled city), deliverance from the massacre was not complete until the next day. The 15th is referred to as Shushan Purim.

For those who do not know where Persia was, it is now the modern nation of Iran. And today there is a modern Haman. He is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A man who is threatening like Haman to wipe the Jewish people off the face of the Earth. I wonder if he is of Haman's bloodline. Or it it just something Persian think of doing naturally?

An interesting fact that happened on a Purim past is:

On Adar 13, during the biblical story of Purim, the 10 sons of Haman were hanged (Esther 9:7). This would find eerie parallel over 2,000 years later when 10 top Nazi officials were hanged at the Nuremberg Trials. Incredibly, the Hebrew year of the hangings at Nuremberg, 5707, is encoded in the Book of Esther: In the listing of Haman's 10 sons, three Hebrew letters -- taf, shin and zayin, representing the year 5707 -- are written unusually small. (This anomaly appears in every authentic Megillah scroll, written that way for over 2,000 years.) Incredibly, when Nazi officer Julius Streicher ascended the gallows to be hanged at Nuremberg, he shouted, "Purimfest 1946."

On Purim the Megillah (Book of Esther) is read. Every time the name Haman is read, a loud noise must be made. Usually one uses a groggers (as seen in the picture on the bottom), other noise makers can be used. The horns one uses at New Years and birthday celebrations is also acceptable. But under no circumstances should you ever use an Marine Horn (as seen in the picture on the right). Can you imagine what this would do to the windows of a synagogue? Let alone the embarrassment to your parents? And then there is the safety issue to take into account. Let's just say it was a bad idea at the time and leave it at that. Just stick to the grogger, and you will be fine.

We dress up in costumes, to let our defenses down and open up to the deeper reality of ourselves and our world. Our costumes normally reflect the holiday with dozens of Esthers, Mordechais, etc... One enterprising youngster in Sderot dressed up as a Grad Rocket last year. This year one is dressing up as a Hamas fighter. Try doing that one Halloween. You will be sure to scare your neighbors.

On Purim expect to be subjected to many practical jokes. It is a Purim tradition and enjoyable one as long as you are doing the jokes, and not receiving them. So tomorrow, this blog just might have a few posts that aren't exactly Kosher. But it is in the spirit of the holiday and beer that in mind.

Purim is a time of gift-giving. Gifts of food and wine are given to family, friends, and especially those who are poorer than you. It is a time of great joy and feasting. And most especially drinking. It is the only time of the year you are commanded to get drunk. Not tipsy, but rip-roaring, stinking drunk. You are commanded to get so drunk that you cannot tell the difference between the names of the Blessed Mordechai and the Wicked Haman. And remember that even if you and your friends are passing around a couple of bottle of fine vodka, don't even consider using that marine horn I know you have hidden in your bag. Vodka and a marine horn just don't mix. I can tell you that from personal experience.

The most important thing about Purim is to have fun.

So Enjoy!

Scroll down for newer posts!

"I'm Really a Space Cadet when it Comes to the Mideast"

Is what President Barack Hussein Obama recently said in an interview with Arutz Sheva.

(IsraelNN.com) United States President Barack Obama admitted, in a special Purim interview for Arutz Sheva, that he “frankly does not have a clue” regarding the psychology of the Middle East and that “a three year old child with some experience in nursery-school power politics could probably understand the Middle East better than [he does].”

"I really am a space cadet when it comes to Middle East," he said.

His mood swung from low to high and back again as he sipped occasionally from the Purim wine that the Arutz Sheva team had brought him. To our surprise, Obama chugged away at the bottle, finishing it before the interview was halfway through and asking for seconds. His mood from that point onward could best be described as “drunkenly sober” – until the end of the interview, when matters took a surprising turn.

ARUTZ SHEVA: Mr. President, as the Jewish people celebrate Purim, we remember our struggle with an evil Persian official named Haman, and look with foreboding at a new Iranian regime that threatens us with destruction too. Can you promise us that the US intends to apply biting sanctions against Iran before it is too late?

PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA: First of all let me say that I am very much in favor of sanctions that bite. As a matter of fact, I think all sanctions bite. They really do. Sanctions are out! Any form of punitive action against a Muslim country is really counterproductive because Islam is a religion of peace and the US is after all a colonialist power. I was just talking to some old madarassah buddies of mine from Indonesia about this on Facebook.

Suddenly beaming, Obama waves at the camera and exclaims: “Hi Bilal and Japoor! Hope you are watching!” He fondles his wine glass pensively and continues.

BHO: Having said that – we have no intention of abandoning Israel to the wolves, so to speak. I have said before and I will say it again: the United States will not stand idly by as Israel is turned into a radioactive parking lot. If and when Iran uses nuclear weapons against Israel, and if we see that there is serious fallout and hundreds of thousands of people die horrible deaths – we will apply sanctions against the Revolutionary Guards.

AS: What kind of sanctions?

BHO: We have already drawn up a plan for barring the families of Iranian Revolutionary Guardsmen from Disney World and Disney Land. We will not let them in, clear and simple.

AS: What if they cry?

PO: That depends on whether it is a fake cry or a real sobbing, chest-heaving cry. We are not heartless. But we will not allow our ally to be attacked without responding swiftly.

AS: What about EuroDisney? Will they be allowed there?

BHO: Well, we need the European Union for that and we believe that they, too, will be on board. However, EuroDisney isn't that cool anyways. The main thing is Disney World.

AS: And that's it? Hundreds of thousands may die in a nuclear holocaust and the only sanctions will involve theme park access?

BHO: Let me be very clear on this: If Iran uses nuclear weapons on Israel, I personally intend to make a round of appearances on network talk shows, including David Letterman who I remind you is a Jew, and mock out Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. You know how charismatic I can be. I will also tell ACORN volunteers nationwide to 'get in the faces' of Iranian diplomats if they encounter them. This will get ugly.

AS: Well yes, but by then Israel will already be, as you put it, a parking lot.

BHO: Now, you see, a parking lot is actually not a bad thing for the Middle East to have. Everyone needs parking. My problem is not with the parking lot but with the vehicles that park in it. I'm talking about all the SUVs that are so popular in the Gulf states. I would expect cooperation from our allies the Saudis and Emirate sheikhs in making sure that if the Jewish state does become a parking lot, the cars that park there conform to the strictest regulations regarding emissions.

AS: What happened to all your plans for Mideast peace?

BHO: Well let me be frank with you. It turns out I do not have a clue regarding the psychology of the players in the Middle East. The dynamic between Jews and Arabs there turns out to be totally different from Chicago. Recently I have reached the conclusion that a three year old child with some experience in nursery-school power politics could probably understand the Middle East better than me.

With his elbows digging into the Oval Office desk, his ears touching the tips of his scrunched-up shoulders and his face registering a puzzled look, Obama said: “I really am a space cadet when it comes to Middle East.”

AS: So what caused you to be so wrong?

BHO: Well, I knew, based on my experience in Chicago, that Jews are Democrats. So all those years, when I heard that Israel was a democratic country, I figured they meant Israelis were Democrats! Lately I have discovered, however, that there are a lot of Jewish Republicans in Israel as well. This I did not expect. It's weird! And they are so bitter! They just sit there on their ancient land and cling to their Bibles and guns!

AS: Finally sir, do you have a message to convey to the Nation of Israel on Purim?

BHO: Well of course I do. You must always remember that the US is your ally in times of need, and that we will not let you down... wait, I am getting some information on the earphones... what? I am being told that a youth on a hilltop in Judea has just built a dog shed for his puppy. Jim, send me that satellite photo to my PDA, will you? Hi-res! These things make me angry, Arutz Sheva, you know that? I am so upset I could swat a fly on live television. Rahm? Get me this Bibi clown on the phone right now, I am going to give him a piece of my mind. And you guys – Arutz Sheva, Shmeva, get out of my office, now! Shalom!

The President got abusive and incoherent, and the sounds of pointed shoes soles colliding with antique furniture could be heard as the Arutz Sheva team was escorted gruffly out of the Oval Office.

(Purim is a holiday on which Jews are expected to get tipsy, wear costumes and do silly things – including posting completely imaginary and false interviews with the President of the United States on news websites that are perfectly serious on all the other days of the year.)

Let My Gefilte Fish Go!

There is a looming crises hanging over Israeli-American relations these days.  It is not the seemingly anti-Israeli, anti-Semitic rhetoric and advisers that President Obama likes around him.  No, it is the upcoming shortage of gefilte fish that is looming over Israel.

For those who do not know, gefilte fish is served during the Passover sedar, being one of the few foods brought out of Egypt by Moses and Company.  Although women have been commanded to clean and process the fish (Book of Grossingers, 43:1-22), today's modern woman just goes to the store and purchases a few jars instead (The process for making Gefilte Fish takes days to complete.).  Thus when the shipment of prepared Gefilte Fish was stopped in its containers, Israeli women began to panic:

Add gefilte fish to the list of priorities championed by the US State Department.

Several weeks before Pessah, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she would work to resolve a trade dispute preventing a huge shipment of gefilte fish bound for Israel that is stuck at a processing facility in Illinois.

“Passover is coming,” said Illinois Rep. Don Manzullo, a Republican, who asked Clinton to intervene on behalf of a gefilte fish factory in his district, Thomson, Illinois’ Schafer Fishery.

During a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, he said Israel had imposed a 120-percent tax on nine containers of Asian carp that had been made into gefilte fish patties.

“If there’s anything you can do to get the gefilte fish to Passover...,” he said.

The first Seder is March 29.

Drawing laughs, Clinton said she was up to a job that “sounds to me like one of those issues that should rise to the highest levels of our government.”

“If not, we’re going to have to figure out what to do with nine containers of it,” she said, prompting Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the House committee, to quip that perhaps the fish would end up at the next state dinner.

Fresh and processed foods are subject to tariffs under the trade agreement between the US and Israel.

“Carp is not exempt from customs in the framework of the free trade agreement between Israel and the United States,” said Jonathan Peled, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington. “Having said that, we are obviously looking into the request by Congressman Manzullo and are trying to see whether something can be done.”

Peled said two containers of gefilte had already arrived at the port in Haifa.

“I don’t think there’s a lack of gefilte fish either in Israel or in the United States regarding Pessah,” Peled said. Nonetheless, he said, “we’re seriously looking at this request by a member of Congress.”

On Thursday, Manzullo adopted a serious tone, saying he was concerned about several hundred jobs at the fishery in his district.

“Congressman, I will take that mission on,” Clinton said.

Now just  in case Sec. Clinton cannot release the Gefilte Fish in time, you will find an easy recipe here.  Granted it is not as good as my Grandmother's, but it will do in a pinch.

Happy Purim!

Humor For Purim

Just some bits to bring you a smile this Purim Day!

Seen along side the road:  (Hat tip to Planck's Constant)

The sign reads:

"Sorry Hunters.

Obama ruined healthcare.

We can't afford to have injured hunters on our conscience, so I'm staying home!

Sorry,

the Deer."

Watching children can be like this:

cowboys herding cats



Bet you never knew this:


Famous Jewish Mothers



From Israel This:

This famous "American" Hero:

Duvid Crockett



And an old, annoying oldie:


Badger Badger Badger

Size Doesn't Matter

That is what this video produced by Size Doesn't Matter.ca illustrates:

If sex truly sells, then the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy just boosted tourism in Israel. In conjunction with the Israeli consulate in Canada, CIJA recently released a 54-second spot as part of the "Size Doesn’t Matter" campaign, which aims to entice Canadian university students to visit the Middle Eastern country.


The ad depicts a couple in bed, with the woman looking at the man’s crotch saying she can’t go there because “it’s too small.” The man replies, “I consider this a spot of worship. It may be small, but it’s brought the driest places to life. Baby, this is paradise.” The camera then pans to Israel maps and pocket guides placed strategically on the man’s lower body parts.

Read the story here.

In this case size doesn't matter.  It never did!

It Is That Time Of The Year Again.

When the little girls dressed in green come through your neighborhood selling their delicious cookies.

The first record of cookie sales by Candy Cane, a girl scout within the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma occurred on December 1917. In 1922, the Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a fund-raiser and provided recipes. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies. The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies.

During World War II the Girl Scouts sold calendars rather than cookies, due to shortages of flour, sugar, and butter.

Starting in 2009, many of the cookie varieties were either made smaller or had fewer cookies per box, without a corresponding drop in price. In particular, there are now fewer cookies in a box of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs, and the Lemon Chalet Creme cookies are now smaller. The Girl Scouts have suggested that this change was necessary to compensate for rising cost of ingredients.

This year my family went a bit overboard and bought $80.00 worth of cookies (I've hidden a box of Thin Mints in the freezer).

If the girls don't come to you, you can locate where to buy cookies here.   When you order your cookies, you can order boxes to be sent to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In doing so you bring a taste of home to our fighting men and women.

Although the cookies are good remember they are cookies and are fattening, so enjoy but in moderation.

Girl Scout cookies are kosher.  They are Dairy, but made under Rabbinical Supervision.

When the girls come to your door be polite, be courteous, be generous and buy a great amount! 

You'll be glad you did.

Black History Month

February is designated Black History Month.  During this month schools television networks show specials on various African-American celebrities. Sports figures, historical figures, entertainers, politicians, etc...  Mainly men and women who are either from the 19th Century or earlier (Fredrick Douglas, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, etc...) or men and women from today (Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Michael Jordan, etc...)

But there have been other men and women who should be so honored. This is one:

Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897 – April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. Music critic Alan Blyth said "Her voice was a rich, vibrant contralto of intrinsic beauty." Most of her singing career was spent performing in concert and recital in major music venues and with major orchestras throughout the United States and Europe between 1925-1965. Although she was offered contracts to perform roles with many important European opera companies, Anderson declined all of these, preferring to perform in concert and recital only. She did, however, perform opera arias within her concerts and recitals. She made many recordings that reflected her broad performance repertoire of everything from concert literature to lieder to opera to traditional American songs and spirituals.

An African-American, Anderson became an important figure in the struggle for black artists to overcome racial prejudice in the United States during the mid twentieth century. In 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused permission for Anderson to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall. Their race-driven refusal placed Anderson into the spotlight of the international community on a level usually only found by high profile celebrities and politicians. With the aid of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson performed a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, in 1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to a crowd of more than 75,000 people and a radio audience in the millions.



She continued to break barriers for black artists in the United States, notably becoming the first black person, American or otherwise, to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City on January 7, 1955. Her performance as Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera at the Met was the only time she sang an opera role on stage. Anderson later became an important symbol of grace and beauty during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, notably singing at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. She also worked for several years as a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and as a "goodwill ambassadress" for the United States Department of State.

The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Anderson was notably awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1978, the National Medal of Arts in 1986, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.

Source: Wikipedia

She was a lady of great fortitude. She showed not only this nation, but the entire world what a woman of integrity is.

Although Miss Anderson is best remembered from her appearance at the Lincoln Memorial by the General Public, Music aficionados know Miss Anderson from her many appearances and concerts.



Marian Anderson died of congestive heart failure on April 8, 1993, at age 96. She had suffered a stroke a month earlier. She died in Portland, Oregon at the home of her nephew, conductor James DePreist.  When she died this world lost one of the greatest voices it ever had.

It Is Official!

It only took 4 months to say it. But today, Janet Napolitano finally admitted that the Fort Hood Massare was.....

TERRORISM

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has become the first Obama Administration official to publicly describe last year's deadly shootings at Ft. Hood, Tex., as a terrorist act, according to a search of news clips and transcripts.

"Violent Islamic terrorism ... was part and parcel of the Ft. Hood killings," Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday morning. "There is violent Islamic terrorism, be it Al Qaeda in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen or anywhere else, [and] that is indeed a major focus of this department and its efforts."

In the months since an Army psychiatrist -- who had been in contact with a radical Muslim cleric in Yemen -- opened fired inside the Army base, many on Capitol Hill have urged administration officials to publicly identify the attack as terrorism.

Those calls have been used by Republicans and others to paint administration officials as weak on terrorism and subsequently unwilling to use the word "terrorism."

Read the full story here.

Jump for joy and shout Hallelujah!  For the Messiah in the White House has proclaimed the obvious.  A terrorist act is terrorism.

I wonder what is next?  Declaring that the people really don't want his Health Care proposal?  I doubt he will get that one.

Wednesday's Hero: Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig

 

Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig

 

It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.

On the one hand, he was shot in the head. On the other, the bullet bounced off him.

In one of those rare battlefield miracles, an insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig dead on in the front of his helmet, and he walked away from it with a smile on his face.

"I don't think I could be any luckier than this," Lance Cpl. Koenig said two hours after the shooting.

You can read the rest of Lance Cpl. Koenig's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Let Us Kill Our Citizens!

That is what the City Council of Tracy, California has decided to do.  If the citizens of the city don't pay the new Extortion Tax of $50 a year.  Paying this Extortion will insure that the citizen can call 911 for a medical emergency and not have to pay the $300 fee for the service ($400 for non-residents).

Tracy residents will now have to pay every time they call 9-1-1 for a medical emergency.

But there are a couple of options. Residents can pay a $48 voluntary fee for the year which allows them to call 9-1-1 as many times as necessary.

Or, there's the option of not signing up for the annual fee. Instead, they will be charged $300 if they make a call for help.

"A $300 fee and you don't even want to be thinking about that when somebody is in need of assistance," said Tracy resident Greg Bidlack.

Residents will soon receive the form in the mail where they'll be able to make their selection. No date has been set for when the charges will go into effect.

Now imagine you are on a fixed income, didn't pay the extortion fee, and have a heart attack. Or your spouse has a heart attack.  Do you dare call 911 and pay $300? Can you afford to?

Imagine the panicking parent with a child who is choking.  No money for the service.  Can you imagine the parent holding their child tightly to him or her, while he or she watches their beloved child die because they were poor.

If an accident were to occur, who would be charged for the 911 call. And if it was the caller, would he or she be able to afford it?

That will happen. When the poor and middle class are forced to pay for this service, then they will feel the brunt of the burden.

If the City of Tracy gets away with this, every city, town and village in the US will do the same.

Sharia Law Comes To Malaysia...Let The Canings of Women Begin!

Cross-posted from Holger Awakens

The people of Malaysia have allowed the islamists in that land to install Sharia Law and with that accomplished, the repurcussions have come quickly - especially for females as the purity patrol has been busy and the canings (beatings) of Malaysian women who aren't acting "properly" have commenced with a vengeance.

From the article at Family Security Matters:

As a result of Shariah law being imposed in Malaysia, Muslim women were caned on Tuesday for engaging in illicit sex, a serious crime under strict Muslim law.

The three women are reportedly the first to receive such a brutal punishment under Shariah law. According to the Home Minister, Datuk Hishmmudin Hussein, two of the women were struck six times while the third was hit four times with a "cane" or "rotan." The punishment was meted out at Malaysia's Kajang federal prison.

Under Islamic rule, Malaysians have witnessed an increase in canings as a result of the nation moving from a secular legal system to one based on the Koran and the teachings of radical imams. Many were shocked to learn that last summer, a 32-year-old woman – Kartika Shukarno – was sentenced to be caned for the crime of consuming an alcoholic beverage. While the violent sentence created a firestorm in the country, Shukarno is still awaiting the execution of the caning sentence.

I did some digging and found a couple of outraged responses from American women's groups regarding this new trend in Malaysia, here are those responses:


(CRICKETS)



You get the point.

At the same time, in many of Barack Hussein Obama's speeches, he has been quick to list all of the contributions that islam and the muslims have brought to this world. He even fabricated some of those contributions or accomplishments. Funny, I have yet to hear Barack Hussein Obama bring up how islam has liberated their women! I don't remember a single time when our President has stood up to the atrocities that islam imposes on women and girls. Not once.

I've said many times how spineless and chickenshit the Left is, in America. And this is an example of just that. The Lefties all gathered around and called Bush "Hitler" and "Satan" and the women's organizations called him a threat to women in America and the Lefty groups all clamored about how Bush was denying life with his stance against stem cell research, but now, with countless examples of the death, rape, murder, torture and beatings against women in this world at the hands of islamists following the words and instruction of the Qur'an...not a single one of these Lefists has the balls, the spine, the simple courage to speak out about it. They will slam Christianity at the drop of the hat but they are scared into submission when it comes to islam.

Spineless. Gutless. Wonders.

Women Beaten in Malaysia under Shariah Law

As a result of Shariah law being imposed in Malaysia, Muslim women were caned on Tuesday for engaging in illicit sex, a serious crime under strict Muslim law.

The three women are reportedly the first to receive such a brutal punishment under Shariah law. According to the Home Minister, Datuk Hishmmudin Hussein, two of the women were struck six times while the third was hit four times with a "cane" or "rotan." The punishment was meted out at Malaysia's Kajang federal prison.

Under Islamic rule, Malaysians have witnessed an increase in canings as a result of the nation moving from a secular legal system to one based on the Koran and the teachings of radical imams. Many were shocked to learn that last summer, a 32-year-old woman – Kartika Shukarno – was sentenced to be caned for the crime of consuming an alcoholic beverage. While the violent sentence created a firestorm in the country, Shukarno is still awaiting the execution of the caning sentence.

Originally, Malaysia was a federal constitutional elective monarchy. The system of government in Malaysia was closely modeled on that of Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British colonial rule. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition known as The Alliance.

Legislative power was divided between federal and state legislatures. The parliament consisted of the lower house, the House of Representatives (literally the "Chamber of the People"), and the upper house, the Senate (literally the "Chamber of the Nation").

The Malaysian constitution guarantees religious freedom. However, the jurisdiction of Shariah court is becoming more powerful over matters such as marriage, inheritance, conversion and child custody. Despite being the supreme courts of the land, the Civil Courts (including the Federal Court) in principle cannot overrule any decision made by the Shariah Courts.

Hishammuddin claimed that he decided to bring to public attention the punishment given to the three women because there had been “too much hype” over Kartika’s sentence.

“People are saying that no woman has been caned before and that Kartika should not be caned. Today I am announcing that we have already done it. There is no hidden agenda, we are merely executing our responsibility,” he stated during a press conference yesterday.

The staunch Muslim minister declared that the three women did not suffer any cuts or abrasions from their beatings but assured the media that the punishment had a rehabilitative effect.

“They have all repented. They are also hoping that others will not go against the teachings of the religion,” he said, adding that the sentence was meted out according to Islamic rules.

Last month, the three women were found guilty of fornication by the Federal Shariah High Court sentenced to public caning

Minister Hishammuddin assured reporters that one of the women was released last Sunday after spending a month in prison. A second woman is expected to be released later this week, while the third is serving the rest of her jail term and is expected to be freed in June 2010.

Malaysian officials with the Malaysia Penal Department claim they have advisors who are experts from the Islamic Development Department, the Shariah Law Department and the Federal Prosecutor's Office to make certain the sentences are carried out according to recognized Islamic law.

The ministry agreed on the procedure for the caning of Muslim women offenders for Shariah offenses on December 4, 2010.

“I hope there will be no more issues arising from the caning sentence which can be imposed by the Shariah Court on Muslim women to protect the sanctity of Islam,” Hishammuddin told reporters.

“Look at the message behind the punishment. Illicit sex could easily lead to other social ills such as abortion and baby dumping. The punishment serves as a proposed solution for other social problems," he added.

War Is Hell

Israeli commentary from Dry Bones

When I first heard the news of the capture of the Afghan Taliban number 2, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the word capture was used and the captors were NATO forces. Within hours it morphed from a "capture" to an "arrest" ... and instead of NATO it was credited to Pakistan.

Here's an initial report out of China (it uses both "capture" and "arrested") :

How important is Mullah Baradar's capture?

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- "The capture of the top Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan is not only considered as an important breakthrough in connection to the war on terror but also shows development in Pakistan-U.S. relations and regional solution to Afghan problems.

Pakistan army confirmed to Xinhua on Wednesday that Mullah Baradar has been arrested in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, but disclosed no more details due to security reasons. Mullah Baradar was described as ranking the second in influence only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, Taliban's supreme commander in Afghanistan.

Pakistani analysts believed that Mullah Baradar's catch and the information he provides could prove to be a blow to the Taliban in Afghanistan and tribal areas of Pakistan because he was holding important position and knew secrets of Taliban and their strategy." -more

Will somebody please explain to the idiots on the left that an military is NOT a police force.  If they want people to run around giving out tickets and reading the enemy their rights, they should have sent cops to do the job.  They sent the US Marines to do the job.  Yet they cannot return fire unless they see the weapons of the enemy, they have to collect evidence after every battle, and read the enemy captured their rights.

Recently a sound has been heard from the graves of Marines killed in past wars.  It is the sound of spinning.  When it stops, G-d help the traitors who devised this idiotic idea.

Does anyone believe that these men would do what the Marines are ordered to do today?

The Pacific War- Iwo Jima Clip




I don't think so, do you?

The Difference Between Boys And Girls

This one got to me.  Another example of Political Correctness gone wild!

Image going into the girl's bathroom and discovering the "girl" next to you has a penis.  What should you do? If you live in Maine and attend public school there, then you do nothing.  It is permitted.

The Maine Human Rights Commission has ruled in favor of a transgender child who was denied the right to use the gender appropriate restroom at her school. The commission recently ruled in favor of a transgender adult in a similar case as well.

The Maine Human Rights Commission ruled Monday that the Orono School Department discriminated against a transgender child by denying her access to the girls bathroom.

While the school department’s lawyer warned that schools around the state may not be ready to manage the practical fallout from the decision, civil liberties advocates hailed the ruling as an advancement of human rights.

“This ruling is a huge step forward for a vulnerable population that is entitled to the full protection of the law,” said Zachary Heiden, legal director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union. “There will always be voices who claim we’re not ready, we’re not there yet, the time to end discrimination is next year, or next session. But victims of discrimination should not have to wait.”

The attorney for the child and her parents said his clients are very happy with the outcome of their complaint.

“At the very heart of it is the issue of basic human dignity and fundamental civil liberties,” said Eric Mehnert. “It was a good decision.”

But Melissa Hewey, attorney for the Orono School Department, said the ruling was “a huge leap.”

“I’m not sure that it takes into account practicalities that face educators around the state,” she said. “You can understand [the ruling] intellectually. You can agree with it intellectually. But practice is sometimes different — and I think that’s what may have escaped some people in this case.”

The discrimination in question first occurred in October 2007 when the child was in the fifth grade at Asa Adams School. Until then, she was allowed to use the girls’ bathroom, although she was biologically male. But that fall, the transgender child was followed into the girls room by a male student who had “previously started to harass her by stalking her and calling her ‘faggot,’” according to the Maine Human Rights Commission investigator’s report.

After the second such episode, the boy was suspended and removed from the transgender child’s class. At that point, school officials told the transgender child that she had to use a single-stall faculty bathroom at the other end of the school, and that was when her parents decided to take the matter to the Maine Human Rights Commission.

Paul Melanson, grandfather of the boy accused of harassing the transgender student, also filed a complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission, saying that not allowing his grandson to use the girls bathroom or the faculty bathroom as the other child did was a violation of his grandson’s right to public accommodation under the Maine Human Rights Act. Melanson had given his grandson permission to use the girls bathroom as long as the transgender student was doing so, according to the report.

Enough is enough, an irate Melanson said Monday of the commission’s ruling.

“It ticks me right off that you’re letting a kid run the whole system,” he said.

Melanson is now trying to inspire Maine moms to protest the decision, which he thinks is wrong — and unfair to both boys and girls.

“Little boys do not belong in the little girls room, and vice versa,” he said. “This isn’t just about my kid. A lot of children have come up to me and said that this isn’t right.”

Read the full story here.

This is PC gone wild.  I don't care what this freak of nature thought it was.  If a child has a penis it is a boy!  If a child has a  vagina, it is a girl!  That concept is not hard to understand.  You do not have to be a rocket scientist to comprehend it.

You can contact the Orono Public School by emailing or calling:

Gary Kubat, Communications Director
952-449-8315
gkubat@orono.k12.mn.us

or

Don Germanson, Webmaster
952-449-8346
dgermanson@orono.k12.mn.us

Their fax number is: 952-449-8399

Snail Mail:

685 Old Crystal Bay Rd N
PO Box 46
Long Lake, MN 55356


This is just plain wrong.  Another example of the Moonbats trying to control and destroy our values and way of life.

Wednesday's Hero: Capt. Ferris W. Butler

 

Capt. Ferris W. Butler

Capt. Ferris W. Butler, former platoon leader with D Company, 214th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain, 2nd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Drum, N.Y., talks to the Soldiers at Morale, Welfare and Recreation east Feb. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Butler, a Port Tobacco, Mass., native, participated in Operation Proper Exit, which brings Veterans who were injured in Iraq back to the country to revisit the area and share their stories.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Oops! Am I Bad?

How strange things become.  When Oxford sophomore Noor Rashid ran toward Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon shouting “Itbah Al-Yahud” ("Kill The Jews!") we weren't suppose to understand that it was to occur in the 21st Century, but was a throwback to the 7th Century and the Battle of Khaybar.

The Oxford student who shouted “slaughter the Jews” in Arabic at Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon during his talk at the university last week says his remark was misunderstood.

The Oxford Student newspaper named the student as sophomore Noor Rashid and said that Rashid claimed he used a classical Arabic chant “Khaybar ya Yahod” which commemorates a seventh-century battle between Arabs and Jews.

The battle of Khaybar was an attack launched by the prophet Muhammad in 629. It led to the defeat of the Jewish community in the Arabian peninsula, forcing the Jews to pay half their income to the Muslim victors.

“My version went: ‘Khaybar, O Jews, we will win.’ This is in classical, Koranic Arabic and I doubt that apart from picking up on the word ‘Jew,’ that even the Arabic speakers in the room would have understood the phrase,” Rashid told The Oxford Student.

“As you can see, I made no reference to killing Jews,” he said, adding that the remark had “absolutely no derogatory or secondary meanings.”

Rashid – who on his Facebook page is a “fan” of Abdul Rahman al-Sudais – the imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca – and veteran anti-Israel activist British MP George Galloway – claimed in the article that “Jew” and “Israel” were interchangeable terms and that he had been misunderstood.

Read the full story here.

I'm not buying this cock and bull story.  Rashid meant exactly what he said.  It is only after the police got involved, and are threatening to throw the book at him, has he changed his story.

If anyone still believes that piece of horse manure that Rashid is throwing around, I have a bridge for sale.  It is slightly used, in good (not mint) condition, and buyer pays shipping and handling charges.

Any firm offer and she is yours!

What Shall We Do With The Stupid Moonbat?

Or to be correct, one Peter Bethune, who jumped aboard the Shonan Maru 2 from a Jet Ski on Monday with the stated goal of making a citizen's arrest of the ship's captain, while handing over a $3 million bill for the destruction of his protest ship last month.

It seems Mr. Bethune is upset that the Shonan Maru 2 rammed (or was rammed) by the Ady Gil. The collision seems to have destroyed the Ady Gil, causing fuel and other pollutants to be leaking into the ocean.

An anti-whaling activist from New Zealand was in custody on a Japanese vessel and will likely be taken to Japan to face charges after secretly boarding the ship as part of a protest, officials said Tuesday.

Asked whether the whaling vessel would bring Bethune to Japan for questioning, top government spokesman Hirofumi Hirano said: "We are coordinating based on that understanding. We are finalizing details on how to handle this under Japanese law."

The brazen boarding was the latest escalation by the U.S.-based Sea Shepherd activist group meant to hamper the whaling activities of the Japanese.

Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, which sponsors the whale hunt, said Bethune used a knife to cut the vessel's protective net to enable his boarding and that he told whalers he then threw the knife into the sea. The crew treated him for a cut on his thumb he received while boarding, the institute said.

Japanese Fisheries Minister Hirotaka Akamatsu told reporters he wants the activist handed over to Japan's Coast Guard for investigation. Under Japanese law, intruding on a Japanese vessel without legitimate reasons can bring a prison term of up to three years or a fine up to 100,000 yen (US$1,100).

Bethune was being held in a room by himself with 24-hour guards posted outside, Fisheries Ministry official Toshinori Uoya said.

I was under the impression that the Captain of a vessel at sea was the last of the absolute monarchs.  That his or her word was law aboard his or her ship (Naval experts please correct me if I'm wrong.).  So it would be in keeping with such a tradition of the sea that if the Captain of the Shonan Maru 2 wanted to hang Mr. Bethune from the highest yardarm (whatever that is), or have Mr. Bethune walk the plank (film it and sell the rights to the film), that would be acceptable.

Strange how Mr. Bethune and Sea Shepherd are so concerned about the law, considering they broke it in their attack on the Shonan Maru 2.  An attack that started with the Ady Gil firing shells at the Shonan Maru 2.

If hanging or the plank is not good enough for you, perhaps these suggestions from Captain Jack will do.


What shall we do with a drunken sailor? Sparrow style

My Sharona

The Knack - My Sharona




Doug Fieger, lead singer for The Knacks, died Sunday at the age of 57.

Fieger, a Detroit-area native, died at his home in Woodland Hills near Los Angeles after battling cancer, according to The Knack's manager, Jake Hooker.

Fieger formed The Knack in Los Angeles 1978, and the group quickly became a staple of Sunset Strip rock clubs. A year later he co-wrote and sang lead vocals on "My Sharona."

Fieger said the song, with its pounding drums and exuberant vocals, was inspired by a girlfriend of four years.

"I had never met a girl like her -- ever," he told The Associated Press in a 1994 interview. "She induced madness. She was a very powerful presence. She had an insouciance that wouldn't quit. She was very self-assured. ... She also had an overpowering scent, and it drove me crazy."

"My Sharona," an unapologetically anthemic rock song, emerged during disco's heyday and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard pop chart for six weeks, becoming an FM radio standard.

It became a pop culture phenomenon, parodied by Weird Al Yankovic and others and sampled by rap group Run DMC.

In 1994, "My Sharona" re-entered the Billboard chart when it was released as a single from the soundtrack of the Ben Stiller film "Reality Bites."

"My Sharona" gained attention again in 2005 when it was reported that George W. Bush had the song on the presidential iPod.

Their songs, about young love and teenage lust, included the hits "Good Girls Don't," "She's So Selfish" and "Frustrated."

The Knack continued to release albums and tour through the mid-2000s but they never replicated the success they enjoyed with their first two albums, "Get the Knack" and "... But the Little Girls Understand."

Fieger battled cancer for six years. In 2006 he underwent surgery to remove two tumors from his brain.

He is survived by a sister, Beth Falkenstein, and a brother, attorney Geoffrey Fieger of Southfield, Mich., who is best known for representing assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.

A Los Angeles memorial service for friends and family is being planned.

My Condolences go out to his family.

Happy Valentine's Day

I lost my Valentine in 2002, so this holiday is bitter sweet.  No box of chocolates, no flower, no jewelry will be given to me today.

But I will give you, my readers a Valentine.

Dooley Wilson-As Time Goes By.

Treat your honey to something very special!

Happy Valentine's Day!

IAF Pilots Proves That They Are The Best In The World

I do believe this video says it all.  An IAF pilot lands his F-15 with only 1 wing.  That is correct, only 1 wing.

Israeli Pilot Land Saftly With One Wing

Israeli Pilot Land Saftly With One Wing - Watch today’s top amazing videos here

I personally believe he had angels helping him.

Musical News Round-Up To Start The Day

1.  Yesterday morning about 4 am a 3.8 Earthquake struck the northeastern section of Illinois. Center between between the towns of Virgil and Sycamore, Illinois.

An early morning earthquake rattled northern Illinois on Wednesday, shaking an area about 50 miles west-northwest of downtown Chicago, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake was originally reported as having a magnitude of 4.3, but the USGS later downgraded it to magnitude 3.8. It hit just before 4 a.m. CT (5 a.m. ET), with an epicenter about 3 miles underground. The USGS pinpointed the quake between the towns of Virgil and Sycamore, Illinois.

Millions of people felt the temblor, with reports coming in to the USGS from Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin, as well as Illinois. Members of the public sent more than 10,000 reports of the earthquake to the USGS within the first few hours after it struck.

I lived for 12 years in Southern California.  I felt nothing.  It was a very minor quake in my humble opinion.  But here is some music to help one through the next quake:

CAROLE KING (Live) - I Feel The Earth Move




2.  Charles Wilson, former Congressman from Texas, died yesterday at the age of 76.

Former Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-TX), a swashbuckling congressman immortalized in the book and movie "Charlie Wilson's War," died Wednesday in Lufkin, Texas. He was 76.

Known mostly for partying philandering while in Congress, Wilson secured the nickname "Goodtime Charlie." But the book and film about his efforts to covertly arm the Afghan mujahedeen in the 1980s ingrained Wilson's name in the American consciousness.

Tom Hanks played Wilson in the 2007 film, directed by Mike Nichols.

Wilson also had a heart transplant that same year.

Yana Ogletree, the director of media relations at the Memorial Health System of East Texas, says Wilson was at a meeting Wednesday morning in Lufkin with his friend Buddy Temple. The former congressman started to have trouble breathing. Temple then drove Wilson to the hospital and flagged down an ambulance while en route. The ambulance then drove Wilson to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 12:16 p.m. CT.

Ogletree says the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest.

Read the full story here.

Peggy Lee - Hey big Spender



3.  Phil Harris, captain of the fishing boat Cornelia Marie, star on the reality show, Deadliest Catch, died yesterday of a stroke.  He was 53.

Phil Harris, the fishing boat captain whose adventures off the Alaska coast were captured on the television show "Deadliest Catch", has died, the Discovery Channel said Tuesday night. He was 53.

Harris suffered what his family described as a massive stroke on Jan. 29 while the fishing vessel he captained, Cornelia Marie, was in port at St. Paul Island, Alaska. The fisherman was flown to Anchorage for surgery.

The reality show, which has filmed five seasons, has been one of the Discovery Channel's most popular and depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.

Read the full story here.

You can leave your condolences to the family here.

DEADLIEST CATCH THEME SONG



Have a good day!

Wednesday's Hero: Marvin Glenn

 

Marvin Glenn & His Wife, Christina

 

Marvin Glenn was born in Oklahoma, joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939, and married his wife of over 60 years. Marvin enlisted in the Navy in 1944, becoming a member of the Greatest Generation. He chose to serve, despite being exempt due to a heart murmur. He went on to serve on the Escort Carrier USS Copahee. After his discharge Marvin became a brick layer, a job he continued to perform until he was 82 despite only having one eye. Along with being a brick layer, Marvin maintained a garden which he and his wife used to provide for themselves, and those in need. The life Marvin lived, in service to others, inspired his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and anyone who came to know him. Marvin was laid to rest in Henryetta, Oklahoma on January 16, 2010, at the age of 92, with full military honors.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.