A Chanukah Gift For the Fun of It.

When I came across this video I knew that I couldn't let the holiday of Chanukah go by without posting this.

By Tom Lehrer, a man of great wit and humor, I present you with this:

Chanukah in Santa Monica




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Have a Happy Chanukah

We Have A Right To Live In Peace!

Imagine you are in church and a rocket hits the building. Or just sitting in your home. That is what happened to Beber Vaaknin and 5 other individuals when rockets from Gaza landed in their neighborhood in Netivot.

Beber Vaaknin murdered by a Hamas rocket.

Terror groups fire at Israeli communities: 58-year-old Beber Vaaknin was killed and five other Israelis sustained light to serious wounds after rockets hit a synagogue in Eshkol Regional Council as well as an apartment building in Netivot, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said.

The direct hit on the synagogue seriously wounded a man who had been inside, and rescue services had to drag him from the rubble. Another man was lightly injured in the attack. Another rocket fired from Gaza landed on a power line, causing a power failure in three Israeli towns.

Hamas' armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Netivot.

A short while after the IDF launched its major aerial strike in Gaza, the Red Color anti-rocket alarm went off at southern Israeli communities, as terrorists started firing rockets at Israel. The IDF Home Front Command is urging residents to remain in secured rooms and bomb shelters.

The Palestinian bombardment started around 1 pm, when a rocket hit the Netivot area. A short while later, the rocket alarm was heard in Ashkelon, as two rockets hit the southern city. No injuries or damage were reported in the strike.

In the most recent barrage at least 10 rockets were fired toward Netivot. One of the rockets hit a private home, while the second landed on an apartment building in the city, resulting in the death of 58-year-old Beber Vaaknin. Three other people were evacuated to nearby hospitals with light to serious wounds. Another rocket landed near the local market.

At least 20 rockets have been fired toward Israel since Saturday morning.

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Netivot was founded in 1956 as a development town along with Sderot to the north, and Ofakim to the south. Netivot attracts a number of mainly Sephardi Jewish pilgrims, who come to pray at the tomb of a Moroccan-born tzaddik and kabbalist Baba Sali (died 1984) who is buried there.

It is a lovely town. Filled with happy families, and quiet neighborhoods. A town of tree lined streets. Now marred by Hamas.

Another family mourns. And yet the world has done nothing to stop these attacks. But they condemn Israel for attacking back. Just wait. The pictures of the dead children will come next, then the protests in Europe and the US. Then the UN will try and force Israel to stop. Already the Dhimmis are crying out.

This time the answer to the UN, to the Dhimmis, to the world is and must be a resounding: NO!

We do not have any spare children!

Our people have a right to live in peace!

Operation Cast Lead!

I woke up this morning to a wonderful Chanukah gift. The IAF attacking Gaza. I know I shouldn't be ecstatic, that I shouldn't be joyful at the death of my fellow human, but I feel like dancing and singing this day.

It is only fitting that at this time of the year when Jews all over the world are celebrating the Maccabees's victory over the Greeks (a war in which military expert would have said they couldn't win) that the murderers of Gaza start feeling the flames of war themselves.

This just didn't happen overnight. It has been 8 years in the making. 8 years of Sderot and the Western Negev being attacked on a daily basis. 8 years of death and destruction. Yet Hamas is screaming that they are being attacked without cause.

Over 80 rockets and mortar shells struck areas throughout the western Negev. In Netivot, 58-year-old Beber Vaknin was killed, one person was seriously wounded, and four others sustained light to moderate injuries when their house was hit by a rocket.

All the wounded were evacuated to Soroka hospital in Beersheva.

Later, a rocket hit a house in the community of Mivtahim, seriously wounding one person and lightly wounding another. A Magen David Adom team treated the wounded at the scene.

In Ashkelon, at least 10 rocket strikes were reported, with one hitting an apartment building.

For the first time ever, a Kassam rocket struck Kiryat Gat. The "Color Red" warning siren also sounded in Ashdod, although the location of a rocket strike had yet to be reported.

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Beber Vaknin had a right to live in his nation in peace and safety. His only crime was being a citizen of Israel and a Jew. To Hamas that is the greatest crime in the world.

While Hamas indiscriminately attacks civilian targets while calling everywhere in Israel a military target. The IAF is selecting true military targets and wiping them out.

The wide-scale offensive on Hamas installations in the Gaza Strip was codenamed 'Operation Cast Lead,' after a Hanukkah poem by H.N. Bialik referring to a "dreidel cast from solid lead."

At least 200 people were reported killed - the majority of them Hamas operatives - and nearly 400 wounded in the attacks. It was not clear if the aerial offensive would be coupled with a ground offensive. Asked if Hamas political leaders might be targeted next, military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said, "Any Hamas target is a target."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a press conference that the IAF had succeeded in eliminating senior Hamas commanders during the offensive. According to witnesses, among the dead was Hamas police chief Maj.-Gen. Tawfik Jaber.

Despite the massive casualties, Hamas remained defiant, vowing revenge and calling on all other Palestinian factions to join in the fight.

"Today we are stronger then we've ever been," one spokesperson for the group said at a press conference. "We won't raise the white flag, we won't give anything up, we won't retreat."

Minutes after the first wave of air strikes hit areas in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinians reported a second wave which targeted installations in the center and the north of the Strip. Channel 2 reported that 60 planes were involved in the attack, and nearly 100 targets were hit. Military officials said more than 100 tons of bombs were dropped on Gaza by mid-afternoon.

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If Hamas thinks this is a limited operation like other times, they are in for a rude awakening. For the IDF is amassing on the border, just itching to go.

The IDF was beefing up forces around the Gaza Strip on Saturday evening in preparation of a possible ground operation following a massive air assault earlier in the day.

Defense officials estimated that Hamas was capable of firing 150-200 rockets a day, adding that the operation could last for weeks.

Israel's goals, officials added, was to end Hamas rocket fire, end smuggling of arms into Gaza and severely disrupt any Hamas military activity.

In a press conference held earlier in Tel Aviv, Barak said the IDF would deepen and widen its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip as much as needed.

"There is a time for cease-fires and a time to fight, and now is the time to fight," Barak said. "For months the IDF and security forces have been preparing for the operation that began today."

Barak stated that Israel had not intended to allow Hamas to continue to fire rockets into Israel without responding.

The defense minister warned that tough times lay ahead. "I don't want to deceive anyone," he said. "It won't be easy and won't be quick. We must be resolute." Rocket attacks were expected to continue and to increase during the operation, he added.

"For weeks Hamas and its satellite groups have rained [Israel] with rockets…and mortar shells. We did not intend to let this situation continue," he said.

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Happy Chanukah Sderot! You and your children are getting the best Chanukah gift possible. And maybe this time the IDF will be able to stop those horrible rockets once and for all.



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AM YISRAEL CHAI!

Funhouse Mirror News

Cross posted from Elder of Ziyon

JERUSALEM, December 26 (FMN) - The UN today stepped up its pressure on the Arab world to send humanitarian aid to the besieged residents of Sderot, suffering under years of constant rocket bombardment from Iranian-backed Arabs.

"The brave people of the Negev are being forced out of their homes, in what can only be called ethnic cleansing," stated UN General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann. "This slow genocide is being ignored by the world at large, and the Arab world is responsible."

The Arab world have been enforcing a siege on Israel for over sixty years. Basic humanitarian items are not allowed into Israel from most Arab countries, and Israel is likewise banned from selling its own goods to its neighboring states, hurting the economy of the tiny nation.

"Legally, Israel is suffering under occupation, as the Arab states control all of Israel's land borders," stated Brockmann. "In addition, there are hundreds of Arab settlements in Israel itself, which have been the major obstacle to peace for decades."

"The Arab treatment of Jews and Israelis can only be described as a form of apartheid," said former US president Jimmy Carter as he visited Ashkelon in a solidarity visit. "Israel, one of the most crowded nations in the world, has been forced to give more and more land to the expansionist Arabs over the past decades, and it gets nothing in return. Peace requires full normalization, and I am disappointed that even Egypt and Jordan continue to incite against Jewish national self-determination."

"Israel has turned into an open-air concentration camp," asserted peace activist Lauren Booth last month. "The Israeli economy is being constrained by the Arab boycott of Israel, which is still largely in force. The occasional 'peace' treaties and tiny trickle of trade is just a facade by the Arab world meant to cover up their humanitarian crimes against the peaceful people of Israel and their aims to shrink Israel's land area into nothingness."

While all of Israel suffers from the Arab blockade, it is the residents of Sderot who are suffering the most lately from indiscriminate rocket attacks by the Iranian-funded Arabs of Gaza.

UN Human Rights investigator Richard Falk called the rocket attacks "a crime against humanity" and demanded that "the Arab states, flush with oil money, must provide Sderot residents with basic needs, like rocket shelters, psychologists and medical professionals."

"For sixty years, the Arab nations have conspired to block Jews from being able to return to their land. They have started overt and covert wars against the only Jewish state. The few Jews who remain in Arab countries suffer from official and unofficial discrimination.

"Hundreds of resolutions against the systematic Arab attempts to destroy Israel have been ignored by these expansionist states, and Israel remains besieged even after so many years. How long will the world remain silent?"

Academics such as John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have also noted that world opinion tends to support the so-called "Arab Lobby" even as the genocidal intent of the Arab world is explicitly stated in their media and mosques. "The Arab influence on world governments is directly proportional to power of the Arab economy, which influences businesses and politicians in ways that can only be described as insidious. As a direct result, simple moral values become muddled as the Arab world works hard to influence the agendas of Western nations, to remarkable success," stated Walt in a lecture in Munich last Sunday.

Qassam lands 50 meters outside of Sderot Media Center

By Anav Silverman - Sderot Media Center

Palestinian rocket explosions marked by the wail of the Tzeva Adom siren alert sounded throughout the day in Sderot and the western Negev. Beginning on Tuesday night, 60 Palestinian rockets have slammed Sderot, the western Negev, and Ashkelon.

One Grad-Katyusha hit outside a home in Ashkelon, sending several people into shock, while destroying a storage shed and shattering the windows of the Ashkelon home. Another Grad-Katyusha slammed into an Ashkelon factory, causing extensive damage. In all, seven Grad-Katyusha rockets hit Ashkelon today.

Photo: Roy Edan

Barzilai Medical Center reported that of the 24 people hospitalized for shock on Wednesday, 12 were children.

In the Sdot Negev Regional Council, a Palestinian rocket directly hit a home, causing extensive damage as well. No one was wounded in the attack.
During the early morning, a barrage of Palestinian rockets were fired at Netivot, with one landing in the industrial zone of the city and several more in the agricultural fields outside the city. Another Palestinian rocket landed outside a Netivot Youth Center. Two Netivot residents were treated for trauma.

Among the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in the morning, one Palestinian rocket failed to clear the border and landed in the Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, lightly wounding two Palestinian civilians.
Several Qassams were fired at Sderot with one falling 50 meters outside Sderot Media Center in an industrial center, shattering the windows of several offices in the area and sending a number of people into shock.
Sderot Media Center staff were in the office at the time the office at the time the rocket hit. "We heard the shriek of the Qassam zooming over and the office literally shook from the impact of the rocket explosion," said Itzik Yarkoni.

Photo: Roy Edan

On Tuesday, five Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev. One Palestinian rocket landed 30 meters away from the Sderot home that was directly hit by a Qassam rocket this past Sunday.

In all, 37 Palestinian rockets, and 23 mortar shells were fired at Israel in the past 24hours. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the morning rocket terror.





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What a lovely Chanukah gift Hamas is giving the people of Israel. Over 50 rockets shattering lives in Sderot and Ashkelon. It has only been a small miracle that no body has been seriously hurt or killed yet. But it will happen.

You can give the people of the area a better Christmas/Chanukah gift. By clicking on the logo at the top or bottom of this post, you can give a donation to the Sderot Media Center. A little bit goes a long way.

I ask all to remember these men, women and children in your prayers. Remind others of the risks and horror that they live with each and every day.

Crucifixion, Whips and Honor Killings...

...are now all permitted in Gaza under the new Shar'ia act that has been passed.

In line with its Islamist ideology, the Palestinian Authority in Gaza has enacted a new law adopting the traditional Muslim criminal code. Penalties include amputation and crucifixion, as well as the death penalty for negotiations contrary to Hamas's interpretation of "Palestinian interests".

According to a report on the new law appearing Wednesday on the Al-Arabiya website, as translated by Palestinian Media Watch, the Palestinian Legislative Council approved a bill "to implement Koranic punishments." The Arabic website, the online arm of the popular Al-Arabiya satellite news outlet, refers to the London-based Saudi-owned newspaper Al-Hayat, which said the decision to implement shari'a (Islamic law) was "seen as unprecedented," and that it has "brought criticism and concern from human rights organizations in the Gaza Strip."

The criminal code adopted by the PA includes such punishments as lashes, amputation of thieves' hands, crucifixion, approval of blood revenge, and execution. According to the Arabic press, the law stipulates that only the victim of a crime can pardon opt to forgo the "Koranic penalties".

Among the crimes punished with lashes, and that have no specific "victim" who can pardon the offender, are the consumption, owning or producing of wine. According to the new PA law such an individual "will be punished with 40 lashes if he is Muslim, and anyone who drinks wine, or angers another person [with wine], or causes him distress when drinking wine in a public place, or goes to a public place while drunk, will be punished with no less than 40 lashes and imprisonment for the minimum of three months."

Touching on the political aspect of the Hamas ideology, the new law reportedly includes the death penalty for anyone who "raised a weapon against Palestine on behalf of the enemy during war, was appointed to negotiate with a foreign government on a Palestinian issue and negotiated against Palestinians' interest, performed a hostile action against a foreign country in a way that endangers Palestine in war or in harming political relations, served a foreign army in time of war, advised or helped soldiers to enlist in this army, weakened the spirit or the force of resistance of the people, or spied against Palestine especially during war."

If in fact passed, as reported in the Arabic press, the new law only puts into practice what was stated succinctly by a PA legislator - Hamed Bitawi of the Hamas organization - just after Hamas won the January 2006 PA elections in a sweeping victory: "The Koran is our constitution, Mohammad is our prophet, jihad is our path and dying as martyrs for the sake of Allah is our biggest wish." His statement was answered with a standing ovation and calls of "Allahu Akbar".

It also bears noting that the Palestinian Authority Constitution as it was adopted under the PLO's Yasser Arafat and led by Fatah also declares, "The principles of Islamic shari'a are a major source for legislation."

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What fun! I guess that Gaza will now be out as a destination for Spring Breakers. No liquor, no rock and roll music and women who look like this:


Not a very fun place to spend spring break.

On the other hand we will now see a surge in Honor Killing. It has been made legal to kill your mother, sister, daughter, aunt, etc... if she has destroyed your honor. And the execution method of crucifixion might boost tourism. It will be a great thing to watch on Hamas television the executions of gays, lesbians, and other undesirables if you cannot attend them in person. Or watch the whipping of those who take a beer or two for enjoyment. The stoning of adulterous women should be a great ratings boost and let us not forget the weekly amputations of hands of the thieves.

And while this is happening do you believe for one instance that the MSM will report on it? Or that gay and lesbian groups will take to the streets around the world to protest the murder of their brothers and sisters? Or women's groups demanding justice for the women of Gaza from the tyranny of Shar'ia?

You won't hear anything of the sort. What you will hear from all these groups is the condemnation of Israel for so-called Human Rights Violations and the praise of Hamas.

In The Beginning...

Three words read by William Anders aboard the Apollo 8 mission on Christmas Eve 1968.

1968 was our Annus horribilis. It was a year of unrest at the Democratic National Convention. It was the year that saw the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. It was a year in which riots and protests were the daily fare on the nightly newscasts. It was a year in which America felt at its lowest point. And America needed a boost.

When the Apollo 8 mission was originally planned the mission was not suppose to go to the moon. It was suppose to be in a low Earth orbit checking out the systems on the Command module and possibly the lunar module if one had been ready by then. Instead the mission was changed and Apollo 8 would be the first manned mission to go to the moon. In itself it would be a very dangerous mission, the first of anything is alway a dangerous mission to accomplish. Because of the nature of the mission and the decision to change it, the true mission was kept a secret from the public until the official announcement on 12 November 1968, less than 40 days before the scheduled launch.

Apollo 8 launched at 7:51:00 a.m. on December 21, 1968. During the flight, three fellow astronauts served on the ground as capsule communicators (usually referred to as "CAPCOMs") on a rotating schedule. The CAPCOMs were the only people who regularly communicated with the crew. Michael Collins was the first CAPCOM on duty and at 2 hours, 27 minutes and 22 seconds after launch radioed, "Apollo 8. You are Go for TLI". This communication signified that Mission Control had given official permission for Apollo 8 to go to the moon. Over the next twelve minutes before the TLI burn, the Apollo 8 crew continued to monitor the spacecraft and the rocket. The S-IVB third stage rocket ignited on time and burned perfectly for 5 minutes and 17 seconds. The burn increased the velocity of Apollo 8 to 35,505 feet per second (10,822 m/s) and the spacecraft's altitude at the end of the burn was 215.4 miles (346.7 km). At this time, the crew also set the record for the highest speed humans had ever traveled.

Five hours after launch, Mission Control sent a command to the S-IVB booster to vent its remaining fuel through its engine bell to change the booster's trajectory. This S-IVB would then pass the Moon and enter into a solar orbit, posing no further hazard to Apollo 8. The S-IVB subsequently went into a 0.99 by 0.92 AU solar orbit with an inclination of 23.47° and a period of 340.80 days.

The Apollo 8 crew were the first humans to pass through the Van Allen radiation belts, which extend up to 15,000 miles (25,000 km) from Earth. Scientists predicted that passing through the belts quickly at the spacecraft's high speed would cause a radiation dosage of no more than a chest X-ray, or 1 milligray (during the course of a year, the average human receives a dose of 2 to 3 mGy). To record the actual radiation dosages, each crew member wore a Personal Radiation Dosimeter that transmitted data to Earth as well as three passive film dosimeters that showed the cumulative radiation experienced by the crew. By the end of the mission, the crew experienced an average radiation dose of 1.6 mGy.

At about 55 hours and 40 minutes into the flight, the crew of Apollo 8 became the first humans to enter the gravitational sphere of influence of another celestial body. At 64 hours into the flight, the crew began to prepare for Lunar Orbit Insertion-1 (LOI-1). This maneuver had to be performed perfectly, and due to orbital mechanics had to be on the far side of the Moon, out of contact with the Earth. After Mission Control was polled for a Go/No Go decision, the crew was told at 68 hours, they were Go and "riding the best bird we can find". At 68 hours and 58 minutes, the spacecraft went behind the Moon and out of radio contact with the Earth.

When the spacecraft came out from behind the Moon for its fourth pass across the front, the crew witnessed an event no one had ever seen — Earthrise. Borman saw the Earth emerging from behind the lunar horizon and called in excitement to the others, taking a black-and-white photo as he did so: Earthrise, seen for the first time by human eyes. In the ensuing scramble Anders took the more famous color photo, later picked by Life magazine as one of its hundred photos of the century.



As they rounded the Moon for the ninth time, the second television transmission began. Borman introduced the crew, followed by each man giving his impression of the lunar surface and what it was like to be orbiting the Moon. Borman described it as being "a vast, lonely, forbidding expanse of nothing." Then, after talking about what they were flying over, Anders said that the crew had a message for all those on Earth. Each man on board read the story of creation from Book of Genesis. Borman finished the broadcast by wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone on Earth. His message appeared to sum up the feelings that all three crewmen had from their vantage point in lunar orbit. Borman said, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, and a Merry Christmas to all of you, all of you on the good Earth"

After 10 lunar orbit, Apollo 8 returned to Earth on 27 December 1968. A successful and historic mission.

So on this Christmas Eve, we should remember a historic moment in Human history that took place 40 years ago.


William Anders

"We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Jim Lovell

"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Frank Borman

"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."

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On this Christmas Eve I wish to again recall the words of Apollo 8 in wishing you a Merry Christmas.

And God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.

Santa Baby

Eartha Kitt known for her distinctive voice and made a name for herself in her portrayal of Catwoman in the television series "Batman." That role produced Kitt's recognizable sultry cat growl died in New York of colon cancer at the age of 81.

Born 17 January 1927, Ms. Kitt was a star of stage and screen. Staring over 20 movies, various guest appearances on television, she is also known for her sultry voice.

Her song: Santa Baby is a classic of the era.

Ms. Kitt is survived by a daughter and 2 grand children.

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Merry Christmas

There are many customs and traditions associate Christmas. Snow, sleighs, reindeer and Santa. They decorate a tree, hang the mistletoe, and light the Yule log. And this is also true in Israel.

Choosing your own Christmas trees from KKL-JNF forests

"I can't believe that Israelis ensure that Christians in Israel have Christmas trees! This is really cool!" We were speaking to Nathan, a student at the Jerusalem University College on Mt. Zion, whom we met at KKL-JNF's traditional Christmas tree distribution at their regional offices at Givat Yeshayahu, on Wednesday, 10th December. "My brother-in-law, who lives in Centerpoint, Iowa, is also here with his children. It's his first visit to Israel and I invited him to come with me to pick up a Christmas tree. His kids are having a great time, the air here is so fresh and it's just a beautiful day. I'm studying the history and geography of the Holy Land at the Jerusalem University College, the only Protestant institution of its kind. I'm on a two-year program and let me tell you, this is really amazing!

Every year just before Christmas, KKL-JNF distributes trees to churches, monasteries, embassies and the foreign press in Israel. Eli Ben-Sheetrit, KKL-JNF forester in charge of the lower Judean coastal plain, told us about the project and how it worked: "The first thing we had to do was to choose which tree would make the most beautiful Christmas tree. We decided on the Arizona cedar and as you can see, no one is disappointed by our choice. We used to cut them down in the KKL-JNF forests and bring them here for distribution, but then we had no way of knowing if we were cutting too many or too few. A few years ago, we decided to grow the trees here at Givat Yeshayahu on a few plots especially set aside for this purpose. We alternate between the plots to make sure we always have enough trees to meet the demand.

"We receive one-year old seedlings from KKL-JNF's tree nursery at Eshta'ol - this year I have received 2,000 seedlings. They grow here for another two years until they are about two meters tall, which is the height that most people want. I expect to distribute about 1,200 trees this year. I receive a list of the institutions that requested trees, from Ms. Sarah Singer of the Interior Ministry and in addition, individuals can also take trees for a symbolic fee. KKL-JNF subsidizes the project to continue the good relations with our Christian citizens and visitors. We also supply trees to the United Nations missions in Israel. Personally, I have been working in KKL-JNF for 27 years and I want to see this beautiful tradition continue every year."

After registering with Eli or with Sarah Singer, one can go directly to the cedar grove to choose his tree, where a KKL-JNF employee fells the tree and helps load it into the truck.

Early in the morning, busloads of nuns arrived from Jerusalem and Bethlehem who received almost 400 Christmas trees. Amal came to choose trees for Christ Church at Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem. "Christ Church was the first Anglican Church in Jerusalem and I have been coming here every year for trees - this year I'm taking twelve. We really appreciate this and I look forward to returning next year."

For people not affiliated with a church or formal organization, coming to choose and take away a tree can be a real family outing. We met Maiwenn, who is originally from Brittany, but now lives with her husband Udi in Jerusalem. "We heard about the tree distribution through my husband's work, CBC TV of Canada. Apparently KKL-JNF sends out faxes to various organizations in Israel. It's a great opportunity to get outside with our kids and it's a special experience to choose our Christmas tree in the forest where it grows."

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You won't find a Christmas tree anywhere in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, etc... I wonder why? Don't they have Christians there? And don't their churches need trees? Sorry, I forgot. There are no churches in Saudi Arabia. They are not allowed. Yet Israel, a nation that is predominantly Jewish, goes out of its way to grow trees for their Christian citizens (yes they actually have some) and visitors. A nice gesture to say the least.

Merry Christmas!

O, little town of Bethlehem

Bethlehem, the name brings to mind the birthplace of David, of Jesus. The tomb of Rachel. A place where peace and tranquility should prevail. But the truth behind the PA lies is not a pretty picture. While the MSM describes the exodus of Christians from Bethlehem and blames the Israeli government for it. The truth is uglier than it really is.

A number of Christian families have finally decided to break their silence and talk openly about what they describe as Muslim persecution of the Christian minority in this city.

The move comes as a result of increased attacks on Christians by Muslims over the past few months. The families said they wrote letters to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the Vatican, Church leaders and European governments complaining about the attacks, but their appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

According to the families, many Christians have long been afraid to complain in public about the campaign of "intimidation" for fear of retaliation by their Muslim neighbors and being branded "collaborators" with Israel.

But following an increase in attacks on Christian-owned property in the city over the past few months, some Christians are no longer afraid to talk about the ultra-sensitive issue. And they are talking openly about leaving the city.

"The situation is very dangerous," said Samir Qumsiyeh, owner of the Beit Sahur-based private Al-Mahd (Nativity) TV station. "I believe that 15 years from now there will be no Christians left in Bethlehem. Then you will need a torch to find a Christian here. This is a very sad situation."

Qumsiyeh, one of the few Christians willing to speak about the harsh conditions of their community, has been the subject of numerous death threats. His house was recently attacked with fire-bombs, but no one was hurt.

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Who would believe that in the 21st Century Christians would be persecuted for their beliefs? And the MSM blames Israel for this when it is the stated policy of the late Yassar Arafat and the Palestinian Authority.

Question: What's worse than being bullied, harassed, intimidated and persecuted for your faith?

Answer: Being bullied, harassed, intimidated and persecuted for your faith – and watching the perpetrator of these crimes against humanity successfully blame someone else for committing them.

That's exactly what is happening to Christians today in Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority. They are being beaten up. They are being killed. They are having their businesses burned down. They are watching their daughters raped. They are being run out of their ancestral homelands.

And the very people doing this – Arafat's PA – are blaming it all on Israel.

The latest evidence of this campaign came on Christmas Day in an editorial in the Jordan Times.

Interestingly, the editorial doesn't sugar-coat the toll on Christians.

Full Story

Christians are leaving as fast as they can. In a decade or two there will be no Christians in the city and the PA will be able to do what they have planned all along: To Turn the Church of the Nativity into a mosque.

Greeting that welcomes pilgrims who enter Nazareth.

Palestinian Authority's Treatment of Christians
Christians in the Palestinian Authority
Palestinian Christians: Victims not Partners

These are but a few articles. A larger list is here.

A sad commentary is in today's Jerusalem Post. A sad look at what was, what is and what might have been.

"O, little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie." This is truer today than it ever has been since this song was written many years ago. Phillip Brooks, a Christian, wrote it in 1865 while on a horse from Jerusalem to Bethlehem for a midnight service. Although a few tourists do come, especially now at this Christmas season, Bethlehem remains still, unlike years past.

It's been eight years since I last set foot in Bethlehem. As a Jewish Israeli tour guide, I am forbidden by law to endanger myself and go to this once colorful city. Gone are the days when thousands went to Bethlehem. Tourists, pilgrims from around the world, shoppers, and Israeli Arabs and Jews came. Gone are the days when you could eat the best falafel and humous in the little stone building across from Rachel's Tomb. I remember the bargains. There was the wonderful flea market in the Bethlehem shuk . We came on aliya in the '80s and with our limited budget could go to Bethlehem and buy good furniture at bargain prices - delivery was free. The rattan and the wicker outdoor furniture was good and cheap. Pillows were thrown in at bargain prices.

WE ATE in all those lovely outdoor cafés in and around Manger Square. We walked around with our tourists and enjoyed the ambiance and atmosphere.

Many times I stayed overnight with my pilgrims on Christmas Eve. A few times we were near Manger Square and I remember the sweet sounds of the choirs which came from all over the world to celebrate Christmas in the city where Jesus was born. Each sang the familiar Christmas carols in its own language. It was glorious. The Catholics came in droves from all over the country. They came for midnight Mass amid great pomp and ceremony and, as a guide, I had the privilege of seeing and participating in many of these celebrations. I often had an opportunity to talk to reporters. Some were just tourists themselves and I tried to make them Zionists. Sometimes they listened. We became friends. Those times are over.

We were so safe and sound and comfortable on those Christmas eves and days. We were surrounded by the IDF. It maintained the peace, offered security for crowds that otherwise might have gotten out of control.

I REMEMBER one morning many years ago, in the '80s, when I arose early on a Christmas morning. I looked down from my second-floor window overlooking Manger Square. What to my wondering eyes did appear? No, not Santa and his reindeer, but Israeli soldiers all over the square with big blue plastic bags. At the approach of dawn, they were leaning down and filling them with cigarette butts, candy wrappers, leftover food and all the trash the pilgrims and tourists had dropped the night before.

It brought tears to my eyes. We had control then and we did our job. Bethlehem, the city where King David was also born, was still ours.

TODAY, BETHLEHEM is a virtual ghost town at night. No one dares venture out. There is no security and no rule of law. Most of the Christians have left, and the few stores and shopkeepers who remain have a hard time making ends meet.

We don't go to Bethlehem anymore, though it is only a few kilometers away. It is so close and yet so far. It is closed to you and me, probably for many years ahead. However, we know that things change, so perhaps, as the song suggests, in those dark streets will shine an everlasting light and perhaps the hopes and fears of all these years may once again meet in the night.

It has already been decided by Hamas that if they ever got full control of the West Bank and God Forbid, the nation of Israel they will do the following:

1. Kill all the Jews in the land.
2. Drive out, force conversions or kill all the Druse, Baha'i and Christians in the land.
3. Have the land only for Muslims and destroy or convert other faiths holy sites for Muslim only use.
4. Impose Shar'ia Law

The last one is coming true.

The Hamas parliament in the Gaza Strip voted in favor of a law allowing courts to mete out sentences in the spirit of Islam, the London-based Arab daily Al Hayat reported Wednesday.

According to the bill, approved in its second reading and awaiting a third reading before the approval of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as the Palestinian constitution demands, courts will be able to condemn offenders to a plethora of violent punitive measures in line with Sharia Law.

Such punishments include whipping, severing hands, crucifixion and hanging. The bill reserves death sentences to people who negotiate with a foreign government "against Palestinian interests" and engage in any activity that can "hurt Palestinian morale."

According to the report, any Palestinian caught drinking or selling wine would suffer 40 lashes at the whipping post if the bill passes. Thieves caught red-handed would lose their right hand.

How much long will Christian pilgrims be allowed to worship in Bethlehem? The PA just might continue the charade for a while, but only for a while and a very high fee for their protection. After a bit, there will be no more Christians allowed at one of the most holiest sites in their faith. And the world's media would still blame that on Israel and the Jews.

I ask Christians on this holiday to remember their persecuted brothers and sisters in Bethlehem in their prayers.

Santa Claus 1898

Made in 1898, G.A. Smith's 'Santa Claus' is a film of considerable technical ambition and accomplishment for its period. It uses pioneering visual effects in its depiction of a visit from St. Nicholas.

A former magic lanternist and hypnotist, Smith was one of the first British film-makers to make extensive use of special effects to create fantastical scenes. It comes as little surprise that Smith corresponded with the French pioneer Georges Méliès at about this time, as the two men shared a common goal in terms of creating an authentic cinema of illusion.

It is only 1:16 long, but very enjoyable. Remember it is a silent film.




View at YouTube

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS!!!

Ahmadinejad's Christmas Broadcast

Each year Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II makes a speech on Christmas Day to Her subjects and the world at large. The tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by George V on the BBC Empire Service. This message is usually one of Christmas cheer and spirit. It has been used to bind wound between peoples, to lift up a nation in the deepest dark days of World War I and II, and to bring a message of Christianity to the world.

Since 1993,Channel 4 has broadcast an "Alternative Christmas message" featuring a contemporary, often controversial celebrity, delivering a message in the manner of Her Majesty. This tradition started by accident when, running a series of programs on 'Christmas in New York', the channel invited Quentin Crisp to give an Alternative message - playing on the pejorative term 'Queen' meaning a male homosexual. In contrast to the Queen's message, the alternative lasts only 3 to 5 minutes.

Some of these celebrities have been: Bridget Bardot (1995), Sharon Osbourne (2002), and Marge Simpson (2004). Last year it was Major Andrew Stockton, a British soldier who lost his arm fighting in Afghanistan. This year it is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. I joke you not! I wonder what type of message he would send?

Merry Christmas, "bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers."

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will deliver a Christmas Day broadcast on Britain's Channel 4 television, occupying a slot used to provide an often controversial counterpoint to Queen Elizabeth II's traditional annual message, the station said Wednesday.

In his recorded message, Ahmadinejad offers seasonal greetings to Christians and says he believes that if Jesus was alive, he would "stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers," an apparent reference to the United States and its allies.

According to a transcript of the broadcast released in advance, Ahmadinejad says most of the world's problems stem from leaders have turned against religion. He doesn't refer to rival nations or leaders by name or raise the issue of Israel, despite his previous calls for the removal of the Jewish state.

"If Christ was on earth today undoubtedly he would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over," Ahmadinejad said, according to the text.

Full Story

Sorry to disappoint you Mahmoud, but if Christ was on Earth today he would have served his tour of duty in the IDF, and probably would have been called up each year for mandatory 3 weeks of reserve duty. After all, you keep forgetting one big thing Mahmoud, Jesus was Jewish.
This will be a first, who do you think they will have on next year? I think someone should suggest a safer choice next time. Someone like Robert Mugabe, Butcher President of Zimbabwe.

Tracking Santa

In 1955, a Colorado Springs-based Sears store ran an advertisement encouraging children to call Santa Claus on a special telephone hotline. Due to a printing error, the phone number that was printed was the hotline for the Director of Operations at the Continental Air Defense (CONAD). Colonel Harry Shoup took the first Santa call on Christmas Eve of 1955 from a six-year old boy who began reciting his Christmas list. Shoup didn't find the call funny, but after asking the mother of the second caller what was happening, then realizing the mistake that occurred, he instructed his staff to give Santa's position to any child who called in.

Listen to Colonel Shoup talk about the experience.

Needless to say many children and parents were delighted to receive this information. Little did they know that a tradition had been born.

Three years later, the governments of the United States and Canada combined their national domestic air defenses into the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), but the tradition continued. Now major media outlets as well as children call in to inquire on Santa's location. NORAD relies on volunteers to help make Santa tracking possible. Many employees at Cheyenne Mountain and Peterson Air Force Base spend part of their Christmas Eve with their families and friends at NORAD's Santa Tracking Operations Center in order to answer phones and provide Santa updates to thousands of callers.



View at YouTube

About 800 service members and their families volunteer, and shift run from 2 a.m. MST December 24 to 2 a.m. Christmas morning.

In 1997, Canadian Major Jamie Robertson took over the program and expanded it to the Web where corporation-donated services have given the tradition global accessibility. In 2004, NORAD received more than 35,000 e-mails, 55,000 calls and 912 million hits on the Santa-tracking website from 181 countries. In 2005, more than 500 volunteers answered questions. In 2006 half a million calls and over 12,500 e-mails were handled from 210 territories. The site now gets well over 1 billion hits.

NORAD details its tracking system:

Detecting Santa all starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system has 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. NORAD makes a point of checking the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

The moment our radar tells us that Santa has lifted off, we use our second mode of detection, the same satellites that we use in providing warning of possible missile launches aimed at North America. These satellites are located in a geo-synchronous orbit (that's a cool phrase meaning that the satellite is always fixed over the same spot on the Earth) at 22,300 miles above the Earth. The satellites have infrared sensors, meaning they can detect heat. When a rocket or missile is launched, a tremendous amount of heat is produced - enough for the satellites to detect. Rudolph's nose gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch. The satellites can detect Rudolph's bright red nose with practically no problem. With so many years of experience, NORAD has become good at tracking aircraft entering North America, detecting worldwide missile launches and tracking the progress of Santa, thanks to Rudolph.

The third detection system we use is the Santa Cam. We began using it in 1998 - the year we put our Santa Tracking program on the Internet. NORAD Santa Cams are ultra-cool high-tech high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many places around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year - Christmas Eve. The cameras capture images of Santa and the Reindeer as they make their journey around the world. We immediately download the images on to our web site for people around the world to see. Santa Cams produce both video and still images.

The fourth detection system we use is the NORAD jet fighter. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots, flying the CF-18, take off out of Newfoundland to intercept and welcome Santa to North America. Then at numerous locations in Canada other CF-18 fighter pilots escort Santa. While in the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or F-16 get the thrill of flying with Santa and the famous Reindeer Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph. About a dozen NORAD fighters in Canada and the United States are equipped with Santa Cams.

This year NORAD will be going live with its webcast and instead of hourly updates they will be in real time.

There are people who say that Santa Claus could not travel the whole world in one night. But they forget that Santa is a magical being, and magical beings can defy the laws of physics.

The fact that Santa Claus is more than 16 centuries old, yet does not appear to age, is our biggest clue that he does not work within time as we know it. His Christmas Eve trip may seem to take around 24 hours, but to Santa it may last days, weeks or even months in standard time. Santa would not want to rush the important job of distributing presents to children and spreading Christmas happiness everyone, so the only logical conclusion is that Santa functions within a different time-space continuum than the rest of us do.

To watch out for Santa via NORAD go here

Remember to leave out your milk and cookies for Santa and a carrot or two for the reindeer.

A Salary For The First Lady?

The First Lady is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is sometimes taken to apply only to the wife of a sitting President. However, several women who were not Presidents' wives have served as First Lady, as when the President was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the President was unable to fulfill the duties of the First Lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative or friend of the President.

To date, no woman has served as President. While a female President could theoretically serve as her own official hostess, it is not known what title would be applied to a President's husband, who might also serve as the host of the White House. There have been many female governors of U.S. states over the years; their husbands are typically referred to as the First Gentleman.

Like any other spouse of an important man, the First Lady is an offshoot of her husband's role. She has been many things in history. A promoter of values, a confidant, another set of eyes and ears for the President, or even did nothing (Bess Truman was famous for this one). Her role is as large or as small as she wants it to be. She is considered the head of Washington society and an invitation to an event at the White House was the pinnacle of one's status in society.

The first lady is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the President. There is a strong tradition against the First Lady holding outside employment while occupying the office. The first lady frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work; over the course of the 20th century it became increasingly common for first ladies to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the first lady to hire a staff to support these activities. This role is not even mentioned once in the Constitution nor in any Federal law mandating this role.

This role has been an unpaid position until now.

Is CNN Pushing Kids to Ask For a Salary for First Lady Michelle?

CNN has a segment that they call "CNN Student News" that is supposed to highlight the news of the day for the kiddie set. Pursuant to that, in a December 15 segment, CNN floats a question asking if Michelle Obama (or any First Lady) should get a government salary just for being First Lady?

But, what we really ended up with is a slight to those same students to whom CNN was ostensibly relating the news. No where in the report was there any talk of the Constitution in particular nor the law in general as the CNN anchor cajoled the kids into viewing with awe the "work" of the First Lady and in fostering in them a feeling that First Ladies should be paid for this "work."

CNN did not stress that a First Lady has no official role and no elected mandate to spend the public's money on whatever cause she so chooses to expound upon -- though a brief quote from Laura Bush that a First Lady "is not an office holder" was included at the end of the segment.

Apparently voting federal officials into office so that they may legally spend money from the public treasury is a concept that CNN doesn't think kids need to know about.

Naturally we are treated to another claim of Michelle Obama being a "powerhouse in her own right" in emulation of Hillary's once smartest-woman-in-the-world style of hagiography. The kids are asked why we shouldn't pay the newest smartest woman in the world just for having said "I do" to her husband?

Full Story

Why is CNN pushing this now? Why not 8 years ago or even 20 years ago? Can this really be the idea of CNN or is this coming from Camp Obama? I suspect that the Obama administration is trying to push this idea on the American people in a hope that they can scam extra money from the American taxpayer into their coffers. After all she and hubby only make a combined income of $481,000 a year. Yet they can't afford piano lessons, sports lessons, dance class and summer camp for their daughters. So scamming the American people for a hundred thousand or more dollars would be ok for them. Or they can just cut down their expenses. Instead of a fancy and expensive private school, they can opt for the free public schools in the area (that would be putting money where their mouth is). Instead of the fancy music and dance lessons, they can send their girls to the YMCA. Many parents do. Or the Boys and Girls Club. A local church group would do nicely too. There are many ways that these 2 smart people can afford to give their children a good future. But making the US Taxpayer pay for it is not right. It is just a scam to gain extra money for doing nothing more than saying I Do and sleeping with a man. And that is just plain wrong!

Chanukah Gelt

Chanukah gelt (Yiddish for "money") is often distributed to children to enhance their enjoyment of the holiday. The amount is usually in small coins, although grandparents or other relatives may give larger sums as an official Chanukah gift. In Israel, Chanukah gelt is known as dmei Chanukah.

Twentieth-century American chocolatiers picked up on the gift/coin concept by creating chocolate gelt.

But some people get some really good gelt.

The Israel Antiquities Authority reported a thrilling find Sunday -- the discovery of 264 ancient gold coins in Jerusalem National Park.

The coins were minted during the early 7th century.

"This is one of the largest and most impressive coin hoards ever discovered in Jerusalem -- certainly the largest and most important of its period," said Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets, who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Researchers discovered the coins at the beginning of the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which started at sunset on Sunday.

One of the customs of the holiday is to give "gelt," or coins, to children, and the archaeologists are referring to the find as "Hanukkah money."

The 1,400-year-old coins were found in the Giv'ati car park in the City of David in the walls around Jerusalem National Park, a site that has yielded other finds, including a well-preserved gold earring with pearls and precious stones.

They were in a collapsed building that dates back to the 7th century, the end of the Byzantine period. The coins bear a likeness of Heraclius, who was the Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641.

Full Story

Some people give chocolate gelt, but for these archaeologists they are getting one of the best Chanukah gifts of all. What would have been a couple of small purses filled with gold coins.

The Case of Lt. Col. West and the Feminization of American Culture

9/11 and the Great Debate
An alternative paradigm

After the shock of 9/11 and three bitter and contentious presidential elections, we still find ourselves a nation divided, hopelessly divided between red states and blue states, conservatives vs. liberals, and patriots vs. multiculturalists. Fundamentally, the dispute centers on two vital questions: What was the national significance of 9/11, and what should be the nature of our response? At stake in these debates is nothing less than the future of our democratic society.

I contend that we have framed the debate in inappropriate terms. There can be no overarching liberal or conservative response to violent aggression. The only appropriate response must be one that is purposely tailored to the specific nature of the attack. In the hope of casting new light on this discussion, I propose an alternative paradigm: reframing the issues in masculine or feminine terms – that is, the masculinization or femininization of society.

History appears to support the view that during prolonged periods of peace (the absence of actual enemy attacks on native soil), societies tend to become more feminine.* This does not mean to suggest that societies in peacetime necessarily become soft or effeminate, rather, that they become more inward directed, more concerned with what might for the sake of argument be characterized as feminine issues—that is, social and domestic issues, principally concerned with personal rights and civil liberties, as opposed to more aggressive nationalistic pursuits such as military ventures or foreign affairs. As peace settles in those traditional masculine virtues—strength, courage, duty, loyalty, bravery, honor—which served the society so well in time of war, and may in fact have saved the very life of that society—are gradually shunted aside and devalued, eventually replaced by the gentler feminine virtues of patience, understanding, nurturing, tolerance, and love.

Over the years, I submit, the character of America has changed. Somehow we, the valiant, universally respected victors of World War II, have come to be perceived—at least by our enemies—as a weak, feminine, Godless nation, selfish, self-centered, worshipful of youth and pleasure, obsessed with all the classic vanities—wealth, health, weight, style, status, and safety. An unapologetically self-indulgent society, who eagerly spends $42 billion a year on cosmetic plastic surgery and anti-aging products.* A cowardly society, loathe to risk the slightest injury to its soft, well-pampered skin. Of course, this is a grossly distorted, overly-simplistic view which, at least as it applies to our courageous military is, thank God, just plain wrong. Indeed, it is arguable that this is merely the sour self-righteous Islamisist view of a successful Western capitalist democracy. However, there may be more than one element of truth in this unflattering portrait. We have indeed changed. And nowhere has this change been more perfectly exemplified than in our deeply conflicted reactions to the events of September 11, 2001.

Immediately following the attacks on New York City, the Peace Protestors were out in force, filing into Manhattan’s parks and squares with their obligatory candles and guitars.


Under this maudlin display of love and good will, it quickly became apparent that there were those among us whose sense of national pride had been so thoroughly compromised by insidious doubts and—mostly inaccurate—leftist propaganda that they actually began to wonder aloud if perhaps we didn’t deserve it.


How do we explain the startling contrast between these ambivalent reactions to the horrors of 9/11 and the almost immediate display of visceral anger in response to the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941; even though it could be argued that, though admittedly dishonorable and treacherous, the Japanese attacks were in fact a military attack against a military target, that actually resulted in less fatalities (2,403 compared to 2,986) than were incurred on 9/11—while virtually all of the 2,749 victims in New York City were innocent civilians. Where, one might ask, is our righteous anger? What has happened to that steely resolve which we so courageously sustained throughout those terrible war years? How did we lose our way? And how, after our final victory, did we fall from those bright heights of post-war optimism down into this dark abyss of doubt and disillusionment?

From The Secret of Sansom's Hair: Hollywood and the Demasculinization of America by Roger W. Gardner
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The Case of Lt. Col. West

Lt. Col. Allen B. West in undated family photo (Courtesy Angela West)

OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
Lt. Col. West fined $5,000
Avoids court martial for using shock tactics to save lives
By Art Moore
World Net Daily

An officer in Iraq who used shock interrogation tactics to thwart an impending attack on American soldiers was punished with forfeiture of two month's pay, according to his lawyer.
Previously faced with the possibility of a court martial, Lt. Col. Allen B. West accepted Article 15 non-judicial punishment from the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division at a hearing today in Tikrit, Iraq, said Neal A. Puckett, a retired Marine officer.

Puckett said the loss of pay amounts to $5,000.

"I'm pleased that it's over with," West told WorldNetDaily by telephone from San Antonio, Texas. "But I thought that taking $5,000 away from a guy who is about to retire was a little bit unnecessary.

"I didn't think that needed to be part of a sentence in order to send whatever message the commanding general thought he needed to send," he continued.

"Simply a letter of reprimand should have done it," Puckett insisted.

West will return to Ft. Hood, Texas, as soon as transportation can be arranged and will be assigned to the Rear Detachment of the 4th Infantry Division as he awaits the processing of his retirement request.

The punishment does not affect his eligibility for retirement and pension, Puckett said.

West's commanding officer, Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno, had authority to accept or reject the recommendation of administrative punishment from the officer who presided over West's preliminary hearing in Tikrit last month, Lt. Col. Jimmy Davis.

At his preliminary hearing, West acknowledged he allowed two soldiers to beat an Iraqi policeman who refused to reveal details of an ambush plot and fired his pistol near the man's head, threatening to kill him.

As WorldNetDaily reported, under threat of an attack, West took charge of the interrogation of an Iraqi policeman, Yahya Jhodri Hamoody, determined to flush out details as he warned subordinates "it could get ugly." Threatening to kill the Iraqi if he didn't talk, West fired a pistol near the policeman's head.

The scared policeman then immediately disclosed the information, leading to the arrest of two Iraqis last August and cessation of attacks on West's 4th Infantry Division battalion.

At the hearing last month, West was asked by his defense attorney if he would do it again.

"If it's about the lives of my men and their safety, I'd go through hell with a gasoline can," he said.

"But that's what's going on out there in the streets here, and that's how I feel about my boys," he told the hearing, held in one of Saddam Hussein's lavish palaces. "There is not a person in this room I would not sacrifice my life for."

But Army prosecutors believe his actions in the town of Saba al Boor, near Tikrit, violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He was charged with aggravated assault and faced a wide range of possible outcomes from no disciplinary action to a sentence of up to eight years in prison.

The prosecutors gave West a choice – face charges or resign within days of his 20 years of service, losing retirement benefits. West chose to face the charges and place his fate in the hands of Maj. Gen. Odierno.

Puckett said West can be contacted by e-mail and his wife has her own e-mail address.

Angela West has set up a legal fund for her husband with the following address: Allen West Defense Fund c/o Angela West, 6823 Coleman Drive, Ft. Hood, TX 76544.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
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Lt.Col. West and the Feminization of American Culture
By KG at Crusader Rabbit

"The 'West Affair' has implications for the survival of American civilization. It is just that important. Great empires of the past have similarly dissolved, disintegrated, and disappeared as a result of the same malady that holds America in its grasp -- the feminization of their culture. Why few in America realize this truth in its stark reality and its dark implications for the future -- most concern themselves with the minute details of the media's entertaining but trivial political 'issue of the day' -- tells us more about America than it does about the primary actors in the 'West Affair.' "
The whole thing makes fascinating--if depressing--reading. How are we going to turn this trend around? Is it too late?

חנוכה

Tonight begins the 8 day celebration known as Chanukah , חנוכה, the Festival of Lights. The word Chanukah means Dedication and refers to the re-dedication of the 2nd Temple after the desecration by the Greeks.

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the Menorah or Hanukiah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew: "guard" or "servant") is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others. The purpose of the extra light is to adhere to the prohibition, specified in the Talmud (Tracate Shabbat 21b–23a), against using the Hanukkah lights for anything other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. (The shamash is used to light the other lights.) As such, if one were to read from the lights – something prohibited – then it's not clear whether the light one's reading from was from the Hanukkah lights of the shamash light. So the shamash acts as a safeguard from accidental transgression.

Now you could be asking why is this holiday celebrated? This is the story.


Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an autonomous people in the Land of Israel, also referred to as Judea, which at that time was controlled by the Seleucid king of Syria. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and they were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade.

By 175 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. As was the normal practice of the Hellenic religion when sacrificing to the Greek gods, pigs were sacrificed on the altar to Zeus.

Needless to say, this angered many people. Especially Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah. They defied Antiochus and led a revolt against his rule. They rallied the Jewish people, took to the hills and led the rebellion against the Greeks. During these early days of revolution a leader among men appeared. Judah became known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). 166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader. The next year saw the success of the revolt with the elimination of Antiochus' rule of the land.

The Temple was liberated and rededicated. But during the rededication it was discovered that there was only enough sacred oil that was not defiled by the Greeks for the menorah in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night for one day for and it would take 8 days to make more. Rather than wait until there was enough oil, Judah ordered the menorah lit. And it stayed lit for the 8 days necessary to make and consecrate more oil.

Many say that this was the miracle of Chanukah, others disagree. The true miracle of Chanukah is not the oil that stayed lit for 8 days, but the determination and spirit of the men and women who would not give in to a tyrant and worship as he wanted them to. It is the fact that a small band of determined fighters, fighting for their homes and freedoms, won a great victory over an extremely larger military foe.

The story of Chanukah cannot be found in the Old Testament. It is found in the Talmud and the Book of Maccabees. And in the hearts of all who are determined to worship G-d as they want to no matter what any government tells them otherwise!

The prayer over the Chanukah candles

Blessed are You,
our G-d, Creator of time and Space,
who enriches our lives with Holiness,
commanding us to kindle the Chanukah lights.


Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik neir shel Chanukah.

Happy Chanukah!

Don't Let The Light Go Out!

View at YouTube


To all my readers and my blogging friends: