Blog Heap of Links for the day 23 May 2011

the president took an incident where the cause was unclear and blamed Israel for it. And of course the tragic deaths of these girls took place because the United States did nothing to help prevent Hamas from taking over the Gaza Strip and then Hamas broke a ceasefire and attacked Israel. Since then, the Obama Administration has pressured Israel to reduce sanctions on Hamas to an absolute minimum and provided $400 million to pay salaries in the Gaza Strip, which benefits Hamas's rule. In addition, since the Palestinian Authority has just announced it will pay money to those who are prisoners of Israel, U.S. taxpayer money will now go to reward those who have committed terrorist attacks.

"We don't have a lot of margin for error," Netanyahu said to the president. "Because, Mr. President, history will not give the Jewish people another chance." Netanyahu, whose father is a retired academic, offered the president repeated history lessons, saying Jews have "been around for almost 4,000 years. We have experienced struggle and suffering like no other people. We've gone through expulsions and pogroms and massacres and the murder of millions. But I can say that even at the dearth of -- even at the nadir of the valley of death, we never lost hope and we never lost our dream of reestablishing a sovereign state in our ancient homeland, the land of Israel."

One of these young men grew up to be a great world leader, presenting the face of Western Civilization to its barbaric enemies. The other never did grow up...

One of the contentions of those opposing the effective nationalization of our healthcare system has been that the quality of care will necessarily decline as the government finds itself forced to introduce rationing to control costs. ObamaCare's supporters reply with the only rejoinder they've got: "nuh-uh."

Authorities detained a Saudi woman on Saturday after she launched a campaign against the driving ban for women in the ultraconservative kingdom and posted a video of herself behind the wheel on Facebook and YouTube to encourage others to copy her.

the root of the problem is cultural and religious, a Jew-hatred rooted in the core of Islam and supplemented with Nazi influences that pervade Islamic society from from the street to the elites and is fed and reinforced in the mosques, in the media, and by Arab governments every day. How can you expect to make peace when so many believe it is a divine command to make war on you, and that you are nothing but "Human pieces of filth?"

A law published in the official Palestinian Authority Registry last month grants all Palestinians and Israeli Arabs imprisoned in Israel for terror crimes a monthly salary from the PA.

US intelligence agents have staked out suspected "terrorists" in Sweden, without the authorisation of the government there, the online edition of a Swedish daily reported Sunday.

"It's vicious," said a Pakistani official briefed on the interrogation of the widows. "The older wives think the younger one tipped off the Americans or was tracked when she came to join him."

The DC Universe has gone through so many needlessly confusing transformations a roadmap to the place would give M.C. Escher vertigo.

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - Emergency crews from Washington County are on their way to help provide relief in Joplin, Mo., where a tornado hit and reportedly caused multiple deaths.

Love for a goofy comedy is one of many paradoxes about Malick, the film world's version of J.D. Salinger. The director dislikes being photographed, avoids public appearances - he skipped the premiere of his highly anticipated, long-delayed "Tree" last week here at the Cannes Film Festival - and turns down all interview requests (including this one), creating an impression of a cranky, precious artist.

we borrowed and spent nearly one trillion dollars (that's $1,000,000,000,000) on the assurance of President Obama and the (Social) Democrats that doing so would stimulate the economy, create new jobs, and restore prosperity. Instead, we bought a bunch of pork-barrel projects and waste that only made unemployment worse. We'd have been better off if Obama and Congress had done nothing. That monument to incompetence alone should cost them the 2012 election. You've been handed a club, Republicans: use it.

Sharon Watson, spokesman for the Kansas National Guard, said state emergency officials determined that 200 houses sustained damage, minor to major, in Reading and the area around the town. She said 20 homes were destroyed, all in the city, which is about 20 miles northeast of Emporia. Some injuries were reported, but Watson said no one was believed to be seriously hurt but added that officials were still in the early stages of assessing.

John, the Revelator, certainly didn't diminish our 'fear of God.' His revelations, along with others revered as 'holy men of God' has fueled the fires of fear and suspicion. According to the Urantia Papers, those events are grossly distorted and are exaggerated narratives—advocating there just is no such a 'wrathful and angry God' who, out of anger, destroys his children, but a kind and loving Father who never-endingly seeks to bring peace and harmony among his children

Here's why we support her: on the role of government, she says, "Less is more"; on the debt and deficit, she says, "Reign in spending"; on foreign relations, she says, "Stand with Israel"; on national security, she says, "Secure our borders"; on Obamacare, she says, "Repeal and replace"; on terrorism, she says, "We win, and they lose"; on the economy, she says, "Lower taxes"; on our military, she says, "If you love your freedom, thank a vet"; on American exceptionalism, she says, "That's nothing to apologize for"; on education, she says, "Allow school choice"; on abortion, she says, "Choose life"; and on energy, she says, "Drill, baby, drill." Unlike those determined to discount her, often without any factual reasons, we have done our research. We have evaluated her record, we have read her writings, and we have paid attention to her interviews. In so doing, we recognize that on the issues, she receives an A+. We see that she espouses the common sense principles that Americans are crying out for now. Add to that the "down-home sense" that is admittedly Governor Palin, and we know we have the full package.

Here is what Ross said on why we support Gov. Palin: -On the role of government, she says, "Less is more" -On the debt and deficit, she says, "Reign in spending" -On foreign relations, she says, "Stand with Israel" -On national security, she says, "Secure our borders" -On Obamacare, she says, "Repeal and replace" -On terrorism, she says, "We win, and they lose" -On the economy, she says, "Lower taxes" -On our military, she says, "If you love your freedom, thank a vet" -On American exceptionalism, she says, "That's nothing to apologize for" -On education, she says, "Allow school choice" -On abortion, she says, "Choose life" -And on energy, she says, "Drill, baby, drill."

Pictures really are worth thousands of words

Palin may have purchased a house in Scotsdale, Arizona.

Cain, 65, who lives in suburban Atlanta, made his announcement at Atlanta's Centennial Park, urging Americans frustrated by the country's direction to read the Constitution. "Keep reading," he said. "Don't stop at life, liberty and pursuit of happiness." [Uh, Herman? That's the Declaration, not the Constitution.]

After months of stewing and despite widespread encouragement from many within his party, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels sent out an e-mail to supporters early Sunday saying he had decided against jumping into the 2012 presidential race.

I was informed that Mr. Trump had been threatened in such a way that his business was endangered. I don't have the details of this threat, but it was apparently enough to cause Donald Trump to send out his statement to not run within hours of receiving the threat. He does not strike me as a man who scares easily, so whatever that threat was, it must have been substantive enough to do just that.

Maybe. On Fox News Sunday this morning, however, Cain imitated Sarah Palin's blank stare when Chris Wallace asked him about the right of return. "The right of return?" he said. After Wallace explained the Palestinian demand to return to the homes they were "thrown out of" [sic!] in 1948, Cain said that would be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinians. "I don't think Israel has any problem with Palestinians' returning," he said. Even though Cain had told Wallace just a few moments before that he would offer the Palestinians "nothing," because he is not convinced they are committed to peace and democracy, his cluelessness on the right of return suggests that Cain is more blowhard than gadfly.

Agents also found radio chargers and car batteries used to power communications gear. They told NBC producer-photographer Al Henkel and me that Mexican surveillance teams will work in these mountains for 30 to 60 days at a time. "They locate themselves up on these ridgelines, up in caves, hidey holes, 'spider holes' we call them," said DEA agent Todd Scott. He and the agents wondered if this particular "spider hole" was home to the two men just seen running away.

Drafted by my office, Kansas's Secure and Fair Elections Act combined three elements: (1) a requirement that voters present photo IDs when they vote in person; (2) a requirement that absentee voters present a full driver's license number and have their signatures verified; and (3) a proof of citizenship requirement for all newly registered voters. Although a few states, including Georgia, Indiana and Arizona, have enacted one or two of these reforms, Kansas is the only state to enact all three. Other states are moving in the same direction. The Texas legislature sent a photo-ID bill to Gov. Rick Perry's desk last Monday. And next year Missouri voters will get a chance to vote on a photo-ID requirement. Immediately after the Kansas law was signed in April, critics cried foul. They argued that voter fraud isn't significant enough to warrant such steps, that large numbers of Americans don't possess photo IDs, and that such laws will depress turnout among the poor and among minorities. They are wrong on all three counts.