1. I tend to agree with the sceptics movement in their rigorous defence of science but I am somewhat ….can I say it…sceptical…..about their use of logical positivist arguments in tackling the question of God’s existence. In this sense my position is similar to the well known mathematics promoter and critical thinker Martin Gardiner.
2. Classical Liberalism in my opinion balances both the excesses of the left and the right very well, taking the strong points from each philosophy and rejecting the nonsense (which abounds on both sides). In short it champions valuable tradition and human freedom while making a strong argument for necessary government.
3. I was attracted to Libertarianism several years ago but ultimately rejected its narrow outlook and recourse to selfishness…like Marxism its emphasis on utopianism is dangerous. Nevertheless the contribution by Libertarian thinkers such as Friedman, Nozick, Van Mises and Hayek (who would reject the label) are critical to effective economic thinking. Ron Paul and the Cato crowd best exemplify the Libertarian tradition today but I find that their tendency to dismiss the flow of history at the expense of the wealth index problematic and not conducive to a thorough understanding of the human condition.
4. Victor Davis Hanson and George Jonas are two thinkers who characterize the Classical Liberal tradition. Both are ardent defenders of Western Civilization and have a deep understanding of the ongoing struggle against totalitarianism – whether it be socialist, Marxist, national socialist, fascist or Islamist. Others who encapsulate the Classical Liberal tradition are Charles Johnson and David Frum.
5. Classic Liberals are not to be confused with neo-conservatives. While leading neo-conservative thinkers: Leo Strauss and Scoop Jackson are off shoots of the Classic Liberal tradition they tend to be more interventionist with respect to foreign policy than are pure Classic Liberals.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Two more Movie Reviews
Inglourious Basterds
Despite all the hype about this being a great movie...it simply wasn't. The storyline was poor. Scenes were needlessly extended and contained too much nonsense dialogue and the script ran roughshod over history (the History of World War Two is rich enough for Tarantino not to have taken the degree of liberty that he did with the facts). Jewish soldiers were purposely shown acting like savages in a manner completely contradictory to Jewish ethics and if it weren't for the excellent performance of Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa, Inglourious Basterds would be starved for a saving grace. In addition, Brad Pitt's semi-southern accent was both annoying and overplayed. I have no idea what the fuss is with this movie but it falls short on many an account.
Rating: 5/10
District 9
This was not a masterpiece but it was a genuinely decent work of art. As an ex-South African I could appreciate many of the nuances of District 9 and thoroughly enjoyed the references that coloured the script. Neill Blomkamp, the director, made commendable use of the documentary format to narrate the story and the acting by Sharlto Copley as the reluctant hero Wikus van Der Merwe is praiseworthy. Clearly District 9 was written as a critique of Apartheid, which it successfully carried through with earnest. Overall D-9 is a definite 'must see' especially within the ambiance of the big screen theatre.
Rating: 8/10
Despite all the hype about this being a great movie...it simply wasn't. The storyline was poor. Scenes were needlessly extended and contained too much nonsense dialogue and the script ran roughshod over history (the History of World War Two is rich enough for Tarantino not to have taken the degree of liberty that he did with the facts). Jewish soldiers were purposely shown acting like savages in a manner completely contradictory to Jewish ethics and if it weren't for the excellent performance of Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa, Inglourious Basterds would be starved for a saving grace. In addition, Brad Pitt's semi-southern accent was both annoying and overplayed. I have no idea what the fuss is with this movie but it falls short on many an account.
Rating: 5/10
District 9
This was not a masterpiece but it was a genuinely decent work of art. As an ex-South African I could appreciate many of the nuances of District 9 and thoroughly enjoyed the references that coloured the script. Neill Blomkamp, the director, made commendable use of the documentary format to narrate the story and the acting by Sharlto Copley as the reluctant hero Wikus van Der Merwe is praiseworthy. Clearly District 9 was written as a critique of Apartheid, which it successfully carried through with earnest. Overall D-9 is a definite 'must see' especially within the ambiance of the big screen theatre.
Rating: 8/10
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
In the News LXI
Obama bites off more than he can chew.
Senior Citizens, Blue Dogs and the fact that the US is still a center right country will make this an extremely tough fight. I myself support a blended system (public and private) but sympathize with those who are mindful of the heavy hand of government.
Hamas lashes out against Islamist Opponents
This is one of these situations where you wish both sides would lose.
South African economy shrinks by 3% in Quarter
as if having an uber leftist such as Jacob Zuma was not bad enough..
Gordon Brown - 'dour' - according to fellow Scot
The assessment is a bit harsh but Brown is no leading light in the charisma department. It will cost him, together with the failed economic policies of Labour, when he faces up to David Cameron in the next general election.
Netanyahu has actually suspended settlement building
There must be a lot happening behind the scenes (in the negotiation department) that is being kept from the public eye. I just hope that Netanyahu is listening more to Avigdor Lieberman than Ehud Barak.
Canada: Ignatieff is still not as popular as Harper
Polls are often wrong but the fact that Iggy continues to stall in a weak economy is not good news for the Grits.
Senior Citizens, Blue Dogs and the fact that the US is still a center right country will make this an extremely tough fight. I myself support a blended system (public and private) but sympathize with those who are mindful of the heavy hand of government.
Hamas lashes out against Islamist Opponents
This is one of these situations where you wish both sides would lose.
South African economy shrinks by 3% in Quarter
as if having an uber leftist such as Jacob Zuma was not bad enough..
Gordon Brown - 'dour' - according to fellow Scot
The assessment is a bit harsh but Brown is no leading light in the charisma department. It will cost him, together with the failed economic policies of Labour, when he faces up to David Cameron in the next general election.
Netanyahu has actually suspended settlement building
There must be a lot happening behind the scenes (in the negotiation department) that is being kept from the public eye. I just hope that Netanyahu is listening more to Avigdor Lieberman than Ehud Barak.
Canada: Ignatieff is still not as popular as Harper
Polls are often wrong but the fact that Iggy continues to stall in a weak economy is not good news for the Grits.
Usain Bolt sets field on fire. Absolutely incredible.
9.58 seconds is the new 100m Mens World Record. I never thought I would see the time drop below 9.6 seconds in my life Now Bolt is talking about lowering the time to 9.4 seconds. There must be a limit although I suspect now that this could be closer to 9.1 seconds.
To see the race go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io8t2CHGNb4
To see the race go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io8t2CHGNb4
Monday, August 17, 2009
Eric Margolis - Another Useful Idiot
There are many second rate minds who occupy print space in the media but one who definitely would be in the running for any contest in this regards is Eric Margolis.
Margolis is the Toronto Sun's resident pseudo-intellectual (although he does write for a host of Middle Eastern publications as well as the Huff Po). He claims to be an Eisenhower Republican but his rhetoric is akin to anything that can be found in the sewers of Counterpunch or ZNet in that he has two targets consistently in focus: neoconservatives and the state of Israel. Margolis, the human pretzel, will twist a story around to fit his skewed view of the world, he refuses to condemn Hamas for what they are - a terrorist organization, comes up with all sorts of wingnut conspiracy theories to vilify Israel and claims that the US could have reliably appeased North Korea. If its worth getting wrong - Margolis is your man. What surprises me is that he still continues to hold a position with the Sun (not a great paper by any stretch of the imagination but one that is normally at odds with the just of Margolis' arguments).Could it be a consequence of the fact that he is a majority owner of Jamieson's Laboratories? I wonder.....Oops I sound like Margolis now...
Margolis is the Toronto Sun's resident pseudo-intellectual (although he does write for a host of Middle Eastern publications as well as the Huff Po). He claims to be an Eisenhower Republican but his rhetoric is akin to anything that can be found in the sewers of Counterpunch or ZNet in that he has two targets consistently in focus: neoconservatives and the state of Israel. Margolis, the human pretzel, will twist a story around to fit his skewed view of the world, he refuses to condemn Hamas for what they are - a terrorist organization, comes up with all sorts of wingnut conspiracy theories to vilify Israel and claims that the US could have reliably appeased North Korea. If its worth getting wrong - Margolis is your man. What surprises me is that he still continues to hold a position with the Sun (not a great paper by any stretch of the imagination but one that is normally at odds with the just of Margolis' arguments).Could it be a consequence of the fact that he is a majority owner of Jamieson's Laboratories? I wonder.....Oops I sound like Margolis now...
Monday, August 10, 2009
North Korean Genocide
Bill Clinton was hailed a a hero for 'playing nicely with the North Koreans' to win the release of the two journalists....I wonder if he ever read this.
by Fiona Terry, Ph.D.
Staring across the frozen Tumen River into North Korea, I wonder how long it will be before we know the extent of the horror inflicted on the North Korean people by the Kim dynasty. Not a trace of smoke rises from the chimneys of the ghost town on the opposite bank despite the -25° C temperature. The only movement visible is a border guard patrolling the river bank; it is eerily silent. Etched in the snow are footprints leading down one riverbank and up the other, the mute testimony of a man's attempt to escape hunger and cold by crossing into China. Like thousands of his compatriots, he prefers to risk capture by North Korean and Chinese authorities than to watch his family starve, even though capture means imprisonment for himself and his family in North Korea's gulag. The recent launch of the 'strike hard' campaign by Chinese authorities has drastically reduced his chances of avoiding arrest and expulsion, and increased the penalties imposed on those who might be able to offer him shelter and food. Why, I wonder, do we express revulsion when reading of Stalin's gulag in the 1930s-60s; Mao's secret famine in the 1960s; or the killing fields of Pol Pot in the 1970s, yet show indifference at the plight of North Koreans today. We regret that our predecessors did not listen to the pleas of those who escaped the gulag, famine and killing fields; we chastise them for not believing that such horror could occur. But who is listening to the North Korean refugees in China now, in 2001, and who is willing to ensure their protection?
North Korea, the last bastion of Stalinism on the planet, is in the grip of an economic crisis that has provoked famine in many parts of the country. Since the end of Soviet aid a decade ago, North Korea has faced a severe energy shortage and lack of hard currency that has ground industry and mechanised farming to a halt. Yet the regime maintains the budget for its 1.1 million-strong defence force and continues to develop missile technology and to sell missiles abroad. While grandiose monuments to the grotesque personality cult of the two Kims are floodlit throughout the night, apartment blocks in the showcase capital, Pyongyang, are without electricity, and rural areas have abandoned tractors and reverted to ploughing by hand or with livestock. Mercedes Benz of the ruling elite ply the streets of the capital, while ordinary citizens dig for roots and edible plants in the grass strips lining the five-lane boulevards. Factory workers have no work and receive no salary, but must still attend the daily political education sessions before going to the hills to gather 'alternative' foods. The public distribution system on which three-quarters of the population depend for food, only provides rations on important dates, like the birthdays of Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong-il, leaving people to fend for themselves. Extrapolations from testimonies of refugees in China collected by local organisations suggest that up to three and a half million people might have died from starvation and related illnesses between 1995-1998 alone. Reports of deaths continue to permeate the border, although with less frequency now: the refugees say that the weakest have already died - the elderly, the young, and the sick - leaving less mouths to feed from the meagre food available. Imagine the shock we will feel if we one day discover that there are not 23 million North Koreans as the government claims, but 15 million as some former government officials hiding in China suggest.
For the rest go to Medecins sans Frontieres
by Fiona Terry, Ph.D.
Staring across the frozen Tumen River into North Korea, I wonder how long it will be before we know the extent of the horror inflicted on the North Korean people by the Kim dynasty. Not a trace of smoke rises from the chimneys of the ghost town on the opposite bank despite the -25° C temperature. The only movement visible is a border guard patrolling the river bank; it is eerily silent. Etched in the snow are footprints leading down one riverbank and up the other, the mute testimony of a man's attempt to escape hunger and cold by crossing into China. Like thousands of his compatriots, he prefers to risk capture by North Korean and Chinese authorities than to watch his family starve, even though capture means imprisonment for himself and his family in North Korea's gulag. The recent launch of the 'strike hard' campaign by Chinese authorities has drastically reduced his chances of avoiding arrest and expulsion, and increased the penalties imposed on those who might be able to offer him shelter and food. Why, I wonder, do we express revulsion when reading of Stalin's gulag in the 1930s-60s; Mao's secret famine in the 1960s; or the killing fields of Pol Pot in the 1970s, yet show indifference at the plight of North Koreans today. We regret that our predecessors did not listen to the pleas of those who escaped the gulag, famine and killing fields; we chastise them for not believing that such horror could occur. But who is listening to the North Korean refugees in China now, in 2001, and who is willing to ensure their protection?
North Korea, the last bastion of Stalinism on the planet, is in the grip of an economic crisis that has provoked famine in many parts of the country. Since the end of Soviet aid a decade ago, North Korea has faced a severe energy shortage and lack of hard currency that has ground industry and mechanised farming to a halt. Yet the regime maintains the budget for its 1.1 million-strong defence force and continues to develop missile technology and to sell missiles abroad. While grandiose monuments to the grotesque personality cult of the two Kims are floodlit throughout the night, apartment blocks in the showcase capital, Pyongyang, are without electricity, and rural areas have abandoned tractors and reverted to ploughing by hand or with livestock. Mercedes Benz of the ruling elite ply the streets of the capital, while ordinary citizens dig for roots and edible plants in the grass strips lining the five-lane boulevards. Factory workers have no work and receive no salary, but must still attend the daily political education sessions before going to the hills to gather 'alternative' foods. The public distribution system on which three-quarters of the population depend for food, only provides rations on important dates, like the birthdays of Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong-il, leaving people to fend for themselves. Extrapolations from testimonies of refugees in China collected by local organisations suggest that up to three and a half million people might have died from starvation and related illnesses between 1995-1998 alone. Reports of deaths continue to permeate the border, although with less frequency now: the refugees say that the weakest have already died - the elderly, the young, and the sick - leaving less mouths to feed from the meagre food available. Imagine the shock we will feel if we one day discover that there are not 23 million North Koreans as the government claims, but 15 million as some former government officials hiding in China suggest.
For the rest go to Medecins sans Frontieres
Sunday, August 09, 2009
In the News LX
Obama and co. may soften sanctions on Sudan
The Obama administration seems to be doing its best in blurring the distinction between good and evil. Meanwhile here is some news on a National Fast concerning Darfur.
Five reasons why Obama will hike middle class taxes despite the rhetoric to the contrary.
Key Idea: He is a Keynesian at heart and so are his advisers.
Human Rights Watch slams Hamas.........I guess they finally saw through all the pro-Terror rhetoric.
A Chavez Thug may actually meet some justice.... Although I wouldn't hold my breath.
Gordon Brown insists Britain is still a Christian Country
But not for long....The Anglican Church is in severe decline, atheism is at an all-time high and the only religion that is gaining strength in the UK is Islam.
Wishful thinking from Hilary Clinton regarding Zimbabwe-South Africa
South Africa has enabled Mugabe's Zimbabwe and will likely (if post-colonial African history is a guide) follow the same policies towards self destruction in the future. However you have to at least appreciate Clintion's Pollyanna like effort....it has some value in its irony.
Canadian PM is not budging on Omar Khadr
I agree with Harper. Although Khadr should be tried in a US Court (not held indefinitely).
Michael Ignatieff has to tell us who he is..
The man changes position so often that I am not sure he knows himself.
Sotomayor confirmed
She replaces the liberal David Souter in the Court (so from that perspective it is awash) but for all those who champion the discriminatory policies of affirmative action this is a big win.
Obama aides sees signs of recovery but say it will be slow
Yes and at the end of it all future generations of Americans will have a huge mountain of debt to deal with.
The Obama administration seems to be doing its best in blurring the distinction between good and evil. Meanwhile here is some news on a National Fast concerning Darfur.
Five reasons why Obama will hike middle class taxes despite the rhetoric to the contrary.
Key Idea: He is a Keynesian at heart and so are his advisers.
Human Rights Watch slams Hamas.........I guess they finally saw through all the pro-Terror rhetoric.
A Chavez Thug may actually meet some justice.... Although I wouldn't hold my breath.
Gordon Brown insists Britain is still a Christian Country
But not for long....The Anglican Church is in severe decline, atheism is at an all-time high and the only religion that is gaining strength in the UK is Islam.
Wishful thinking from Hilary Clinton regarding Zimbabwe-South Africa
South Africa has enabled Mugabe's Zimbabwe and will likely (if post-colonial African history is a guide) follow the same policies towards self destruction in the future. However you have to at least appreciate Clintion's Pollyanna like effort....it has some value in its irony.
Canadian PM is not budging on Omar Khadr
I agree with Harper. Although Khadr should be tried in a US Court (not held indefinitely).
Michael Ignatieff has to tell us who he is..
The man changes position so often that I am not sure he knows himself.
Sotomayor confirmed
She replaces the liberal David Souter in the Court (so from that perspective it is awash) but for all those who champion the discriminatory policies of affirmative action this is a big win.
Obama aides sees signs of recovery but say it will be slow
Yes and at the end of it all future generations of Americans will have a huge mountain of debt to deal with.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Ratings of recently seen movies
Bruno- A far cry from Borat. This movie falls far short of the mark despite several funny scenes (the talk show, Hamas-Hummus jibe). Rating: 5/10
Hangover - A pleasant surprise. Hilarious and well directed. Although the movie took some licence with a slightly disjointed plot it delivered as expected in the humour department. Rating: 8/10
Transformers II - long, tedious and disappointing. Failed to reach the heights of the original and if it wasn't for the special effects I would classify this as a complete dud. Rating: 4/10.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Except for the Hogwarts shtick..I couldn't care less about ole' Harry 'Pothead' anymore. The series has run its course and this, the latest installment was indicative of the fact. Rating: 5/10
Hangover - A pleasant surprise. Hilarious and well directed. Although the movie took some licence with a slightly disjointed plot it delivered as expected in the humour department. Rating: 8/10
Transformers II - long, tedious and disappointing. Failed to reach the heights of the original and if it wasn't for the special effects I would classify this as a complete dud. Rating: 4/10.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Except for the Hogwarts shtick..I couldn't care less about ole' Harry 'Pothead' anymore. The series has run its course and this, the latest installment was indicative of the fact. Rating: 5/10
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Scramjets...All the Rage
Picture Courtesy of N ASANew Scientist sees them flying around the world in four hours......
For more on this marvel of aeronautics (planes can reach speeds of 10 Mach) go to NASA mission
On the Iraq Pullout...Not so fast
RAMADI, Iraq - The top U.S. general in Iraq said Tuesday that he disagrees with a colonel's memo urging an early troop withdrawal even though the security situation is better than expected since American forces turned over security in urban centers to the Iraqis more than a month ago.
Gen. Ray Odierno, the first senior American official to comment on the memo, told The Associated Press the Americans need to stay the course in Iraq.
The Iraqi security forces face corruption and other problems but "overall it's gone very, very well," he said. But, he added, the Americans are still needed to protect security gains.
For the full story go to MSN
Gen. Ray Odierno, the first senior American official to comment on the memo, told The Associated Press the Americans need to stay the course in Iraq.
The Iraqi security forces face corruption and other problems but "overall it's gone very, very well," he said. But, he added, the Americans are still needed to protect security gains.
For the full story go to MSN
I have moved house
For the fourth time in seven years I have moved location. However I do not plan to move again for a very long time...this is it. Too much impermeance is bad for the soul.....
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
From the World of Science
Is Pluto a Planet again?
I always believed that it was unfairly demoted now it appears that the case for reinstatement is gaining momentum..Mark Sykes an astronomer at the Planetary Institute in Tuscon puts forth this argument
if an object is big enough for its own gravity to squeeze it into a rounded shape, then call it a planet. That would make a planet of Pluto again, as well as Ceres and a growing number of other bodies
For more go to Pluto
Comets not Asteroids to blame for Moons Scarred face
It all happened 3.85 billion years ago...The clincher would be the discovery of ice.
Source Comets
Food Dye may ease Spinal Injury Severity
Its all about halting the rush of molecular changes that occur after an injury. Apparently the food dye Brilliant Blue G can help. Science never fails to surprise.
Source Food Dye
Low Level Cloud Cover and Global Warming
This further complicates the Rube Goldberg mechanism of feedback cycles that already influence climate change.
Source Cloud Cover
I always believed that it was unfairly demoted now it appears that the case for reinstatement is gaining momentum..Mark Sykes an astronomer at the Planetary Institute in Tuscon puts forth this argument
if an object is big enough for its own gravity to squeeze it into a rounded shape, then call it a planet. That would make a planet of Pluto again, as well as Ceres and a growing number of other bodies
For more go to Pluto
Comets not Asteroids to blame for Moons Scarred face
It all happened 3.85 billion years ago...The clincher would be the discovery of ice.
Source Comets
Food Dye may ease Spinal Injury Severity
Its all about halting the rush of molecular changes that occur after an injury. Apparently the food dye Brilliant Blue G can help. Science never fails to surprise.
Source Food Dye
Low Level Cloud Cover and Global Warming
This further complicates the Rube Goldberg mechanism of feedback cycles that already influence climate change.
Source Cloud Cover
Dersh gets it right again
Hamas 'New' Culture Wars
by Alan Dershowitz
Hamas, the terrorist organization that specializes in targeting civilians, has now decided, according to a New York Times headline, to shift “from rockets to culture war” in an effort to garner public support for its cause. Part of its ongoing public relations campaign is to portray the Israelis as the “new Nazis” and the Palestinians as the “new Jews.” In order to bring about this transformation, it must engage in a form of Holocaust denial that erases the historical record of widespread Palestinian complicity with the “old Nazis” in perpetrating the real Holocaust. It has become an important part of the mantra of Hamas supporters that neither the Palestinians people nor its leadership played any role in the Holocaust. Listen to Mohammad Ahmadinejad talking to students at Columbia University:
If [the Holocaust] is a reality, we need to still question whether the Palestinian people should be paying for it or not. After all, it happened in Europe. The Palestinian people had no role to play in it. So why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price of an event they had nothing to do with?...The Palestinian people didn’t commit any crime. They had no role to play in World War II. They were living with the Jewish communities and the Christian communities in peace at the time.
by Alan Dershowitz
Hamas, the terrorist organization that specializes in targeting civilians, has now decided, according to a New York Times headline, to shift “from rockets to culture war” in an effort to garner public support for its cause. Part of its ongoing public relations campaign is to portray the Israelis as the “new Nazis” and the Palestinians as the “new Jews.” In order to bring about this transformation, it must engage in a form of Holocaust denial that erases the historical record of widespread Palestinian complicity with the “old Nazis” in perpetrating the real Holocaust. It has become an important part of the mantra of Hamas supporters that neither the Palestinians people nor its leadership played any role in the Holocaust. Listen to Mohammad Ahmadinejad talking to students at Columbia University:
If [the Holocaust] is a reality, we need to still question whether the Palestinian people should be paying for it or not. After all, it happened in Europe. The Palestinian people had no role to play in it. So why is it that the Palestinian people are paying the price of an event they had nothing to do with?...The Palestinian people didn’t commit any crime. They had no role to play in World War II. They were living with the Jewish communities and the Christian communities in peace at the time.
The conclusion that is supposed to follow from this “fact” is that the establishment of Israel in the wake of the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people was unfair to the Palestinians. Central to this claim is that neither the Palestinian people nor their leadership bore any responsibility for the Holocaust, and if any reparations are owed the Jewish people, it is from Germany and not from the Palestinians. The propounders of this historical argument suggest that the West created the Jewish state out of guilt over the Holocaust. It might have been understandable if a portion of Germany (or Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Austria, or other collaborator nations) had been allocated for a Jewish homeland—but why Palestine? Palestine, according to this claim, was as much a “victim” as were the Jews.
The truth is that the Palestinian leadership, supported by the Palestinian masses, played a significant role in Hitler’s Holocaust.
The official leader of the Palestinians, Haj Amin al-Husseini, spent the war years in Berlin with Hitler, serving as a consultant on the Jewish question. He was taken on a tour of Auschwitz and expressed support for the mass murder of European Jews. He also sought to “solve the problems of the Jewish element in Palestine and other Arab countries” by employing “the same method” being used “in the Axis countries.” He would not be satisfied with the Jewish residents of Palestine—many of whom were descendants of Sephardic Jews who had lived there for hundreds, even thousands, of years—remaining as a minority in a Muslim state. Like Hitler, he wanted to be rid of “every last Jew.” As Husseini wrote in his memoirs, “Our fundamental condition for cooperating with Germany was a free hand to eradicate every last Jew from Palestine and the Arab world. I asked Hitler for an explicit undertaking to allow us to solve the Jewish problem in a manner befitting our national and racial aspirations and according to the scientific methods innovated by Germany in the handling of its Jews. The answer I got was: ‘The Jews are yours.’
For the rest go to the Source
Friday, July 24, 2009
In the News LIX
Joe Biden denounces Russian Invasion of Georgia
Georgia is an ally of the West it is important that we not let them down
(as the West did with the Czechs prior to WWII).
George Bush and Tony Blair in Africa
Success in Africa - You won't read much about this story line in the MSM but it is definitely newsworthy. Juxtapose this against the failure of the Clintonistas in the region.
Honour Killings on the rise in Canada
This phenomenon is growing in my home country under the cover of the twisted phrase of 'Reasonable Accomodation'. For more go to Jawa Report
Obama Approval rating at new low
Only 43% approve of his handling of healthcare for example. Has the Glean come off the Messiah? Meanwhile the Obama (not knowing all the facts) has unwisely chosen to stir the racial pot on the Henry Louis Gates issue. Larry Elder had this to say about the issue.
For more on the Obama stimulus package read: Rasmussen. 31% say the stimulus packages hurt the economy.
Rioting in South Africa
Georgia is an ally of the West it is important that we not let them down
(as the West did with the Czechs prior to WWII).
George Bush and Tony Blair in Africa
Success in Africa - You won't read much about this story line in the MSM but it is definitely newsworthy. Juxtapose this against the failure of the Clintonistas in the region.
Honour Killings on the rise in Canada
This phenomenon is growing in my home country under the cover of the twisted phrase of 'Reasonable Accomodation'. For more go to Jawa Report
Obama Approval rating at new low
Only 43% approve of his handling of healthcare for example. Has the Glean come off the Messiah? Meanwhile the Obama (not knowing all the facts) has unwisely chosen to stir the racial pot on the Henry Louis Gates issue. Larry Elder had this to say about the issue.
For more on the Obama stimulus package read: Rasmussen. 31% say the stimulus packages hurt the economy.
Rioting in South Africa
It is interesting to see how Zuma responds to this. I hope for the sake of the country that he does not take a leaf out of the playbook of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
Crackdowns in Iran Continue
Something has to give. I still believe that Obama and co. missed the boat in driving this situation into a more favourale direction. The democracy moving was left hanging by the nation that is supposed to be the champion of liberal democracy.... What a shame.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Obama Track Record
by Dick McDonald
1. He promised to save 3 or 4 million jobs – we have lost 3.5 million jobs since January
2. He promised to hold unemployment to 8% - it is at 9.5% and skyrocketing
3. The Government’s tax receipts from corporations are down 55%
4. The Government’s tax receipts from individuals are down 27%
5. Obama passed a stimulus bill that has no chance of stimulating the economy.
6. Announced plan to tax job creators and kill old people to pay for a universal health plan no one wants
7. The deficit hit a record $1 trillion on July 14, 2009 on its way to a record $2 trillion by year end
8. The number of under-employed is at 20% and rising
9. Business is reeling from being told they will bear more of the tax burden and have reduced staff
10. Cap and Trade will add billions to the cost of all products sold in America – it will hurt the poor
11. New emission standards will add billions to transportation cost for everything
12. He has incurred more debt in 5 months than all the presidents before him (combined)
13. He has favored wealth re-distribution over job creation and economic growth
14. He bowed to a Saudi King and runs down America wherever he goes
15. He has taken sides favoring Islamic Palestinians over the Israelis1
16. He funds a Gestapo-like mob of ACORN brown shirts intimidating everyone
17. He voted against strict constructionists for SCOTUS
18. He is anti-gun and for post-birth abortions
19. He attended a black separatist church for twenty years and never heard the sermon
20. He has taken over General Motors and bankrupted little old ladies that invested in their bonds
21. He gave an equity interest in General Motors to an unsecured UAW debtor as a political payoff
22. He doesn’t hold his hand over his heart for the pledge of allegiance
23. His only solutions are to tax the rich directly or the poor indirectly
24 Gives Miranda Rights to the enemy on the battlefield
25. Wants to stop the CIA from killing enemy leaders during a war
26. Hires 30 Czars to run the country without vetting by Congress
27. He is an anti-capitalist that favors a socialist big government
28. He is against increasing domestic oil drilling in ANWR and offshore
29. He is against building nuclear plants
30. His ethanol addiction has caused corn shortages that precipitated starvation in the Third World
1. He promised to save 3 or 4 million jobs – we have lost 3.5 million jobs since January
2. He promised to hold unemployment to 8% - it is at 9.5% and skyrocketing
3. The Government’s tax receipts from corporations are down 55%
4. The Government’s tax receipts from individuals are down 27%
5. Obama passed a stimulus bill that has no chance of stimulating the economy.
6. Announced plan to tax job creators and kill old people to pay for a universal health plan no one wants
7. The deficit hit a record $1 trillion on July 14, 2009 on its way to a record $2 trillion by year end
8. The number of under-employed is at 20% and rising
9. Business is reeling from being told they will bear more of the tax burden and have reduced staff
10. Cap and Trade will add billions to the cost of all products sold in America – it will hurt the poor
11. New emission standards will add billions to transportation cost for everything
12. He has incurred more debt in 5 months than all the presidents before him (combined)
13. He has favored wealth re-distribution over job creation and economic growth
14. He bowed to a Saudi King and runs down America wherever he goes
15. He has taken sides favoring Islamic Palestinians over the Israelis1
16. He funds a Gestapo-like mob of ACORN brown shirts intimidating everyone
17. He voted against strict constructionists for SCOTUS
18. He is anti-gun and for post-birth abortions
19. He attended a black separatist church for twenty years and never heard the sermon
20. He has taken over General Motors and bankrupted little old ladies that invested in their bonds
21. He gave an equity interest in General Motors to an unsecured UAW debtor as a political payoff
22. He doesn’t hold his hand over his heart for the pledge of allegiance
23. His only solutions are to tax the rich directly or the poor indirectly
24 Gives Miranda Rights to the enemy on the battlefield
25. Wants to stop the CIA from killing enemy leaders during a war
26. Hires 30 Czars to run the country without vetting by Congress
27. He is an anti-capitalist that favors a socialist big government
28. He is against increasing domestic oil drilling in ANWR and offshore
29. He is against building nuclear plants
30. His ethanol addiction has caused corn shortages that precipitated starvation in the Third World
Wise words from Bibi
"Jerusalem is the "unified capital of Israel and the capital of the Jewish people, and sovereignty over it is indisputable. We cannot accept the notion that Jews will not have the right to buy apartments specifically in Jerusalem. I can only imagine what would happen if they were forbidden from purchasing apartments in New York or London; there would be an international outcry. This has always been Israel's policy and this is the policy of the current government."
Reading Time well spent
Gavin's Big Five
Five Areas that tend to consume about 90% of my reading time as of late.
1. Physics: Both Classic and Modern
2. Modern History - Philosophy of History
3. Jewish Philosophy
4. Political Commentary
5. Climate Change Science
Five Areas that tend to consume about 90% of my reading time as of late.
1. Physics: Both Classic and Modern
2. Modern History - Philosophy of History
3. Jewish Philosophy
4. Political Commentary
5. Climate Change Science
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Roger Federer - Tennis Genius
Roger Federer now has his fifteenth Grand Slam title which makes him the most succesful Grand Slam Tennis Player of All-Time.
He has gone ahead of the following illustrious ensemble and is my pick for the Greatest Player of all-Time. Kudos to the Swiss super talent.
(Player and Number of Slams won)
Sampras - 14
Emerson - 12 (took advantage of the Laver absentee years)
Laver - 11 (could have won twenty + if Professionals weren't barred for several years)
Borg -11
Tilden - 10
Rosewell - 8
Agassi -8
Connors -8
McEnroe -7 (My personal favourite)
Newcombe - 7
Wilander - 7
He has gone ahead of the following illustrious ensemble and is my pick for the Greatest Player of all-Time. Kudos to the Swiss super talent.
(Player and Number of Slams won)
Sampras - 14
Emerson - 12 (took advantage of the Laver absentee years)
Laver - 11 (could have won twenty + if Professionals weren't barred for several years)
Borg -11
Tilden - 10
Rosewell - 8
Agassi -8
Connors -8
McEnroe -7 (My personal favourite)
Newcombe - 7
Wilander - 7
Mussar Movement
I have been reading about the Mussar Movement lately and find it to be a very refreshing and forward thinking philosophy. The ideal encapsulates the vision of Judaism that appeals to me most. I have been disappointed before in my search for spiritual betterment so I still have some reservations but right now I am impressed with what I have read.
For more go to: http://www.mussarinstitute.org/
or
http://www.salantfoundation.org/
For more go to: http://www.mussarinstitute.org/
or
http://www.salantfoundation.org/
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa
The British and Irish Lions have been battling it out in my country of birth. The Springboks lead the Rugby Union Series 2-0 and could sweep their opponents with a win this coming weekend. However all games have been exciting - much as the famed 1980 series (which I remember from my childhood - South Africa triumphed 3-1) was. For more on the tour go to
http://www.lionsrugby.com/supportersclub/Benefits.php
http://www.lionsrugby.com/supportersclub/Benefits.php
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