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Audrey's Blog for December 2008

December 30, 2008

"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?"

                 --from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

Everyone has either seen or heard of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood (1962-2001)...Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was typified by its calm simplicity and gentleness. Each episode, Fred Rogers enters his television studio house, singing "Won't You Be My Neighbor?". He would then hang his coat in a closet, put on a zippered cardigan sweater, and removed his dress shoes to put on sneakers. Then he graciously conversed with the audience about his neighbors and the hood (want to be hip here).

Not exactly the scene we think about when we imagine Israel's test-drive neighbors: The 'palestinians'.

Gaza can be viewed as a microcosm of a full-fledged  'Palestinian' State. Here's a joke...

Q: What's the quickest way to tell Israelis from 'Palestinians'?
A: Israelis turn deserts into gardens, 'Palestinians' turn gardens into deserts.

Since the 'palestinians' took over Gaza in 2005, they turned a nurtured paradise into a barren wasteland...and they did it in mere hours of taking possession of the land.

From the Guardian (Sept. 2005):

American Jewish donors had bought more than 3,000 greenhouses from Israeli settlers in Gaza for $14 million last month and transferred them to the Palestinian Authority. Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who brokered the deal, put up $500,000 of his own cash.
Palestinian police stood by helplessly Tuesday as looters carted off materials from greenhouses in several settlements, and commanders complained they did not have enough manpower to protect the prized assets. In some instances, there was no security and in others, police even joined the looters, witnesses said.

From the Hindustan Times (Sept. 2005):

Thousands of celebrating Palestinians thronged through Neve Dekalim on early Monday just after Israeli soldiers withdrew, setting fire to a building that just last month served as a rabbinical college for Jewish settlers.

There were similar scenes throughout Gaza as Palestinians headed straight for empty synagogues Israel had decided to leave intact. The fires caused little structural damage in the fortress-like concrete and stone structures, but Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said the buildings would be destroyed.

From the New York Daily News (Sept. 22, 2005):

A week after they descended like locusts on the greenhouses that Jewish settlers nurtured in Gaza, looters continue to pillage what
should be a prize asset for a fledgling Palestinian state.

As a foretaste, prior to the Gaza take-over, 'palestinians' desecrated Jewish burial sites (individual graves are considered sacred in Jewish law). And that's not the only way these would-be neighbors have shown their 'love' to the Israelis...

Since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in the summer of 2005, 'Palestinian' terrorists have fired more than 4,000 rockets and mortars into innocent Israeli neighborhoods...targeting civilians. In the first 5 months of 2008 alone, Hamas et al have fired more than 800 rockets and mortars at the Jewish state, forcing Israel to take augmented actions to defend itself, as seen in the recent (and continuing) assault on Hamas targets in Gaza by the IAF.

I'll bet you're wondering if the 'palestinians' are hospitable? Well wonder no more...they have also sent over their form of a 'welcome wagon': The suicide bomber. Numerous times, the Gaza Crossing has had to be closed due to myriad suicide bombers, including women...attempting to cross over into Israel and rip terror into the hearts of innocent Israelis.

This surely is not the kind of neighbors Mr. Rogers, or his audience, could have ever imagined. Instead of calm simplicity, we have interminable rocket attacks. And instead of extending gentleness, we have hand-delivered exploding gifts.

Hamas was voted in by the 'palestinian' people, as the majority party. Hamas has been the leader in unprovoked civilian attacks. With the current IAF air raids on Hamas, Israel is now speaking Hamas' love language. If the 'palestinian' people finally get the message...they may very well see 'a beautiful day in the neighborhood'...but if they don't...they can kiss their rubble good-bye.

Shalom.

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 22, 2008

I've got a question for the citizenry: Where the heck was the Secret Service during the shoe-throwing incident on December 14th?

Now, I will attempt to control my anger...and correct me if I'm wrong, but...don't we pay these clowns to protect the President from such incidents? From the video, we see the man taking his shoes off (it wasn't a Mosque, so that should have been the first red flag), then reach down to grab and hurl the first shoe (red flag number 2)...and then reach down again (red flag number 3) to grab and hurl the second shoe. And then, apparently back from a latte break, the Secret Service descends on the miscreant.

Something you may not know: The Secret Service was created on July 5, 1865 in Washington, D.C., to inhibit counterfeit currency. (Perhaps if the journalist was throwing bogus bucks, they would have pounced on him.)

This is a slap in the face to the Navy Seals who trained these Keystone Cops. They were taught that if someone just about scowls in the President's direction, to detain them for questioning. And this Iraqi pitcher was allowed to throw 2 Straight Curveballs at our nation's leader? What if the shoes contained explosives? Or were laced with razor blades? Were these high- level sentries unable to think that far ahead? 

I have to say...this is of serious concern to me. I want heads to roll. 

In 1902, the Secret Service took full-time responsibility for protection of the President. I think they have failed their job description.

Never in my life have I ever seen such dereliction of duty. And it should not go unpunished. If the Secret Service were part of the military, there would be a courts-martial in session post haste....and rightfully so.

It's true that it's almost impossible for those in government jobs to be fired. But this kind of negligence must be addressed.

The leader of the free world deserves protection...if not only for him, then for the sake of free people everywhere. 

End of rant...

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 18, 2008

This week, the president-elect announced his choice for Secretary of Education: Arne Duncan.

For those of us unfamiliar with this man, here's a bit about his record as CEO of Chicago Public Schools:

• According to the 2007 U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, Chicago public schools performed below the national average.

• Only 17% of eighth graders were at grade level reading.

• Chicago spent $10,555 per pupil in 2007, with only a rise of 1% in grade lever reading from 2002-2007.

So this is a stellar performance worthy of a cabinet appointment? Obama wouldn't put a man with a failed record into this position, would he? Or would he...?

To better comprehend the current grave situation our nation is in, let's look at NY as an example of literacy rates. According to the 2002 NYS Education Department report:

• 90 percent of middle schools failed to meet New York State minimum standards for math and English exam scores.
• 65 percent of elementary schools flunked the minimum standards.
• 84 percent of high schools failed to meet the minimum state standards.
• The results for eighth grade students were even worse. Here, 75 percent of black and Hispanic students flunked the English tests. About 50 percent of white and Asian-American eighth graders failed the tests. 

So, do we want more of this? Is this the result we're striving for? Well, with Mr. Duncan's bleak record on literacy rates, we will surely have more of this.

More stats for you to ponder (source: Right To Read Foundation):

• 42 million American adults can't read at all; 50 million are unable to read at a higher level that is expected of a fourth or fifth grader.
• The number of adults that are classified as functionally illiterate increases by about 2.25 million each year.
• 20 percent of high school seniors can be classified as being functionally illiterate at the time they graduate.

In order to compete in the marketplace, literacy is a must (well duh)...and our country is waning in this area. Capitalism demands knowledge, and knowledge, coupled with constancy, leads to prosperity. 

The choice of Duncan is puzzling in light of the empirical evidence. Is this the hope we've been waiting for? 

Hope not.

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 16, 2008

A recent comment by the PA representative, paraphrased:

"There will be no room for Jews or settlements in the West Bank because their presence there will always be an obstacle to peace with Israel"  --Ahmed Qurei, head of the Palestinian Authority (PA) negotiating team.

It seems we've heard this phrase before...aimed at Jews...approximately 2,000 years ago, when a Jewish couple, the wife great with child, were looking for a place to stay overnight...but there was no room in the Inn.

And, according to the PA, the quintessential 'Inn Keepers'...there still is no room...

Now...are we at all getting that the 'palestinians' are not good or will they ever BE good neighbors? It doesn't take a whole lot of active Grey Matter to figure this one out...just simply look at the charters of Fatah and Hamas (the parties that comprise the 'palestinian' government)...both calling for the destruction of Israel. 

Not good neighbor material.

Let's keep all this in mind the next time the PA wants to be 'best buds' with Israel...it's probably not genuine...ya think?

Shalom.

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 8, 2008

This past weekend, the head of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), Mohammed ElBaradei, declared Western efforts to hinder Iran's nuclear ambitions were a failure.

ElBaradei believes that we have even contributed to the "hardening of the position of Iran." He says "Tehran continues to acquire nuclear technology and stockpiling sensitive material."

And so that's OUR fault? Hmmm...

So what is the director's solution? (....cricket sounds.......). Yeah...that's a far better idea.

The IAEA has been a joke throughout the Saddam days, when it failed to prevent him from pursuing nuclear weapons. And because of their failure, in 1981 the Israelis were forced to strike the Osirik reactor facility to keep Saddam from becoming a nuclear power...and, apparently, it continues its rein of idiocy today. 

There's a quote that's been attributed to John Wayne, "Life is hard. It's even harder if you're stupid." I believe life is harder for the IAEA, and a whole lot more dangerous for us. 

IAEA: Really...is there a better joke?

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 4, 2008

Those of you who are familiar with the wonderful world of UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency), know the inequity of this group. They are known to take a biased view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on Israeli military actions (taken in defense) while ignoring the 'Palestinian' acts of terror that were the provocation.

Well...some things never change...

This past week in Jerusalem, the UN announced their “2009 Consolidated Appeal,” and $275 million are earmarked for UNRWA. All the speakers at the event took their turn bashing Israel for their mistreatment of 'Palestinians'. Yet each speaker conveniently ignored the 'palestinian' actions that provoked Israel to react as they did (i.e. closing the Gaza crossing due to constant rocket attacks, building of the fence to keep suicide bombers out, etc.). 

I live in the real world, and if somebody wants to blow me up, and I own the street they need to cross to get to me...I'm going to close it. Not a lot of Grey Matter necessary on that one...

Yet the UNRWA jesters keep playing this idiotic lop-sided game...crying, 'Look what mean Israel is doing...limiting palestinian access'...opportunely leaving out the detail that those desiring access were donning explosive fashion accessories. Oh those dastardly Israelis... 

UNRWA is unequivocally inequitable. And not another single US penny (and there have been billions poured into their coffers) should be given to these anti-Semitic buffoons.

UNRWA: Handily blind to truth...so this is news?

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com 

December 1, 2008

Following their faithful path, this week Hamas launched a rocket attack against an IDF base. This, according to Hamas spokesperson Ismail Radwan, is not a violation of their truce with Israel. Radwan stressed that the attack "was not meant to violate the truce. We are simply responding to the enemy's violations." Violations? Oh yes, what Hamas deems to be a breach. Hmmm... 

So, a truce, is still a truce even if you violate it...because, you said so? Whaaaat??

Someone's wearing a tin foil hat (or keffiyeh) here, and it ain't me.

Let's get something straight right off...what we consider a truce, is not the same to Muslims. Their truce is what is called a hudna. The hudna is based upon the Quraysh Model - negotiate 'peace' with your enemy until you become strong enough to annihilate them. Grasping this, we can now see what Hamas' plan is all about (as if we didn't have a clue).

This 'truce' game is for media consumption...the PA appears to desire peace (yeah, right) and Israel continues to kowtow to world opinion to stay in the good graces of its allies. But nothing is resolved and innocent Israelis become further imperiled due to the constant surrender and concession of Israel's land and security to its enemies.

So when a terrorist group like Hamas cries 'TRUCE'...look out for a homicidal sucker punch...that's their MO. 

Shalom.

Comments:  audreyblog@ediblog.com