Captive Audience

Palestine is sometimes called "The world's largest penitentiary". Its land is sliced into quadrants, each walled-off from one another, and movement between these sections is severely limited by the Israeli military. Much of the available arable land is denied use by farmers for reasons of  "security". The people are not allowed direct access to ports and are not allowed to export their goods. Imports are extremely limited and only enough food enters the country to keep the people alive, and little more. Fishermen are only allowed to work their boats one mile from shore.

The Palestinians do not have an airport, they do not have an army, they do not have fighter jets or tanks. They have no civil rights, they have no human rights.

The current conflict between the Palestinian's and Israel began when the Israeli's assassinated the Hamas leader, Ahmed Jabari, as he was engaged in peace talks. It is, therefore, a phony war drummed up by Prime Minister Bebe Netanyahu, one that will serve many purposes. Not only does it allow Israel the excuse to appropriate more Palestinian land it also seeks to fan the flames of war with Iran. In the end, many innocent men, women, and children will die just so that Netanyahu can appear to be a stronger leader. He is, after all, up for re-election.

There are hawks within the Likud talking openly of destroying the Palestinians once and for all,  but it'll never happen. Just as Republicans have to keep abortion legal, just so they can run against it, so will the Palestinians be the eternal whipping boy of America, Jr.

I'm not anti-Zionist. I'm anti-institutionalized murder. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... I don't like Jews, but I also don't like Muslims, Christians, Hindus, voodooists or anyone who would use the myths of their religion, or the differences in their skin color, as a means to subjugate others.

For more insightful information on the current crisis allow me to recommend Juan Cole's article Top Ten Myths about the Israeli Attack on Gaza and Gideon Levy: The Most Hated Man in Israel.

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Check out this news report from within Gaza. You can hear the eerie sound of Israeli drones circling over the city.

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Uncle Lefty's Saturnalian Shopping Tips

We're approaching Black Friday with the speed of a Qassam rocket and, second only to price, the most desirable feature of a gift is its thoughtfulness. So try this one for size:


Wolf Urine

I'm not gonna try and sugar-coat this because the only thing possibly worse than 32 ounces of wolf urine is 32 ounces of sugar-coated wolf urine. (Although if the donor in question has a problem with diabetes mellitus then the sugar content is a feature, not a bug.)

Possibly the perfect gift for Twilight cosplay freaks who not only want to look the part of Jake but smell like him, too.

=Lefty=

Republican Job Creation Update

For those interested in such things (That's YOU!), I've updated the (non)Job Creation website to prepare it for the coming four years of conservative indolence. For the full list of Republican sloth please visit republicanjobcreation.com.