Which Organization, NBA or the NFL?

I received this in email, and was a little shocked by the answer, I was wrong. Here it is:

36 have been accused of spousal abuse

7 have been arrested for fraud

19 have been accused of writing bad checks

117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses

3 have done time for assault

71 , repeat 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit

14 have been arrested on drug-related charges

8 have been arrested for shoplifting

21 currently are defendants in lawsuits,

and

84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year

Can you guess which organization, the NBA or the NFL this is?

Neither, it's the 535 members of the United States Congress.

New RNC chairman: Michael Steele

First, Congratulations!

I look forward to great things, and believe that Michael Steele will help revive the Republican National Committee.

Michael Steele is the first African American to hold the position of RNC Chairman. Prior to being elected, he served as chairman to the GOPAC, or Republican Political Action Committee and worked with at the law firm Dewey & Leboeuf. Mr. Steele was also a Lt. Governor serving from 2003 until 2007 in Maryland, under Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich.

Michael Steele will serve as Chairman to the RNC for two years before another election is held. Steele was considered the most moderate of the five candidates running for the position. He is considered an outsider because he's not a member of the Republican National Committee.

Upon winning the election, Steele commented, "This is the dawn of a new party moving in a new direction with strength and conviction."

"There is not one inch of ground that we're going to cede to anybody," he added.

He replaces Mike Duncan, who abandoned his re-election bid in the face of dwindling support midway through Friday's voting.

Resources:
First Black RNC Chairman - Article
Wikipedia - Article

Egypt catches two Smugglers

Egyptian security forces arrested two armed Palestinians as they emerged from a border tunnel on Friday. Seven others are believed to have slipped into Egypt, security sources have said.

The tunnel where the two were apprehended is located in the al-Barahma area of the border, between Egypt and Gaza.

The two caught admitted that there were seven more who used the tunnel earlier that day. Egyptian forces are currently looking for them.

Arrests of Palestinians accused of smuggling or caught in the tunnels are rare, yet the tunnels are believed to be used to smuggle in weapons, and goods, including fuel and aid.

Israel has bombed the tunnels often during its 22-day Gaza offensive, and the IDF fears Hamas could use them to re-arm. Many tunnels have sophisticated systems, as it seems to have survived weeks of Israeli bombardment.

Many tunnels have been found by the Egyptian security forces, however they are usually found empty.
Rafah is a crossing that goes from Egypt into the Palestinian boarder of the Gaza Strip, it is maintained by Egypt.

Resources:
Smugglers - Article
Illustration - Here

AStrongMiddleClass.gov: Bidens Task Force

Another new website coming from the Obama campaign, and I believe I am starting to understand what they meant by "transparent". As it appears, as long as you have a website, and make a lot of public appearances, you are transparent. I digress..

Upon entering the URL for this new website, it redirects you to the WhiteHouse.gov site, which includes a special page for Biden's new task force.

Heres is what the site has to say about the task force:

"The Task Force is a major initiative targeted at raising the living standards of middle-class, working families in America. It is comprised of top-level administration policy makers, and in addition to regular meetings, it will conduct outreach sessions with representatives of labor, business, and the advocacy communities. The Task Force will be chaired by Vice President Joe Biden. The Vice President and members of the task force will work with a wide array of federal agencies that have responsibility for key issues facing the middle class and expedite administrative reforms, propose Executive orders, and develop legislative and policy proposals that can be of special importance to working families."

Those who are helping out include:

"Vice President Biden, Chair; the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Commerce, as well as the Directors of the National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors."

Goals of the task force:

• Expanding education and lifelong training opportunities
• Improving work and family balance
• Restoring labor standards, including workplace safety
• Helping to protect middle-class and working-family incomes
• Protecting retirement security

They are looking for input from you as well, below is their statement. (There is a small form you can fill out on the main page, where you can submit your ideas. The goal when submitting your ideas is that you must limit it to 500 characters):

"Over the upcoming months, we will focus on answering those concerns that matter most to families. What can we do to make retirement more secure? How can we make child and elder care more affordable? How do we improve workplace safety? How are we going to get the cost of college within reach? What can we do to help weary parents juggle work and family? What are the jobs of the future that we can begin to create? Please share your story with us and give us ideas for how to get the middle class going again. "

Lastly "The Task Force will operate in a transparent fashion, in an open, two-way dialogue directly with the American people. Any materials from meetings or reports produced will be made available to the public at www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov."

Resources:
AStrongMiddleClass.gov

Hamas Headquaters onboard Iran Shahed

Iran Shahed is a cargo or aid ship that Iran sent to provide aid to Hamas. Israel blocked the ship from entering, and it is now forced to stay 42kn off from the coast.

On Monday, Jan. 26, sophisticated communications equipment (used to maintain contact with Hamas leaders in hiding) was delivered from Cyprus. It came with a group of maintenance engineers.

The ship left the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Dec. 29th, after only the second day of the Israeli/Hamas conflict.

Since arrival, Tehran has airlifted, to its embassy in Nicosia, a group of military men in civvies (civilian clothes). The men include intelligence and Revolutionary Guards officers, who are setting up a military ground staff base to support the ship's operations for Hamas. They have also hired Cypriot craft to shuttle between Cyprus and the "aid ship."

Western naval intelligence sources say the vessel has been converted into a floating logistical headquarters for the Hamas leadership, with Hamas frogmen using fishing boats to keep them connected. They believe the converted ship is the first link in a protective belt the Iranians are throwing around the Hamas leadership in Gaza.

Last week, Tehran asked Cairo for permission to fly a group of 20 journalists and photographers to Cairo on their way to the Gaza Strip to report on the situation there. Sources report that five members of the group were bone-a-fide press people, the rest Iranian undercover agents for attachment to Hamas' Gaza command. Cairo withheld permission.

Iran Shahed was built in 1999, has a length x breadth of 33m X 16m, with a recorded speed max of 9.1 knots. On average, the speed of the ship is 8.6 knots. It is a cargo ship, however the real question is, what kind of cargo is it carrying.

Resources:
Hamas HQ - Article
Iran Shahed - Stats

Alaska: Redoubt Volcano; Worldwide Eartquakes

Alaska - Redoubt Volcano is warned that an eruption was imminent. On Nov. 5, geologists noted changed emissions and minor melting near the Redoubt summit and raised the threat level from green to yellow. It jumped to orange - the stage just before eruption - on Sunday in response to a sharp increase in earthquake activity below the volcano.

Seattle - A 4.6 magnitude earthquake hits at 5:30 am. The U.S. Geological Survey says it was centered 16 miles northwest of Seattle near Kingston, in Kitsap County. The shaking lasted for 10 or 15 seconds. Damages not yet reported.

Costa Rica - A 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook the Central American nation Jan. 8, killing at least 23 people and destroying more than 400 homes.

S. Carolina - A 2.5 "mini" quake hits Summerville, more than a month after a 3.6-magnitude quake rattled the same area.

Philippines - A magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck this morning in residents of Pastrana town in Leyte. State seismologists said they expect damages due to the tremor and warned of possible aftershocks.

Resources:
Redoubt Volcano - Article
Seattle Quake - Article
Costa Rica Quake - Article
Carolina Quake - Article
Philippines - Article

Gazans blaming Hamas for Conflict

Hundreds of Gazans stood waiting for their aid checks, but before they were allowed to collect them, they had to listen to Hamas' political speech.

Social Affairs Minister Ahmed al-Kurd told them Israel's military machine was defeated and that the Hamas government would rebuild their neighborhood bigger and better.

A Hamas cabinet minister carried a carton stuffed with checks worth nearly $2 million to give the residents at a tent camp on the ruins of the Salam neighborhood, close to the Israeli border.

"There's a lot of talk," resident Zayed Khader, 45, said after the speech, as he waited for his name to be called so he could pick up relief checks worth a total of $6,000 for his family of nine. "When I see them actually building my house, I'll say these are good words."

Khader watched Thursday's bustle, of cabinet ministers, bodyguards and aid deliveries, with disdain. He said he has told visiting Hamas politicians that the civilians are the losers and that they oppose continued rocket fire on Israel - the attacks that triggered the war.

"It's all hot air," he said of the officials' promises. "What do they care if my house is bombed?"

Resources:
Gazan Aid - Article

Secretary of State Clinton unconstitutionally Appointed

Article I, Section 6: "No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office ... the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time." Emoluments meaning salaries and benefits.

The Constitution forbids the appointment of members of Congress to administration jobs if the salary of the job they'd take was raised while they were in Congress.

The usual workaround is for Congress to lower the salary of the job back to what it was so that the nominee can take it without receiving the benefit of the pay increase that was approved while the nominee was in Congress. This maneuver, which has come to be known as "the Saxbe fix," addresses the clear intent of the Constitution, to prevent self-dealing.

It is doubtful the courts will entertain a lawsuit from an outraged citizen, such generalized taxpayer lawsuits are disfavored by the federal courts.

Past presidents have confronted this problem repeatedly -- Taft in nominating Sen. Philander Knox to be secretary of state, Nixon in nominating Sen. William Saxbe to be attorney general, Carter in nominating Sen. Ed Muskie to be secretary of state, and Clinton in nominating Sen. Lloyd Bentsen to be treasury secretary.

Resources:
Unconstitutional Appointment - Article

The Messiah, The Prophet, & The Judged

In America, we have three positions that have recently been filled.

As I watch Fox News today, I cannot help but notice how the media paints these figures for us. The three positions currently filled are the prophet, the messiah, and the judged.

Of course, the easiest to figure out is the messiah, even the media will tell you thats who he is. There isnt a station on tv that wont tell you how great he is, or how he appeals to us. Even doubters are starting to respect his attitude towards certain situations. Obama is clearly painted as the messiah that we need, and we had ought to be thankful he came along.

He isn't your typical president, the stories I read lately show him as a man of the people, relaxed and forgiving. He will have a drink in the middle of the week, you dont need to dress formal on the weekends, and he forgives his staff for making errors.

The next figure I would like to share is the prophet. Some of you might be able to pick him out of the crowd as well. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for warning us all of imminent danger. Recently, he was called to share more with the US Senate. "Share with us, if you would, sort of the immediate vision that you see" Sen. Kerry asked him.

"This has great potential; it is not very far off." Al Gore shared, supplying an abundant metaphors to accompany his visuals. Oil demand: "This roller coaster is headed for a crash, and we're in the front car." Polar ice: "Like a beating heart, and the permanent ice looks almost like blood spilling out of a body along the eastern coast of Greenland."

The Judged represents the rest of the world, perfectly painted in real life. We believe that as long as we do some good, the bad is over looked. When were accused of illegal actions, we might survive if we continue to appeal to the majority, pointing out how much good we have done.

The problem with the judged is that its just not true. There are some things you cannot do. You must understand that sooner or later, your actions will catch up to you. Il. Gov. Blagojevich represents all of us in this scenario because we will all be judged. Even if you drop names, big names, we all get judged.

Thankfully, unlike the names in this spoof, there is a real Messiah, Jesus Christ, and there were real prophets.

We the people, still get judged, the difference between Blagojevich's trial and ours is that Christ is willing to be our scapegoat. He will take our list of "illegal actions" and forgive us, if we ask.


Resources:
The messiah - Article
The prophet - Article
The judged - Article

Obama & Palin Share Stage at Alfalfa Dinner

Saturday night in Washington, the Alaskan governor and former GOP vice presidential nominee, will make her first trip to the nation’s capital since the election, and will join the president at the Alfalfa Dinner.

The Alfalfa Dinner is an exclusive Washington, D.C. club for the rich and powerful, founded in 1913. Its sole purpose is to hold an annual banquet each January honoring the birthday of General Robert E. Lee.

The organization has approximately 200 members, and each member is eligible to bring up to two guests to the $200-a-plate dinner. The club always serves filet Mignon and lobster.

No press coverage is allowed inside the banquet hall and the proceedings are ostensibly secret, but the Washington newspapers always seem to get a fairly detailed blow-by-blow description anyway.

Palin and Obama will both address the black tie crowd at the Capital Hilton, aides to each say.

It’s a light-hearted affair, with political types playfully roasting themselves and one another.

Comprised of mostly older white men, the group didn’t induct women until 1993. Blacks were only welcomed in the 1970s.

Presidents, though, almost always attend and speak.

And aside from the real thing, club members always nominate a mock candidate for the highest office in the land. The “nominee” is then required to give an acceptance speech.

Should Palin be this year’s lucky nominee, she’ll be in good company: Three honorees have actually gone on to actually become president – Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan , George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush John McCain, Joe Biden and Robert H. Jackson (there are really too many to mention, follow the link below for many more names)


Resources:
Share Stage - Article
Alfalfa Dinner - Source

Tungsten Bombs (Graphic)

Erik Fosse, a Norwegian doctor who worked in Gaza's hospitals during the conflict, said that Israel was using so-called Dime (dense inert metal explosive) bombs designed to produce an intense explosion in a small space. The bombs are packed with tungsten powder, which has the effect of shrapnel but often dissolves in human tissue, making it difficult to discover the cause of injuries.

Dr Fosse said he had seen a number of patients with extensive injuries to their lower bodies. "It was as if they had stepped on a mine, but there was no shrapnel in the wounds," he said. "Some had lost their legs. It looked as though they had been sliced off. I have been to war zones for 30 years, but I have never seen such injuries before." However, the injuries matched photographs and descriptions in medical literature of the effects of Dime bombs.

"All the patients I saw had been hit by bombs fired from unmanned drones," said Dr Fosse, head of the Norwegian Aid Committee. "The bomb hit the ground near them and exploded." His colleague, Mads Gilbert, accused Israel of using the territory as a testing ground for a new, "extremely nasty" type of explosive. "This is a new generation of small explosive that detonates with extreme power and dissipates its power within a range of five to 10 meters," he said.

According to military databases, Dime bombs are intended for use where conventional weapons might kill or injure bystanders – to kill combatants in a house, for example, without harming people next door. Instead of being made from metal, which sprays shrapnel across a wide area, the casing is carbon fiber. Part of the motive for developing the bombs was to replace the use of depleted uranium, but Dr Fosse said the cancer risk from tungsten powder was well known. "These patients should be followed up to see if there are any carcinogenic effects," he said.

Israeli military representatives have refused to confirm or deny using specific weapons, but insist that all Israel's weapons comply with international law. Neither white phosphorus nor Dime bombs are illegal, but liberal campaigners say the way they have been used, especially in Gaza's densely packed urban areas, could constitute a war crime.

While this weapon is seen a horrible weapon, it seems to offer better options than what could have been used. This bomb is used to reduce the amount of deaths within the area it is being used, where a more conventional style bomb (like a bunker bomb), would obliterate your target but also many meters around it. This would leave many people dead, whereas it appears the Tungsten bomb doesnt take as many innocent lives.

I guess the point I am trying to make is, this is war, the simple fact that Israel is willing to consider such a bomb to prevent large sums of damage on innocent lives is significant. The Tungsten bomb is a bomb, dont get me wrong, but in comparison to others, this seems to hit a target, while reducing that amount of death and destruction around it.

Resources:
Dr. Fosse - Article

Israeli Air Force Attacks Southern Gaza

Weapon production sites, and smuggling tunnels near Rafah were bombed briefly after Livni, Olmert and Barak decided to retaliate on the rocket fire from earlier Wednesday.

Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a stonecutting facility near a Hamas outpost and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip late Wednesday night, shortly after militants fired a rocket at Israel, witnesses and Hamas said.

No immediate injuries have been reported thus far.

There were rockets fired from northern Gaza landed in Eshkol Regional Council limits. No injuries or damage were reported. Again, no injuries have been reported, as well as no damage reported.

Livni has said, "the era in which we would ignore (such attacks) has ended. We'll respond to any rocket launching."

"Israel will respond to rocket fire, even if the US special envoy to the Mideast happens to be in Jerusalem," a senior diplomatic source said.

Israel's response, said a Jerusalem source, will have nothing to do with envoy George Mitchell's visit, a fact made clear by both Olmert and Livni in their meetings with him. "Mitchell asked to preserve the ceasefire and refrain from any further escalation, but our stand in clear.

"Israel will take whatever steps necessary. Any ceasefire violations, be it terror attacks, Qassam fire or arms smuggling, will meet a harsh response."

A member of the defense establishment has said, "Each violation will be met on a case by case basis and the less said the better. The IDF is prepared to carry out the government's orders."

"A situation where rocket fire and placing explosives are not met with a response will not prevail for long. Mitchell may have asked to try and hold the ceasefire, but Israel is not the one violating it," the source added.

"As said when we declared the armistice – we will do what needs to be done."

Resources:
IAF Strike - Article

Any Fiscal Conservatives in the House, Senate, Nation?

Are we really looking at another stimulus? Did the last stimulus work? How is this one different? When we look at the package, and where the monies are heading, how will it create jobs? Does spending money really help our economy?

I remember when President Bush was in office, during his first term, I was in the Navy. I dont remember what it was the sparked the debate, or name calling, but I remember the liberal news agencies badgering the Pres. over the national deficit.

We are now looking at a stimulus package, by those same liberals who mocked Bush for his spending, where we are forced to go into debt.... thats supposed to pull us out of debt?? That makes no sense.

A very good point was made today about the economy: The economy will stimulate itself because Americans realize the necessity to pay off their debt, instead of continually gaining more. By the mass population paying off their debt, it will benefit business, which creates jobs.

Basically that means that since times are tough, people will be forced to pay off their debt before they can take out new loans. And because people have to pay off their debts, businesses will grow, thus stimulating the economy. (wow, who would have thought to pay off their debts?)

When we look at this stimulus package, theres something worth of your attention, and not just how many tax dollars its going to take to produce it.

All of these "earmarks" or different items within the bill, to which we will be giving our money, are going to states where these elected officials are elected from. These officials are trying to "spread the wealth" to bring monies to their districts, which gives them better chances of a re-election.

They dont care that we are paying for it, they dont care where the money comes from, what they care about is their own well being.

I pay my taxes, and I dont like my tax dollars going off to Washington to create more government jobs, and do you know why? Because the more government jobs there are, the more money it costs to pay those workers. The more workers the government has to pay, the more money they need, and where do they get that money? Tax dollars, yours and mine.

Do NOT support any stimulus package. Do not volunteer my money to go California, Florida, or any other state besides the one I live in... Michigan.

Lastly, do NOT take my money, and then give it back to me, let me keep it in the first place.

Israel "must pay price" for Gilad Shalit's Release.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met Wednesday afternoon with George Mitchell, the US special envoy to Mideast. Olmert told Mitchell that opening the Gaza crossings was a decision tied in with any progress made in kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

Olmert stressed that until actual headway in Shalit's case was made, the crossings would remain open for humanitarian aid transports only.

A member of the Hamas delegation to Cairo, Salah al-Bardawil made it clear to the Egyptian mediators that his organization rejects the Israeli proposal for a truce.

Bardawil said on the Shalit issue, the ball is in Israel's court. "The demands are known and the price is known," he said. "It is no secret that there are 11,000 Palestinian prisoners sitting in Israeli prisons. No tie shall be made between the truce and Shalit. If Israel wants to see him released, it must pay the rightful and asked price."

According to him, Hamas will not consider creating a security zone in the Strip. "The Israelis will use this area as an excuse to kill anyone who comes close it, even if they are farmers and innocent civilians, claiming that they are members of the resistance organizations," Bardawil explained.

Bardawil claimed that Israel needs the truce more than Hamas does, but added that his organization has shown considerable flexibility in Cairo and will draft a response to each of the issues on the table in the coming days.

Resources:
Olmert Meeting - Article
Pay the Price - Article

Recovery.gov; The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R.1)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 "would specify appropriations for a wide range of federal programs and would increase or extend certain benefits payable under the Medicaid, unemployment compensation, and nutrition assistance programs. The legislation also would reduce individual and corporate income tax collections and make a variety of other changes to tax laws." (This quote comes directly from the Director's Blog of the Congressional Budget Office (or CBO) of Douglas Elmendorf, link to be found in "Resources" section within this post)

This bill is set to be full enacted within the middle of February.

CBO estimates that the bill would increase outlays by $92 billion during the remaining several months of fiscal year 2009, by $225 billion in fiscal year 2010 (which begins on October 1), by $159 billion in 2011, and by a total of $604 billion over the 2009-2019 period. That spending includes outlays from discretionary appropriations in Division A of the bill and direct spending resulting from Division B.

In addition, CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that enacting the provisions in Division B would reduce revenues by $76 billion in fiscal year 2009, by $131 billion in fiscal year 2010, and by a net of $212 billion over the 2009-2019 period.

In combining the spending and revenue effects of H.R. 1, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase federal budget deficits by $169 billion over the remaining months of fiscal year 2009, by $356 billion in 2010, by $174 billion in 2011, and by $816 billion over the 2009-2019 period.

The website Recovery.Gov is currently giving a message saying:

"Check back after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to see where your tax dollars are spent.

An oversight board will routinely update this site as part of an unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending in our government."

Resources:
CBO - Director's Blog
H.R.1 - Actual Text
H.R.1 - Cost Estimate
Recover.gov
Press Summary - PDF file

Israel Bombs Gazan Tunnels

Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza smuggling tunnels in retaliation for a Palestinian bombing that killed a soldier.

As the Israeli Cabinet met to consider how far to go in its response to Tuesday's bombing, U.S. envoy George Mitchell said it was "critical" that the cease-fire be extended and consolidated." Obama's new Mideast envoy, sought Wednesday to boost a 10-day-old Gaza cease-fire.

"The United States is committed to vigorously pursuing lasting peace and stability in the region," Mitchell said after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, his first stop before heading to Jerusalem later in the day. He said his tour less than a week after Obama's inauguration "is clear and tangible evidence to this commitment."

Since withdrawing its troops, Israel has threatened to retaliate hard for any violations of the informal truce, Wednesday, Israel retaliated.

The soldier was killed Tuesday on Israel's frontier with the Gaza Strip by a roadside bomb planted on the Gaza side and set off by remote control, the military said. Three other soldiers patrolling the border were injured.

Israel responded swiftly, sending tanks and bulldozers into northern Gaza to plow up the attack site and launching an airstrike that wounded a Hamas militant "who was prominent in the organization accountable for the attack," the military said.

Airstrikes early Wednesday targeted the network of tunnels used to smuggle arms, money and people into Gaza from Egypt. Israel bombed the tunnels heavily during the war, but smugglers resumed work after the cease-fire.

"Israel wants the quiet in the south to continue but yesterday's attack is a deliberate provocation designed to undermine and torpedo the calm. If Hamas acts to undermine the cease-fire, it will have no one but itself to blame for the consequences," government spokesman Mark Regev said.

The violence cast a shadow over the start of Mitchell's tour. Obama said his envoy would listen to all sides to then craft an approach for moving forward with stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, however Mitchell has no plans to meet with Hamas, which the U.S., Israel and European Union consider a terrorist group.

Resources:
Israel Bombs Gaza - Article

Ahmadinejad Responds to Obama

President Obama has offered an olive branch to Iran as long as it is ready to 'unclench its fist'.

President Obama, who made his first televised interview to an Arab TV station, said "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy,"

"What we want to do is listen, set aside some of the preconceptions that have existed over the last several years and I think if we do that, there is the possibility at least of some progress." Obama said.

On Wednesday, President Ahmadinejad said that Iran would be looking to see if there would be substantive differences in US policy.

"We will wait patiently, listen to their words carefully, scrutinize their actions under a magnifier and if change happens truly and fundamentally, we will welcome that,"

Without specifically mentioning Obama by name, Ahmadinejad repeatedly referred to those who want to bring "change,".

"The change will be to apologize to the Iranian nation and try to compensate for their dark records and the crimes they have committed against the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad stated.

"Change means giving up support for the rootless, uncivilized, fabricated, murdering... Zionists and let the Palestinian nation decide its own destiny," he said. "Change means putting an end to US military presence in (different parts of) the world."

Ahmadinejad said any change that was merely a shift in tactics would "soon be revealed."

To me, it appears as if Ahmadinejad is asking the US to "repent" for some sort of sin. The Qur'an says that if someone repents, establishes worship, and pays poor dues, they will be accepted as brothers. However, it goes on to say that if this is done, and that person turns back against them, they should be killed.

This could give Iran, and the Islamic world, a reason to go to war with America... Not that they need another reason, they seem to come up with plenty on their own, this one would just be most clearly defined in the Qur'an.


Resources:
Obama's Interview - Article
Irans Response - Article

Petition Against Rush Limbaugh

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an online petition for readers to express their outrage at conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh for saying last week that he wanted President Barack Obama to fail.

The petition includes a 19-second sound byte of Limbaugh, saying, “If I wanted Obama to succeed, I’d be happy the Republicans have laid down. I don’t want this to work. So I’m thinking of replying to this guy, say ‘okay, I’ll send you a response, but I don’t need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails.’”

Meanwhile, Obama advised Republicans last Friday to stop listening to Limbaugh if they wanted to get along with Democrats and the administration.

“You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done,” Obama said to Republican leaders who met with the president to talk about the stimulus package.

Resources:
Petition Against Rush - Article
DCCC - Online Petition

Israeli Response to Kissufim yet to come

"The IDF's response today was not a response to an incident in which an IDF soldier was killed and three injured. Israel's response to this incident will come," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday during a meeting with ministry heads in Jerusalem.

The prime minister was referring to the ambush of an IDF patrol near the Kissufim crossing on the Gaza border earlier in the day. One soldier was killed and three others were wounded in the attack.

"Israel did not sign an agreement with Hamas, but decided to cease its fire unilaterally. This allows us the maneuvering space to respond to such incidents."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni joined Olmert's assessment that the attack constitutes a stark violation of the conditions under which Israel agreed to hold its fire, and the they appear to agree that a harsh military response must be carried out.

The three are scheduled to discuss the new development Wednesday, immediately following the security cabinet meeting.

"The prime minister has warned on more than one occasion over the course of the past week that the ceasefire is fragile and that we must continue to monitor it," a senior official said. "Israel will not restrain itself after such a blatant provocation."

George Mitchell, US President Barack Obama's envoy to the Middle East, is scheduled to arrive Wednesday. He is slated to meet with Olmert, Barak, Livni, and President Shimon Peres.

It is of my opinion that Israel is doing what is right, they are protecting their citizens against terror attacks. Hamas must be stopped, at all costs.

Hamas has dragged their feet in negotiations, and has not been willing to release Gilad Shalit. Israel has attempted a ceasefire and has allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza. Hamas has continued to fire rockets and missiles, and is using civilians as shields.

The fault lies on Hamas. Israel must accomplish its goals, and show the world that terror will not be tolerated. Give them no foothold, Hamas must be stopped.

I agree with Netanyahu when he said, "Sooner or later we'll need to finish the job in Gaza, and that we will do,"

Resources:
Response to Kissufim
Kissufim Bombing

America isn't a Democracy, Gov. 101

Often time I have heard it said that America is a democracy, and I would like to clarify that it is not.

America is a Constitutional Republic. They are often confused, and there isnt really a clear definition of democracy, but there is of a Constitutional Republic.

A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people, and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the government's power over citizens.

Within a constitutional republic the three powers are placed in distinct divisions: Executive, Judicial and Legislative. These are evident within the United States of America as the President, Congress and the Supreme Court.

The people, citizens have the ability to choose officials in government, which is checked by not allowing them to elect Supreme Court justices, however in reality, such justices are appointed by the popularly elected president, and approved by the popularly-elected Senate.

In a republic, as distinguished from a democracy, the people are not only checked in choosing officials, but also in making laws.

The United States does share some similarities with a democratic government in that the people elect the head of state, or president, however the majority of the population is checked here too, as popular vote of the people does not necessarily decide the winner.

The major defining definition to truly show the difference is the fact that in a democratic state, the majority rules. Where as in a constitutional republic, in which majority rules, the minority rights are still protected by law. In the case of the U.S.A, we have a Bill of Rights.

Now the constitution can be changed, however it would require government officials overcoming constitutional checks as well as a two-thirds majority vote of congress and ratification by three-fourths of the States in order to amend the Constitution.

Resources:
Wikipedia - Article

Genesis 4: Cain and Abel

Genesis 4 brings us a story of two brothers, Cain and Abel. I assume many of the readers here are familiar with this story.

This week, we visited a new church, and pastor's sermon was on this very topic, and he explained a little more in depth about things we tend to overlook.

Cain and Abel bring their sacrifices to God, to which Abel is respected, and Cain is not. Now this part does tend to bother me, because the Bible doesnt lay out the reasons why God doesnt respect Cain and his sacrifices, it is merely assumed that Cain's heart is not in his sacrifice. It was not offered in faith and sincerity, but rather out of tradition.

Starting in Genesis 4:2-5:
"...Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast"

Cain is mad that God did not show him favor, personally, I cant blame him. However, this can be a good example of doing this in repetition, we lose the "awe" and excitement God brings, it gets normalized, and we build up a tolerance to it.

God then goes to Cain, and asks "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?" (verse 6). God comes to Cain, God initiates the communication. He allows Cain to vent to Him, He wants Cain to vent to Him, to tell God his sins (of the heart).

Have you ever been upset at someone, and your not ready to "deal with it" when they are. You want to just let it go, and soon you will forget about it. I imagine that is whats happening here. God comes to Cain, but Cain isnt ready, he lets it continue to build within him.

Depending on the version of Bible you read, Cain either invites his brother, Abel, to the field, of they are just in the field. I like the King James Version, because it shows the brothers talking, and they end up in the field.

Verse 8: "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field.."

They are likely to be discussing the events, or so I would like to think, when anger and rage rise up in Cain, and he kills his brother. Verse 8 in completion: "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."

What does God do? He comes to call on Cain.

"Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?'
'I don't know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's keeper?'"(verse 9)

The Lord is giving Cain an opportunity to talk with Him, its not that God doesn't know what happened, God knows all things, God wants Cain to repent, and be forgiven.

Often times God is displayed in the Old Testament as a mean, and vengful God, however we see here that God is the same as in the New Testament, merciful, forgiving.

And Cain's response: "'I don't know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's keeper?'". He lies to God, and then challenges God.

God's response is the punishment for sin: Cain is "under a curse and driven from the ground". (verse 11).

Cain tells God that the punishment is too great, and he cannot bear it. He is a wanderer, and worries for his life. So God marks him, so that no man will kill him.

The Bible is unclear if Cain ever repented, or if he ever called on God again.

In verse 7, God shows Cain what is needed. "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Do what is right, as for forgiveness. The truly amazing truth here lies in the second part of the verse however: "you must master it". God is telling Cain, you must master your sin, you can master your sin!

We have all sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. We have all sinned, so we have failed God's standard for acquiring a pass into heaven. The good news is that we can have forgiveness, but we can also master our sins, and sin no more.

Everyone has the ability to be sin free, to live a life without sin. The ability is there, but success rate is 0.

I am reading Malcolm Gladwell's new book "Outliers" (the same author of Blink, and The Tipping Point, all three must reads). In his book, studies show that to become a master or a instrument, a subject, a topic, a skill, you must practice 10,000 hours.

That doesnt mean, play the tuba for 10,000 hours, that means you play to improve. You cannot play the same song over and over and over, you must move on to more difficult songs, and you will improve, and eventually, 10,000 hours later, you will be a master at it.

Lets use this law of 10,000hrs in reference to mastering sin. At first, when faced with temptation, we given in fairly easy (depending on the temptation, but lets assume its easy). You succeed in seconds. Temptation comes back, and you again, fight it off, within seconds.

The intersting thing about temptaion is, it always comes back. It waits, follows you, and in that perfect moment, springs out to tempt again, this time, its harder. Every time, you rack up time for mastering sin.

For me personally, there have been long stuggles with sin, they dont pass within seconds, its within those times that maybe remembering that I can master my urges to sin, I may start to become more successful.

Obama on Cover of Mad Magazine

Mad Magazine's new Obama cover spoofs the notion of the president's first 100 days, but accelerates it to his first "100 minutes."

The caricature shows a completely stressed-out Obama puffing on several cancer sticks simultaneously as he holds his head in his hands (as you can see in the cover art to the left).(That's what happens when the world knows your're a reformed smoker who admits to occasional lapses.) An open bottle of Pepto Bismol is on the desk, as is a bottle of Excedrin.

Meanwhile, splayed out on the desk before Obama are newspapers (including the Chicago Tribune!) with blaring headlines like "Automakers Broke!" "Taliban Threat!" and "Dow Crashes!"

Theres really only two things the artist missed while taking shots at the President... oversized ears, and illegal drugs on the desk.

Separately, Mad will have a lot fewer cracks at Obama. DC Comics, Mad's publisher, has announced that the magazine will be published on a quarterly basis instead of monthly, thanks to the economy and the advertising revenue woes afflicting the entire media industry.

If you ask me, its about time someone started painting a non-messiah picture of America's new president. Thanks Mad!

Resources:
The Swamp - Article

Hamas will not free Shalit in truce

Hamas leader Ayman Taha said that the fate of Cpl. Shalit is "a separate issue and should be dealt with in the framework of a prisoner exchange only".

Speaking after truce talks brokered by Egyptian officials in Cairo, he added: "Hamas does not agree to link the release of Shalit with a truce and the lifting of the blockade."

Israel has proposed an 18-month truce but with greater restrictions on the border crossings than are acceptable to Hamas.

Hamas has responded by offering a year-long truce with greater freedom for trade and travel across the border.

The talks come ahead of the visit to the region on Wednesday by George Mitchell, the veteran US envoy appointed by President Barack Obama.

Resources:
No to Shalit - Article

Obama Stimulus Package Breakdown

Some highlights of the package, by the numbers:

• $825 billion total (as of 1/15/09)
• $550 billion in new spending, described as thoughtful and carefully targeted priority investments with unprecedented accountability measures built in.
• $275 billion in tax relief ($1,000 tax cut for families, $500 tax cut for individuals through SS payroll deductions)
• $ 90 billion for infrastructure
• $ 87 billion Medicaid aid to states
• $ 79 billion school districts/public colleges to prevent cutbacks
• $ 54 billion to encourage energy production from renewable sources
• $ 41 billion for additional school funding ($14 billion for school modernizations and repairs, $13 billion for Title I, $13 billion for IDEA special education funding, $1 billion for education technology)
• $ 24 billion for "health information technology to prevent medical mistakes, provide better care to patients and introduce cost-saving efficiencies" and "to provide for preventative care and to evaluate the most effective healthcare treatments."
• $ 16 billion for science/technology ($10 billion for science facilities, research, and instrumentation; $6 billion to expand broadband to rural areas)
• $ 15 billion to increase Pell grants by $500
• $ 6 billion for the ambiguous "higher education modernization."

FULL PACKAGE HERE

Energy
$32 billion: Funding for "smart electricity grid" to reduce waste
$16 billion: Renewable energy tax cuts and a tax credit for research and development on energy-related work, and a multiyear extension of renewable energy production tax credit
$6 billion: Funding to weatherize modest-income homes

Science and Technology
$10 billion: Science facilities
$6 billion: High-speed Internet access for rural and underserved areas

Infrastructure
$30 billion: Transportation projects
$31 billion: Construction and repair of federal buildings and other public infrastructure
$19 billion: Water projects
$10 billion: Rail and mass transit projects

Education
$41 billion: Grants to local school districts
$79 billion: State fiscal relief to prevent cuts in state aid
$21 billion: School modernization ($15.6 billion to increase the Pell grant by $500; $6 billion for higher education modernization)

Health Care
$39 billion: Subsidies to health insurance for unemployed; providing coverage through Medicaid
$87 billion: Help to states with Medicaid
$20 billion: Modernization of health-information technology systems
$4.1 billion: Preventative care

Jobless Benefits
$43 billion for increased unemployment benefits and job training.
$39 billion to support those who lose their jobs by helping them to pay the cost of keeping their employer provided healthcare under COBRA and providing short-term options to be covered by Medicaid.
$20 billion to increase the food stamp benefit by over 13% in order to help defray rising food costs.

Taxes

Individuals:

*$500 per worker, $1,000 per couple tax cut for two years, costing about $140 billion.
*Greater access to the $1,000-per-child tax credit for the working poor.
*Expansion of the earned-income tax credit to include families with three children
*A $2,500 college tuition tax credit.
*Repeal of a requirement that a $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit be paid back over time.

Businesses:

*An infusion of cash into money-losing companies by allowing them to claim tax credits on past profits dating back five years instead of two.
*Bonus depreciation for businesses investing in new plants and equipment
*Doubling of the amount small businesses can write off for capital investments and new equipment purchases.
*Allowing businesses to claim a tax credit for hiring disconnected youth and veterans

Resources:
Glenn Beck Show - Full Article

Hamas Prime Minister sends Obama Letter

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh sent President Barack Obama a letter in which he urged the US to "support the Palestinians' right to freedom and independence," Al-Jazeera TV network report.

The Prime Minister congratulated Pres. Obama, saying it was a "day of victory for the human struggle for freedom." and that "Your appointment expresses the triumph of egalitarian values over discrimination and humanity over extremism,".

Haniyeh added that "the Palestinian nation will never be satisfied as long as it is denied all of the human rights that everyone in America and the rest of the free world is granted."

However, one of the foundational principles in America has been freedom of religion, not to mention freedom of speech.

Freedom of religion? yah right! lets see what Islam says about that. Sura 4 puts it into perspective for us:

"[4:88] Why should you divide yourselves into two groups regarding hypocrites (among you)? GOD is the one who condemned them because of their own behavior. Do you want to guide those who are sent astray by GOD? Whomever GOD sends astray, you can never find a way to guide them.

[4:89] They wish that you disbelieve as they have disbelieved, then you become equal. Do not consider them friends, unless they mobilize along with you in the cause of GOD. If they turn against you, you shall fight them, and you may kill them when you encounter them in war. You shall not accept them as friends, or allies.

[4:90] Exempted are those who join people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, and those who come to you wishing not to fight you, nor fight their relatives. Had GOD willed, He could have permitted them to fight against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them.

[4:91] You will find others who wish to make peace with you, and also with their people. However, as soon as war erupts, they fight against you. Unless these people leave you alone, offer you peace, and stop fighting you, you may fight them when you encounter them. Against these, we give you a clear authorization. "

Clearly freedom of religion is a BIG no no, lets look at free speech. SURPRISE! It is also not tolerated under Islam; The Qur'an says in Sura 33:61 that "they may be taken and killed".


Resource:
Haniyeh sends letter - Article
Qur'an references - Here

Michigans Unemployment Going Up

Michigan's unemployment rate is in the double digits for the first time since December 1984, when it hit 10.9 percent. The state's unemployment rate in December '08 was 10.6 percent.

Think about that for a minute, what that really means, is 1 out of 10 people are unemployed (actually 1.6 people).

Michigan last experienced double-digit joblessness in September 1985 when the unemployment rate hit 10 percent. The state was then emerging from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression... Guess who was governor of Michigan at that time, Blanchard, a Democrat.

Now I am not suggesting that all democrats are fiscally irresponsible, but I fail to see how we can spend our way out of a depression.

When we increase the amount of money, we increase inflation, so injecting large amounts of money into our economy can actually hurt it more than help it. Not to mention that giving out a bailout to companies who are irresponsible with their money, just encourages their habits by removing and sort of a "punishment".

I digress. So here we are failing to keep our heads above the water, and we are looking at a greater loss of jobs in 2009.

The biggest area of job losses last month was business and professional services, which shed 15,000 jobs. About 9,000 of those lost jobs were temporary and contract positions, many of them in the beleaguered auto industry.

Manufacturers eliminated 12,000 jobs in December. The only industry category that did not shed jobs last month was natural resources and mining, which was flat.

Economists expect the state and national unemployment rates to rise this year because consumers are spending less in a deepening recession.

"There are still some more layoffs to come," said University of Michigan economist Don Grimes. "Retail jobs are going to take a huge hit going forward."

Michigan lost 173,000 jobs in 2008, when unemployment averaged 8.4 percent.

As it seems, theres only one thing that is growing in Michigan, and thats our unemployment numbers, however our governor has a plan:

Wednesday, Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced that the state will open a fourth unemployment call center next week and add 276 people to take calls and process claims as part of an upgrade to its Internet claims service.

Granholm said she also is seeking federal money to upgrade the state's 20-year-old computer systems used to process unemployment claims.

Heads Up:

General Motors Corp. says it will cut 2,000 jobs at plants in Michigan and Ohio, and it will halt production for several weeks at nine plants over the next six months due to slow sales.

Pfizer's plans to eliminate five of its 46 manufacturing sites, but the company did not specify which plants it would close.

Resources:
MLive.com - Article
GM Layoffs - Article
Pfizer Cuts - Article

Hamas offers Year-Long Truce to Israel

Israel proposed a year-and-a-half long truce, with only partial opening of the border, which Hamas rejected, however they did make an offer of their own.

The counter proposal offered ayear-long truce if all of the borders opened their crossings, which Hamas official Ayman Taha said must now be discussed with leaders in Damascus.

The issue of new system to monitor the border crossings is key to preserving the cease-fire, and Israel, the United States and Egypt are trying to work out security arrangements to ensure Hamas does not smuggle weapons into the strip before any opening.

Taha told journalists after the talks that the Islamist group was open to Turkish observers being part of the monitoring system, alongside the Europeans stipulated in a 2005 agreement on the border crossings.

That agreement, supported by Egypt and Israel, also stated that the borders should be controlled by members of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas' presidential guard.

Osama Hamdan, Hamas representative in Lebanon, said the Palestinian organizations were justified in smuggling arms into Gaza.

"From the first day of the ceasefire we began to return what we'd lost and to improve what we have in our hands," Hamdan said. "No ships, planes, or technology and satellite imagery will prevent the weapons smuggling."

He said Hamas had smuggled arms into the Strip during the IDF's operation, and that the organization would not "surrender to any dictates".

"a lot of sacrifice and martyrs and people lost," Hamdan said, but that weapons were arriving and would "continue to arrive".

Does this sound like an agreement Israel should agree to, when Lebanon Hamas representatives are admitting to smuggling weapons?

There was no mention of Shalit, or his release that I am aware of.

Resources:
Full Article

Thank You, President Bush

Ophir Falk over at Ynetnew.com wrote an opinion article thanking former President George Bush, something in these days that is a rarity. Below is the article.

“Obama Mania” has swept the land of the free and quarters of the oppressed. For good reason. Barack Obama brings hope and ambition for a better day. But even during days of high hopes and clear clouds we should keep our sights on the key issues, give credit where credit is due and define the main mission ahead.

Recent polls depict President George W. Bush as one of the worst American presidents ever. Bush mismanaged the New Orleans hurricane relief efforts and the US economy, which led to grave consequences for millions of Americans and adversely affected global prosperity and livelihood. But at the end of the day, these effects will be no more than footnotes in the Bush legacy.

History will judge Bush on the war he led as leader of the world's only superpower against militant Islam, or in his words, "The War on Terror."

With the privilege of hindsight, it can clearly be determined that few global leaders or statesmen in the course of history were able to grasp the moment and truly address the issue of their time in the manner Winston Churchill did prior to and during Word War II. Yet while leading his people during the dark days of the Battle of Britain and on various other fronts, he earned little recognition from his constituencies, losing their vote after the war. But, once the dust had settled and after all was said and done, the Free World knew that Churchill had led his people through their "finest hour."

George W. Bush is no Winston Churchill; not even close. But he grasped the moment and boldly addressed the issue of our time - The War on Terror. Critics jabber Bush as a simple-minded man who sees things in terms of "true" or "false" - "black" or "white," rather than vetting through the gray.

Perhaps, but in the war on terror there is no room for ambiguities, or in the words of President Bush, "you're either with us or against us." President Bush led the confrontation against terror and should be thanked for that.

Bush, unlike Churchill, did not finish the job. Therefore, the war persists, and should be spearheaded by the United States and its allies.

Today, despite the “Obama Mania” that has swept us all and the domestic challenges Obama said will be met, it must be made clear that above all else, Barack Obama as commander-in-chief should be judged by his ability to stop Iran from becoming nuclear. Iran is the most active state sponsor of terrorism on earth and has been so for the last quarter century. If Iran becomes nuclear on Obama's watch it will go down in his and our infamy.

Good luck, President Obama.

Reference:
Ynetnews.com
Photo from Time Magazine

Kim Jong-un: North Korea's New Leader

South Korea reported January 15th that Kim Jong-il had tapped his third son (passing over Jong-chul (middle) and Jong-nam, his eldest.) to be his successor and sent his nomination to the leadership of the ruling party, the Workers' Party. The nomination was completely unexpected for North Korea, even among the Worker's Party leadership, and was most likely driven by Kim Jong-il's rapidly deteriorating health.

Listen, I cant keep all these rascals straight, and to be honest, I dont know if theres 3 or 4 or more. This is just what I know.

Kim Jong-un, now 25, was born to Kim Jong-il's third wife, Ko Yong-hi, who died of breast cancer at the age of 51 in 2004. Jong-un was educated at the International School of Berne and is a fan of NBA basketball (thats important to know for some unknown reason, maybe he will get a contract if he allows N. Korea to drop the whole communist thing...).

There are accounts from a former Sushi Chef who work for Kim Jong-il, that claims "Kim would often bemoan that Kim Jong Chul, his 23-year old son, would never rule because he had turned out to be 'like a girl.'"

So there you have it, thats how the communist party works.. If you like basketball, your in; if you look like act like a girl, your out!

Resource:
GlobalSecurity.org

How Elections are held in Israel

I am from America, which means I know little about other countries electoral systems (maybe its more or less because most people only know how their own system works).

That being said, I am trying to understand more about how the Israeli elections work. This is my attempt at explaining what I have learned. If you are from Israel, and feel inclined, please let me know if I am correct.

First thing you need to know is the "Knesset", which is their legislature. The Knesset enacts laws, elects the president and prime minister, supervises the work of the government, and has the power to remove the President, the state comptroller, and to dissolve itself and call new elections.

From an American stand point, its very difficult to understand why the legislature would dissolve itself, or that it would hold so much power. I am not getting into all that yet... maybe later.

Next is the actual election process itself, or how a person votes. This is also very foreign to myself, and different from many other countries.

Whilst most countries operate using a sheet, on which a voter either marks a box for one candidate, or ranks them by number, Israel has a rather unusual balloting method.

Upon entry to a polling station, the voter is given an official envelope (empty I assume), and shown to a voting booth. Inside the booth is a tray of ballot papers, one for each party. The voter chooses the political party paper of their choice, puts it in the envelope, seals it, and then places the envelope into the ballot box. They have just voted.

The Ballot papers, or Party paper they put into the envelope is, to my understanding, a list of names. Each party has a "letter" and sometimes a slogan written underneath. Each party publicises their letter prior to election day, with most election posters featuring them. As many political parties in Israel are known by their acronyms, several parties can spell out their name in two or three letter, and thus use their name as their ballot letters . (the ballots are cast in the two official languages: Arabic, and Hebrew)

The system has the advantage of being incredibly simple to use for those with limited literacy. This is especially important in Israel where many new immigrants struggle with the language, especially reading and writing Hebrew.

A list of current ballot letters can be found here.

Here is where things can get a little tricky. As it seems, a person doesnt *exactly* vote for a specific person. The party paper they use, contains a list of names, in ranking order.


Wait, let me make a point first: Israel has an electoral system based on nation-wide proportional representation. In other words, the number of seats that each list receives in the Knesset - the Israeli parliament - is proportional to the number of votes it received. So the more votes a certain party gets, the more seats they get in the legislature, and thus more influence.

(there is a qualifying threshold, which is currently 2.0%; equivalent to approximately 62,700 votes; with 120 members or seats within the Knesset.)

If a certain party received sufficient votes for 10 seats, the first 10 candidates on its list will enter the Knesset. If a Knesset member passes away or resigns his seat in the Knesset for whatever reason, the next on the list will replace him/her.

References:
IsraelVotes2009
Elections in Israel from Wikipedia
Knesset from Wikipedia

Opening Gaza's Boarders

“As part of a lasting ceasefire, Gaza’s border crossings should be open to allow the flow of aid and commerce, with an appropriate monitoring regime, with the international and Palestinian Authority participating.” Pres. Obama stated in a speech given yesterday at the Sec. or States office.

Secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, also announced the appointment of George Mitchell, as the US special envoy for the Arab-Israeli conflict and Richard Holbrooke, former US ambassador to the United Nations, as representative for Afghanistan-Pakistan.

The moves signaled another shift from the foreign policy of the Bush administration, which had resisted appointing a high-profile envoy for Middle East peace.

Before Mr Obama gave his speech, an Israeli official said there would be tough conditions for any lifting of the blockade, which he linked with the release of Gilad Shalit, a soldier held captive by Hamas since 2006.

“If the opening of the passages strengthens Hamas we will not do it,” an Israeli official said.

“We will make sure that all the [humanitarian] needs of the population will be met. But we will not be able to deal with Hamas on the other side. We will not do things that give legitimacy to Hamas.”

“Let me be clear: America is committed to Israel’s security and we will always support Israel’s right to defend itself against legitimate threats,” Pres. Obama said, sounding almost as a direct response to Israel.

But in comments referring to the Gaza conflict he added: “I was deeply concerned by the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent days and by the substantial suffering and humanitarian needs in Gaza. Our hearts go out to Palestinian civilians who are in need of immediate food, clean water, and basic medical care, and who’ve faced suffocating poverty for far too long.”

On a side note, Israel's general elections are scheduled for February 10.

Resources:
Article from FT.com

Obama sends Envoy to Mideast

President Barack Obama said he would send newly-appointed Middle East envoy George Mitchell (former chairman of the Walt Disney Company) to the region "as soon as possible" in a bid to get lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

"It will be the policy of my administration to actively and aggressively seek a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians as well as Israel and its Arab neighbors," Obama said, adding that he would send Mitchell soon to the region.

However, the process in which "peace" will occur in the region, has little to be said, much like how he plans to close Guantanamo Bay.

"The United States and our partners will support a credible anti-smuggling and interdiction regime so that Hamas cannot rearm" Obama said.

Mitchell served as a Mideast envoy for the Bush administration, authoring a 2001 report that called for a halt to Israeli settlements and greater Palestinian efforts to crack down on terror, as well as a peace broker on Northern Ireland for President Clinton.

Sallai Meridor, Israel's ambassador to the United States, released a statement Thursday saying, "Israel holds Sen. Mitchell in high regard and looks forward to working with him on taking the next steps towards realizing a future of peace and security for Israel and her neighbors."

(full stories: here, here)

Obama to Order Close of Guantanamo Bay

President Barack Obama will sign three executive orders Thursday, to close the detainee camp at Guantanamo Bay.

The three orders are as follows:

1. Close the detainee camp at Guantanamo Bay within a year and establish a process by which the U.S. government figures out what to do with the remaining detainees.

2. Establish new rules on interrogation methods moving forward.

3. Establish new guidelines for the treatment of detainees moving forward.

The real question is what are we going to do with the detainees. For obvious reasons, we do not want to bring them within our boarders, nor do other countries want to take them in, unless its one of the Axis of Evil countries; they would welcome them home as heroes.

In the meantime, Obama has ordered Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to direct the chief prosecutor of the Office of Military Commissions, to seek a continuance of 120 days for any case that has been referred to the office of military commissions, and to cease referring any new cases for prosecution.

What that all means is that current hearings that are going on right now, will be put on hold, that includes the mastermind behind the September 11th bombings, Khalid Sheik Mohammed.

The Obama administration is expected to lay out broad language regarding the preferred course for dealing with dangerous cases, as well as specifying that detainees who are no longer considered dangerous could be transferred to home countries or third party countries willing to accept them. Like any of them would want to.


(full article)

My Israeli Political Party

I am not Jewish, and I do not live in Israel, however if I did, my vote would be cast amoungst three different parties. Those three parties would be: Israel Beiteinu, National Unity (Haichud Haleumi, and the Likud party.

I believe in free markets and small government. I agree with the Israel Beiteinu party on taking a hard stance against Palestinian and Israeli Arab citizens, however disagree with redrawing any borders.

I am a fan of Tzipi Livni, and Benjamin Netanyahu, I do not believe that Israel should give away any lands, I dont not agree that there should be two states, and believe that security is of the highest concern.

It would be somewhat difficult to choose between Likud and Haichud Haleumi. I am unfamiliar with the differences, and seem to agree with many of the ideals between the two. I am aware that Haichud Haleumi leans more right, while Likud, seems more centrist.

See which party is yours by clicking here.