The New Internationale/Arms Race

So much for at least a breif delay in a new arms race after the new arms sales to Arab nations and Taiwan I recently (very recently) blogged about...CNN and Pravda reported yesterday that Russia has signed a $2 billion arms deal with Libya.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin confirmed the contract later yesterday, Saturday Jan. 30, and stated that the deal is "not only for small arms and light weapons."

Thanks new order neo-con Democrats!

I decided Friday that I was clinically confused and after looking at the news tonight I discovered that I am the only sane person in the world!

Twenty days ago I blogged about the then “on the down low” development of a huge arms deal with several Middle Eastern countries that the US has been working on - MSNBC online posted US Speeds Up Arms Buildup With Gulf Allies today via The Washing Post - and Friday there was confirmation of a six billion dollar deal with Taiwan. That is the number 6 with nine zero’s, looks something like this $ 6,000,000,000.

The deal with Taiwan was reported as a fulfillment of a $11 billion deal pledged by former President GW Bush to that nation in 2001; after removing much of the all too familiar double-speak that was once owned by the neo-cons it simply is supposed to be a “threat” to China. This whole situation really reeks of the 40 years of backroom Pentagon mapping of the world. Hmmm, ‘Guns, Germs, and Steel’ or ‘Mein Kampf’.

Then today former President HW Bush went and had tea time at the White House with President Obama. I bet HW had GW hidden in his coat pocket and the three of them went and played army with little stick men painted yellow while son Jebulon snuck away with the First Lady and Chief Of Staff Emanuel davened over David Axelrod.

So, the next rightful thing to do is arm Lhasa. I am sure the monks could use a couple of the ballistic missiles, a few Black Hawk helicopters and one of the mine hunting ships from the Mid-East package to frighten China some more. While we are at it, might as well re-arm Shin Fein and play fair and distribute the same to the Orange Order. I’m sure we also could benefit from trucking a few missiles across the northern border to the Quebecois separatists in Canada and some across the Baja to the drug lords in Mexico. Let’s be fair about this now…in light of the new populist spirit of kind hearted “love spreading” from Washington in the way of guns, germs, and steel we might as well return some munitions back to the Serbian goats and some of the VX gas - we claim to be disposing of - to the Chechnyan rebels. Nor should we forget the poor Hamas and Hezbollah souls in southern Lebanon, they are in dire need of some kefer cheese and Katyusha rockets. Oh, can’t forget Cypress, we need to reignite shit there also…send them a few SAM’s and by all means please carry forward the Christian spirit and send some munitions to the stinky Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza.

…might as well bring back the Third Reich since we need jobs and revenue so bad.

Who won the Nobel Peace Prize?

Why Are You Gay - Why Are YOU Pregnant?

I really am not much different than most people in having a "closet" full of enigmatic contradictions and mysteries but I honestly do not get this one:

(From MSN)

"Another pregnant man is making headlines. He and his mate are expecting a baby very soon. The man is Scott Moore, who grew up as Jessica...Scott got to know his mate, Thomas, at a support group. Like Scott, Thomas was born female. Thomas has two children from a prior relationship, and Scott has helped raise them...Scott is the second pregnant man to come forward. The first was Thoams Beatie..."

This is like going to Sears and ordering a custom made refridgerator with an oven in it...but wait, there actually is such a thing, the Whirlpool Polara...google it, I swear! Unfortunately it was DISCONTINUED.

Some things are better left like they were when they were sitting on the showcase floor at Montgomery Ward. They opened their doors in 1895 and became a "cross town rival" to Sears in more ways than one. Sears now owns the Montgomery Ward properties/name. So, is the child bearing transgendered male-thing a rival? Nah, just an aberration. Please DISCONTINUE the spin cycle or maybe adopt a child from Haiti!!!!

Prophylacteries In The Sky

Trying to be shomer Shabbat really opens the mind to many thoughts and observations crawling around quietly in the dark crevices of the soul pleading to be released into the days light, but the suns blanket keeps them begging at the threshold of reason.

Shomer Shabbat - when the sun goes down, when the first star is visible to the naked eye, when you decide to welcome the bride, or when my Chabad brethren define the proper zmanim – is the time set when one decides not to carry money, not turn on or off a light switch, not to bathe, not to pick up the channel changer, not to prepare food, not to drive, not to take medicine, not to pick up the phone, not to touch the computer, is supposed to create an oasis of sacred peace from the daily “hum-drum” of secular profanity. “Please sir, may I wipe my ass?”

Shomer Shabbat is a personal decision to separate oneself from all of the indirect 21st century “realistic” directives that we feel so overburdened to honor. I sat last night soaking up the nice aromatic smells of the beef stew I started in the slow cooker earlier in the day while watching the Hope For Haiti Now marathon and listened to some really awesome uncut/unplugged music: Taylor Swift, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crowe, Keith Urban, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, and the almost finale…Dave Matthews with Neil Young! There were many others so if you were out partying you’ll have to settle for the I-Tunes download.

I remember hearing Leonard Cohen sing ‘Hallelujah’ when I was a young lad and fell in love with the tune, then I heard Jeff Buckley sing it (nothing has really compared since but…), then I heard the young guy at a local coffee bar sing it a couple weeks ago in front of three people (and I could not figure out which head my tears were coming from), then Friday night on the telethon I heard Justin Timberlake sing it. I must say that he redeemed himself to me; I never cared for him but thought he did a really good job because it obviously must be a terribly difficult tune to sing.

I didn’t want the show to end but as it was coming to a close those above mentioned “thoughts and observations crawling around in the dark crevices of the soul” began moaning to come out, like hands extending from old rusted jail cell bars in some dark musty smelling Gulag. I picked up the channel changer and thought, “this is not allowed if I am to be truly shomer Shabbat”. I can keep the television on as long as it remains on one channel and nothing is adjusted in any way. Yet, I am sure that the mere viewing of the TV can be ruled a violation somehow.

I set the changer down and began thinking about the latest news release I saw of Hillary Clinton. It was after she returned from Haiti and for some reason it all made sense to me. I had just finished watching the telethon for Haiti and as I decided to forego profaning shomer Shabbat my thoughts grabbed on to memories of a rather haggard looking Secretary of State Clinton and thought I could really see that distant and hollow looking gaze that one sometimes acquires when they have crossed a threshold of reality. I do not appreciate some of the recent Obama administration “policy stumbling blocks” but I cannot deny that Hillary is really revealing herself as a true statesman/statesperson. She is worn out! Have you seen her recently?

I personally did not give her enough credit during the 08’ campaign but am pleased with her even if I do not agree with all measures. By the way…where the hell are Biden and Emanuel? It is best that at least Emanuel stays out of the public’s eye I think.

Then my thoughts seized on the article in the paper lying on the table in front of me about Chautauqua Airlines flight 3079 from New York to Louisville being redirected Friday morning due to a “misunderstanding.” Give me a break! This was absurd.

Most people recognize Tefilin as an item of religious practice used by Jews, even though they might not know what they are actually called. I can understand “someone who does not get out much” might be alarmed by a clean cut, handsome young man strapping a box to his forehead and left bicep while wrapping his arm in a leather strap but this is an airline originally from Jamestown, NY (Chautauqua county) – 70 miles from Buffalo, 200 from Toronto and 400 from NYC – and I am sure this is not first time someone has donned phylacteries after boarding a Chautauqua flight in this region. I really hate that word and think people love to use it because it reminds them of prophylactic. It is a stupid Greek interpretation for tefilin; maybe we use it because we are so in love with the ancient nostalgia of Helene culture.

I decided to sweep the “thoughts and observations crawling around in the dark crevices of the soul” away for the evening and as I eased back in the lounger I reminded myself of the part of Republic Airways “vision” statement about their employees and customers “…regardless of personal beliefs or world-view, everyone has been created in the image and likeness of G-d: We seek to become stronger from our diversity.”

Warning: Please check your “prophylacteries” at baggage!

Wow! All of the ranting I do doesn't even pale in comparison to the travesty that has unfolded before our eyes in Haiti. If the pain and suffering occurring there does not bring you to your knees then I feel for your soul.

This is awful! I can barely bring myself to rehearse my daily morning ritual of watching the news after I have dressed and tended to my proper rights without crying... 200,000 dead, numerous amputees, and unknown orphans, widows, widowers, etc. You know when your heart actually hearts and I almost think that for the first time I know what a true broken heart feels like. It hurts! I almost feel guilty...no, I do feel guilty.

I curl up in my warm bed and eat my food and en passant think of a devastated soul in Haiti. My heart cries for them and can only ask that whatever supernal being is listening will provide any comfort available immediately to the victims. The images should remind us of our very nice and neat comfort we have been granted.

If you find yourself drying an eye or holding back a flood of tears please use the American Redcross text option for aid to Haiti - text "HAITI" to 90999 and you wil be prompted for a donation. This option is by far one of the easiest and is secure. The bad thing with someone like me is that it is too easy so the number appears more than a few times in my call history. There is the normal bottleneck of time that will hold up the funds, some say 60-90 days, but it obviously will still be needed. Verizon, once again making me glad I have not "traded them in" in the last TEN years has advanced ALL donations through them as of Friday night!!! It was around $3 million of the total $27 million.

If you don't have the money and you are still reading then you are alright becasue you must care and one of the best things you can do is ask for the Haitians to be comforted in some way.

Nobel Peace "Sur-Prize"

It's truly a blessing to have really nice friends because they can help ground you sometimes when your thoughts become fragmented and disenchanted, so I invited a few over Thursday evening to watch the BCS National Championship football game between Alabama and Texas. "Hey, who has to go to work tomorrow?" At 12:00 there were five to six people in my den "chit-chatting" and another three or four in the kitchen doing the same.

A few weeks ago I read a story about a new military armament deal for the US that was going to net a few billion dollars and some new jobs but purposely let it slide to the back of my brain because it seemed so preposterous and the president had just been given the Nobel Peace Prize. Why is the Nobel Peace Prize granted? That should be an easy answer but it seems that as the ideas and attempts at illegitimate nation-state building continue proliferating the answer is really muddied. I always thought that a destabilized Middle East and nation-state building was a neo-con agenda. Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen...what has changed since GW? More troops and more weapons - more troops and more weapons - more troops and more weapons. What follows are the primary facets to this new deal for "peace" that is supposed to thwart Iran:

1. To Egypt - TWENTY Harpoon II anti-ship cruise missiles
How many military ships does Iran have??

2. To Egypt - FOUR missile boats

3. To Egypt - FOUR-HUNDRED FIFTY Hellfire anti-tank missiles

4. To Egypt - ONE-HUNDRED FIFTY F-16 jet engines to Egypt

5. To Saudi Arabia - TWO THOUSAND+ anti-tank missiles

6. To Jordan - ONE THOUSAND+ anti-tank missiles

7. To Jordan - ONE-HUNDRED SIXTY missile launchers with night vision

8. To United Arab Emirates - ONE THOUSAND laser guided smart bombs

9. To United Arab Emirates - EIGHT HUNDRED one ton bombs

10. To United Arab Emirates - FOUR HUNDRED "bunker buster" bombs

11. To Morocco - TWENTY FOUR F-16's


12. To Israel - N O T H I N G but a threat from Rahm "Sabbatai Zevi" Emanuel

Maybe he really is a Muslim.