Arkansas Blog

I thought my memory was going then I remembered I don't type very well after I ate at a "Rijsttafel' rice table.

Happy New Year, Max. Don't forget the mussels and Beef Carbonade, if you ge the chance.

Ahhh, that photo brings back memories of one my all-time favorite cities; but no snow: I've been there only in springtime. No partying for this ole boy tonight. Been there, done all that stuff, and finally said, "Never again." Instead, gonna build a fire, drink some wine with joy, have a lobster/steak dinner, drink a little more wine with joy, watch LSU beat up on Georgia Tech, recount my many blessings, and then a few strokes past 12, jump into the sack with my dear sweet sainted beautiful all-time best girl who will, as usual, be pretending to be asleep. Happy New Year to all, wherever you may be!

Great picture--one that brings back happy memories of Amsterdam and its wonderful Rijstafels.

If anyone in your family collects lace (either new or old), there's a great flea market off Prinsengracht--can't recall the exact name--with booth after booth full of lace, at great prices. Enjoy your time in one of the most interesting and diverse cities in the world.

We were off to buy some hog jowl for tomorrow's traditional and necessary meal. I want purple hull peas, she wants standard black-eyed peas.

Maybe a bite of two of buttermilk cornbread with m'lasses.

Happy New Year to all

and my oh my Max does that Red curry look fine!

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I might not make it to midnight so do the clicky thing.............

HAPPY 2009 one and all.

Pat

For Allan and other farmers:

A conference Feb. 6-7 will focus on developing financially sustainable farmers markets in Arkansas communities.

The Farmers Market as a Community Collaboration Conference will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Arkansas Farmers' Market Association at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Fayetteville, said Heather Friedrich, program specialist in the horticulture department of the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture.

The Division of Agriculture and the National Center for Appropriate Technology-ATTRA are coordinating the conference and are co-sponsors, as well as the Arkansas Farmers' Market Association, the Arkansas Agriculture Department and the city of Fayetteville.

click on eLwood

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Max, the red pepper condiments sounds VERY tempting right now... my daughter came home to visit for Christmas and brought me a present: the flu. I'm supposed to be on vacation, taking my beloved wife out for New Year's dinner at Ciao's... instead I'm stuck in bed. But I bet the coconut-red pepper combination would be PERFECT for clearing my sinuses!

To everybody: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year, Brantleys! Travel safely.

43 reasons..................:>(

clicky

Love Amsterdam! Very Happy New Year to all... and hurry up Mr Brantley /s

Women use threat of no sex to stop fireworks

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28452209/
ROME - Some women in Naples said they won't make love if their men shoot off dangerous fireworks on New Year's Eve.
"Se Spari, Niente Sesso" (If you shoot, no sex), as the group calls itself, claims to have signed up hundreds of women in the Naples area to combat celebrations that injure or maim hundreds each year.

Carolina Staiano, a mother of two, was quoted in La Stampa daily on Wednesday as saying she was inspired to create the group because her father was partially paralyzed in a fireworks accident.

Setting off fireworks, often homemade or illegally imported, remains popular in Italy and especially in Naples, even though accidents are frequent and sometimes deadly.

Staiano said that "there are other ways to celebrate." And if men don't get the message, women should "send them to sleep on the couch."

Nice YouTube at my name.

Just WOW

[HD] New Years Eve 2009, Sydney, Australia MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS!!

Happy New Year from Vegas, Bloggers! Haven't done this in several years. Friends from NY, LA and Hawaii arrived yesterday. Tonight we'll catch the fireworks from Ghost Bar high above the Strip, then move on to Privė to welcome dawn.

I hit a $4,500 jackpot on a "Midas Touch" slot at Mirage this afternoon, so trip is covered! Plus one of us (not me) has connections and scored us a table in the VIP section at Privė. The Fordyce part of the VIP section, but still.

The Strip is closed to through traffic tonight, so it's all pedestrians carrying drinks along the world's longest extended nightclub.

Since "what happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas," my nom de nuit for this trip is "Max" - short for Maxine.

Truly, there is nowhere like Vegas for reaffirming those deepest American values which always see us through challenging times . . . lies, sex and money.

Bonne Année!

Ooh...Las Vegas sounds fun...as does a jackpot that pays for the trip! Have enough fun for those of us who can't make the trip.

I won't make midnight...though I'll try to be as wicked as possible till then.

Purple hull peas are waay better than plain ole black eyed peas. I love em all year round, but especially with some garden tomatoes, fried potatoes and fresh green onions...yum. I'm saving my energy for wickedness, so it's cheese dip...and whatever else is easy.

Happy New Years everyone...and praise to my Goddess for ridding the White House of the worst President EVER! Can't wait till the Obamas take up residence...it'll be like sunshine after living through Republican hell.

The people of the Netherlands have decided that 'tolerance' can be too much when the immigrants start killing the natives. Consequently, they are now insisting that immigrants commit to become Dutch instead of retaining their native identity. The crack is beginning in European's obsession with tolerating behaviors that end up with dead natives and elimination of native cultures.

Zelda, four years from now it will be difficult to find anyone who admits to voting for obama. I remember the end of the Carter administration and I couldn't find anyone that would admit any culpability with getting him in office. Enjoy it while you can. It is a house of cards and will start falling fast with the enormous problems that he will have to tackle in both the foreign and domestic arenas. The most experienced person would have problems dealing with these issues. Someone as inexperienced as obama will be deep over his head. Enjoy!

U.S. troops under Iraq's authority for first time

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq falls under Iraqi authority on Thursday for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, a milestone in the war-weary country's path to restoring sovereignty.

The U.S. force in Iraq, now more than 140,000 strong, has operated since 2003 under a U.N. Security Council resolution which expired at midnight on New Year's Eve.

Starting January 1, troops will operate under the authority of the Iraqi government, according to a pact signed earlier this year by Washington and Baghdad.

The pact gives U.S. troops three years to leave Iraq, revokes their power to detain Iraqis without an Iraqi warrant, and subjects contractors and, in some cases, U.S. troops to Iraqi law.

Well puke!

It's back.

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Hey Max,it is great to see the "indonesische rijsttafel en sate". Make sure you will eat a "broodje kroket" before you are leaving Holland.Wish you could bring me one...LOL
Enjoy your stay and "Gelukkig Nieuwjaar"
Hedy Limke (Dan's wife)

Yup... But it's less than 475 hours to the end of the Dark American Error which IT is already longing for a return to, eL.

As bad as things are and will get BECAUSE of the Chimporer and war crimes incorporated... The national conversation is changing dramatically.

If we can hang onto the likes of the internet and learn to toss aside our Dem daemons ... we might, just might be able to ward of the love of strange for a generation or so.

Yes, after a million attempts to get into the system I'm back. Strangelove is everywhere! A Merry New Years to all and to all a good night.

Hey Max,it is great to see the "indonesische rijsttafel en sate". Make sure you will eat a "broodje kroket" before you are leaving Holland.Wish you could bring me one...LOL
Enjoy your stay and "Gelukkig Nieuwjaar"
Hedy Limke (Dan's wife)

What's back???

With all the chatter last night I went and joined up with Facebook this aft.......
why, you ask??? I donno..........bored, sad, hate holidays, miss my babies, depressed.........

now I don't know what to do with it...........joke...posted a pix of me at 46, soon after
Frenchie and I married.

Fireworks have begun on the lake, nice....I can look out the window to my right and enjoy.

I vote for purple hulls. They're the best.

I also vote for a Happy New Year for all the AT bloggers....

Purple hulls are best but won't bring luck like black eyes...........

don't forget cabbage for wealth, that from my Irish mama.

Neither one ever did me any good......................

...........but, I still try.

Glad to see you, strange. I have been asking about you. Happy New Year. (Saw "VALKYRIE" today. Will review when all are sober. I know this bunch, especially CiCi, jazzy and zelda)

Ok. Here's my New Year's cartoon for all the males. Do the clicky

And then a generic cartoon for all. Clicky

Happy New Year to all.
Hubby's already gone to bed and the dog is sick.

Cato, thanks, good to be back. I really missed this and the people on the blog. I saw 'Valkyrie' as well. I didn't think that Cruise was right for the role. The movie, surprisingly, generally followed the real events. Some literary license was employed but it wasn't far from the historical.

Liked both Cato...........whats with *this bunch?*
I'm sober,,,,half, as a SCOTUS.

Want to read your review of the movie, also anyone who has seen, *Doubt.*

Saw Meryl Streep on Letterman last night and she was like me with the crud, I'm finally
shaking off.

I'm looking forward to seeing "Doubt." I only seem to go to the movies during the holidays. Back in the day it was because we had baby sitters available when visiting our parents. Now that the kids are grown, I'm not sure why I still only go during the holidays. Saw both "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Both are good movies, worth seeing. I think "Slumdog" will be this year's Academy Award sleeper.

The History Channel did a great piece the other night on"Valkyrie".

The King of New Orleans..

Mr. Louis Armstrong,

pretty good hope for a new year....

clicky

Thank you, jazzy, I love Louis Armstrong...Happy New Year.
I am really trying to stay up until 2009, but I don't think I'll make it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL.

..............19 DAYS UNTIL THE END OF THE WPE* IN U.S. HISTORY.....

¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- eLwood
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

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* WPE=WORST PRESIDENT EVER.

Yes! My fellow citizens, we lived to see Bush wave the white flag of surrender!

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12312008/news/worldnews/us_soldiers_take_leave_of_saddam_palace_146674.htm

US SOLDIERS TAKE LEAVE OF SADDAM PALACE

Now....Bring um home PEBO!

HNY one and all

Happy New Year. Wifey and I just got home. This is the first New Years in 21 years that we haven't had a child to worry about. Both our kids went to OKC today to attend the Flaming Lips concert. We heard from both of them right after midnight and they had a fabulous time. The youngest got to shake hands with the head Flaming Lip..whoever the hell that is. She is safe in a motel room with her friends. The oldest one is on her way back to Fort Baptist with her boyfriend and a mutual friend and she reports they had a wonderful time too.

My wife who kinda quit drinking back in the 80s, had quite a number of shots tonight at the 2 parties we attended. I tell ya...you can live with a woman for 80 years and never ever know what is going to happen next. My delicate wife knocked back those shot of aged scotch like Miss Kitty on Gun Smoke. We did some drinking out in Fianna Hills...I don't remember the last time I drank so far away from home and had to drive. I know I would have failed a breathalyzer, but hell, half a beer will get you thrown in the pokey these days. I can't spell...but I can drive a car in a coma...my record is perfect and trust me...there were some years I didn't draw a sober breath. Drinking and driving isn't smart, but some people aren't a danger unless they've drank a liquor store dry.

I talked to a young lawyer and I talked to an 81 year old Korean War vet whose just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and we all agreed that the best damn thing that can happen to America and the world is to see George W. Bush leave office at noon on January 20th. We're nice guys.....salt of the earth types...you're best bet in a crisis...but we could choke......uh....oh...we'll all be glad when Bush is gone and Obama comes to the rescue. No telling how many years it will take before America is back to normal, but you can bet the countdown can't start until Bush is out and Obama is in.

Life is so short. We shouldn't spend any of it subjected to criminals on high. No matter what happens in the next 4 years....America can never let another Cheney-Bush happen ever ever again. What a shameful period this has been and it will only look worse when we look back on it in a few years. I'll never understand what happened to us...how did we ever let things slide so far? We must do better in 2009, though it's probably going to be a real bitch of a year.

We've got to quit fighting each other and start pulling together. We have to become immune to bullshit and spot a crook from 2 miles away. Someday we're going to hand this all off to our kids and we can't give them a big pile of shit that will only drag them down. Most of us remember the good USA and happy days when the future looked bright. We need to get back to those days when we thought everyone would be driving a flying car and they'd be colonies on the Moon. That's the kind of world we need to pass on to our kids. For too long it's been a down hill plunge, like we were heading for the dark ages again. We just can't check out and leave our kids to face bad badder and worst.

I'm rum fueled and could type forever.....but I guess I better stop and say Happy New Years and if it's not such a great year ahead, let it please be an honest effort by good people trying their best to restore sanity and goodness to this country. This old country that was highjacked 8 years ago and forced to do evil horrible stuff to ourselves and the rest of the world. If we can't do better than we have the last 8 years...I hope Osama hits us again and sinks us to the bottom of the sea. I can't abide an evil America...I just can't do it. Good luck to us all and I'd hug and pat everyone of you if I got the chance. Let's really make the fur fly in 2009 and turn all arrows up.

You're right, of course, strangelove. Tolerance is so passe, so 2008, such an outmoded concept on which to build a humane society.

Far better coercion, especially when we are among the ruling men making and enforcing the rules.

And you're right, of course, there is no degree of distinction between a tolerance that tolerates too much, and iron-fisted coercion. In the world of ruling males, which is the only real world after all, there are only black and white, only my control and your submission. No in-betweens.

And you're right, Holland is not noted around the world for having created a tolerant culture, one more attractive in its ability to incorporate many types of citizens than the U.S. It is, as you suggest, a model of coercive rigor that we visit in order to study the development of a dictatorial society ruled by iron-fisted men on top.

And dinosaurs once roamed the earth along with humans, 4000 years ago.

Welcome to 2009, strangelove. It's a lot like 2008, isn't it? And like 1820 and 1770? Same old resistance by the same old men wanting the same old illusion that they continue to control everything.

Good morning and happy new year to everyone! I'm like Zelda when it comes to the peas - love the purple hulls the best.

Welcome back Strange, some have been asking about you. Every good blog needs its share of 'strange' ones.

Loved the cartoons, Cato. You have an unending supply and they always make my day.

Jazzy, I've been on Facebook for months and don't know yet what to do with it. I think it's for people with way too much time on their hands. I found a list on there of singers - someone had apparently checked off someone they liked and it showed up on their facebook page, so I checked the list and checked off about 5 or 6 and then 5 or 6 movies...........then 5 or 6 places I had been and liked............then 5 or 6 restaurants......on and on for about 30-40 min. One of my granddaughters called me and said "Meme" what are you doing? On the Facebook page each of my choices was listed separately - there was a couple of pages of them. It revealed I was not Facebook literate and it embarrassed her in front of her friends........ My face is still red. (LOL) So, be careful are you will show your REAL age.

Morning CiCi...guess I'll go check you/jazzy out on Facebook. But this blog/emails/games already take up too much of my time for me to consider another Internet adventure...plus I'm still trying to unravel the sites my youngens have invited me to visit. I'm so technically challenged that I tend to shy away; and I'm old-fashioned enough to resist too much time on the computer in favor of...actually visiting with friends/otherwise living offline.

OK...I'm all for Iraqis being in control of Iraq/each other. I'm, however, against Iraqis controlling one American life...except those horrid private armies that are the antithesis of a military that's beholden to the public that that empowers it. Surely I'm misunderstanding that part of this recent agreement...but then again...Chief Chimp is still in charge and still f***ing up everything he touches.

And why the hell is Israel allowed to bomb the Palestinian people to smithereens like it's what civilized, peace-loving people do??? Sure Hamas is a thuggish group; but having bad people live among you doesn't give any country the justification to blow up the entire population...especially a country that's using OUR money/weapons to do so. It's vile how we've come to accept as routine whatever atrocities Israel decides to commit. At least the media are still reporting the bombings...unlike Iraq where NOTHING has been reported since The Important People decided we were Victorious. Can't help but wonder what will happen when the bribe money stops...I imagine it'll be like our other based-on-lies wars where our weapons/resources are ultimately used against us.

"Welcome back Strange, some have been asking about you. Every good blog needs its share of 'strange' ones."

Posted by CiCi.

I think we're pretty clear--and pretty selective--about which "strange" ones we welcome here.

Since my new year's resolution involves not wasting time with those who don't welcome me, this will be my last posting on the AT blog. I posted what I thought was a genial note to a person on vacation, only to find that note used by a poster as the occasion for an attack.

And now I find he's the welcome one?

Happy New Year Everyone!! 2009 has got to be better!!

I spent New years Eve babysitting my new great nephew, the sweetest treat is snuggling with a newborn....

I'm laughing at Jazzy and CiCi over there Facebook exploits...I wouldn't have a clue how to even start a Facebook profile...ya'll are quite courageous. Leave it to the grand daughters to show us the errors of our ways! LOL

Sorry, Muddling, I don't know what Strange said to insult you, but my 'welcome' in no way denotes approval of his ideas or posts - just that I like differing opinions and welcome the exchange about those differing opinions. I've never engaged in the shunning - though I do sometimes ignore very long posts or posts that strike me as over-the-top hateful.....just cause.

I've always found your opinions to be interesting and informative and I hope you don't take my 'welcome' to the strange one as choosing sides or anything else. Just a better start to 2009, maybe.

". . . this will be my last posting on the AT blog."

I hope you'll reconsider this decision, my friend. You would be greatly missed here.

Ahh, Zelda and Nanc! Facebook is a trip......a trip where no one old as I am should ever dare go..

I've yet to figure out its value, but the nieces and grands like it and do all sorts of silly things that make you feel compelled to reciprocate with equal silliness.........

Come on in ladies, the water is fine, even if it does waste a few more minutes of our quickly evaporating lives..........

As for Israel and the Palestinians, Zelda. I strongly agree. I've never understood the wisdom of doing anything, even if you believe you are justified, if the doing only makes things worse for you and your cause. That's why I often end up on the unpopular side of some arguments on the blog. If slapping the hell out of your neighbor who drives you crazy makes you feel temporarily better, don't expect my sympathy when your fanny is in jail for assault.

Personally, I don't think Israel is justified - the tit-for-tat has been going on for so long, that it would be difficult to unravel the string and find a stopping point. Like I used to do with my two older boys when they would fight, someone just needs to dare either of these two sides to make another provocative move and promise to smash them if they do, regardless why or their reason......

Muddling, lighten up. The world is diverse and people of your mind set preach diversity constantly. You need to practice what you preach. Conservatives will always be with you. I tolerate positions that are abhorent to me because I know that this is the condition of the world. You need to learn to do the same. Happy new year!!!!

Stick around, Muddling. Most all of us have kicked a shin or two around here, then gotten downright furious -- well, I have -- when someone kicked us.
Strange? Don't know that I welcome him back, exactly, but I can live with his being around most of the time, unlike one or two others I can (but won't) name. And I'd guess that there are a one or two people who come across one of my know-it-all tomes and think (be nice now), "Her again?"
Go ahead, Muddling. Kick Strange this morning. It'll make you feel better and with any luck he might not be around to kick back for a while.

Oops. I was wrong -- one of the very few times in my life. Heeee's back.

Strangelove is everywhere. You just aren't aware of his presence. My sojourn was due to the difficulties of logging in. I missed all of you. Now let's get down to keeping our government honest by looking over the politician's shoulder always. We have got to try and keep them honest because it is against their basic nature.

Israel isn't justified? Can you imagine the United States tolerating rocket attacks for eight years that resulted in death and injury to its citizens? Come on, you know better than that!!!! If Israel bent over any further they would cease to exist. I'm not sure that they have the will to survive so some of you anti-semitics may still get your wish. Right now if I were a betting man I would bet that Israel capitulates sooner than later.

Muddling, I have scrutinized all of my posts and for the life of me I can not understand what caused you to be offended. I would encourage you to continue to participate. However, that is your call. This blog exists for the free exchange of ideas and, as such, does not exclude those of the conservative persuasion. If it did, it would be a repudiation of the very idealogy that you embrace. Let us reason together!
Strangelove

We don't have to "imagine" anything strange. There is a real thing going on right now... why don't you want to talk about specifics you, you coddler of war crimes and massive slaughter of innocent trapped starving and burning human beings human beings.

Back to your dishonest ways in a matter I of minutes I see. Why do you wing-nuts always need extra non existent boogie men?

Israel has been planning this particular assault for months, no matter what Hamas did or did not do... and starving the Palestinians of food, medicines and fuels for years... all way taking more and more Palestinian land.

Scroll half way down this link and look at the timeline maps of the Area. Palestinians have what 10 percent (or less) of the land/space they had a few decades ago... and Israel is taking more! These four maps side by side say it all.. when it comes to Israel's true actions and intentions.

http://www.wearewideawake.org/

Now.. after viewing the maps - tell us again whose very existence is in real jeopardy?

You strange are a liar.. and it is no coincidence you always lie on the side of needless war, pain, death, torture.. or any other atrocity you can find.

Excuse me if I never find room in my big heart to tolerate that.... you devil incarnate.

Pardon me Eureka but your anti-semitism is showing. Israel has been bombarded 8 years and seen a cease fire ignored by the other side and still you blame them. How many Jews have to die before you think they have a right to defend themselves? How many children have to lose limbs before you acknowledge that intervention is justified? These terrorist animals locate their rocket launchers in the middle of a civilian area because they want the Israelies to attack and kill civilians. How obvious to they have to be before you recognize what a ten year old would be able to discern?

"These terrorist animals locate their rocket launchers in the middle of a civilian area because they want the Israelis to attack and kill civilians."

The Hamas cowards also hide out in schools and in hospitals, disguising themselves as doctors and nurses. Moreover, they store smuggled rockets and other weapons supplied by Iran in mosques, sure that the Israelis won't bomb the mosques. Israel constantly warns civilians to get out of those areas because they will be under attack. The Hamas thugs recently held a massive rally in Gaza to celebrate their 21st birthday. Thousands of fanatical supporters waved weapons and called for the destruction of Israel. The disgusting spectacle included hundreds of young children singing songs of hate against "the Zionist enemy." I agree with Obama: "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Israel to do the same thing."

"If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that..."

And isn't that exactly what the Palestinians are doing? How would you respond if some country sent jet bombers to obliterate portions of Hillcrest? Geyer Springs? Walton Heights? Argenta? Chickenopolis? Fort Baptist?

I've been to Israel and seen the incredible walls they've built around West Bank areas. They have an obvious long-term strategy of squeezing the Palestinians out of all of Israel. Most of the Christian population of Israel is already gone. These walls cut them off from both jobs and medical services.

I don't condone the Palestinians firing rockets into Israel, but neither are the Israelis without blame here. The only answer to all of this is dialogue, not violence - for both sides. And it's the party with a disproportionate power advantage that has to initiate and sustain the dialogue. You can't compare the violence done to Israelis and that done to the Palestinians during the last 20-30 years. This latest conflict is typical. The Palestinians lob a few rockets and kill a few people. It's awful and indefensible. The Israelis respond by blowing the whole place to smithereens, killing scores of Palestinians, and cutting off all humanitarian aid for those left behind. It's simply uncivilized to use military power like that and then cut off food and medical assistance.

"The only answer to all of this is dialogue, not violence - for both sides. And it's the party with a disproportionate power advantage that has to initiate and sustain the dialogue."

Agreed. But how does Israel do that when Hamas refuses to even recognize Israel as a state, and is committed to the total destruction of Israel? Interesting that the UN, most Arab nations, and other critics have had nothing, absolutely nothing to say while Hamas has been bombarding Israel for months with rockets and mortar shells, but is so quick to condemn Israel for finally retaliating.

Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal makes all kinds of sense to me. In Cairo where Arab League foreign ministers were meeting yesterday, he blamed Palestinian divisions for Israel's onslaught on Gaza: "This terrible massacre would not have happened if the Palestinian people were united behind one leadership speaking in one voice." Difficult to argue with that.

Ah the anti semite card.. .. there it is. You lose instantly with that one.. you predictable troll.

Don't respond to the facts presented.. even when it's a simple set of Maps.

The Palastinians are basically caged in, in a shrinking cage, without access to food, or water or sewage treatment.. and they have killed one Israeli in recent memory with a rocket.

The Palestinians long ago offered to settle for 85 percent less than they once had. But Israel keeps on oppressing on good days, brutally murdering on bad days.

This long ago went beyond a fair fight with reasonable intentions in re the israelis.... just look at the map... and look at their continued actions.. based on lies about the Palestinians use of rockets etc.

When you cage and starve people, while endlesly taking their land and killing their people... they have every reason to do far more than they actually have.

But we know strange is only close to being happy when human flesh is burning somewhere.

The main reason, it seems to me, that the world condemns Israel for their responses is because they are simply not proportional. And they are truly caging and starving the Palestinian people as well as taking their land. Why should the Palestinians simply give in to that? While I don't agree with their cowardly, murderous use of rockets, neither do I agree with the Israelis cowardly, murderous use of walls, checkpoints, jets, bombs, and mass destruction.

The Saudi's can talk about having a unified Palestinian voice, but I think they could make that happen should they choose.

"The Saudi's can talk about having a unified Palestinian voice, but I think they could make that happen should they choose."

Why would the Saudis, if they had any sway, choose not to assist the Palestinians in achieving a unified voice? They have much to lose and nothing to gain if the violence escalates into a regional conflict. I have my fingers crossed with hope that Obama and Hillary Clinton can talk some sense into both sides. I know better than to hold my breath while waiting, however: How many times and with how many presidents have we been down that muddy road?

PS: The Israeli settlers who were dragged out of the Gaza Strip by their own army after decades of being there would undoubtedly take issue with your belief that Israel continues to take the Palestinians' land. A lot of good Israel's pullout from Gaza did.

Talk sense to Hamas----that is the root of the liberal fallacy. You can't reason with Hamas. They exist to destroy Israel. There are some people that you can not reason with. You either have to destroy them or capitulate which, in this case, means death. The liberals inability to recognize that fact of life condems you to failure.

"The liberals inability to recognize that fact of life condems you to failure."

And trying to kill them all has worked so very well, hasn't it?

Israel deserves security. The Palestinians deserve economic viability. Hamas could assure both in an instant by simply recognizing, in a credible way, Israel's right to exist. The current situation is deplorable and dangerous for all. As with all conflicts, this will continue to be the case as long as everybody is talking and nobody is listening. I'm eager to see what Obama and Hillary, perhaps with Egypt's help, can do.