COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Iran on Monday appeared to rule out participation in Syrian peace talks later this month, dismissing a U.S. suggestion that it could be involved "from the sidelines" as not respecting its dignity.



Iran rejects U.S. suggestion of Syrian peace talks role
BY PARISA HAFEZI AND ARSHAD MOHAMMED
ANKARA/BRUSSELS Tue Jan 7, 2014 5:56am EST

(Reuters) - Iran on Monday appeared to rule out participation in Syrian peace talks later this month, dismissing a U.S. suggestion that it could be involved "from the sidelines" as not respecting its dignity.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry suggested on Sunday there might be ways Iran could "contribute from the sidelines" in a so-called Geneva 2 peace conference in Montreux, Switzerland, on January 22, and on Monday U.S. officials said Tehran might still be able to play a helpful role.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was sending out invitations on Monday to potential participants the talks, but while he wants Iran to attend there was no agreement yet on whether to invite it.
The key players in the talks are President Bashar al-Assad's government and opposition rebels who have been fighting for nearly three years to oust him.
Syrian opposition groups and Washington, which accuse Tehran of supporting Assad with manpower and arms during the uprising against him, have long had reservations about the participation of Iran, although the United Nations special envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has backed Tehran's involvement.
While there has been a warming in U.S.-Iranian ties this year including a November 24 deal to curb the Iranian nuclear program, there are no visible signs that this has led to greater improvement in other areas such as Syria, where they are on opposite sides of the civil war.
Kerry reiterated U.S. opposition to Iran being a formal member of the peace talks because it does not support a 2012 international agreement on Syria.
That "Geneva 1" accord called for the Syrian government and opposition to form a transitional government "by mutual consent", a phrase Washington says rules out any role for Assad. Russia, a sponsor of the plan, disputes that view.
On Monday, U.S. officials said Iran could improve its chances of playing a role on the sidelines of the Syria peace talks by working with Damascus to stop the bombardment of civilians and improve humanitarian access.
"There are ... steps that Iran could take to show the international community that they are serious about playing a positive role," one of the officials said in Brussels.
"Those include calling for an end to the bombardment by the Syrian regime of their own people. It includes calling for and encouraging humanitarian access."
Another official made clear that the comment on bombardment referred to Syria's biggest city, Aleppo, where dozens have been killed in raids in which the Syrian air force has used improvised barrel bombs.
NO INDICATION
Iran had however given no indication it was ready to take any of these steps, a U.S. official said, and noted there was opposition to Tehran's participation from other nations. The official did not identify these, but they are likely to include Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional rival.
The U.S. officials, who declined to be named, said Washington still believed it was "less likely than likely" that Iran would play any role at the conference, even on the sidelines, and Iran and the United States had not discussed the matter directly.
State Department spokesman Marie Harf said that for the Iranians even to be considered for any role in the talks "they would have to demonstrate that they would do things that would be less destructive in Syria."
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Iran would have to publicly endorse the terms of the "Geneva I" accord if it wanted to participate in the process.
In remarks quoted by state television, the Iranian foreign ministry's spokeswoman said Tehran supported a political solution to end the Syrian civil war, in which at least 100,000 people have been killed and millions uprooted.
"But in order to take part in the Geneva 2 conference, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not accept any proposal which does not respect its dignity," the spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, was quoted as saying.
U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would meet on January 13, and voiced the hope they could agree on Iran's participation.
Haq also said the opposition had not yet named members of its delegation for the conference. He said the United Nations urged the Syrian opposition to announce the composition of their "broadly representative" delegation as soon as possible.
REBEL GROUPS
In Syria, rival Islamist rebel groups fought in the city of Raqqa on Monday, residents said, as local fighters tried to drive out a foreign-led al Qaeda affiliate which has also seized towns across the border in Iraq.
Activists opposed to Assad said dozens of Syrian members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant had changed sides to join other Sunni Islamist factions which have taken advantage of a local backlash against the ISIL and the foreign al Qaeda jihadists prominent among its commanders.
The battles in Raqqa, a provincial capital on the Euphrates river in Syria's largely desert east, left bodies clad in the black favored by al Qaeda fighters lying in the streets. They followed similar violence elsewhere in recent days that have seen the ISIL lose manpower and abandon some of its positions.
"The ISIL has split roughly into two groups - locals who are beginning to defect and foreign fighters who seem intent on going on fighting," Abedelrazzaq Shlas, an opposition activist in the province, told Reuters.
The fighting comes as groups in Iraq identifying themselves as ISIL have seized Sunni Muslim towns hundreds of miles away on the Euphrates in Iraq, challenging a Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad which they see as allied, like Assad, to Shi'ite Iran.
Speaking from Istanbul, Abdallah al-Faraj, a member of the Syrian National Coalition from Raqqa, said the ISIL has been driven out from most of the city and its units were heading to the town of al-Manakhel, 50 km (30 miles) away, where they have a training base and could be re-grouping.
Faraj said although the defeat of the ISIL is strengthening Nusra Front, which is also linked to al Qaeda, the Nusra are seen as a less hardline group, composed of local fighters as opposed to foreigners.

(Additional reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis in Amman, Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols in New York, and Roberta Rampton and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by William Maclean and Giles Elgood)

99 comments:

  1. She's startlingly beautiful but leaves a lot to the imagination. I wonder what her hands are like? In Saudi Arabia she wouldn't have a chance at a classy job like that. There is no glass ceiling for her.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maybe she will be talking about this someday soon -

    January 7, 2014
    Iran's Arak Plutonium Reactor
    By S. Fred Singer

    There are basically two ways to make a nuclear bomb; both methods have been adopted in the United States and they both work. The first consists of enriching natural uranium in the isotope 235, which is fissionable. Its natural concentration at present is only 0.7%; the rest is non-fissionable U-238. But when enriched to more than 60%, U-235 becomes suitable for construction of a weapon. The Hiroshima bomb was a U-235 bomb.

    The second method uses fissionable plutonium, which does not exist naturally but has to be manufactured. For weapons purposes it is usually made in specialized reactors using uranium as the raw material. The Nagasaki bomb was a plutonium bomb. Although plutonium is toxic if particles are inhaled, its natural radioactivity (half-life about 20,000 years) is not dangerous and it can be handled safely as a metal.

    In the case of Iran, much has been written about its enrichment of uranium in underground facilities that are well protected. Iran employs centrifuges, although there are other methods that can be used and work well. But Iran has also been constructing a nuclear reactor near Arak, capable of producing weapons-grade Pu-239, sufficient for about one bomb per year.

    Arak is located about halfway between Isfahan and Tehran, somewhat to the west and close to the Iraqi border. The reactor installation is above ground, fairly extensive, and has been photographed many times.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Geneva Interim Agreement of 24 Nov 2013 between the P-5 (+1) nations and Iran includes both methods. According to the White House press release, Iran has agreed to stop its construction of the reactor -- although Iran does not share this interpretation. Negotiations are continuing to settle this dispute. It should be noted that the Geneva Agreement permits Iran to continue uranium enrichment to low levels, essentially negating six separate UN Security Council resolutions that demand Iran stop all enrichment activities. A WSJ op-ed (of 2 Dec) by former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger comments on this and other shortcomings of Geneva.

      Israel is not a party to the Geneva Agreement, which includes the United States, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany; she may decide to bomb the Arak reactor and thereby eliminate one certain route for Iran to gain a nuclear weapon. Recall that India's 1974 nuclear test explosion used Pu-239 made in the CIRUS "research" reactor, which had been constructed in the 1950s with US-Canadian assistance.

      Israel has a lot of experience in destroying such reactors. In 1981 they bombed Osiris, a similar reactor under construction with French help in Iraq. In September 2007, in Operation "Mivtza Bustan" (Orchard), Israel destroyed a plutonium reactor at al-Kibar, Syria, being built with North Korean assistance, and financed by Iran. There is no evidence of US participation in either operation -- though it did align with Western strategic objectives on nuclear no
      n-proliferation.

      [It is instructive to read about the meticulous care that went into planning and into the operation itself at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orchard. Ironically, the term 'bustan,' identical in both Arabic and Hebrew, is not of Semitic origin but a loan-word from Classical Persian.]

      A successful Israeli strike would essentially "shuffle the Middle-East deck" and affect many ongoing operations, negotiations, and relationships. Some of the consequences are hard to predict -- some others are not:

      of their elaborate and expensive enrichment operations. One recalls that Moammar Qaddafi decided to give up his nuclear ambitions when faced with a similar tough decision.

      Delete
    2. To bomb or not bomb: that is the question

      After evaluating pros and cons, Israel may conclude that eliminating the Iraq reactor is a "no-brainer," taking advantage of unusual current opportunities that may last for several weeks but not much longer. In any case, to avoid radioactive contamination, the reactor must be eliminated before it is fueled and turned on.

      The operation itself is rather simple, compared to eliminating Iran/s underground uranium installations. The reactor facility is above ground, and its location is well known. One major obstacle is distance, which may require an aircraft-refueling operation somewhere along the route. This problem can be solved by finding (at least temporary) allies who share the Israeli objective of reducing the Iranian nuclear threat.

      The other problem may be the sophisticated air-defense system being installed in Iran by the Russians. No one is quite sure if the S-300 system is already in place; in any case, Iran probably lacks experience in its operation, while Israel knows it fairly well, having worked on it with Cyprus, who bought such a system from Russia. In my experience, any such defensive system can be overcome in various ways, requiring only a certain amount of ingenuity.

      Of course, destroying the reactor may not be sufficient to affect Iran's drive for producing enriched uranium. Howeverowever, Iran might be impressed by the fact that Israel doesn't allow its "red lines" to be crossed and that the oft-repeated statement "all options are on the table" is not an empty threat. One can imagine that the White House, which has also used such phraseology, may thereby gain credibility -- even though the US would not participate in such an attack.

      In fact, it is unlikely that Israel will inform the US in advance of such an operation, fearing that leaks could jeopardize its success. Nonetheless, it will be generally assumed that there is US connivance -- when in fact there may be none.

      There is a small possibility, however, not to be discounted entirely, that Iran may decide to give up its drive for nuclear weapons. They may be impressed by the fact that their vaunted anti-aircraft system can be overcome. And they may fear the destruction

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    3. Of course, a much stronger and more difficult follow-up may be needed to cripple Iran's well-protected uranium facilities. On the other hand, there may be a regime change in Iran -- or elsewhere. One can always hope -- so any sort of delay improves the chances of such an important happening. More likely, however, Israel must consider the other consequences of a successful operation -- be they military, political, or related to oil supply.

      Military

      It is unlikely that Iran will choose a direct military response, although they do have missiles that can reach Israel and even Europe. Fortunately, these do not as yet have nuclear warheads. To avoid Israeli retaliation, a safer choice for Iran would be mobilize Hezb'allah or Syria to carry out an attack on Israel. Syria is not a serious possibility right now, but Hezb'allah could prove to be a difficult problem for Israel.

      Hezb'allah has been accumulating a huge stockpile of rockets, mostly short-range Katyushas, but also some longer-range Scud missiles. Their arsenal is judged to number in the range of 50,000 -- constantly augmented from Syria by smuggling operations that Israel has not been able to stop entirely. UNIFIL, the UN force responsible for preventing Hezb'allah rearmament, has been, predictably, a total failure.

      Israel would need to consider possible counter-measures, since no anti-missile system I know of can defend against a mass attack involving tens of thousands. Of course, one might ask: Why hasn't Hezb'allah attacked already -- and it sure ain't because of UNIFIL.

      Deterrence would seem the best response, but artillery and aircraft are both ineffective and expensive against dispersed missile launch sites. One possibility is to use very cheap Qassam-like, unguided rockets in an immediate counter-mass-response -- but that may lead to an unacceptable level of civilian casualties. Another is for Israel to demonstrate a capability to eliminate Shi'ite Hezb'allah fighters, who are now engaged in Syria against Sunni rebels.

      All things considered, Israel may conclude that now is the perfect time to take a chance on a Hezb'allah attack -- since its threat can only get worse over time. Currently, Hezb'allah fighters are tied up in Syria, some 4000 strong, and vulnerable to Israeli air attacks; Hezb'allah cannot afford to lose that much manpower.

      Delete
    4. Political

      The overall window of opportunity is favorable for Israel -- at the moment. Not only are Syria and Hezb'allah rather busy, but Jordan and Saudi Arabia are generally friendly, or at least uninvolved; Egypt is keeping Hamas under control, for the time being; and Turkey is facing internal political problems. Shi'ite Iraq is defending against an Al Qaeda offensive. So if there were ever a time to take risks, the constellation is favorable -- at least within the next few weeks. Israel may acquire strange bed-fellows, but, hey, this is the Middle East.

      An Israeli strike may also have a significant impact on the ongoing Israel-Palestinian negotiations. The reaction of the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank is not fully predictable, nor are possible reactions of Israel's Arab citizens; but this may be as good a time as any to find out. Within Israel itself, expect to see enhanced morale and other important psychological changes.

      The US position is likely to be ambivalent -- with the public and Congress in enthusiastic support of Israel and its operations, while the White House may have some hesitation, related to the ongoing Arab-Israel peace negotiations. More important perhaps, a successful Israeli strike would solve some tough problems for the White House -- without any military risk to the US.

      The reaction of the UN and EU will be predictably negative, but there may be great sympathy for such an Israeli operation from Russia and East-European nations. Canada and Australia will cheer from the sidelines. There will be general relief not only among conservative Arab monarchies, but even in Sunni Pakistan. No one wants nuclear proliferation by religious fanatics, such as the current Iranian regime of Twelver Shi'ites.

      Oil Situation

      Expect to see a short-lived price spike, but little else. There will be no repeat of the so-called Arab oil embargo of 1973. Iran needs the money and would not self-sanction its main source of foreign currency.
      What about blocking the Straits of Hormuz or even attacks on Gulf oil producers? Much too risky for Iran. Any decrease in the world's oil supply would of course raise the world price, benefit non-blockaded producers, and hurt oil importers like China, India, and Japan. What a great way for Iran to lose powerful foreign friends!

      Note further that the United States ("Big Satan") and Israel ("Little Satan") are about to become fossil-fuel exporters and would gain "windfall profits." The other cheerleaders for Iran might be extreme environmentalists: If the global price of oil were to double, it would raise the price at US pumps by $2 a gallon for a few months. Heavily-taxed Europeans would see a smaller increase, percentage-wise.

      Conclusion

      Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the one who has to make the fateful decision that will determine the future of his country. He will likely share that awesome responsibility with members of his Cabinet, many of whom are 'hawks.' The coming weeks should be interesting.

      The writer is an electrical engineer and physicist who has also been involved in pioneering missile and satellite work. In past years he has visited Israel, Iran, and several Arab nations. He has held several academic and federal positions, most recently as chief scientist of the US Dept of Transportation, concerned with aircraft security, air traffic control, and GPS applications.

      Delete
    5. Bob,

      Obama has made it clear that Iran is off limits and is protected by a US detection umbrella and a carrier group. There will be no attack.

      Delete

  3. Exclusive: China may raise Iran oil imports with new contract: sources

    By Chen Aizhu

    BEIJING

    (Reuters) - China may buy more Iranian oil next year as a state trader is negotiating a new light crude contract that could raise imports from Tehran to levels not seen since tough Western sanctions were imposed in 2012, running the risk of upsetting Washington.

    An increase would go against the spirit of November's breakthrough agreement relaxing some of the stringent measures slapped on Iran two years ago over its nuclear program.

    The November deal between Tehran and the group known as P5+1 -- made up of the United States and five other global powers -- paused efforts to reduce Iran's crude sales but required buyers to hold to "current average amounts" of Iranian oil imports.

    That agreement was seen as a reward for a softer diplomatic tone from Tehran that was forced, some U.S. officials and lawmakers say, by U.S. and EU sanctions that slashed Iran's oil exports by more than half to about 1 million barrels per day (bpd) and cost it as much as $80 billion in lost revenue.

    But industry sources say Chinese state-trader Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp, which was sanctioned by Washington in early 2012 for supplying gasoline to Iran, is in talks with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for a new contract for condensate.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/31/us-china-iran-zhenrong-idUSBRE9BU03020131231

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. How China Is Behind the Nuclear Program of Iran—and Every Other Rogue State

      Beijing proved masterful at enabling Pyongyang to expand its program, and did the same for Pakistan.
      Now it’s Tehran’s turn.

      By Gordon G. Chang|

      In November, immediately after the announcement that Iran had reached a deal with Western negotiators concerning its nuclear program, China’s former ambassador to Tehran, Hua Liming, made the case that Beijing—not the American Secretary of State John Kerry or the European Union envoy Catherine Ashton—ultimately deserved credit for brokering the agreement.

      “When the two parties came across irresolvable problems,
      they would come to China, which would ‘lubricate’ the negotiation and put things back on track,”


      Hua, apparently speaking at the direction of the Communist Party, told Chinese state media.

      http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/157678/china-iran-nuclear-allies

      Delete

  4. I saw where allen was touting the magnificence of the Israeli arms merchants.

    Report: US Furious at Israel Equipment Transfer to China

    Top Israeli defense official allegedly resigns over transfer approval for military equipment move to China; US fears Chinese sale to Iran.


    Top Israeli defense official allegedly resigns over transfer approval for military equipment move to China;
    US fears Chinese sale to Iran.

    By Tova Dvorin

    A top Israeli defense official was forced to step down last week, according to Maariv Sunday, after the United States expressed fury at Israel's decision to sell military equipment to China.

    Meir Shalit, the Department Head for Defense Exports at the Defense Ministry, announced his resignation last week. While Shalit did not announce the reasons behind his resignation, the report claims that he voluntary resigned after US official investigations last month over the transfer revealed that the move took place with his approval. Shalit apologized to the US in a visit late last week.

    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175404#.UswaArRoH1U



    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175404#.UswaArRoH1U

    ReplyDelete

  5. The Tablet's Gordon G. Chang told us at Tue Jan 07, 10:14:00 AM EST ...

    How China Is Behind the Nuclear Program of Iran—and Every Other Rogue State

    Then it is reported in Israel National News, by Tova Dvorin , that the Israeli arms merchants ...

    transfer approval for military equipment move to China; US fears Chinese sale to Iran.


    While allen is proud of the Israeli accomplishments in cashing in on he arming the rouge states of the world,
    to include Iran.


    heh, heh, heh


    bob

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "The Israelis will sell us the rope with which to hang them"

      Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
      normally attributed to Lenin


      bob

      Delete
    2. AnonymousTue Jan 07, 10:27:00 AM EST
      While allen is proud of the Israeli accomplishments in cashing in on he arming the rouge states of the world,
      to include Iran.

      What are "rouge" nations?

      Are they rouge all the time or just on Saturday nights, Cowboy.

      Delete
    3. An “dago red“ bar in South Philadadelphia, the Mulyan Rouge?

      Delete
  6. Every time I read another ignorant comment or article speculating about “bombing” Iran, I wonder how many converts it creates to the cause in Iran of having a nuclear weapon. That has been a recurring theme in all of human history. Match or beat your enemy and potential enemy with weaponry or technology.

    ReplyDelete
  7. From RT.com:

    Glenn Greenwald, the investigative journalist who first published Edward Snowden leaks, said that the NSA whistleblower still has "a huge number of very significant stories to reveal," including those relating to Israel.

    "There definitely are stories left that involve the Middle East, that involve Israel. The reporting is going to continue at roughly the same pace that has been happening," the former Guardian journalist said in an interview with Channel 10 television station that aired Monday night.

    "I don’t want to preview any stories that aren’t yet published, but it’s definitely the case that there are a huge number of very significant stories that are left to report," the Brazil-based Greenwald said, adding that the journalists will continue releasing stories "at roughly the same pace that has been happening."

    "We have only had these documents for seven months, which, given their volume and complexity, is not a very long time," he noted.

    Documents leaked in December by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden, revealed that the US National Security Agency worked hand in hand with the UK's GCHQ to target email addresses belonging to the then-serving Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, among others. According to an exclusive report by the Israeli news agency, Debka, specializing in intelligence and security news, after 2009 Washington introduced "a high-powered, multilayered system of intelligence-gathering” – especially against Israel, about which neither Snowden nor the Israelis have been forthcoming. This system, the agency claimed, had a "single narrow focus: to pick up the slightest murmur or clue suggesting that Israel was about to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, which it had threatened to do without prior notice to Washington."

    "Listening in on the laconic conversations Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held with Ehud Barak was not enough. What the spies were told to look for was out-of-the-way conduct, such as an order placed suddenly for a large quantity of aircraft fuel, or the import of an unusual amount of emergency medical equipment," Debka's report concluded.

    The NSA responded to media reports claiming it had spied on top Israeli brass by saying that it is "not going to comment publicly on every specific alleged intelligence activity," while NSA spokeswoman, Bernadette Meehan, added that the US "gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations."

    After Snowden's revelations top Israeli politicians demanded that the US stop "systematically spying" on Israel. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Office at first chose to stifle the scandal, with the growing public outrage he has, however, demanded investigation into the matter. "In the close ties between Israel and the United States, there are things that must not be done and that are not acceptable to us," Netanyahu said speaking to the left-wing Likud party meeting in the Knesset on December 23.

    A number of Israeli politicians and lawmakers said that Israel had to use the revelations of US spying to press Washington to free jailed Israeli agent, Jonathan Pollard, a spy jailed for passing classified material to Israel while working as a US Naval intelligence analyst. He revealed information that Iran, Syria, Iraq and Libya were busy developing weapons of mass destruction to attack Israel. The whistleblower pleaded guilty and received a life sentence in 1987. In 1995 Israel granted him citizenship, and has lobbied for his release since then. Pollard has already spent nearly 30 years in a federal prison, an all-time record, as no one in US history has ever been given a life sentence for a similar offense, whose average time is usually between two and four years.
    {...}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He revealed information that Iran, Syria, Iraq and Libya were busy developing weapons of mass destruction to attack Israel.



      So Israel by all rights should use it's nukes asap on those nations working towards a nuke to bomb Israel?

      After all, fair is fair...

      Delete

  8. {...}

    Greenwald said Israel was "absolutely right" in linking the NSA spying to the Jonathan Pollard case because "it does underlie, underscore exactly the hypocrisy that lies at the center of so much of what the US government does."

    "When the US government goes around the world criticizing other countries for spying on allies and prosecuting them, are they going to maintain that with a straight face when they’re doing exactly that?" the journalist wondered.
    Snowden’s previous NSA files that made headlines across the world have revealed US operations targeting Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s cellphone as well as Angela Merkel’s.

    "The United States government loves to claim that the value of surveillance is to stop terrorism. Does the United States government think that Angela Merkel is a terrorist or that Israel’s democratically elected officials are involved in terrorism?" Greenwald wrapped up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. America has spied on Israel for decades.

      America has lied, cheated and stole technology from "allies" when it felt it needed to do so.

      America is unexceptional, as per Obama, the current President of the United States. To that end? America, will pursue it's goals regardless of little things like law or values.

      This is not new, in fact, both Deuce and Desert Rat have lived outside of international laws and/or norms for most of their adult military/government careers.

      Why should we be surprised now?

      Delete
  9. They are playing their cards/stories with the expertise of the Hemingway literary estate.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Palestinians Prefer to Live in 'Racist' Israel

    Tuesday, January 07, 2014 | Ryan Jones

    Arab members of Israel’s Knesset who insist on being called “Palestinians” and who regularly accuse the Jewish state of racism are now adamant they will not become citizens of a new Palestinian state.

    Loud-mouthed parliamentarians like Ahmad Tibi (pictured) have responded with fury to Israel’s reported proposal to US Secretary of State John Kerry that the Jewish state surrender sovereignty over a portion of the lower Galilee with a heavy Arab population to the Palestinian Authority in a future peace deal.

    In return, Israel would be allowed to retain control of large Jewish “settlement blocs” in Judea and Samaria.

    It would seem to be a win-win situation for all involved. Israel wouldn’t have to uproot hundreds of thousands of Jews from their homes, and hundreds of thousands of Arabs would finally be free of the oppressive racism under which they currently live.

    So it was a bit curious that Tibi reacted to the proposal by calling it unacceptable from the podium of the Knesset plenum. Unless, of course, Tibi and his ilk have been lying all along, and life for Arabs in Israel really isn’t all that bad.

    Why else would Tibi turn down the opportunity to become a citizen of the state for whose creation he has so long advocated?

    If Tibi and most other Arabs really do prefer life in Israel to that in a future Palestinian state, then, as Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh wrote for the Gatestone Institute, “they should be working toward integration into, and not separation from, Israel.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, they do want to stay within Israel and are doing everything within their power to see that when a settlement comes they are left on the Jewish side of the barrier. The JP had an article yesterday on this very topic.

      Delete
  11. America is now selling weapons to the revolutionary guards of Iran.

    this is an attempt to create daylight between Israel and America so that Israel will be forced to bomb the Iranians and the Americans can claim plausible deniability. In fact, America today, stands with islam as never before.

    Under the current administration a realignment is going on, America will not stand with traditional allies any longer, it will support whoever holds the power, be it Iran, China or a crazy dictator. America will not stand for liberty and justice, but rather who can promise not to attack the USA.

    America, the unexceptional, will only pursue things that are in it's best interest and not hold it's self to principle or ethics to achieve it's goals.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yesterday WiO made a curious statement:

    "Again thanks for bringing up the horrible neighborhood that Israel finds it's self surrounded by. "

    The curious thing is that the neighbourhood Israel finds it self in it CHOSE.

    Bob, the "moral relativist" comment was directed at you since you, and WiO, are fond of saying 'Israel's neighbors bad therefore Israel good'. Relativism at its peak!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know it was directed a me, Ash. I redirected it.

      NO, Israel did not choose the neighborhood. Many Jews were content with Europe until they got thrown in the concentration camps there.

      Where else are they supposed to go? Arizona?

      Delete
    2. Read up on the history of Israel dude. They immigrated there by choice and there were actually many Jews who didn't think founding a nation there was a good idea. Not all Jews are Zionists.

      Delete
    3. Read history Ash, many Jews always lived there.

      And you are correct there are some jews that are not zionists. They do not make up a significant number.

      Delete
    4. True that, Palestinians as well.

      Delete
  13. Let the criminals in the US govt screem all they want. China is a friend of Israel, the US gov is not.

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  14. The Israeli hall monitors are a little off the rails this morning.

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  15. Israel is not going to bomb Iran. Period.

    Israel is going to watch the dissolution of Arab world, helping those it can and hurting those it must.

    Israel will spy. The United States will spy. Both would be derelict to do otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Replies
    1. David Patrick WilcoxTue Jan 07, 03:22:00 PM EST



      "Eye of the Hurricane"
      as written by David Patrick Wilcox



      Tank is full, switch is on
      Night is warm, cops are gone
      Rocket bike is all her own
      It's called a hurricane

      She told me once it's quite a ride
      It's shaped so there's this place inside
      Where if you're moving you can hide
      Safe within the rain

      She wants to run away
      But there's nowhere that she can go
      Nowhere the pain won't come again
      But she can hide
      Hide in the pouring rain
      She rides the eye of the hurricane

      Tell the truth, explain to me
      How you got this need for speed
      She laughed and said "it might just be
      The next best thing to love."

      Hope is gone and she confessed
      When you lay your dream to rest
      You can get what's second best
      But it's hard to get enough

      She wants to run away
      But there's nowhere that she can go
      Nowhere the pain won't come again
      But she can hide
      Hide in the pouring rain
      She rides the eye of the hurricane

      We saw her ride so fast last night
      Racing by a flash of light
      Riding quick, the street was dark
      A shining truck she thought was parked
      It blocked her path, stopped her heart
      But not the hurricane

      She saw her chance to slip the trap
      There was just the room to pass in back
      But then it moved, closed the gap
      She never felt the pain

      She wants to run away
      But there's nowhere that she can go
      Nowhere the pain won't come again
      But she can hide
      Hide in the pouring rain
      She rides the eye of the hurricane
      She rides the eye of a hurricane

      Delete


    2. Into the eye, eye of the hurricane

      Black clouds are rushing in
      The storm is ready to strike
      The lightening flashes through the wasteland
      Caught between the earth and sky
      Hear the thunder roar
      Got to find the key to the open door.

      Runaway, hideaway,
      Into the eye of the hurricane
      Find your way, to saving grace,
      Inside the eye of the hurricane.


      Nations are rising up
      There's war and rumors of war
      Still there is famine, floods, and earthquakes
      Persecution and distress
      See the love grow cold
      Just another sign as the day unfolds

      Runaway, hideaway,
      Into the eye of the hurricane
      Find your way, to saving grace,
      Inside the eye of the hurricane


      Runaway, hideaway,
      Into the eye of the hurricane
      Find your way, to saving grace,
      Inside the eye of the hurricane

      Hurricane!!

      Delete
  17. EXTREME QUIRK ALERT !!!!

    EXTREME QUIRK ALERT !!!!


    SUNNY is advertising for a comedy editor.

    http://houseofsunny.tv/2014/01/07/want-to-edit-comedy-sunnytv-is-looking-for-an-editor-and-it-could-be-you/

    I know it's an actual job but there is nothing wrong with working once in your life just for the experience of it.

    The qualifications are right down your ally.

    In fact, when I first saw the naked fat guy I thought she had already hired you.

    APPLY NOW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Damn dropped the e in alley.

      Each day my typing seems to get worse..

      Delete
    2. .

      The first thing I would edit out would be Sunny.

      .

      Delete
    3. .

      She's just not that funny.

      .

      Delete
    4. .

      Now, if you are interested in funny, try this.

      What is "Occupation"Tue Jan 07, 02:10:00 AM EST

      Quirk: "I personally am opposed to the idea of Zionism. The concept is foreign to everything I have learned growing up as an American."


      that's enough for me... you are against the idea that Jews specifically deserve self determination.

      You are one sick puppy.

      And yes, that means you would enjoy the genocide of Jews by any means....

      IMO.


      Now, that's funny albeit in a sick, sad little way.

      .


      Delete
    5. Pray to Zeus that it is not a view held by most Jews or we would really have to worry about Israeli nuclear weapons. Jews are smart enough in not believing that death takes one to a better place.

      Delete
    6. Jewish self determination has nothing to do with death or the after life.

      Delete
    7. You must not have read Miss T's very brief copy of a summary of Jewish beliefs, Deuce.

      Delete
    8. Sunny has a ways to go Quirk I admit but that is why I thought of you....that you could help her so much......cause you are a gas especially when angry....

      Delete
    9. Besides it's a job, Quirk, think of it as a new adventure......entry level perhaps.......but something new and different......kinda a challenge maybe........

      Delete
    10. DeuceTue Jan 07, 05:47:00 PM EST
      Pray to Zeus that it is not a view held by most Jews or we would really have to worry about Israeli nuclear weapons. Jews are smart enough in not believing that death takes one to a better place.

      Jews do believe in a world to come; they don't believe you have the right to speed up the trip there.

      Delete
    11. DeuceTue Jan 07, 05:47:00 PM EST
      Pray to Zeus that it is not a view held by most Jews or we would really have to worry about Israeli nuclear weapons. Jews are smart enough in not believing that death takes one to a better place.

      Which belief? the one that Quirk holds that only Jews are not entitled to self determination? Or the one that folks like Quirk would cheer Jews being slaughtered?

      Delete
  18. Huge 9/11 Fraud Case Accuses Retired New York Cops, Firefighters

    For the love of money is the cause of much evil, whereby many have fallen from the faith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was pilloried for criticizing the massive payout to the “heroes” who dug up rubble after 911.

      Delete
    2. Not here of course ( Other than Rufus) but on another blog, they were not so kind:

      http://2164th.blogspot.com/2010/03/10000-american-911-heroes-cash-in-on.html

      Delete
    3. Deuce,

      Every population has its 10%.

      Delete
  19. The dollar rose against most rivals as investors awaited the next day's release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's December meeting.

    The European Central Bank and the Bank of England will release monetary-policy decisions on Thursday and investors are also watching for December's jobs report on Friday.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Replies
    1. A repeat of US geo-political Clintonian genius as practiced in Kosovo.

      Delete
    2. Church burning was quite the rage by the noble Kosovars.

      Delete
  21. .

    Gates writes about Obama with an ambivalence that he does not resolve, praising him as “a man of personal integrity” even as he faults his leadership. Though the book simmers with disappointment in Obama, it reflects outright contempt for Vice President Biden and many of Obama’s top aides.

    Biden is accused of “poisoning the well” against the military leadership. Thomas Donilon, initially Obama’s deputy national security adviser, and then-Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, the White House coordinator for the wars, are described as regularly engaged in “aggressive, suspicious, and sometimes condescending and insulting questioning of our military leaders.”


    I always liked and respected Gates. I agreed with him a lot more than I disagreed with. What is as interesting as this story in the WaPo are the peripheral stories surrounding the book release, how it will affect the Clintons and Hillary's bid in 2016, the distain he has for the people surrounding Obama, the jibes he takes at Biden. Entertaining stuff.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/robert-gates-former-defense-secretary-offers-harsh-critique-of-obamas-leadership-in-duty/2014/01/07/6a6915b2-77cb-11e3-b1c5-739e63e9c9a7_story.html


    http://www.washingtonpost.com/

    .

    ReplyDelete
  22. “I never doubted Obama’s support for the troops, only his support for their mission,” Gates writes.

    Say what!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember Obama letting the Marines holding the umbrella get wet so his noble head would not get wet.

      Bush would have, I hope, and believe, stood under the umbrella with the Marines, keeping all dry.

      Delete
  23. While all eyes are on the ObamaCare rollout, an ambitious health care experiment is going forward in Vermont that would create a government-run alternative know as a "single-payer" system -- and it's starting to attract more attention from liberals frustrated with the Affordable Care Act's implementation.

    Democrats' faith in ObamaCare has been shaken by the technical failures of the federal and state insurance exchanges as well as, in some cases, premium increases. In Vermont, however, they see a potential first step toward the kind of national government-run health care system some have advocated for years.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Should anti Semitism be criminalized?

    http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/01/07/anti-semitism-should-not-be-criminalized/

    When thinking of ratbobwhackopath, who ought to be put away for something, it is tempting, but naw, it goes to far.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Always make certain you are buying "the fully lethal Mi-Stopper", folks.

    http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/07/new-high-tech-bullet-grows-in-mid-air-so-you-cant-miss-your-target-video/

    Bullet expands like otherworldly, making missing really hard to do......

    Now on expo at a Vegas gun show, soon coming to an ammo dump near you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great for fending off flash mobs, knock out gamers, g-spies, etc.

      Delete
    2. One must simply accept the fact that some collateral damage is a part of life.....

      Delete
  26. Secretary Sebelius has not responded in over 7 months to letters from the Secretaries of State of many states wanting to talk about the many problems they are having with AwfulCare, and the many questions they would like to ask concerning the entire subject. Just seen on Fox News......

    ReplyDelete
  27. QuirkTue Jan 07, 04:56:00 PM EST
    .

    Now, if you are interested in funny, try this.

    What is "Occupation"Tue Jan 07, 02:10:00 AM EST

    Quirk: "I personally am opposed to the idea of Zionism. The concept is foreign to everything I have learned growing up as an American.



    What is your answer to Zionism, having grown up an American and all that jazz?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quirk is down with "from sea to shining sea" and all that jazz, and there is a condo in Denver with his name on it.

      Delete
    2. .

      The Jewish lobby at this blog all appear to be a little touched, lacking the ability to read and understand with at least a couple also suffering from ADS (AIPAC Dysfunction Syndrome).

      Why must I have an answer to Zionism. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to question the estimated 25% to 30% of JEWS worldwide why they oppose Zionism? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to ask the ultra-orthodox and the many youth in Israel why they oppose Zionism? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to ask the many American Jews and the growing number of youth here why they oppose Zionism?

      My simple answer to Zionism is 'No'.

      Yesterday, I told WiO I didn't give a shit about Zionism although that didn't mean I didn't have opinions on it. For that he came up with the absurd conclusion I was trying to deny Jews self-determination. He also said it made me 'irrelevant', an absurdity given that this is a blog and my opinion carries as much weight here as any one of you three.

      However, realizing WiO was in need of further education I offered him these opinions,

      Nonsense.

      The subject at hand on this stream is Zionism and Bibi's demand that the Palestinians agree to recognize Israel as a Jewish state before there is a peace settlement on the West Bank. My opinion on that matter is as relevant as yours since we are both on the same blog discussing the same issue.

      My opinion on it is that the issue itself is 'irrelevant' since there is no way that there will ever be a peace settlement. If Zionism weren't an issue there would be plenty more that Bibi could use to queer the deal. For that reason, I don't really give a shit about it.

      However, what is relevant (at least to this discussion and at least as much as yours) is my opinion on it.

      That opinion remains,

      - The demand to 'recognize Israel as a Jewish state' is a non starter but not a deal breaker because there is no deal to break.

      - It is the height of presumption for Bibi to demand that anyone other than those he governs accept Israel as 'Jewish state'. If someone wants to do it, that's their business.

      - If the Israelis want a Jewish state they can have one and any repercussions that flow from that.

      - I believe anyone who equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is a moron.

      - I personally am opposed to the idea of Zionism. The concept is foreign to everything I have learned growing up as an American.

      - IMO, anyone who thinks that because a person disagrees with him on this subject that person would enjoy or cheer if Jews were gunned down by machine guns is one sick puppy. There is no other way to describe it.

      You and your buddy Bob are irrational.


      This was merely a summary of opinions I offered in more detail on yesterdays.

      Zionism is a Jewish problem. It is for them to resolve it. I have outlined the long range repercussions of the policy for Israel, IMO. If they (the Israelis) have the will and the power to sustain it they can go for it. However, don't come seeking approval from the world for the policy.

      I state the following to WiO yesterday.

      However, I have no obligation to approve of Zionism. While I respect China's right to self-determination I don't approve of the communist system it is built on. While I respected South Africa's right to self-determination, I didn't approve of their system of apartheid. While I respect Saudi Arabia's right to self-determination, I don't approve of the religious fundamentalism their society is built on. None of this means of course that I am looking for genocide of the Chinese, the Saudis, the South Africans or the Israelis.

      My ultimate answer to Zionism is do what you are going to do but please spare me the bullshit.

      .

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. quirk: Wouldn't it be more appropriate to question the estimated 25% to 30% of JEWS worldwide why they oppose Zionism?

      Wow, could you site that reference as the number that I heard of Jews that OPPOSE Zionism is about 1%

      Delete
    5. quirk: - IMO, anyone who thinks that because a person disagrees with him on this subject that person would enjoy or cheer if Jews were gunned down by machine guns is one sick puppy. There is no other way to describe it.


      To me anyone that tells me to "shove zionism up his ass" tells me that they oppose jews having the right to a national homeland and that would cheer the destruction.genocide of the jewish people. that person is the sick puppy...

      But don't fret Quirk, you have made it clear. Israel has no right to "be". Those that support it should be registered as foreign agents and that all others in America have the right to lobby Congress, just not Jews.

      thanks..

      Delete
    6. I REALLY like this gem:

      Quirk: - I believe anyone who equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is a moron.

      This just proves that Quirk just doesn't have a clue. We should not hold him responsible for being a twit...

      He can't help it...

      Delete
    7. I have discovered from Quirk that I am irrational...Meh...

      I took down the post wherein I called him "Cookie". There is no need for me to lower my discourse to his level of madly thrashing and cursing.

      For a guy who doesn't want to be bothered with the Jewish "bullshit", he has a knack for sticking his nose into it - ever the critical epigone.

      Delete
    8. What is "Occupation"Tue Jan 07, 09:29:00 PM EST
      I REALLY like this gem:

      Quirk: - I believe anyone who equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is a moron.


      “While the Zionists try to make the rest of the World believe that the national consciousness of the Jew finds its satisfaction in the creation of a Palestinian state, the Jews again slyly dupe the dumb Goyim. It doesn't even enter their heads to build up a Jewish state in Palestine for the purpose of living there; all they want is a central organization for their international world swindler, endowed with its own sovereign rights and removed from the intervention of other states: a haven for convicted scoundrels and a university for budding crooks.

      Delete
    9. .

      I have no idea what Allen's last unattributed link is supposed to mean; however, I suppose in some way it is related to WiO's suggestion that unless you approve of Zionism you are an anti-Semite. If indeed it is in support of WiO's contention, it is yet one more example of the illogical mind he possesses, despite his recurrent "...Mehs..."

      There is no point in responding to WiO beyond what I have told him already. The guy is clearly beyond redemption. But for Allen's edification, let me point out that WiO's equation is based on a false assumption, a logical fallacy. For while it may be true that an anti-Semite may also be an anti-Zionist it is not necessarily true that an anti-Zionist is necessarily an anti-Semite as evidenced by the various Jews who view Judaism as a religion rather than a nationality and thus reject Zionism. Likewise, to say that every anti-Zionist would deny the Jews of Israel self-determination is also a specious argument. One can favor self-determination for Israeli citizens without approving of the policy of Zionism and all it implies.

      As for my sticking my nose in it, if you don't expect an answer don't ask a question. As for the sticking your nose in it, I notice your question followed a post I put up from WiO that was directed to me. I love how when things get a little hot in the kitchen, you describe the opinions of others as 'irrelevant, as getting uppity and butting in, as not being qualified to discuss certain matters because we are not Jewish.

      Typical for those who have run out of arguments. Try to silence the opposition. My only response?

      :)

      As to your delicate sensibilities, good heavens, now you are the same as the rat when always talking about how polite he is and how he never uses profanity.

      Once again, I say spare me the bullshit.

      .

      Delete
    10. .

      ...hot in the kitchen, you describe...

      Should read, ...hot in the kitchen, you and WiO describe...

      .

      Delete
  28. Ultimately, only the historians will be able to answer the question of whether Iraq was worth it. Nevertheless, we must pay heed to what Americans like Lance Corporal Franklin Sweger achieved with their sacrifices.

    They saved many Iraqi lives.

    ...

    Again, this doesn’t mean that the costs of Iraq were worth it. But it does mean that our public discourse on Iraq requires a little more honesty.

    ...

    Regardless, the legacies of men and women such as Franklin Sweger are proved every day. Not only by the friends for whom they gave lives, but by the countless Iraqis who live because of them, and live with the chance of a better life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .


      Delusion.

      Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died as a direct result of our intervention and our policies. It is unknown how many thousands more of the millions that were turned into refugees died. The sectarian fighting continues. It remains one of the great unknown unknowns whether it would be better there now if we hadn't invaded.

      This is not a reflection on Lance Cpl. Sweger, a Marine who did his duty and paid the ultimate price but rather on those who sent him to Iraq in the mistaken assumption it would do some good.

      .

      Delete
  29. On this day in 1953, President Harry S. Truman announced the U.S. had developed a hydrogen bomb. The disclosure came during his State of the Union address.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Americans of all ages, races and religions sympathize with Israel.

    64% of Americans favor Israel, 12% favor the Palestinians. A plurality of Americans want the US to let the two side solve their own problems. (Gallop)

    Pew's Poll is very similar.

    American Public Opinion Toward Israel

    Having grown up an American, I take heart in the affection of the American public for Israel.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A plurality of Americans want the US to let the two side solve their own problems.

      Which means no US boots in the Jordan valley, period.

      Delete
    2. Israel has never needed American boots on the ground.

      Mr. Kerry might try some boats on the Jordan River, instead. It would be entertaining watching John "Killer" Kerry flash by for a photoshoot. The Jordan has the world's second steepest gradient.

      Delete
  31. THE BANKERS ARE TOO FAT TO BE JAILED?
    What we are clearly seeing here is that if you are against anything that the Zionist regime has cooked up, then you are more than likely to be labeled a terrorist or something equally worse.

    Whatever they do, you must accept it. In the Zionist world, free speech and free expression are simply relics of the past.

    Whenever the Zionist mob is not in charge, they ask for diversity; but whenever they take control over the academia, they fine you if you ask for just an ounce of diversity.

    If you question the “Holocaust” in Germany—like the 73-year old Bishop Williamson has done—you will be fined $2,431.[11] Then you have Zionist shills such as David Cameron who will increase funding for the Holocaust story to stay alive.[12]


    NSA and Jewish Bankers: Two Zionist Monsters

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I already know other countries don't have freedom of speech (Germany, Israel). Bores the shit out of me.

      Delete
  32. Our thinking about what to expect from cities in 2014 is based on what we saw in the last half of 2013. From June to December, we visited dozens of metropolitan areas in four countries to talk about The Metropolitan Revolution. Based on what we learned on the road, we think that four major developments will unfold in cities and metros over the next year.

    1. Cities’ and metros’ capacity for action and innovation won’t be measured solely by the fiscal health of local governments, but rather on the financial commitments and engagement of private, nonprofit, and civic institutions and their leaders.

    Detroit provides the best example of this fact: Bankruptcy has not stopped the enormous level of investment in the city (more than $1 billion to date in midtown and downtown). One local journalist tweeted that, after covering the landmark bankruptcy ruling on the morning of December 3, her next stop was covering the opening of a new small business in Midtown.


    Revolution '14

    ReplyDelete
  33. I have always favored jailing fat bankers, be they Jewish or Gentile, just on general principles. With an enhanced sentence for those who smoke cigars.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Here's a great quote by former mayor of New York City Ed Koch just told on Fox by former mayor Rudy Giulianni (sp?) -

    "The people have spoken, and now they must be punished."

    :):)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Mayor Rudy thinks the City, which is in "pretty good shape right now", will be rapidly going to hell in a hand basket unless this new guy immediately changes his program.....as the ultra liberal when in Congress Ed Koch did within six months after becoming mayor.

      Ideology doesn't count for much in running a City, practicality is trumps......and that is why I've always thought the Libertarians couldn't run the Sewer Department of even any moderately sized city.

      Delete
  35. Citrus growers in Florida reported that so far the low temperatures had not lasted long enough to spoil their fruit crops – and a sharp drop followed by a rise on the thermometer could even make the current orange crop sweeter.

    The Tennessee Valley Authority, the biggest public utility in the South, said preliminary figures showed demand for electricity Tuesday morning reached the second-highest winter peak in the history of the Depression-era TVA.

    PJM Interconnection, which operates the power grid that supplies more than 61 million people in the mid-Atlantic states, the midwest and south, asked users to conserve electricity because of the cold.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Factoid:

    I learned today during a doctor's appointment that there are fully nine or more different kinds of kidney stones.

    All different shapes and sizes, some almost attractive, and might make acceptable necklace materials.....

    I have one, way up high in one kidney, moderately large, which, thankfully, doesn't seem likely to go anywhere.

    My brother, a doc, once told me, when discussing my father's kidney stones, do not have them ultra sounded into smaller pieces......this usually makes the situation worse, he said.

    Dad finally, after two really painful episodes of pissing stones, finally had his surgically removed, and was OK from then on out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aristotle recommended to his son that one should always try to avoid pain unless there is an over riding reason not to do so.

      Always remember that, my friends....

      Delete
    2. .

      Condolences.

      I have experienced kidney stones numerous times in my life. Not fun. When I was young, I had them four years in a row, usually right around my birthday, lost one against a fence during an Octoberfest (as you know you are supposed to catch them is possible for analysis), the frequency with which I had them ultimately kept me out of Vietnam.

      Had them a few times since that time, the last probably going on twenty years ago. That one I had removed by ultrasound. Haven't had one since. Don't take that as an endorsement however. I'd leave it to your doc. The worst part of the process was the stint I had for a month before the ultrasound equipment was available.

      .

      Delete
    3. I should be offering, and am, condolences to you.

      I thought they were an older man's thing. Never heard that about the young.

      Another bitch is gout, which can be excruciating. That however can easily be handled. Miss T got me on to black cherry juice......change of diet.......there is also indomethacin I think it is that seemed a miracle drug for gout for me......haven't had a gout attack in forever now.....gout is caused by the kidneys not adequately eliminating uric acid I think it is......how one can actually prevent kidney stones I have no idea.....maybe it's not possible.

      Delete
  37. I was thinking of Aristotle when making up my mind today as to whether have external beam therapy or implanted radioactive seeds to counter my very early stage prostate cancer. The problem with the seeds is upon peeing the first few times after surgery one experiences "unbearable pain", one of my two docs said. Not liking the sounds of that I went back to considering external beam radiation. It takes longer but there is no discomfort. Both have equal results. I have been surgically invaded four times in the last few years and decided, naw, I'll go with Aristotle this time....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Geez, Bob, I am sorry to hear about the cancer. You had mentioned problems before but I didn't realize. I'm glad to hear it was spotted early.

      .
      .

      Delete
  38. If one wonders why many Jews wanted to return to the land of their ancestors -

    http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/alfred-hitchcocks-unseen-holocaust-documentary-to-be-screened-9044945.html

    ReplyDelete