israeloutlook.com

So, why do so many have this insane notion that talking will stop evil people from doing what comes natural to them?

Part of the problem is just that. Insanity.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
  – Albert Einstein

Too many believe that a nice friendly chat over coffee will solve everyone’s problems. And, if you don’t get the result that you want? Well, you just weren’t friendly enough, and you just haven’t chatted long enough.

(I smell a conspiracy by the Nescafe people.)

So, why do so many have this insane notion that talking will stop evil people from doing what comes natural to them?

Part of the problem is just that. Insanity.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
  – Albert Einstein

Too many believe that a nice friendly chat over coffee will solve everyone’s problems. And, if you don’t get the result that you want? Well, you just weren’t friendly enough, and you just haven’t chatted long enough.

(I smell a conspiracy by the Nescafe people.)

Read Full Post »

What bother’s me about the Ohio woman’s comment is its commonality. Her comment evokes a sentiment that is sweeping the US and her allies.

It is true that no one likes or wants war. People get hurt and things get broken. Neighbors and friends and family are put in harm’s way. The husband of a cousin is one of those on the sharp end.

But, there is a price for freedom.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
– Thomas Jefferson

What bother’s me about the Ohio woman’s comment is its commonality. Her comment evokes a sentiment that is sweeping the US and her allies.

It is true that no one likes or wants war. People get hurt and things get broken. Neighbors and friends and family are put in harm’s way. The husband of a cousin is one of those on the sharp end.

But, there is a price for freedom.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
– Thomas Jefferson

Read Full Post »

Yesterday, the BBC offered up their daily report on the current diplomatic confrontation with Iran and the preparations for some kind of military response. As usual, they interviewed this person and that person, as well as the head of the US Senate intelligence committee (a Democrat) and a few other Democrats unworthy of note.

There was blather and blunder. Armchair generals gave armchair strategies. The talking heads talked. Then, something got past my idiocy filter and made me laugh.

News Hour and other news programs read, on-air, emails sent to them during their broadcast. Most of those are read at the end. One such email was from a woman in Ohio, who wrote (and I paraphrase):

Yesterday, the BBC offered up their daily report on the current diplomatic confrontation with Iran and the preparations for some kind of military response. As usual, they interviewed this person and that person, as well as the head of the US Senate intelligence committee (a Democrat) and a few other Democrats unworthy of note.

There was blather and blunder. Armchair generals gave armchair strategies. The talking heads talked. Then, something got past my idiocy filter and made me laugh.

News Hour and other news programs read, on-air, emails sent to them during their broadcast. Most of those are read at the end. One such email was from a woman in Ohio, who wrote (and I paraphrase):

Read Full Post »

Today, I’m adding a new entry to my blog list:

http://www.michaeltotten.com/

Michael Totten is a freelance blogger/journalist who covers the Middle East from Lebanon. In a recent article in The Jerusalem Post:

He spent time in Lebanon and Israel during and after last year’s war, and has met with many of the leaders of sects and parties in Lebanon, including Hizbullah.

Totten raises money from readers and publishes dispatches from the Middle East on his Web site, michaeltotten.com.

Today, I’m adding a new entry to my blog list:

http://www.michaeltotten.com/

Michael Totten is a freelance blogger/journalist who covers the Middle East from Lebanon. In a recent article in The Jerusalem Post:

He spent time in Lebanon and Israel during and after last year’s war, and has met with many of the leaders of sects and parties in Lebanon, including Hizbullah.

Totten raises money from readers and publishes dispatches from the Middle East on his Web site, michaeltotten.com.

Read Full Post »

You’ve heard of ‘Ah ha’ moments, right?

Well, I’ve just had a ‘Whoa’ moment.

You know T.E. Lawrence? As in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’? The guy who wrote ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’? The guy who led the Arabs in their fight to oust the Ottomans and Germans from Palestine? The ever-so-British symbol of Arab nationalism?

Right, that T.E. Lawrence.

Well, it seems that a careful review of the archives shows that he was a Zionist!

Here’s a quote from Ruthie Blum’s article, Martin Gilbert: Lawrence of Arabia was a Zionist, in The Jerusalem Post:

You’ve heard of ‘Ah ha’ moments, right?

Well, I’ve just had a ‘Whoa’ moment.

You know T.E. Lawrence? As in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’? The guy who wrote ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’? The guy who led the Arabs in their fight to oust the Ottomans and Germans from Palestine? The ever-so-British symbol of Arab nationalism?

Right, that T.E. Lawrence.

Well, it seems that a careful review of the archives shows that he was a Zionist!

Here’s a quote from Ruthie Blum’s article, Martin Gilbert: Lawrence of Arabia was a Zionist, in The Jerusalem Post:

Read Full Post »