"High in Fiber"

LOL moment of the day.

Carpet wrapped stinger missiles?

The carpets ALL have the same pattern and do NOT flop over - Yup! They're identifiable shipping containers.

They're not carpets. They're missile launchers covered in carpet.

Not to forget all the mega-cartons of cigarettes the Pals took back.

I'm serious there. Why are only women carrying the "carpets"? Less likely to be searched? And these women all bought the same pattern?

One could call them carpet "baggers".

I blame Karl Rove.

Hiya John West,

Yes, thats what life in Gaza is all about. Missiles and Rocket launchers. And they re all terrorists.

While we re playing around with stereotypes, hows life in rural BattFack SK - are you still married, to your Sister? Or did you divorce her and marry your mother instead? And what did you end up doing with that sheep that turned you into a man?

What? I thought incest was as common in redneck areas as terrorists are in the Middle East.

Could they be flying carpets to get around the evil joooooows security wall?

This issue is not well understood, least of all by me. I didn’t even know that an Arab state like Egypt had put up a wall to keep out Palestinians. Jimmy Carter didn’t mention this when he ranted about Israel committing apartheid when building a wall to do the same thing. I’m confused.

pat-e-tic

I don't live in Sask. I live on the East Coast of beautiful Vancouver Island in a luxurious west coaster with lots of glass and a great view of the ocean and mountains.

I am not married to a member of my own family. I have a lovely wife who is good looking, very smart and has a very high paying job as I do.

We are bother healthy and good looking people. We have a few good friends and lot's of money to spend on good times. We could retire anytime, but we both like our jobs and are a bit greedy so we will continue working for awhile longer before picking up a nice condo in Panama.

I personally don't think everyone in the Middle East is a terrorist, but there are many and they have many supporters. We cannot tell them apart, so much conclude that any of them is a possible terrorist and should be regarded with suspicion. That is a realism that you are probably not capable of understanding.

Your comment attacking me says that you are probably young, idealistic, brain-washed by liberalism. Most likely indulge in self-loathing and envy of others who don't share your particular psychosis and that are happier an more prosperous than you.

If you are not very young, then you must be incredibly stupid to be putting such posts that accomplish nothing but to let us know how much pain you are in.

Media coverage on the first day they bombed the wall showed hundreds of men fleeing back into Palestine with bags and bags of cigs. I guess cigs are a staple in their diet, ciggy oatmeal, ciggy sandwiches, ciggy hotplate for supper.

LOL the news is lamenting their suffering and starvation and smokes and booze and carpets and motor bikes are what they are shopping for. Not food staples, on the bright side now we know what they've used the millions we sent them in aide for. Smokes, booze and area rugs, hay they are like our ladies that consider Welfare a Career Choice (aka refered to as Welfare Hoes).

You suspicious people. Stinger missiles indeed. LOOK at that pattern; those colours. It's obvious there was a sale on.

The women are the ones carrying the carpets because they are the 'work-horses' of the Middle East. A good number of the men just sit around all day smoking and trying to figure out who they hate the most.

I guess cigarettes are becoming more popular because it's difficult to slip a 4 foot tall Hooka into your jacket pocket and still look cool.

The sandals don't help either...

Hiya John West,

Good for you, though I daresay you re overcompensating a bit too much on the "I have lots of money front". You have nothing to prove to me. I was just seeing if you could take what you were dishing out, and frankly, you can. Good on ya, mate.

Dont worry, I m neither very young, nor a bleeding heart liberal.

Sadly I dont think most people on this board can take what they dish out, and I m quite glad a fellow Canadian has proved me wrong.

Good luck to you.

Kate, I think perhaps Kinsella is on to something when he characterizes you as a bigot. Because these Gazans have returned home with something to put on their floors, does this constitute a denial of the other conditions in their lives? Poverty being one?

And before commentors reduce this to a partisan (me being a liberal or them being conservatives or right wingers etc) issue, it's broader than that. If I were to post a picture of Israelis in tanks parading around areas of the occupied west bank and suggested they are taking advantage of the reduced land prices you would be pretty clear I was being racist or anti-Semetic.

Maybe your post does not constitute racism or ethnic bashing, but it's nasty as hell and promotes nothing.

. . . before picking up a nice condo in Panama.

John, would that be in Boquete in Chiriqui?

"A good number of the men just sit around all day smoking and trying to figure out who they hate the most."

Kinda sounds like this website. Except people here know who they hate - muslims.

Or this posts let's us think about what is really happenning in the world, not what the media wants us to think.
Too deep for ya Maudlin?

"Because these Gazans have returned home with something to put on their floors, does this constitute a denial of the other conditions in their lives? Poverty being one?"

Together with the motorcycles and cigarettes - yes.

The whole thing is a prime example of media manipulation and the Pals are experts at it, and we have the gullible media over here.

poor little Gazian Palestinians. Can't afford food or fuel but they have cornered the market on carpets.

Their choice of priorities might explain why they are so screwed up, so suffering from their self-inflicted stupidity.

Their choice, their problem.

Hope they enjoy it.

M Matt,

That's the general area.

Johnny Maudlin: The world is fed a litany of stories about how downtrodden and oppressed the Palestinians are. The UN spends more time on this than any other issue, making it serious stuff, given the UN's mandate.

On examination though, one cannot help but notice that the Palestinians themselves are never judged, despite the fact that elements within them are horribly racist in various ways and carry out heinous acts of violence including against their own people.

We also notice that in all those thousands of press photos, there is never an actual starving Palestinian; not like so many Africans. Yet the UN (and the EU, Arab League and other actors) carry on as if this is THE issue of the day.

In this latest event, nearly a million Gazans went to Egypt. They obviously have cash with which to buy stuff (unlike starving Africans) and the whole event, when judged against the background we have been fed, takes on a surreal character. The fact that Egypt has obviously been complicit in the "blockade" and that Israel supplies electricity and much else besides, moves surreality to the farcical.

Sorry Johnny, this is fertile ground for satire and damn your sensitivities.

You know - this deserves a serious response. (Maybe "deserves" is too strong a word.)

"Because these Gazans have returned home with something to put on their floors..."

Anyone who thinks that shopping for carpet is consistent with abject poverty has never been short of food and short of money at the same time.

Those of us who have, know better.

The trolls are missing the point...but then again, that's nothing new.

To explain for the "hard-of-thinking":

- the media played up the terrible plight and hardship of the poor Palestinians, starving under the brutal blockade imposed by the evil Israelis;
- but they forget to note that Egypt was party to the blockade, too...for several years...why are the Egyptians not considered evil, too? Nary a sound was uttered against the Egyptians.
- when a hole in the Egyptian apartheid wall is opened up (again, the media never mentions THIS wall), the supposedly starving folks rush across the wall to buy...wait for it...carpets and cigarettes and motorcycles. Doesn't this suggest that they weren't really starving or suffering as greatly as the media played up? And the reports from the FIRST DAY after the wall was breached talked about them bringing back carpets, so don't think the carpet-buying has only been done after their food purchases were complete.

Do you start to get an inkling yet of what the point of the post is? I'll spell it out for you: A N T I - S E M I T I C P R O P A G A N D A.

They're only sucking in the fools in the public who are swayed by their tear-jerking propaganda to build more hatred against the Israelis and sympathy for the head-lobbing, barbaric terrorists and their supporters. How's it feel to be so stupid?

The references to "Egypt's apartheid wall" are getting a bit tiresome. No doubt the Egyptians were happy to take advantage of it, to keep Hamas out of their territory but, it was the Israelis who built the thing a couple of decades ago, and they didn't ask Egypt, "Pretty please, may we put up a wall?" Just to be on the safe side, they built it a few meters inside of Gaza, so it was none of Egypt's business anyway.

Posted by: pluto at January 27, 2008 5:30 PM
"Kinda sounds like this website. Except people here know who they hate - muslims."
Would pluto care to give an example of his conclusion?

John,

My wife spent a year as an exchange student in David. She still has "family" there and we're trying to one day get there for a visit. Boquete looks beautiful - I hope it all works out for you.

The following is a list of why I would "hate" someone.

1. anyone who wants me or my 3 daughters to live under sharia law
2. anyone who would suppress my right to free speech
3. anyone who would like to be-head my Prime Minister
4. anyone who would homicide bomb and kill innocent civilians
5. anyone who chants for my death, just because I will never bow to a pedophile martyr
6. anyone who would call my daughters whores, and exclaim that it is ok to rape them because they are showing some skin
7. anyone who says that it is ok to kill any jew over the age of 18

I would not say I hate all Muslims, just the ones that fit the above mentioned parameters.

kingstonlad,

Me too and I don't even have any daughters.

No Zog the discussion about apartheid has to do with the UN, Jimmah Cartah and the MSM who all continually hound Israel about apartheid for defending themselves with a wall. But now we hear nothing from the usual suspects named when it is between an Arab State and Hamas .. as you correctly pointed out. The reason for that wall remaining intact until now has been the regime leading Egypt does not want its big problem, the Muslim Brotherhood, trading weapons with Hamas.

So the point is that Israel is not using apartheid when it defends itself and neither is Egypt.

"The references to "Egypt's apartheid wall" are getting a bit tiresome."

They've had time to make a gate.

That one lady is smiling; she must have gotten her rug on sale. Nothing like a sale to make a person smile.

Could I add two more to your list, Kingstonlad?
8. Anyone who practices and approves genital mutilation.
9. Anyone who murders their daughter/sister because she will not submit to an arranged marriage. Or tries to escape one.

You can make a bomb with the stuff under your kitchen sink - makes you wonder what a few Palestinians may have been buying....all looks harmless enough 'til someone gets hurt.

Lets Keep the list growing:

10. Anyone who would kill his daughter because she did not dress the way he wanted her to.

11. Anyone who would launch a complaint to the Human Rights Commission because his "feelings were hurt".

Those of you suggesting that missiles are wrapped in the rugs the women are carrying should be ashamed. Only Red Crescent, Red Cross, and UN vehicles are used to transport missiles.

Kingston - not to put too fine a point on it but Mohammed was not a martyr. He became ill and died. Unlike Jesus who was crucified, Paul who was beheaded, Peter who was crucified inverted or Andrew who was crucified on a diagonal cross where he remained alive for several days.

12. Anyone who proclaims that kufar can/must be abused

13. Anyone who proclaims that apostates must be killed

14. Anyone who proclaims that men may marry 4 wives

15. Anyone who proclaims that husbands are obligated to beat their wives to keep them submissive and to preserve their souls.

16. Anyone who believes that lack of hymen blood on the marriage night is grounds for marriage annulment and loss of family "honour".

17. Anyone who claims that rape is a result of provocative behavior on the part of the victim, and a punishable offense.

18. Anyone who claims that the punishment for homosexuality is death.

19. Anyone who believes that the punishment for sexual promiscuity or adultery is death.

Here's one final question for Pathetic: Do you assume the worst possible motives for the USA, corporations, Conservatives, anything military, Christian, civility, morality, etc.?

I know your answer is yes, because you are so "worldly" and hip and cynical and "know better."

Well, what's stopping you from applying the same techniques of skepticism and cynicism on the Phakestinians, especially given their track record of deceit?

Double standards, eh? Ever hear of that Libtard Fascist?

[deleted. You're welcome to repost that without the profanity. ED]

"It is the characteristic of the most stringent censorships
that they give credibility to the opinions they attack."
-- Voltaire

John: I agree, so let's give back the 67 land to Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt ... and the angry little people in Gaza and West Bank can go and live there.

Dear, oh dear, John. You need your mouth washed out again with soap.
I'll give you a tiny bit of Amos:
In Amos 9:11, 13, the prophet said that God would restore the land of David. (King David ruled Israel from about 1010 BC to about 970 BC). The land of David - Israel - was conquered and destroyed by the Babylonians, Assyrians and Romans. The land has been in ruins for much of the past 2000 years.
Now, John, think calmly about this. Who made the desert to bloom? Who brought prosperity to the land that one would even covet it?
Take 10 deep breaths and relax. That's a good boy. Now you can have your milk.

I see about 10 people on that photo. One million crossed from Gaza into Egypt. Should we conclude they ALL purchased carpets (and cigarettes and motorbikes)? How many of those products did the Egyptians stock up, anyway?

Medias tend to oversimplify things. The fact that some palestinians were under dire straits due to the blockade doesn't mean the whole place was starving. A few starving families is all that one need to mount a propaganda campaign against the 'evil-Israslis-who-walled-us-up-and-want-us-to-all-die'.

I suspect many Palestinian families, if not most, have stores of food that may last for months if not years. I would if I lived there. Most were not starving, and just took advantage of the shopping opportunity when it came along.

John still doesn't get it.

John..the media would have us believe they are suffering and unhappy. Kate shows us a picture revealing that they are not suffering and unhappy.
We are happy they are happy.We are happy that they are not hungry John, because they wouldn't buy carpets if they were hungry John.

Are you unhappy, John?

That shopping spree after knocking down the was gives a whole new meaning to WALL Mart.

And I agree, when you are in poverty you don't by rugs, you buy food if you have any money.

This middle east scam is getting so tiresome, one is prone to look at all parties involved with disgust and apathy.

Great little exchanges today. I would urge John to accept that when image triumphs over substance than we all loose. If Islamic radicals do one thing well (besides kill) it is to spin thier version of reality. Thier efforts to spin the truth is aided by the failure of western leaders of all parties to set aside political ambition and rise up to defend our way of life.
Remember who started the 67 war! I remember meeting holocaust survivors in 1947. I will never forget.

Posted by: John at January 27, 2008 7:50 PM,
Looks really upset without reading and thinking of the context. As he may know, the news manufacturers announced that Palestinians were starving or more to the point someone was causing them to starve.
Now when you see the Palestinians buying cigarettes and other things, clearly not food items, obviously a sensible person would ask, why? If a person is hungry, one would think that the person buys food rather than cigarettes or non food items. This clearly has nothing to do with any wings. It has to do with common sense.
The problem you have is with news manufacturers rather that people that comment on the manufactured news.

Kate (and others repeating her argument); you're just wrong. It's possible to bring a rug back from Eygpt AND be living in poverty. You and I are not going to conduct scientific tests to prove or disprove that.

I'm comfortable stating that I think you are bigotted, Kate. The bulk of what you put up here makes a strong case for it. It's not about your right to say what you like. You can do that. You do that. But you are demonstrably not interested in promoting a balance of views.

I didn't write anything about the Palestinians being innocents, or write anything about their acts of violence or their poor choices in grabbing rugs and smokes instead of food. I think you go there as a way of distracting from the notion that you are mean-spirited. But you're not lonely, Kate, and you won't be. We all have the nasty ideas and the lousy feelings. All of us. And I can anticipate a host of your commentors screeching, "Don't speak for me, I am not having nasty ideas..." They are lying.

It's just human to have all this lousy and angry feeling. What I am suggesting is that there are better angels and it might be nice for you to go there sometimes. That's all.

Alright retards. Let's review.

Israel has cut off supplies of food, fuel, and other materials to Palestine.

That means that the things you and I take for granted in our stores are not available.

Just because they buy some carpets to put on their shitty concrete floors doesn't mean they're living high off the hog. It means they wanted some fucking carpets. Get a grip.

And are you going to honestly argue that just because Kate found a fucking picture of some Palestinians smiling that it means they are not unhappy with their lot?

So let's imagine for a second that I can find a photo of a Jew smiling in a concentration camp. Does that mean that person was happy to be their?

Who's selling you guys the crack?

Do you guys honestly believe that the Palestinians have no reason to be upset?

So what's your brand of crack? You honestly believe that the Phakestinians have not employed deceit at every opportunity IN ORDER TO KILL EVERY SINGLE LIVING JEW ON EARTH?

Oh, I forgot, FASCISTS can't understand that. For you it's not about reason and empirical evidence, it's about power.

Admit it, YOU believe in the same cause as the Phakestinians, YOU WANT ALL THE JEWS DEAD.

John,

The Palestinians have a lot of reason to be upset and those reasons are largely of their own making.

A culture that teaches it's children to hate above all things has a good reason to be miserable. They do that well.

You may be aware that in the Jewish culture a fetus is not a fully formed human until it receives it's law degree or is an accredited physician, scientist, accountant or takes over and improves on the family business etc.

Even if the Muslims were successful and took over the world, they would all be at each other's throats. That is their culture. The wealthier members of their society would have several wives while many other men would never have one. Let that be a warning to farm animals.

The Arab world has made no progress in centuries because they are a stunted culture. There is no progress allowed and new ideas can be a death sentence. They are not a charitable bunch either. You don't see them rushing out to help others in times of need. The recent Tsunami is a good example the recent devastating earthquakes in Iran and Turkey are examples as well. It is the West that does the lifting in those cases.

The only thing worse than being a Muslim man is being a Muslim woman.

No one can blame the Palestinians for going on a shopping spree, but don't try and feed us the bull that they are starving and buying rugs, cigarettes, etc. Starving people buy food - stuff you can eat and drink. And yes, you can be living in poverty and buy a rug, but if you are starving, you are not going to be buying a rug.

If I was starving and had money to spend, I'd be coming back across that border with as much food as I could carry. I'd buy a rug just so I could put as much food on it as possible, and drag it all the way home. And I'd be smiling all the way home.

Hey, John, here's an idea:

TELL THEM TO STOP FIRING ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL. Then, you know, they could be treated like regular human beings.

Until then, well, enjoy your Egyptian rugs.

- I'd simply "dissappear" into Egypt. Why go home?

Help me here:
Are these guys defending the media for trying to mislead us?
Kate ..I have noticed your 'animosity' toward media. Can you call someone who is prejudiced against the media a bigot? I guess the media is a culture of it's own,eh?

I dunno...firing rockets, or cutting off hydro for short periods of time.
You are right John.
Israelis have a reason to be upset

And John,

There are no pictures Jews smiling in concentration camps.

Kate is not mean spirited, she is bringing reality to this blog. Reality is a harsh think to a Leftist living in the Cumbia world of collectivist give peaces a change horse crap.

You find reality scary and cruel. It is just that. We are merely discussing it here.

You'd best turn on the Disney channel and stay there. And remember to a Palestinian, Porky Pig is just another filthy Jew to be slaughtered.

The Israelis turned off the gas and electricity to the Palestinians because they want them to stop lobbing rockets in to their cities. I think that's pretty reasonable.

And remember the Jews are willing to supply the Palestinians with the basic necessities that they are to inept an preoccupied to bother getting for them selves.

It is an upside down world you live in pal.

If Kate was interested in "presenting a balanced viewpoint" her blog would suck.

Luckily, she doesn't and it doesn't either.

Balance is for sissies.

It's called an embargo, John. Done all the time. Stop the missile attacks on civilians in Israel and ergo: embargo lifted.
You can say it's not the ordinary civilians who are responsible, but that's what happens to the innocent. It's sad, but all too true. Israel would not let them suffer past their endurance, and if you can prove that they have, then let's see the proof.
The problem with all this, John, is that the media can't be trusted, so make sure it's not photo-shopped.
Do you know how much relief is provided to the Palestinian people? Google it.
Here is just one example if aid:
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds programs that help people living in the West Bank and Gaza lead healthier and more productive lives.

Since 1993, Palestinians have received more than $1.7 billion in U.S. economic assistance via USAID projects - more than from any other donor country.

Balance is for sissies?

Kate, there is a gate which was in regular use until Hamas took over Gaza. Egypt and Israel then sensibly arrived at a mutual understanding that further cross-border traffic would be a bad idea.

OK, so I hate sushi.

Does that make me a sushist?

"Balance is for sissies" So Kathy, you proudly support the CBC?

Boots,

I used to have cat by that name. It's a pet's name.

Anyway, just because balance is not a prerequisite to a discussion point, doesn't mean that one must support a non balanced entity. One is free to loath it and in the case of the taxpayer funded CBC, work toward it's demise..

Your leap to judgment is juvenile.

"Balance is for sissies."

Right on Kathy Shaidle. Lead, follow, or get out of the way is a creed I subscribe too. Too bad but it seems most Canadian just don't get it.

Does it not remain the case that balance is for avoiding being unbalanced, rather than it being for sissies? And if so, does it not imply that taking an unbalanced position in a battle is more likely to result in one being knocked over because one is off balance? Do not burly-men fighters study the art of balance? Or am I just chanelling some sort of zen Sun Tzu thing?

Balance is for people straddling the fence.

Do unbalanced people get impaled by the fence?

Folks, you have this all wrong. The women in the photo didn't buy the carpets. They had taken them across the wall to have them cleaned as all their carpet cleaning supplies had been used to make bombs. The carpets are just being repatriated.

The pink strings hanging from the carpets are the latest fashion in suicide bomber fuses. On those, there was a sale.

Next - the Hamas suicide bomber convention and training school open house - watch for the (used-to-be) live demonstrations by former students.

"Or am I just chanelling some sort of zen Sun Tzu thing?"

Kinda - but I think Sun Tzu would agree with me. You don't win sh*t by being balanced ... you win by unbalancing your opponent.

walking the fence jokes. how does that go.

Johnny: me and Sammy were walking the picket fence and he fell and one went right up his a$$.
Teacher: no Johnny, thats rectum!
Johnny: Wrecked him? damned near killed him.

no fence walking on this blog.

Agreed, Ural, Sun Tzu didn't say you win by being balanced.
Still, Sun Tzu did say that you can lose by being unbalanced.

BALANCE?

BALANCED?

Oh Kate they must mean you're not in lock step with the brown nosers terrorist appeasing, er I mean 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS', you just keep causing trouble taking about the facts and discussing them, exposing lies, keeping a keen eye on the look out for stupidity, for shame! ;)

Must we all be like the idiot Khaled Mouammar (who's spamming my inbox like a rabid hamster, pretending to be first a Muslim, then a Christain, then a Jew, now a PA terrorist appeasing scum bucket then?

um yeah.

Listen up you babies.

The world is unbalanced.
No such thing as balance in todays political world. Duh! NO balance with slanted media, slamming one race to promote another, like our cbc, mctv and global does. THOSE EVIL JOOOOOOOOS lets fly their flag in blood red just for good effect...
Man I despise the media.

Must be some good drugs now-a-days, back in my college days that stuff made me choke 'till I puked! ( BUT in the interest of BALANCE, could have also been the beer ...)

- sorry if I traumatized anyone with memories of those days... just sue me and we'll be even, k?

And that dusty rose colour is so 80's....

Jeez,

Didn't this start out being about carpet bombing?

Or are the Gazans just trying to replace the rug that they say Israel pulled out from under them.

Anyone have a rug or carpet metaphor to toss in here?

Yeah, carpet diem. How's that, John West?

Yes! Carpet diem! Brilliant.

Boy, is that Maudlin fellow a self-rightous weenie. Talking down to everybody as if he's your mummy.

Anti-semites like little johhny beleive that you can insult Isreal for 60 yr but if you insult the Palestinians you have to be balanced.

I quess if we discuss Durbin we must show both sides.

According to Malcolm Hoenlein
on the John Batchelor show WABC Sunday night
this whole fence business is a smuggling operation
that began about 3 months ago
when they began to cut the base of the fences with acetylene torches
in full view of the Egyptian guard towers.
Mubarak had a discussion with Ahmedinejad
the day before this operation took place.
Mainly cigarettes are being smuggled
because they sell for 4 times the price in Gaza.
But also large amounts of explosives are being taken in.

Anti Semite? Can you explain that Go Canucks? Is that your silly way of saying "stop disagreeing with the majority view here, Johnny!"

Your "mummy" is telling you to grow up GC.

Something I came across today from Seraphic Secret thru Breath of the Beast. I heartily agree with all 10 while feeling extremely frustrated with Israel's pussyfooting around in the face of this existential threat.

1. Jews have the right to live anywhere in the world. Especially in Israel, the Jewish State.
2. Appeasement leads to further aggression on the part of Israel's enemies.
3. There is no peace process; there is a process of war.
4. Israel should cut off all supplies of power and fuel to Gaza.
5. Israel should cease all negotiations with the Arabs. There's nothing to talk about. We have legitimized these genocidal killers far too long.
6. Israel should declare Israel's boundaries; the Arabs can sink or swim.
7. Israel should announce that the next rocket that comes from Gaza will be met with an overwhelming barrage against the infrastructure of Hamas.
8. If the rockets from Gaza continue, Israel should announce that the next attacks will be directed at the civilian population of Gaza.
9. Israel must carry through on these threats. Further: all terrorist attacks must be met with disproportionate responses.
10. Israel must never trade land for promises of peace.”

Iran and Syria . .[Saudis too, shhh], funnel money to the rocket lofting Gazians. Risky work, not done without a pay off.

They have all this cash and few places to spend it. **Hey let*s go have a shopping spree in Egypt**.

You don*t think they would come back to the Gaza if they were not cashing in, do you?

Johnny Maudlin asserts that Gazians are poverty sticken. A theory!

As we both have opposite theories, I will not make life and death claims that I must be correct.

What makes you so offensively certain that you are absolutely right there Maudlin?

You must have first hand proof. Post the link below. = TG

I don't think it is any secret that Kate has always employed SDA to present a view that aids in balancing the other view(s) of the MSM and blogoshere.

Balance is an umbrella concept that is comprised of relative points of view. The world would be rather drab if everyone agreed on everything.

Since the Gaza strip is along the Mediterranean, what's stopping anyone from trading with the Gazan's by boat? They do have fishing boats.

The Gazan's evidently have money to buy all sorts of stuff. You'd think some enterprising individuals from, say, Egypt or Lebanon could freighter in the same goods the Gazans have stampeded across the border to get.

Is there some policy that prevents this?

Yes there is JDN, Israeli marine patrols.= TG

Is there some policy that prevents this?

Yep, Saudi policy. Hate Jews.

I'm comfortable stating that I think you are bigotted, Johnny

Kate*s posted photo looks like an army of Canadians charging out of Carpetland with boxing-day bargains.

What*s this poor starving Gazians stuff? = TG

"Kate (and others repeating her argument); you're just wrong. It's possible to bring a rug back from Eygpt AND be living in poverty."

You are absolutely right Johnny Maudlin. I mean, just look at that big fat lady in New Orleans complaining that she was mistreated and poverty stricken. Want further evidence of that-she was ONLY able to afford a "small" big screen TV.

HT

I do not normally post on this blog (although I enjoy it very much, thanks, Kate) but I would like to raise a point that is being missed by all the pro- and con commentators regarding Gazan starvation.

1) People who are starving have low energy levels. This is proven by something called science, which used to be popular. People with low energy levels do not carry 40 pound carpets if they are tired and weak. They would carry food, if they could find any.

2) We have seen, over the last thirty years, horrible images of impoverished and starving Africans rushing aid stations for relief and lugging off bags of rice and wheat and so on. I do not recall, in all those years, and all those pictures, people who were starving carrying off consumer products, stealing the seat covers on the aid trucks, the steering wheel, the chairs and table outside, etc, etc. Starving people focus on what is important. Food.

jeez what crap. the arabs are responsible for keeping the palis down. carpets, whats with that? i thought prayer rugs were all the rage.

I wonder if the Leftoids who support the Right of Return realize before the land was "Palestine", it was Judea.

They were there first.

If Johnny supports Islamofascism, ie. Hamas or Fatah, then Johnny is an anti-semetic racist.

Hamas enforces shariah (racism, misogyny, etc) and quotes the institutional racism against the Jews found in the Quran, Hadith and Sira to justify its murderous intentions.

What most of these liberal fascists are too ignorant to see, or willingly won't admit is that Israel is not just defending itself against the Palestinians. The Palestinians are the frontline in a genocidal war offensive, representing all Islamic fascism worldwide. Whether or not - as some argue - that the poor Palestinians are being used as fodder, Islamic fascists don't care. Look at what Khomeni did to clear the land mines during Iran's war with Iraq.

maybe johhny is really green helmet guy from lebonon.lol

Those aren't carpets!
Those are Super Sized Egyptian spring rolls.
Remember the Flintstones ,...with the ribs,... at the drive in.

Those modern stone age fam-i-lies!

It's not exactly "Feed the World" Ethiopia meets Gazan Palestinians. The Israelis and Egyptians wouldn't let them starve...no matter how much they may privately desire that.

The point of the walls isn't racial aparthied as parrotted incessantly by our bleeding ink leftist press. The point of the wall is the same as China's Great Wall: to separate civilization and barbarism. The purpose is obvious when observing how the Gazan Palestinians conduct themselves. Rather than working to stop the rocket attacks on innocent civilians to re-open the gates, the thugs under Hamas direction worked to breach a huge section of wall to destroy Egyptian & Israeli security. Until Gazans stop acting like the barbarians they've allowed themselves to become, I expect the walls to be rebuilt again and again.

Thank you Kate for the great work offsetting our daily diet of MSM crap!

[No more warnings. Deleted and banned. ED]

10. Israel must never trade land for promises of peace.”

Yeah... that would make too much sense now wouldn't it? ~ john

Every single time they have traded land for peace, they have gotten more shelling, now even closer to the center of Israel because they gave up More land. Even if they gave up everything back to the 1948 borders, do you really believe the rockets and suicide bombers would stop?

John

You really are a special level of stupid. Really.

Their are TWO boarders between Gaza and the West bank and their neighbours. In BOTH cases, one is the Jewish state and one is a Muslim Arab state.

In Both cases, food and other supplies could cross. In Both cases, boarders could be open or closed. In Both cases, the Muslim state and the Jewish state have declined. If both a Muslim and a Jew want bugger all to do with you, maybe the problem lies with you and not them.

The Palestinians are decrepit because they care more about murdering Jews than they do with improving their own lives. There are a good percentage of that group who would rather their own offspring be killed so long as they take some Jews with them. This is a sick, deranged, and ruined culture. They are beyond help until they want to live more then they want to murder Jews.

If Palestinians are starving, why in bloody hell are the Jews that the Palestinians are trying to murder and perpetrate genocide on responsible for feeding them? Why is this not Egypt's fault? As I said in another thread, Churchill didn't supply the fascists with bullets, oil and supplies to be used against them. FDR didn't send over food and beverages to the emperor of Japan. Why does anyone with an IQ above a f-ing retard think it's Israel's responsibility to help the people who want them dead?

The ONLY explanation for your position is crass, old-school, anti-Semitism. There is no other explanation that would satisfy why you aren't as mad at the Arabs as you are the Jews.

If some group was firing a few thousand rockets into France's civilian areas, the state responsible would be a blackened pile of burning rubble. Israel is treating their tormentors far better than they deserve to be treated.

And you're still an a-hole. Now bugger off.

John,

As for the stealing land thing, in international law, when you start a war of aggression and lose as Israel's neighbours have 5 times since 1948, and you lose land as a result of your foolish warmongering, you have zero right to get it back. In fact, the wronged party (Isreal in this case) has a right to demand compensation for the costs of those wars.

For reference, see Germany. Twice.

The sole exception to these international laws it seems is Israel. Israel is deemed by anti-semite retarded a-holes like you, John, to be the only people on earth without the right to defend themselves.

I think we need to think in terms of enviroment here people.

Are they short on food? I dont know the answer to that.

But lets get our head out of the sand here. These are people with nothing. They run to the nearest store and they grab carpet. (perhaps it is the cheapest item there) The carpet can be used for walls, floors, blankets and such. It is freezing at night there. In my opinion this would be like somebody running out to get lumber or blankets.
If I saw pictures of people with computers or tv's and Ipods I would agree with everybody. Notice how you dont see that! Probably no power.

I really would like to think that the people on this site are a little smarter than some of the comments I have seen.

forecast is 55F for Gaza Strip.

PAT-E-TIC doesn't understand humour.

In his support of Hamas and Fatah, John, as stated, is an anti-Semite racist. Like other Liberal/left racists, and in collusion with Islamofascists, he attempts to cover his racism with the code word 'Zionist.'

In the dominant Islamic ME, governed by theocracies employing sharia law - violence, racism, bigotry and misogyny are foundational to their civilization. Over the centuries, this, along with a healthy dose of forced stupidity based on the teachings of the 'unmitigated and 'uncreated' word of allah, led to the Islamic world falling lethally behind the west - ending with western control over the former territory of the 'sickman of Europe' - the Ottoman empire. Which then converted, more or less, to a much smaller secular state to save itself.

This caused shame. For supremacist Islam, given their zealotry to preserve 'honour,' and the conquering promises of allah, nothing could be worse.

Except for having "the sons of apes and pigs" (Quran) the former dhimmis set up a state right in the heart of the formerly great Islamic empire and so-called Muslim lands.

With newfound oil wealth, all we're seeing is Islamofascists attempting to return to the halcyon days of the caliphates by following fundamental Islam. In other words, exactly what's in the texts, including and especially Mo's actions and words.

The Islamic ideology, as expressed in the trilogy, is the root cause of their problems.

Compare India and Pakistan. All the people in the Indian sub-continent are exactly the same genetically. Yet, it was just recently published that the richest single person in India produces the same wealth as the entire country of Pakistan. Not to mention the perpetual unbridled violence, hate, etc, etc, that Pakistanis inflict on their own and others.

Perhaps what the reformers need is two final verses added to the Quran that abrogate all others: "Do unto others..." and "love they neighbour..." The rest of it could just become an historical footnote.

Or, alternatively, change all the verses that have the word 'kill' to 'kiss.'

Posted by: Johnny Maudlin at January 27, 2008 8:20 PM

"I'm comfortable stating that I think you are bigotted, Kate. The bulk of what you put up here makes a strong case for it. It's not about your right to say what you like. You can do that. You do that. But you are demonstrably not interested in promoting a balance of views."

SDA certainly doesn't need me to defend the positions taken here, but one thing I notice is a given. Kate holds up an issue for inspection, so that one can attempt to ponder upon the real meaning of the details. The liberals and the clueless will less often delve into the underlying depiction of the idiosyncratic which is reflected before them, and more often will, invariably and with gleeful hubris, attack the mirror.

it is is a high of 10 in Gaza with a low of 4 with rain.
any warmth would be needed.

Right of centre,

I guess you didn't see the earlier post on the same topic showing Palestinians with the latest in tricked out motorcycles?

In fact, I don't think you comprehend the post in the first place. Obviously, Palestinians can buy whatever they want or need. It's not about that. It's about the lying, anti-Semetic slant the MSM uses to support the illusion of the poor starving, abused Palestinians and the Zionist apartheid wall. Attempting to make them appear as lowly and bedraggled as the persecuted Christians and Muslims in Sudan.

As well, a moniker like 'right of centre' doesn't give crediblity to your views. You might try intelligence.

Right of Centre,

As the Palis do like their motorcycle, evidently they've figure out the newfangled technological wonder of the "wheel."

Clearly you don't figure they've also sorted out the millenia-old quest for fire.

so if I dont see an earlier article, my political views are wrong and I have no intelligence.

Wow aren't you a judgmental wind bag.

I read about people saying they must be doing good they are buying carpet instead of food and I am the idiot!!!

some of these people are generalizing fools and you just joined em.

DEBKAfile reports that they were paid to swarm into Egypt:

...each of the estimated half a million Gazans in flight, one-third of the total population, received a $300 grant, which accounts for the shopping spree they could suddenly afford. Hamas was therefore willing to spend $15 million on a maneuver for seizing control of an enclave in northern Sinai.

Also, the Egyptians have closed bridge and ferry links to Sinai.

Right of centre (not),

You didn't comprehend my second paragraph. Therefore, I accept your admission that you are "the idiot!!!"

Regardless, you give yourself away with the overuse of exclamation marks, otherwise known as screamers. To project how upset you are, you might also try caps as well. Very effective.

well Daisy I didnt realize you were the grammer cop on this page.
I am not upset just dissapointed that as a person who always votes right and has been reading this page for a long time now can be judged by a comment.
hey Daisy when there are over 100 hits to a conversation sometimes people are not responding to every point of view but rather to an individual statemnet.

relax it is not about you all of the time

A little historical fact from Churchill about Palestine is in order:

"The Desert Bloom – An insult to human dignity?"

From Churchill’s Parrot blog (Excerpts)

In 1939, before the British House of Commons Sir Winston related:

“Yesterday the Minister responsible descanted eloquently in glowing passages upon the magnificent work which the Jewish colonists have done. They have made the desert bloom. They have started a score of thriving industries, he said. They have founded a great city on the barren shore. They have harnessed the Jordan and spread its electricity throughout the land.”

But surely, all this Zionist prosperity came at the expense of the Arab Palestinians? In fact, quite the opposite is true, as Sir Winston pointed out:

“So far from being persecuted, the Arabs have crowded into the country and multiplied till their population has increased more than even all world Jewry could lift up the Jewish population.”

This fact is confirmed by many sources, including the Zionism and Israel Encyclopedic Dictionary whose excellent analysis of the Arab Revolt in Palestine states that by 1937:

“Palestine contained more Arabs than ever before in its history, and they enjoyed a higher standard of living than ever before…”

BUT (here’s where things start getting ugly)…

“…but they could only be supported as long as they were dependent on the economic activity of the Jewish minority and the investments of the Zionist movement. At the same time, the Arabs of Palestine insisted that this Jewish minority was dispossessing them and tried to rid themselves of the Jews and the Zionist enterprise. The Arabs would say that they had been impoverished by Zionist “dispossession,” but in fact they enjoyed a higher standard of living and faster economic growth than their neighbors in Syria, Jordan or Egypt.”

So what was the cause of increasing Arab Palestinian dependence upon the Zionist economy? As detailed in the 2005 essay Zionism and Its Impact, Ami Isseroff explains that Arab Palestinian infighting, disorganization, and obsession with blaming the Jews resulted in “the almost total lack of constructive effort in building up their own institutions, investing in the Arab sector of the Palestinian economy and creating their own ‘state in the making’ as the Zionists did.” Envy instead of industry possessed the Arab Palestinian population, and – as is usually the case in such instances - violence erupted.

“…an insult to human dignity.”

Thus spake Ahmadinejad: The Zionist venture and support of such a thing is “an insult to human dignity.” In other words, to employ ingenuity, commitment, hard work, dedication, industry, wisdom, loyalty, and good will to create one of the world’s most prosperous societies is “an insult to human dignity.” To share one’s wealth and make peace with one’s enemies - Israel established diplomatic relations with West Germany on May 12, 1965 (causing several Arab nations to break ties with West Germany on May 13) and Egypt in 1979 (causing Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to be shot to death by Islamic fundamentalists) – is an “insult to human dignity.” To ask nothing more than the right to tend one’s own people and business on a parcel of land slightly smaller than New Jersey amidst a vast Middle East landscape is “an insult to human dignity.” Fascinating.

One is compelled to ask then, how exactly do you define “human dignity” Mr. Ahmadinejad? Does it consist of the chaos, violence, poverty, and misery that has characterized much of the Islamic world throughout its history? Murder-suicide on an international scale? Repression of women, people of non-Muslim faith, and homosexuals? Being only a parrot, perhaps it’s all beyond me but as best I can tell, there is little of humanity or dignity in any of that.

Our Conclusion

Now let us re-examine Mr. Ahmadinejad’s original statement via Aristotelian syllogism:

Major premise: The creation of the Zionist Regime is an insult to human dignity
Minor Premise: The continuation of the existence of the Zionist Regime is an insult to human dignity
Conclusion: The Zionist Regime is itself antithetical to human dignity

Very well then. Let us for a moment remove the element of “Jew” from the concept of Zionism. The above syllogism then would mean that a society that employs behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, philosophies, and actions which result in the well-being and prosperity of those employing them are an insult to human dignity. Is this what Mr. Ahmadinejad intends to say? Likely not. For even he would have to acknowledge – at least publicly – that societies such as these comprise mankind’s only hope for survival. Adding the element of “Jew” back into the equation, however, renders in Mr. Ahmadinejad’s mind – and the minds of those who agree with him – such societies antithetical to human dignity and justifies their destruction.

Here we see plainly the effects – like rabies – of Racism Gone Wild. This is what we call, “Islamania.” This is what we are fighting. And this, if we fail to succeed in that fight, will quite likely be the end of human civilization.

--------------------

Quite right. racism and hatred, especially institutionalized, sanctified, hatred by holy writ means maximum destruction. This is what Palestinian children are breast fed on. And until it is agreed throughout the world that this behaviour and the ideology that spawns it are absolutely unacceptable, there can be no ME peace.

My apologies, right of centre. I was unneccessarily harsh.

Gotta love this place, if you guys ain't chunking heaps of sanity towards the corrupt CWB then your hurtling insults at the Islamic Terrorist Savages who want us all to put our B-cheeks up in the air and face Mecca five times a day, No Thanks.

As one Viet Nam Reporter asked a DoorGunner sitting in a Huey-34 Choctaw Helicopter astride his dual-40's -- How do you kill women and children ? Easy ,,,, you just don't lead em so much.
,

You guys need yr own costumes, so we can recognize you digusting bigots out in public.

Get some brains, Egypt can't have an open border with Gaza because it is still under Israeli occupation - get it - they are like a native reserve in Canada but worse - they can vote themselves a government and call themselves a nation but it means nothing because they have no real power over their own borders.

Not that anyone cares when you have no interest in really understanding the truth form a neutral position - just dehumanize and hate.

Todd,

Israel left Gaza. Turned the whole thing over to the Palestinians. Hamas controls it now. Israel has no presence there. This is why Hamas has fired 10's of thousands of missiles into Israel since they left.

You're a bit behind the times.

Israel left because the "world community" promised that all Israel had to do to gain peace is to trade land and the Palestinians would fire up a chorus of Kumbia around the campfire. All that's actually been fired is missiles and bombs at Israel.

You, it seems, need the costume. I'd suggest corky.

Yea yea, I am not an Islamic Terrorist Savage, just a mis-understood home-grown 3rd generation southern morrocan muslim teenager.
,

With ignorant people like yrself Warwick, I feel pity more than anything - Israel pulled out it's settlers - but they still control the territories borders, who and what can enter or exit the territory -so who controls it.

I actually don't have anything personal against you, so sorry for the previous insult - the ignorance and propaganda from both sides is depressing - especially the demunanization of the palestinians on here.

Todd - are you TRYING to look stupid? Do you have even the most basic understanding of what a border is?

Those EVIIL JOOOS are controling the territories borders! My good heavenly days! What an outrage! Those EVIIL JOOOS are controling “the territories borders, and who and what can enter or exit the territory!”

I think I am feeding a troll; a really STUPID troll!

you moron - I was responding to someone - why are you screaming JOOS - whatever that means - all you pychos - need be shipped back under whatever rock you came from - preferrably out of Canada

The Palestinians have dehumanized themselves, as pawns of their oppressors -SA, and they are more than willing participants, because that's what's brainwashed into them since birth. They are taught to "LISTEN" not think.

When they love their children, future and self worth MORE than they hate Jews, then they'll be human beings again.

Cold? Hard hearted? You bet, it's called reality. I have no heart to coddle terrorists, criminals and killers.
Remember Beslin? Forgot them already huh?

Nice bike by the way, he almost looks like a proud new papa...

todd - When you are in a hole, stop digging. You just keep making yourself look even more STUPID.

I have another costume suggestion for the toddler - diapers.

Do you read? Do you understand factual history? Do you understand anything at all, except for your juvenile, blanket insults right from your first post?

For example, did you read Churchill's eyewitness observations posted above? I suggest you start there, research actual facts a little more and then come to an opinion you might share with others without shaming yourself.

As long as you insist on attacking others slinging facts, I suppose somebody should tell you your feelings fire blanks and are less than useless. And insults won't cover your ignorance.

Nice bike, sniff sniff I can only imagine how many starving women and children it will feed.

It's nice to see my tax dollars funding luxury items for those oh so desperately suffering Palestinians.

Go Canucks Go: it's a goofy stretch to interpret a comment about Kate's nasty demonstration of bigotry toward one group as my de facto bigotry toward another (re your comment about bigotry and I think some other nob wrote something about my "anti Semitism".

That's sandbox stuff, isn't it? There is a good deal of sandbox stuff happening here. I will repeat, one last time, my take: Kate goes out her way to present specific groups in the worst possible light, and in a consistently unbalanced fashion. She has a mad on toward Muslims. She has a right to have all that lousy feeling and a right to post what she posts. Great.

But she is not making the world a better place, and neither are you. That's all. Simple, eh?

Israellycool.com has pictures of T.Vs and cigarettes streaming into Gaza to feed all those poor starving terrorists...

"But she is not making the world a better place"

You don't have to take this crap! If I were you, I'd ask for my money back.

So, Johnny Maudlin calling Kate a bigot is A-OK but someone else calling Johnny Maudlin a name back is NOT A-OK, it's "sandbox stuff"...have I got that right?

Self-righteous twit. You're not making SDA a better place, so maybe you shouldn't say anything here.

And just HOW is Kate NOT making the world a better place? Talking about unpleasant issues makes the world worse? Guess what, there are unpleasant things in this world and if we don't talk about it and deal with it, it festers and boils...sort of like the Middle East. What do you propose...sit here quietly while the surrounding Arab states lie and distort the truth about Israel as they try to foment hatred against the Israelis? THAT makes the world better?

I think you've got a twisted perspective. That's all. Simple, eh?

http://www.sandmonkeyblog.com/

New post at sandmonkey....go see it.

Todd this should shut you up or are you still feeling the love now.

John's just mad because we didn't donate monies to his homeless musician buddy in dire straits, featured with pleas of help from the public.

Took a quick peruse yesterday, and today?

POOF blog's gone like arafart's peace promi$e$ in the wind...

From memory now, something about that he's been a musician for 17 years and now has nothing to show for it, and you want us to BUY him his home?

... yeah.

Gee wonder if anyone explained to him that he was expected to work for his home and possessions when he became an adult?

My disabled Aunt at age 50; decided not to live on disability, got her truckers license, worked for five years, now owns her own 18 wheeler and hires drivers.

Sorry to be so O/T but I find this sort of thing ironic, considering the above comments...

Totten says . . .

Sixty years ago, when Egypt occupied Gaza, it refused to grant the local Arab residents, native Gazans and refugees from the Arab-Israeli war of 1947-48, citizenship. Instead, the Egyptian government intentionally cut them off from Egypt and kept them impoverished, so they could be used as a propaganda and military weapon against Israel.

When Israel took over Gaza in 1967, it opened the border with Israel, providing tens of thousands of jobs for Gazans, and increasing the standard of living there dramatically, albeit from very low levels.

After a wave of suicide attacks from Gaza, Israel gradually closed off the border with Israel, and finally closed it off entirely when Hamas took over last year. Meanwhile, Israel no longer occupies Gaza, and the population has sunken back into abject poverty.
=========================== MichaelTotten.com

I think he means the population is headed for abject poverty again. = TG

...if only terri schiavo had taken a page outta yer sainted auntie's book, she might still be alive today....

ROFLMA! Too funny! So that's what the brain is like with chronic drug use. My, my my. LOL!

Eeeyore and iid: Making the world a better place means easing up on the promotion of hatred and intolerance. Means presenting a balance of views because that helps to make the world a more tolerant place.Means that a more tolerant world is a better place. Does not mean supporting the actions or preachings of radical Islamists or end of times Christians who think Israel is holy ground and let's set the stage for the big one...

My guess is you know exactly what I mean when I write about making the world a better place. And the "sandbox stuff" is the "you called Kate a bigot so you're a bigot..." Good God, is that the best you can do?

Kate has demonstrated her bigotry. I may be a bigot but the least you might do is find some evidence for the claim. I don't think my helping a pal find a new home constitutes bigotry, or anything else, iid, other than....helping a buddy find a new home.

Johnny Maudlin's thinking is so simplistic, it's pathetic.

"Making the world a better place means easing up on the promotion of hatred and intolerance." And JM excuses Islam, a juggernaut of hatred and intolerance, but blames Kate?

This "Let's all be nice and look on the sunny side" attitude's been a disaster everywhere it's been promoted by the hippy refugees from the 60s. E.g., "Tolerance" (sic) is rife in our public schools. The reality? The bullies run roughshod over everybody and our schools are no longer safe. Nor do they do a very good job of teaching.

Being a realist, which Kate is, used to also be the modus operandi of our public schools. The reality then? Bullies were stopped, even punished--not allowed now: it's "not nice".

As there is no balance in the MSM or in our other major institutions in Canada, I appreciate Kate's willingness to provide facts which are needed--and often censored elsewhere--in order to make a balanced assessment of a lot of crucial issues. If Kate were the bigot JM says she is, I guess his comments would have been censored here. Have they been?

For someone as apparently "tolerant" as JM, I'd say he has some reconsidering to do.

Slaves may think whatever they wish but may not express their opinions.

Political correctness is a way of suppressing opinions as well as calling people racist, bigot, etc.

Well said lookout.

In both Johnny's and JM's defective minds, factual exposure and criticism of the Islamic ideology and how it applies to history and the world today = bigotry.

When in fact their passive support for and rejection of factual knowledge of the Islamic ideology as it applies to, amongst other things, anti-Semetism = rascism, pure and simple.

Irwin and GoCanucksGo: You guys are kinda funny. I'm pretty damn sure I did not write anything about radical Islam, beyond saying it's intolerant and lousy. Lousy like intolerance anywhere. So y'all are so hot to attack (anything) that you'll swing at a pitch never thrown...

Listen...relax. I am an infrequent visitor here. So you can enjoy what you do. But it's best not to kid yourselves about the "discussion" that is happening on this site. There is not much discussion. There is an all aboard group of mostly white folks who are pretty keen to gather any and all evidence that supports a narrow-minded world view. It's all fine.

Cyberspace is infinite. It's not hard to find intelligent and balanced material about immigration, or terrorism or world politics or (and I know this is verbotten here...) global warming...