Don Singleton: 2008-07-13

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Prisoner Deal Reopens an Israeli Wound

NYTimes reported The deal has stirred an especially painful debate in Israel, where the captured reservists, Mr. Goldwasser and Mr. Regev, both university students, have been declared dead. Though Israel has a history of trading large numbers of prisoners to receive captured soldiers, the prospect of exchanging the country’s most despised prisoner for corpses has raised hackles. There is also considerable mistrust of Hezbollah and fears that its seeming success in obtaining Mr. Kuntar’s release will only encourage it to attack again.

They [rpmised they would release Kuntar, but they should have sent him back in a box, just like their two soldiers. And they should have included explosives in the box, rigged to explode if the box was opened, and they should have urged the Palestinians to bury him without opening the box. And then when they opened it, tell them I told you not to open it.

Hezbollah has said it carried out the 2006 raid in a bid to win the release of Mr. Kuntar, whom Hezbollah celebrates as a hero. Past attempts to secure his release include the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship in 1985.

New Yorker Insulted Muslim Americans

Newsmax.com reported Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday that the New Yorker magazine's satirical cover depicting him and his wife as flag-burning, fist-bumping radicals doesn't bother him but that it was an insult to Muslim Americans.

Why is it an insult to them? Do they not fist bump.

"You know, there are wonderful Muslim Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things," the presidential candidate told CNN's Larry King. "And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me,

I nderstand why you my find it insulting but why should they?

I think is unfortunate. And it's not what America's all about." Obama blamed himself for not being forceful enough in challenging some of the rumors about him, including that he is Muslim. Obama is Christian.

True. He was born with a Muslim father, which made him a Muslim but he renounced Islam and "became" a Christian (if that radical church in Chicago can be called a Christian church, so he is an apostate, as far as Muslims are concerned.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Archbishop of Canterbury opens his mouth again, inserts other foot

Mail Online reported Christian doctrine is offensive to Muslims, the Archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday.

They are also offended by cartoons and a lot of other things. But as a Chrisian I find Muslim doctrine offensive, like their saying Christ is not the Son of God, and that He did not die on the cross.

Dr Rowan Williams also criticized Christianity's history for its violence, its use of harsh punishments and its betrayal of its peaceful principles.

There have been violent times in Christian past, but Muslims were violent beginning in Muhammad's time, and most times since then, such as 9:29 Fight those who do not believe in God and the Last Day and do not forbid what God and his Messenger have forbidden — such men as practice not the religion of truth, being of those who have been given the Book [i.e., Christians and Jews] – until they pay the tribute out of hand and have been humbled and "Whoever changes his religion, kill him" which is called for in Bukhari, Abu Dawud, and many other Haddith that are not online, including Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, An-Nasai, the Muwatta of Imam Malik, Tayalisi, Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban, the Sunan al-Kubraa, Bayhaqi, Abu Ya'laa, Humaidi, Abd al-Razzaq, and Ibn Abi Shaybah.

His comments came in a highly conciliatory letter to Islamic leaders calling for an alliance between the two faiths for 'the common good'.... He also said the Christian belief in the Trinity - that God is Father, Son and Holy Ghost at the same time - 'is difficult, sometimes offensive, to Muslims'. Trinitarian doctrine conflicts with the Islamic view that there is just one all-powerful God.

Maybe the Archbishop does not understand his own faith. Christianity is also monotheistic: God is Father, Son and Holy Ghost at the same time

Monday, July 14, 2008

It won't be over until Denver

CQ Politics reported She may have given up,

What makes you think she has given up?

but a few of Hillary Rodham Clinton ’s people haven’t. The senator from New York is said to be negotiating a respectful presence followed by a graceful exit from next month’s Democratic convention, and last week the party announced that Barack Obama would formally accept the party’s nomination in the stadium built for the Denver Broncos.

If Hillary is elected rather than him, will she use the stadium, or force the TV networks to change plans again and stay at the Convention site.

But there are Clinton supporters clinging to the hope that if her name is placed in nomination and the roll call of the states is conducted, she might — might — still win.

The more people learn about Obama the more likely it will be.

Heidi Li Feldman, a Georgetown University law professor, insists there’s still “no way of predicting” the outcome should there be a fair vote.

A fair vote? At a Democratic convention?

That’s because Obama has not secured enough pledged delegates to ensure the magic number of 2,118 needed to claim victory; the Illinois senator has gone past that benchmark only with the pledges of about 390 superdelegates — and they can change their minds at any time up to the moment they cast their ballots.

Ed Morrissey blogged At least it would guarantee network coverage, now at risk thanks to the DNCC’s last-minute change for the final night’s festivities. A floor vote would make Denver much more interesting — perhaps more interesting than the DNC would like. And if the unthinkable happens and Hillary wins the nomination on the floor vote, the meltdown that would follow would ensure wall-to-wall coverage.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Global Warming

Minnesotans For Global Warming first released their song

but they now released a new number set to John Lennon's "Imagine."

Hat tip to Noel Sheppard