CNN reports Israel lieing?

Rick Sanchez reported that Israeli claim about breaking the recent truce was actually a lie and the Palestinians were telling the truth.

What I found more interesting was Rick's overall defensive tone; as if he was doing the "forbidden". Although to be fair, he WAS doing the forbidden, so nevermind my surprise ...

As expected, after proving Israeli government had just openly lied to everyone, his guest goes on to claim "there was no real deal" anyway and there were "eminent security reasons" etc. for Israel to lie/attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KntmpoRXFX4

Deepak Chopra on 11/26/2008 Mumbai Attack

It's comforting to see at least some prominent figures in the mainstream media have a comprehensive view on things:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/26/king.chopra.mumbai/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Video: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/11/27/intv.india.attacks.chopra.cnn

Toilets to face away from Mecca for 2012 Olympics London

Another example of extent of superstition that has creeped into the psyche of our people:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1061051/Londons-Olympic-Park-toilets-turn-away-Mecca-respect-Islamic-law.html

"Toilet facilities are being built at London's Olympic Park so Muslims will not have to face Mecca while sitting on the loo.

...

Last year, thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money was used to ensure toilets at Brixton prison in London did not offend Islamic law."

I personally don't blame those who end up believing in this since ignorance is widespread, but the so-called scholars who advocate and/or tolerate this sort of nonsensical behavior should be smacked upside down over their heads.

I don't have his heart.

Pakistan is going to be the new Iraq, so to speak in the upcoming months, anyone watching the current news could see it coming.

How good would this be for the US, Pakistan and the rest of the world?

In this program http://pkpolitics.com/2008/09/18/capital-talk-18-september-2008/, (I'm sorry but it's in Urdu) watch this guy who is a social worker from Bajour, Dr Khalil-ur-Rahman, describing how Pakistani helicopters bombed his car and where about 40 people got killed/injured and his son lost both legs (his picture is shown).

What's left me practically flabbergasted is how composed this guy still is and still claims "he loves Pakistan as his country".

Now, what will the free world do in the upcoming months to address thousands of parents like him? As a citizen of the so-called free world, I don't know.

But what I do know is that according to the locals of that area, barely ANY Talibans or Al Quaida's members have been killed in American and Pakistani bombings, they practically all have been civilians. The news reports claiming X number of terrorist died in so and so attacks is all hogwash.

I also know that the locals are swearing that the military solution will only devastate this area further, will kill more civilians, and will strengthen the terrorists by letting them take advantage of legitimate civilian anger.

Why McCain chose Palin?

People have been shocked/thrilled/disappointed by McCain's choice of Palin as his running mate. There have been several theories circulating in the media as to why did he choose her over other much more experienced and intelligent candidates, but the one theory that I think is the most viable and that jumped at me the moment I saw her was about:

1) Youth (especially compared to McCain)
2) Sex (Hillary set a precedence that Palin could benefit from)

Looks matter a lot more than people think in American elections, and McCain knew that he had lost battle to Obama. So the only chance he had was the VP and he availed it! Which seemed to have worked too, to some extent.

However, I think, come November and Obama will destroy McCain in the debates and will win, hands down, unless something big happens within the next 2 months, dramatically changing the status quo. It's not a coincidence that American forces are moving from Iraq to Pak/Afghan border right about now.

What exactly that drama is going to be is anyone's guess ... but I'll have my popcorn ready, and I suggest you do too, after all it's once in a 4 year occasion so might as well enjoy it :)

The Ultimate Rejection Letter

I just stumbled it, and thought was worth a laugh :)

=======================

http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/humor/reject.html

Herbert A. Millington
Chair - Search Committee
412A Clarkson Hall, Whitson University
College Hill, MA  34109

Dear Professor Millington,

Thank you for your letter of March 16.  After careful consideration, I
regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me
an assistant professor position in your department.

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually
large number of rejection letters.  With such a varied and promising field
of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.

Despite Whitson's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in
rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at
this time.  Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor
in your department this August.  I look forward to seeing you then.

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Sincerely,

Power of you, the common man.

UPDATE 1: A preliminary hearing of Siddqui's case is set for Aug. 19, 2008 in NY.

UPDATE 2: Siddiqui's lawyer in Pakistan, Iqbal Jaffry's motion aimed at compelling the Pakistani government to disclose what it knows about her status after her disappearance is set for Sept. 2, 2008 in Pakistan.

======================

A 30 year old Pakistani woman, an MIT-trained biologist. March 30, 2003 she disappears with her three kids in Karachi/Pakistan, allegedly picked by FBI and Pakistan’s ISI (FBI equivalent). Agencies either deny any connection to her or claim she was working for Al-Quaida.

A Story about a prisoner 650 in Afghanistan’s Bagram prison surfaces, who has allegedly lost her mind due to years of continuous torture and rape.

It’s suggested by various media outlets and people in the “inner circles” that they are both the same person, Dr. Afia Siddiqui.

Here is her picture http://karachi.metblogs.com/2008/07/30/prisoner-650-dr-afia-siddiqui-missing-since-2003/

For five years, no definite news on Dr. Afia come to light except rumors until yesterday, August 4, 2008. All of a sudden it’s reported that Dr. Afia has been flown to New York from Afghanistan to face charges for assaulting US officers in Afghanistan.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/aafia-siddiqui-arrested-attempting-kill/story.aspx?guid=%7B3A35E6A8-B07A-4D91-BDB9-CEA47FF0E47B%7D&dist=hppr

I have not heard anything about her three kids yet.

What one makes of this story is up to oneself. I just hope that she, along with thousands of innocent victims of this blind and brutal secret machines, gets justice.

I believe the reason for this extraordinary development is that as more and more people found out and questioned the authorities about it, the more pressure it put on them to which they finally succumbed.

People did not let her story die despite of all the odds and as a result she seems to be walking alive today. The power of people seems to have once again won the odds.

If you think this is worth spending your time, here is a very basic list of things you could do, if you can suggest more, please do, I’ll add it to the list (except for facebook which does not allow editing Notes).

1) Sign the Asian Human Rights Commission’s Urgent letter of Appeal http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UAC-167-2008 which will send an email to Bush, Karzai, Gilani, Farooq Naek & Rehman Malik

2) Sign the online petition http://www.petitiononline.com/af258633/petition.html for her release

3) Join the two groups in Facebook which are participating in raising awareness for her release http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28530506102 and http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21777867538

4) Email left-oriented bloggers like DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/contactus (send email to Markos Moulitsas) and Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/contact/ (can email scoop@huffingtonpost.com)

Points you could mention in the emails/calls:

1 - The secret detention program is now well known and we are just starting to learn the facts about how extensive it was.
2 - There is mounting evidence that Aafia Siddiqui was illegally detained at Bagram.
3 - The government's charges against her seem too ludicrous to believe and need to be fully investigated.
4 - Now that she is in the U.S. this is an important opportunity to hear her story and learn the truth.