You know, some people are going to take this the wrong way and think I am angry with them. I am not angry with them. I am angry with the stupid networks that have brainwashed them into thinking they’re anything but a waste of time and bits. I do NOT want to be involved in any more internet social networks, from anyone.

What do they do for me? What good are they? What, exactly, is their purpose, other than to make money for the creators of these social networks? I’ve said yes to one or two of them, and frankly, I’ve had exactly zero results other than seeing my mailbox fill up with “So-and-so wants to invite you to such-and-such group on Social Network Number Seven! Do you agree?”

Screw that. Screw Quechup, which is the most godawful stupid name I’ve heard yet for a social network. Screw anything that wants me to participate for no good reason, and take my time for nothing, so they can make money from people who also give their time and effort away for nothing. I have a blog. I have email accounts. I have my own social network already in place. I don’t want any more.

Internet social networks are the Amway of the internet. I said no to selling Amway decades ago. Now I’m saying no to these stupid networks.

Stop putting me on your social networking lists, people. Stop inviting me to join the fad-of-the-month. Five invites to this thing in less than 24 hours is five too many.

Not.

Interested.

And don’t send me an apologetic email about how sorry you are you put me there in the first place. This is a rant. It is done. Subject is closed.

Folks, I do not have a good audio program that captures online video and gives me good mp3 files. If anyone out there has a good program like that, and would like to take a few minutes to help me with this week’s podcast, I could use some quotes from Christiane Amanpour. Here are a few places to start… and especially here, since Dan Abrams did half my work for me. I’m looking for the kind of drek that Abrams pointed out.

All I need are about ten or fifteen different quotes… I’ll probably use five or six. If you do capture and send quotes, you may want to post in the comments section here. Mp3s tend to be about 1 meg per minute.

I just realized that now my finances are finally leveling out, I should be able to buy a good program. The one I want is the one that’s for Macs. Alas, I have no Mac.

Another protest, another beat-down by Hamas, and more reporters wounded and forbidden to report. Just another normal day in Hamastan.

A protest by Fatah supporters against Hamas rule turned violent Friday when Hamas men began forcefully dispersing the crowd, firing in the air and beating demonstrators and reporters.

Some 20 people were wounded in the clashes, including two French journalists and two children, according to doctors and witnesses.

AP staff covering the protest witnessed the beating of one journalist by Hamas supporters. He was not seriously hurt.

Yeah, there’s a picture at the link of some poor schlub that doesn’t look so fortunate, though.

Say. Think we’re going to hear from Reporters Without Borders over this? Think the British journalists’ union that advocated boycotting Israel might be thinking of boycotting Gaza?

Nah, me neither.

After the Fatah supporters finished prayers, Hamas men began firing into the air to disperse the crowd. The Hamas security forces then began arresting protesters and taking them away in jeeps, and also beat several demonstrators. AP Television News footage showed several uniformed Hamas men beating an unarmed protester with long sticks.

Hamas men in civilian clothes also joined the uniformed forces in dispersing the protest.

A small explosion from an unknown source injured two French journalists, one in his leg and the other on her hand. Neither injury was considered serious.

At one point, a Hamas security building was pelted with small explosive devices, according to an AP photographer on the scene. Hamas security agents responded by firing in the air.

After the clashes, heavily armed Hamas security agents entered AP’s offices in Gaza City and instructed staff not to film or photograph a nearby security building from the balcony without prior permission.

This story, of course, demands one more look at that glorious Hamas op-ed that promised puppies and kittens for all good Gaza citizens:

Our stated aim when we won the election was to effect reform, end corruption and bring economic prosperity to our people. Our sole focus is Palestinian rights and good governance. We now hope to create a climate of peace and tranquillity within our community that will pave the way for an end to internal strife….

Yep. Good governance. Not the kind of governance that closes down medical clinics, refuses to allow Israeli trucks bearing food and needed supplies into Gaza, and extorting money from citizens. No. That would be bad governance.

That would be Hamas.

You know, sometimes, it really does seem that there may be an unseen purpose to things we simply can’t predict. Like, our outrage at the Muslim Waqf bulldozing a large trench in the Temple Mount may be misplaced. In fact, it may have to turn from outrage to, well, a Nelson laugh.

Because the Waqf may just have found definitive proof of the Second Temple.

According to this position, it is clear to me that the long wall encountered is the eastern wall of the Chamber of the Lepers (see plan on p. 345 of The Quest) and perhaps also part of the northern gate of the Court of the Women. The latter chamber was one of the four courtyards that belonged to the Court of the Women, with the other three being the Chamber of the Woodshed, the Chamber of the Nazarites and the Chamber of the House of Oil. As this area has never been built over since the Roman destruction of 70 AD, the wall cannot belong to a post-Herodian construction. It is therefore very exciting that the first concrete evidence of the Herodian Temple complex may have been found and ironically by people who deny that there ever was a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount.

Check it out, ladies and gents. That’s from the blog of an archeologist who knows what he’s talking about.