I’m sorry, but there’s something that simply cannot be asked often enough.
The CIA Director was using a Gmail account?
Seriously?
A GMAIL ACCOUNT?
Director? CIA? Head of the spy agency? The ones who are supposed to be, you know, the secret ones?
A GMAIL ACCOUNT?
As Glenn Reynolds says: Don’t worry. The country’s in the best of hands.
Miss Gracie plays with exactly one thing that is not a catnip toy: Her ball.
Tig likes to sleep in this corner. I like to wake him up from time to time, to get even with him waking me up at night.
The good news is that I got busy at work, which is good, because being downsized to part-time is killing my bank account. The bad news is I was busy enough that posting here took a back seat.
Oh, well, another slice-of-life post it is.
I led services tonight, something that I do when the rabbi is out of town. I prefer Friday nights because it’s much easier than the full Shabbat service on Saturday. However, when it was first suggested, I was of the opinion that the gabbai was going to be there as well, and didn’t bother following up on a key. So when Rabbi called today, a key was the last thing on my mind. Just to be sure, I called the gabbai around six. “I’m in Arizona,” she said.
Oops.
A few quick calls and I arranged for someone to meet me at the synagogue. It was a small turnout, but Sarah and three of her children were there, so I asked Max and Rebecca to come up on the bima with me and help lead services. They just turned eleven and will be practicing soon enough. Rebecca was shy and stayed seated, until her brother raced up the steps. Competition. It’s a good thing.
They already know most of the service, so it was fun, and very reminiscent of my days as a teacher at my old synagogue. I did a couple of things slightly different, because this synagogue does the English version of Ahavat Olam, and I miss the Hebrew prayer, so we did both. It was nice. I miss Friday night services. I stopped going due to the price of gas. I’m not close to my synagogue, and Saturday is the more important service, so I go to that one. Here’s hoping my finances improve, because, y’know, I miss going to Friday night services.
Well, the book is getting out there, slowly but surely. We shall see.
Yes, I have a busy life this week. Work, looking for more work, the novel, life things…
You know, I kinda don’t really want to post a news post.
I’ll just post about my life.
Let’s see… I’ve taken a 35% pay cut in net wages since being downsized to part-time, so I figure it’s about a 40-45% pay cut in gross wages. Am I currently looking for another job? You betcherass I am. Do I care that my bosses know that? They’d be fools not to have figured it out by now.
Got an “In the mail” link from Glenn Reynolds, which resulted in–sigh–only 25 sales. Still, that’s 25 people who bought my book yesterday that never heard of me before. Pebbles in a pond. You never know where the ripples will go. And hey, I got all the way up to the middle of the Warriors pack on Kindle! (That’s apparently a series about cats that is hot, hot, hot with the middle school demographic.)
I am submitting my novel to a publisher. I really want to see my book in Barnes & Noble someday. I have to write a synopsis of the last 16 chapters. You think that’s easy? Really? So, then you’ll do it for me, right? (It’s about a paragraph on every chapter. Woo! A book report, only of every single chapter in the book!)
I also have to write a kick-ass query letter. I hate writing cover letters, let alone query letters. Oh, well. I also didn’t care for writing the back cover copy, but I managed it.
This writing thing, it is harder than it appears. (Yeah, I knew that.)
And hey–it’s really cool seeing my book on Amazon. It’s what I’ve wanted for a long, long time. Now to work on getting it into B&N.
Well, duh! The U.S. ambassador to Israel says direct talks between the PA and Israel are the only way to peace. Too bad Mahmoud Abbas disagrees. He’s still working on an end-run around Israel to get his own little mini-state. A crucial test for Obama’s second term: Will he stop the PA’s attempt to get the UN to declare them an “observer state”?
We can build arms factories anywhere we want, and you can’t stop us! Yes, that is essentially what Iran is saying about the Sudanese weapons factory that was bombed last week. Except for, well, the earth-shattering kaboom part.
More reasons to hate both sides: The PFLP is apparently fighting with the Assad forces. And getting killed for it. I hope they both lose. By the way, Syrian tanks are over the border, and the UN is frowning heavily in Syria’s direction.
What? The deuce you say! Iran isn’t cooperating on the UN probe into their nuclear sites, says the UN. Really? I mean, really? They’re not cooperating? I’m so shocked to hear that.
Game over, man: Yes, the election is over, and we have four more years of the Narcissist-in-chief. Let’s see if he was lying when he said he was Israel’s greatest friend.
I give it a week.
And yes, I will say “I told you so” when the gloves come off. Over and over again, for at least four more years.
With the economy still in the tank, our standing in the world beneath what it was when W. was president, our debt larger than it has ever been, what, you may be wondering, got this crappy president re-elected?
Now, on the other side.
It’s the Obamedia. Apparently, you can’t beat it, and Obama, too.
Ut-oh.
Four years ago, I wrote this:
I voted at 11:30. I was voter number 1590 in a precinct with about 3,000 registered voters.
I finished voting around noon today. I was voter number 1421.
Not liking that at all. I hope there’s a spike after work.
I think I have to admit it: I’m a political junkie. I really didn’t think I was, but I do seem to be far more up on politics than my friends, who are no slouches in keeping up with the news. Perhaps my being on Ed Morrissey’s radio show should have been my final clue.
Funniest retort to plans of calling for inflated Obama early voters: From Sarah Hoyt. “Yeah, Obama voters dominate early voting. And then the conservatives get off work.”
Republican poll watchers being kicked out in Philly: Philly wasn’t going to go for Romney in any case, but this is a good way to stuff the ballot boxes.
Talk about covering your bases: The LA Times with three reasons Obama will win, and three reasons Romney will win.
Voting by generator: Hurricane Sandy victims are voting in a tent, by the light supplied by a generator. This would be front-page news during the Bush administration. Under Obama, not so much.
Barry Rubin on why you should be voting for Mitt.
Now get out there and vote for Mitt. We need a change in our government, and I hope we get one.
I was in a deep blue area of Richmond today. I saw almost no Obama signs.
The momentum is on the other side.
I think Mitt Romney is going to be our next president.
Don’t forget to get out and vote. Do your part. Hey, we just had our first black president. Looks like it’s time for our first Mormon president.
If he posthumously baptizes any Jews, he will answer to me.
I had job-related things to do. I also collected and bought goods to send to the NJ/NY Hurricane Sandy relief effort. Spent way more than I’d intended to, but I haven’t lost everything, just full-time hours. And my family and friends made out very well, so we’re very fortunate and can spare some for those who need it more.
There are a ton of relief efforts out there. Find one, if you haven’t already, and donate something–money, goods, time, anything.
Via Glenn Reynolds, we see that Chuck Simmins is tracking private donations for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. But there are many relief efforts that are virtually untrackable.
Late this afternoon, I received a text from a friend of my nephew who now lives in Richmond. She’s heading to New Jersey/New York for her birthday this week, and wanted to know if I could donate goods/clothes/whatever to help the hurricane victims. I was at a friend’s house in a different neighborhood, so I asked her to call her neighbors. I came home with the gate of my Jeep filled with food, maternity winter clothes, a glucose meter, and toiletries. I have cash donations I will spend at Costco, as well as three sweatshirts I never wear currently being washed. I left messages with my neighbors as well, and expect to get donations tomorrow.
Tens of thousands of Americans are donating goods like this. These are the efforts that you can’t track, but that doesn’t mean they’re not happening.
Find out what you can do in your neighborhood. I’m sure we all have someone or some organization that can channel goods and funds to hurricane relief.
Mad Mahmoud is not a popular person these days: Looks like the Mad Mullahs are mightily annoyed with Monkey Boy. They’re going to ask him why the Iranian currency is tanking. Here’s a hint for them: Nuclear enrichment, underground centrifuges, saying you’re going to eliminate Israel–which one of these do you think the West has been kidding about?
The Syrian war overflows again: Syrian tanks entered the DMZ zone of the Golan Heights. That makes three countries it’s directly affecting: Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel. Of course, it is indirectly affecting most of the Middle East, with jihadis taking sides and running to join the war. But Obama spent his political capital by illegally bombing Libya, in thanks of which jihadis attacked our embassy and murdered our ambassador and three other Americans.
Speaking of Watergate Libya: John McCain is calling for a special committee to investigate what really happened in Libya, and whether or not cries for help went ignored.
Still not taking part in NaNoWriMo: It never seemed to me that trying to write 50,000 words in a month was the way to kickstart my own writing, so no, once more, I am not taking part. I am, however, writing, editing, and plotting at my usual pace for Book Two of The Catmage Chronicles. I am currently working on fleshing out the entire Council, because we’re having a knock-down drag-out (or as close as you can get to one) fight in the first chapter. And the Council will be back in the next few books. Finding the right names for the right characters is important. Who are the Catmages on the Council? What are their personalities like? How can I find the right Hebrew name/word to fit their character? And which ones will be important enough to become regular characters instead of just filling out the thirteen members required?
Yeah, that’s why I’ll never write 50,000 words in a month. I don’t plot everything out beforehand. I have the major story arcs in mind, certain plot points written and thought over, and then, when I sit down to write, out comes a character I’d never even imagined, guarding Nafshi and becoming everyone’s favorite character in the blink of an eye. (Don’t worry, Patches is back in Book Two.)
Hey, if you haven’t bought my book yet, what are you waiting for? The links are on the right-hand side of this blog. Just remember, since I’ve been downsized to part-time, the writing income is now crucial to my being able to continue writing this blog. No money, no happy. No happy, no bloggy.
If you or someone you know liked the Harry Potter books, give my book a try. I think you’ll like it. Or just give it as a holiday gift. That helps, too.
Spring forward, fall back.
Spring forward, fall back.
I am repeating this so that the next time I set my clock for the autumn time change, I will set it backward, not forward.
Well, I have an extra two hours this morning that I thought I’d lost, anyway.
Hooray for computers, DVRs, and other automatic time-changers.
I’m posting the Romney stuff here.
Romney closes big: ‘Love of country’ vs. ‘Revenge’
“Now, throughout this campaign President Obama has tried to convince you that these last four years have been a success,” Romney said.
“There it is — that’s it,” Stevens whispered.
“He wants to take all the things he did in his first term — the stimulus, the borrowing, ‘Obamacare,’ all the rest — and then try them all over again,” Romney said.
The crowd booed.
“But our big dreams will not be satisfied with the small agenda that’s already failed us,” Romney continued. “And today — did you see what President Obama said today? He asked his supporters to vote for revenge — for revenge.”
The audience seemed genuinely stunned, taking in its collective breath.
“Instead, I ask the American people to vote for love of country,” Romney said, drawing the longest and loudest applause of the night.
Israel released previously classified information on the assassination of Abu Jihad, the co-founder of the PLO and terrorist responsible for multiple attacks on Israeli civilians. And the news media manages to impugn Israel without really telling you that Abu Jihad was responsible–and celebrated–for the murders of 125 Israel.
The Los Angeles Times:
Wazir, one of the founders of the Fatah Party and a top aide to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, was viewed by Israel as a terrorist and by Palestinians as a freedom fighter.
The BBC leads with this:
Abu Jihad – whose real name was Khalil al-Wazir – founded the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) with Yasser Arafat and was blamed for a string of deadly attacks on Israelis.
And covers the terrorist’s background without mentioning the 125 deaths:
In his account of the operation, Nahum Lev said: “I had read every page of the file on him. Abu Jihad was connected to horrific acts against civilians. He was marked for death. I shot him with no hesitation.”
The AP leads with the generic “attacks against Israelis” and goes into detail towards the end of a long article. Of course, the first three to five paragraphs are all most people read.
Khalil al-Wazir, who was better known by his nom de guerre Abu Jihad, founded Fatah, the dominant faction in the Palestinian Liberation Organization, with Arafat and was blamed for a series of deadly attacks against Israelis.
Here is what the shorter version of the AP story looks like in most newspapers. Note the headline. That’s what the AP originally titled the piece, and it’s what is on many versions of the story.
Israel owns up to killing Arafat aide
Israel acknowledged Thursday that it killed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s deputy in a 1988 raid in Tunisia, lifting a nearly 25-year veil of secrecy.Khalil al-Wazir, who was better known as Abu Jihad, founded Fatah, the dominant faction in the Palestinian Liberation Organization, with Arafat and was blamed for a series of deadly attacks against Israelis.
Israel has long been suspected of assassinating al-Wazir. But only now has the country’s military censor cleared the Yediot Ahronot daily to publish the information.
Abbas Zaki, a top official in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, said the Palestinians and Tunisia should now “work to bring Israel to justice.”
Note the moral equivalence: The AP highlights the Palestinian effort for “justice” in the case of an assassinated terrorist without saying he was responsible for the deaths of 125 Israelis and the injuries of hundreds more.
The CNN article goes on and on about the assassination and does not mention a single terror attack. Its spin is that Israel killed Abu Jihad because he was an architect of the first “intifada”. And it also brings up the conspiracy theory about Yasser Arafat being poisoned. This is as close as CNN comes to covering Abu Jihad’s terrorism.
The newspaper initially released a few of Lev’s reported quotes, including one in which he said he shot Abu Jihad with no hesitation after reading the file that Israeli intelligence had on him. He said what he read connected the Palestinian leader to horrific acts against civilians.
The AFP can’t even be bothered to mention Abu Jihad’s terrorist past.
It is utterly reprehensible that the focus is on the assassination of a Palestinian leader, instead of on the reason why he was assassinated. There was, for instance, the Coastal Road Massacre, in which 38 Israelis, including 13 children, were murdered and 71 wounded. Eleven Israelis were killed during the Savoy Hotel attack. Neither of these attacks found their way into the stories about Abu Jihad’s assassination.
Anti-Israel media bias? Yeah, we got that. I’ve been writing about it for over a decade now, and it shows no signs of disappearing.
