JawsBlog

This whole “CIA Leak” Story

I’m not paying too much attention to this whole “CIA Leak” story, as I think that the media is playing it up for more than it is.

First off, I don’t really think that someone like Novak would deliberately release the name of a current covert operative. After all his years in Washington, one would think he’d know better.

Second, why is this story just breaking now? The piece by Novak ran back in JULY. That’s 2.5 months ago! A bit slow on the pickup?

I don’t feel like blogging much about it, since others have covered it much more throughly. RWN has info on it (first and second posts)

The folks at the Corner have been all over it too (sorry, there are too many links to provide specific ones)

Instapundit has a few links: On sources, on tasking Wilson, the press.

My desire is for the media to move on from this; and to report other news (and by “other news” I mean things not involving the Laci Peterson case, the Kobi case, etc.)

update: I came across this transcript with Fmr. CIA director James Woolsey on CNN (link from Druge), some important quotes:

BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT NOVAK, CO-HOST, “CROSSFIRE”: They asked me not to use her name, but never indicated it would endanger her or anybody else. According to a confidential source at the CIA, Mrs. Wilson was an analyst, not a spy, not a covert operative. And not in charge of undercover operatives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: What does it mean if she’s an analyst or operative and not a spy? Is that less serious? Is that the suggestion?

WOOLSEY: Well, most of the time in the business, people don’t really use the word “operative.” Analyst would normally mean — if that’s true — that she worked usually in Washington, that she would be able to admit to people that she worked at the CIA. And it would not be nearly so serious a thing.

WOOLSEY: Well, most of the time in the business, people don’t really use the word “operative.” Analyst would normally mean — if that’s true — that she worked usually in Washington, that she would be able to admit to people that she worked at the CIA. And it would not be nearly so serious a thing.

Democrats’ anti-Bush strategy

If this article/editorial by Joseph Farah (editor of WND) is indeed true, not only does it reflect poorly on the Democrat Party, it’s also ashame, to say the least. (Heck, it may even vindicate parts of Coulter’s latest thesis)

I’ll let you make your own judgements about this.

Yet Another Al-Qaida-Iraq Link

Is it just me or have there been a lot of these stories? I’m starting to lose count.
This one is from WND and Insight Magazine
Iraq-al-Qaida link revealed: Saddam part of ‘money-laundering operation’ for Islamic terror group

My Club got Mentioned in NRODT!!!

The pro-America club I helped form here at Brandeis last year (and that I’m currently serving as President of), United We Stand just got a mention in National Review on Dead Tree!!!!!!!!

HOORAY!!!!

(Though I did get somewhat shafted by not being quoted directly; nor did my name get in, but that’s petty stuff).

Here’s a link to the article (or for those of you who get NRODT or NR Digital we’re on page 44).

Off to celebrate!

More on Edward Said

In addition to all that I’ve previously posted on Edward Said, here’s two more pieces:

One by David Frum
The other by Jonah Goldberg
And one by Ibn Warraq
[yes, I know that’s an Indymedia URL, but otherwise you need a WSJ subscription]

And some fun at Indymedia

Potential Crisis for College Students

Mexico threatens to cut off all bulk exports of Tequila to the USA…

Can you imagine the response?

Quote Of the Day

[Via Stephen Silver]

“…we chose Clinton and got an undermining of liberal thinking by the person who supposedly represented that thinking.’ This subversion laid the foundation for Dubya. By electing a Democrat like Clark or Dean, who are really ‘moderate Republicans,’ Lerner says, we may be ‘creating someone even worse than Bush.’”-Lefty rabbi and Tikkun Magazine editor Michael Lerner, quoted by Richard Goldstein, in (where else?) the Village Voice.

First things first, there is a controversy as to whether or not Lerner is even an ordained Rabbi. But I don’t want to go back into that whole thing.

Clinton ran as a “centrist Democrat” if memory serves correctly, and while in office, the “Republican Revolution” (which led to the Republicans gaining control of the House in ‘94) led to some Republican agenda victories under Clinton.

Lerner’s reference to “undermining of Liberal thinking” probably refers to things such as the passage of NAFTA, Welfare Reform (as per the GOPs desire) among other things. Of course, these are unpopular on the Left. I don’t think this “subversion” lead to anything for President Bush really.

Lerner is a member of the very, very far left, so his characterization of Clark and Dean as “Moderate Republicans” is humorous at best. I’m wondering who Lerner supports, Kucinich?
Clark may have voted for the GOP in the past, but now he’s claiming that he’s a Democrat. That’s still gotta be resolved.
As for Nikita Dean, he’s nowhere near being a Republican. He’s not even near RINO land. Nikita is a hard-core liberal. Heck, he even hates Rush Limbaugh! How could he be a Republcian and hate Rush?

Oh, what a bunch of laughs some people can be.

Sillyness in the Globe

(no, I don’t know if “sillyness” is a real word, but I”m using it anyway). So there were a few editorials in today’s Boston Globe. One by George Will (you can read it here). which I must say was quite good.

There was a piece on Chechniya (sp?), and then there was Cathy Young’s column (which The Smarter Cop takes on)

The other piece was titled “California Leads On Civil Unions“, and it was written by a “visiting scholar at the Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center“.

I personally am opposed to “Civil Unions” and same-sex marriage–and those beliefs are based on my religious upbringing. At the same time, I have nothing against GBLTQI (I think that’s the acronym) people–in fact, I have friends who are classified by that acronym.

But that’s not what I want to take issue with in this piece. Nor do I want to take the author to task for the cheap shot at Fox News. Rather, the author says:

The right wing has for too long been whining about “unelected judges” imposing its elitist philosophy of liberty and justice for all. Last I checked, protecting minority rights was high up in a judge’s job description. But in recall country, the judges didn’t have to.

No, this is incorrect. Especially on a Federal level. The Judge’s job is to make rulings based on the existing laws–it is not to make new laws from the bench. A Federal Justice is to base their rulings according to either Federal laws (in some cases) or to rule based strictly on what the Consititution says. Not what they think it should mean, nor what they think it should say, but what is written within it.

Nowhere in a judge’s job description is “protecting minority rights” listed. Granted, in many cases, a minority’s rights can be upheld based on existing laws, but otherwise, there is no basis to subvert the laws and letter of the consitutiton to do so.

Starting the New Year

Well, it’s the start of a new year. I was sick on Saturday (bad headache) but I bounced back today. However, the weather today was quite rainy, so I didn’t get to go throw bread into the Charles yet. (I’ll do it later this week).

I was very dissapointed that I wasn’t able to be at my grandparents for the holiday, as I used to always go there for Rosh Hashana, but since coming to school, I’ve been unable too. I miss all of grandma’s yummy Kosher food. It stands in contrast to the junk Aramark served for a holiday dinner (egg salad).

I’ve spent the evening catching up on all the school work I wasn’t able to do this weekend.

I’m also trying to catch up on what happened in the Blogsphere.

I’ve been told that there was a rally by the communists and anti-semites of ANSWER today in Boston (and that the Freepers were there). I can’t wait for pictures. Heh.

More later

HAPPY NEW YEAR

To all those out there who are going to be celebrating Rosh Hashanah, a

Shanah Tovah T’katevu–Happy New Year




And for everyone else, have a great weekend!

Blogging will resume here at JawsBlog on Gimmel Tishrei Tav-Shin-Samech-Dalet (3 Tishrei 5764).
[Otherwise known as Sunday Night]

Crazy French People

I’m sure you’ve seen the latest ingenious project to come out of France…

Oh, you haven’t? Well, from the same people in France that brought you the book claiming that a plane never hit the Pentagon, comes: The 52 Most Dangerous American Dignitaries–The Bush Regime Card Deck

It’s sickeningly twisted (their deck that is). They also think 9/11 was a big American conspiracy as well.

But on the lighter side of things, for those on the American Right with a sense of humor, I saw on Fox News this AM the 52 Most Dangerous Liberals in America Deck

If you’re going to make a parody…at least make it tasteful. Got that weasels?

Drug Implant: Hope or Horror

A story which ran on page A1 of today’s Globe was: Drug implant offers hope, spurs worry

Now strictly from a technological standpoint, this is simply awesome. It shows how far we’ve advanced in medical technology. Granted, it has some drawbacks, like the inability to titrate the drugs in some scenarios, but I’d assume researchers are already busy working on an enhanced version.

The article rightfully points out that a lot of psychatric problems can be managed with medications, and that one of the problems is that in some cases patients don’t take their meds which leads to further issues. If you don’t take the meds to control the condition, well you’re not going to get better.

However, there are the obvious moral issues and I guess constitutional issues. The obvious question that will arise is if a state can mandate the treatment (of a mentally ill individual). Is it an invasion of privacy? Or is the potential benefit to the common good [of the individual and society] outweight that?

Some potential betterment to society issues include: decreased hospitalization of some patients. A possible reduction in homelessness (with mentally ill individuals being medically treated). Would this also lower the general costs to society? Could treatment of disorders lead to less crime?

But at the same time, the forced administration of medicine could be an invasion of privacy. Does gov’t have a right to do it?

Legislating Backpack Weight?

When I got a copy of today’s Boston Globe and flipped through it, I immediately notice this story: Legislature takes up issue of student loads; Bill filed to limit weight of public schools’ books

I read the article, and shook my head with disbelief.

For starters, the goverment shouldn’t be legislating things such as backpack weights–that steps way over its bounds. I mean how are they going to enforce such a rule?

Second, what ever happened to lockers? When I was in school, I didn’t lug my textbooks with me everywhere; if I didn’t need ‘em, I kept them in my locker. Other teachers didn’t have us use the book(s) in class, so we were told to keep ‘em at home. So maybe every so often you have to lug a few books…big deal!

Third, for the most part, in recent years, textbook sizes have been decreasing. I have two younger siblings, and I’ve noticed this trend with their books. Maybe with the exception of some history texts and my HS Physics book (which my sister also had).

Fifth, I’m suprised that there are 4000+ ER visits related to backpacks (nationwide I believe) per year. That’s very perplexing. But I don’t think legislating will do anything to fix this problem.

This is crazy…

Good Editorials (Unlike the Boston Globe)

I’d suggest reading:

Krauthammer’s piece titled: From Partisanship to Pathology, especially since he takes it to Sen. Ted “Swimmer” Kennedy (D-MA)

Rich Lowry has a funny piece titled: What Democrats Believe

Joel Mowbray’s piece, which states the obvious: Pundits posing as reporters

Bruce Bartlett says: The Laffer Curve Works!

and Mona Charen has a though provoking piece called: Who can You Trust?

As for the Globe, there was a blame Israel letter; and a blame Israel editorial as well.

Clark’s Political Suicide

Drudge is breaking a story on comments that, Presidential Candidate Gen (ret) Wesley Clark made at the Pulaski County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 11, 2001, General Clark declared:

“And I’m very glad we’ve got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Paul O’Neill - people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there.”

Clark is also on record saying the following about President Bush:

Clark on President George Bush: “President George Bush had the courage and the vision… and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and statesmanship.”

and either in that speech or at another time, Clark is on record saying the following about Reagan:

“We were really helped when President Ronald Reagan came in. I remember non-commissioned officers who were going to retire and they re-enlisted because they believed in President Reagan.”

Clark continued: “That’s the kind of President Ronald Reagan was. He helped our country win the Cold War. He put it behind us in a way no one ever believed would be possible. He was truly a great American leader. And those of us in the Armed Forces loved him, respected him, and tremendously admired him for his great leadership.”

Wow! Should all this really be true, Clark is going to be all but sunk. It’s virtual heresy in this years Dem Primary to praise Bush and his Administration, and praising Reagan is almost always a no-no in Democrat strategy books. I mean look at all the momentum Dean has gained thus far simply by bashing President Bush?

This may be the begining of the end for Clark.

What would a Brandeis Bake Sale look like?

In light of the Afirmative Action bake sale that was recently held at SMU, I’ve come up with the following (humor) idea for a Brandeis Bake Sale:

(Prices are arbitrary, I’m just playing with numbers)

–White or Israeli Jewish Students from the NY/NJ Area: $1.50
–White or Israeli Jewish Students from MA: $1.25
–White/Israeli Jewish Students from elsewhere in the US: $1.00
–Non-Jewish Students from Mass.: $0.75
–Non-Jewish Students: $0.50
–Indian and Asian (includes SE Asia) Students: $0.50
–International Students: $0.50
–Black and Hispanic Students: $0.25
–People willing to openly admit that they’re a Republican/Conservative: Free
*all cookies and baked goods are Kosher

Any other ideas?

Edward Said: Dead

Colombia University professor of literature, and pro-palestinian terrorist appologist, and founder of the bullshit theory of “Orientalism”, Edward Said has passed away of Lukemia.

Long time readers of this blog know just how much I disliked Said, and how bonk his theories are. For more information on Said, visit posts by these bloggers: Emperor Misha, Hootinan, Amish Tech Support.

And for more on Said and Middle-Eastern studies, check out Campus Watch (note: I have a piece on their site that is recommended reading too!)

Update: Here’s two prior columns on Said, one by Stanley Kurtz and one by the JCPA: THE FALSE PROPHET OF PALESTINE: IN THE WAKE OF THE EDWARD SAID REVELATIONS

Edwards Makes some Waves

Edwards admits trial lawyers are bad.

Next up at 11, the ghost of Richard Nixon starts a jazz band.
[via someone’s AIM away message]

This comes on the heels of report that Sen. Edwards (D-NC) has missed 90% of Senate votes…

Return of the Afirmative Action Bake Sale

From something that first made headlines in CA (at UCLA in Feb and May and up at Berkley)

Now, the Affirmative Action Bake Sale returns….this time at Southern Methodist University (SMU)

I could’ve gotten a cookie for 50 cents! That’s a steal! (especially compared to Aramark’s prices).

But the ignorant quote of the article, is as follows

Matt Houston, a 19-year-old sophomore, called the group’s price list offensive.

“My reaction was disgust because of the ignorance of some SMU students,” said Houston, who is black. “They were arguing that affirmative action was solely based on race. It’s not based on race. It’s based on bringing a diverse community to a certain organization.”

Uh…doesn’t a “diverse community” depend on race as a factor in that “diversity”?

Political Entertainment

No, I didn’t watch the California Debate this evening (so, that’s not what I mean by entertainment).

But here is the OMC Handy-Dandy List of Websites Opposing Dem Candidates [note: many are by other Dems].

Enjoy! (Hat tip to the Ole Miss Conservative for the list)