The Leader of That Arab League Observer Mission to Syria

Hat tip to Foreign Policy.com


"Don't mind us. We're just observers."

As we see the scenes of Syrian forces gunning down protesters in full view of Arab League observers, it might be well to note just who is leading that group of observers. Foreign Policy.com has the report on the Sudanese official who is in charge.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/12/27/the_worlds_worst_human_rights_observer

Yes, folks, the organizer of the murderous Janjaweed, that genocidal Sudanese bunch conducting all the killings in the Sudan you have read about.He must be going to Syria on some kind of in-service training mission to learn better methods of committing murder.

The Countdown Begins: Who Will be the 2011 Jerk of the Year?

It's only a few hours till midnight. Instead of sitting there watching CNN and Anderson Cooper getting abused by the foul-mouthed Kathy Griffen, why not tune into Fousesquawk come midnight? On January 1, 2012 (That's tomorrow for all you UC Santa Cruz Community Studies majors), I will announce the winner of the Golden Penguin as the Fousesquawk Jek of the Year for 2011. The winner's name will be permanently incribed on the right-hand margin of this blog.


"Ah, wunnerful, ah wunnerful, ah."
Winner be announced at sometime after midnight, depending on whether I am awake (or sober).

Occupy Charlotte: Flag Burned

It had to happen. In Charlotte, the Occupy movement has now added  American flag-burning to its impressive list of accomplishments.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/31/protester-defends-flag-burning-at-occupy-charlotte/?test=latestnews

Any comment from Nancy Pelosi?


"God bless them."


Any comment from our president in Hawaii?


"I can empathize with that."

How about MSNBC's Butter and Egg Man, Ed Schultz?


"Those are the 99%-ers, folks."


I wonder how many flags have been burned by Tea Partiers.

Jane Fonda and the 800 Pound Gorilla in the Room

Last night, Piers Morgan did a pathetic, vapid interview of Jane Fonda on CNN. If you thought Larry King was the king of softball questions, Morgan did him one better.

The interview was absolutely awkward on both ends. Fonda didn't know how to answer certain questions. Naturally, Fonda and Morgan began by lamenting how "low America has sunk", which Fonda ascribed to that modern day bugaboo, Greed. That's the catch word of the day, and Fonda, trying to maintain her activist street creds, has  latched onto that battle cry of the Occupy movement. Of course, there was the requisite shot at the current Republican candidates.

From that, the interview slid into topics like Fonda's life, her loves, her father, her activism, her  work-out tapes, all kinds of topics except......



Not a word. Must have been "off-limits".

On it went. Morgan, trying to keep the flow going, asked her what her favorite movies were, who her favorite loves were, who she would most like to be on a desert island with, everything short of what her favorite color was, and if she were a tree, what kind of tree would she be, and of course....


Not a word.

Oh, there was a brief shot of Fonda in a booking photo from her arrest at Cleveland Airport on November 3, 1970, but no details were given.




The official Fonda version is that she was arrested for attempting to smuggle pills which turned out to be nothing more than vitamins. Excuse me, but was there not something about kicking a Customs officer while she was being searched? I joined US Customs a month after this incident and heard a different version. The reader is free to Google this incident all you wish. (Charges were dropped when the pills were found to be vitamins.)

I won't bore  you with any more details about the interview, but here is the point I want to make. What last night's interview underlined for the umpteenth time was that outside of her protective bubble of the liberal set and Hollywood, Fonda's most enduring legacy with the majority of Americans, at least those old enough to remember, is her treasonous trip to Hanoi during the Viet Nam war and her shameless visit to American POWs, which did nothing for them except make their situation worse. While there, she made radio broadcasts on behalf of our enemy and posed mounted on an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down our pilots. When she returned, she told the nation that our prisoners were being treated well. To my knowlwdge, the only thing she has expressed regret about is posing on the anti-aircraft gun.

So to Piers Morgan, I say congratulations on your half an interview. I also say that if you think this country has sunk so low, why not return to Britain? They certainly need all the help they can get back there. As for Jane Fonda, she will always be "Hanoi Jane" to me.

Reliance of the Traveller

(Hat tip to Wet Paint)

There is a bit of controversy going around regarding a certain Islamic book entitled, "Reliance of the Traveller and Tools for the Worshipper", a book originally written in the Arabic by a respected Islamic scholar Ahmed Ibn Naqib al-Misri (d., 1368) and edited/translated by American Sheikh Nuh Ha Mim Keller (b. 1954). Written for the Muslim reader, it is a guide to living according to (Shafi'i)Islamic law. It covers a wide range of rules for Islamic living.

One thing that is important to note is that the work produced by Keller has been given a seal of approval, if you will, by Al Ahzar University in Cairo, the oldest and most prestigious center of Islamic teaching in the world. It is reportedly the first such work in a language other than Arabic to be certified by Al-Azhar University.

It is important to note that Keller translated and edited this work since many arguments abound over how a certain work has been translated from the original Arabic (the Koran, for example). In the text, you might note there is a reference to modern religions (founded since this work was written by al-Misri) such as Baha'i and Mormonism, which are not considered in the same vein as Islam, Judaism or Christianity. Clearly, that is added by Keller. Below is a review of the book by an Islamic source, Sunni Path in English:

http://spa.qibla.com/issue_view.asp?HD=3&ID=2240&CATE=389

Below is the actual text of the book itself in pdf format. Near the end, the work (Book O), it deals with issues such as apostacy, its punishments (Book O 8.), jihad (Book O 9.), and treatment of non-Muslims -dhimmitud (Book O 11). As to jihad, the book clarifies the two kinds of jihad, as defined by the Prophet Mohammed, the greater jihad, which is the inner spiritual struggle, and the lesser jihad-fighting against non-believers. (Book O deals with Justice issues.)

http://www.shafiifiqh.com/maktabah/relianceoftraveller.pdf

If you are wondering where this book may be found in the US, Kamala, writing on the blog Wet Paint, tells us that the Muslim Community Association of the San Francisco Bay area is (MCA) is offering it on its website. The highly critical article also features another book entitled "Man-Made Laws vs. Shariah".

http://revuse.wetpaint.com/page/Silicon+Valley+Sharia

I recommend focusing on Book O and examining the credentials of the original writer (al-Misri) and the editor/translator (Keller). Then I would welcome comments as to how seriously we should take the references mentioned in Book O. Especially, I would welcome comments from my Muslim readers. (I know you are out there.) Let us have a serious and civil discussion. Is this prose something that was only relevant to a period during the time of the Prophet Mohammed (or the time of al-Misri)? Or is it applicable today?

One New Heart Sponsoring a New Child

This update from One New Heart in Jerusalem is a week old. The program, which helps provide pro-bono heart surgery for Arab children in Israeli hospitals, recently lost a child when Rama died (previously reported). They are now sponsoring a new child, Hanan, pictured below with her mother.








In the above photo, One New Heart members meet with Save a Child's Heart, a related organization, and Dr Houry.

At this point, Hanan's surgery has been put off since she came down with the flu but is expected to be done shortly. We will keep her in our prayers. Please visit One New Heart's website linked on this blog.

Ron Paul Blasts US Policy to Iran's Press TV

Hat tip to Hyscience and Jihad Monitor

During the fighting in Gaza in January 2009, Ron Paul gave an interview to Press TV. Here it is.




Ron Paul is certainly entitled to his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, I think he showed enormously bad judgement in criticizing US policy to Press TV, which is the English-language propaganda arm of the Iranian regime. Based in London, it employs such odious figures as Yvonne Ridley and George Galloway. It has become clear that Ron Paul-given his defense of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons- is an apologist for this regime.

Hopefully, someone in Iowa will see this video in the next few days and keep it in mind.

Are We Really Negotiating With Yusef Al Qaradawi?

Hat tip to Investigative Project on Terrorism



Sheikh of the Burning Sands


The Investigative Project on Terrorism has written a depressing report that claims that the US is actually negotiating with Yusuf Al Qaradawi, the hate-filled spiritual mentor to the Muslim Brotherhood.


http://www.investigativeproject.org/3359/report-radical-sheikh-a-key-mediator-in-us


As the IPT article states, there are videos galore out there in which Qaradawi screams epithets at Jews and talks about dying in battle against the "infidel', blah, blah, blah. This guy is the Egyptian version of the Ayatollah Khomeini.

That reminds me. Let's see here. I just happen to have something on Qaradawi in my desk drawer. Yes, here it is:

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2010/05/words-of-yusuf-al-qaradawi.html

As for Afghanistan, sounds like a great deal in the offing. Are we supposed to throw in the Sudentenland too?

Now the Rose Parade Will Be Occupied

I never bother to watch the Rose Parade each January 1st in Pasadena. To me, it's boring.

But it won't be boring this year. Guess who is coming to Pasadena. The Occupy Movement.




http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Finalize-Plans-Occupy-Rose-Parade-Human-Float-Pasadena-136404623.html

And what's more, everybody's favorite protester, Cindy Sheehan, will be there.

http://occupytheroseparade.org/

"Ah wunnerful, ah wunnerful, ah."

Yes, folks. This year will be dramatically different. Instead of watching some old fart sheriff riding a golden Palomino horse, it will be cops on horseback galore.



And if you were planning to camp out overnight to get a great seat on Colorado Blvd, you better get started right now to beat the new rush of attendees.



Oh, there will still be all your favorite personalities riding on floats, but this year there will be an extra bonus.

Michael Moore. In fact, he will be a float.

The organizers insist that everything will be peaceful and orderly. Just like always.



So all you 1%-ers who are planning to personally watch the Rose Parade, get ready. The 99%-ers are coming to town.

DHS's Latest Move to Defend the Homeland

Janet Napolitano-Fousesquawk 2010 Jerk of the Year

Here's another grande idea from Janet Napolitano to protect Americans and our homeland. You'd better have a seat before opening the below link from Fox News. I'll give you a hint.

No, that's not for us to call DHS and report something suspicious. That's for illegal aliens' use when they find themselves in jail.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/29/dhs-launches-hot-line-for-jailed-immigrants/?test=latestnews

I take note that it is almost one year to the day that Janet won the 2010 Fousesquawk Jerk of the Year award. Could this be a last-minute rush to repeat, Janet?

The Amazing Legend of Sleeping Beauty and Handsome Henry (Waxman)

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess.



When she was born, all the fairies in the land came to bestow gifts upon her, and she was destined to become the future queen.

But there was one evil fairy who thought she should be the queen.


She put a two-part curse on the princess.

First, that the Cubs would never win another world series.



Second, that the princess, when she came of age, would prick her finger on a spinning sewing machine wheel or whatever the Hell you called them in those days. She would then go to sleep forever. (For all you UC Santa Cruz Community Studies majors, that means she would die.)

But a good fairy came next and modified the curse. She stated that after 100 years, a handsome prince would come along, kiss the princess, break the curse, and they would live happily ever after.

Well, sure enough, when the princess was 18, she came upon an old hag with a spinning wheel-except it was the evil fairy in a (thinly-veiled) disguise. When she asked to see how it worked, the princess accidentally pricked her finger and immediately went into a deep sleep.

At that time, the kingdom went into a deep mourning.

ZZZZZZZZ

Everybody was so sad. (Well, almost everybody.)

The castle where the princess was sleeping was closed off and a dense forest grew around it for the next 100 years. It was covered with ivy, thick brush and thorns and anybody who tried to penetrate it would get lost and never be heard from again.



Well, anyway, to make a long story short, fast forward 100 years. Along came a handsome prince from the House of Waxman.  Prince Henry was his name. Everyone called him "Handsome Henry".

Henry heard about the sleeping princess and set off to find her. Fortunately, he knew how to penetrate the impenetrable forest with ease and made his way to the castle. When he found the sleeping princess, he was immediately enchanted with her beauty.



Bending over, Henry planted a big wet one on the princesses' lips. At this time, she opened her eyes and.....

             


With that, Handsome Henry walked away in disappointment.




Sleeping Beauty reset her alarm clock for the next 100 years and went back to sleep.




"Next time send someone better, will ya?"

That was almost 4 years ago. To this day, the evil fairy has not become queen, the Cubs have not won a world series, and that forest keeps getting denser and denser.

Hey kids! Stay tuned for the sequel when Anthony Weiner shows up to kiss the Sleeping Beauty.

Oh yeah. Hat tip to Brad Fitzpatrick.com

UN Flag at Half-Staff for Kim Jong Il

This was the scene Wednesday at UN Hqs in New York to mark the funeral of North Korean "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il.

Federal Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against University of California

Hat tip to Investigative Project on Terrorism

When I heard about the lawsuit filed by two UC Berkeley students against the university for permitting an atmosphere of fear and intimidation of Jewish students by anti-Israel activists, I was encouraged but should have foreseen that the case would come before a federal judge in San Francisco. The IPT reports that the suit has, indeed, been thrown out by a federal judge.

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3357/judge-dismisses-berkeley-suit

According to Judge Richard Seeborg, it is all free speech and free expression. Yet, I seem to recall that one of the students, Jessica Felber, reported that an SJP member rammed her from behind with a loaded shopping cart during one of those anti-Israel events at the Berkeley campus. Since when does that fall under the First Amendment?

By the way, guess who appointed Seeborg to the federal bench.

Fighting Anti-Israel Bias in UK Universities

Hat tip to American Power from which this article is cross-posted.

The blog CiF Watch has an intriguing article on what it is like to write a paper defending Israel in a British university.

http://cifwatch.com/2011/12/24/cif-watch-exclusive-interview-with-smadar-bakovic-who-fought-anti-zionist-bias-in-uk-academia-won/

Troublesome, isn't it? No matter where you stand on an issue, one should be able to write their opinions without having a biased professor tear it to shreds because he or she has an opposing view. Unfortunately, it appears British universities are infected with the same leftist and biased ideology that exist in American universities.

In my case, I do not have a PhD, and I have never written a dissertation, let alone graded one. I do teach English grammar and writing to my students who are studying English as a second language at UC Irvine. I have also written three books. It is my humble understanding that when grading a paper, especially one that involves opinions, the grade should not depend on whether the grader agrees or disagrees with the thesis. What is important is whether the writer can defend his or her opinions and conclusions and how effectively they do so. If errors of facts are committed, that is a valid criticism. However, when one claims that this or that state protects or violates the rights of its citizens, you often get into opinions, do you not? The question of whether Israel deserves or doesn't deserve to exist is a matter of opinion, obviously. Thus, one writing a dissertation should be able to take either side of that issue without being penalized by the grader.

A couple of years back, one of my Japanese students wrote an essay defending the attack on Pearl Harbor while contrasting it to the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In his paper, he stated that Pearl Harbor was directed at a military target and was thus, legitimate, while Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not legitimate because civilians were the targets. On his paper, I wrote a polite little message to him that as one who had visited both Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima, I understood his point of view, but he had neglected to mention that we were attacked prior to any declaration of war, and that at the time of attack, we were at (supposedly) at peace with Japan. In writing my diplomatic little note, I kept in mind that Jpanese youth to this day, have not been taught the full scope of the crimes committed by the Empire of Japan during that era. The point I am making here is that I did not detract from his grade because I held a differing view. I call it professionalism.

On the Treadmill With Chris Matthews

"Newt Gingrich is angry."

When I do my daily treadmill, I have the TV on to help pass the time. Of course, on a Wednesday afternoon, the choices are limited. So, just for a few yuks, I turned on MSNBC and caught the first half of Chris Matthews' "Hardball" show. As always, Chris didn't disappoint.

As we all know, it's campaign season, and the mad-hatters at MSNBC are dedicating all of their time to bashing whatever Republican candidate is rising in the polls-or in today's case, still have a shot. Today, it was Newt Gingrich's turn in the barrel.

The thesis of Chris' show was that Gingrich has fallen in the Iowa polls, and as a result, he is angry. I mean reaaaaly angry. He is gnashing his teeth, putting his fist through walls, and even.......attacking his opponents-especially Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.

Then Chris and his two like-minded interlocutors (Democrat...er.. "operative" Mark Halperin and Johnathan Martin of Politico) sat around and "analyzed" the up-coming primary states. Chris, typical arrogant northeasterner that he is, denigrated South Carolina as a state where Republicans wouldn't vote for Romney because he is LDS (That's Mormon for all you UC Santa Cruz Community Studies majors). He didn't dwell on it, but he did say it in passing. In other words, people in South Carolina (at least the Republican ones) are a bunch of redneck goobers according to Matthews the Savant.

In reality, I have not heard much mention of Romney being a Mormon-unlike 4 years ago. Leave it to partisan Democrats like Matthews to try and resurrect it.

Of course, Matthews and his gang at MSNBC are delighting in repeating all the dirt that is flying (what there is). First of all, why are they not talking about the accomplishments of that other guy-the sole candidate for the Democrat nomination, Barack Obama? They might as well run a complete show of commercials because they have nothing to talk about.

"Whadda'ya mean? I stand on my record."


Secondly, the criticisms among candidates for the Republican nomination pale in comparison to previous years. Even so, it is a normal part of the primary process for better or worse.

In addition, Matthews also conveniently forgets the nastiness of the Obama-Clinton primary in 2008. Now that was nasty. Remember the talk about race, the "race card", the slum lords, the nasty guy in the church, etc.?

 "Wanna be my Secretary of State?"



I didn't bother with the second half. My treadmill session was over, and I had to go in the back yard and clean up the dog-poo. But that was Chris' message of the day. Newt Gingrich is angry. He didn't back it up with anything, but that was the Hardball report of the day.

"Angry? Do I look angry?"

Not nearly as angry as when Larry Elder took Chris to task over his fawning book on JFK.



"Chris Matthews, you've got a weak show."

They call it News.

The "Dear Leader" is Gone

Ladies and Gentleman, the funeral procession for our departed Dear Leader, Kim  Jong Il, has begun in Pyongyang. (That's the capital of North Korea for all you UC Santa Cruz Community Studies majors.).  The first images of the sad procession have arrived. Let us share in the sadness of the North Korean people (and Jimmy Carter).

"I don't think that's funny."

The man in the black suit is the new ruler, the Great Successor

"I don't think that's funny."

The faces of the mourners

Below, a final message from the Dear Leader to his people

 "Now that's funny."