Car On Fire Crashes Into Glasgow Airport Terminal

In what is suspected to be a terrorist attack, a car on fire was crashed into the terminal at Scotland's Glasgow Airport.

Police apprehended those believed involved. The terminal was evacuated and flights cancelled. And the fire was extinguished.

The attack comes on the heels of police thwarting two car bomb attacks in London.

London Car Bomb Attack Thwarted

Piccadilly Circus, the intended target

There are those among my readers and Paltalk audience who argue that all the discussion of possible terrorist attacks is nothing more than taking U.S. government propaganda to new levels. There's no threat to the homeland, they argue. Bush lied about Iraq. And Bush is lying about this.

Perhaps 9/11 is fading from their collective memories. And perhaps they forget the London rail attacks. The terrorist attacks in Madrid. The Bali bombings. Not to mention the numerous terrorist attacks in Israel, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Perhaps the discovery of a car bomb in London will remind them that terrorism remains a real threat to us all.

A car packed with explosives was discovered near Piccadilly Circus. Police say there was enough potential bang to the bomb to cause what they call "significant injury or loss of life, possibly killing hundreds."

Britain's home secretary called it an act of "international terrorism."

It's fair to question the foreign policies of nations like the United States and the UK. But let's not use that debate as an excuse for those who would take the lives of innocent people.

Whoever planted that car bomb - thwarted when it malfunctioned and produced smoke - is nothing less than a criminal terrorist. There is no excuse for such tactics. Those who argue otherwise are, simply put, supporters of criminal activity.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leicaview/40561367/

Underwater Terrorism Threat

Whenever you make it difficult for a terrorist to attack one way, the tactics change.

It's exceedingly more difficult to use airplanes as weapons. Not impossible, but far more difficult.

So the terrorists keep looking for unique ways to exploit our vulnerabilities.

According to the FBI, the latest fear is that they will attack from underwater.

Not using submarines. But by scuba diving. And planting explosive devices.

The FBI has notified scuba instructors across the nation to be aware of this potential. And to report suspicious students. Especially those who are interested in focusing on murky water scuba diving.

This is a prudent step for the FBI to be taking. Especially in light of its turning a deaf ear to reports from the field prior to 9/11 that flight school students were concentrating on flying, but not on taking off, or landing planes.

Chasing Down Illegal Aliens

Sheriff McKeithen

Bay County Florida Sheriff Frank McKeithen has come up with a unique and controversial way of catching illegal aliens.

Deputies pull up to construction sites, and frightened illegals run. The deputies give chase and arrest them for trespassing or, if they speed away in cars, a traffic violation.

Then they check for green cards. Those here illegally are then turned over to to federal immigration authorities.

Hundreds of illegals have been nabbed this way.

The ACLU and immigrant rights organizations are crying foul. They say the practice smacks of intimidation.

Protests In Iran

Gasoline rationing in Iran

A sign that the regime's grip on the people is starting to slip.

Iranians are protesting the government's decision to suddenly ration gasoline.

Two gasoline stations have been burned. Elsewhere, drivers have been lining up for their share of gasoline.

Open dissent in Iran is so unusual as to make these acts of defiance noteworthy. The fact that news of the protests leaked out is notable as well.

Most importantly, the rationing that sparked the protests are most telling. Iran sits upon expansive amounts of oil. But is short on foreign investment due to President Mahmoud Amadinejad's policies.

The government should give up its development of nuclear weapons, allow United Nations inspectors in to verify and stop its exportation of violence to the rest of the Middle East. Amadinejad should also stop calling for the distruction of Israel.

Tehran should realize that the patience of the world, and of the Iranian people, is running thin.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharif/637487562/

Iran Ups The Iraq Ante

As if the coalition troops didn't have enough to worry about. Now comes a report filed by the French news agency AFP that Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have entered Iraq.

As his country faces an economic crisis, Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad desperately tries to foster national unity by thrusting his nation into conflict with the world at large and, in particular, with his neighbors.

He already influences events in the Palestinian territories by funding Hamas. In Lebanon, by funding Hezbollah. And creates a stand off with the United Nations by continuing to develop a nuclear weapons program.

He's playing a very dangerous game indeed. If he continues down this path, patience with Iran will wear out. Amadinejad's actions will put his own people in harm's way.

Audio Tape Of Abducted Israeli Soldier Released

Yesterday we told you about a video tape of kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston that was released. The video showed Johnston wearing a bomb belt. Saying that he had been told by his Palestinian captors that if any attempt was made to rescue him, they would detonate the bomb.

Fast on the heels of the release of that tape, another chilling recording has been released. This time, an audio tape of captured Israeli Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. The IDF has now authenticated the recording.

Shalit describes his health as deteriorating. And says he must be taken to a hospital soon.

The tape was released by Hamas on the one year anniversary of Shalit's abduction.

Shalit was on the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza when he was captured. Palestinian militants, using a tunnel, crossed under the border to grab him. He has been held since, under demand that Israel release some 13-hundred Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his safe return.

If the information on the tape about Shalit's health is accurate, the Palestinians who are holding him may soon lose him as a bargaining chip. His death would surely further strain relations with Israel, which, in September, 2005, before Shalit's abduction, withdrew completely from the Gaza.

Ungrateful Palestinians

Johnston wearing

a bomb belt

Alan Johnston was one of a few brave Western reporters who ventured inside the Gaza to tell the story of the Palestinian people. He got kidnapped by the very people whose stories he was trying to tell.

A shadowy terrorist group has released a video of the kidnapped BBC reporter, Alan Johnston. He is seen in the video wearing a bomb belt. You know, the kind that's used by suicide bombers to blow up cafes and buses in Israel.

The terrorists have threatened to detonate it if force is used to release Johnston, who was captured some 100 days ago while working as the BBC's Gaza correspondent.

This is the thanks he gets for trying to give Palestinians a voice. Terrorist organizations that think they are advancing the Palestinian cause only succeed in setting it back further. And British journalists who are advocating a boycott of Israel clearly have their sights on the wrong target.

Iran's Internal Crackdown

Ahmadinejad silencing dissent

Iran is cracking down on dissent within its borders.

Three Iranian-Americans are languishing in an Iranian prison.

Press freedoms have been curtailed.

University dissent has been muzzled.

The labor movement has been given boundaries. People wearing what the Iranian fashion police believe to be inappropriate clothing are forced to suck on cans people used to clean themselves up after defecating.

And the women's rights movement, perhaps one of the strongest voices for freedom in Iraq, is being squelched.

Iran's economy, meanwhile, teeters on the precipice. Yet Tehran continues to develop a weaponized nuclear program.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues his rhetoric of hate and threats towards Israel. And yet, there are those who not only turn a blind eye to these human rights violations and Tehran's threat to peace and stability to support the government.

One can only speculate about what's in the minds and hearts of those apologists. Perhaps their hatred of Israel and the United States is so blinding that they can't see, or care not, about the plight of the Iranian people.

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Talk about this and other issues daily at 5 PM New York time on News Talk Online on Paltalk www.paltalk.com/newstalk

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyair/88569323/

Germany A Potential Terror Target

Germany a target?

Intelligence reports indicate that Germany may be a target of terrorist attacks.

Chatter picked up by intelligence agencies indicates that Germany is being considered because it has troops in Afghanistan.

This is another indication that the war with those who would use terrorist tactics to overthrow our way of life is global in nature. While freedom loving nations have their differences over foreign policies, they must remain resolved and united in the fight against this threat against their citizens.

Those who value freedom believe in global pluralism and tolerance. But we should never forget that those who wish to dictate their will on us do not. Given the chance, they would show zero tolerance for our values.

The challenge we face is to strike a balance where we continue to support the rights of others to follow their customs and traditions, while maintaining our own. It is, unquestionably, a daunting task, and tests our resolve to support freedom for all.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuulongden/411814216/

British Intolerance

British society and Muslim veils seem to be unable to mix.

Increasingly there has been a backlash to the custom of some Muslim women to cover their faces.

Some Muslim women say they've been harassed. Legislation has been proposed outlawing the practice. A judge told a Muslim attorney she could not represent her client because the judge could not understand what the attorney was saying from behind the veil.

There has been some push back in the United States as well. Especially when it comes to having one's picture taken for driver's licenses.



People should be permitted to wear what they wish without being harassed by either private citizens or the government. Society should be as accommodating as possible to one's personal and religious beliefs.



That being said, common sense should also prevail. There are some circumstances where wearing a niqab would not be appropriate.



Such as the lawyer who can't be heard. Or while posing for a government ID picture. Or, because of safety concerns, while driving. (Banks, also, for obvious reasons, might want to prohibit people from approaching their tellers while their faces are obscured)!



But an all out ban on veils, which smacks of religious intolerance, should be avoided at all costs.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/localsurfer/20933823/

Biting The Hand That Feeds

Another case of a radio announcer being muzzled. This time for criticising the people who pay him.

Waterloo Bucks announcer Tim Harwood was judged to have questioned the credibility of the league when he criticized the umpires for ejecting players and coaches during his broadcast of a game with the Alexandria Beetles.

Harwood has been fined $500 for his remarks. By the league.

He's employed by the team, not the radio station.

The listeners are the real losers here. They can no longer be confident that the game description they are receiving from Harwood is accurate.

Shame on the Northwoods Baseball League!

Hamas Seizes U.S. Weapons

Once again, United States intervention in a foreign conflict has backfired.

The United States has been sending weapons to Fatah. But both Fatah and Hamas sources say Hamas, which has seized control of the Gaza, has been intercepting those weapons for their own use.

So weapons that the U.S. had intended to help Fatah defend itself against Hamas are being used against what the United States considers to be the more "moderate" Palestinian Authority militias.

Conceivably these same weapons could be used in a conflict with Israel.

As the old Pete Seeger anti-war song "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" asks, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

WTC Findings Supported

A new Purdue University study supports previous conclusions that the World Trade Center collapses were the result of fireproofing material that stripped away due to the impact of the jetliners that slammed into the Twin Towers.

This will do little to squelch the conspiracy theorists. When facts get in the way of a good conspiracy, they merely question the motivations of the researchers.

By now, thousands of experts have studied the collapses and have reached the same conclusion. The conspiracy buffs would have us believe that all these otherwise disconnected individuals were recruited by the government to cover-up "the truth."

The problem is that the theorists have agendas of one kind or another that they desperately wish to advance in contradiction to the evidence in hand. They have the right to their opinions. But they do a disservice to those who died or were injured on September 11th. And detract from the important business of identifying those who would emulate what took place on that tragic day.

Suicide Bombers Heading For Europe, North America

Suicide bombers who were trained in Afghanistan are reportedly heading to Europe, Canada and the United States to kill innocent people.

A video tape of the graduation ceremonies shows them pledging to attack Britain, Canada and America.

Obviously security forces will be scouring those tapes in the hopes of identifying them before they can pull the plug, which they believe will send themselves to paradise.

If just one is successful, it will further change the landscape in freedom loving countries, which will be certain to impose even more security restrictions in the name of homeland security.

Homeland Security Takes Aim At Charter Boats/Small Planes

First Mate Brett Chamberlain and the Capt. Dave
charter boat Atlantic Highlands, NJ

For some reason, most times when I check in to take a commercial flight, I'm one of the people selected for close screening.

Whether it's because of the equipment I carry, the number of one-way trips I took while working at CNN, because my name is on some kind of a watch list, or just coincidental, I don't know. But I don't particularly mind the inconvenience. I only wish they had time to give this kind of scrutiny to all passengers.


But now, things are getting a bit out-of-hand.


The feds are proposing screening people who fly on small private planes. And who charter fishing boats.


Not only would this be an unnecessary intrusion into those industries, it would help the government track its own citizens.


One could argue that, if you aren't doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to fear. But I get uncomfortable with the government keeping lists of citizens and the tracking of their whereabouts.

Frankly, it's none of their business if I want to charter a fishing boat.


This is another case of the government trying to protect our liberties by taking them away. The proposal stinks worse than rotten fish.

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Talk about this and other issues daily at 5 PM New York time on News Talk Online on Paltalk www.paltalk.com/newstalk

The Overheating Middle East

The Middle East is overheating. And the world should take note.

In the Gaza, fierce fighting is underway between Hamas and Fatah forces. Hamas is trying to impose its control over much of the Gaza. This comes as Egyptian negotiators try to end this factional Palestinian vs. Palestinian fighting.

In Iraq, the conflict is Muslim vs. Muslim in nature. Suni mosques are being attacked. This in the wake of the bombing of an important Shiite shrine.

In Lebanon, a lawmaker, who has been opposing Syrian interference in that country's internal affairs, has been assassinated. Nine others were also killed in the bomb blast that targeted Walid Eido. He is just the latest Lebanese politician to stand up to Syria that has been assassinated. Syria is already suspected in the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Military Suicides

Arlington National Cemetery


There may be more American casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than indicated by the official figures.

A new study finds that men discharged from the military are more than twice as likely to commit suicide as their civilian counterparts.

The lead author of the Portland State University study says doctors should be on the lookout for signs of depression among their patients who have returned from the theaters of war.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffsmith_fotos/267460748/

Saddam's Support Of Terrorism

Saddam was a patron of terrorism


In retrospect, the decision to invade Iraq doesn't look so good.

The military action was swift and decisive. Effective enough for President Bush to declare "mission accomplished."

But the post toppling of the Saddam statue has brought greater casualties to U.S. troops. With hindsight, many, including some who voted in Congress to fund the invasion, argue that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction. And while, yes, he was a tyrant to the Iraqi people, he really was no threat to anyone else.

This revision clouds the reality. Saddam Hussein was a patron of terrorism.

Much as well heeled people buy artwork or go to Broadway plays to show their support for the arts, Saddam paid the families of terrorists who blew themselves up in Israel.

To help us remember all this, I suggest going to this website: http://www.husseinandterror.com/

There you will see the facts about Saddam Hussein and terrorism, documented by Deroy Murdock, a media fellow at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University.

It's OK, of course, to debate the propriety of the effort in Iraq. But not at the expense of the truth.

Palestinian Prime Minister's House Attacked

The home of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has come under attack.

Reportedly an RPG was fired at the house in what Hamas says was an assassination attempt by Fatah. No one was injured.

The attack follows the killing of the top Fatah leader in northern Gaza.

The continuing Palestinian infighting is frustrating the efforts of Egyptian negotiators who are trying to obtain a cease fire. Fatah officials say at least 15 people have died since Monday morning.

It's interesting that the internal fighting in the Gaza escapes the attention of those debating the Palestinian situation on Paltalk. Many who claim to be concerned about Palestinian casualties only speak out when they die at the hands of the Israelis. Perhaps their reason for speaking out is less about the welfare of Palestinians and more about hatred for Israel.

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Talk about this issue and more at 5 PM New York time on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com www.paltalk.com/newstalk

Palestinians Use Fake Journalist Van To Attack Israeli Soldiers

There is anger on both sides of the border over Palestinian terrorists using a fake journalist van as a Trojan horse to attack Israel Defense Forces soldiers.

Palestinian journalists are joining the Israelis in condemning the practice, which puts real members of the news media at risk.

Journalists are expected to be non-combatants. This technique forces the IDF to consider any unknown reporter as a possible terrorist.

This is similar to the tactic by Palestinian militants who used ambulances as cover for transporting terrorists. They then complain when the IDF stops and searches legitimate ambulances, delaying their life saving missions.

According The Israel Project, the Palestinian militants care little about the welfare of reporters. Here is the project's compilation of members of the press kidnapped in the Gaza since September, 2004.


March 12, 2007 - BBC correspondent Alan Johnston is kidnapped by a mafia-like Gaza-based clan calling itself the Army of Islam. This group is thought to have ties to al Qaeda. Johnston's captors released a video on the Internet demanding that Britain release several Muslim prisoners including Islamist al Qaeda cleric Abu Qatada, who is one of Britain's most wanted men.

Jan. 7, 2007 - Jaime Razuri from Agence France-Presse is kidnapped and released almost a week later. The kidnappers have not been identified.

Oct. 23, 2006 - Emilio Morenatti, an Associated Press photographer, is kidnapped by unidentified Palestinian gunmen and released on the same day.

Aug. 27, 2006 - Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and New Zealand-born cameraman Olaf Wiig are held for two weeks by a previously unknown group identified as the Holy Jihad Brigades. They were released unharmed after being forced to convert to Islam.

March 15, 2006 - Caroline Laurent, reporter for the French-language weekly ELLE; Alfred Yaghobzadeh, photographer for France's Sipa Press; and Yong Tae-Young, a correspondent for South Korea's KBS are kidnapped from the Al-Dira Hotel in Gaza. Palestinian Security Services claim the kidnappers are members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The abducted journalists were released within 22 hours.

Oct. 12, 2005 - Dion Nissenbaum and Adam Pletts of Knight Ridder (now McClatchy Newspapers) are abducted by renegade members of the Fatah party. The journalists were freed later that day.

Sept. 10, 2005 - Journalist Lorenzo Cremonesi of Corriere della Serra (Italy) is abducted in the town of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. He was released the same day.

Aug.15, 2005 - Journalist Mohammad Ouathi, a French citizen of Algerian origin is kidnapped and released a week later. No group claimed responsibility.

Jan. 8, 2005 - Ramon Lobo and Carmen Secanella, reporters for Spain's El Pais, are kidnapped briefly by Palestinian militants in Gaza's Khan Younes refugee camp.

Sept. 27, 2004 - Riad Ali, producer for CNN is abducted at gunpoint and released the following day. Ali claims that the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was behind his kidnapping but the militia has denied the allegations.

Lessons Of Detroit And Iraq

When I was a reporter in Detroit, especially during the late Mayor Coleman A. Young's regime, we used to quip that the Motor City was a Third World nation.

Back in those days two brothers owned a bowling alley on Woodward Avenue, Detroit's main artery. On weekends, they opened the lanes up to kids from the Boy's Club. The youngsters would be bused in, they'd roll their games, and then return on the bus.

It all went pretty well inside the bowling alley. But the entire program was nearly brought to a halt when the bus driver threatened to quit if order wasn't established on the ride to and from the venue.

I was volunteered to ride shotgun, to keep the excited young bowler's enthusiasm down to a low roar.

The first trip back was so bad I had the driver pull to the curb and tossed the unruliest loud mouth, I think his name was Maurice, off the bus. That got their attention, but I knew that was short-lived.

So the next week, before the kids boarded the bus, I pulled Maurice, who was begging to come along, aside. I told him he could rejoin his buddies, but he'd have to work for it.

I then put him in charge of discipline on the bus. I waited off the bus until everyone was on board and he had effected order. Only then would he walk off the bus and tell me things were under control. I then climbed on with him and gave the driver the OK to put the bus in gear.

This procedure worked every weekend for the remainder of that year's program.

Something reminded me of that success and I related the story to my son today. His reaction, "think the United States could learn from this and apply it to our foreign policy?"

I think he's actually on to something.

In his book, "Saddam's Secrets, How An Iraqi General Defied And Survived Saddam Hussein" former Iraqi Air Force General Georges Sada says after the Iraqi military was defeated, he was asked by a U.S. general how to put down the newly developing insurgency in Baghdad. Sada recommended that the Iraqi military be re-activated to take care it "the Iraqi way." A suggestion that, as we know now, fell on deaf ears.

"The people know us and we know our people," Sada says he told the general.

"We know our city and we know where the troublemakers are located. All I need from you is the go-ahead and I will take my 40,000 men from the air force and we will take the city."

Sort of like letting Maurice restore order on the bus.

The Future Of Talk Radio

Air America's Lionel


Randi Rhodes Woman Of The Year



I was a participant in the final panel of the Talkers Magazine New Media Seminar in Manhattan yesterday. Paltalk was a sponsor.

The fact that Talkers, which is the bible of terrestrial talk radio, would ask Paltalk, an Internet company, to sponsor the event, and put me, a former terrestrial radio guy, on the panel, indicates the concern radio stations have about the shift from broadcasting to webcasting.

Smart broadcasters are embracing the new technology. We see Opie and Anthony using Paltalk to engage with their audience. So do Doug Stephans, Bobby Likis and Greg Knapp. All terrestrial radio broadcasters who are using the Internet as a tool to enhance the experience for their listeners. This more intimate contact between a radio talk show host and the audience builds loyalty.

Recently, 1010WINS, the most listened to station in the nation, used Paltalk to webcast the parade of Navy and Coast Guard ships entering New York harbor for Fleet Week. We'll see more of these kinds of relationships as broadcasters recognize that Internet can actually support their terrestrial radio stations.

Terrestrial radio and Internet radio are NOT mutually exclusive. In fact, they can, and should compliment each another.

Congested Manhattan

Too many vehicles, not enough street

People who drive into New York City may son have to dig into their pockets for the privledge.



Mayor Mike Bloomberg is advancing a traffic congestion pricing plan designed to dissuade drivers from entering Manhatten below 86th Street from 6 AM-6 PM. The charge would be $8 for cars, $21 for trucks. The provision would be enforced with the help of thousands of cameras.



The plan is being endorsed by Gov. Eliot Spitzer giving it bi-partisan support. Bloomberg is a Republican, Spitzer a Democrat.



But powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver may be putting some bumps in the road. He's worried about the effect on an already overburdened mass transit system that would undoubtedly see an influx of new passengers.



This plan may never be adopted. Or it may be amended before becoming law. But at least someone is finally attempting to address the traffic gridlock problem in the city.



Pedestrians are constantly playing chicken with motor vehicles. The air pollution caused by so many cars moving at snails paces creates obvious health concerns. And the noise pollution detracts from the quality of life.



Lives would likely be saved too, if the mayor is successful. The sight of ambulances, their lights flashing, sirens blaring, with no place to maneuver is common indeed.

Terrorism Tracker

In Afghanistan, four members of a medical team were released after the government gave the Taliban the body of one of its senior commanders. The medical team had been taken hostage in March.

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In the Gaza, factional fighting has claimed the life of one person and has injured as many as nine more.

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Nine terrorism suspects wanted in Italy have been arrested there. A 10th suspect is being held by British authorities.

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A European human rights group reports the existence of two CIA-run prisons housing al Qaeda suspects in Romania and Poland.

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25 CIA operatives and the head of Italy's intelligence agency go on trial for abducting an imam in Milan who was a suspected terrorist.

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Scores of people have been killed, including a massacre at the home of a police chief, in bombings and shootings in Iraq.

The State As The Parent

Big Brother is trying to control us once again.

As in most cases of the government acting as the parent, the end goal is a good one. But some things ought to be outside the reach of the state.

The state, in this case, is New Jersey. The issue: parents smoking with their children in the car.

A proposed state law would give police authority to stop and ticket adult drivers smoking with minors present.

It's a topic we're going to discuss more fully on the News Talk Online show on Paltalk at 5 PM New York time today. You can join the conversation at www.paltalk.com/newstalk.

It's obviously not a good thing to smoke in confined spaces such as cars alongside children with developing lungs. It's not good for the parents either. But they are, after all, adults. If they want to engage in risky behavior, that's their problem and right. But clearly they should not be exposing their children to second hand smoke.

But telling police to stop and ticket drivers who puff with minors in their cars is an extreme step to take.

This is not a function of policing. Officers should limit their stopping of drivers for traffic violations and for suspicion of involvement in criminal acts.

The well intentioned New Jersey proposal serves to take police away from these more important responsibilities. It also unnecessarily and unfairly exploits police power to infringe on the lives of law abiding citizens. and it serves to unnecessarily increase friction between the community and the police.

It also interjects the state into the personal business of families.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine nearly died in a car crash while not wearing his seatbelt. He has since launched a public service ad campaign where he educates his constituents about the need to buckle up in their cars.

Better the governor cut some more ads encouraging parents to not expose their children to second hand smoke. If he's successful, he might even convince some to not light up in the house as well. A venue that - at least thus far - is out of the reach of ticket writing cops.

How England Is Losing Its Identity

If you wonder how it's possible that British academics can advocate a boycott of Israel, here's a clue. The population of the UK is far from homogeneous any longer.

An indicator of that is new research which shows that the second most popular name to give a newborn in Britain is Mohammed. Right behind Jack. But the trend indicates that Mohammed will be number one soon.

Jericho Returns

Braverman delivers nuts to CBS

CBS has agreed to bring back the lowly rated but highly touted post-apocalyptic series Jericho after its fan base launched a massive protest campaign.

The last aired episode ended with a one-word line from one of the characters: "nuts!" This prompted Jericho fans to contact a New Jersey company, http://www.nutsonline.com/ to order more than 40,000 pounds of nuts to send to CBS' New York headquarters in protest.

News reports credited Internet chat rooms as well for spurring the effort that helped sway CBS' decision. Some of that online buzz took place on my show on Paltalk during an interview with Nuts On Line president Jeffery Braverman.

CBS entertainment division president Nina Tassler says the successful the campaign was an "unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series." She asked Jericho fans to stop sending nuts and, instead, focus their efforts on getting the show more viewers.

Congratulations to the Jericho fans. And kudos to CBS for listening.

British Trade Union Advocates Israeli Boycott

A major British trade union is advocating the boycotting of the state of Israel.

Israel. The only democratic country in the Middle East.

Interesting.

One would think that the union might focus on other areas of the world where there are extreme human rights violations.

The Anti-Defamation League has it right.

In this ad, the ADL points out serious atrocities around the world. And yet, this union, chooses Israel for all its moral indignation.

Curious, isn't it?

Iraq Violence Continues

Most of the criticism about the mess in Iraq has been directed at the U.S.-led coalition.

Detractors argue that the violence is a result of the vacuum created by the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. The White House argues that the invasion has given Iraqis the gift of freedom.

Indeed it has. The despotic dictator is now history. And there have been elections, aimed at creating a government representative of all factions. The question is, how have the Iraqis chosen to exercise their newly granted freedom?

Valid criticism of President Bush's foreign policy masks the reality on the ground. A sectarian power play is underway. One that pits Iraqis against Iraqis.

It's time that those Iraqis take some responsibility for their own actions. The bombings of mosques and neighborhoods by one Islamic sect targeting another is not being orchestrated by the United States.

We can question the veracity of the administration when it told the American people why it was necessary to invade Iraq. We can question the post "mission accomplished" strategy. We can argue that it's time to bring the American troops home. But let's not lose sight of the fact that the Americans are not there to kill Iraqis. They are there to protect them as best they can until the Iraqi government can muster enough strength to protect their own.

The enemy of the Iraqis is not the United States. The enemies of the Iraqis are fellow Iraqis.

Another Afghan Broadcaster Murdered

A radio broadcaster in Afghanistan has been killed. Shot while she slept alongside her 10-month-old child who was unharmed.

Zakia Zaki had received threats for refusing to shut down her radio station which advocates women's rights.

Six days earlier another Afghan journalist and anchorwoman was fatally shot in her home.

Intolerance to opposing views is a dangerous concept. In the United States it results in people being taken off the air. In some countries, it results in death.

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Photo by: Zabi Sangary

China To Regulate Food And Drugs

China, a country that has steadfastly opposed outside interference in its internal affairs, is, nonetheless, bending to global pressures.

Beijing is pledging to tighten regulations on food and drugs. This after international outrage over the discovery of rat poison in exported dog food, and chemicals used in production of anti-freeze in toothpaste.

While the effort might protect dogs in the United States and elsewhere, hopefully it will also mean Chinese people will benefit from safer food and drugs consumed there.

This commitment by China is an example of the positive aspects of market pressures in a free and open global economy.

More On Global Warming

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's plan to reduce emissions by 50 percent by the year 2050 has been approved at the G8 summit in Rostock, Germany. But, in deference to President Bush's objections, it holds no weight of treaty.

While the jury is still out with regards to global warming, striving to cut emissions, if for no other reason than to reduce health risks, is a good thing.

There is still room for optimism. The president says he wants to convene a summit of major polluting nations with a goal of cutting emissions by 2009. Let's hope that effort results in more substance than form.

Scientists Conclude Human Indused Global Warming Not To Blame For Hurricane Surge

French scientists say a recent surge in the number of hurricanes pounding the U.S. southeastern and Gulf coasts are not a result of greenhouse gasses but rather a normal pattern of climate change.

While the conclusions may be welcomed by those who have been arguing that global warming is just a natural pattern, they offer no particular sigh of relief for people living in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. That's because the researchers say, people living in those regions may suffer devastating hurricanes now for years to come, until the pattern normally changes.

Syria Sends Arms To Palestinian Militants In Lebanon

Syria continues to interfere in the internal affairs of Lebanon. This time by sending arms to militants who are holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp and are battling with the Lebanese military.

This is the same Syria that claims it was not involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri

The United Nations has formed a tribunal to investigate the 2005 Hariri assassination. The evidence points towards Syria as the culprit. This latest revelation just serves to support that contention.

Mass Grave Unearthed

A mass grave has been unearthed containing up to 5,000 victims.

No, this grave wasn't found in Iraq. It was found in the Ukraine, by utility workers laying a gas line. The remains that of Ukrainian and Moldavian Jews who were exterminated by the Nazis.

A similar grave containing the remains of some 3,500 people was discovered in the Ukraine last year.

Perhaps Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might want to reassess his revisionist view of the Holocaust now.

Speaking of President Ahmadinejad, he continues to thumb his nose at the international community, claiming that it's too late to stop him from developing a nuclear program.

Weapons For Sale In The Gaza

So many killings in the Gaza. How is it possible? How are the various factions getting their weapons?

The answer, in part, can be found in this video. Which demonstrates how easy it's to purchase weapons on the streets.

Ahmadinejad Predicts Israel's Destruction

Perhaps some people felt his previous pronouncements were ambiguous.

His apologists claim that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's previous comments about Israel were misconstrued. Or mistranslated. That he really hasn't ever called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Well, Mr. Ahmadinejad has spoken again. Perhaps clarifying his position on Israel.

This time he says Israel will be destroyed. And soon.

Can there be no doubt now that this mad man wants Israel eradicated? Can there be no question that he must be stopped from his continuing funding of terrorist organizations? More importantly, does the world have the will to prevent him from procuring the Bomb?

Iran is not a country that is seeking nuclear weapons as a deterrent. It is a country that could, and likely would, use its nuclear weapons capability against others. Either directly or through terrorist surrogates.

Giving Up Coke To Fight Genocide

Now it's time for Americans to prepare to sacrifice to help fight genocide in Darfur.

Sudan's ambassador to the United States says his country will cut off the exportation of gum arabic, which he claims is a key ingredient in Coca Cola, if the United States makes good on its threat to increase sanctions.

Ambassador John Ukec Lueth also claims that, not only are the reports of genocide wrong, no one is being killed in Darfur.

Americans may not have to face this dilemma, choosing between Coke and the lives of black African herdsmen who are being killed by Arab militiamen in Darfur. While Coke does not reveal any of its ingredients, the company assures us it does not import gum arabic from Sudan.

Beheadings Shock Thailand

The beheadings of Buddists in Thailand has shocked the nation.

Twenty-five people have been beheaded in southern Thailand by militant Islamists.

Experts say the practice, once restricted to the Middle East, is now being exported elsewhere.

Gaza Broadcasters Threatened

Women TV broadcasters in the Gaza are being threatened with beheading for not dressing modest enough on camera.

The threat was issued by a fundamentalist Islamic organization.

The group, Swords of Truth, has threatened to cut their throats, "vein to vein." This is the same organization that has claimed responsibility for the bombings of Internet cafes and music stores.

A number of recurring themes discussed in this blog are converging here. Attacks on personal freedoms. Attacks on journalists. And Palestinians attacking Palestinians.

All of these issues are under reported and deserve our attention and concern.

JFK Terror Plot Thwarted

A terror plot designed to blow up a fuel line that services New York City's JFK airport has been thwarted.

Authorities say three are in custody and a fourth suspect is being sought.

The fuel line runs under a residential neighborhood in Queens. Had they been successful, the casualty count likely would have been enormous.

The FBI and the NYPD moved quickly to squelch the plot while it was still in the planning stages.

This latest attempt reminds us that the threat of terrorism remains very real.

Hats off to all who worked so diligently to prevent what would have been a heinous crime.

Fighting Genocide, Nuclear Proliferation Economically

While the United Nations fails to take action to stop the genocide in Darfur and is seemingly powerless in its efforts to stop Tehran's nuclear development, the governor of Florida is stepping in, taking decisive action.

Not only is the Sunshine State divesting itself of investments in Iran and Sudan, but Gov. Charlie Crist is urging his fellow governors to follow suit.

They should. As should every freedom loving country in the world.

It's time to circumvent the U.N. and put additional pressure on both governments.