AN INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION… JUST WOW…
1708 by Jeff HessVisit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
3 June 2009
3 June 2009
3 June 2009
TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY…
1233 by Jeff HessFrom Haaretz:
The Israel Defense Forces has declared the area around the West Bank city of Nablus a closed military zone, in order to prevent left-wing activists from entering the area, Army Radio reported on Wednesday.
According to Army Radio, Head of the Central Command General Gadi Shamni
issued the closure after receiving numerous complaints from soldiers who said the activists were interfering with their security duties at area checkpoints.The IDF said singled-out activists from “Machsom Watch” (checkpoint watch) as being the subject of the most complaints.
The IDF issued a statement Wednesday saying that the closure applies to all Israelis, regardless of ideology.
The Human Rights Organization “Yesh Din” on Wednesday slammed the decision to declare the area a closed military zone, saying only in totalitarian countries are humanitarian organizations banned from areas where there is friction between the military and the civilian population.
And his point is?
3 June 2009
MEN HAVE IT SO EASY…
1224 by Jeff HessA man’s gray hair makes him distinguished looking. A wrinkled face gives a man character. Even being short and chubby doesn’t disqualify a man from being considered sexy. And on Nerve’s list of the 20 Sexiest People Ugly People, I wasn’t surprised to see only five women on the list.
Who else would be No. 1 on the list but Keith Richards (Mick didn’t make the cut) but following behind him were:
No. 2 Sandra Bernhard
No. 4 Courtney Love
No. 7 Tilda Swinton
No. 16 Amy Winehouse
No. 20 Daisy De La Hoya
By what feckin’ standard could any of these women be classified as ugly?
3 June 2009
3 June 2009
THE WAR ON DOMESTIC TERROR…
0645 by Jeff HessWould these predominantly conservative officials, commentators and writers be comfortable if President Obama declared two or three extremist pro-lifers as “enemy combatants”? Should Pres. Obama have the prerogative to order the waterboarding of these uncharged, untried detainees? Should he be able to listen in on phone conversations originating from evangelical churches where suspected abortion extremists hang out? The answer is probably that different “War on Terror hawks” – anyone have a better term for this? – would react differently, but as a matter of law, it seems to me that if they”d gotten their way during the Bush Administration, President Obama would have the power to take all those steps and more
2 June 2009
2 June 2009
MY COMMENTS…
1947 by Jeff Hess2 June 2009
ROLDO RIGHTS…
1940 by Jeff HessSteve Litt had to swerve and swivel in writing about the Opportunity Corridor – the road Cleveland”s Establishment now finds irresistible. The reason: His boss.
Litt, the Plain Dealer”s architectural critic, did well in being honest about a touchy issue for a Plain Dealer writer. However, he had to tread lightly in Sunday”s article.
After all, Terry Egger, his boss, is co-chairing the panel put together by the Greater Cleveland Partnership to push the “Opportunity Corridor.” Egger is publisher of the PD.
Why he would put himself into this situation can only be read as a need for power. Don”t see it any other way. Continue Reading »
2 June 2009
2 June 2009
A VERY GOOD QUESTION, JOSEPH…
1146 by Jeff Hess2 June 2009
2 June 2009
ROLDO RIGHTS…
0644 by Jeff Hess[Update — 0717 (From Roldo):
What the hell. Who threw the party and didn”t invite me.
George Forbes. That”s who.
More after the jump.]
Brent Larkin is receiving some deserved attention as he leaves one of the most powerful positions in our city – the Plain Dealer editorial page director.
We can”t allow him to leave the stage so easily.
Larkin – likeable and knowledgeable – has been boss of the editorial page since the early 1990s. He had wanted to be the PD”s sports editor at the time he was given this crucial and powerful job.
Here”s how someone who worked with him at the time described him:
“I think there is little question that Brent had the institutional memory of the PD and editorial board. Plus, Brent remained a reporter even as editorial director. He broke more stories than anyone in the news room. Brent works the phone like no one I know. They joked about him having two phones in his ear.”
He was a political junkie. Continue Reading »
1 June 2009
1 June 2009
TA-NEHISI GOES THERE…
1225 by Jeff HessOne argument, I guess, is that a moral prohibition against all murder guides the pro-life movement. Hence taking a life, to save a life is just as wrong. Of course we know that many pro-lifers don’t actually believe that, because that would require religious conservatives to be both pro-life and anti-death penalty.
But once you accept that there is a such thing as justifiable murder, how much distance is there between that position and the killing of abortion doctors? One could argue for fealty to the law, but to a law that condones the murder of children? In that context, why does law even exist?
What I suspect is that many pro-lifers may well believe that a fetus is a “life,” but in their heart of hearts, they actually have a qualitative range. I don’t know that they actually believe that aborting a three month old fetus is exactly the same as murdering a three month old baby. “Abortion is murder” seems like a slogan meant to whip up your own, and attract attention. But in truth, do pro-lifers really believe it? Can they truly morally maintain that all abortion, all the time, is murder? If so, I don’t know how you really condemn someone for killing George Tiller.
1 June 2009
A TOO RAPID RESPONSE…?
0735 by Jeff HessFrom an I See Invisible People reader:
You know what I just realized?
Operation Rescue had an immediate statement ready, with just the right mix of violence-rejection to cover their asses and not-backing-down-abortion-is-murder brimstone to let us weak-kneed liberals know that they aren”t going to let some negative attention shift their rhetoric or tactics. They knew something like this was going to happen, and they don”t care.
1 June 2009
MY COMMENTS…
0728 by Jeff Hess31 May 2009
ROLDO RIGHTS…
1615 by Jeff HessThere may be a depression but the Tax Collecting County Commissioners are still deep into Cuyahoga taxpayer pockets. Deep, I mean.
We have the monthly update on the tax cost via the Med Mart sales tax increase, the Browns Stadium sin tax and the Arts & Culture cigarette tax.
The Med Mart May sales tax – a quarter percent to 7.75 in Cuyahoga County – produced $3,018,629.56, up from $2,974,836.56 in April.
The total take for the proposed Med Mart from Cuyahoga taxpayers: $58,682,893.71 since January 2008. (The PD recently reported incorrectly that the tax has generated $82.76 million.)
The PD did report that Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. of Chicago, picked by the County Commissioners to build and operate the Med Mart and Convention center, had already been paid $333,333. Continue Reading »
31 May 2009
31 May 2009
CLOSING THE LOOPHOLES SPHINCTER TIGHT…
0905 by Jeff HessI’m reading Marc Ellis’s Judaism Does Not Equal Israel. Given the events of recent weeks I’d say that President Barack Hussein Obama understands that equation.
And that is frustrating the feck out of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
Last night, shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told journalists that the Obama administration “wants to see a stop to settlements — not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a confidant.
Referring to Clinton’s call for a settlement freeze, Netanyahu groused, “What the hell do they want from me?” according to his associate, who added, “I gathered that he heard some bad vibes in his meetings with [U.S.] congressional delegations this week.”
In the 10 days since Netanyahu and President Barack Obama held a meeting at the White House, the Obama administration has made clear in public and private meetings with Israeli officials that it intends to hold a firm line on Obama’s call to stop Israeli settlements.
According to many observers in Washington and Israel, the Israeli prime minister, looking for loopholes and hidden agreements that have often existed in the past with Washington, has been flummoxed by an unusually united line that has come not just from Obama White House and the secretary of state, but also from pro-Israel congressmen and women who have come through Israel for meetings with him over Memorial Day recess.
To Netanyahu’s dismay, Obama doesn’t appear to have a hidden policy. It is what he said it was.
And from Haaretz:
United States President Barack Obama lays out long-term visionary goals, such as Middle East peace, but he moves with political pragmatism in advancing them. This is as true of his domestic and economic objectives as it is of his complex approach to Israel.
His statements are carefully tailored to the measure of Congress’ support for Israel. Congressional representatives are committed to preserving Israel’s security and dealing with Iran, but do not support strengthening the settlements. So Obama stresses his support for Israel’s security, but is willing to confront Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the settlements.
This strategy, echoed in every statement by administration officials about the Middle East, was probably formulated by White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. Obama reiterated it at his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on Thursday.
Obama demanded that the Palestinians stop their incitement against Israel and said he would not talk to Hamas until it recognizes Israel. Congress supports these positions strongly, but they have a price. On the eve of Obama’s “reconciliation” speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, scheduled for this Thursday, he has one main demand from Israel – stop the settlements.
Not supporting the settlements is not rejecting Israel.
