How to properly boycott Israel

Better make sure you're doing it right.  Courtesy of BruceSpeaks.

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And speaking of Iran...

I'm sure everyone has seen the headlines regarding the three hikers that strayed over the Iraq border into Iran.  Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal have been detained in Iraq since July 31, under speculation that they were spies.  The Iranian state newspaper recently announced that the three will be charged with espionage.  Sharia law dictates that espionage is punishable by death.  I wonder how that compares to the sentence Najibullah Zazi is going to receive for attempting to blow up a subway?

Sky News speculates that the three are held as hostages rather than spies.

The republic's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested in September that the detainees' release might be linked to the release of Iranian diplomats he said were being held by US troops in Iraq.

And good old Hilly, all she's doing is crying "Can't we all just get along?"

Speaking in Berlin, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the news and appealed for their release.

"We believe strongly that there is no evidence to support any charge whatsoever," Mrs Clinton said.

She urged Tehran to free the group, calling on the authorities to "exercise compassion".

Shane Bauer is from Boulder, just a few miles up the road from here.  I've never met him, and although I don't agree with his politics I've been insanely jealous of his photography work for quite some time.  I can only hope that some of the bigwig Democratic fundraisers in Boulder are putting pressure on the Obama administration to bring these kids home.  But who am I kidding?  I'll be surprised if we see anything more than Hillary's brief statement.

Posted by: Alice H at 11:04 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Warhead technology's needed for power plants, isn't it?

Any bets on our pretty princess president lifting a pinky finger about this, other than to give a shout out to his buddy Ahmadinejad?

The UN's nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned.

The very existence of the technology, known as a "two-point implosion" device, is officially secret in both the US and Britain, but according to previously unpublished documentation in a dossier compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian scientists may have tested high-explosive components of the design. The development was today described by nuclear experts as "breathtaking" and has added urgency to the effort to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.

Diplomatic solution?  Really?!

Posted by: Alice H at 11:33 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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How fucking presidential

Over a third of the speech for 'shout outs', and seems more like his teleprompter has broken than that he's actually grieving during the last two thirds.



God bless our troops, and God bless those who have lost their lives or are injured today.

Posted by: Alice H at 06:08 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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German ships trying to finish the job from 65 years ago

Those crazy Germans just aren't doing much to make up for sending six million to the gas chambers, are they?

The Francop, the German-owned vessel seized early Wednesday by the Israel Navy that was carrying weapons destined for Syria and Hizbullah, is the second German-owned ship found carrying Hizbullah-bound arms in the past month.

I'm sure Hezbollah was just importing weapons to protect their people from lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

Chancellor Merkel is at least pretending to be outraged about the incident, I suppose we should wait and see if this happens again before we go invading Germany.  Oh, wait, the arms themselves are coming out of Iran, so maybe we should invade Iran!  Oh, wait, we have a pretty princess for a president who would rather see Israel be exterminated than invade Iran.  No, I think I'm being charitable there in overestimating Obama's love for Israel...

Updated with a picture of our pretty princess president.

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Et tu, Emmerich, et tu?

Oh for fuck's sake. So. Apparently the only thing that doesn't get trashed onscreen (or maybe at all) in 2012 is the Kaaba. Why?

Because Emmerich and his co-writer didn't want to get fatwa'd.  (btw if fatwa'd isn't a word it totally should be.  Must credit atc)

What's actually interesting is to contrast this with the people who wanted to get their landmarks trashed.  Look, I'll admit that I don't really blame Emmerich for taking the less than brave way out.  It's an idiotic destroy the world movie.  No point in getting all head chopped because of it.  On the other hand, this is the kind of self-censorship that's creepy.  Really creepy. 

Also, I will totally and freely admit that this post is just an excuse to post pics of Amanda Peet.  Why?  Because she's awesome is why. 

Pics below the fold.
more...

Posted by: alexthechick at 04:08 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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True Profiles In Courage

I am fucking sick and tired of people misusing the "Speaking Truth To Power" line in this country. You want to see real courage? You want to see real "truth to power"? Check out this Iranian Student confronting top clerics in public.

This international mathematics Olympiad winner blasted Khamenei in person in an unexpected move, focusing on “supreme leader’s performance” and the “lack of criticism against supreme leader.”

In addition to criticizing Khamenei personally and the office of the supreme leader, this student also criticized the state radio and television’s biased coverage of issues and the police’s brutal crackdown of people protesting against the election results.

Ayatollah Khamenei was forced to respond to the student’s criticism, but according to several eye-witness sources, the supreme leader was so distraught by the student’s remarks that he cancelled the usual prayer session and left the meeting early.

Folks, never forget these people. They truly are taking their lives into their hands to speak out. Never forget the Poles, the Hondurans, the Koreans, or any other people around the world who try to speak out in the face of true threats, violence, intimidation, and torture.

Thanks to Veeshir

***UPDATE*** Wel, well, well. Take a look at how many young Iranians are commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the capture of the US Embassy in Iran.

 

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