Spider Web Of Hate

Hezbollah has opened a museum in Lebanon. They say it documents their "great victory" over Israel in last year's war. They call it "The Spider's Web" after a speech by Hassan Nasrallah that said that, "military might was flimsy and weaker than a spider's web".

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A replica of a long-range missile greets visitors, and posters mock Israel and the United States.

Welcome to "Spider's Web," a museum south of Beirut that has become Hezbollah's latest propaganda tool — showcasing what it says was a divine victory over Israel in last summer's war.

The museum exhibits war souvenirs — helmets, boots, ammunition and armored vehicles captured from the Israelis or left on Lebanon's battlefields. And it has gruesome photos of Lebanese civilians killed in Israeli airstrikes.

The exhibit has drawn condemnation from Israel. In Lebanon, there has been no overt criticism, although the war deepened divisions among Lebanese, many of whom opposed Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers that set off the conflict on July 12, 2006.

The museum opened last month in the Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold pounded to rubble by missiles during the war, and runs until Sept. 10.

Its name was inspired by a speech in which Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Israel's military might was flimsy and weaker than a spider's web — staple rhetoric from a militant group facing an enemy armed with a powerful air force and thought to hold nuclear weapons.

The idea is to "commemorate Hezbollah's historic, strategic and divine victory in an honest and artistic way," Ali Ahmed, a spokesman for Hezbollah's media activities unit.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the exhibit "glorifies hatred, extremism and violence, and should be condemned as such."

If Israel were to open such a museum touting their victory over Hezbollah, how great would the howling from the left in the West be? Ever stood next to a 747 warming up its engines? Kid stuff. But that aside, maybe someone should educate the thoroughly ignorant Hassan Nasrallah on one little detail: Spider silk is ounce-for-ounce much, much stronger than steel.

Spider silk is an extremely strong material and is on weight basis stronger than steel. It has been suggested that a pencil thick strand of silk could stop a Boeing 747 in flight.

Hassan Nasrallah, scientifically ignorant as he is, better hope Israel continues to restrain itself.

Egalitarian Sunshine

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
(Winston Churchill)

Well, it would appear that (T)Hugo Chavez is doing more than bringing Cuban style dictatorship to Venezuela. He's also reviving Soviet-style Lysenkoism. Venezuela will "equitably distribute sunlight". No, I am not making this up.

Now the leftist reformer, highly popular for redistributing oil income, is seeking to move the country's time zone to offer a more equitable distribution of sunlight.

Venezuela in September will turn clocks back by 30 minutes as it switches time zones to boost the amount of natural light to residents, a government official said on Thursday.

Next month Venezuelan clocks will be set at Greenwich Mean Time minus 4-1/2 hours, compared to the previous GMT minus four hours, Science and Technology Minister Hector Navarro told reporters at a news conference.

He said the measure sought "a more fair distribution of the sunrise," which would particularly help poor children who wake up before dawn to go to school.

"Very rigorous scientific studies have determined that … the metabolic activity of living beings is synchronized with the sun's light," he said.

Navarro said the government is planning to announce additional measures to "make more effective use of time."

Next up: Repealing the capitalistically imposed, authoritarian law of gravity to provide rigorously egalitarian distribution of weight.  

Lysenko would be right on the same page with Chavez.

Ludicrous, Mindless Stupidity

A school in Chandler, Arizona has taken the prize for the most brain-dead administration yet. They have suspended a 13-year old boy for five days (later reduced to three) for drawing a gun. No, not pulling one out and waving it about. For doodling a (rather bad) sketch of one.

MESA, Arizona  —  Officials at an Arizona school suspended a 13-year-old boy for sketching what looked like a gun, saying the action posed a threat to his classmates.

The boy's parents said the drawing was a harmless doodle and school officials overreacted.

"The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good," said the boy's mother, Paula Mosteller.

The drawing did not show blood, bullets, injuries or target any human, the parents said. And the East Valley Tribune reported that the boy said he did not intend for the picture to be a threat.

When the boy's father went to the school, officials specifically mentioned Columbine and stated that the drawing - bad as it was - constituted a threat.

They're insane. Completely, stark, raving mad. If brain cells were dynamite the entire school administration could not blow its collective nose. It barely looks like a gun. And even if it was an engraving suitable for framing, it would not constitute a threat unless the student specifically made one with it.

When the boy's father went to the school, officials specifically mentioned Columbine and stated that the drawing - bad as it was - constituted a threat.

They're insane. Completely, stark, raving mad. If brain cells were dynamite the entire school administration could not blow its collective nose. It barely looks like a gun. And even if it was an engraving suitable for framing, it would not constitute a threat unless the student specifically made one with it.

UPDATE: Others: Hot Air, Moonbattery, The Gun Toting Liberal Wake up America, K-7os, American Pugilist (with video of boy's mother), Random Ramblings, Cyle Clayton (who would be burned at the stake by the school officials for his header picture), A Real American Hero, No Looking Backwards, 7.62mm Justice, Liberty Pundit,

A Different Kinder Surprise

We here at Blue Crab Boulevard brought you the terrifying story of the chocoholic squirrel that was stealing "Kinder Surprise" chocolate candy from a grocery store in Finland. We warned that since squirrels share a group mind, if one has a taste for chocolate, they all do. Well, Finnish health authorities in the city of Jyvaskyla have realized the danger and have ordered the grocery store to close its door and keep the squirrel out.

Thanks to the manager of the SIWA supermarket in Jyvaskyla, a city of 85,000 people in the heart of Finland, the squirrel skipped through the open front door every day and made a beeline to the confectionery section.

There it helped itself to one particular European brand of chocolate egg — notable for including a little plastic toy inside — before scampering back outdoors to savour the treat.

"The squirrel is prohibited from entering," an employee at the supermarket told AFP on Thursday. "It's a decision of the health authorities. The door of the store has remained open all summer, but now it will be shut."

All well and good, but they waited too long to do it. The squirrel (and consequently ALL squirrels) have acquired a real chocolate habit and they are not going to take this lightly. Our highly trained operatives have managed to get a photograph of the "Kinder Surprise" the squirrels have planned for the local health commissioner. It's not at all kind.

The Tracks Of Time

Archaeologists believe that they have discovered the perfectly preserved footprint of a Roman soldier. The find, at the site of the city of Hippo shows what is believed to be the imprint of a hobnailed caliga, the footwear used by soldiers (also the word from which the Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, better known as Caligula ("Little Boots") got that nickname).

Archaeologists have uncovered a footprint made by a sandal-clad Roman soldier in a wall surrounding an ancient city in Israel that Jesus might have visited.

The print was made by a strappy, leather sandal of a type worn by the Roman military. Called caliga, the sandals of this time had iron hobnails hammered into their soles, which provided durability and traction as well as a weapon when kicking.

Other finds of the excavation project this summer at the ancient city of Hippos included the city's colonnaded street, extending 790 feet (240 meters), a marble-paneled bathhouse, a glass bottle with an embossed face and part of a statue of a Greek god. The archaeologists hope upcoming digs will reveal other pieces of the estimated 6.5-foot-high (2-meter) statue.

The sandal mark in the cement suggests the soldiers participated in the construction of the walls, the researchers say.

"This rare footprint, which is complete and well-preserved, hints at who built the walls, how and when," said researcher Michael Eisenberg of the Zinman Institute at the University of Haifa.

A photo of the footprint is here. A pretty unusual find. Although I suppose it must have been as hard back then to keep the kids out of the wet concrete. Archaeologists are hoping to unearth the entire city of Hippo, which was destroyed by and earthquake in 749 AD.

When Wiccans Rumble

Raccoons die, apparently. Two people in Salem, Massachusetts face charges of littering and malicious destruction of property after they allegedly threw the head and entrails of a raccoon on the doorsteps of two businesses. In a sort of Wiccan feud that doesn't appear to be all that magical.

Sharon Graham, 46, and a fellow Wiccan, Frederick Purtz, 22, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of littering and malicious destruction of property. Graham also was charged with intimidating a witness.

They were accused of putting a racoon head and entrails on the doorsteps of Angelica of the Angels and the Goddess' Treasure Chest in May.

The historic seaport, famous for holding witch trials in the 17th century, has an active Wiccan community and thriving witch-related tourism.

Lawyers for Graham and Purtz said the charges were "sensationalized" and argued that the malicious destruction charge wasn't valid because the storefronts weren't permanently damaged.

A witness, Richard Watson, told police he accompanied Graham, Purtz and other people when they put the raccoon remains on the doorsteps. He said Graham hoped to frame a Wiccan businessman who had fired Graham from a psychic telephone business last spring.

Which of course requires us to ask the question: why didn't everybody involved see all this coming? But we digress. Another point of irritation between the folks involved was the support of the two business owners for stricter regulations governing the number of psychics that could operate at Halloween.

This is all nonsense, of course. If you're going to curse someone you don't use raccoon guts. You use goat parts. And if you're really serious, the coconuts come out.

Cracks In The Facade?

One of the more galling things in recent years has been the way that the political class, usually so fond of paying attention to polls, has routinely completely ignored the will of the majority of Americans. Despite overwhelming support for getting the border under control, politicians from both parties have just gone right along doing nothing. But there is a sign that is ending. Public outcry in New Jersey may have finally cracked the facade of business-as-usual. In the wake of horrific, execution-style murders of three young people - the murderers being led by an illegal immigrant allowed out on bail after being charged with raping a child - politicians are suddenly discovering immigration control as a positive issue. The Attorney General of New Jersey has just issued orders that police, down to the local level, must inquire into the immigration status of any suspect detained for a serious crime. And report any suspicions to Federal authorities.

Attorney General Anne Milgram today ordered all local police officers in New Jersey to inquire about the immigration status of suspects charged with serious crimes, and to notify federal immigration authorities if there is reason to believe the suspect is in the country illegally.

The requirements, which go into effect immediately, apply to suspects arrested for specific indictable offenses and for driving while intoxicated, Milgram said. If the suspect is unable to prove he or she is legally in the United States, the police officer is required to notify Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, she said. The policy also specifies that prosecutors and courts be notified.

Local officers cannot inquire about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses to crimes or persons requesting police assistance, she said.

"The overriding mission of law enforcement officers in this state is to enforce the state's criminal laws and to protect the community that they serve," Milgram said. "This requires the cooperation of, and positive relationships with, all members of the community. Public safety suffers if individuals believe they cannot come forward to report a crime or cooperate with law enforcement."

The 7-page directive also sets guidelines for municipalities that apply to federal immigration officials for Section 287(g) authority, which deputizes local, county and state officers to enforce federal immigration laws. While the directive grants the full exercise of federal immigration authority at county jails and state prisons for incarcerated undocumented immigrants, Milgram said, street cops participating in 287(g) could invoke federal immigration authority only after an arrest is made.

Call it a sudden case of the scales falling from the eyes of the politicians. This is significant - it is the first time that I am aware of - where a state has suddenly taken crime by illegal immigrants to this level of concern across the board.

A smart politician right now would be working to sell this stronger enforcement to legal immigrants as well as a bona fide good thing (it is). Thugs like Jose Carranza and his minions terrorize those legal immigrants more frequently than they do other citizens. This is really not the political minefield it is made out to be if it is handled properly.

The Fire May Be Banked, But It Sure Isn’t Out

"Our findings indicate that when it comes to sexual activity, older people are really just younger people later in life."  - Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau, Lead author of a new study on sexuality in the elderly.

Here's a handy little study for parents to use when they want the teenagers to leave them alone. According to the findings, people are staying sexually active right up into their mid-80s. That'll be too much information for the kids!

Many people maintain rich, active sex lives well into their 80s, according to the first detailed examination of sexuality among older Americans.

The nationally representative survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults ages 57 to 85 found that more than half to three-quarters of those questioned remain sexually active, with a significant proportion engaging in frequent and varied sexual behavior.

Sexual problems do increase with age, and the rate of sexual activity fades somewhat, the survey found. But interest in sex remains high and the frequency remains surprisingly stable among the physically able who are lucky enough to still have partners.

"There's a popular perception that older people aren't as interested in sex as younger people," said Stacy Tessler Lindau of the University of Chicago, who led the study, being published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. "Our study shows that's simply not true. Older people value sexuality as an important part of life."

"This study paints a portrait of this aspect of older Americans' lives that suggests a previously uncharacterized vitality and interest in sexuality," agreed Georgeanne E. Patmios of the National Institute on Aging, the primary funder of the study. "This has not perhaps been fully appreciated."

Use the information wisely, however. Remember, it applies to your parents and grandparents as well……… Which is entirely too much information for me.

September Blues

George Will has a pretty bleak assessment of how the pending Iraq progress report by General David Petraeus will be received by the two opposing camps in the war debate. He compares it to the Weimar Republic.

Come September, America might slip closer toward a Weimar moment. It would be milder than the original but significantly disagreeable.

After the First World War, politics in Germany's new Weimar Republic were poisoned by the belief that the army had been poised for victory in 1918 and that one more surge could have turned the tide. Many Germans bitterly concluded that the political class, having lost its nerve and will to win, capitulated. The fact that fanciful analysis fed this rancor did not diminish its power.

The Weimar Republic was fragile; America's domestic tranquility is not. Still, remember the bitterness stirred by the accusatory question "Who lost China?" and corrosive suspicions that the fruits of victory in Europe had been squandered by Americans of bad character or bad motives at Yalta.

So, consider this: When Gen. David Petraeus delivers his report on the war, his Washington audience will include two militant factions. Perhaps nothing he can responsibly say will sway either, so September will reinforce animosities.

Will's right that the two sides will, inevitably, disagree over the report - no matter what it says. That polarization was firmly in place long before the war became the focal point. The danger here, though, is more for the Democrats. As was mentioned yesterday, there has been a scramble by a lot of Democrats to back away from the Reid-Pelosi winner-take-all strategy of continuous attacks. The only way that would be happening is if some Democrats are seing polling numbers that they do not like - at all.

The problem the Democrats are facing is that when there is unmistakable progress being made by the troops, they are playing with fire to keep attacking and declaring defeat. That's why you're seeing the sudden crumbling of the united front. One thing that would, I think, be a really bad strategy for the Democrats would be to follow their far left elements who have been trying to discredit and smear General Petraeus. That could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak. Petraeus is widely seen by the public as honest and credible. Much more so than is Congress as a whole. Taking that tack would be a disaster for the Democrats.

Keep The Tip

The Prime Minister of Japan received a hot tip in the mail. The tip, from the unemployed leader of a far right political group, wasn't about a hot stock or even a good horse to bet on.

It was the tip of the man's little finger.

TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese nationalist sent part of a severed finger to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for not paying respects at a controversial war shrine, police said after arresting him Thursday.

Yoshihiro Tanjo, 54, was charged with intimidation tactics after chopping off part of a little finger and sending it to the headquarters of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, a police spokesman said.

Tanjo, who is unemployed but heads a right-wing group in the western city of Kurashiki, also sent a letter of protest and a DVD showing his act.

The chopping off of a piece of the little finger is usually associated with the Japanese underworld, so I have no idea what message the man was actually trying to send. But mailing portions of oneself to the Prime Minister could be an attempt to smuggle himself past the security surrounding the head of state.