Psychos to the east of me, psychos to the west...

If the U.S. won't deal with terrorists, why the hell should Israel? Wake up, people, and smell the fanatacism in the air.

"You cannot teach people hate and expect them to bring peace." - Tony Blair

"There can be hope only for a society which acts as one big family, and not as many separate ones." - Anwar Sadat

"People never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious convictions." - Blaise Pascal

"A hundred sage counsels are lost upon one who cannot take advice." - Panchatantra

"The Palestinians have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity." - Abba Eban, later quoted by Binyamin Netanyahu

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves and under a just God cannot long retain it." - Abraham Lincoln

"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe." – Elie Weisel

David Keyes' take on the Hamas victory (and the Palestinians' loss) in the Daily Bruin, Palestinians Opportunity Squandered on Senseless Terror.

To find out why we are damned if we do, damned if we don't, and why there will be no peace until all the Jews are dead and the world is all Islamic (preferably the Sunni/al Qeda type), check out Forty Shades of Green,

Like father, like son

Those of us who remember the depredations of the father's presidency, including "there is no global warming," and the "education president" whose committees cheerfully slashed away at budgets that resulted in the elimination of education programs, further foundered decrepit facilities, further increasing class sizes in every more materials-challenged schools, are surprised not at all at the current Bush's effect on the sciences, health, social services (including taking more away from the elderly and disabled while benefiting the well-to-do and wealthy.

Read, for example, radio commentator Tom Scott's commentary on the Bush Administration's chilling effect on science policy. And this commentary, A Wrong-Way Agency, from the L.A. Times.

Talk to any Medicare beneficiary about the confusing, ill-conceived, and atrociously executed Part D drug "benefit" that is going to end up costing the elderly and disabled more in the long run, especially when they are forced to use the insurance companies' participating pharmacies for the drugs the insurance plans will not be paying for, keeping the beneficiary from getting prescriptions filled at pharmacies that charge less. Better yet, don't talk to a Medicare beneficiary - offer to help those who can't wade through the dozens of plans and options, especially those who don't have computers, by doing the computer work and making the phone calls to the 10 or so plans that look like they might work....but only if you can find out more information from their customer service staff, few of whom seem to have actually had any training in answering.

Be sure to also help them do the math - and find out just how much the benefit 'improvements' are going to help them.

Glad it's not just me seeing the Medicare Part D flaws: It's a benefit, but for whom? L.A. Times; New woe may hit elderly on Medicare: Independent pharmacies may drop some health plans Press Democrat.

And, so much for Medicare Part D saving states money: State to Sue U.S. Over Medicare L.A. Times

Check out Consumer Union's Prescription for Change site, and write your congressional representatives and tell them to stop dragging their feet!