Free Hands Free Cellphone Headsets For Drivers Crusader On Paltalk

MacAdams sending out headsets

Texas is the latest state to propose some kind of hands free law for people driving while talking on their cellphones.

Concerns about the safety issues surrounding driving while talking on your mobile phone has prompted a California man to give hands free headsets away to drivers.

Matt MacAdams and his wife were driving home from visiting a friend in the hospital when they witnessed a horrific traffic accident. A truck collided with a car, killing the passenger in the car and injuring both drivers. One of the drivers was distracted by a cellphone, causing the fatal accident.

The experience prompted MacAdams to create the site http://www.freeheadset.org/. For the cost of shipping and handling, MacAdams will send you a headset that's compatible with your cellular phone.

The site turned into an immediate success. So much so there's a backlog. So this would be the time to order a headset for someone you love who drives and talks on the phone if you'd like to give this potentially life saving device to that person for the holidays.

MacAdams will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Monday Nov. 5 at 5 PM New York time. To join in the conversation, go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

A Hero Stripped Of His Status

The term hero is tossed around so cavalierly that it's lost its meaning.

We have football heroes. And Hollywood actor heroes as example.

But when we find real heroes, as we did on and after the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States, we should recognize them for who they are, or were and what they did.

The men and women who rushed into the burning Twin Towers as everyone else was trying to get out are heroes. Many of them who, tragically, payed the supreme sacrifice.

Some died on that fateful day. Others died later, suffering from ailments procured while working on The Pile ... searching for the wounded, and later, the dead.

Representatives of those who toiled for days, weeks and months on what was really a toxic dump have long suggested that rescue and recovery workers who came later came down with respiratory ailments and died should be added to the list of victims. In New York, city officials have been resistant to such efforts, fearful that this could result in lawsuits the city can't afford.

So the death of retired NYPD detective James Zadroga became a cause celeb. After a New Jersey medical examiner ruled his demise was the result of inhaling fumes while working at Ground Zero.

The city obfuscated on this declaration. Saying it wanted to conduct its own study of Zadroga's death. The city medical examiner recently ruled that Zadroga died, not directly from the fumes, but from an overdose of prescription medications.

Medications he was taking because of his work at the World Trade Center site.

This new conclusion led to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's unfortunate comments at Harvard. Where Zadroga was summarily stripped of his hero status.

Bloomberg says his remarks were not made to hurt Zadroga's family nor sully his reputation. Well, Mr. Mayor, they did the former but not the latter. Your words hurt his family. But did nothing to tarnish detective Zadroga's reputation.

The only reputaation that was damaged, sir, was yours.

Forced Marriages May Be Outlawed In Germany

When people emigrate to new lands they bring many of their customs with them. Some of which are sometimes adopted by the indigenous populations. Some of which are just tolerated.

But in Germany, there is a decided lack of tolerance for the practice, exported to that nation by some Muslims, of forced marriages.

German Chancellor Angelea Merkel wants to criminalized forced marriages. Imposed on young women by some Muslim families to prevent them from dating.

This speaks to the danger of fundamentalism. Not allowing your children, nor yourself for that matter, opportunity to explore and understand other cultures and faith beliefs.

German is not the only nation that is officially questioning Islamic practices. In England, the government is setting up guidelines for mosques to follow in order to minimize radical Islamic teachings.

Real Life Ghostbuster On Paltalk

Arthur Matos, founder and lead investigator of the Eastern Paranormal Investigative Center will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Halloween day.

The Eastern Paranormal Investigation Center, or EPIC, is a group founded and formed to help individuals, families or businesses who believe they may be experiencing paranormal phenomenon. Center members believe there are what we call ghosts. They have the equipment to detect their presence and claim to take a scientific approach in their investigations - always looking for rational answers to suspicions of paranormal activity first.

As one might expect, the Staten Island-based EPIC is very busy this time of year.

To talk to Matos at 5:30 PM Oct. 31st go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Former FEMA Director Michael Brown On Paltalk

Former FEMA Director Michael Brown will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk tomorrow, Oct. 31st.

Brown believes that the wildfires in California may have been started by environmental activists.

At least two of the wildfires in California have been ruled arson.

Others have speculated that terrorists or illegal immigrants may have torched the countryside.

To talk to Brown at 5 PM New York time Oct. 31st go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Jeff Ballabon Of The Coordinating Council For Jerusalem On Paltalk

Jeff Ballabon of the Coordinating Council For Jerusalem will be my guest today on News Talk Online on Paltalk.

The council is opposed to plans to divide Jerusalem, a proposal that's on the table as the Israelis and Palestinians prepare for peace talks next month.

Among the portions of Jerusalem that would be conceded, the neighborhood where the Temple Mount, world Judaism’s holiest and most revered site is located. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is on record as considering adopting the removal of Jewish control over some sections of Jerusalem.

The Coordinating Council For Jerusalem opposes Israeli negotiations which would include any discussion of ceding sovereignty over part or all of Jerusalem.

To talk to Jeff Ballabon at 5 PM New York time today go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 milliion unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Pete Hegseth, Vets For Freedom Executive Director, To Appear On Paltalk

Pete Hegseth, a first lieutenant in the Army National Guard and executive director of Vets for Freedom will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Nov. 1st.



Hegseth, who served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division from September '05 to July '06, argues that, contrary to news media reporting, the tide has turned in Iraq.



Hegseth says just one year ago, Baghdad was a lawless city, with armed death squads controlling the streets. Today, he says, thanks to the surge that began in January, insurgents have lost ground. And tribal sheiks are working together with Coalition and Iraqi troops to maintain order.



To talk to Hegseth at 5 PM New York time on Nov. 1st go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room Button. There is no charge.



Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.



News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Terror Plot Forces Closing Of U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan is closed to the public today following the uncovering of a terrorist plot.

CNN is reporting that Islamic terrorists had planned to target the embassy in Baku.

An Azerbaijan army officer reportedly stole weapons from his unit and hid them outside the capital city to be used in the attack.

Information about the plot was uncovered during a weekend raid.

U.S. Should Walk Softly And Carry A Big Stick

ElBaradei

The UN's top anti nuclear proliferation man, Mohamed ElBaradei, is imploring the United States to turn down its rhetoric towards Iran.

ElBaradei, whose official title is director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told CNN that the White House should talk less publicly and more diplomatically about and with Iran in an attempt to, literally, diffuse the situation.

His comments are on the mark.

We should not be backing Tehran into a corner. Instead, every diplomatic avenue possible should be first, and quietly, pursued.

As Ted Galen Carpenter, the Cato Institute's vice president for defense and foreign policy studies suggests, diplomacy worked with North Korea. And should be given a chance with Iran.

"Instead of continuing to pursue a policy that has yielded no positive results, or even worse, deciding to escalate the confrontation, the Bush administration should engage Iran with the same proactive diplomacy it has used toward North Korea," Carpenter writes.

The world already know the U.S. has a big stick. The question is, can this administration walk softly?

Kevin Sites, War Correspondent, On Paltalk

Sites

War correspondent Kevin Sites, who has reported from the world's hot spots for CNN, NBC and ABC, will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Nov. 12.

Sites is now the author of a new book, The Hot Zone, in which he talks about the solo journalism technique that he perfected covering armed conflict around the world. He is a recipient of the 2006 Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism.

Sites counts Iraq and Afghanistan as among the dangerous zones from which he has reported. He also reported from Somalia and covered the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

He also reported from Rather than reporting facts and figures, he meets and interviews people affected directly by war and brings their stories to his audiences.

To talk to Kevin Sites at 5 PM New York time Nov. 12 go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Gap Provider Using Child Labor

A British newspaper reports that a supplier to the Gap is using child labor. Some of the workers making the clothing are as young, the paper reports, as 10.

To its credit, the Gap immediately started removing clothing made in the sweat shops from their racks and shelves. The Gap has a rigid system to weed out suppliers who run sweat shops. But the system was apparently circumvented by the supplier.

According to the report in the Observer newspaper, children were sold into forced labor by their families in India. And beaten with rubber hoses if they faltered or cried.

People who buy clothes in the west, where laws prohibit using child labor, should feel assured that the companies that produced garments they are purchasing are not exploiting children.

KSA Says It Warned London Of Terrorist Attack

Warning ignored?

Saudi Arabian King Abdullah says his government warned the Brits that an terrorist attack was imminent but those warnings, he claims, were ignored, leading to the 7/7 bombings in 2005 that left 52 dead and wounded nearly 800 more.

The king's comments come on the eve of a state visit to the United Kingdom. The British intelligence services deny his accusation. They say the information provided was not connected to the subsequent transit bombings.

Diplomats Ordered Into Iraq

Now it's not just members of the armed service who are being forced into duty in Iraq. The foreign service is getting similar marching orders.

A shortage of volunteers has prompted the State Department to start ordering diplomats into Iraq.

There are up to 50 vacancies at the U.S. embassy in the beautiful Green Zone of Baghdad. Up to 300 diplomats are getting letters telling saying Uncle Sam Wants YOU! to serve in Iraq. If the can't get 50 of them to volunteer, some of them will be getting follow up letters ordering them to year-long tours of duty. Those who still balk could face loss of their jobs.

Planner Of USS Cole Bombing Freed

Al-Badawi

Yemen has freed an al Qaeda operative who helped plan the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole which claimed the lives of 17 sailors.

Jamal al-Badawi's death sentence had been commuted to that was reduced to 15 years in prison. Then he along with 22 others escaped from prison. But he turned himself in and pledged loyalty to the president of Yemen, resulting in his commutation.

Al-Badawi remains wanted by the FBI

How Faith Got In The Way Of Ecumenicalism In Ohio

By all accounts, the congregation at the Islamic Center of Cleveland wants to repair relationships with its Jewish and Christian neighbors.

And by all accounts, the newly selected imam, wants to reach out ecumenically as well.

The congregation was desperate to find a new imam who could accomplish this after their last spiritual leader was deported for falsifying his citizenship papers and for previously referring to Jews in a sermon as "the sons of monkeys and pigs."

So the new imam, Ahmed Alzaree, was considered a breath of fresh air. He had a reputation, at his previous posting in Omaha, for fostering inter-faith relationships.

But now, a sermon that he delivered four years ago, has surfaced. A sermon where he quoted the Prophet Muhammad as saying in a Hadith, "The hour of judgment shall not happen until the Muslims fight the Jews. The Muslims shall kill the Jews to the point that the Jew shall hide behind a big rock or a tree."

So this is the problem. No matter how well intentioned Islamic leaders are (and most I believe are) religion gets in the way.

I've always maintained that it's not what the various Holy Books say that matters. It's how people choose to practice their religion. But maybe what the Holy Books say is important if modern day religious leaders fail to put them into contemporary context. And it is even more important to all of us if their followers take texts, like this one quoting Muhammad, literally.

Suspicious Men Took Pictures Of Fire Stations Before California Wildfires

Firefighters at two California fire stations reported incidents of men, possibly of Middle Eastern decent, surreptitiously taking photos of their facilities last month. In both cases the men fled the area when confronted.

Previously there were four other similar incidents reported.

Fire brigades in California were also sent notifications from Homeland Security several months before these incidents warning them of the possibility that they may be placed under some kind of surveillance.

It's not known if the bulletins had any connection to this month's wildfires. Nor were any of the fires near the fire stations that were photographed. But what's interesting is that the Union Democrat newspaper reported them on September 28th, weeks before the fires broke out.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says two of the fires were deliberately set. And arson is suspected in two others.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/twentyfoursevends/1760657233/

U.S. Planning Iran Attack: Report

Aaron Klein, the World Net Daily Jerusalem bureau chief and a past guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk is reporting that a senior Palestinian intelligence official has told him that the United States is prepared to attack Iran's nuclear facilities in the next two-to-three months if diplomacy fails.

Two to three months? Experts say Iran will not have nuclear weapons capability for two to three years.

So what constitutes a failure in diplomacy?

I favor exercising a military option against the nuclear facilities IF diplomacy and sanctions fail. And IF Iran is getting close to developing nuclear weapons. But not on some whim. Not by this administration, who either was mislead, or knew and mislead the American public about WMDs in Iraq.

The administration's word that Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons is not enough. This time the nation, and the world, should demand evidence.

Jerusalem Online Co-Founder On Paltalk

Green

Seemingly no place in the world attracts more media attention than Israel.

The battle over control of the Holy Land is biblical in nature. The Palestinians are either fighting for the right to a homeland alongside Israel. Or to drive the Jews out.

People on all sides of the issue are passionate, sometimes blindly so, about their positions. There is distrust all around.

There is likely no place on earth where being a journalist is consistently as interesting and important as in Israel.

My guest on Tuesday, November 13th will be Jerusalem Online co-founder and director Itai Green.

Jerusalem Online is a free daily Internet news update service that provides video news reports to its subscribers. It serves both English speakers in Israel as well as those with an interest in Israel worldwide.

To subscribe to Jerusalem Online go to http://www.jerusalemonline.com/.

To talk to Itai Green at 5 PM New York time on November 13 go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button.

Paltalk is the largest multi-media interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users. The show is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio www.crntalk.com to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Tim Flannery, Author Of The Weather Makers, On Paltalk

Flannery

The U.S. National Climatic Data Center has declared 2006 the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States.

A number of southeastern states are facing drought conditions. And the melting of glacial ice has prompted the U.S. Interior Department to propose that polar bears be listed as a threatened species.

How much has mankind contributed to these climactic changes?

In his book, The Weather Makers, Tim Flannery documents the global climate change which he believes was accelerated by the Industrial Revolution. Flannery argues that the planet ... and humankind, ... are in danger.

But unlike others who have been raising this alarm, Flannery actually offers solutions. He believes that CO2 emissions can be reduced -- by 70 percent -- by 2050.

Flannery's suggested solutions are scientifically based. He is an internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist. He has more than 130 scientific papers to his credit.

Flannery will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk tomorrow, October 26, at 5 PM New York time. To join in the conversation, go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Three Quarter Of A Million Names On Terror Watch List

The U.S. government's terrorist watch list is so long that it is feared that it is apparently ineffective.

A government report says that many of the terror suspects have aliases. And officials are not certain how many times any individual appears, in several names, on the list. Additionally, the report says that when people whose names appear on the list come into contact with government agencies they are generally not detained because of a lack of evidence against them.

If that's the case, and no action is taken against the people on the list, then why maintain it? Perhaps it should be pared down so that only people who are wanted for questioning are on it.

Therapist Who Helps Couples Regain Their Romantic Spark To Appear On Paltalk

Perel

Esther Perel is a therapist in private practice who helps couples who are stuck in romantic ruts renew the passion they had as newlyweds is sharing her knowledge in a new book, Mating In Captivity, Reconciling The Erotic And The Domestic.

Perel says many couples have resigned themselves to sexless unions. But she believes that by separating physical pleasure from emotional fulfillment, these couples can regain what once brought them together.

Perel has worked extensively in the areas of cultural identity, cross-cultural couples and ethnic and religious intermarriage. She is a member of the American Family Therapy Academy and is a frequent keynote speaker at international couple and family therapy conferences. She has presented her ideas at the popular annual Harvard “Treating Couples” conference. Fluent in eight languages, she has made a number of national television appearances including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “CBS This Morning.”

Perel will join me on News Talk Online on Paltalk at 5 PM New York time Nov. 9. Paltalk is the largest multi-media interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users. The show is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio www.crntalk.com to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

To join in the conversation, go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button.

Amnesty International Concerned About Palestinian On Palestinian Violence

Amnesty International has issued a 57 page report expressing concern about violence between Hamas and Fatah factions in the Gaza.

The report cites the deaths of 350 people. And it accuses Hamas, which now controls Gaza, of arbitrarily arresting and torturing people. It also points fingers at Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' forces for arbitrarily detaining hundreds of Hamas supporters. While turning a blind eye toward Fatah militants involved in abductions and arsons.

Amnesty International's Middle East director Malcom Smart says both sides must "take immediate steps to break the cycle of impunity that continues to fuel abuses, including arbitrary detentions, abductions, torture and ill-treatment by their forces."

Bin Laden Calls For Jihad On Darfur Peacekeepers

Wanted

Someone's Good Book talks about blessing the peacemakers. But apparently someone else's interpretation of another Holy Book believes the best way to deal with peacekeepers is to conduct a holy war against them.

The new and improved Osama bin Laden (you know, the caveman with the newly dyed beard) is calling in an audio recording issued by al Qaeda for a jihad against a new peacekeeping force for Darfur. Somehow this guy and his followers rely on religion as justification for suggesting armed resistance against those who are being dispatched to stop a genocide against innocent civilians.

This is pathetic, sick, convoluted thinking. Instead of continuing an unpopular and dubious occupation of Iraq, the U.S.-led coalition should be putting its full efforts into tracking down this sick, sick man and putting him out of his misery.

Terrorist Shooter Charl Van Wyck To Appear On Paltalk

Van Wyck

Charl Van Wyck, who, on July 25th, 1993 opened fire on terrorists attacking the St. James Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa, will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Van Wyck pulled out his .38 special snub-nosed revolver that he took to services with him that day and began shooting back.

In his new book, Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defense, Van Wyck talks about the right of people to use guns to protect themselves against unwarranted and potentially deadly attacks.

The terrorists attacking the church with AK-47s and hand grenades killed 11 and wounded 58. But Van Wyck shot one of the attackers, driving the others away.

Van Wyck will talk about the right to bear arms on November 6 at 5 PM New York time. To join in the conversation go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. there is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multi-media interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users. The show is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio http://www.crntalk.com/ to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

Moving Closer To War With Iran

The Sunday Times of London reports that crack SAS forces have been involved in stealth operations in Iran to interdict gunrunners before they can place the arms in the hands of insurgents in Iraq. Fierce battles with Revolutionary Guard special forces and militias and casualties are reported.

Additionally, the paper reports that U.S. spy aircraft have been put into place to track developments inside Iran.

This at a time when President Bush is predicting that if Iran develops a nuclear weapons World War 3 would follow. And when Vice-President Cheney is warning Tehran that the U.S. is ready to use its naval powers to stop Iran should it continue with its nuclear weapons development program.

Expert On Prejudice To Discuss Hanging Noose Incidents On Paltalk

There has been a recent rash of hanging noose incidents. Ranging from a town in Louisina, to New York.

Black students, police commanders and college professors have been among the targeted victims of a dreaded symbol of the lynchings of African Americans during one of the most troubling periods of U.S. history.

Roberta Richin, executive director of the Council For Prejudice Reduction will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Thursday, October 25th to discuss these horrific examples of intolerance today. The Council For Predjudice Reduction is a national public-private partnership that promotes tolerance in public schools.

In addition to her position at the council, Richin is co-author of two books, including Connecting Character To Conduct: Helping Students Do The Right Things. She is also a consultant to the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance.

To talk to Richin just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time Thursday and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_tombstone_snake/1245089805/

Colbert For President

The Democrats are talking about drafting Al Gore to run for president. But perhaps they're looking at the wrong person to call to the starting gate.

A poll shows that comedian Stephen Colbert leads Bill Richardson, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel for the Democratic nomination for president.

OK so Colbert is a satirist. Not a real candidate.

And on his show he professes to be right leaning, while actually leaning left.

But perhaps Richardson, Kucinich and Gravel need to re-evaluate their respective candidacies.

And perhaps both the Democratic and Republican political machines should take a second look at the candidate-picking process. Perhaps the polling for Colbert is an indication that many Americans are just tied of the same old same old.

Dr. Carl Moeller, Who Fights Worldwide Persecution Of Christians On Paltalk

Dr. Carl Moeller, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, and who travels the world extensively to uncover and battle persecution against Christians will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Monday, October 29th.





Five years ago, the U.S. State Department issued a report which concluded that religious repression was widespread in China and five other countries. Moeller believes things have since gone from bad to worse.





In Saudi Arabia, for example, Christians may not wear crucifixes nor carry bibles into the country.





In the Gaza, a Christian Palestinian's religious bookstore was burned. He was later murdered.





The German yearbook Maertyrer 2007 claims that at least 200 million Christians are persecuted due to their faith. The yearbook says one in 10 Christians worldwide suffer severe restrictions or worse. It documents a rise in violence against Christians in India.





I've reported here about Pakistani Christians who are threatened if they do not convert to Islam.



Paltalk is the largest multi-media interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users. The show is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio www.crntalk.com to cable networks serving an additional 12 million households.

You can talk to Dr. Moeller about this disturbing trend of religious intolerance when he joins me as my guest next Monday at 5 PM New York time. To join in the conversation, just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

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Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/riot/56081602/


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We Know It's Illegal But What Is Torture?

Mukasey - Can't define torture

Michael Mukasey, the president's pick for attorney general, says he knows that torturing prisoners violates both domestic and international laws. But, um, well, he isn't exactly sure what constitutes torture.

That's right, the man who would be the nation's top law enforcement official can't define torture.

Sort of like a Supreme Court justice saying he can't define pornography but he knows it when he sees it.

Or like a president unable to define fellatio as "sex."

If the presumed future attorney general of the United States can't define torture, then maybe he needs to consult the dictionary.

In the unlikely event that Mukasey doesn't know how to surf the Internet, and as a public service, here is how torture is defined on dictionary.com:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
tor·ture /ˈtɔrtʃər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[tawr-cher] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -tured, -tur·ing.
–noun
1.
the act of inflicting excruciating pain, as punishment or revenge, as a means of getting a confession or information, or for sheer cruelty

Seems pretty clear to me. Perhaps Mukasey needs to rethink his understanding of the word.

Taking Iran's Threats Seriously

Sends Iran a warning

While the rest of the world debates whether Iran truly is moving toward becoming a nuclear threat, Israel is taking action.

While hoping that diplomacy works, Israel is developing a new defense system designed to thwart a nuclear missile attack.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney is warning Iran that the United States is ready to use its naval power to disrupt that country's nuclear weapons ambitions.

Hopefully, a three-pronged approach; diplomacy, defense and deterrence, will keep Tehran in check.

Time To March Home

This video op-ed piece in the New York Times suggests that the vast majority of Iraqis do not want the U.S.-led Coalition to remain in Iraq.

Not only that, but, the piece argues, most Iraqis believe it's OK to kill Coalition troops.

More importantly, it asserts that most of the insurgents are not members of al Qaeda. But are regular Iraqis. Doctors. Teachers. Engineers.

Now, let's look at the polls in the United States. They conclude that most Americans want the troops to come home as well.

It seems to me that the populous of the two countries most affected by this invasion, Iraq and the United States, have reached a consensus. The Iraqis want Johnny to come marching home. So do the Americans.

Perhaps it's time for their elected leaders to listen and represent their will.

Tony Blair Gets It Right Re: Iran

Blair - has it right

I don't often agree with Tony Blair. But when it comes to Iran, the former British prime minister has it right.



Blair accuses Iran of being a major exporter of terrorism. And he compares Iran's ideology to the rise of fascism before World War 2.



Some Muslims are a bit upset with me lately because of my stance on this issue.



I want to make my position abundantly clear.



I am not an Islamophobic person. I believe that most Muslims are peaceful people. Just trying to get by. No different, except in religious belief, than Christians, Jews, atheists and agnostics.



My problem is with those who would use Islam as an excuse to violently impose their will on others. Blair is absolutely correct when he identifies the current regime controlling Iran as a violent expansionist entity.

Are Moscow and Washington Playing Good Cop, Bad Cop With Iran?

Russian President Putin makes a short visit to Iran. Publicly, he and Iranian President Ahmadinejad talk about strengthening their relationship. Putin says he's opposed to any military action against Iran over its uranium enrichment program.

President Bush counters with a prediction that if Iran is to continue it's nuclear weapons program it could lead to World War 3.

Seemingly, Bush and Putin are at opposite ends on this issue. But it's possible the two are playing good cop/bad cop. Bush, of course, plays the part of the bad cop.

I suggest this because the Associated Press is reporting that Putin offered Iran a "time out" on UN sanctions if Tehran drops its enrichment program.

Let's hope that Putin's gesture is well received in Tehran.

Bush Warns Of World War 3

Warns of World War 3

President Bush evoked memories of the two world wars today when he suggested that a nuclear weapon owning Iran could lead to World War 3.

While it is true that Iran cannot be permitted nuclear weapons, the president' s rhetoric is a bit scary.

Shouldn't we be endeavoring to change the course in Iran diplomatically? It worked with North Korea. Why not Iran?

I'm on record as saying that as an absolute last resort, military action to specifically stop Iran's nuclear weapons program should be considered. But in the meantime, can't we lower the level of the rhetoric while trying to back channel a peaceful solution.

This sounds too much like some of the things the president was saying before the invasion of Iraq. And we all know where that's led us.

Are Reports Of Terrorist Threats Exaggerated?

Even as we prepare to interview Bergen Record columnist Mike Kelly about his reporting that there are terrorist cells active in northern New Jersey comes a report that suggests that the fear of terrorists at work inside the United States is exaggerated.

A study by New York University's Center on Law and Security concludes that of 510 post 9/11 arrests of suspected terrorists in the United States, "only" 158 were prosecuted for terrorism.

The problem with this is that "only" a handful of people can hijack a plane and fly it into a building.

"Only" one person can strap on a suicide bomb and blow himself (or herself up) in a crowded restaurant.

Perhaps to NYU 158 suspected terrorists in our midst is insignificant. But to the people who they would kill, the number is far from insignificant.

No, I don't believe there is a terrorist hiding behind every bush in northern New Jersey, or elsewhere in America. But I do believe that "only" 158 terrorists can kill a lot of people.

Mike Kelly, Reporter Who Broke Story About Al Qaeda Operatives In Our Communities, On Paltalk

Kelly

Mike Kelly, the Bergen (New Jersey) Record columnist who broke the story about al Qaeda operatives living in northern New Jersey will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.

Kelly will talk about how the intelligence and law enforcement community have been tracking these terrorist suspects and how they have thwarted some of their activities.

Kelly will join me Thursday Oct. 18 at 5 PM New York time. To talk to Mike then just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button.

There is no charge.

Trouble Brewing On Turk-Iraq Border

Turkey is apparently preparing an invasion of the autonomous region of Iraq controlled by the Kurds.

Turkey has been launching rockets into Kurdistan and has assembled troops on the border. The Turkish parliament has been asked to authorize a ground invasion.

The Kurdish rebels are warning that such an invasion would turn out, for Turkey, to be another Vietnam.

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, Washington does if an invasion does occur. The United States is responsible for the security of Iraq. But Turkey is a U.S. ally.

Relations between Washington and Ankara are already strained. The Turkish ambassador to the United States has already been recalled over a congressional resolution recognizing the mass killings of Armenians by Turks during World War ! as a genocide.

If Turkey does invade Kurdistan it could also harm that nation's aspirations of being admitted into the European Union.

Terrorists Among Us

You know the old adage about closing the barn door after the livestock are already out? Well, don't bother worrying about protecting our borders. Because al Qaeda is already here.

That according to the Bergen (New Jersey) Record. Which reports that associates of Osama bin Laden are living in northern New Jersey.

This, of course, should come as no surprise to any of us. The 9/11 hijackers were in the country legally. And the first attack on the World Trade Center was hatched in a mosque in -- New Jersey.

The Record reports that the Joint Terrorism Task Force based in Newark, New Jersey has been monitoring them. And have "disrupted" their activities. That translates into thwarting terrorist attacks.

Several, the paper reports, have been deported.

This is proof, once again, that we need to be vigilant on the home front. Our intelligence and law enforcement communities have been doing a great job since 9/11. The proof of that is evident by the number of "disruptions." Some of which have been publicized. But the bulk of which we've not, and probably never will, heard of.

But that doesn't mean that one day these enemies of America and our way of life will always be stopped. We need to be pragmatic about this real threat.

This means preparing ourselves to not overreact when it happens. Those who use terrorist tactics hope that their attacks will cause us to be fearful. The correct response is to be aware, be vigilant, but, most importantly, be resolved to not allow those who would change our way of life to be successful in their ultimate goal.

Palestinian Terror Leader Pledges No Peace For Israelis

Here's the cold hard fact, right from the mouth of a major Palestinian terrorist leader.

It doesn't much matter what Israel does, or doesn't do. Whether the Jews offer more concessions or not. The Palestinian terrorist movement will continue it's attacks on Israel.

This is not conjecture, out of the mouth of an alarmist apologist for the state of Israel. These are the words of "Abu Hamza" in a rare interview with the Associated Press somewhere in the Gaza.

Hamza told the AP that Hamas has fired nearly 1,000 rockets into Israel since June. And yet, the word saves its breath on that for reasons to condemn Israel, instead, when it reacts.

In the interview, Hamza spoke of replacing Israel with a Palestinian state. Which means he and his ilk have rejected a two-state solution. That they, unlike the Israelis, won't even contemplate the suggestion of living side-by-side in peace.

And yet, the rhetoric of the propagandists would have us believing that Israel is an expansionist country and that Palestinians only desire a homeland of their own alongside their Jewish cousins.

Let's not forget that Arafat was offered a chance to do just that, create a Palestinian state alongside Israel, and rejected then Israeli Prime Minister Barak's overture. So the violence continues, and Arafat went to his grave a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Ironic, isn't it?

Arabs Want To Control Holiest Jewish Spot

Western Wall

Arabs want to control the Western Wall, the holiest of places accessable to the Jewish people.

It's not bad enough that they built a mosque on top of the Holiest of Holies. Now they want to own the one remaining portion of the Second Temple.

All in the name of peace.

This is in the wake of Israeli Prime Minster Olmert's proposal to transfer Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem to Palestinian control. Ever hear the phrase, give 'em an inch, they'll take a mile? While westerners might view Olmert's plan as a prudent, fair suggestion for securing peace, the Palestinians view it only as a sign of weakness on the part of the Israelis.

And what do you think will happen if the Israeli's cede control of parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinians? Does anyone really believe that this will appease them, ending the attacks on Israel?

Or, as in the case of the Gaza, will the territory be used as a launching point for rocket and other attacks on the Jews?

No wonder the Israeli people have lost confidence in the Olmert government. If nothing else, they have the right to demand that their leaders do all that they can to provide them with a degree of security. This madness in the name of peace, only would lead to further bloodshed.

Think Tank Author Who Thinks War On Terror Is Fueling Al Qaeda On Paltalk

Rogers

A British think tank says that the war on terror is actually empowering al Qaeda.





The Oxford Research Group says a "fundamental re-think" is needed on the war on terror.





Rather than attack al Qaeda head on, the root of its support must be understood and undercut, according to report author Paul Rogers.





Rogers joins me as my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Tuesday Oct. 16 at 5 PM New York time.





To talk to Rogers directly go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button.





There is no charge.

Ann Coulter Shocks Jews With Call For Christian United States

Perfect Christian

Conservative radio talk show host and author Ann Coulter has called for Jews to be "perfected" by converting to Christianity. She also suggests that the United States would be better off if it were a Christian nation.

This, of course, puts conservative Jews, many of whom have been Coulter fans, in an unusual position.

It also shows a high degree of insensitivity and intolerance to those of other faiths.

It's interesting that Coulter's comments on Donny Deutsch's CNBC show The Big Idea comes at a time when deposed radio talk show host Don Imus is reportedly in negotiations to return to the air waves. Imus, as we all know, was drummed off the air after his inopportune,racially insensitive remarks about the Rutger's women's basketball team.

Womens and black rights group oppose Imus' return to radio. I wonder if there will be such an vocal demand that Coulter lose her microphone as well.

For the record, I favor market pressures. I find Coulter's remarks at least as offensive as Imus'. But I don't favor her ouster. Instead, like with Mel Gibson's films, I will choose to not be a customer.

Imus apologized for his remarks. Coulter owes the Jewish community an apology as well.

Is The U.S. Preparing For War With Iran To Be Discussed On Paltalk

Bahram Rajaee

Many people believe that the United States is gearing up for another war, this time with Iran.

The question is, can the stand off with Tehran over its nuclear weapons program be defused?

Joining me on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Friday, Oct 12 to discuss this issue will be Dr. Bahram Rajaee senior policy consultant for the National Iranian American Council to talk about the future of Iran and America's relationship with that nation.

Dr. Rajaee specializes in Iranian politics and foreign policy, the evolution of U.S. strategic and foreign policy in Southwest Asia and U.S.-Iranian relations. His most recent research focuses on how Iran's political elite are factionalized.

To talk to Dr. Rajaee just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time Friday and click on the Join The Room button.

There is no charge.

As Honor Killings Go This One's A Bit Bizarre

Honor killings in the Muslim world are reprehensible nor matter the circumstances. But this one in Austria reaches new lows.

I warn you that the description is a bit graphic. And conjures up horrific images. Especially for men.

Usually honor killings involve the death of a woman suspected of having sexual relationships outside the framework of a marriage. But in this one, the victim was a man.

According to reports, a Turkish man in his 70s, enraged that another man in his 50s had flirted with his wife, embarked on the honor killing. By shotgunning the younger man on the street. Then cutting off his penis. And leaving him to bleed to death. The victim was also from Turkey.

Authorities say this is the first honor killing in Austria. But there have been others in Europe. As Muslims who follow this horrific tradition migrate.

Palestinian Newspaper Cartoon Calls For The Killing Of American Soldiers

The United States and Israel have been taking sides in the internal fight between Fatah and Hamas in the Palestinian territories. Shunning the elected Hamas government. On the grounds that it is a terrorist organization. In favor of what is considered the more moderate Fatah.

I've long suggested that the differences between the two sides is a matter of degrees. Now a newspaper cartoon supports my viewpoint.

The largest Palestinian newspaper, controlled by the Palestinian Authority (that's the side we're backing) has published a cartoon calling for the death of American soldiers.

It depicts a Muslim man on a prayer rug praying for their demise as a Stealth B2 flies overhead.

Here's what the U.S. government must tell Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Not one more incident of advocacy of violence against Americans or Israelis in the PA controlled press. Or the cash flow is stopped. Period.

Then, the United States should make similar pronouncements to other Middle East governments that benefit from U.S. aide. Like, for example, Egypt.

It's time to let these governments know we take seriously such advocacy and that they should prepare to suffer the consequences if they do not comply.

Photographer Who Has Documented The Melting Of Antarctica On Paltalk

Sebastian Copeland, whose award winning book, Antarctica The Global Warning documents the erosion of ice bergs due to global warming, joins me as my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk on Wednesday, October 17th.

Copeland was named winner of the International Photography Award for professional photographer of the year in the book category.

Text and photography in the book are by Copeland. Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev wrote the forward. The introduction is by Leonardo DiCaprio.

In the book, Copeland suggests that the fate of Antarctica foretells the fate of the earth. He says temperatures have risen on the western slope by more than 2.5 degrees Centigrade the last 50 years. And notes that icebergs four and 10 times larger than Manhattan broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in 2000 and 2002. A certain sign, he says, of increased ice melt caused by global warming.

To talk to Copeland just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time on Wednesday October 17th and click on the Join The Room button.

There is no charge.

A Throw Back To The Bad Old Days Before The Civil Rights Movement

The latest case of a hangman's noose being displayed to send a horrible message to a black person is at one of the most unlikely places one could imagine. The campus of Columbia University.

The victim of this hate message is an African-American professor. The noose was found hanging from the professor's door.

There have been five other hangman's noose incidents in the news recent weeks. Including on school campuses, two involving the Coast Guard and on the police station locker of a black deputy police chief.

That people still, in 2007, have such racial hatred in their hearts, minds and souls is disturbing enough. That some feel comfortable in harassing their black fellow citizens is unconscionable.

Counting Our Blessings In The USA

Next time we get so frustrated about perceived government infringements on civil liberties, we should take time to put things into perspective.

Take, for example, the case of a man in Jordan. Who has been sentenced to two years in prison. For sending e-mails that the Kingdom decided was harmful to the dignity of the state.

Ahmad Oweidi al-Abbadi was convicted of distributing "false news" in e-mails and leaflets he distributed.

Can you imagine what would happen if the White House jailed every journalist in the USA who was critical of the administration? You may not agree with the government here. But no one says you can't state your concerns.

Sadly, many other countries don't follow our shining example.

Cops Arrest Principal Who Broke Up A Fight

A New York City high school principal was arrested by police for resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration after he tried to break up a fight between students in his school.

Seems the officers have it wrong. It would seem to me that the principal represents governmental administration.

Apparently during the scuffle with school security officers, one of the cops got punched by one of the girls. They placed her under arrest and attempted to escort her out the front door.

Principal Mark Federman pleaded with the officers to take her out a back door to spare her embarrassment. When they refused, he attempted to block the front door. Resulting in his arrest.

While we know the police are in schools to do a job, we also know that the principal is the captain of the ship. Federman made a reasonable request. The police should have accommodated it.

The officers lost control of the situation the second they decided to put the cuffs on the principal's wrists. They should be ashamed of their actions.

New York's city council is about to discuss school safety issues. Let's hope they address the failure of the officers to work with the principal who is ultimately responsible for the building, and the students, they are assigned to protect.

Sabre Rattling Against Iran Increases

Britain's prime minister is turning up the rhetocial heat against Iran.

Gordon Brown says he would support a U.S. airstrike on Iran if that nation attacks U.S. or British troops in Iraq.

The attacks against the Coaltion troops would not have to be made by Iranian troops. But by militants who were operating at Tehran's direction.

It sounds like the United States and the UK are laying the foundation for some provocation, real or contrived, that could be used as excuse to attack Iran.

If there's to be military action against Iran, the president had better be clear and honest about why he wants to do it.

Smoker's Rights Advocate To Appear On Paltalk

Dr. Shocker

You can't smoke in bars and restaurants in New York City.



Most people, both smokers and non-smokers are OK with that. The smokers merely go outside to puff and socialize with one another.



But there are new laws and proposed laws that even those of us who don't smoke recognize as treading on personal liberties.



Take the New Jersey town, for example, where cops are handing out tickets to people who drive with children in their cars. I commented when the new ordinance went into effect that it's much better to try to educate parents to not expose their children to second hand smoke. Rather than giving them tickets.



I suggested then that, after all, if they are smoking in close proximity of their children in their cars, they probably are in their homes as well. And I sarcastically suggested that the next thing we'll see is police entering homes to ticket parents smoking in front of their children.



Imagine my surprise when I learned that my flippant remark was prophetic. Laws are being proposed in two California cities which would make it illegal to smoke in your own apartment or condominium.



Remember in the movie Fletch when the Chevy Chase character, playing an investigative reporter, gets caught inside someone's home? He quickly assumed the identity of the mattress police. Checking to see that the warning label attached to the mattresses, which declared that its removal was illegal, was still there.



What are we going to do? Have police knock on the doors of homes to be sure no one is smoking inside?



Robert Best, also known as Dr. Shocker, the California state coordinator of the Citizens Freedom Alliance, joins me on News Talk Online on Paltalk to talk about what he sees as an assault on smoker's rights. He'll be on the show Wednesday October 10 from 5-6 PM New York time.



To join in the conversation and talk to Dr. Shocker, just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

How YOU Can Stand With The People Of Burma

It's frustrating, knowing that human rights violations are underway in Burma, but feeling like there's nothing we can do as individuals to change the situation.

Well, now there is something that may help. And all you have to do is add your name to an electronic petition.

The petition asks the government of China to pressure the illegal military junta controlling the people of Burma to stop its crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.

A crackdown that has resulted in military firing into crowds of people, the incarceration of monks and the shuttering of monasteries, and soldiers barging into people's homes in the dead of night, pulling them out of bed and hauling entire families away.

I urge you to click on the link http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/s.php and take the short time necessary to electronically sign the petition.

Palestinians Refine Weapons Against Israelis

More sections of Israel are now in range of Kathyusha rocket attacks from the Gaza strip.

Israeli official say a Palestinian rocket was fired deeper into Israeli territory than ever before.

They say it was a demonstration that the Palestinians have extended their reach against the Jewish state.

The rocket landed in a field sparking a brush fire but there was no structural damage and no casualties.

Pressure On Illegal Military Junta Ruling Burma May Be Having An Effect

Perhaps it's because of all the international pressure. Or perhaps it's because they've successfully squelched the pro Democracy movement. But the illegal military junta that rules Burma has pulled a large number of troops off the streets.

Hopefully this at least suggests an end to the tactics of firing into crowds of peaceful demonstrators and arresting monks.

Barricades have been removed. As a sign of the government backing down. Yet, reports from in country indicate that arrests continue.

It remains difficult for protesters and their supporters to reach the outside world because Internet access remains severed.

Prominent Christian Palestinian Abducted, Killed, In Gaza

Religious fanatics who claim the occupied territories as their land have turned their attention from the Jews to the Christians.

Six months ago, Rami Ayyad, director of the Protestant Holy Bible Society's religious book store was firebombed in the Gaza strip. Now he's been abducted and killed.

While no one has, as of this writing, claimed responsibility, there's little doubt this is the work of Islamic fundamentalists who disfavor associating with anyone who does not share their beliefs. But rather than just ignoring those of differing faiths, they make it clear that they will not share the air that they believe was provided for them and their ilk with others.

Richard Landes, Boston University Professor Who Says Video Of Child Killed By IDF Was Faked, To Appear On Paltalk

Landes

Was the unrest in the Gaza Strip the past seven years the result of some elaborate scheme by a Palestinian videographer who sold a fabricated tape of the killing of a boy by the Israeli Defense Forces?

The battle over public opinion on this issue extends from Israel to Boston to France.

The head of a French media watch group, who published on the Internet the allegation that the video was a fake is appealing the finding that he libeled a French government TV network. After he alleged that the footage, first broadcast by France 2, was a fraud.

That contention is supported by Boston University professor Richard Landes who has seen the entire footage. Including portions not aired. And not viewed by the court.

The purported killing of Mohammed a-Dura has been a rallying cry of Palestinians in a propaganda and violence campaign directed at Israel.

Richard Landes joins me as my guest on News Talk Online on Monday, Oct. 7 at 5 PM New York time. To talk to Landes, just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk and click on the Join the Room button.

There is no charge.

Hope For Our Species Above The Horizon

A new home out there?

We may be destroying the Earth's natural resources. Or, global warming and alarming environmental shifts may be part of the natural progression of things. In either case, it evokes dire predictions for the species we call human.

So what's the solution? How do we save humankind?

Help may be on our relative doorstep.

Scientists say there's a new Earth-like planet that's forming. A plant that may sustain human life.

A place where we could send, I don't know, say a man and a woman. Call them Adam and Eve. To populate a planet. To give humanoids yet another chance.

It's not so bad a trip, from this Earth to that. It's "only" 424 light years away!

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Photo credit: NASA

Hitler Symbol Of Dubai Real Estate Company

Symbol of business in the UAE

Adolph Hitler's image is being used to sell real estate in Dubai.

A real estate company is evoking der Fuhrer's image in an ad campaign in a national Gulf newspaper.

The company owner claims to be apolitical. He says the campaign was launched to gain attention. And that it's obviously worked.

Actually, one shouldn't be so shocked by this. Jews aren't permitted to do business in the United Arab Emirates. So perhaps Hitler is an appropriate symbol after all.

Ahmadinejad's Latest Delusion

The real dictator

If Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's rantings about the Holocaust and Israel were not enough to convince anyone that he is delusional, one need only to see his latest public remarks made at a mosque in Tehran.

Speaking of his address at Columbia University during his New York visit for the opening session of the UN General Assembly, Ahmadinejad said, "the behavior of the government and media in the U.S. shows that there is dictatorship in that country and people are not allowed to know the facts."

Lest anyone accuse me of misquoting the real dictator in this scenario, as his apologists are wont to do when his pronouncements about removing Israel from the map are revealed, this particular translation comes from his country's owned and operated Islamic Republic News Agency. You know, an agency that, unlike the media in the United States, is actually controlled by a government.

Hassan Fattah, New York Times Correspondent In The Middle East On Paltalk

Moving toward equality?

Women in Saudi Arabia are not permitted to drive. But there is a small women's rights movement that is emerging that may change the way those of that gender are treated in the kingdom.

For example, women recently were given permission to travel abroad unescorted (though they still need permission from a man). And a TV show that pokes fun at the disparities between men and women is being permitted on the air.

New York Times Middle East correspondent Hassan Fattah has written extensively about the subtle changes in the KSA. He joins us from his post in Dubai to talk about changing customs in the Arab world.

He will be substitute host Boaz Frankel's guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk at 5 PM New York time Friday Oct. 4.

To talk to Hassan Fattah, just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk. There is no charge.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellyhart/339739602/

Burma Junta Releases Jailed Journalist

The illegal military junta ruling Burma (remember, I refer to the country as Burma in solidarity with the people) has released a prominent Japanese journalist held captive for six days. But the fate of other journalists who have disappeared while attempting to bring to the world the true story of the crackdown on peaceful demonstrations remains unknown.

This in addition to the arrests of UN workers and Buddhist monks should be enough reason for the world to put pressure on the junta to stop the middle of the night arrests of people sleeping in their beds. And the shooting of people who congregate to protest their illegal rule.

Pressure particularly should be put on the Chinese to, in turn, pressure the junta to stop its aggression toward the people. Perhaps some quiet behind closed doors discussions about the possibility that the entire western world might sit out the 2008 Beijing Olympics might be in order.

New York Sun Reporter Youssef Ibrahim Who Revealed A 'Peaceful Jihad' In the USA On Paltalk

Ibrahim

New York Sun correspondent Youssef Ibrahim has reported about a "peaceful jihad" underway in the United States joins me on News Talk Online on Paltalk Thursday, October 4.

Ibrahim has been watching Arabic language TV on cable in the New York area. On which an Egyptian sheik advocates a "peaceful jihad" on the United States.

He also reports about how a Syrian news channel which is carried by Time Warner cable tells its audience that the war in Iraq represents U.S. butchery of Arabs. And predicts and advocates the ultimate demise of the state of Israel.

To talk to Ibrahim directly, just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time Thursday and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Corey Saylor, CAIR Legislative Director, On Paltalk

Saylor

Corey P. Saylor, national legislative director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk today.





Saylor will be responding to Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's comments that he does not feel comfortable with the thought of a Muslim president.





He will also be talking about CAIR's call for the appointment of a Muslim aide to the White House.





To talk directly with Saylor just go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time and click on the Join The Room button.





There is no charge.

UN Worker, Family, Abducted By Junta In Burma

Under cover of darkness in the pre-dawn hours, a UN worker and her family were abducted from their home in Burma and taken in for questioning.

This is at least the second time that government thugs have taken a UN worker into custody. It follows a pattern of grabbing people from their homes while they sleep and imprisoning them as part of the crackdown on demonstrations.

Unbelievably, Myanmar, as the illegal military dictatorship likes to call Burma, has a permanent mission to the United Nations. But even as a member of the world body, the government detains and harasses its representatives.

This is totally inexcusable conduct. Let's see what the United Nations, which has been disappointingly impotent in so many crises around the world, does about this.

America A Christian Nation? No Muslim In The White House?

No Muslim president for him

I was always told that the United States is a secular nation. That we have separation of church and state.

Of course, we embrace an individual's right to practice his or her religion. And we value those in public life who are religious, because we believe, rightly or wrongly, that religion gives our elected officials a moral compass to follow while making tough decisions.

We know, for example, that President Bush says he prayed before pulling the trigger on Iraq. Some take comfort in that disclosure. Others suggest that this makes the invasion some kind of holy war. But it's not out of the realm for any of us, in troubling times, to consult a higher authority for guidance. By and large, most of us do not feel particularly troubled when a president prays before making an important decision. Even those who are not believers might agree that it, at least, gives reason to pause and reflect.

But presidential hopeful John McCain has caused a bit of a stir with his comments about the USA being a nation founded primarily on Christian principles.

Further, he says he would feel uncomfortable with a Muslim president.

This speaks to several issues.

It suggests that, in his mind, fundamentally, there are vast differences between the teachings of Christianity and Islam. It further suggests that, unlike President Bush, who believes jihadists have "hijacked" Islam, McCain believes it to be religion that cannot be trusted.

I for one do not believe that all Muslims adhere to the blood thirsty values of those who would erase our way of life and violently instill Sharia law on the populous. But I do believe that those who would force their will on us in the name of their religion have severely tainted the mainstream view of Islam.

A presidential candidate's public pronouncement that he would feel uncomfortable having a Muslim in the Oval Office speaks volumes about a shift in perception about the Islamic religion in the United States. The failure of mainstream Islamic leaders to loudly and with consistency condemn the actions of Muslim radicals helps feed that perception.

7 Planned To Topple U.S. Government: Feds

Targeted Tower

Federal prosecutors say seven suspected terrorists on trial in Miami had planned to topple the U.S. government. They would have, if successful, replaced the government with an Islamic regime.

Their plan, though far fetched, would have still, had it continued, surely resulted in the deaths of many innocent people.

The government alleges that the so-called Liberty City Seven planned to bring down the Sears Tower and bomb several FBI buildings. They hoped that that would have caused a guerrilla war in the United States that, ultimately, would have brought down the government.

Although we may scoff at the possibility that they would have succeeded in their ultimate goal, and while we hold them to the presumption of innocence unless and until they are convicted, this case, once again, points to the fact that there are those who would use violent means to bring down our government.

It's not just the government that they are targeting. It's our very way of life.

While we tolerate differences in lifestyles, others, who firmly believe that they are right and the rest of us are wrong, don't know the meaning of tolerance.

While evaluating the threat against our nations (the United States is far from the only target) we should be careful to not impose our values on them. And be aware of the values that they would impose on us.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/170558466/

When It's Legal To Be Illegal

A government plan to root out illegal immigrants from the workplace remains on the back shelf, thanks to a federal judge in northern California.

Judge Charles Breyer has extended for 10 days the temporary restraining order precluding the Department of Homeland Security from putting the controversial program into effect.

The Cato Institutes's trade policy studies director says this is a step in the right direction. Daniel Griswold argues that the immigration issue must be met with some kind of comprehensive reform that recognizes the contributions those in the United States illegally make to society.

"To succeed, comprehensive reform must accommodate the legitimate need of American employers to hire the workers they require to meet the demands of their customers," Griswold writes.

"Reform must also address the legitimate expectation that the rule of law will be respected and that illegal immigration will be replaced by legal immigration."

The question is, how does the current policy, of permitting people, including those with false Social Security numbers, to work illegally respect the rule of law?

Reason Finally Prevails In The UK Over Israel

In the end, it was the lawyers who pounded reason into the heads of reluctant so-called academics who wanted to promote a boycott of Israel.

They pointed out that to do so would violate British law and the union's own guidelines.

It's a pity it even took the lawyers weighing in to do what's right.

The proposal by the largest academic union in the UK to boycott Israel was, to use the Brit's own culture of understatement, ill advised.

Blackwater Scandal To Be Discussed On Paltalk

Holdefer



Blackwater, a private security company employed by the U.S. State Department in Iraq for protection of U.S. assets, is under extreme scrutiny for allegedly inappropriately opening fire on Iraqi civilians on a number of occasions.




Eleven Iraqis were killed in a shootout with Blackwater security personnel last month. In a previous incident, a body guard for Iraq's vice president was killed. And Blackwater stands accused of covering up yet another death.




Blackwater's founder, a former Navy SEAL, told a congressional committee investigating these allegations today that 30 of its operatives have been killed while protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq. None of those they were assigned to protect, he says, have died.




The congressional committee is also investigating whether Blackwater is being overpaid for the services it provides.




Today's guest on News Talk Online is Charles Holdefer, who wrote a well researched novel called The Contractor that covers (among other things) secret prisons, hired contractors in the war on terror, interrogation practices and torture.




Holdefer grew up in Iowa and attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and then later the University of Paris.


His short fiction has appeared in The New England Review, The North American Review and Aethlon, as well as other magazines. His short story 'Prospects of Joy' was selected for the Book of Eros anthology.

He has also published nonfiction and reviews. He teaches at the University of Poitiers, and in Spring 2007, he was a courtesy visiting associate professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene.





To speak directly with Holdefer, go to www.paltalk.com/newstalk at 5 PM New York time and click on the Join The Room button. There is no charge.

Jews, Christians Threatened With Death In Michigan

Fliers advocating the death of Christians and Jews who do not convert to Islam have been found on the windshields of cars in Sterling Heights, Michigan, just north of Detroit.

The Detroit area boasts a large Muslim population.

This, of course, is the kind of rhetoric we've come to expect from some Muslim nations around the world. But not something one would expect, nor tolerate, in the United States.

This is an opportunity for Islamic religious leaders in the Detroit area to speak out, loudly and clearly, against this kind of religious intolerance.

15-Year-Old Afghan Boy Hanged For Possessing Dollars

I grew up in Detroit, back in the pre-9/11 days when crossing the border to Canada was nearly seamless at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge. So commonplace, in fact, that quite often U.S. currency was passed in Windsor. And Canadian money, coins mainly, made their way into circulation in stores in Detroit.

Every once in awhile a shopkeeper would reject the currency you were trying to use to pay for an item. But that was the extent of it.

In Afghanistan, however, possession of U.S. currency can get you killed.

A 15-year-old Afghan boy was hanged for possessing dollar bills. Five of them were stuffed into his lifeless mouth. As a warning to others. To not commit such a capital offense.

10 Peacekeepers Killed In Darfur

Pillaged villages

Rebels have killed 10 members of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur. The attack is being condemned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

This is the severest loss suffered by African Union troops since their deployment in 2004. And it shows a disregard for the authority of peacekeepers who have been sent to the region.

The genocide that the people of Darfur have been suffering must be brought to an end. Despite good intentions, the United Nations continues to show its impotence in trouble spots. Whether Darfur, Burma, Iran or Lebanon.

The members of the Security Council should remember that they are not there to support the self interests of their individual nations. But to help eradicated wars and human rights violations around the world.