Monday, December 29, 2008
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EIN BRERA
Few Americans know all the reasons for Israel's air strike against Hama targets in Gaza. Some see it as another show of force by a country the United States should no longer support. I hear only too often the code words "no more blank checks" and I wonder when was the check ever blank. Israel is the only democratic ally the United States has in the Middle East. That alone adds translate into valuable currency.
That the reasons go back to the ham fisted doings of the British during the Partition, is too long a story to go into at the moment. The fact is that Hamas, bankrolled and otherwise supported by the Iranian government, has been launching missiles at Israeli civilian targets for eight years. Imagine Cuba hurling Kassams at Florida and you get the picture. No country and certainly not the US would tolerate this state of affairs for so long. In fact, we have gone to war at lesser provocation. Point is, the Israeli action was not arrived at on an impulse. Lest we forget, it was Hamas that refused to renew the cease fire brokered by the Egyptians.
Israelis are well aware that world opinion is, as it has been for centuries, far from objective when it comes to Jews. For example, there was no hue and cry from the world press when the Islamic terrorists in Mumbai sexually mutilated and murdered a young rabbi and his wife. There were no demonstrations in European capitals in support of the victims of missile attacks in Sderot. But there were demonstrations against Israel immediately following the air strikes. For weeks there will be hue and cry all over the world against the "Zionist entity."
It is important to remember that the Israelis had exhausted other possibilities. The blood is the the hands of Ahmadinejad and his Hamas henchmen. No self-respecting Jew rejoices at war. No one in his right mind fails to feel sympathy for the beleaguered Palestinian people Hamas so shamelessly exploits. No decent human being applauds the use of force against civilian targets. Yet Hamas gives Israel no alternative when it shells Israeli civilians, then hides behind Palestinian civilians when the Israeli military retaliates. Will the pc intellectuals if the First World see all these nuances or will their minds be so clouded by partisan propaganda issuing from sources such as Al Jazeera, that they will once again brand Israelis as ruthless aggressors? Quite possibly.
Where does that leave me, a Jew who us relatively safe in the Diaspora?Am I glad that the IAF is beating the tar out of Hamas? Certainly not. Alpha strikes are all very well on a computer screen, but the cost in human lives and the spiritual erosion they occasion is tremendous. Jews are people of peace. The average Palestinian, freed from the evil influence of rogue Moslems of Hamas & Company, no doubt wants what we all want--peace, a modicum of happiness and a healthy share of hope for the future. I grieve for Palestinian victims as I grieve for the young people of the IDF who must carry out these air strikes. Grief or no grief, in this fight, my heart is with Israel. Ein brera, no alternative.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
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LOOT FROM HOLIDAYS PRESENTS AND HOLIDAYS PAST
Origami paper is not just for origami. I use my stash to line A2 Stardust envelopes.
Note to members of the Ravelry Pen Fetish group--fineartstore is one of the places I visit for decorative paper. They have a fabulous selection of art paper that includes An-Jing, Yuzen, Chiyogami, Cavallini, Nepalese handprinted, and much more. If you feel like being truly extravagant, visit Legion Paper for handmade Japanese at $490 a sheet. The fiscally cautious will prefer Dick Blick's Fabriano Esportazione at $ 26 or finearts mulberry smooth at $2.75
Friday, December 19, 2008
I have been updating http://www.jewelsoftheblueridge.blogspot.com/ to include some of my latest work--a stunning green turquoise necklace, a pearl necklace enhanced with a fine silver bead made by the extraordinarily talented Anne Choi, a sterling and turquoise pin. This is only a fraction of an inventory that must be photographed and catalogued. My conclusion is that self-employment is not for the faint of heart. The hours are long, OSHA is not on one's side, the boss is grumpy when work does not go well and the wages are terrible. The good thing is when you are doing work you love, it does feel like play most of the time. If you are lucky, what you do pleases others--forget about pleasing yourself--artisans are driven to do better and better. It is the nature of the beast.
I think I have driven myself sufficiently for today. It is time to make myself a nice cup of coffee--let it be freshly ground Mirembe Kawamera from http://www.thanksgivingcoffee.com/
--to go with a slice of pear pie there is no recipe. I just threw things together and hoped for the best. That is, I took a three very ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced them. Then I cooked them in a syrup made with one and a half cups of Merlot wine, one cup of sugar, a dash of ground Vietnamese cinnamon. I cooked the pears until they were tender, strained them and reduced the syrup to one cup. After the pears and syrup cooled, I beat four eggs, mixed in a tin of sweetened condensed milk, added the wine syrup and mixed well, Next I added the pears and one and a half cups unsalted, raw cashews. In poured the mix into a handmade--please applaud--butter crust and baked it at 350F for 50 minutes. Yes, it is rich, yes, it is sweet, aren't we all? Join me in saying the benediction for delicious things. There is one, I am sure.
SWEET AND GREEN CARICO LAKE
PINS, PINS, PINS
ADDITIONAL FRUGAL GIFT IDEAS
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This is another variation on Simplicity's M4905 tote bage pattern. I made it for a young woman who loves loves to knit. The project took approximately three hours to complete.
Folkwear www.folkwear.com carries bias tape makers, Asian knot templates and fabulous patterns for ethnic and retro clothing and accessories such as a Huichol wardrobe, Ukrainian shirts, tabi socks, Syrian dress and Gibson girl bloise. Sign up for their e-newsletter and they will send you the occasional free pattern.
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Tough times call for tough measures, so say the Spartan among us. By and large, that means making do making over or doing without. If you are one of those people who start your holiday preparations a year in advance, you already have all your presents wrapped and ready to be distributed. If, on the other hand, you are still wondering what sort of gift you can find that will not utterly destroy your budget, I have a few suggestions.
FREEBIES YOU CAN SHARE
Skype, Yahoo and MSN instant messaging programs allow you to make computer-to-computer calls at no cost. At my house we use it to talk to friends in the US, Spain and Israel.
Share e-books from the Gutenberg Project, www. guttenberg.org
Read and share online publications such as Martha Stewart's Magazine, Better Home and Gardens, House Beautiful, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair Magazine, The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post, and Ha'aretz. All these sites offer free memberships.
NEARLY FREE GIFTS YOU CAN MAKE
Cuttings from your own house plants. African violets, scented geraniums, Jade plant, spider plant are easy to propagate. Pot the cutting in a recycled tin et voila, you have a truly green gift.
Check out frugal recipes at http://www.epicurious.com/ and find recipes for bread, tortilla soup and simple salads. Make them as a complete meal for a friend.
FOR SCRIBBLERS
http://www.swisherpen.com/ has Rotring Core Technor Medium Nib and Lysium Fine Nib fountain pens for $9.99 each. They also have thre ounces of brown Visconti Boutique ink, in a nifty bottle with a wooden stopper for $ 8, and a Clairefontaine Triomphe 50-page writing pad for $5 .
Moleskine Volant pocket Journals and reporter notebooks, Cavallini easel calendars, Nepali Lotka envelopes, Rhodia writing pads and pencil sets are some of the items under ten dollars at http://www.vickerey.com/
http://www.epica.com/ offers a single 10x14" sheet of handmade Amalfi paper for $10. Expensive, yes, but the smile it will put on the face of your favorite papyrophile is priceless.
The metropolitan Museum of Art has some super deals on fine stationery. My favorite is a box of 36 Cat cards and envelopes for $9.88 http://www.metmusem.org/
FOR FOODIES
Foodies will love the 220 grams jar of Jerusalem wildflower honey for 5.50, the 500ml bottle of award winning Halutza first cold press olive oil produced in the Negev region of Israel, 13 ounce jars of ethrog, quince, cherry tomato and plum confiture for $3 dollars each--all available at http://www.israeliproducts.com/
DeFluri's chocolates, in Martinsburg, WV has delicious truffles at unbeatable prices. Flatlanders can order them at http://www.defluris.com/
Start windowsill herb gardens in latte cups and bowls from thrift shops and discount stores make great planters. Line them with pebbles, add potting soil and green onions, chives, oregano and cilantro seeds. They germinate in no time.
http://www.superseeds.com/ is a reliable source of inexpensive herb seeds.
FOR ALL SENSES
Amaryllis bulbs and paperwhite narcissi will bring cheer on the darkest days of winter. They can usually be found at supermarkets and discount stores during the holiday season for less than ten dollars.
Scented candles from discount stores and thrift shops.
Silk scarves from thrift and consignment shops.
Check out http://www.pocketmeadowfarm.com/ for reasonably priced yarn and deliciously scented artisan soaps.
The vanilla soap from http://www.bubblycauldron.blogspot.com/ is a a real treat. I should know. My daughter makes it.
Start your best beloved's day day right with a cup of Mirembe Kawamera coffee available at http://www.thanksgiving/ coffee.com
Mirembe Kawamera coffee is "A sweet, nutty coffee from Uganda with notes of pecan and nutmeg, grown by an amazing and unique cooperative.
The Story
Mirembe Kawomera (mir´em bay cow o mare´a) means "delicious peace" in the Ugandan language Luganda. It is the name of a Ugandan cooperative of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian coffee farmers.
Grown high on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, a dormant volcano in eastern Uganda, Mirembe Kawomera Coffee is produced in small batches by the family farmers of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative.
$1 from the sale of every package donated to the Peace Kawomera Cooperative to support their community-based projects."
FOR FUN
The ls The Collaborator of Bethlehem and A Grave in Gaza, by Matt Beynon-Rees are available at http://www.amazon.com/
Netflix
Labels:
aps,
cavallini,
chocolate,
cliopiola,
frugal gifts,
ink,
lotka paper,
Noro yarn,
pocket meadow farm,
rotring fountain pen,
soap.,
truffles,
visconti ink,
windowsill herbs
Monday, December 15, 2008
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My friend, poet Judy Neri, has just published Always the Trains, a book I highly recommend. It is available at Amazon.com and you probably can get it on time for the holidays if you order it immediately. Judy is a person of immense grace, courage and generiosity. These qualities shine through in the way she deals with the world and they illuminate her poetry. I am honoured to know her and her husband Umberto.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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Sadly, difficult times do not necessarily create a bond between people. When one's wallet is nearly empty, it seems easier to give in to bitterness and envy than to appreciate the good things we have. I sympathize with a young friend's anger at someone else's frivolous expenses and I share her sorrow at not being able to provide her children with that which deems essential to a happy holiday celebration. Being much older, I have find it easier to be amused at wealthy friends' extravagance. I enjoy looking at their lovely possessions, but frankly, I have no need for a pair of shoes that costs $ 600.
True, time there was when I listened to the little voice that said that I needed to wear designer clothes in order to be accepted in a society that has always kinder to haves than to have-nots. A consumer society inevitably fosters social insecurity and the sense that one's worth equals one's acquisitive power. The good thing is that as one ages, one sees the folly of wanting to fill whatever vacuum there is in one's life with material objects.
Not that I espouse a Spartan lifestyle. I would not quibble if someone were to send me a Rembrandt, a silk rug made in Moorish Spain, an emerald necklace, a ruby ring. But I have accepted, at long last, love is the only real treasure. This season, it is my family and friends who will help bring joy and warmth into my life. Whether they own Jimmy Choo shoes or brand x-trainers is of no consequence. Their very being is more valuable than rubies. Sappy, you say? Scoff away. I stand by my choices and I choose joy.
HANUKAH NECKLACE
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I accept order for similar necklaces.
FOR THE PEANUT
GRASSHOPPER CHOKER
Friday, December 5, 2008
" ...my America, my newfound land.." John Donne
SHABBAT SHALOM
The woeful saga continues with a brief chapter on flu and tetanus shots. The latter are said to be a necessity for persons of age and the latter are imperative for metalsmiths who are forever playing with sharp objects. The combination is not conducive to good cheer. One longs for a silk robe from J. Peterman, handwoven linen sheets, the fluffiest pillows, great big bouquets of the palest coral roses, chicken soup and love.
Alas, it is none of this is to be--the huge dog would shred the sheets so lovingly made in French convent so very many years ago, roses are dear and never mind J Peterman's offerings. Coffee in bed and a two buttered slices of slightly aged boule help somewhat. Love always help and so does the fact that it is Shabbat. Cheers.
OF SOUP, LOVE AND PEARLS
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These angel-skin pink freshwater pearls have great luster and at 9 mm, they are unusually large. Matched with 6 mm pearls and a handmade fine silver bead--one of Anne Choi's exquisite creations, they are treasure for the thrifty pearl lover. The bead is inscribed with the Spanish proverb, "Of soup and love, the first is best." The necklace measures 20 inches and it has a sterling silver clasp. $ 135 Please see the Annne Choi beads above. You may select either of them as a focal bead for this necklace.
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Thursday, December 4, 2008
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Bedazzled: 5, 000 Years of Jewellery at the Walters Gallery, Baltimore, MD
HOW NOT TO SPEND YOUR DAY
You wake up to news that the President Elect for whom you worked so hard and to whose campaign you donated time, money and jewelry, has decided not to tax gas and oil companies on their windfalls. You read that Mumbai's Islamic terrorists tortured their Jewish victims prior to executing them. You read that Deepak Chopra--whom you never liked anyway-- is fuming because someone challenged his contention that America is to blame for Islamic terrorism. You sigh, think of the hashishim and the Old Man in the Mountain and you wish Deepak were not such a silly prat. Then you realise that blaming the victim is not silly, it is contemptible and you feel that if you were not a good-Jew-in-training you would probably feel like kicking Deepak very hard on his netherlands.
You try to rally. These are bad days, yes, but at least you are not in the Congo or Darfur. You may be poor as a church mouse, bit by golly, this economic meltdown is a temporary thing. This is the land of we-can-do and hell no, the Chinese may not buy GM. You say this to yourself while drinking a cup of coffee that is supposed to taste like Maya chocolate, but that actually tastes like a mix of potting soil, sugar and unknown chemicals. This does nothing to lift your spirits.
You avoid your studio because work is not going superbly. In fact, is not going well at all. The pendant from hell continues to be hellish difficult to finish. You have not recovered from the trauma of having an antique squash blossom necklace come apart in your hands as you tried to clean it at the bathroom sink. You watched in horror as very, very old handmade bench beads tumbled down the drain and your horror grew when the man in your life severed the bathroom's drain pipe during a well-meant but disastrously attempted bead rescue. Best to stay away from jewelry making for a while.
You turn down an invitation to go to the Walters Gallery to see 5, 000 Years of Jewellery. You would like to go, but you have a doctor's appointment. At the doctor's office you must get a tetanus shot--metalsmiths are forever injuring their hands--and a flu shot. The doctor proposes an array of tests which you decline, but the thought lingers--cholesterol level, blood sugar, liver function? Does she think you are dying? The doctor quickly displaces your hypochondria with a revelation, she voted for McCain. Your dear, adorable doctor is one of Those. So are several of your dear friends, for that matter. Some of them rant about lazy people being on Medicare, criminals being sprung by liberal lawyers, Welfare mothers swindling the system and all that jazz. Oy, oy, oy and gevalt! Have they been brainwashed?
Ah, well there is always soup, but today, it is a disaster--The Turkey's Swan Song. You could take to drink. Really.
Do see Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry
Occurs every week on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Occurs every week on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
During the period October 19, 2008 - January 04, 2009Time: 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
COMING SOON
Stay tuned for a stunning necklace made with 8-9mm pink freshwater pearls and one of Anne Choi's handmade fine silver beads. This one inscribed with the Spanish proverb, "Of soup and love, the first is best."
Also in the works--gorgeous Fox Mine and Arizona green turquoise necklaces, pins, and pendants.
Also in the works--gorgeous Fox Mine and Arizona green turquoise necklaces, pins, and pendants.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
PENDANTS
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
NEWEST
Monday, October 27, 2008
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THE ART OF EXCESSORIZING
Einmal ist keinmal
The Dow hit five-year lows, The ATF claims to have foiled a Neo-Nazi plan to assassinate Obama, operatives with the America hunt-kill Task Force 88 hit Syria, killing twenty people and a CIA drone aircraft hit a compound in South Waziristan, killing two local Taliban commanders. I find it hard to wrap my mind around the impact of plummeting stocks and its global ramifications. If Neo-Nazi conspiracies are not disquieting enough, add to it that the ATF agent in charge is named Jim Cavanaugh. If that is the Jim Cavanaugh who was the negotiator during the Waco, Texas massacre of the Branch Davidians, the truth of the matter will be as easy to find as a Cindy McCain's personal shopper at Wal Mart. As for Syria and Pakistan, it seems that we are expanding our wars even as our economy implodes and we need every resource to fix the disaster Bush and Company bequeathed us. Is it surprising, then, that I find it easier to think about Republicans wear?
When life gives you anxiety attacks, thinking of $520 Ferrragamo shoes such as those John McCain wore during a meeting with the Dalai Lama can inject a certain levity in the current state of affairs. Imagine Joe the Plumber in Ferragamos, and you are bound to experience an unbearable lightness of being. Light as a meringue, melba toast thin Cindy McCain seems to meditate often on Milan Kundera's take on the human condition. Einmal is keinmal, once is nonce, we have but one life, therefore our decisions are insignificant, our existence, unbearably light. What better than baubles way to anchor one in the moment? On enight, during the Republican National Convention, this is what kept the Anheiser-Bush heiress from floating up to nothingness,
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100
Should my inner Jane Six-Pack dream of much less? Ah, well, I would nix the ceramic watch and the Chiquita Banana dress.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
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RELEARNING POVERTY
Yard sales are on the rise, according to the media. If that is not a reliable indicator of our current economic woes, writers for the ultra hip web-based Huffpo's reprint of Marx Berlinger's account of his cheap cashmere safari certainly is. Mind you, Berlinger's idea of a great buy is a $98 cardigan. How amusing. That happens to be almost a fourth of family's food budget for the month. To me, a bargain is the $20 cardigan pullovers I bought last year at the men's department of Hell Mart. They probably were made with South American yarnwool, which does not seem to have the same cachet as wool from more upscale sources. That makes me no never mind since I am way past any concern with upscale clothing, except when I get this strange compulsion to ship Sarah Palin to Darfur for four years or for as long as her 150K wardrobe lasts. Perhaps after seeing how Darfurians live might get her to see the absurdity of spending in one month the same amount of money that would keep the average American in adequate duds doe 80 years. Imagine how far that would go in Darfur.
I was poor once. It was, if you will have it, elective poverty, a rite of passage fortunate Americans undergo when they or their spouse choose to pursue a graduate degree. I remember eating a lot of a casseroles and some dreadful hamburger concotions, the worst of which went by the politically incorrect name of Buddha burgers. I got that recipe from the back of a beans sprout tin and reader, I liked it not. At the time, I was young and hopeful and that made the lack of cashmere in my life easier to endure. Prada had yet to be heard of in the frozen waste of the Midwest and Valentino was yet to be born. American obsession with brand names had yet to become viral an din any case, the Norwegian bachelor farmers, furnished its own Carmem Miranda style uniform.
I was still new to America when we moved to a small town that had one clothing store where middle and upper middle class women shopped for Jones of New York and Vera dresses. I was no longer truly poor. I shopped at the Goodwill, trundled my laundry to the laundromat in a homemade backpack and baked my own bread. Most of my friends had a similar lifestyle and everything was almost hunky dory in spite of the Vietnam war, the occasionally violent struggle for equal rights and civil rights. In my native country a team of CIA supported generals held sway. In Chile, Allende met his doom. Iran-contra and Watergate came and went as I lived in relative properity. I never became a Prada or Valentino supporter, but I did a bit of traveling, tasted caviar, learned the difference between jug wine and a fine grand cru, for season tickets for the opera, acquired a small collection of antique Navaho and Mexican Renaissance jewelry, indulged my somewhat expensive passion for silversmithing. A few years ago my life changed for the better in many ways, but my disposal income shrank dramatically. As my family and I slipped from the middle class to land on the tenuous perch of the lower middle class, I began to learn what is really important. I learned that a healthy sense of self, love, friendship, and simple pleasures beat caviar and grand cru wine any day. As for Prada and Valentino, they will continue to be less important to me the the label on a pund of hamburger.
Friday, October 24, 2008
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Autumn woods
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This is what a cord of wood looks like.
A BETTER SORT OF OCTOBER SURPRISE
Sometimes this endlessly toxic campaign is too much with us. Every day, as we turn on the television or open the paper, a flood of scurrilous rumours and tendentious stories wash over us, threatening to drown us. At this point, there is some consolation in knowing that of the candidates remains unsullied by the opposition's relentless attacks on his honor, his patriotism, his religion, his national origin, his skin color. We want more than consolation, Perhaps foolishly, we want all presidential candidates to be people of honor. We want them to inspire us and to appeal to the best in us. This is too big a job for one person. The ugliness of the fabrications, the brutal attacks on the body politic brings us close to despair. At such times, it helps to put the whole hideous mess out of mind and turn to the kind of October surprise that reassures us that there is more to life than politics.
This afternoon, we took a break to stack a cord of wood or wood guy, one of the few local people who have to keep the Mountaineer accent and courtly manner of rural West Virginians alive amid the urban hordes. He drives a battered truck that has Bluetooth, he accepts three kinds of credit cards, and he is voting for Obama--so much for the myth of barefoot, moonshine slurping, racist mountain folk. He gives us great service. The wood he brings us is mostly reclaimed fence posts. Some of the trees he cuts are so damaged by insects they cannot be used for much else besides than firewood. He cuts them precisely so that the logs will fit into our Norwegian wood stove and he takes pride in telling us which kind of trees they came from. This time around, he brought us mostly oak logs, which we stacked as neatly as we know how, being urban folks ourselves. It was hard work, make bearable by the buttery autumn light that bounced off wild cherry and sugar maple trees. We piled the logs on a space where bergamot grows. Crushed bergamot leaves have a heavenly citrusy smell and this is what we will remember from this afternoon, as we will remember the last roses blooming in the garden and the unsurpassed beauty of chrysanthemus glowing in the light of setting sun. Not bad for an October surprise.
NO BREAD--MUCH CIRCUS
MCCAIN CAMPAIGN WORKER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED
23 October 2008
Twenty year-old Texan Ashley Todd, a National College Republican employee working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, claims that she was assaulted by a 200 lbs., dark skinned robber armed with a knife. Todd alleges that her assailant held the knife to her neck as she withdrew money from a Bank of America ATM machine. She said that she gave him sixty dollars and that he seemed to be about to leave when he noticed a MCain sign on her car. At that point, she claims, he became so enraged he hit her on the back of her head, threw her to the ground, punched, kicked her and carved the letter B on her face.
Initial reports from AP and other mainstream news outlets left out any mention of political motivation for the assault. Since then, both indie and mainstream media wonks have been working overtime to register public outrage on the Republican side. Both McCain and Palin phoned Todd to offer moral support and the Obama-Biden campaign issued a statement expressing sympathy for Todd.
For some skeptics, Todd's story does not add up.
They want to know why a robber would take sixty dollars and leave her far more valuable Blackberry behind. They ask why she declined to seek medical help following the alleged assault. They wonder why in the photo taken she supposedly was punched and kicked, her are neither swollen nor bloodshot. They demand to know the nature of other injuries she must have suffered if the attack took place as described. They wonder whether this is a hoax engineered by Todd's employers who are said to be the fake plumbers unmasked at a McCain rally. They point out that the NCR is under investigation for coercing elderly people to make donations.
http://crncnews.blogspot.com/2007/06/eilon-out-ethan-eilon-resigns-tuesday.html
Pittsburgh police is planning to re interview Todd, who is, at present, incommunicado.
Whether Todd is legit or whether her attack is a rerun of the Towana Brawley case,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sharpton
it is no news that Republicans gave ratcheted up the level of ugliness in this campaign. Unlike wealth, incitement to violence inevitably perks down and neither MCain nor Palin have made an honest effort to rein supporters who spew racist rhetoric at their rallies, who question the patriotism of their opponents and who rely on dirty tricks and nasty robocalls meant to besmirch Obama's reputation .
Things have gotten so dreadful I predict that if this is a hoax the McCain-Palin campaign will disavow Todd and claim that she is an Obama plant. If this is not a hoax, they will blame Obama and Bill Ayers for the alleged attack.
Stay tuned for late breaking "revelations" about the Domestic Socialist Terrorist , the love child of Obama and Mrs. Bin Laden's--or is it Mrs. Hitler? Never mind that when you do the math you will realise that at the time of little Soci's birth could not have been more than a glimmer in his parents' eyes.
It is going to be a hell of a week and a half.
It is getting too predictable, but remember, you read it here first.
It is getting too predictable, but remember, you read it here first.
From a Michelle Malkin reader ,
On October 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm, meangreenfan said:
I don’t know if it’s a hoax or not—I’ll wait until more details come out. Has it been confirmed by the Republicans, that in fact….this woman is a volunteer?That would tell us a lot.Because since Obama and troops make up crap about things being shouted at McCain rallies (”Kill him!”, etc)…..would it surprise you to find out that this gal is an Obama supporter….trying to generate bad pub for McCain?I’m just sayin’……
MCCAIN CAMPAIGN WORKER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED
23 October 2008
Twenty year-old Texan Ashley Todd, a National College Republican employee working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, claims that she was assaulted by a 200 lbs., dark skinned robber armed with a knife. Todd alleges that her assailant held the knife to her neck as she withdrew money from a Bank of America ATM machine. She said that she gave him sixty dollars and that he seemed to be about to leave when he noticed a MCain sign on her car. At that point, she claims, he became so enraged he hit her on the back of her head, threw her to the ground, punched, kicked her and carved the letter B on her face.
Initial reports from AP and other mainstream news outlets left out any mention of political motivation for the assault. Since then, both indie and mainstream media wonks have been working overtime to register public outrage on the Republican side. Both McCain and Palin phoned Todd to offer moral support and the Obama-Biden campaign issued a statement expressing sympathy for Todd.
For some skeptics, Todd's story does not add up.
They want to know why a robber would take sixty dollars and leave her far more valuable Blackberry behind. They ask why she declined to seek medical help following the alleged assault. They wonder why in the photo taken she supposedly was punched and kicked, her are neither swollen nor bloodshot. They demand to know the nature of other injuries she must have suffered if the attack took place as described. They wonder whether this is a hoax engineered by Todd's employers who are said to be the fake plumbers unmasked at a McCain rally. They point out that the NCR is under investigation for coercing elderly people to make donations.
http://crncnews.blogspot.com/2007/06/eilon-out-ethan-eilon-resigns-tuesday.html
Pittsburgh police is planning to re interview Todd, who is, at present, incommunicado.
Whether Todd is legit or whether her attack is a rerun of the Towana Brawley case,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Sharpton
it is no news that Republicans gave ratcheted up the level of ugliness in this campaign. Unlike wealth, incitement to violence inevitably perks down and neither MCain nor Palin have made an honest effort to rein supporters who spew racist rhetoric at their rallies, who question the patriotism of their opponents and who rely on dirty tricks and nasty robocalls meant to besmirch Obama's reputation .
Things have gotten so dreadful I predict that if this is a hoax the McCain-Palin campaign will disavow Todd and claim that she is an Obama plant. If this is not a hoax, they will blame Obama and Bill Ayers for the alleged attack.
Stay tuned for late breaking "revelations" about the Domestic Socialist Terrorist , the love child of Obama and Mrs. Bin Laden's--or is it Mrs. Hitler? Never mind that when you do the math you will realise that at the time of little Soci's birth could not have been more than a glimmer in his parents' eyes.
It is going to be a hell of a week and a half.
It is getting too predictable, but remember, you read it here first.
It is getting too predictable, but remember, you read it here first.
From a Michelle Malkin reader ,
On October 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm, meangreenfan said:
I don’t know if it’s a hoax or not—I’ll wait until more details come out. Has it been confirmed by the Republicans, that in fact….this woman is a volunteer?That would tell us a lot.Because since Obama and troops make up crap about things being shouted at McCain rallies (”Kill him!”, etc)…..would it surprise you to find out that this gal is an Obama supporter….trying to generate bad pub for McCain?I’m just sayin’……
Sunday, October 19, 2008
HuffPo post
It has always been easier to write superficial stories than to produce a well researched piece. It is easier for a reporter from the city to flit through a rural community, talk to half a dozen people and file a story in which these six people are shown as representative of that community. That is why it does not surprise that the media has yet to adjust the image of West Virginians from the barefoot, incestuous, toothless, pre-verbal racist to the far more realistic portrait of educated, progressive, forward and outward looking Mountaineer.
Having chosen to settle in West Virginia some thirty five years ago, I feel that I am in a better position to discuss West Virginians than someone who spent only a few hours asking local people old tired questions about race and the economy. As a Brazilian Jew who speaks English with a Portuguese accent, I can attest to the inclusive spirit of my West Virginian neighbors with a certain degree of authority. As someone who has been volunteering at the Democratic Headquarters of a small town in West Virginia, I think I am justified in thinking those who claim that it is the failing economy that motivates West Virginians to support of Senator Barack Obama, are helping to perpetuate an ugly stereotype. Certainly the failing economy is a factor in this election. Certainly as residents of a state that the current federal government has relegated to the status of a hostile Third World nation, West Virginians must look for someone who better understands their ability to contribute to the intellectual and material wealth of the United States. But to imply that West Virginians are incapable of caring for more than their pocketbooks is fallacious and demeaning.
At the Democratic Headquarters I have helped register WASPS, Hispanics and African Americans. I have made a point of talking to the young executives--yes, we do have those in West Virginia and they do wear shoes--farmers, waitresses, former Marines, soldiers, Nationals Guard veterans, restaurant owners, retirees and shop clerks. I have talked with Jews, Catholics, Protestants and agnostics. If these voters have one reason in common to vote for Senator Obama is his honesty. They have done their homework and they have concluded that he is the best choice to unite the country, to inspire Americans to do their best--and this is a biggie, his ability to bring out what is best in most people--to fight corruption, to improve our educational system, to care for the environment--we do love our mountains and we are tired of seeing them vanish in the dreaded mountain topping some coal companies advocate.
Is race a factor in this election? Surely there are many places in the United States where the sad legacy of slavery has endured. However, in the West Virginia I know and love, racism is fading faster than our image as moonshine guzzling, gun and Bible inbreds has faded from national media.
Do us favor, Huffpo, Politico, NYT, Washpo, talk to those who know West Virginia before you write you stories. True, some of us speak English with a Brazilian Portuguese accent, but we can tell you the facts nevertheless.
It has always been easier to write superficial stories than to produce a well researched piece. It is easier for a reporter from the city to flit through a rural community, talk to half a dozen people and file a story in which these six people are shown as representative of that community. That is why it does not surprise that the media has yet to adjust the image of West Virginians from the barefoot, incestuous, toothless, pre-verbal racist to the far more realistic portrait of educated, progressive, forward and outward looking Mountaineer.
Having chosen to settle in West Virginia some thirty five years ago, I feel that I am in a better position to discuss West Virginians than someone who spent only a few hours asking local people old tired questions about race and the economy. As a Brazilian Jew who speaks English with a Portuguese accent, I can attest to the inclusive spirit of my West Virginian neighbors with a certain degree of authority. As someone who has been volunteering at the Democratic Headquarters of a small town in West Virginia, I think I am justified in thinking those who claim that it is the failing economy that motivates West Virginians to support of Senator Barack Obama, are helping to perpetuate an ugly stereotype. Certainly the failing economy is a factor in this election. Certainly as residents of a state that the current federal government has relegated to the status of a hostile Third World nation, West Virginians must look for someone who better understands their ability to contribute to the intellectual and material wealth of the United States. But to imply that West Virginians are incapable of caring for more than their pocketbooks is fallacious and demeaning.
At the Democratic Headquarters I have helped register WASPS, Hispanics and African Americans. I have made a point of talking to the young executives--yes, we do have those in West Virginia and they do wear shoes--farmers, waitresses, former Marines, soldiers, Nationals Guard veterans, restaurant owners, retirees and shop clerks. I have talked with Jews, Catholics, Protestants and agnostics. If these voters have one reason in common to vote for Senator Obama is his honesty. They have done their homework and they have concluded that he is the best choice to unite the country, to inspire Americans to do their best--and this is a biggie, his ability to bring out what is best in most people--to fight corruption, to improve our educational system, to care for the environment--we do love our mountains and we are tired of seeing them vanish in the dreaded mountain topping some coal companies advocate.
Is race a factor in this election? Surely there are many places in the United States where the sad legacy of slavery has endured. However, in the West Virginia I know and love, racism is fading faster than our image as moonshine guzzling, gun and Bible inbreds has faded from national media.
Do us favor, Huffpo, Politico, NYT, Washpo, talk to those who know West Virginia before you write you stories. True, some of us speak English with a Brazilian Portuguese accent, but we can tell you the facts nevertheless.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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He crashed three American Air force planes. He chose to go to Brazil because there he would have "better chances of getting laid" and never mind his wife and their kiddies. That was then. He talks of "nuclear power pants." He calls hair implants transplants. He confuses Downs syndrome with autism. He says that women's health is extreme. He wants to "bomb, bomb bomb, bomb Iran." He "categorically" proud of those who attend his rallies though some of them falsely accuse his opponent of being a terrorist, a foreigner, a traitor. They also call for his opponent's death. He despises Bill Ayers, a former terrorist who became a teacher, but loves G. Gordon Liddy, an ex-con who gas yet to repent from his crimes. This is now.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
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FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS VOTE REPUBLICAN
During tonight' s debate, Senator Dementor outdid himself. He trashed Roe v. Wade, tried and failed to get Obama to loose his classically elegant cool, and amid smirks and snorts, about education, dropped this tiny bombshell,
"MCCAIN: We need to encourage programs such as Teach for America and Troops to Teachers where people, after having served in the military, can go right to teaching and not have to take these examinations which -- or have the certification that some are required in some states.
Look, we must improve education in this country."
Methinks that those are contradictory statements. Although McCain must have had Look, we must improve education in this country."
teachers who had to meet certain requirements, he confuses good education with elitism and he scorns Obama's honestly earned eloquence. To hear hm clench his teeth around that word, he equates fluency the art of lying, which he practices regularly. If I had any doubt about which candidate deserves to win this election, the statement above would have convinced me to vote for Obama. No child deserves to have Sarah Palin's soldier son as a teacher. She herself thinks that New Hampshire is in the Pacific Northwest. Soldier son probably thinks West Virginia is past of Asia Minor.
I am doing my bit at the HQ to make sure McCain goes back to the cave from which he crawled. I hope you are doing the same. VOTE RESPONSIBLY!
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