Yasher Koach Budge

You gotta admit, the guy knows a momzer when he sees one:

Quit trying to defend an indefensible position. You don’t know what you’re talking about here and you’re just looking for ghosts.

Your a hand wringing pussy that, in no small part, adds to the wussification of the modern culture through your neo-socialist nanny-state “Please someone do something!” cry for someone elses resources.

Last but not least, I wouldn’t have you as a client if you had several million dollars. You’d be the kind of asshole know-it-all client that would always think he could do a better job than me. I think you’re an idiot and every time you write more of your progressive babble it reaffirms my opinion.

A hearty Y'K to Dovid for dressing down the schmuck!

Mike

In Flanders Fields

Everett Charles Harris
Born: 11/18/1894 Big Hole Valley, MT
Died: 11/16/1918 Argonne, France

PBS Reverses Course

What took you so long?

A documentary billed as "the film PBS doesn't want you to see" will at long last get a national audience.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) announced a joint agreement yesterday to make "Islam vs. Islamists" available to the 354 Public Broadcasting Service member stations across the nation as a "stand-alone" TV program, with a little extra embellishment.

The often-disquieting 52-minute film explores the struggles of moderate American Muslims at the hands of their radical brethren and gives details about a "parallel" Islamist society that is slowly but surely developing within the U.S. borders.

Good for them.

Mike

Ending 'Islamophobia'

Apropos the thoughtful discussion on the moral equivalence of terrorism that Craig started at Montana Politics, and the nebbish conversations going on by the clueless Left elsewhere, comes a salient primer by Dr. Tawfik Hamid, a onetime member of Jemaah Islamiya, an Islamist terrorist organization, a medical doctor and Muslim reformer living in the West.

Islamophobia could end when masses of Muslims demonstrate in the streets against videos displaying innocent people being beheaded with the same vigor we employ against airlines, Israel and cartoons of Muhammad. It might cease when Muslims unambiguously and publicly insist that Shariah law should have no binding legal status in free, democratic societies.

It is well past time that Muslims cease using the charge of "Islamophobia" as a tool to intimidate and blackmail those who speak up against suspicious passengers and against those who rightly criticize current Islamic practices and preachings. Instead, Muslims must engage in honest and humble introspection. Muslims should--must--develop strategies to rescue our religion by combating the tyranny of Salafi Islam and its dreadful consequences. Among more important outcomes, this will also put an end to so-called Islamophobia.

Read it all here.

Elsewhere, and in reference to a previous post on the delightful matter of Arab rejection of Palestinians comes another piece by an unusual source, the Editor in Chief of Pakistan Today and The Muslim World Today, President of Council for Democracy and Tolerance, an adjunct fellow of Hudson Institute, and a regular columnist for newspapers across the world. He is the author of eight books, including: History Of The World, Left Of The Center, Pakistan - An Unfinished Agenda, Mohammad - A secularist's View, Foreign Policy Of Pakistan, and Shadow Warriors - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Taliban. Tashbih Sayyed writes on Israel's Arab Citizens And The Jewish State.

Finally, in contrast to the rather asinine assertion that "spreading civility, diversity, and democracy" will tame the Islamist menace either at home or abroad, or that the US will not see a homegrown version of Islamism in the years to come, is a study found in what is hardly a bastion of "right-wing zealotry," or nocturnal incontinence for that matter, namely The Brown Journal of World Affairs: The Risk of Radicalization and Terrorism in U.S. Muslim Communities. The Table of Contents of the BJWA might also be used as a good starting point (hint: look under "Homegrown Terrorism") for additional study. Those who attempt to whitewash the threat simply have, as usual, nothing but the usual sophomoric platitudes so often promulgated by the clueless, the number increasing exponentially the closer one is to Missoula, Montana.

Mike

Holy Shia

I'm outraged, OUTRAGED I tell you, that neither Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, or the United Nations is taking up the plight of the Palestinian suffering at a refugee camp near Tripoli, Lebanon. I may be outraged...but certainly not surprised.

I guess when the bombing, shells, and bullets don't come from the business end of an Israeli gunship, airplane, rifle, or mortar it's a dog eat dog world out there, and in this case it's the Pali's who are wearing Milk Bone underwear. So much for the so-called unity of the Arab people behind the Palestinians.

Remember that these militants are not Shi'a with the Hezbollah tag-line. These are Sunni militants, and so now the Lebanese army is in conflict with the ultras in both of the Muslim sects in the country.

From the NYT comes a report that doesn't exactly put the Pali's in the warm embrace of the Lebanese.

"Many residents of Tripoli welcomed the Lebanese army into town, and onlookers clapped whenever tanks fired shells into the camp, bringing to surface long-standing tensions between Lebanese and Palestinians, who are blamed for setting off the civil war in 1975."

"'This should have happened from the start,' said one man, who stood in a crowd of onlookers as the tanks fired into the camp. The crowd shouted, 'God is great...God protect the army,' with each shell."

"'We wish the government would destroy the whole camp and the rest of the camps,' said Ahmad al-Marooq, who stood with the crowd. 'Nothing good comes out of the Palestinians.'"

Courtesy TNR's Peretz:

There are no pretenses here. The Sunni militants (both Palestinians and "from Bangladesh, Yemen and other Arab countries," a replay of the International Brigades) are firing heavy weapons that the army does not have and doing this from right in the middle of the Palestinian enclave. That is, in the midst of Palestinians who live there. The army is shooting right back. If there are civilians in the way, well, tiens! tiens!, as the Francophile Maronites might say. Human Rights Watch has not, as far as I can tell, protested against either of the sides.

Why not? Because, as with its attitude towards Hezbollah, Human Rights Watch doesn't really expect these players to respect any of the rules of war. And they are correct not to...because it won't happen, just won't. HRW is paradigmatic of those oh, so saintly NGOs that scream at the powers which already abide, more rather than less, by the war conventions while being silent towards the truly uncivilized warriors in the region. An old Yiddish saying comes to mind, "it will help, like a dead man, hot suction cups." It's more felicitous in the original.

By the way, if it is true that the army doesn't have "night-vision goggles and other sophisticated equipment," how could it possibly face down Hezbollah, armed with Syrian and Iranian ordinance, as it is supposed to do according to the Security Council cease-fire resolution late last summer? Well, of course, it hasn't.

Where have the Shi'a fanatics been in all of this? They are probably enjoying the war. It's probably on television, too.

The ongoing fighting between the Palestinian Arabs and the Lebanese army in Tripoli says a lot about a skewered sense of entitlement felt by Palestinian refugees in many of the countries that play host to them and not much about their gratitude, says Youssef Ibrahim, writing in the New York Sun.

Finally, comes an excellent piece by Ralph Peters in the New York Post on how the greatest danger to the Palestinians comes from within, not from Israel. A Taste for Terror, the long Palestinian suicide:

The truth is that other Arabs want the Palestinians to continue to suffer. It's useful as an excuse for all their failings. They have about as much sympathy for the refugees as all those good Germans had for the Jews whose real estate was suddenly available.

But the ultimate victims of this round of Palestinian violence are the Palestinians themselves.

After passing up so many chances for peace and statehood, they can no longer be classed as victims of Zionism. Yet the Palestinians are victims - of the other Arabs who exploit them and neglect them. And of the madmen spawned from their own kind.

If you need someone to blame for the current carnage, blame the Palestinian terrorists for whom violence has become a way of life (and death). Forget the rage of the dispossessed and all that sanctimonious claptrap. For the Palestinians preying upon their brethren, terror's a business.

And business is good.

Good indeed.
Mike

Poor Johnny

Poor John Edwards just can't seem to catch a break, and I can't say I'm losing any sleep over
it...and this is coming from someone who published a piece on his One America Committee blog over a year ago. Having reached the zenith of his campaign months ago it's been nothing but bad news the last few weeks.

Of course everyone remembers the $400 haircut but when even the San Francisco Chronicle proclaims that his "populist drive has hit a series of troubling land mines: a pair of $400 haircuts, a $500,000 paycheck from a hedge fund, and now a $55,000 payday for a speech on poverty to students at UC Davis...threatens to obliterate Edwards' dominant campaign theme. The former senator, who has been portrayed as the champion of the poor and the son of a humble mill worker, now faces the possibility that voters will have a different image: that of a millionaire trial lawyer who talks one way and lives another."

To further undermine Edwards "two-America's" mantra comes word of a study by the CBO of a fifteen-year period shows that the poorest 20% of American families received the most benefit from economic growth. Earnings increased for this economic stratum by 78%, more than three times the increase of the next three quintiles. This shows that a lightly managed capital market, a restriction on the crippling effects of government handouts, and a reduction in the tax burden creates more opportunities for all wage earners, including and especially those at the bottom. The CBO’s findings should help put to rest the notion that the poor are getting poorer. In fact, CBO’s analysis does not even include the value of Medicaid, food stamps or other forms of transfer payments the poor often receive that increase their standard of living.

In addition to the above, and in keeping with the spirit of Pirates of the Carribean 3 which was released today, and which I had to schlep to with the wife to keep in her good graces, is word that Cap'n Johnny is in for a little pirates booty himself. As a senior advisor and major investor in Odyssey Marine Research, he'll claim his share of the loot from a sunken 17th century galleon which was found at the bottom of the Atlantic last week.

I'll mention only in passing that Edwards, when asked about his opinion on gay rights, pretty much put Ann Coulter's thesis to rest, when in reply he said, "I'm not comfortable around those people."

More troubling, however, than being the simple son of a millworker who made it to the big leagues is word that in a recent foreign policy address, Edwards rejected the phrase "war on terror" as a "bumper sticker" and promised to restore the United States' standing around the world if he is elected president.

Edwards, in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, called the Bush terrorism doctrine a "sledgehammer" that has created more terrorists than it has eliminated. Edwards did not address the fact that he used the phrase "war on terror" during the 2004 campaign.

"The war on terror is a slogan designed only for politics -- it is not a strategy to make America safe," Edwards said . "It is a bumper sticker, not a plan. It has damaged our alliances and weakened our standing in the world."

Luckily for all of us, "John Edwards 2008," or "John Edwards For President" bumper stickers are as close as he's ever going to get in HIS plan to move to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Mike

This Weeks Torah Portion: Naso

Wishing ya'll a Shabbat Shalom!

Your friends at Chabad – Lubavitch,

Rabbi Chaim & Chavie


******
Join us Shabbat morning at 10:30; for our weekly Shabbat Torah class!
******

This week's double Torah portions: Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89)

******

For candle lighting time in your area:
http://fridaylight.org/page/sunset-almanac.php

******


Are Jews in construction?
By Rabbi Chaim

Reality hasn't really set in as we are still on a high from the wonderful Holiday of Shavuot. It was truly an unbelievable sight to see an overflowed room of people, gathering in Bozeman, to hear the Ten Commandments being read from the Torah, and then enjoying a traditional dairy meal. 3,319 years after G-d descended on Sinai and gave us the Torah, Jewish people from all across Montana joined in this wonderful celebration. We look forward to many more traditional Jewish events….But now to this week's Torah portion...

The Torah tells us "It was, the day that Moses finished erecting the Tabernacle, when he anointed it, sanctified it, along with all the utensils …". There were many intelligent architects and contractors involved in building G-d's home in the desert. There was Betzalel, Oholiav, and others, but it was to Moses –while high atop Mount Sinai – to whom G-d showed the blueprints of how exactly he wants his home built; and Moses didn't even mess up on one detail.

The Midrash relates an interesting conversation between Moses and G-d regarding the beams of the Tabernacle. Moses turned to G-d and said "How can a human being possibly erect these heavy beams"? To which G-d responded "Moses, you work with your hands and it will appear as if you are erecting it, but it will actually go up by itself". Indeed, a fascinating miracle, but why? This miracle seems absolutely superfluous? Let me explain:

In Egypt today we find the great pyramids built of exceptionally large stones. World history accepts the theory that these pyramids were built by the Jews when they were slaves in Egypt. We may draw support to this theory from the verse from Exodus 1:11"The Israelites were to build up the cities Pithom and Ra'amses as supply centers for Pharaoh", which Rashi translates: They strengthened them and fortified them to serve as store-cities . Store-cities must be built secure and strong to last many years. The stones must be large and strong, which is why in fact the pyramids are still standing today.

So, how were those giant stones moved and transported and then built into the pyramids? The answer is simply that many people worked on it together. In fact, the hieroglyphics in the pyramids pictorialize many slaves tied to ropes pulling the stones in unison. This presents us with an obvious question. Each one of the pyramid stones weighed much more than the beams of the Tabernacle. Why then was it necessary to evoke the miracle of having it "stand up on its own?"

The answer is quite simple: G-d wants us to serve him with joy and a gladdened heart. He doesn't want us to feel forced or pressured into following a Torah way of life. Pharaoh enslaved the Jews and forced them to do "breaking" labor. G-d does not condone such service. Yes, if the Jews were forced to they could've raised those beams, but that would be harsh labor. While it is true that at certain times a Jew must be ready for sacrifice, this is not the regular order of Jewish life. The regular order prescribes that a Jew does what he is capable of "and then the Holy One, Blessed be He, completes all the missing steps in a supernatural way".

Our loving G-d, wants us to enjoy serving Him. The more you study, pray, and involve yourself in Jewish life, the more you realize that He is not trying to make our life harder, but rather giving us great opportunities to connect to Him and he make it as easy as possible.

Just tell Him: Thank You!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of the United States wherever they may be. Chazak! L'Chaim!
*****

The ETorah is an educational project of
Chabad Lubavitch of Montana

This Weeks Torah Portion: Bamidbar

Wishing ya'll a Shabbat Shalom and a Happy Shavuot Celebration!

Your friends at Chabad – Lubavitch,

Rabbi Chaim & Chavie


******
Join us this Wednesday, May 23rd, as we celebrate the Giving of the Torah with a dairy dinner and ice cream sundaes:
http://www.JewishMontana.com/IceCreamParty

******

Join us Shabbat morning at 10:30; for our weekly Shabbat Torah class!
******

This week's double Torah portions: Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20)

******

For candle lighting time in your area:
http://fridaylight.org/page/sunset-almanac.php

******


Are all children "Special"?
By Rabbi Chaim

Could you imagine being at Sinai when G-d gave the Jewish people the Torah. I mean come-on, is there a Jew in the world who could see that and not be uplifted and inspired to follow the path of G-d? Well actually, every Jewish soul was at Sinai, and the Midrash tells us, that had one Jewish soul been missing, reducing the strength of that unity, G-d would never give it to us. It was the Jewish people as a whole that accepted this world renowned gift. It is on the holiday of Shavuot that we reawaken our G-dly spark, our soul, and remind her that she was at Sinai and rededicate ourselves to the Torah and Mitzvot G-d gave us on that glorious day 3,319 years ago.

Regarding the giving of the Torah there is a baffling Midrash:

Rabbi Meir said: When the Jews stood before Sinai to receive the Torah, G -d said to them : "I swear, I will not give you the Torah unless you provide worthy guarantors who will assure that you will observe its laws." The Jews responded, "Master of the world, our forefathers will be our guarantors!" "Your guarantors themselves require guarantors!" was G- d's reply.

"Master of the world," the Jews exclaimed, "our prophets will guarantee our observance of the Torah." "I have grievances against them, too.'The shepherds have rebelled against Me' (Jeremiah 2:8)," G- d replied . "Bring proper guarantors and only then will I give you the Torah."

As a last resort, the Jews declared, "our children will serve as our guarantors!" "They truly are worthy guarantors," G- d replied . "Because of them I will give the Torah."

At first glance one may wonder; our forefathers and our prophets aren't good enough? They were totally spiritual; they were wise and G-d fearing, the elite of our nation. Yet, instead, G-d chose little kids, and I ask you, what kind of dumb and irresponsible guarantor is that? While G-d is trying to safeguard the future of the Judaism, he relies on the children? I mean seemingly, it's insane?

However G-d is a savvy businessman. He knows that although elderly people may have more time on their hands to study Torah, they would choose golf and the Virgin Islands way before G-d. Our Prophets? Our Rabbi's? Not a chance, they are so busy dealing with their congregations, they can easily forget who they REALLY work for. So the Jewish people offer their children as those that will guarantee Jewish continuity, it is then and only then that G-d said "Now we're talking business, now I believe we have a future".

If we make sure that every Jewish child receives a proper Jewish education, and learns all about their wonderful heritage and traditions, then we have hope. G-d believes in the spirituality and awareness of a child and if they are infused with a love for Torah from a very young age, they will grow to be the leaders of a Jewish tomorrow. So this Wednesday bring your child to hear the Ten Commandments.

It is Spiritual Health Care for Children!


May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of the United States wherever they may be. Chazak! L'Chaim!
*****

The ETorah is an educational project of
Chabad Lubavitch of Montana

Self Inflicted Naqba

Filed under the heading of schadenfreude it has indeed been interesting to read of the unravelling of what passes for a government in the Pali occupied areas, and how even in recent weeks and days even their staunchest supporters are ducking for cover and demanding fundamental change.

First comes yet another anti-Zionist diarist from the online socialist playpen otherwise known as Daily Kos. The diarist complains that the PTB at Daily Kos are deleting posts and diaries from some of the more anti-Semitic writers in their community who post on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Claiming that Sabbah and others, " ...have attempted to engage in sincere and honest debate about the conflict. They have done nothing wrong - on the contrary, they have made a valuable contribution to the site," though is a bit of a stretch, especially when you consider the posts by Sabbah on her own blog as anything but honest and sincere.

The diarist at DK laments: "In an unintended irony, the bannings took place on May 15 - Naqba Day. Daily Kos's own mini-purge happened on the very day Palestinians commemorate their expulsion from their homes in what is today the State of Israel."

Let me permit Alan Dershowitz to educate the smegma at DK and elsewhere on Naqba Day.

The Naqba was indeed a catastrophe, but it was a self-inflicted wound. The Palestinian Naqba was a direct result of the refusal of the Palestinian and Arab leadership to accept the two state solution offered by the United Nations in 1947-48. The UN divided what remained of Palestine, after Trans-Jordan was carved out of it, into two states of roughly equal size (the Israelis got slightly more actual land, but the Palestinians got considerably more arable land).

Israel would control territories in which Jews were a majority, while the Palestinians would control territories in which Arabs were a majority. Israel accepted the partition and declared statehood. Palestinians rejected statehood and attacked Israel with the help of all the surrounding Arab countries.

In the process of defending their new state, Israel lost 1% of its population (1 out of every 100 Israelis were killed). In the ensuing war - a war declared to be genocidal by Israel’s enemies - 700,000 Palestinians left their homes, some voluntarily, some at the urging of Palestinian leaders and some forced out by the Israeli military.

None of these people would have had to leave Israel had the Palestinians and other Arabs been willing to accept the two state solution. It was indeed a catastrophe for all sides, but the catastrophe was caused by the Palestinians and Arabs.

In the aftermath of the war, Jordan occupied the West Bank and Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip. There were no United Nations condemnations of these occupations though they were brutal and denied the Palestinians autonomy and sovereignty. Only when Israel occupied these lands, following a defensive war against Egypt and Jordan, did the occupation become a source of international concern.

This is the reality. This is the historical truth. And the world should understand that this particular catastrophe, as distinguished from others like the Holocaust, could easily have been prevented had the Palestinians wanted their own state more than they wanted to see the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel.

The Germans don’t celebrate the catastrophe resulting from their invasion of Poland. Japanese do not celebrate their catastrophe resulting from the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Why do Palestinians celebrate their catastrophe resulting from the Arab attack against Israel?

It makes one wonder how anyone with even a modicum of decency can still support these people. Here's what Abdel Hakim Awad said of Hamas: "All (Hamas) are killers from top to bottom, all are implicated." He went on to charge, according to Ha'aretz, that "the Islamist group wanted to turn Gaza into a new Somalia or Darfur." And then what? These are not happy analogies. The world will be indifferent and blame Israel for either not preventing it, or stepping in to prevent the bloodbath.

Another Fatah spokesman, Abu Qusai, pronounced the unity government a "lie." "There is no unity in the Palestinian people." Just what I've been saying for years.

Avi Issacharoff was for some time the Ha'aretz correspondent in Gaza. He is a dove. Of course, he is now watching Gaza from the outside. But his thoughts always have moral and strategic authority with me. In an article in Thursday's paper, he comes to the conclusion that there is "No other solution for Gazans but Israeli occupation."

I hope not. Frankly, I don't want Jewish soldiers and civilians dying for a respite from war between Hamas and Fatah.

But reliance on Israel for peace in Gaza is also the implication of the article by Palestinian AP journalist Ibrahim Barzak.

Ibrahim Barzak works for the AP out of Gaza City in the Gaza Strip. He is a Palestinian. He has reported on many horrors over the years. "I have seen a lot in my years as a journalist in Gaza, but this is the worst I have seen."

What is this "worst?" Some of the usual, of course. And the not quite so usual, the highly unusual. "Now they are arresting or even shooting people for the way they look. If you have a beard, you might be arrested by Fatah security for the way they look. If you have a chain around your neck or on your arm, Hamas gunmen might shoot you because you look secular."

All of this is going after the umpteenth cease-fire had been declared.

Let's face facts. Only if you are "Eyeless in Gaza" can you believe that these people are a "nation." Barzak, fortunately, is not eyeless at all.

There is a certain logic to this, of course. There were no Palestinians until there were Israelis. And there will be no Palestine until Israel imposes it. Then it will be a nation-state like most of the other non-nation-states in the Middle East. Yes, a fraudulent nation-state. Thus far, Egypt's Mubarak has washed his hands of the entire Palestinian problem, and Jordan's King Abdullah, perhaps the last best chance the Pali's have for gaining any legitimacy and stability, cancelled a flight into Ramallah because of "bad weather," when it was obvious the weather had nothing to do with it. Just how bad must it be for your "government" when your friends won't have anything to do with you? Abdullah was clearly not eager to fly into another and different kind of storm. And the storm was the same one that has been raging off and on for many months in Gaza between Abbas' Fatah faction and Hamas.

This article was filed by Steven Erlanger to the Times on-line a few days ago.

Yes, Palestine is an utter fiction. Erlanger does not say that. But that's what his smart and precise article says.

Frankly, the only hopeful note is that Jordan may take over as steward of the West Bank, sort of a mandate for Arab Palestine on the West Bank. The King would really rule, and no one would complain about the hardships experienced by the locals. Maybe the "weather" will improve!

But, believe me, Egypt won't touch Gaza even if the U.S. gives Cairo another annual stipend of $3 billion. Nothing would be worth dealing with the gunmen of Gaza.

The facts on the ground, as some of us have been saying for months...and years, are that the Pali's are simply not capable of self-government, and maybe never will be. The Civil War in Gaza and elsewhere in the Pali occupied territories, coupled with the daily launching of dozens of Kassam rockets into Sderot and other Israeli cities portends another reluctant Israeli incursion into the territories not only for self defense, but in essence to keep the Pali's from doing to each other what they've been doing to Israeli's for a decade.

This will no doubt provide fodder to the myriad of DK diarists, and others on the socialist left, to criticize Israel for her good intentions. Perhaps they should take a lesson from the 200 Gaza residents who decided their "human shield" tactics worked so well against the Israelis, they would try it to stop the shooting between rival terrorists in Gaza:

"Just as we used to protect you from the occupation by acting as human shields, we have come to protect you from yourselves," one protester shouted at gunmen, referring to instances when Palestinian civilians positioned themselves between militants and Israeli forces.

The gunmen used it as an opportunity to refine their technical skills, injuring approximately 15 of them. Perhaps Britney Spears "Oops, I did it again" was their theme music?

See also: Gaza City: "A City of Corpses and Ghosts"

"Even during the Israeli occupation the situation wasn't this terrible," says Um Mohammed, praying for an end to the lethal Palestinian infighting raging outside her Gaza City home. Fear reigns throughout the city, deserted but for prowling groups of armed men, loyal to rivals Hamas or Fatah, living on a daily diet of ambushes, kidnappings and assassinations. Dozens of snipers on the rooftops of the tallest buildings open fire seemingly on anything that moves. "We can't go near the window, let alone on the balcony. We have all become targets," says Um Mohammed. "This is a city of corpses and ghosts."

Mike

KMSP-KATL

Uneventful flight from KMSP to KATL. I arrived at around 11 AM for the 10 hour layover and was met by one of my employees out of Tifton, GA, that I may have fired if I had to spend 10 hours in this place. Luckily we ditched what passes for an airport (it's more of a petri dish...with airplanes) and I was taken to a legendary place in downtown Atlanta I was first introduced to years ago through the writing of Lewis Grizzard.


The Varsity, a southern landmark, serves food only a cardiologists accountant would approve of. Rumor has it the place cooks 2 miles worth of hot dogs and fries tons of potatoes and onions a day. With room for 600+ cars outside, 800+ patrons inside, and serving 30,000+ during Georgia Tech football games it's a behemoth by any standard. Usually a certain something in quality is sacrificed when a greasy spoon gets too big for it's own good, but I'm happy to report that nothing about the quality or quantity of the food at The Varsity.


Two dogs, a bowl of chili, and plate of onion rings later I was ready not only for a long nap but a drive-thru angioplasty. The folks at The Varsity couldn't have been more friendly if they lived in Mayberry (perhaps some of them did) and I most assuredly have another haunt next time I'm in Hotlanta.

On the return from Rio I'm in the market for some good soul food: greens of any variety, black-eyed peas, even sweet tea served in a Mason Jar, you name it, I'm game. Any suggestions would be most welcome...and I'll keep my cardiologist on stand-by.

Mike

Hello Brasil

I'm off to Brasil for a few days for business. NWA from Minneapolis to Atlanta and Delta from Atlanta to Rio, Seat 2A on both flights if you're interested. I'll spend a day in Rio coming and going, and will be renting a plane for the flight from Rio to Mato Grosso and back.

With any luck I'll have some access during the trip, and I know my hosts below the equator are wired, so I'll provide a peek at the scenery...

on the flip side.

Shalom Y'all,

Mike

Vive l'Jihad

It's almost O'Reilly-esque, but this time comes from the so-called freedom loving "Religion of Peace." A jihadi website now claims that France deserves the nightly riots and 700+ car burnings by "youths" (read-Muslim youths) because, well, they elected a Jew.

Yeah...I'm the hater. FU!
That he met with pResident Bush is just further evidence that Sarkozy is part of the Great Conspiracy against the Religion of Peace.
Kippah-Tip: Internet Haganah.

Mike

Kindergarten, Hamas-style

Darfur: denial (and hope?) from the usual suspects

Rabbi Bruk mentioned Darfur in his most recent post concerning the weekly Torah portion and I thought it therefore might be appropriate to highlight how the Arab press is BOTH positively and negatively covering the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Darfur in the Arab Press


The ongoing massacre in Darfur, which has been raging since 2003, receives scant coverage in most of the Arab media. The few articles that appear on the subject generally minimize the importance of reports on the ethnic cleansing in the region,(1) and most of them characterize the international efforts to stop the bloodshed in Darfur as a Western, American, or Zionist plot aimed at seizing the country's natural resources.(2) Furthermore, the extensive coverage of Darfur in the Western media is portrayed in these articles as an attempt to divert the attention of international opinion from events in Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, and Somalia.

Nonetheless, on occasion some sharply critical articles are published which condemn the Arab media's indifference to the events in Darfur.(3) These articles urge the Arab countries to drop the conspiracy theories and support the international community's efforts to stop the bloodshed in the region.

A similar criticism of the Arab press was heard at a workshop headed "Covering the Darfur Crisis," held in Cairo on April 19, 2007 under the auspices of the International Crisis Group and the American University in Cairo. Academics, researchers, and Arab journalists who took part in the workshop claimed that the Arab media pays insufficient attention to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, both in comparison with the Western media and in comparison with the amount of attention devoted by the Arab media to Iraq, the PA, and Lebanon. It was also claimed that there is no in-depth discussion in the Arab media of the political, economic, social, and historical dimensions of the subject, and that the Arab media merely presents superficial and inaccurate reports and describes the entire issue as a "Western conspiracy."(4)

A. In Defense of the Sudanese Actions in Darfur:

The Western Interest in Darfur is a Conspiracy; The Lobby to Save Darfur is the Israel Lobby; Only 200,000 Have Been Killed


Al-Gomhouriya: Darfur – Not a Humanitarian Tragedy, But a Cover for the Western Attempt to Redraw the Map of the Arab World to Suit Its Interests

An editorial in the official Egyptian newspaper Al-Gomhouriya stated that the description of events in Darfur as a humanitarian tragedy is aimed at cloaking the West's campaign to redraw the map of the Arab world in accordance with its own interests:

"Washington and London asked yesterday to convene the Security Council and to ratify sanctions on Sudan because of the Darfur crisis. American President George Bush threatened the President of Sudan, and accused him of failing to deliver on his promises to find a solution to the crisis.

"This took place at a time when, in Iraq, there are hundreds of Iraqis being killed every day under the nightmare of the American occupation, which has turned Baghdad into the capital of death. In addition, dozens of Somalis are being killed in Mogadishu under the Ethiopian occupation, which the Security Council did not dare to condemn...

"The issue of Darfur, which the West has described as a humanitarian tragedy, has become a cover for what is really being planned and carried out by the Western forces of hegemony and control in our Arab world. They aim to redraw the map [of the Arab world] in accordance with their interests and with the interests of Israel, without taking into account the true humanitarian crises that will be caused as a result."(5)


Al-Hayat Columnist: "The Lobby to Save Darfur" is Just a Nickname for the Israel Lobby

Jihad Al-Khazen, former editor and now columnist for the London daily Al-Hayat, claimed that the Israel lobby is exploiting the victims of Darfur in order to divert the world's attention from crimes being committed in Palestine and Iraq:

"In New York, Darfur is the most important issue in the world... In the subway tunnels and the streets, there are thousands of posters screaming 'genocide' and '400,000 people dead,' and there are ads in the newspapers and on television. The save-Darfur lobby claims that it includes 180 organizations representing 130 million Americans, and that its aim is to pressure Congress and the administration to stop this 'genocide' and punish the Khartoum government.

"Darfur is a terrible humanitarian disaster that should not be played down, and I myself am not doing so. However, the U.N. itself said that [only] 200,000 have been killed and that what has been done [in Darfur] was war crimes, not genocide.

"I choose to believe the U.N. rather than the save-Darfur lobby, because [the save-Darfur lobby] is just a nickname for the Israel lobby. [Its] goal is to divert attention from Israel's crimes, or from the disaster of the war in Iraq.

"The U.S. war in Iraq has killed, according to a medical estimate, 655,000 Iraqis. That is, more than three times the number of dead in Darfur, and perhaps five times, if we believe the higher estimate of nearly one million victims. Yet we do not see posters in New York for the Iraqi victims, nor read about 'genocide' or a [hear any] call to punish the war cabal on charges of genocide, or at the least for war crimes...

"In Darfur, the victims are Muslims. There are 200,000 Muslims killed by Muslims. This lobby, whether of Israel or Darfur, does not defend them. It uses them as a smokescreen to obscure the other crimes stretching from Palestine to Iraq. The Israel lobby has, after all, been very active in the pursuit of war and still [continues to] defend it – that is, it still supports the killing of young American [soldiers] in an unjustified war to protect Israel's security.

"Thus, the U.S. press is not interested [in Darfur] because the victims are Arabs and Muslims; [rather], the lobby's [aim is] to prevent any in-depth discussion and to divert the attention from the crimes being committed every day in Palestine and Iraq."(6)


Senior Qatari Journalist: There is No Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur

Sudanese journalist Babker 'Issa, editor of the Qatari daily Al-Raya, also expressed suspicion over the U.S.'s motives in Darfur:

"The American public is showing extraordinary interest in the events in Darfur. The American administration shares this interest, as though the events [in Darfur] are meant to hide America's incompetence in Iraq, to divert attention away from Israel's actions in the occupied territories... or to disguise the daily massacres being committed in Somalia... We all know that the U.S. is pursuing its own interests in the world... and that there is no dimension of morality in American policy...

"The popular and official American interest in Darfur is exaggerated, especially as there is no ethnic cleansing being perpetrated [there, contra to] what is said in the American media and in official speeches. We acknowledge that great instability has taken hold in Darfur in the course of clashes between the Sudanese government, rebel movements and the Janjaweed – but this can not be described as ethnic cleansing or as mass annihilation of the African tribes...

"In addition, the steps taken by the American administration and the British government against Khartoum, while ignoring the rebel forces who refused [to sign] the Abuja agreement(7), are cause for wonder."(8)


B. An Appeal to the Arab and Muslim Conscience:

The Arabs Need Shock Therapy to Wake Up Their Conscience; Had It Not Been for the Efforts of the West and of the International Community, Many of Us Would Have Turned into Wild Beasts; The Tyranny and Despotism of the Sudanese Regime, Its Exclusion of the Other, and Its Defiled Thinking Are the Reasons for Sudan's Problems


Palestinian Intellectual Khaled Al-Kharoub: "Our Conscience Needs Shock Therapy Until It Wakes Up and Says: No to the Cheap Taking of Life in Darfur!"

In an article titled "The Arabs and the Racist Indifference towards the Tragedy in Darfur" in the UAE daily Al-Ittihad, Palestinian intellectual and researcher Khaled Al-Kharoub harshly condemned the indifference of the Arab media and intellectuals towards the events in Darfur: "Hardly any of us is innocent of the racist indifference towards the crimes against humanity that have been committed [in Darfur] in the last four years, in full view of the Arabs and the Muslims. This issue hardly receives any attention in [our] media... Our media, our writers, and our intellectuals (myself included) – whether in the satellite [TV channels] and the written press or at [various] conventions and academic conferences – devote minimal attention to Darfur, to the daily developments and [ongoing] crimes being committed there. Many are content to take a narrow and despicable [approach], shrilly repeating the old familiar [claim that the entire affair is] a Western plot against Sudan... If [the whole affair] is indeed a Western plot, and all of us (including the Sudanese government, of course) have 'exposed' it, then why is [the Sudanese government], up to this very moment, exacerbating [the crisis] and contributing to the perpetuation of the daily bloodbath?...

"What is happening in Darfur is an ongoing disaster. The body count [in Darfur] at the end of the day is sometimes higher than in Iraq, Palestine, and all the other Arab countries put together. The victims of Darfur are nameless statistics... How can we – not only as Arabs and Muslims but as human beings – take such a conciliatory [approach] towards this affair, with so many [people] being killed every day? [How can we] ignore the number of victims? Are not human dignity and human life the most sacred values by to every criterion, every holy book, and every faith on the face of the planet? Our conscience (and above all my own) needs shock therapy until it wakes up and says: No to the cheap taking of life in Darfur!

"Stopping the cycle of violence in Darfur is a goal of supreme [importance] that must be achieved quickly. Why has [human] life become so cheap and valueless? This goal must be achieved, through [intervention] of U.N., African or Western forces. The claim that the sovereignty [of Sudan] is sacred, and must be protected even at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, is a stupid and weak claim. A country and government that allows 200,000 of its citizens to be murdered on its own soil within four years – and even takes part in the chain of killing – must be held accountable.

"All of us who read, write and take part in the [shaping of] so-called Arab public opinion [must be considered] accomplices to the crime... We must hear the [cries of] anguish rising from Darfur and empathize with the [victims'] suffering. [We must] try to reach out and help, raise our voices in condemnation and demand that the governments in the region – which are even more complicit than we – undertake effective action. The respectable Arab League, which is quicker to defend the sovereignty of governments than the sovereignty of peoples, is also guilty... We must place the good of peoples before the good of governments, and prefer people to live instead of [letting them] die while we keep silent in the face of their murderers' [crimes]. Indeed, it may even be said that we are taking a hand in their murder."(9)


Kuwaiti Columnist Dr. Khaled Al-Janfawi: "How Have We Arabs and Muslims [Managed to] Deteriorate to Such a Degree that the Suffering and Distress of Others Pass Before Our Eyes as Though They Were Nothing?"

In an article in the daily Al-Siyassa, Kuwaiti columnist Dr. Khaled Al-Janfawi condemned the Arab world's lack of empathy towards the victims of Darfur, and commended the involvement of the international community:

"The suffering of the children, the elderly, the women, and the other innocent victims in Darfur is an ongoing human tragedy, and the truth about it is known to all: This is the anguish, the poverty, the pain and the spiritual and physical sickness suffered by people in the Arab and Muslim countries. The question we will attempt to answer [in this article] is how we Arab and Muslims [have managed to] deteriorate to such a degree that the suffering and distress of others can pass before our eyes though they were nothing. How did [so] many of us lose [their sense of] compassion and pity, so that their hearts hold not [even] a drop of empathy towards human [suffering] – neither [the suffering] of unfortunates who live here among us in the Arab and Muslim countries, nor that of [people] living in other countries.

"The tragedy in Darfur... and the Arab silence [in the face of this tragedy], raise questions as to what is happening in this wretched region, and demonstrate unequivocally that if it weren't for the efforts of the West and of the international community, many of us would have turned into wild animals that devour one another...

"The international community is now asking for more financial aid and greater diplomatic efforts on the part of the Arab and Muslim governments, as well as other countries, in order to alleviate the distress and the spreading famine... This request provides a last chance for us Arabs and Muslims to improve our image in the eyes of the international community."(10)


Moroccan Columnist: The Tyranny of the Sudanese Regime, Its Despotism, Its Exclusion of the Other, and Its Defiled Thinking Are the Reasons for Sudan's Problems

'Asasi Abd Al-Hamid, Moroccan Berber columnist for the reformist website www.rezgar.com, mocked the Sudanese foreign minister's declaration accusing the Jews of inventing the Darfur crisis:

"'It is the Jews who were behind the invention of the Darfur crisis,' claimed Sudanese Foreign minister Mustapha 'Othman Isma'il in a statement to the international press, publicly accusing the Jews of being behind the Darfur crisis. He added that he had solid proof of the truth of his words.

"Statements of this kind do not amaze, especially from a senior [figure] like the Sudanese foreign minister – indeed, we have already become accustomed to them. Whenever the fascist Arab regimes fail in developing their countries and in providing wellbeing and security for their citizens, they project their failures on those whom Allah condemned, and first of all the Jews. Whenever these regimes – which are haunted by a single specter and by perverted Salafist thought – are powerless to provide a life of dignity to their peoples, they blame their historic enemies – and who are these but the dastardly Jews...

"Sixteen million Jews are responsible for all the crises... – from Malaysia in the east to Casablanca in the west – which afflict the nation of the Merciful [Allah] numbering 1.5 billion. Is it logical that such a tiny number of Jews, comparable to a miniscule point in a broad lake, [can] hold such a [great] measure of craftiness, cunning, and evil that it can shock the security of the countries in the region?...

"[I tell you,] Mustapha 'Othman: Sudan's problems – particularly the Darfur crisis – are the consequence of the tyrannical regime that has risen to power in Khartoum time and again, [and are the consequence] of your [regime's] inability to formulate a serious plan for comprehensive development in which the citizen will be a partner, and of the failure to give the [various] regions of Sudan the possibility of conducting their own affairs under a regional government that respects the uniqueness of each region.

"Your [regime's] tyranny and despotism, [its] exclusion of the other, and [its] defiled thinking are the reasons [for Sudan's problems]. Therefore, it is no wonder that you state that the Jews are working to divide Sudan, are striving to spread AIDS amongst the youth, are planning to poison the Nile in order to destroy your [regime], and are engaged in conspiring against [it].(11)


Endnote:

(1) The Qatari daily Al-Raya is an exception in this regard and covers the Darfur conflict extensively.

(2) See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 761, "Egyptian Government Papers: The American Intervention in Darfur Is a Plot to Control the Sudanese Oil," August 10, 2004, http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP76104.

(3) See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 736, "Former Editor of Major Arab Daily on Arab Indifference to the Violence in Sudan," June 30, 2004, http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP73604 .

(4) www.alarabiya.net/articlep.aspx?p=33759, April 22, 2007.

(5) Al-Gomhouriya (Egypt), April 20, 2007.

(6) Al-Hayat (London), April 13, 2007.

(7) The Abuja agreement was signed on November 9, 2004, in an attempt to bring an end to the Darfur conflict.

(8) Al-Raya (Qatar), April 20, 2007.

(9) Al-Ittihad (UAE), April, 16, 2007.

(10) Al-Siyassa (Kuwait), April 28, 2007.

(11) http://www.rezgar.com/deb

Mike

This Week's Double Torah Portions: Behar - Bechukotai

Wishing ya'll a Shabbat Shalom!

Your friends at Chabad – Lubavitch,

Rabbi Chaim & Chavie

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Due to the Regional Rabbi's conference in Seattle , the Shabbat morning Torah study will resume on May 19th.

Join us, this Tuesday, May 15th, as we delve into the wisdom of our sages:
http://www.JewishMontana.com/PirkeiAvot

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This week's double Torah portions: Behar - Bechukotai (Leviticus 25:1-27:34)

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For candle lighting time in your area:
http://fridaylight.org/page/sunset-almanac.php

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Why are Jews busy with Darfur?
By Rabbi Chaim

Baruch Hashem, we had a beautiful Lag B'Omer outing in Bozeman, we ate delicious B.B.Q.'d food, we socialized in a Jewish atmosphere, and we sang songs around the bon-fire. With no time to rest we are off the next Jewish Holiday of Shavuot. On May 23 rd we will gather to hear the Ten Commandments being read from the Torah; as we enjoy a first class dairy buffet dinner. It is on Shavuot, that we once again affirm our vows to G-d and His Torah; and accept upon ourselves the ultimate Law and Order, as dictated by our Heavenly Father. The Torah – which has been a best seller for over 3,000 years – demands of us to follow the rules and Mitzvos, and as importantly, to be kind and compassionate to our fellow human beings. As we see in this week's Torah portion:

The Torah tells us how to treat and behave towards slaves, both Jewish and non Jewish. Interesting enough, Maimonides, the great codifier of Jewish Law, writes "While it may be permissible to give non-Jewish slaves harsh labor, nevertheless, kindness and intelligence dictate that a person should be merciful and pursue justice. Therefore, he should not overburden his slave or distress him, and he should feed him with all types of food and drink. The sages of old used to feed their slaves from every single dish that they were eating, and they would feed their animals and slaves before feeding themselves…One should not be too loud or get angry with them. Rather one should speak with them gently, and listen to their complaints…" G-d and His Torah are very considerate; and although one may technically do as he wishes to his slave, it is totally against our inherited Jewish attribute of kindheartedness.

The Talmud tells us that every Jewish person inherently has three natural character traits "They are merciful; they do deeds of kindness, and are bashful…. ". Who are the first to help the people of Darfur? Who were the first on hand at Katrina and at the Tsunami? Who tried to help the Egyptian ship that capsized? Yes, it was the Jews. Torah teaches us to always forgive people who have behaved inappropriately to us. Furthermore, if someone is stubborn and nasty to others, one must wonder if he is indeed Jewish…Because Jews are kind, giving, and forgiving.

So you wonder, why does the Torah, G-d's wisdom have to dictate such simple behavior to us. Wouldn't any good person – Jewish or non-Jewish- behave this way to his slave anyways? The answer is nope, not necessarily. Look at Maimonides words "kindness and intelligence dictate that a person should be merciful", if we would only use our intelligence, one would say that I must overwork my slave with harsh labor to keep him in the proper slave mode, where he recognizes his inferior position; and obeys all his masters' decrees precisely. That is why the Torah insists on the fusion of "intelligence" and "kindness", by combining those two important components together, you get a smart master, who treats his slave so well, that the slave is overly happy to serve his master.

Judaism doesn't tell you what you must do, because it's your slave, but rather it realize on your instincts to treat the slave, even if he is a idol worshipper, as you would like to be treated.

There is a Chassidic Yiddish "Vos Men Tor Nit, Tor Men Nit, Un Vos Men Meg, Darf Men Nit "; "what's forbidden is forbidden, and what's allowed isn't necessary…

Allow yourself to be overly kind, that's who you really are anyways!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of the United States wherever they may be. Chazak! L'Chaim!
*****

The ETorah is an educational project of
Chabad Lubavitch of Montana

Linkage

LBP friend Alan Dershowitz lays out a case on the sad and pathetic legacy of Jimmy Carter.

Surprise! The United States spies on Israel more than Israel spies on the United States. Who'd have thunk? Kind of flies in the face of Justin Raimondo's (of the despicable antiwar.com) piece in the 5/7 issue of The American Conservative.

Décision 2007. France elects a conservative with Jewish roots as it's next president. I guess that's what happens following months of unrest at the hands of jeunesses musulmanes terribles. France now, finally, begins the initial experiment among the western powers in dethroning the cult of multiculturalism. Majorities have a right, even an obligation, to preserve their own ethics, norms, cultures and histories. They have a right to define the qualifications for membership in and even admission to their societies. This will be the struggle of the 21st century. And not just in France.

MSP's Metropolitain Airport Commission gives the middle finger to Muslim cabbies who had demanded the right to refuse passengers who carried alcohol in their baggage. Good for them!

Yid With Lid writes of the results of Israel's Winograd Report, sans the juvenile references to Glenn Greenwald's assumptions of what it means. I'll listen to an Israeli General over an American attorney anyday.

It's truly remarkable, the things the Zionists Ate My Baby diaries on Daily Kos produce. Who knew the Democratic Party had a tent big enough to include this?

Aussie Sheik: It's OK to kill kids in battle. Where's the outrage from the usual suspects on the left, or in the Pali territories? Oh yeah... Hamas Television is using a clone of Disney’s Mickey Mouse to teach children to hate Israel and America, and aspire to Islam’s inevitable and impending world domination.



While we're on the subject, there are many who stupidly claim Israel should make peace at any cost with Hamas and the Pali's, despite the fact they just don't know when to keep their mouths shut:

Hamas: “The extermination of the Jews is good for the inhabitants of the worlds.”

PA Leader calls for killing all Jews and Americans

Judaism based on murder “I kill, therefore I am”, says Hamas representative

PA Holocaust denial in new PA schoolbooks: WWII without a Holocaust

Special thanks to the folks at the COD FBO for putting up with me, the better half, and the terrible Terrier for 2 nights and giving me first priority for TO back home following the storm and winds.

Mike

I'm With Imus

I've been out of the loop for a week but was brought blissfully back from hiatus with the news of Don Imus suing CBS for breach of contract.

The former radio host called the Rutgers University women's basketball team "nappy headed hos" on his early morning show last month, stirring an uproar about the remarks that many people found racially offensive.

"He has said similar things before. So you can't say there was anything different, and the guys who were operating the delay button understood that," Garbus said.

"CBS basically approved the language," he added.

Imus is expected to file a $40 million breach-of-contract suit against CBS next week, the New York Times reported on Friday.

CBS knew what they were dealing with when they initially hired and approved the contract with Imus. I don't agree with what Imus said, and if I may interject a bit of personal down-homedness into the subject...could never understand until only a few years ago why many Hip-Hop and Rap "artists" (and I use that term loosely) used the word "ho," which to me meant a garden implement and form of childhood punishment along the lines of "go ho(e) the garden until it's clean of weeds."

By not censoring the comment at the time, CBS in a sense did endorse it, and only after it blew up in their faces, following the feigned outrage of reprobate Al Sharpton. From his promotion of Tawana Brawley's hoax and his defamation of Steven Pagones and Robert Abrams, to his defense of the Central Park "wilding" rapists, to his role in the pogroms leading to the murders of Yankel Rosenbaum in Crown Heights and eight victims in Freddy's Fashion Mart in Harlem, Sharpton has compiled a record that should result in his excommunication by decent people from civil society.

If nothing else, Imus' lawsuit will hopefully show CBS/Viacom and others to not yield to the threats of boycott from the single biggest polluter of public life in America today.

Mike

NAFTA Boosts Ag Trade

Every village needs an idiot and G-d knows Helena has it's fair share, the number incresing exponentially everytime the legislature is in session, but none stand out in my mind more than the rebarbative David Sirota of Day Spring Loop.

Everytime I hear his name I vomit just a little bit in my mouth...and I wish I knew why. I don't know if it's the news of political dirty tricks he was involved with in Philadelphia or just the itinerate political nature of claiming Montana as home, when we all thankfully know he'll pack his parasitic bags (and arrange a job for his wife) with the next politician cum victim who helps him further his agenda following his, oops, I mean his wife's departure, in 2012 when the governor is term limited out of office.

Despite his promotion of class warfare and stance on free trade it does indeed seem like some good news is coming from NAFTA.

The North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994, says Texas Extension professor and economist Jose Pena Uvalde, and during that time, "agricultural trade with Canada and Mexico has more than doubled. Canada and Mexico are now the No.1 and No.2 U.S. trading partners, moving ahead of Japan," Pena says. The importance of NAFTA and other regional trade agreements takes on added significance, he says, in light of the suspension of the Doha Round of trade negotiations. He says NAFTA and the Central American Free Trade Agreement-Dominican Republic, implemented in 2007, offers "new trade opportunities and challenges."

As a sugar producer I had my misgivings about NAFTA and CAFTA. However, following their implementation I have seen my bottom line grow, which is all that matters to someone involved in the kind of business I am involved in. Period.

Now, I'd prefer Sirota go back to where he belongs...somewhere between the large and small intestine of those, whom without the kind of power worshipping he hypocritically abhors in others but not in himself...lest he and the little lady be unemployed, and STFU.

Mike

This Week's Double Torah Portions: Emor

Wishing ya'll a Shabbat Shalom!

Your friends at Chabad – Lubavitch,

Rabbi Chaim & Chavie



Join us for a Shabbat morning class in Bozeman:
www.JewishMontana.com/TorahClasses

THIS SUNDAY the Grand Lag B'Omer BBQ and Bonfire:
www.JewishMontana.com/LagBomer

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This week's double Torah portions: Emor (Leviticus 21:1-24:23)

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For candle lighting time in your area:
http://fridaylight.org/page/sunset-almanac.php

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Just be positive!
By Mrs. Chavie Bruk

This Sunday, we will G-d Willing celebrate the Joyous day of Lag B'Omer. Jewish families celebrate with lavish B.B.Q.'s, bon-fires, and the hair-cutting of all three year old boys. In Bozeman, we will be having a wonderful event at the home of the Sharber's, and we look forward to hosting you there. Due to my unexpected visit to the Whitehouse yesterday, I asked my dear wife Chavie to write this week's Torah thought, she did a wonderful job, and I am sure you will enjoy it.

I am sure many of you are wondering "Why do we celebrate Lag B'Omer"?

One reason given is because on that day (33rd day of the Omer), the plague in which 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students perished, came to an end. What caused this terrible epidemic? Our sages say this terrible tragedy was caused by the failure of these great sages to relate to each other respectfully. Now this is very surprising! Rabbi Akiva epitomized the Mitzvah of Ahavat Yisroel, "Love your neighbor as yourself"; he truly believed that this is The fundamental principle of the Torah. If so, it seems quite ironic that his students strayed so drastically from his teachings; which resulted in their death?

Chassidut explains that every person is unique in their way of speaking, behaving, and thinking. So it is only normal that everyone approaches the service of G-d and the fulfillment of His commandments, differently. For example, some are motivated by the love of G-d; while others are inspired by the awe of him. Similarly, Rabbi Akiva's students each had their own unique approach of the Divine service. Being that they were highly developed and intellectual individuals they internalized their approach to the extent that it permeated their everyday actions. They were so immersed in their own way of serving G-d, that they perceived any other path as incorrect. Because they were students of Rabbi Akiva and he emphasized the commandment of "Love your neighbor as yourself", they couldn't bear to see their colleagues serving G-d in a different way, a way that they interpreted as wrong. So each one tried to push their idea of serving G-d on their fellow, however none of them would change. The tension between them escalated to the point they did not show each other the proper respect.

There are several lessons we can learn from the story of Rabbi Akiva's students. Although they made a mistake by not showing their fellow the proper respect, if they had been passive about their service of G-d this would've never happened. The reason they reacted this way is because they were deeply involved in their commitment to G-d, which is something we should not take for granted.

However, their course of action took a wrong turn and resulted in the drastic punishment they received. No matter how deeply involved we are in our G-dly service, we must always be open-minded; someone else might have a different approach. Although it might seem inadequate to us, you never know, our perception of his inadequacies may really stem from our own limitations, not theirs. You can even take this a step further. Let's say someone really doesn't know how to serve G-d properly, we should not look down upon him. Every Jew has the potential for growth, we should help them grow rather then ridiculing everything they do.

Rabbi Akiva's life itself gives us an example, that everyone, no matter where they come from or what their background is can achieve greatness. R abbi Akiva was a descendent of converts; and he didn't start studying Torah until he was 40 years old! He was a simple Shepard. Yet once he started learning he attained such a great level of scholarship, our entire knowledge of the Oral Torah is based on his teachings. Our prophets relate that G-d tells his people "And you shall be for me a land of delight" the Baal Shem Tov explains this metaphor as follows. Just as the earth hides treasures such as gold, silver and precious stones, every individual possess spiritual resources. These resources are revealed to some and hidden to others; but it is present in everyone, we just have to uncover it.

If you work on it, you can reveal it!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Moshiach speedily. May He protect the armed forces of the United States wherever they may be. Chazak! L'Chaim!
*****

The ETorah is an educational project of
Chabad Lubavitch of Montana

The Lady Loves Sarcasm

What can I say...the lady loves sarcastic road signs. Nothing beats White Ass Acres in Gibbonsville, ID, but this one makes the cut as well.

Belfry, MT 4/30/07

See ya....

Rock Creek, Beartooth Hwy
4/30/07

Mike & Rachel