Hoarse Speak

Nathan Milian manager of Carr Mill Mall through www.nrmilian.com is a big meany. He hates dancing and made the guy who dances to his walkman (Bruce Thomas) on the weaverstreet lawn stop because "We don't allow performers to use the lawn without our permission." (Herald Sun article). Next up he says he is going after the hoola hoopers.

From WillR's Concerned Citizen.

A very interesting commentary in Haaretz The country that wouldn't grow up passed to me courtesy of Ms. A.

Apparently, the US Government is grudgingly living up to its mandate to protect its citizens, but it will charge them for the services:

From: http://beirut.usembassy.gov/lebanon/Lebanon_Situation_Update.html

Lebanon Situation Update - July 15, 2006
July 15, 2006

This information is current as of today, Sat Jul 15 12:20:12 2006.

A message to the American citizens in Lebanon:

The Department of State continues to work with the Department of Defense on a plan to help American citizens depart Lebanon. As of the morning of July 15, we are looking at how we might transport Americans to Cyprus. Once in Cyprus, Americans can then board commercial aircraft for onward travel. Commercial airlines provide the safest and most efficient repatriation options to final destinations.

The Department of State reminds American citizens that the U.S. government does not provide no-cost transportation but does have the authority to provide repatriation loans to those in financial need. For the portion of your trip directly handled by the U.S. Government we will ask you to sign a promissory note and we will bill you at a later date. In a subsequent message, when we have specific details about the transporation arrangments, we will inform you about the costs you will incur. We will also work with commercial aircraft to ensure that they have adequate flights to help you depart Cyprus and connect to your final destination.

The Department of State continues to work around the clock and will continue to send updates as appropriate.

Bolding added by me.

So the U.S. Government will give Israel the money and armaments to fight the war then charge its own citizens to extract them to Cypress? Most other European governments are extracting their citizens back to their home country via ship to Cypress then charter flight onwards.

said Abu Ali Koteish, 53, who owns a nearby flower shop.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Mideast_Fighting_South_Lebanon.html

Yes, especially for those great "Christians" in this country who support Israel just so the Israelites can reoccupy their lost lands and hasten the coming of the apocalypse.

Finally The UN is saying that war crimes might be occurring. Might be occurring? If the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure and homes in Lebanon by the IDF and IAF is not a war crime, then what is? Olmert the heir to the architect (Ariel Sharon) of the Sabra and Shatila massacres in 1982 (who is trying to prove to the world that he's got as small a dick as Bush) should be indicted for war crimes.

Ok, attack Hezbollah, attack their rocket installations, attack Syria and Iran if they are to blame like Bush is saying (not that I agree with that nonsense) but the murder and destruction of Lebanon is unconscionable, and the United States complicity and consent to this criminal act makes it an accomplice. It is our weaponry that keeps the IDF armed to the tune of more than $3bn in tax dollars annually. If the U.S. wanted this to stop we could stop it, so while we sit idly by and watch the destruction of Lebanon we are guilty too.

Also, the action will be a failure. Hezbollah, who's power was waning in Lebanon prior to this action, is now gaining in popularity because those who do remember the Lebanese Civil War (really a proxy war between Syria and Israel) are seeing their nightmares return, and those who don't are shouting "why us, we didn't do anything."

Israel blames Lebanon for not implementing SCR 1559. Besides the hypocrisy (uhh, SCR 242 Israel?), Israel didn't hold up their end of 1559 by not retreating from the Shabaa farms. How was Lebanon supposed to disarm Hezbollah when it had no means to do so and no help was offered?

Just got hit (well I guess I T-boned it, but it was the officer's fault) by a UNC police officer. He was driving one of the Chevy Police Impalas and I was riding my 30's Colson (I'll post a photo soon). He was looking down at his laptop and turning left (isn't there something about using a computer while driving?) - I was going straight through the intersection. I had thought I'd made eye contact with him, but with tinted windows and sunglasses I guess he couldn't see me wearing a white t-shirt

I'm fine. I got thrown onto the hood of the car and dented it with my chin - also got a charlie horse and probably bruised my foot a little bit. There was a good scrape and dent on the fender of the car from the bike and a nice little ding on the hood from my chin. The bike seems ok, I hope the forks aren't bent, but I can't tell without straightening the wheel and handlebars. It took about an hour to do the paperwork, get the EMT and the cop's supervisor on scene. They took a bunch of photos and I'll try to get a copy of the report. The liuetenant mentioned that the officer will probably get a citation for the illegal left turn.