Crazy Iranian group sending suicide attackers against Israel and Rushdie

Although the Committee for the Glorification of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Movement is not sanctioned by the Iranian government, the group, according to AFP, does appear at Islamic Republic events.

As with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda organization, the Committee for the Glorification of Martyrs of the Global Islamic Movement has a large agenda.

From AFP:

A hardline Iranian group announced the creation of a new "battalion" of "martyrdom seekers" -- or suicide attackers -- ready to carry out operations against targets including Israel and author Salman Rushdie.

More...

When volunteers sign up to join the group, they can choose to attack British author Salman Rushdie, who sentenced to death by Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 over his book "The Satanic Verses," or join an operation against Israel or foreign invaders.

"I want to defend Islam, so I signed up for all three," enthused one volunteer, 27-year-old Meghdad Hamedinia. "All the American presidents are rascals. I'll give my life for Islam."

Of the volunteers, 30 percent are women, according to the same article.

These registration rallies must be interesting. Do they have tables with banners above each? Death to Israel on the left, Death to Rushdie in the middle, and Death to America on the right?

Technorati tags: Iran Islamic Republic خبر ايران Iranian Jews Religion extremists Muslim Women الإسلام عربي اسلامی فارسی Terrorism

Egypt, King Tut, and blogger Alaa

As I wrote in the prior post, tomorrow the big King Tut exhibition opens up at Chicago's Field Museum.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the nation of Egypt will reap inabout half of the gate receipts.

So it is not out of line to protest the detainment of Egyptian blogger Alaa at the mueseum.

And who is Alaa?

From the Middle East Times:

As internationally acclaimed blogger Alaa, of www.manalaa.net, sits in prison waiting to be released, bloggers in Egypt have begun a new campaign to educate Egyptians and the entire world on the situation facing Egyptian bloggers.

"Blogs reflect who we are as people and as we get more active it shows in our blogs."

Manal, the other half of manalaa.net and Alaa's wife, tells the Middle East Times. "Lots of bloggers find freedom of expression attainable with blogs," she adds.

Last year Reporters without Borders awarded Manal and Alaa the freedom of expression award for their blogging efforts in Egypt. At the time, Egypt had only a few dozen blogs, but since then, an explosion of bloggers has been witnessed in Egypt. The number is now thought to be in the thousands.

Here is Alaa's blog.

Rantings of a Sandmonkey has been leading the charge to get Alaa freed.

Previously on Marathon Pundit: Alaa in prison: Pajamas Media Blog Week in Review #4 follow-up

Technorati tags: EqyptChicago Illinois

Biting the hand that feeds him: UPDATED

Tomorrow at Chicago's Field Museum in Chicago, a major special exhibition, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs, opens.

Yesterday was the exhibit's unveiling, and there were some Ancient World fireworks.

One of the show's major sponsors is the energy giant, Exelon. Its CEO, Robert Mehrberg, spoke with pride about the ancient Egyptian coffin, or sarcophagus, that he has on display in his office.

Here's the Chicago Tribune link, free registration may be required:

Zahi Hawass is the secretary general of Egypt's Council of Antiquities. And when his turn came to speak, this is what he said:

I don't think this is right. An artifact like this is not supposed to be in an office or a home, but in a museum. How can he sponsor an exhibit like King Tut and keep an artifact like this in his office?

I will see if it could be placed in a museum or returned to Egypt. And if not, I will see what action we can take.

Egypt, according to the Tribune, is expected to receive about half the gate receipts from the exhibit.

UPDATE Sat. May 27, 2006: Robert Mehrberg has agreed to loan the artifact to the Field on an indefinite basis.

Technorati tags: Eqypt Artifacts Chicago Illinois Field Museum

Canadian newspaper retracts Iranian infidel badge story

Last week Canada's National Post published an article stating that Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians would have to wear a badge on their clothing identifying themselves as a member of their faith.

Yes, just like in Nazi Germany.

But today, the National Post has retracted that story.

Still, I wouldn't rule the Iranians trying something like this a decade to two from now--assuming the current regime is still in power, of course.

Technorati tags: Iran Islamic Republic خبر ايران Iranian Jews Christianity Religion Zoroastrian Canada

Once poor Ireland envied by Latvia

A generation ago, the the standard of living in Ireland was maybe lowest in Western Europe.

As the fictional bandleader Jimmy Rabbitte quipped in the film The Commitments, "The Irish are the blacks of Europe."

Fast forward the tape to 2006. Ireland is now the Celtic Tiger, and Latvia wants to be the next Ireland.

From the Baltic Times:

In an ambitious effort to gain the favor of voters, the alliance of Latvia’s First and Latvia’s Way (My note: two political parties) announced a bold goal – to raise Latvia’s living standards to the level of Ireland within 10 years and increase the average salary to at least 500 lats (711 euros) in half that time. Speaking at a political forum on May 21, chairman of Latvia’s Way Ivars Godmanis said the alliance strove to achieve the "general prosperity of the nation, which is what people expect from politicians."

A Celtic Tiger in every pot could be their slogan.

Technorati tags: Ireland Irish
Latvia Latvija Politics

Cong. LaHood of Peoria opposess Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006

It's time for some Ray LaHood blogging; LaHood is a Republican Congressman from Peoria, home of the Caterpillar Corporation.

Peoria Pundit Bill Dennis has the scoop on LaHood:

Flag-burning Hamas supporter Rachel Corrie, who died trying to keep the Isreali Defense Force from demolishing tunnels being used to smuggle weapons, no doubt would have approved of U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood’s opposition to the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, which ends U.S. government financial aid to the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority.

And I hear through the grapevine that another protest is being planned outside Caterpillar World Headquarters here in the River City by those people who blame Cat for manufacturing the dozer used to demolish the tunnels Rachel was protecting. They say Cat should know better than to do business with the Zionist Entity.

Perhaps these protestors—or perhaps Rachel’s parents—might want to stop by LaHood’s office and thank him in person for his ideological support and offer their support as he tries to gain re-election against the onslaught of his Democratic challenger … whatever his name is.

That bulldozer was the D-9 model. Corrie was a member of the International Solidarity Movement, a vile group of terrorist sympathizers who delude college-age students from Western countries into believing their citizenship gives them some bizarre form of immunity from prosecution in Israel and the occupied territories.

Corrie found out that it wasn't true.

Technorati tags: Peoria Caterpillar Israel Terrorism ISM international solidarity movement Rachel Corrie Ray LaHood Illinois מְדִינַת فلسطين HR 4681 Hamas حركة حماس

Hastert wrestling with FBI probe: UPDATED!

Not "the coach?"

Yep, the one-time wrestling coach.

I really don't know what to make of this story. It could be a big "to-do" over nothing, but Illinois' most prominent Republican, Dennis Hasert, is facing news that no one wants to deal with, ever.

From ABC 7 Chicago:

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation. According to ABC News, the FBI wants to determine the Illinois congressman's role in an ongoing public corruption probe. That's the topic of this intelligence report.

The Indian casino case has been under investigation by federal authorities for months, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert has been connected to the case for as long as it's been underway.

Nearly three dozen members of Congress, including Hastert and leaders from both parties, pressed the government to reject a Louisiana Indian casino while at the same time they were collecting large donations from rival tribes and their lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Many intervened with letters to interior secretary Gale Norton within days of receiving money from tribes represented by Abramoff or using the lobbyist's restaurant for fundraising, according to an Associated Press review of campaign records, IRS records and congressional correspondence.

The congressman from Plano has a lot of explaino to do. If he doesn't want to talk, he could hire "Native American" Ward Churchill to be his spokesman.

UPDATE 9:30PM CST: Well, ABC is retracting the story.

Technorati tags: Hastert Louisiana politics Current Affairs Illinois abramoff casinos

Unions spend $150,000 in dues money for full-page New York Times ad

Marshall Manson sent this information to my e-mail box, although, since the site he referenced linked to Marathon Pundit earlier this week, I probably would've found this story anyway.

The anti Wal-Mart group Wal-Mart Watch paid about $150,000 to place this ad in yesterday's New York Times.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, free registration may be required:

Working Families for Wal-Mart, a group organized with funding from Wal-Mart and its suppliers, issued a statement saying that "Americans have to question why the same union leaders who are failing to address diversity, transparency, accountability and sustainability in their own organizations are spending millions of dollars in union dues attacking a company that is committed to these principles and creates tens of thousands of jobs per year."

Politically, union leadership is monolithically Democratic. However, in 2004, President Bush received about 40% of the union vote in his re-election effort.

As for union members' opinion of Wal-Mart, there is a greater disconnect between what the union leaders push to those they represent, and what the union members actually believe.

From Working Families for Wal-Mart:

Clear majorities of Americans support Wal-Mart and disagree with the Washington, D.C. union leadership-funded attacks. Specifically, the poll shows that of those surveyed:

71 percent of Americans believe Wal-Mart is good for consumers while 63 percent of union households hold the same belief

58 percent of Americans and 54 percent of union households believe union leaders should make protecting union jobs a higher priority than attacking Wal-Mart

60 percent of Americans say the campaign against Wal-Mart is not a good use of union dues and 44 percent of union households agree

54 percent of Americans and 42 percent of union households believe the campaign against Wal-Mart makes labor union leaders less relevant to solving the economic challenges facing working families today.

Technorati tags: Wal-Mart Business
New York Times Unions Politics

Bob Dylan's 65th birthday is today

Sixty five years ago today, Robert Zimmerman was born in Duluth, Minnesota, in the north country, not too far from Highway 61.

Of course about twenty years later he changed his name to Bob Dylan.

Music and society would never be the same.

Here are some appropriate lyrics for the occasion, from his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Well, if you're travelin' in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm,
When the rivers freeze and summer ends,
Please see if she's wearing a coat so warm,
To keep her from the howlin' winds.

Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
If it rolls and flows all down her breast.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
That's the way I remember her best.

I'm a-wonderin' if she remembers me at all.
Many times I've often prayed
In the darkness of my night,
In the brightness of my day.

So if you're travelin' in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Technorati tags: Bob Dylan Music Minnesota Dylan Duluth rock

Mr. Right's new photo caption contest is up!

Mr. Right has been busy, but his new photo caption contest, featuring William "Freezerman" Jefferson, (D-LA), is up at The Right Place.

Technorati tags: Humor Politics Louisiana New Orleans William Jefferson Democrats Congress corruption