Surfing in Rhode Island

It was a cold weekend....I surfed for about half an hour at Matunuck, Rhode Island until my feet were numb. It's time to invest in some boots and gloves - summer is unfortunately over. The break was very nice, even if the waves were only 2 or 3 feet.

"Come Home"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311933,00.html

This is a great story of Muslims and Christians overcoming religious differences and accepting each other on a personal level. Despite threats from al-Qaeda, and the evidence of the jiyza tax in the Koran (Muslims are able to tax non-Muslims as lower level citizens), these people are acted as rational and compassionate people that should be a shining example to the Islamic world.

Saudi Brutality

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311848,00.html

Wow. The ruling on this is derived from the Koran and its commands - sharia (Islamic law) governs Saudi Arabia and mandates this penalty.

Where are the women's rights groups? Why do they not stand up against this? Where is the outrage?

We send this country billions of dollars a year in oil revenue. Where is the new energy policy? Why does our government call this nation it's "friend"?

"Obama in Orbit" - Response to Roger Cohen

I understand the good intentions of Roger Cohen - I think most Americans want our country to relate well to the rest of the world and achieve our goals with the support of others using diplomacy and incentives. Indeed, global trade and the success of the international markets have brought the US as well as the rest of the world amazing prosperity.

However, when Roger speaks about the other 6.3 billion people the 2008 election will affect, what does that mean? He gives them such legitimacy but I'm not sure why. Should we aim to please Hugo Chavez, a man who has shut down free speech and free press? Should we listen more to Iran and other Islamic countries, regimes that publicly hang homosexuals, repress women, and have sworn to destroy Israel? Should we join Europe, a continent with a dying population (average birthrate = 1.5), a system of entitlements that is totally unsustainable, and an immigration problem that is spiraling out of control? Maybe we should accept Russia, where an ex-KGB agent rules with an iron fist and does nothing about the AIDS outbreak that is hurting his country. We could go the way of South Africa, a one party state with some of the highest levels of murder and rape in the world.

I don't mean to say that we should always pursue unilateral actions - far from it. We should invite the world to join us in our quest to spread freedom and economic opportunity. We should not bow down to tyrannic governments and religious extremism or nanny state socialism, but encourage them to free their citizens from the chains of oppression and bureaucracy. We need to elect the candidate with a clear vision of America's greatness, one who acknowledges our faults, but one who loves our strengths. The next president must believe that America is a force of good in the world, which it has been for hundreds of years, instead of an apologist for a few failed policies and an appeaser of totalitarianism.

We cannot afford another Jimmy Carter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/opinion/15cohen.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Evil

While millions of normal Saudi Arabians live in poverty and half of the population (women) live in slavery, a crown prince is spending $300 Million on a flying palace. Apparently it is un-Islamic to let women drive a car or walk outside without a mail escort, but a flying jumbo palace keeps in line with the vision of Mohammed and the Koran. It is completely immoral that Airbus is allowing itself to profit from a man who holds no regard for his own citizens and indulges in every luxury his selfish soul desires.

Financial excesses of the Catholic Church led Martin Luther to begin the Reformation and end the hypocrisy of Christianity. Nearly every historian views this as one of the greatest events in human history. When will a Muslim leader do the same?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071112/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_luxury_jet

Tuesday Morning Quarterback

The best article on ESPN...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/071113&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos1

Go Giants!

Income Inequality

There is a great article in the Wall Street Journal today on income inequality in America. Basically, there is an amazing amount of economic mobility in the American economy, and there is great opportunity for the poorest Americans to improve their levels of income. Cynics like to deride America's motto of "A Land of Opportunity" but this study shows it is for real. Clearly America is not perfect, but the system is fundamentally sound and politicians should have faith in the citizens to accomplish on their own. All the government needs to do is to create incentives for hard work and a sound lifestyle and people will achieve. Higher taxes and welfare benefits will only encourage laziness and poverty.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010855

Happy Veteran's Day!

Congrats and thank you to all veterans - our country is very proud of you.

UN Link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7087002.stm

UN and Palestine

Maybe if the UN did relocate, they'd be able to prevent this horrendous irony. Notice how the UN condemned the attack...for taking place in a school. It would be nicer if they condemned the attack in general and took actual means to stop it.

Anti-War Movies

The article isn't worth much, but the comments are great to read...

http://comments.breitbart.com/071109152054vnv6fviw/

Basically the Hollywood makers of these movies are very narcisstic. They portray the hero as someone who has been previously corrupted by the American government, but has a revelation and attempts to fix the situation while leaving it at the same time - think the Bourne trilogy. Hollywood sees itself that way - unfortunately part of America, but trying to break away while revealing all the faults and evils of the system.

The overall atmosphere that these movies convey (Rendition, Home of the Brave, The Kingdom, etc.) is that no party is right or wrong, but that all are motivated by their own human emotions - greed, power, etc. It totally ignores any large political arguments and exudes a why-can't-we-all-get-along attitude. Worst, they leave the viewer not with inspiration or conviction, but a guilt that looms like a hangover.

Steve Forbes

On Wednesday night I had the honor of hearing Steve Forbes talk and briefly meeting him. He was very articulate, knowledgeable, and even a bit humorous at times. He spoke mostly on monetary policy and the economy, but also covered health care and entitlements as well as taxes - his big thing is the flat tax. In all, I shared most of his views, and especially enjoyed his enthusiasm for the free markets and the greatness of American ingenuity.

I also came to realize one of the fundamental differences between small government vs. big government. Those who want a big government do not trust the American people to make the right decisions and feel that the government is a neccesity and must make those decisions for them. It comes off as very patronizing and depressing, especially since their logical goal is ultimately a socialist state. Those who want small government do so because they trust and want to empower the American citizen and give them the freedom to make their own choices. They realize that this country has been incredibly prosperous and successful since 1776, and that the American Experiment certainly does work.

South Park - Politically Incorrect

South Park may be the most clever television show in the history of TV. Not only does it effortlessly combine the most serious subjects with the most crude and disgusting, but it manages to offend nearly every majority and minority group in the world, and gets away with it. Although some may not have the stomach for it, South Park is extremely refreshing in contrast to the bland media, and breaks through PC assumptions with total abandon.

The show does an amazing job of bringing together political and social views from multiple angles. The most important characters are the three boys, Stan, Kyle, and Eric Cartman, as well as their schoolteacher Mr./Mrs. Garrison, and Stan's father, Randy Marsh.

The creators of the show use Stan and Kyle to get their more rational viewpoints across. These two boys are pragmatic and logical - they look at the situation from an unbiased point of view and believe in justice and fairness. They reject any traditions that do not make sense and are compassionate for the actual victims of whatever situation they are in. They also do not put up with liberal or conservative phoniness.

This last behavior is carried out even further in the character of Eric Cartman. Cartman has absolutely no tolerance for phoniness and political correctness, especially from liberals. Cartman provides an outlet for the frustrations and biases of the normal white male - he calls it like it is and just lets it loose, normally in a very hateful way, although he sometimes ends up being the hero when Stan and Kyle are unable to save the day.

Mr./Mrs. Garrison is just an absurd character. He/She represents someone very confused and angry with their own sexuality and gender. While South Park is very sympathetic to homosexuals, Garrison represents those who obsess over sexuality, and is portrayed in a very negative light. The creators seem to be saying that homosexuality is perfectly OK and should be tolerated, but "not assholes like Garrison."

Finally, Randy Marsh often represents political correctness run amok. He is made to look extremely silly in situations regarding, alcoholism, global warming, immigration, drugs, voting and other issues. He takes extreme positions and exemplifies the irrational logic that takes place with both liberals and conservatives.

Overall, the great thing about South Park is that it encourages its viewers to take the side of Stan and Kyle - a calm, unbiased, practical view of the situations and issues...although Cartman's prejudices occasionally triumph. In short, it's a great show, and it's a miracle it hasn't been cancelled.

UN Relocation

I read a comment earlier today at Gates of Vienna, suggesting that if Jerusalem is to be split between Israel and the Palestinians, the UN should relocate their headquarters to this city. I have to say, this is a very good idea for a number of reasons.

First, the UN does not belong in the United States. Although the US gives far more money and resources to the UN, the interests of the UN rarely coincide with those of the United States. Most countries tend to view the US as an obstacle to peace, if not the enemy and instigator of conficts worldwide. Let them move from their comfy building in Turtle Bay and take up residence in another country.

Putting the UN in a fairly hostile area, would force them to adapt their policies to match the reality on the ground. Their infatuation with the Palestinians as "victims" and "the oppressed" would quickly change since they would have to deal with the threat of suicide bombings. The UN would be forced to actively disarm terrorist groups and enforce "safe zones" that failed so miserably in Bosnia. Instead of constant "dialogue", the UN would have to actually punish either side that instigated violence to ensure their own safety.

It has always been easy for the UN to talk mindessly of condemnations and how unhappy it is with events like Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur, instead of taking any action to prevent atrocities and persecution. These situations have revealed what the UN really stands for - it doesn't have the stomach to prevent violence, but instead would rather create a place for countries to discuss matters without actually having to do anything. So, while the UN is patting itself on the back for getting hundreds of countries to sit down together, the real victims of the violence continue to suffer. And with the established union of Islamic countries, there will not be much action taken in places like Darfur and Somalia where genocide and oppression takes place...but the reality of the situation is not what matters, just the fantasy diplomacy does.

Surfing in Rhode Island

Well, today I got tossed around at Narragansett Beach in Rhode Island. The waves were a bit bigger than I expected - probably around 6 feet with some reaching around 8 feet. Whew, I'm exhausted.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas An incredibly inspirational and fatalistic poem by one of the greatest poets of the 20th Century. This was one of the poems that made such an impression on a young man, Robert Zimmerman, that it led him to change his name to...Bob Dylan. Below are lyrics from the Dylan song, "Shelter From the Storm" from Blood on the Tracks. The similarities are not obvious, but I believe the mix of fear, sadness, and reluctant acceptance of death bring about a similar mood. They both capture the precise feeling of the realization of mortality. 'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved Everything up to that point had been left unresolved. Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm."I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail, Poisoned in the bushes an' blown out on the trail, Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there With silver bracelets on her wrists and flowers in her hair. She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." Now there's a wall between us, somethin' there's been lost I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed. Just to think that it all began on a long-forgotten morn. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." I've heard newborn babies wailin' like a mournin' dove And old men with broken teeth stranded without love. Do I understand your question, man, is it hopeless and forlorn? "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethal dose. I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm." Well, I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make it mine. If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born. "Come in," she said,"I'll give you shelter from the storm."

10 Good Deeds

As a libertarian, I believe that the government should have a limited role in the lives of its individual citizens. However, there are many people, even the great country of America, who are in desperate need and cannot support themselves and their families. Americans who are more fortunate, such as myself, are obligated to lend a hand to those who are struggling. Instead of paying higher taxes, contributing time and donating hard earned money to charity is the best way to assist your fellow man. As an borderline atheist, I do not believe in doing good deeds for the sake of "getting in to heaven" or for karma's sake. We should do them to improve the world around us. Top 10 Good Deeds To Do Before You Die 10) Buy a homeless man/woman a hot meal and a cup of coffee 9) Fly to New Orleans and rebuild houses destroyed by Hurricane Katrina - there is a long way to go down there...grab some beignets as a reward. 8) Take a day to clean up littering. Publicily humiliate anyone you do see littering. There is nothing more revealing than a person who litters - lazy, self-centered, thoughtless... 7) Work at a soup kitchen - people will thank you warmly for providing them with a meal 6) Thank a teacher or a police officer or a firefighter - they've dedicated their lives to the public good. 5) Send a soldier overseas a USO package - it'll remind them of home and let them know they have our support 4) Give up your seat when someone else gets on the bus, subway, or train - you can manage standing for 20 minutes 3) Plant a tree or grow a garden, and just care for the environment in general 2) Coach a Little League Team, mentor a child, or babysit for free - give kids of all backgrounds the time free from worry to enjoy their childhood 1) Stop feeling sorry for yourself - we live in the most amazing times with so much to be grateful for - please enjoy it.

5 Contemporary Reads

Below are five of my favorite books that I have read in the last year. America Alone is witty and clever - Steyn has the talent to make reading about the descent into tyranny light and enjoyable. His message is an important one and he backs it up not only with statistics, but theoretical logic.

Infidel is one of the most courageous stories ever told. Whether conservative or liberal, it is difficult to argue that Ali is not a heroine and a role model for women throughout the Islamic world. Her story exposes the oppression and tragedy that millions of Muslim women face everyday - from the mutilation, to the beatings, to the complete lack of freedom, and the horrors of arranged marriages, Ali is incredibly compelling and deserves the support from anyone who cares about human rights.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is the fictional equivalent of Infidel. Hosseini does a great job of portraying the sadness and despair of the Muslim woman, and describes life through changing regimes realistically and without bias. It is a shame that so many women live their lives without freedom or joy.

World War IV chronicles the developments of the last six years since 9/11. Although I did not agree with many of his points, his analysis of the Bush Doctrine is excellent and he describes the "pillars" even better than the president does.

Finally, The Looming Tower describes the people, connections, and events that led to the tragic attacks on September 11. Wright details the perpetrators and their backgrounds and shows how the poor coordination of American intelligence failed to prevent these awful attacks. If anyone happens to be a "Truther" please read this book and give up the conspiracy theories. These attacks, just like the enemy, are very real.


America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It, Mark Steyn
http://www.amazon.com/America-Alone-End-World-Know/dp/0895260786/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-1484207-1204822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193941262&sr=8-2

Infidel, Ayaan Hirsi Ali
http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali/dp/0743289684/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1484207-1204822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193941384&sr=8-1

A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini
http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Splendid-Suns-Khaled-Hosseini/dp/1594489505/ref=pd_sim_b_shvl_title_2/002-1484207-1204822

World War IV, Norman Podhoretz
http://www.amazon.com/World-War-IV-Struggle-Islamofascism/dp/0385522215/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1484207-1204822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193941501&sr=1-1

The Looming Tower, Lawrence Wright
http://www.amazon.com/Looming-Tower-Qaeda-Road-Vintage/dp/1400030846/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1484207-1204822?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193941530&sr=1-1

Islam and Sex

Koran - 33:32-33 O Consorts of the Prophet! ... stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance;

Koran - 24:2 The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by God, if ye believe in God and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.

Koran - 24:30-31 Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And God is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards God, that ye may attain Bliss.

Above are three verses from the Koran. The first demands the completed modesty of women and implies that their place is to stay cooped up in their homes. The second proscribes specific punishment to men and women who engage in intimacy outside the bonds of marriage. The third is a broader verse that discourages Muslims from love and physical pleasures, and instead directs them toward inner discipline and faith as the true way to attain bliss.

I believe that one of the most powerful human instincts is the desire to spend time with the opposite sex and reproduce. It is just a natural, animal instinct that almost every single human feels to some extent as they come of age. Sexual desire is treated differently in almost every culture, and its citizens can fare better or worse because of the social norms. For example, in Victorian England, sex was very much a taboo subject...yet since dating and intimacy were so regulated and constrained, prostitution was rampant among the population, which was clearly not a good thing. On the other end of the spectrum was the 1960s in America, where a sexual revolution took place, where sex limitless and free. However, this new found freedom and lack of restraints led to an rise in out of wedlock births and the beginning of AIDS and other sexual transmitted diseases. Today, Western civilization does much better - sex is openly talked about and discussed, but most people make reasonable choices and protect against negative consequences. Mainly, teenagers and young adults have an outlet for these new feelings.

In the Islamic world, there has never been such a revolution. Fornication and dating is not allowed and punished. Men are only allowed to marry women who are "pure." As teenagers and young adults come of age, they are not allowed to discuss their urges and have no outlet for them. Rape is more common than in the West. In Saudi Arabia, it was found that 75% of all picture messages sent on cellphones contained pornography. In short, there are millions of young men who have no socially acceptable outlet for sexual desire.

What Islam has done to address this situation of millions of sexually frustrated young men, is to put the onus on the women. Women are seen as objects of temptation that arise impure thoughts in men and ruin the purity of Islam. They are forced to wear oppressive clothing and are blamed as the cause when they are raped. Ironically, men are encouraged by the Koran to be celibate and pure, but behind closed doors, women are at their whim. It is a flawed religion - the empowered Islamic male is not responsible for his own actions, and the powerless woman is.

Women are the scapegoat.

When experts and analysts attempt to examine the cause of Islamic terrorism, they normally look to political or economic factors. Several point fingers at themselves, blaming the West for "oppression." However, I believe that the lack of an outlet for sexual desire and rigid sexual standards cause hostility in Muslim males. Depression and anger can be caused by many physiological things - lack of exercise, low blood sugar, etc... Why not sexual frustration? It is common sense that men who never experience the love and intimacy of a woman, and not just sex but actual affection and love, are driven towards more radical ways of life.

If there is ever to be a "moderate Islam", the status of women must be improved. They should no longer become scapegoats whose presence can drive a Muslim male towards impurity and rage. They should become an equal - humans to be respected and loved. In my opinion, far fewer Muslims would turn towards violence and terrorism if they were allowed to experience and explore their own natural human feelings.

To prove that I'm not cherrypicking and stereotyping...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306658,00.html

September 11, Hurricane Katrina, Tony Soprano, and the State of America

In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, most Americans struggled to find meaning – meaning in what had happened, meaning in why it had happened, and meaning in what the future held. These attacks were more than a terrorist event; more, even, than a declaration of war. The attacks were the crux of an existential crisis for our nation.

In First Aid, instructors focus a good deal of time on how to treat a patient who is in shock. Symptoms include disorientation, numbness, confusion, and most often denial of the fact that they actually are in shock. As a nation, we experienced similar phenomena – denial of the fact that a new age had begun. Many of us held on to the belief that this was a small wound that a quick bandage could heal, instead of attempting to identify and eliminate the source. Michael Moore delivered this theory,

“They did not deserve to die. If someone did this to get back at Bush, then they did so by killing thousands of people who DID NOT VOTE for him! Boston, New York, DC and the plane's destination of California – these were places that voted AGAINST Bush!"

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, it was seen in a similar light, the explanation was no doubt global warming caused by gas-guzzling Chevys. Ironically, in both situations, the quick fix was to elect Al Gore.

The common explanation for these two landmark events was simple – that the United States was to blame. This rationale does not necessarily stem from unpatriotic sentiment, although there is plenty of that these days. It comes from a deeper psychological impulse that is common in most humans, that is that we feel more relieved and empowered knowing it was our fault, and that a change in behavior and actions can prevent future debacles and loss of life. It is far more terrifying and uncomfortable to wrestle with the idea that Islamic terrorism is a powerful force, motivated by a violent and totalitarian ideology with apocalyptic goals that is not willing to negotiate. That thought is as scary as being in a New Orleans house, battered down by the winds and floods, without help in sight, with the fate of your life in another power’s hands.

Since the end of the Cold War most Americans have been lulled into an illusion of control and reliance on government. The further this country moved from self-reliance and self-survival towards the eventual “nanny” state of socialism, the greater the shock that September 11 presented…and for many Americans, the first response was to go back to sleep and deny that a new and determined enemy had reared its head. Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” A more appropriate phrase today would be, “If you’re watchin hell unfold on TV, change the channel.” The response of America and its allies since the attack has been impressive in force but pathetic in will. There has been a lack of urgency to change and adapt to this new frightening world, and an overall blasé attitude. America, for all its wondrous achievements in technology and modernity, cannot last forever without the conviction and pride of its citizens. The greatest resource of our country is not a physical commodity, but a human one, the unique nature of our character.

And this is where we find our country today – an all powerful Westernized, modernized, multiculturalized, infantalized, mummified nation where control of our world has been shown to be an illusion. We are Tony Soprano, the bloated mobster who is trying desperately to hang on to the life he has grown so comfortable with. As Tony says to his therapist, “It's good to be in something from the ground floor. I came too late for that, I know. But lately I'm getting the feeling that I came in at the end. The best is over,” while she replies, “I think many Americans feel that way.” Soon we may realize that indeed the best is over – not because of our faults, but because we failed to raise ourselves to defend our strengths.