The JackB

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx

Archives for December 2008

Odds and Ends

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After spending most of the past two days focused upon politics I need to spend a bit of time decompressing. So this post is going to be nothing more than odds and ends about this and that.

The 17 long time readers know that I find the holiday season to be tedious. But I have to admit that this time of year I do appreciate the fine food that I seem to stumble and trip over everywhere I go. The only problem is that my metabolism seems to have gone on vacation. The pants are a hair too tight and my shirts, well they could fit better too.

So from a man who hates making resolutions here is one that I will live up to. I am going to move into the gym. Actually I made a decision a while back to get more serious about lifting again and I followed through on that. I have a standing date with my weightset and have been good about living up to my obligations there.

In addition I have been good about using my perfect pushups and have been reaping the rewards. However, I have noticed that age is impacting my workout in ways that it never used to. I seem to have lost a bit of my elasticity in my shoulders and joints. I notice creaking and aches that never used to show up come by and visit me far too often.

We picked up a Wii as a Chanukah gift for the children. I picked up Guitar Hero for me. It has been surprisingly fun and a good distraction at time. I am not very good at it yet, but I am making progress on the easy level.

A while back I blogged about having my own theme song. I still like the idea. I think that I might revisit the topic. See you in the next post.

Gaza Round Up Part Two

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************Updated 5:36 P.M. P.S.T.********************

The first round up I produced about the current situation in Gaza can be located here. Part two can be found beneath this. As always I will do my best to try and update this as possible throughout the day. If you have posts that you think should be included email them to talktojack-now-at-sbcglobal-dot-net or let me know in the comments.

FYI- I gather these links from a variety of places. In some cases I am tipped off via email and sometimes through the blogs I am visiting. I do my best to try and provide credit where it is due. My apologies for any credit that I miss giving out.

We’ll start out with some links to stories in the MSM:

CNN reports that Israel is in an all out war with Hamas. There are a number of blogs linking to this story moaning over support for Israel’s actions. As always I’d like to see what they would say if their next door neighbors spent all day throwing bricks at their homes.

The Washington Post reports that Israel is pounding targets in Gaza. Nice to see that some people keep repeating the “we may not like it, but Hamas is the legally elected government so we have to deal with them line.” They are being dealt with in the appropriate manner. You don’t hold hands with people who are trying to kill you.

The Grey Lady wrote about Arab Anger. Great, show your anger with Hamas and then let’s see what happens.

Surprise, surprise, the protests have started.

Spiegel Online reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel blames Hamas for the current violence.

In the blogosphere we have a collection of posts that are worth reading. Take a look at:

Palestinians Need Israel To Win.

The Gaza war on Twitter and Hamas shot Egyptian guard, Egypt blams Hamas for israeli attack

From Ricki’s Mom we have Israeli News.

The Rebbetzin’s Husband asks What is a Refugee Camp? At the Augean Stables The Double Disgrace of Hamas: Victimizing their own People.

At Writes Like She Talks there is another short roundup of posts about this topic. Solomonia has a number of good links as well.

Double Tapper shows a better way to use Rockets. From What Warzone we have By Far, the Most Signficant Development in the Gaza Conflict That No One is Talking About.

Treppenwitz calls it Revenge of The Nerds. A Soldier’s Mother who writes What I Want…and What I’ll Do.

Daled Amos provided Israel At War: A Primer, International Law and The Fighting in Gaza and Did Someone Mention Hizbollah?

Daled Amos also found Israel’s War On Hamas Now Includes YouTube. In case you are wondering, it is a war.

Joshuapundit blogged that IDF Troops Have entered Gaza. At Shiloh Musings there is A Prayer for Our Soldiers and Campaign War.

Dave shared Gaza: The real reasons Israel – finally – retaliated (Update 4)

Arpeh has Gaza War In The Eyes of The BBC and Me.

Jameel is still liveblogging here. Aussie Dave is doing the same here.

Westbankmama is offering Some Perspective. The Other MCCAIN blogged Appeal Against The Thunderstorm.

Avodah Ivrit shared Insanity.

Carl has Sky News: Will Israel undertake a ground operation? and Israel’s sorry history in Gaza.

Atlas Shrugs shared Hear O Israel and JEWISH GENOCIDE WATCH: IRANIAN PROXY HEZBALLAH PROMISES ATTACK ON THE JEWS.

Over at Hot Air we have Video: Israel attacking Hamas’ infrastructure of power. Michael Oren writes in The New Republic about a Crisis and an Opportunity and Yossi Klein Halevi has Why Gaza Matters.

BTW, Memeorandum has some other worthwhile links. Soccer Dad has Hamas And Its Boosters.

Gateway Pundit provided Surprise!… George Galloway Joins Violent Pro-Hamas Rally at Israeli Embassy in London (Video) and Pro-Israel Protesters Mobbed By Hamas Supporters in Toronto.

GP also linked to a post by Winston about the protest. Yid With Lid says that Israel Must Regain its Deterrence and discussed Disproportionate Response.

The Sand Monkey said My Head Hurts and Ghaza Again.

Dov Bear shared a post here and joining the war here. Tikkun Olam has Last Night of Chanukah,or: Oferet Yetzukah.

Seraphic Secret reveals Why We Fight.

He is Eight-Years-Old

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In a few moments or so the day will officially become December 29 and I will be the father of an eight-year-old boy. Some of you will read this and smile as you recollect when your child was this age and some of you will have no frame of reference at all. But let me tell you that I am continually surprised to realize that not only am I a father, but I have a child who is not a baby any more.

Actually he hasn’t been a baby for a very long time now, but not unlike many other parents I wonder where the time went. I look at him and I see hints of the baby he used to be but more than anything else I see small hints of the teenager to come. And I suspect that I might even see a few inklings of the man that he will one day be.

I told him earlier today to take his time growing up, there is no rush. It is something that my parents often told me and a lesson that I am trying to pass along. I suppose that I am trying to absorb it myself as well. Or maybe it is just my personal struggle with aging that I am confronting.

When I think back to the time before he was born I realize that I look at it as having been a different life. I remember what life was like, but in some ways I don’t really remember anymore. What I know is that every decision that I have made for the past eight years has been tied into him, whether I was conscious of it or not.

Since he has been on Winter Break I have made an extra effort to take advantage of the time. I have tried to make sure to do more fun things with him and to let him help me with more chores around the house. It is not that I didn’t let him before, but his school work takes priority and sometimes it was necessary to do the work without him.

He has helped to repair a drawer and a gate. He has talked to me about all sorts of school stuff, including his education about Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges and Jackie Robinson. He has spent time teaching me how to do second grade math and then asked me how it was that I already knew how to do it.

I got a kick out of the look on his face when I told him that I have already been through school. “You mean that even though you didn’t have computers you learned this stuff.”

We have spent time playing on the kids new Wii, Lego Star Wars is a particular favorite. I am amazed sometimes that a movie I loved as a kid has turned into a bonding exercise.

In between we chased each other around the house, threw a football around and terrorized the girls because according to him that is what we are supposed to do. Who am I to argue with such logic.

Just before he went to sleep we spent more time telling each other secrets and I did my best to answer some of his questions. A short while ago his mother and I let him know that there is a chance that he may go to a new school next year. Thus far he has spent his entire school career in private school and is nervous about public school.

I told him not to worry about it and that everything would work out, but I have to admit that I am nervous about it too. I don’t want to have to take him out of his school, I love it. But we’ll have to see what happens.

Anyway, that is enough about the big guy now. Maybe I’ll write more about it all later.

Gaza Round Up Part One

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**Updated**
Here is a quick roundup of posts about the current activities in Gaza. I am jammed for time but I’ll do my best to try and update this as things progress. My apologies for the lack of organization.

At the Augean Stables you can read Astonishing Statistic: How does this operation rank in the history?

Jules Crittenden shared Gotcha. Nasrallah is threatening to open a second front. For more on this check out Israel Matzav.

EOZ has a post about how the terrorists use their own people to try and gain the upper hand in Hamas leveraging Gazan lives for political gain. Confederate Yankee Writes about it as well in Because Monsters Are Always Monsters.

From Seraphic Secret: IDF Targets Hamas Military Targets and Egypt: “Hamas is to Blame.”
Esser Agaroth provided What Took ‘Em So Long?

The Rebbitzin’s Husband Kassams, Air Strikes, Gaza Invasion, UN Resolutions, Withdrawal, Kassams… and then what?

Solomonia Israel: Abandoning failed policies? and Nature Takes Its Course in Gaza (Updates).

Bookworm wrote about The Pieta. And Mere Rhetoric shared Palestinian Authority, Arab Countries: Of Course This Is Hamas’s Fault.

Yourish delivered Hamas is fighting the last war, redux and War snark. At Shiloh Musings they discussed the Seventh Day of Chanukah.

Jameel is live blogging. Hot Air says Hamas gets its war. What War Zone offered the obvious title, Here We Go Again.

Yid With Lid covered GAZA ATTACK!!!! Is Israel’s Policy of Restraint FINALLY Over ? and Obama’s Silence on Gaza Speaks Volumes. Not to mention US Terrorist Group CAIR Rips Israeli Action in Gaza.

Judeopundit on Soccer Dad’s blog has Guardian: “Analysis: The latest attacks in Gaza rank with Deir Yassin and the Sabra and Shatila massacres” it is also crossposted here.

From Daled Amos IDF Strikes Back At Hamas in Gaza Israellycool is live-blogging the Israeli retaliation against Hamas as well.

Westbankmama shared Tzav 8 – Reserve Soldiers Are Being Called Up. Tzipiyah posted We Will Not Put Our Heads Down In Shame!

A Soldier’s Mother has a post called Dawn. Baka Diary heard the Jets all day long.

Tel-Chai Nation is talking about the activities as well. Treppenwitz asks 300 Dead What.

My Right Word shared the following: Marty Peretz goes gung-ho, Today’s Quiz and Just Sitting Around.

Here is a link to CNN’s report about the situation. Jewlicious has Hamas’s Winning Strategy. Backspin said: Hamas Blocks Gaza’s Wounded From Treatment.

Gateway Pundit says: Hamas: Israel Bombed Islamic University in Gaza …Update: Egyptians Fire on Palestinians!

More to come my friends. If you have a post or hear of something worth including let me know in the comments or send an email to talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal-dot-net.

Things That Aggravate Me

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I woke up this morning in a foul mood and had planned on going off on a rant about all sorts of things. But due to time restrictions I am going to save that rant for later and share a couple of quick comments about things that aggravate me.

Parking lots are a central source of aggravation. It is a virtual guarantee that I am going to get aggravated by something in a parking lot, especially if it is a Trader Joe’s or Costco parking lot. The problem is that a parking lot is a place that is designed to make people focus on themselves and that is what happens, drivers pay little to no attention to what is happening around them.

I always get stuck behind the jackass who decides that they are going to drive less than a mile per hour down the lane in the hope that they do not miss a space. Driving speed in a parking lot is a touchy thing, because I get irritated with the fool who thinks that it is ok to pretend to be Jeff Gordon in the lot as well.

I get especially irritated with the person who thinks that parking headfirst in the space applies to other people. Perhaps they have neck trouble and think that backing into the space will make it easier to pull out when they leave. In that case I wish that they’d never get behind the wheel because if you can’t turn your head what the hell are you doing driving.

You people irritate me almost as much as your counterparts inside the freaking grocery store. There is enough material here for a separate post. I could write about those people who are next in line at the checker but decide to run off for one more item or their friends who carry 11 items into the ten or less line.

Yes, I am the guy who counts how many items you have and yes I will move your cart out of the way if you are not back in time. Your time is no more valuable than mine. Make a list before you go to the store and check it off as you go. As for the too many items guy well I know that if I let you sneak by with eleven you’re going to decide to try and slip by the next time with 25. Feh on you.

Two more quick comments about things that aggravate me.

Unsatisfying meals- I love to eat. It doesn’t have to be gourmet and it doesn’t have to home cooked every time. There is something thoroughly disappointing and disturbing about a unsatisfying meal, especially when there is nothing at the meal that is enjoyable. More on this at a later date.

A poor night’s sleep drives me crazy. Now I am sure that I am one of many who find this to be irritating, but I don’t care about you, I am writing about what aggravates me. And at the moment the terrible night I had has left me foaming at the mouth.

Most of the time I sleep well. It doesn’t matter if I am stressed out, hungry or whatever, I fall asleep. But every now and then I find it difficult to fall asleep and sometimes suffer from bad dreams. Well, last night was one of those nights.

I couldn’t fall asleep and when I did I had a million different nightmares. So I woke up this morning spitting blood, breathing fire and shooting laser beams from my eyes. That is pretty good if you work as a spawn of hell or are employed as a superhero. But it is not as enjoyable for a guy like me.

So if you’ll excuse me I am off to go storm around the house and wreak havoc somewhere. If I have to be this cranky I might as well share the moment with someone else.