Month: February 2006

While the New York Times and most other papers in the United States refuse to run the cartoons that have inflamed radical Muslims–and I say “radical” because I’d like to think that the majority of Muslims would actually, y’know, follow the Prophet’s teaching and react to criticism with patience rather than violence–the University of Illinois student newspaper, “The Daily Illini,” ran an assortment of them.

And why not? A dozen pictures that would have been here today, gone tomorrow if radicals hadn’t made them a cause celebre have become a major news item. So the newspaper ran some of them.

The result? Angry protests from students and the newspaper editor has been relieved of duty. World reaction in microcosm.

The most laughable reaction is the Iranian newspaper that wants to run cartoons lampooning the Holocaust. This despite the fact that the cartoons ran in Denmark and had nothing to do with Jews, Israel, or the Holocaust. Perhaps it’s because a contest for cartoons lampooning Danish pastries doesn’t seem ripe for humor. Or perhaps Muslims have yet to encounter a problem that they can’t blame on the Jews. Most likely they consider cartoons attacking Jews to be “payback.” As far as Jews are concerned, Muslims lambasting Jews isn’t called “payback.” It’s called “SOP.”

There is nothing–I repeat, nothing–that some Iranian newspaper can run that’s going to get the average Jew to do anything other than roll his eyes and say, “Yeah, whatever.” We’re sure not going to start burning down Iranian restaurants or embassies over it.

This entire business has been revelatory. It underscores the complete Muslim disconnect between their own actions and others. Anti-semitism, anti-Americanism, insults and lambasting of others based upon race, color and creed is completely ingrained into their culture. But at the same time they demand complete respect for their beliefs from others who DO NOT SHARE THEM. They demand from others what they would not even remotely consider dispensing themselves.

And it underscores the complete chickenshit nature of governments here and abroad who seem far more eager to condemn the publishers of the cartoons than the overreactions to them. “How can someone provoke the Muslims?” people wonder. I wonder how people can NOT provoke them, or at least provoke their extremist factions who are determined to sell the idea that the world is out to get them. (Then again, if Christians can try to claim that they’re under attack in the ninety-percent Christian United States, I suppose anything is possible.)

Governments are trying to sell the notion that we must all be careful to be sensitive to the religious beliefs of others. Which is nonsense. Cartoons trashing Jews are standard in newspapers throughout the Arab world and I don’t see the U.N. making a stink about it. No, the truth is that various governments want to show respect for Muslim beliefs in the same way that one shows respect for a test tube of nitro glycerin: You don’t REALLY give a dámņ about its preachings. You just want to make sure not to shake it up so it doesn’t go off.

If the answer to free speech is more free speech, then apparently the answer to intolerance is more intolerance. Don’t say to the Arab world, “It’s a dámņëd cartoon, get a grip. And if you don’t like it, then how about cleaning up your own house by eliminating the practices that cause the world to see you as a bunch of dangerous, violent psychos, drowning out the teachings of peace and tolerance that your Prophet puts forward.” Say instead to everyone else, “Don’t get the Muslims upset because they’ll blow you up.”

What the hëll is it with extremists anyway that they use historical figures who preached the ways of peace to justify the ways of war?

PAD

After years of a political landscape that considered it open season on Democrats, apparently things have taken a lethal and possibly fatal turn.

As the White House attempts to claim that they intentionally waited for a public citizen to report the story to the press–as convincing an argument as Pee Wee Herman announcing that he “meant to” take a header over his bike handlebars–Harry Whittington is (let’s face it) fighting for his life as pellets are apparently making a bee-line for his ticker.

Here’s what I don’t get:

Today’s newspaper ran a picture of Cheney from an earlier quail hunting incident. As one would expect, the rifle was tilted at what appeared to be an angle of about, oh, fifty degrees or so, as Cheney prepared to blow helpless birds out of the sky with his WMD–weapon of mass defowling.

Now the reports claim that Whittington wandered “into the line of fire.” Which I would believe if Cheney were trying to kill, say, Bambi’s mother. But he was trying to kill birds that were–unless I missed something–in flight.

I fully admit I’ve never hunted, but how the hëll does one step “into the line of fire” of a gun elevated at fifty degrees toward the sky? I don’t know how close Whittington was standing, but if he was at point blank range he’d probably be dead, and if he was any distance, he’d have to be ten feet tall. I just don’t get it.

It should be interesting if, in addition to stonewalling Congress whenever investigations are launched, the White House attempts to stonewall the Texas sheriff.

PAD

According to www.billmumy.com, the marvelous actor, Andreas Katsulas, passed away of cancer.

He was a consumate professional. I once had the chance to observe him on the B5 set between takes. He would sit in a chair and just meditate, thoroughly in character as G’Kar. Cast and crew knew better than to come over and chat with him or make small talk. They respected his space and thorough preparation. And when he was out of make-up, he was approachable, polite, surprisingly soft-spoken and caring. (Kath will tell you her own encounter with him at a Maryland convention.) By the way, for those who don’t know, he also played the one-armed man in the Harrison Ford “The Fugitive.”

He will be missed.

PAD

(Followup from GH: One of the first entries ever done on this blog was a photo of Andreas taken with Peter’s wrist cam at I-Con some years back. We noticed it was missing on the site, so I’m restoring that photo here:)

Yes. The news is true.
Peter has signed an exclusive with Marvel.
He is quite happy about it.

“Fallen Angel” & ‘Soulsearchers and CO.” were grandfathered into the contract as was his Spike mini-series.

Oh I am very happy about it too but then I have been happy about it since last year. *grin*

Peter is making a big announcement at WonderCon today. Once I know he has made it (he’s gonna call me on the cell to tell me) then I will announce it here. It will probably will not be before 7 pm (REVISED time) EST.

Revised: I can tell you that it is not a new sibling for the David Girls. But it was a nice thought Shana.

So as Ariel’s season is winding down, here’s where things stand:

Her high school team finished first in their division. This Saturday the county-wide playoffs will be held at Sayville Lanes in Long Island. That will determine who goes to the State championships.

Ariel herself, along with one of her teammates, Kat, finished second in a two-game county-wide Doubles tournament. Her first game was an anemic 135, but she shook it off and came roaring back, firing off six strikes in a row on her way to a 232 that helped her and her partner clinch second place.

Tragically, I’ll be at WonderCon this weekend and will miss the counties. I agreed to the convention eight months ago before we even knew whether Ariel would make the team, much less when counties were. But Ariel and Kath will be calling me with updates, so don’t be surprised if my cell phone rings during one of my Saturday talks and I take the call.

PAD

…aboard a brand new luxury ocean liner has just been announced from the Royal Caribbean line. It is designed to be sixty feet longer, far more luxurious, and capable of carrying twice as many passengers (over 6000) as the current largest ship afloat.

It’s set to launch in 2009, just five years shy of the Titanic’s Centennial. Am I the only person who thinks that God is cracking his knuckles over this floating testament to hubris and saying, “Oh, PLEASE. Bring it ON. I double-dog DARE you.”

To make it worse, the working title of this thing is “Project Genesis.” Dude! You really want to name your new ship after something that self-destructed in “Star Trek III?”

PAD