1) No wonder they fatwa'ed his ass. Rushdie speaking truth:

I'm no friend of Tony Blair's and I consider the Middle East policies of the United States and the U.K. fatal. There are always reasons for criticism, also for outrage. But there's one thing we must all be clear about: Terrorism is not the pursuit of legitimate goals by some sort of illegitimate means. Whatever the murderers may be trying to achieve, creating a better world certainly isn't one of their goals. Instead, they are out to murder innocent people.

If the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, for example, were to be miraculously solved from one day to the next, I believe we wouldn't see any fewer attacks.
[. . .]
Q: Of course there can be no justification for terrorism. But nevertheless there are various different starting points. There is the violence of groups who are pursuing nationalist, one might say comprehensible, goals using every means at their disposal ...

A: ... and there are others like al-Qaida which have taken up the cause of destroying the West and our entire way of life. This form of terrorism wraps itself up in the wrongs of this world in order to conceal its true motives — an attack on everything that ought to be sacred to us.

It is not possible to discuss things with Osama bin Laden and his successors. You cannot conclude a peace treaty with them. They have to be fought with every available means.

2) Boy can write. Alan Stewart Carl on 9/11:

This is a time for Washingtons. For Lincolns. For Roosevelts. This is a time for leadership. So it is my deepest hope that Americans stop reflexively agreeing with “their side” and start questioning all sides. Only then can we hope to elect leaders from outside the vapid political system that so ineffectually rules us. Only then can we find the new visions for the changed world.

I fear that this is just rhetorical bullshit. I fear nothing will change. I even fear that my fears are misplaced—that the system is fine, that America is flourishing and those of us who believe otherwise are just overwrought thinkers with too much time on our hands. I fear I may be a fool.

But, then again, I don’t let my fears rule me. So I write and will continue to write in the hope that people are listening. That people stop and think and realize that we are not on the right path—and that neither left nor right has a roadmap that will work. We need change. Five years later and we still need change.

3) This is so shamelessly self-promoting it's like something I'd do.

4) This makes me happy:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Margaret Johnson might have looked like an easy target.

But when a mugger tried to grab a chain off her neck Friday, the 56-year-old Johnson, while riding in her wheelchair, pulled out her licensed .357 pistol and shot him, police said.

5) This is cool, a fantasy map of the Middle East with everyone where they should be. I doubt making these changes would involve more than, oh, say a million lives. Cool, though. And thanks to The Glittering Eye for the link.


6) I like guys who fight for causes that are not their own out of self-interest. The mighty Eteraz has this:

The women’s protection bill of Pakistan — which will dramatically reform the rape laws of Pakistan — has a chance of being passed this coming Monday. The bill is an attempt to reform the draconian rape laws of Pakistan from 1979, passed by then dictator Zia ul Haq under the auspices influence of the religious fundamentalist establishment. The laws from 1979 require that for a woman to make an allegation of rape she must produce four male witnesses. If she is unable to put forth the witnesses she herself is liable for adultery (and can be imprisoned or put to death for adultery). Absurd. In one case, a blind girl, Safia Bibi, who had been raped was convicted on charges of adultery because she could not identify her attacker.

7) Yikes. At The Moderate Voice:

One of the co-bloggers at my own blog, Liberty and Justice, Isaac Schrodinger is currently involved in the fight of his life. Even, a fight for his life.

As all of you who have read (some of) his articles will know, Isaac is very critical about radical Islam. He witnessed the results of a culture of radical Islam, he saw the effects of this ideology of hatred and ignorance, how people are forced to live, first-hand. As a result, he understands that Muslim extremists do not just pose a threat to the West, but also to every single person living in 'Muslim countries'.

As a result, it should be obvious to anyone with any basic knowledge about this subject, it is not exactly safe for him, an apostate, to live in a country in which Muslim extremists have quite some power. He came from Pakistan, was educated in Saudi Arabia, later in the United States and now lives in Canada.

8) Harold Ford is theoretically within striking range in Tennessee, but I won't start believing it till I see he's consistently up by five. Sorry, but I think when it comes to African-American candidates people bullshit the pollsters.

9) I don't know why I read this blog. I hate agents as a rule. Also editors. Writers. Including myself. Pretty much everything to do with my profession. But I check this place probably three times a day anyway. What is it, masochism?

10) Cartoon blog.

This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on Saturday, September 09, 2006. You can leave your response.