This is unacceptable.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/25/AR2006082501298.html?referrer=email


This link might not function since you're supposed to have a (free) subscription to the Washington Post to read the article, but you should try to find out abt. this incident some other way if this doesn't work. As you probably know, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians have been returning to what is left of their homes following the cease fire agreement b/t Israel and Hezbollah. As you may or may not know, these same innocent civilians continue to fear for their lives and to daily be in harm's way due to the presence of mines and other unexploded ordnance left behind after the conflict. (And yes, I mean innocent civilians -- women, children, Christians, and other ppl. who are most definitely not part of the Hezbollah militia.) Although many mines are left fr. the days of Israeli occupation during and following Lebanon's civil war and were planted by both Israel and Hezbollah, the greatest danger today comes from unexploded ordnance lobbed at residential areas by the Israelis in this most recent conflict.

Targeting civilian areas is a clear violation of international law, to say nothg. of simple decency. And for those of you who want to come back w/that tired old "terrorists target civilians, too" argument, don't bother -- you will never convince me that it is somehow okay to use the v. tactics we decry simply b/c the opposing side resorts to such barbarity. So save your breath/carpal tunnels and my blood pressure. Perhaps worst of all, however, is that it is now apparent that Israel launched cluster bombs -- to me, the most reprehensible weapon in the modern arsenal, next to nuclear weapons -- into neighborhoods, markets, and other non-combatant areas, leaving behind countless numbers of unexploded "bomblets", the small but powerful spawn of the larger explosive projectile. Literally thousands of civilians in Iraq have been injured or killed by these tiny vessels of violence (courtesy of the U.S. miltary) and now the same pattern is emerging in Lebanon as unwitting civilians encounter the bobmlets as they try to clear the rubble of what was their lives in order to rebuild. Most tragically, however, is that children seem to be the most frequent victims of this particular device. Since kids are stupid, er, "innocent", they often mistake the bomblet for a ball, turning what should be a game of catch -- a reprieve fr. the destruction and loss around these children -- into a nightmare, as happened in the article I linked above. Normally I would say smthg. abt. how parents should keep an eye on their kids, but these parents are a little distracted by the whole there's-a-bulldozer-where-my-house-should-be situation, so I'm inclined to go a little easier on them than usual. The ppl. who should really be held responsible are the Israelis, who knowingly assaulted areas that should have been off-limits w/the artillery equivalent of herpes (it's the gift that keeps on giving!).

Oh, in case this wasn't disgusting enough, at least three varieties of the cluster bombs used by the Israelis are Made in the USA.

Since I'm fairly new to this whole having a heart position, I don't have many suggestions for what can be done by each of us individually, but it can only help to spread awareness of these egregious acts, so that's what I'm doing. See Jennifer, my favorite Canadienne, for better-informed advice.

Three strikes and you're out...of the gene pool

Oh, I wish.

Last night I accompanied Eli to wing night, which takes place every Wed. at the local Buffalo's (a mediocre, ostensibly Tex-Mex restaurant that also serves a variety of chicken wings). I used to go ea. wk. to these gatherings, but I quickly realized I dislike most of the ppl. there -- inc. those in our group -- and I hate the food even more, so I have significantly reduced my appearances. Fr. what I hear, the wings are quite good, but that does me no good. Everythg. I have sampled tastes like what I imagine would be the flavor of particle board with a texture to match. Point is, wing night holds few attractions for me and I have repeatedly failed to convince the few ppl. I do like who attend the wkly. ritual to change it to Mexican night.

And in case I needed that little extra push to convince me never again to return, I saw a woman last night who is a) a prime example of the sort of person who frequents this establishment, and b) also a prime example of the trash holes that populate this town. Observe:

1) When we pulled into the parking lot, I saw an unusually well-dressed pregnant woman (the phrase "barefoot and pregnant" originated in this region for a reason) walking toward the door and was slightly encouraged. I was quickly reminded that all hope is futile in this place when I passed said Pregnant woman Smoking w/a bunch of hillbillies just outside the entrance.
2) I was further unimpressed when it was brought to my attn. that this woman was attending a poker tournament being held in the restaurant, with her toddler in tow. I have nothing against responsible adults playing some poker if it strikes their fancy (I AM friends w/Eamonn, Chris, and Joe, for Heaven's sake), but I DO have a problem w/ppl. taking their small, developing children to an environment conducive to vulgarity, excess, and sometimes violence.
3) The superfluous icing on the cake was when the woman allowed her child to toddle about the restaurant unattended while mommy dearest picked at the leftovers that had not yet been cleared fr. a table in our section of the restaurant. It is important to note that the poker area was separate fr. our area, which means that she likely did not even know the ppl. who so generously provided her snack. Before I could fully appreciate her commitment to helping end American dietary wastefulness, I noticed her young child pick smthg. up fr. the floor. The child clenched it in her fist for a few moments, waiting for her mother to come admire her treasure. Now, I do not have kids and I certainly do not profess to be a child-rearing expert, but I know a few of the basics. Like, for example, don't let your kids eat shit off the floor, esp. in a public place. This lady -- and I use that term V. loosely -- examined the contents of her young one's outstretched palm and said, "That's candy. You put it in your mouth."

Oh, madam, if only YOU had simply put it in your mouth rather than following through with the whole procreationary act. Twice (that I know of).


Also, I had a FANTASTIC trip to Oregon to see Brianna and I will be posting pics and captions next wk. when Eli and I get back fr. Charleston. Highlights include: big trees, a crazy dog, and raccoon patty-cake. Yes, that's right.

And since I am abt. six yrs. behind in reading everyone else's blog due to the untimely death of my harddrive in June, I only just discovered this little gem on Daniel's blog: a website that generates your surprisingly comical obituary! Using my nickname, I got, "Evilly skulking around the neighborhood, jules died laughing hysterically. Jules will be terribly missed by the Lollypop Kids." This seems spot on to me, what with the reference to my evil-ness, my tendency to wander absently, my frequent laughter, AND my diminutive stature. The one that used my full name reminds me of how Brianna used to say I would end up like Blanche on Golden Girls when we got old (and it also references my evil-ness!). heh.

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com