Great Turnout at Ponzio's

Diana M., local organizer, had a great idea when she thought of arranging to have a dinner meeting at Ponzio's for our latest local Prager Discussion Group get-together.

Eleven (actually twelve - but one couldn't stay) people showed up - including Joe, Chad, Gloria, Joe, Diana, Randy, Alan, Lynda, Steve, Matt, and Joan - for some lively and stimulating discussions.

Next Prager Discussion Group Meeting

The next Prager Discussion Group Meeting will be held this coming Wednesday, March 12th at Ponzio's on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, NJ at 6:30 pm.

Temperature Monitors Report Widescale Global Cooling

Twelve-month long drop in world temperatures wipes out a century of warming

Over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snowcover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile -- the list goes on and on.

No more than anecdotal evidence, to be sure. But now, that evidence has been supplanted by hard scientific fact. All four major global temperature tracking outlets (Hadley, NASA's GISS, UAH, RSS) have released updated data. All show that over the past year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously.

A compiled list of all the sources can be seen here. The total amount of cooling ranges from 0.65C up to 0.75C -- a value large enough to wipe out nearly all the warming recorded over the past 100 years. All in one year's time. For all four sources, it's the single fastest temperature change ever recorded, either up or down.

Scientists quoted in a past DailyTech article link the cooling to reduced solar activity which they claim is a much larger driver of climate change than man-made greenhouse gases. The dramatic cooling seen in just 12 months time seems to bear that out. While the data doesn't itself disprove that carbon dioxide is acting to warm the planet, it does demonstrate clearly that more powerful factors are now cooling it.

Let's hope those factors stop fast. Cold is more damaging than heat. The mean temperature of the planet is about 54 degrees. Humans -- and most of the crops and animals we depend on -- prefer a temperature closer to 70.

Historically, the warm periods such as the Medieval Climate Optimum were beneficial for civilization. Corresponding cooling events such as the Little Ice Age, though, were uniformly bad news.

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What Libeeral Jews Should Know About Barack Obama

Debunking Barack Obama
by Naomi Ragen (18 February 2008)

In an election year, we need to be really careful about what we send out and what we say about all candidates who might become the next leader of the free world. But we also need to arm ourselves with information.

I was very interested in the e-mail circulating quoting Newsweek and Snopes about the "lies" being spread about Mr. Obama. I investigated. Interestingly, the debunkers debunk all kinds of things I never heard of, like Obama not saying the Pledge of Allegiance, or using a Koran instead of a Bible in his swearing in ceremony. I never even heard those, and I am glad to hear they are lies.

But there are a number of other things circulating that haven't yet been "debunked" and these are far more worrying because they are true. Like the fact that Mr. Obama's church gave an award to the notorious anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. As Richard Cohen wrote in the Washington Post on January 15, "Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man was Louis Farrakhan."

Huh?! Say what? You mean the Farrakhan who said "The real anti-Semites are those who came out of Europe and settled in Palestine, and now they call themselves the true Jews, when in fact, they converted to Judaism," as Farrakhan told Al Jazeera on March 18, 2007. The Farrakhan who said in a Swing magazine interview: "Until Jews apologize for their hand in that ugly slave trade; and until the Jewish rabbis and the Talmudic scholars that made up the Hamitic myth - that we were the children of Ham, doomed and cursed to be hewers of wood and drawers of water - apologize, then I have nothing to apologize for." Or as he said in the Mosque Maryam, Chicago, 3/19/95,

"German Jews financed Hitler right here in America... International bankers financed Hitler and poor Jews died while big Jews were at the root of what you call the Holocaust... Little Jews died while big Jews made money. Little Jews [were] being turned into soap while big Jews washed themselves with it. Jews [were] playing violin, Jews [were] playing music, while other Jews [were] marching into the gas chambers..."

I suggest you Google Farrakhan, ADL or Nation of Islam and see some of the other things Mr. Farrakhan has said.

And yet, the man who would be president has a spiritual leader who has applauded Farrakhan's "depth of analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation." He praised "his integrity and honesty." He called him "an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose." As Mr. Cohen wrote in the Washington Post, "These are the words of a man who prayed with Obama just before the Illinois senator announced his run for the presidency. Will he pray with him just before his inaugural?"

Now, Mr. Obama is no dummy. Following the Cohen outing of this information in the Washington Post, Obama's aides issued the following statement on his behalf: "I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree."

Yes, Mr. Obama distanced himself. Even Mr. Farrakhan understands why. As Farrakhan said recently on ABC's Nightline, "I like him very much. ... He has a fresh approach... If avoiding me would help him to become president, I'd be glad to stay in the background."

Jews like Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation Committee are forgiving. "When someone close to a political figure shows sympathy and support for an individual who makes his name espousing bigotry, that political figure needs to distance himself from that decision. Senator Obama has done just that."

Well bully for Mr. Foxman! Having been in a suicide bombing attack which killed people - many of them Survivors and their children and grandchildren- at a Passover Seder in 2002, I'm a little less warm-hearted and forgiving. If I had a Rabbi, for example, who publicly supported and honored a despicable racist, I'd change shuls. Mr. Obama's distancing himself, even during a political campaign, has not included either changing churches or spiritual leaders. In light of this, the fact that Mr. Obama's father and step-father were both Muslim, and that he spent part of his childhood in a Muslim school in Indonesia perhaps should begin to concern us. Yes, indeed, depsite the fact that CNN (which we all know has tremendous credibility) has taken great pains to put our minds at rest by visiting this school, assuring us that it is not a medrassa that educates suicide bombers.

But honestly, all this wouldn't be enough for me to dismiss the very articulate and charismatic Mr. Obama if he wasn't consistently exhibiting worrisome, non-debunkable evidence that he is neither a friend either of Israel, or the Jewish people.

And please spare me the letter from the token Jew who "met him and spoke to him and is completely convinced he is a friend of Israel" blah, blah.

Actions speak louder than words.

As reported in the New York Sun, Mr. Obama has chosen Zbigniew Brzezenski to advise him on Mideast policy, sending this anti-Israel, anti-Semite, in the words of one of my list members, "this dinosaur resuscitated from the Jimmy Carter administration, a man who spent over 30 years attacking Israel, an Arabist who recently signed a letter demanding that Israel negotiate with the terrorist group Hamas, and a defender of the notorious Walt-Mearsheimer ideology that Israel and Jews have too much influence on American foreign policy against the interests of the U.S. " to ...Syria!? What, to negotiate a new peace plan?

A list-member writes: "While the terror rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel are leading up to another major conflict in that region, the Democratic Party, party headed by Sen. Barack Obama, continues its support for the "besieged" Palestinians. In a talk in Iowa, given by the contender for his party's presidential nomination, Obama called the Palestinian people "the most oppressed people on Earth." Of course, the implication was that the Israelis were the oppressors. Also, please take note that he recently stated to Paris Match (Jan. 31) that if elected, he would, "organize a summit in the Muslim world with all the heads of state, to have an honest discussion about ways to bridge the gap that grows between Muslims and the West. I want to ask them to join our fight against terrorism. We must listen to their concerns." Yes, that's what the world really needs, to "listen to the concerns" of Muslims.

Unfortunately, Obama is not alone. Recently, Dennis Kucinich and 10 other Democratic House members sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calling on the United States to exert its "influence to urge Israel to end its blockade of Gaza." They claimed the human rights of the Palestinians were being violated by Israel. As a list-member writes, "As a former 'Jewish umbilical-cord Democrat', I wonder how my fellow Jews could still consider themselves Democrats knowing the anti-Israel bias of their party?"

The Jews who are considering voting for Obama (or Clinton) should be doing a lot more research. Even if they don't care if Israel is wiped off the map, do you really want a man whose Church gives out awards to people like Louis Farrakhan? Do you want a man whose volunteers sit under Che Guevara posters (according to the picture shown on KRIV-TV in Texas)?

How many times can a voter turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?

If I've made a mistake, please debunk me. Until then, I guess I'll have to believe what I see. Just a reminder: I am a U.S. citizen who pays taxes and I have every right to express my opinion on candidates running in an election in which I plan to vote. I don't mind telling you that it won't be for Barack Obama.

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Naomi Ragen is an American-born novelist and playwright who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. She has published seven internationally best-selling novels, and is the author of a hit play. Naomi also publishes a regular column that deals with Jewish subjects, especially Israel.

http://www.naomiragen.com/index.htm

RJC Launches "I Used to be a Democrat" Ad Campaign

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2008) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) announced today the launch of its new national advertising campaign.

The series of ads entitled "I Used to Be a Democrat" tell the true-life, political journeys of former Jewish Democrats. While the circumstances may vary, one common theme persists among them: Each is now a Jewish Republican.

In one ad, Glenn M. Taubman of Annandale, Va says: "I don't agree with the Republicans on every issue, but the Democratic Party just doesn't represent me anymore." In another, Stephen Rosenbach of Arnold, Md says: "I couldn't stay in the party dominated by the far left who won't stand up to the threat posed by Iran, Syria and growing radical Islamic extremism." The ads also encourage other former Jewish Democrats to share their political journeys with the RJC.

"The ads reflect the movement we've witnessed for years: More and more American Jews express serious misgivings with the direction of the Democratic Party. Again and again, they are finding that the Republican Party better represents their concerns ranging from national security to the well-being of the state of Israel," said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks.

The ads will run in major Jewish newspapers across the country through late spring or early summer.

Some Thoughts on Love - By Dennis Prager - Tuesday, February 12, 2008

With Valentine's Day approaching, some thoughts on love.

1. The love relationship between a man and a woman is unique. There is no love like it for two primary reasons: First, it is the love of equals -- all other love relationships (except same-sex friends) are between unequals. Second, it is sexual.

2. Because it is the only love relationship between equals (again except for friends), it is the only relationship in which it is a good thing to seek to be loved. In other relationships, it is bad to seek to be loved. Parents who seek to be loved by their children will inevitably do a poor job as a parent. They may even damage their child. Leaders who seek to be loved by the public will be ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. One can only lead if he does not yearn to be loved. A teacher who tries to be loved by her students will likewise fail. Parents, leaders, teachers have jobs to do, and seeking to be loved compromises their ability to do those jobs properly. They should seek to do the right thing, and doing the right thing often means being not loved, even hated. If they seek any response from those they lead, it should be respect, not love.

But in the love of equals -- i.e., the love between a man and a woman and the love of friends -- it is not only all right to seek to be loved, it is a good thing. Taking the love of a spouse or friend for granted is perhaps the single greatest cause of marital divorce and the breakup of friendships. "What can I do to ensure his/her continuing love?" is a wonderful thing to keep in mind.

3. That is one reason the notion of "unconditional love" is foolish. The fact is, we all earn love, and it is a good thing to have to do so. What possible good purpose can the belief that your spouse loves you unconditionally -- i.e., no matter how you act -- serve? If we believe our spouse loves us no matter what we do, what would motivate us to be on our best behavior at all times? Why be kind even when we are in a foul mood? Why work to stay attractive if he will love me no matter how much I neglect how I look? Why continue to pay attention to her -- like regularly calling her from work -- if I know that even if I ignore her, she will continue to love me?

Unconditional love is not a good idea. I don't know where it originated, but I am quite certain it's relatively recent, a product of an age that has put primary importance on feelings. With the possible exception of a parent's love for a young child, unconditional love is not a good idea among people, and it's probably not a good idea concerning God's love for us. I am familiar with no biblical basis for the notion that God loves us no matter how much cruelty and evil we engage in (God's love of His Chosen People, Israel, is specifically depicted as conditional upon Israel's behavior), or for the notion that God loved Adolf Hitler and Mother Teresa equally. Frankly, I would be disappointed in such a God. It renders Him a love machine whose love cannot be affected by our behavior, not a loving being who is affected by how we act. It renders His love amoral. And it prevents us from growing up.

4. "God is love" is a half-truth. God is many things, and love is only one of them. One can just as accurately say "God is punishment" or "God is justice" or "God is truth."

5. We show love to those we love by doing what they consider loving, not necessarily by what we consider loving. A young man once called my radio show and told me he was not planning to give his girlfriend flowers or even a card, or to do anything special for her on Valentine's Day. His reason was that he considered Valentine's Day a creation of American capitalism -- just another way to sell cards, flowers and gift items and increase companies' profits. I asked him if his girlfriend agreed with him about the insignificance of Valentine's Day. He said she didn't, that, in fact, she thought it important that he do something special for her on Valentine's Day.

I then asked him if he considered birthdays special and expected his girlfriend to do or get something special for him on his birthday. He said he did. How would he react, I then asked, if his girlfriend dismissed the significance of birthdays the way he dismissed the importance of Valentine's Day and ignored his birthday? He acknowledged that he would be hurt.

Just as his girlfriend should make his birthday special whether or not she believes in the importance of birthdays, he should make Valentine's Day special for her whether or not he deems the day special. We show love to the other in the way he or she understands it, not the way we do.

6. Finally, to the extent that emotions can be measured, it may be difficult to say whether love or hate is the stronger emotion. But this can be said with certainty: Among the psychologically healthy and morally decent, there is no comparison. Love is the most powerful force in our life. And the more the merrier.

Dennis and Alan - 2/7/08