Time in Syria

Masiaf citadel looks and is much smaller than Krak Des Chevaliers but is still a very substantial place, with six floor levels, and additions and extensions built over centuries. It's also less of a tourist hot-spot, so we were the only visitors there on the day.

Labels: Syria

Labels: Syria

create your own visited country map

Labels: Travel

...seeing these two again at Christmas.

Labels: Home

Labels: Massar

Labels: Massar

I'm not sure what Barack Obama's early choice of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff presages for the chances of a considered solution in this region. Emanuel appears very much pro-Israel, and scores very low marks on this website from groups who are looking at matters like the future of jerusalem from anything other than an Israel-right-or-wrong perspective. My enthusiasm for Obama is based on the assessment that he is not driven by narrow dogma, fixed positions or simplistic analysis. The appointment of Emanuel throws the first question mark over that assumption.

We'll see.

Labels: Politics

Labels: Massar

http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/

Labels: Politics

This is tragic on so many levels that I can hardly bear to think about it.

Labels: Viewpoint

"This natural right from God [my italics throughout] means that if someone breaks into your child's bedroom, and there is not a police officer or the US Military there to defend your family, the authority of judge, jury, and executioner reverts back to you, from where the authority came. You cannot be charged with murder or assault in self-defense.

Also, it is not the states who "allow." In fact, no governments (local, state, or federal) can allow or disallow what is not in their power to grant. The right is God given, not government given. The US, not State, Constitution acknowledges our godly right to "bear arms" in the Bill of Rights. The spirit is self-defense of non-criminals without fear of criminal punishment. Every citizen has the freedom to decline or embrace self-defense when a criminal threatens to harm. The 2nd Amendment is bad news only if you are a criminal, or intent on overthrowing the United States. In that case, you would want to question the rights of non-criminals and their Bill of Rights and try to repeal the 2nd Amendment.

This isn't rocket science."

No, it isn't any kind of science, it's arrant, self-serving, dangerous nonsense.

Labels: Viewpoint