Spock is Back!

spock-and-cat.jpgLeonard Nimoy will star in the upcoming Star Trek movie to be released in December 2008. Personally, just from the eyebrow thing, I think they ought to get “The Rock!” to play the younger Spock instead of Zachary Quinto.  From Breitbart:

Leonard Nimoy isn’t through with Spock yet.The 76-year-old actor will don his famous pointy ears again to play the role in an upcoming “Star Trek” film due out Christmas 2008.
“This is really going to be a great movie. And I don’t say things like that lightly,” Nimoy told a gathering of 6,500 fans Thursday at Comic- Con, the nation’s largest pop-culture convention.
He greeted the crowd with a Vulcan salute.
Nimoy was joined by the newly named young Spock, “Heroes” star Zachary Quinto, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Nimoy.

Pakistan Update

UBL is either dead, incapacitated by disease or drugs, or held prisoner. When I’ve said that in previous posts, I never remarked whose prisoner he is, but it’s possible that he could be prisoner to the infamous Egyptian, Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri.

al-qaida-schism.jpgzawahiri-dajjal.jpgThe papers in Pakistan are carrying the Newsweek piece on the Al Qaida schism, which really goes back to this post last September.

The evidence  has become clearer: since the rumor in September Osama Bin Laden hasn’t been seen or heard from, and apart from the “shura council” Zawahiri has been calling all the shots, sometimes in the face of clear dissent from others.

I suspect there was a falling out– UBL is either dead, incapacitated by disease or drugs, or held prisoner. When I’ve said that in previous posts, I never remarked whose prisoner he is but it’s possible that he could be prisoner to the infamous Egyptian, Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri.

Continue reading “Pakistan Update”

Wahabbist Smack Down

I came across this article in comments while surfing Metroblogging Islamabad, H/T to JayJay. If you ever need to lay the smack down on a Wahabbist in terms he will understand, this article’s great background.

Ibn Wahab’s initial devotees were largely Bedouins and he declared those who did not believe in his teachings as unbelievers. He told them: “It is halal (permissible) to kill and plunder Muslims who make mediators of the prophet and auliyas (Sufis) with a view to attain closeness to Allah.” The Bedouins used the verdict to justify the loot of Haj pilgrims. Ibn Wahab taught that it was sinful to build tombs over graves and said: “If I could I would demolish the Prophet’s shrine.” He did not believe that waqf foundations were Islamic and pronounced that salaries to Qazis were unlawful bribes. Ibn Wahab burnt original Sufi manuscripts including copies of the world famous Muslim prayer manual “Dalail ul Khairaat” by the 15th century Moroccan Sufi scholar Jazuli because along with salutations and blessings to the Prophet, its narrative included an eloquent portrait of the Prophet’s shrine. His followers plundered and desecrated the tomb of the Prophet’s  grandson Imam Hussain in Karbala.

Pelosi Pimping Subsidies

In her latest bid to buy votes for democrats in the unpopular legislative branch, Nancy Pelosi is pimping more farm subsidies to the midwest, and ignoring her own constituents.

pelosi.jpgIn her latest bid to buy votes for democrats in the unpopular legislative branch, Nancy Pelosi is pimping more farm subsidies to the midwest, and ignoring her own constituents.

This editorial from SFGATE details the new farm-pork bill.

While farm incomes are soaring, thanks to boom times and high corn prices for ethanol producers, she is sticking with a set of market props born in an era of hard times.

Pelosi is billing her party’s farm bill as reform, but it’s hard to think she really believes that. The bill continues rich subsidies for a handful of major crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans. Aside from subsidies for cotton and rice, the package does little good for California, where high-value fruits and vegetables are grown without Washington’s largesse. President Bush on Wednesday said he may veto the bill if it lands on desk.

Bombing Harry Potter Update

Previously I detailed how terrorists tried to blow up the book release party in Karachi, and today from Iran we have this

potterhallowsbook.jpgPreviously I detailed how terrorists tried to blow up the book release party in Karachi, and today from Iran we have this:

 In an article, the Iranian daily Kayhan, which is identified with Iranian Supreme Leader ‘Ali Khamenei, criticized Iran’s Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry for approving the distribution of the new book in the “Harry Potter” series.

The paper said that “Harry Potter” was a Zionist project in which billions of dollars had been invested in order to disrupt the minds of young people.

Story courtesy of the Memri Blog

So we’ve gone from wahabbists bombing Harry Potter to “twelvers” banning him. Let’s face it — if it were a plot there would be Arabic, Farsi, and Urdu versions wouldn’t there? pfft. Now that I think on it though, Khameimi just realizes how close to a death-eater he looks. Ministry of Islamic guidance sounds real close to ministry of magic….

UPDATE: We have comments from a “Mujahadid” :

Khamenei is very right to say that harry potter should not be allowed. This is the worse book that distracts a person from the remembrance of Allah and puts u in a dream world. None of it is real! Do not waste ur time on such things as there is no benefit from it. On day of Judgement, Allah (SWT) will ask us how we used up our free time and health! Fear Allah!!!!!!!

I think rather we should fear fools who pervert religion and faith in a blind quest for power over others.

Irresponsible Probing

Reporters from The Daily Mirror in Britain were caught  trying to smuggle a fake bomb onto a train at Stonebridge Park depot Wednesday. The first time they did this and got a fake bomb onto a train was arguably a test of security; to repeatedly do this is yellow journalism; irresponsibly seeking sensational headlines.

If it’s legitimate journalism and a “test”, should every passenger be allowed to test the security? Should every paper in Britain be allowed? If so how often? Once a week? Twice a week? How will the trains run against schedule then? Continue reading “Irresponsible Probing”

Muslims Reject Martyrdom in Greater Numbers

In a new poll from Pew Resarch, greater numbers of Muslims worldwide are rejecting suicide bombings, martyrdom, and violence against civilians in the name of Allah. As the true face of Al Qaeda becomes apparent in the Islamic world now that they’ve come to roost there, Al Qaida’s popularity has declined.

Continue reading “Muslims Reject Martyrdom in Greater Numbers”