Yeshiva Shooting

Very confusing information coming from Jerusalem. According to witnesses, one, possibly two, infiltrators entered the dining hall in a Yeshiva at around dinner time Israeli time and opened fire. At this time, the numbers of deceased is misleading with the number listed at different sources anywhere from 4 to 7. There are unconfirmed reports that one of the gunmen (if there were two) was wearing some form of explosive. This happened around 1.45 Eastern time. According to Jerusalem Post, the school in question is the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva located in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood, a very religious neighborhood with many yeshivas.. The article also states that approximately 40 people are wounded and that the two gunmen are dead. CNN is reporting that there is celebration in Gaza over the attack. It has been a relatively long time since Jerusalem has witnessed incidents of this magnitude.

Though Palestinians are celebrating the crime, with intense gunfire near the Prime Minister's home, it is unknown who the gunmen were or whether this was politically motivated. Israel had launched forces in Gaza last week but withdrew them on Tuesday. There has also been no claim of responsibility. Though it may appear to be clear that is a retaliatory strike against Israel, it may not be. It may be a school shooting like the ones we have suffered through here in the US as well as in other nations of the world.

Links: Ynet, Jpost

Earlier today, here in the United States in Times Square, New York, there was an explosion at an Army recruiting office. Some believe a cyclist is was recorded passing by the office not long before the blast may be involved if not the bomber. The explosion happened at 3.39 Eastern time this morning. No one was injured.

Israeli Army Radio with the Ambulence service backing it up have increased the number of dead to 8. CNN has also just reported that two bombs went off within moments of each other in Baghdad.

How thick could you get?

The baggage of one Howard McFarland Fish, 21, of Conncecticut, was found to have dynamite in it. Yeah, the stuff created by some Swedish guy named Nobel to blow shit up with. Reportedly there was a half stick as well as other bomb making components. The man was on his way back to college presumably. Though authorities don't believe he was engaged in terrorism nor planned any terrorist acts, his motives are unknown as well as his intentions. All I know is, he's a dumbshit.

Following up on a story reported here, the FDA's controversial decision to allow drugmaker Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. to make the drug over-the-counter has some reactions. Time Magazine is running a story on its website that "both sides of the debate were quick to decry the FDA's ruling as political." Andrew von Eschenbach, the acting FDA commisioner is still in the running to be confirmed as the commisioner. After the drug was aprroved, two senators namely Patty Murray and Hillary Clinton withdrew their objections to his nomination. They both were adamently opposed to von Eschenbach unless he aprroved the pill. In response, fatih-based groups called on President Bush "to withdraw von Eschenbach's nomination altogether because of the pills that, if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, can greatly reduce the chance of pregnancy". So now the truth comes to light. Its all political maneuvering. The FDA did limit the purchase of the drug to those 18 and older though the drug company is still targetting those as young as 16.

Now here I will editorialize: I understand the faith-based groups desire to make sure every life is born regardless of it being wanted, cared for and nourished, but saying a woman cannot get a pill to prevent conception in an emergency is insane. THere is no life killed; just prevented. Also, they are currently limiting the purchase to those who are adults, who've acheived majority. This means they are supposedly capable of taking their own matters into their own hands. I needed to after my stupid boyfriend at the time decided to take the condom off when I had been out of my pills for a week or so. I was worried and I had to run around and spend a lot of money to get the stupid thing.

Now, I also have a problem with Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. You want to to market this drug to 16-year-olds? You also would like to due clinical studies on 15-year-olds!?! I see serious ethical dilemnas on the horizon for you. And social conservatives worried that this will encourage promiscuity: If you don't want it, don't have it. Promiscuity is very old. Older than you.

Former Prime Minister of Ukraine (Україна) was jailed here in the US on charges of fraud, extortion and money-laundering. The guy is a real winner. Pavlo Lazarenko (Павло Іванович Лазаренко) has also been convicted of laundering $6.6M through Swiss banks and with ordering the 1996 killing of a prominent politician, Yevhen Shcherban, and two failed assassination attempts on high-ranking officials in Ukraine. He has been sentenced to nine years prison time and a fine of $10M.

According to the BBC, Pakistani born Javed Iqbal stands accused of offering the Hezbollah (حزب الله) run station al-Manar (المنار) to consumers in New York. The man claims its a violation of his first amendment rights. First of all, it is not. It is a violation of his right to make a profit. However, I do agree that he has the right to broadcast the station for interested persons in New York. Secondly he was doing business with a terrorist group. That is what he is officially charged with. Its gonna be a tough one to fight that. Even though I think he shouldn't be charged with anything, I can't see the courts being unbiased enough.

On this day back in 1718, the port city of New Orleans (Nouvelle-Orléans) was founded in Louisiana, then territory of France.

Conicidently, on this day a year ago, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Florida before returning to the water, that being the very steamy Gulf of Mexico, where it would strengthen to a Category 3 storm the following day and proceed on its fateful and fatal clash with New Orleans.