Monday Post

Oh really? I wonder why:

An ambitious proposal to build a large Islamic centre and mosque blocks from Ground Zero has made some New York citizens angry.

The site of the devastating al-Qaeda attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 that killed almost 3,000 people is still a gaping hole in New York’s lower Manhattan, with a lot of construction put on hold because of the economic downturn. Supporters of the 15-storey cultural centre project say it will be open to all visitors including non-Muslims, it will encourage positive discourse between people of all faiths, and will house a day care, a theater, a gym and sports facilities. But groups against the proposal compare it to opening a German cultural centre around the corner from Auschwitz, the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph reports.

This isn't a testament to cultural openness or even bad taste. It's kow-towing.


Speaking of kow-towing, Comedy Central desperately tries to "un-wuss" itself from the "South Park" fiasco by insulting Jews and Christians and- for some reason- the US feels it should explain itself and even apologise to communist China (the same communist China that kills its infant girls and sells North Korean women into sexual slavery. That China.). That's Obama's America for you.


Not "emotionally an American":

Barbara Kay makes an important point: One is not necessarily paranoid if one distrusts Barack Obama. I would add the following reasons why he instills a sense of foreboding.

The man has enthusiastically lied and shifted his positions on key issues continuously since the 2008 campaign, and he appears to be totally devoid of any knowledge of history of social policy, either that of North America or the United Kingdom and Europe. His dismal ranking in the latter category appears to aid and abet his determination to repeat the lessons of the failure of socialist policies as they continue to play out in Europe.

While Mr. Obama may be legally a U.S. citizen, he is not emotionally an American, has no empathy at all for the historical essence of the American way of life or the principles and aims of its Constitution. No wonder the polls reflect a rising sense of alarm and a growing spirit of rejection for Obama's agenda among the American people.

This, tangentially, applies to Michael Ignatieff. For all his clamoring of loving the Great White North, he's been completely separate from it for years. His recent entry in Canadian politics (and how disastrous that has been!) has been met with distrust for good reason. If you truly love and understand something, you would have always been there and even declare your dedication in everything you say or do. Not so for Obama or Ignatieff.


Why not just get North Korean fans (not labourers) to cheer instead?

FEW North Koreans will be able to cheer their team at the World Cup in South Africa. So the country is recruiting 1,000 Chinese fans.

The Beijing office of the North Korean Sports Committee is giving out tickets to the tournament, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The Chinese fans will attend North Korea's games against Brazil and Portugal, Xinhua said. This is just the second time North Korea has qualified for the World Cup. It shocked the world with its first appearance in 1966 when it beat Italy and reached the quarterfinals.

The Chinese fans who will support North Korea this time include celebrities who have led similar groups to cheer for Chinese teams in the past. The Beijing office of the North Korean Sports Committee could not be reached on Friday. North Korea is the great unknown in the World Cup. News in the communist regime is strictly controlled.

Elephants and other animals trump North Koreans. The EU is silent because it has nothing to do with Canada or the seal hunt.



On the advent of barbecue season:

This term "Korean barbecue" is actually a misnomer, as the restaurants advertising this usually ask diners to cook their meat using a cast-iron pot or hot plate built directly into the table. The closest thing to barbecued steak is probably bulgogi (which translates to "fire meat") - thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and chili pepper, cooked at high ­temperature.

Some recettes for the preceding.