I happened across this new blog -- Breath of the Beast -- while perusing the American Thinker blog this morning. The first post, My First Encounter With The Beast, is a chilling personal narrative about an encounter with the ugly side of Islam over two decade ago.

Back in the early eighties my young family and I lived next door to an Iranian family. They were nice, friendly people. Hamid (not his real name) was a physician who was just starting out in his own practice. His wife, Haideh was also Iranian born. She was a mathematician. She taught at a local college. We moved in to brand new houses just months apart and shared the rigors of nurturing lawns where there had been only bulldozer tracks. We cooperated in the planting of trees and shrubs to define the empty expanses between our new homes. We borrowed tools from each other. Hamid and I played tennis often and even discussed the possibility of building a tennis court in the flat spot where our lots met. Our children played together and his son, Amir and my daughter Amy became very close friends. The two of them were barely more than toddlers when they first met but were soon talking about getting married the way little ones sometimes do when they find a close companion of the opposite sex.
The next summer, they went back to Iran to visit with their families. We were afraid for our friends. We knew the country was in turmoil. They were gone for several weeks. For much of the time my AmyÂ’s days were occupied with day camp but she still missed her friend. They finally returned a week before school. The two seemed to pick up right where they had left off.

It was a sunny Sunday morning and Amy went out right after breakfast and met Amir in his backyard. We watched as they began to play and turned away to read the Sunday paper. We were surprised when Amy came back inside a short while later. She walked by us with her head down and started up the stairs to her room. We had expected to have to call her in for lunch so it was odd that she came back so early. I called after her and asked her what was wrong. She told me how little 5-year-old Amir had matter-of-factly informed my innocent 5-year-old daughter that because she is a Jew it is his duty to kill her.

I hope the author, Yaacov Ben Moshe, keeps on writing and has more to say about his topic of choice.

What's more, I've found this week's nominee for the Watcher's Council.

Posted by: Greg at 07:09 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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Well, the fine folks over at bRight & Early have created a database of blogiversaries -- the date on which bloggers began their blogs.

Not only that, they are running a contest or three!

Here they are.

HOW TO JOIN THE FUN:
There are several ways to get in on the action.

1. The first way is the simplest — Add your blog to the Blogiversary Database. One of the confirmed blogs (those that follow the confirmation email sent after you submit your information) in the database at the deadline will be chosen at random. This will include all current participants and those who sign up before the deadline. How easy is that?
2. A separate random drawing will be done for the blogs who include the Blogiversary Database display code on their site. You can see a list of all the BDb blogs, separated into those who have and those who don't have the display code, here. I check the blogs fairly often, but if you think you are not on the right list please let me know. You can send an email to lakelandjim at gmail dot com.
3. The third way to win is to write a post about the Blogiversary Database. You can write what ever you want, but must include a link to the Add Your Blog page, the Blogiversary Database information page, and to this post. You should also create a trackback to this post. If your blogging software can't generate a trackback you can use Wizbang's Standalone Trackback Pinger. Those posts will also appear below.

THE DEADLINE:
The contest will run until the earlier of either 200 confirmed blogs in the database (of the 164 currently in the database 150 are confirmed), or midnight EST on Christmas New Year's Eve 12/24/2006 12/31/2006. The winners will be chosen at random in the week following the cutoff. If the 200 blog threshold is crossed before the 24th it will be announced here.

THE PRIZES:
You where waiting for this part, weren't you? Three winners will be chosen from the categories listed above. You can only win once, and will be removed from the remaining drawings. The prizes will be awarded in this order:

1. Write a Post — The winner will receive a free one month blogad.
2. Display the Code — The prize for this category is a free two week blogad.
3. Join The Database — Win a free one week blogad.

So you will notice the addition of the Blogiversary Database to my left column, right above the licensing information. Scroll down and take a look -- it is worth it, and you never know what you will find!

Posted by: Greg at 04:38 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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It's my old congressman -- Tom DeLay.

And he is making an interesting suggestion about a winning Dem ticket in 2008 -- but not a terribly original one.

I'd like him to address a question for me -- was he in any way behind the staff shenanigans in the office of his successor, Congresswoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs?

Posted by: Greg at 01:47 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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