“JERUSALEM - Israel is believed to be using controversial white phosphorus shells to screen its assault on the heavily populated Gaza Strip yesterday. The weapon, used by British and US forces in Iraq, can cause horrific burns but is not illegal if used as a smokescreen.” from today’s commondreams so if you wonder why people hate israel so much, here is an example of the answer. i personally want israel and palestine to succeed. that is why i tell israel to be proportional, rational and visionary, like jimmy carter.

carolyn, thank you for the info. deni, thanks for getting us going on this.

joni and deborah, “Take heed to these posts dear founders. This is truly the type of inspirational article we want to see on WOW.” there are so many women and some men who have done great things in obscurity. we do hope that wow will notice the ones a google would find and bring them to our attention.

the daily show did a funny skit on that after the israeli-hezbollah war. one reporter said god loves the palestinians. then the one stationed in israel said god was doing some serious two timing and claimed to love the israelis best. then the reporter in bethlehem said that was where god was born. for all who want to tell me what the bible says, it was a funny skit having nothing to do with my beliefs or knowledge of the bible.

i, too, see gaza as israel’s “warsaw ghetto.” one would hope that thought would put things into clearer perspective for israeli officials. meanwhile, hamas has broken all the promises that got them elected in the first place. if hamas and israel would talk, there is a chance they could find some common ground (love of their children?). meanwhile tom friedman’s grisly test remains: do they love their children more than they hate their enemies?

thanks to helen suzman for her life of good work, and thanks to wow for telling us about her. it sounds as though she had both courage and convictions, giving her the courage of her convictions.

kay sara, while other places have some unemployment, michigan has vast unemployment. we will turn it around, but if you left michigan now, your worst difficulty would be selling your house. i, on the other hand, hope to stay here and reap the economic rewards of governor granholm’s hard work and vision.

for healthy fats, just stock up on raw almonds, walnuts, pecans—whatever—and eat ten or so as part of your 400 calories.

kay sara—off topic, but i’m glad to see you’re still going strong. a wonderful new year to you! as for diets, i started south beach the weekend before thanksgiving. the results so far are good.

me too

yes, but what about a key lime pie?

elaine has it right about diet being the proper source of our nutrients. vitamin pills fill in the blanks in our diets.

if our new president coordinates and leads well, we have hope of renewing our electric grid and maybe our schools coming out of this crisis, using the crisis as a call to all to do your share.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, LIZ.

back in 2000, palestinians were throwing stones while israelis used real bullets and mortars. if somebody with some sense doesn’t stop this soon, israeli tanks fueled with $13 billion annually of united states aid will invade gaza. that will only fire up more hatred. revenge is not a solution. there is a good blog on this by a guy named david levy at huffington post.