Hezbollah Revelations

In August of 2006 CNN News conducted a poll that was meant to see how the average American viewed the Hezbollah. The result would leave anyone with an ounce of political savvy in a state of disbelief.

The poll concluded that forty seven percent of those polled think Hezbollah is friendly toward America. Leaving aside the generally accepted idea that our allies’ enemies are our enemies you’ve got to wonder if those polled have a clue.

Did the pollsters remind those polled that Hezbollah is solidly backed by Iran. And have those Americans forgotten the Ayatollah Khomeini or the Iranian hostage crisis? Have they forgotten that Iran is openly and defiantly bent on creating enriched uranium from its nuclear facilities to make nuclear bombs with? Have they forgotten all this or did they ever know it to begin with.

Did those polled forget that between 1983 and 1985 elements of the Hezbollah were responsible for the bomb that killed over two hundred U. S. Marines in Beirut? Weren’t they informed that the Hezbollah car bombed the U. S. Embassy and the embassy’s annex? Did the polled know that nearly every suicide bomber that claimed the lives of innocent women, children and tourists at the Israeli border were sanctioned and in some cases paid for by the Hezbollah? The real question seems to be were they informed of anything at all.

If those polled attended a class in the area of political science entitled, “political savvy 101” and were asked only one question to complete the course how many would pass? The question of course would be what country Iran would use its nuclear bomb on if it had one. They could be given multiple choice answers such as 1.America, 2.Israel, 3.duh. According to the CNN poll one hundred percent of those in that class would be taking the course over.

Has life in America become so fast paced that we have no time to pay attention to what is going on elsewhere or doesn’t a “Super Power” need to give any attention to these serious threats perceived only as isolated foreign skirmishes and uprisings? Is the pre 9/11 complacency returning with a vengeance? It is hard to hit the head of an ostrich from far away but his body makes a great target. One has to wonder if nature endowed the bird with just a pinch more wisdom would he keep his head above ground long enough to hear the gunfire so he could run for cover. Do those polled need just a pinch more wisdom?

Hezbollah is just as committed to the demise of the United States as it is to seeing the annihilation of Israel. If nothing else was known about the Hezbollah except that it is a militant Muslim movement how anyone could mistake them for a friend to the west is beyond all reason or human understanding. Are Americans so busy looking for reasons to celebrate the good times and scream out their heehaws that they can’t hear the ever deafening sound of those crying out for a jihad?

Will the business or the busyness of America make true the saying that the hardest thing for any individual, group or nation to survive is its own success? God forbid.

Rev Bresciani is the author of two books and has hundreds of articles both online and in print. Over a quarter of a million people have enjoyed his articles on faith, inspiration, practical living, politics, current events and much more. Please visit his website at americanprophet.org

Related Information of Interest:

Test Your Canine Acumen
1. According to tests made at the Institute for the Study of Animal Problems in Washington, D.C., dogs and cats, just like people…
A. Worry about what they will wear to work in the morning.
B. Enjoy reading while eating breakfast.
C. Need a retirement plan.
D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws.

D. Are either right-handed or left-handed-or rather favor either their right or left paws.
TBD: Very, very, interesting, don't you think?

2. Jackals are different from dogs and wolves in what way?
A. They live on a different continent.
B. They are really alien life forms.
C. They are canids.
D. They have one more pair of chromosomes.

D. They have one more pair of chromosomes.
TBD: Even though they may look like alien life forms, they are Canids just like dogs and wolves.

3. Most dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with their ears. However, a few breeds have only about 10 expressions. Can you name those breeds?
A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls
B. Labrador and Golden retrievers
C. Poodles and Dachshunds
D. Beagles and Chihuahuas

A. Bulldogs and Pitbulls
TBD: Due to their breeding, dogs such as Bulldogs and Pitbulls have fewer facial expressions and so are often misinterpreted by other dogs which leads to fights. Poor misunderstood pooches.

4. The fear of dogs and/or rabies is called what?
A. Rabodogophobia
B. Dogophobia
C. Cynophobia
D. Canophobia

C. Cynophobia
TBD: Hey, don't blame us, that's what the research says!

5. Of the more than 300 breeds of dogs that exist worldwide, how many does the American Kennel Club recognize?
A. 300
B. 212
C. 145
D. 101

C. 145
TBD: Gee, I wonder why you would have answered 101?

6. Jack London wrote this story about a dog named Buck. Can you name it?
A. A Dog Named Buck
B. Buck's Marvelous Adventures
C. Don't Pass the Buck
D. Call of the Wild

D. Call of the Wild
TBD: Gosh, we tried to make it easy for those nonliterary types out there… After all, there is even a movie! We read the book, however.

7. The Dalmation was named for the place where the breed first originated, can you name it?
A. Mount Dalmation in Africa
B. Dalmation coast of Croatia
C. Dalmation Island in the Thousand Islands
D. The tiny country of Dalmatia

B. Dalmation coast of Croatia
TBD: The other places are only a figment of our imagination, so far as she knows anyway…

8. Can you name the dog featured in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas?
A. Who
B. Max
C. Rudi
D. Suzi

B. Max
TBD: Phllllbbbttt! To those who didn't know. It was Max who stole the show, don't ya think!

9. The English Romantic poet Lord Byron inscribed this passage on a gravestone "Beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices." Can you name the object of his tribute?
A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain.
B. His wife Anna Isabella.
C. His daughter Augusta Ada.
D. His granduncle William.

A. His beloved Newfoundland Boatswain.
TBD: Come on, be real! This is a quiz about dogs!

10. Can you name the dog who caused so many problems for Foghorn Leghorn in the Looney Tunes?

A. Rufus Wufus
B. Barnyard Dog
C. Just Dog
D. Spotted Dog

B. Barnyard Dog
TBD: That was news to us, too.

11. Which animal was first domesticated by humans?

A. Goat
B. Cat
C. Dog
D. Horse

C. Dog
TBD: Apparently some argument can be made that the goat might have come first in some areas, but the dog is Numero Uno for most evidence of early man!

12. Ralph and Sam, the Looney Tune wolf and sheepdog cartoon character adversaries, would engage in what activity between their bouts?

A. They would punch a time-clock.
B. They would have tea.
C. They would play bridge.
D. They would roller-skate.

A. They would punch a time-clock.
TBD: They would punch in at the beginning of each shift and out at the end as well as for their lunch break.

13. The Beatles son "Martha My Dear" was written by Paul McCartney about…

A. His sheepdog Martha
B. His mother Martha
C. His sister Martha
D. His veterinarian Martha

A. His sheepdog Martha
TBD: If you guess wrong, we sincerely hope you guessed "D" because this is a canine quiz after all.

14. Domestic dogs vary widely in appearance and size, but despite these differences all breeds of the domestic dog are essentially identical in anatomy. Which is NOT an anatomical characteristic of the dog?
A. An average of 321 bones in their skeleton.
B. Thirteen pairs of ribs in the rib cage.
C. A spine with seven cervical vertebrae, 13 thoracic vertebrae, seven lumbar vertebrae and three sacral vertebrae.
D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw.

D. The presence of a dewclaw, an extra digit on the paw.
TBD: Apparently not all breeds have a dewclaw and this why the average number of bones in the skeleton varies!

15. Can you name the dog on the Cracker Jack box?
A. Jack
B. Bingo
C. Cracker
D. Prize

B. Bingo
TBD: Just think of all the knowledge we share to make your life more meaningful!

You can enjoy more trivia created by Deanna Mascle at Trivia By Dawggone and Fun Trivia Online..

Bird Photography
Birds have been one of the greatest subject for photographers for centuries now because they have an inspiring beauty and mystify us with their gift of flight and diversity. When it comes to photographing birds and their behavior, catching it on film will add a tremendous visual impact and feeling to any picture. There are different locations where birds gather, but really the best place you may what to start is your backyard. The thing about birds is that they are busy little bodies and a bird feeder in the backyard is a great place to get a picture when they are feeding or even the bird in the air getting ready to pounce one of the birds that is currently feeding.

When you venture out of your backyard to look for birds to photograph your vehicle may just become your newest piece of equipment. Birds see our cars less of a threat then a person carrying a long lens underneath their arm. A vehicle makes for a great blind and along with this patience is a virtue. When you find a location such as a prime feeding ground, park a bit of a ways from it and stop your engine to cut down on noise that may scare them.

Standard,wide-angle and short zoom lenses can be used for photographing birds, but for serious bird photography, a quality 500 mm or 600 mm telephoto lens is ideal.

Please keep in mind to avoid any situation that can put stress on the birds and their surroundings. If you notice a bird that is starting to show any kind of stress, this means that there is a nest or chicks near by. Any further picture taking should be disengaged and you should leave the immediate area. As a photographer of birds or any wildlife, it is a good thing to remember not to put ourselves or the birds around us in any kind of danger.

Albreht Moy has fine art reproductions on his site.

Tripods: Staying Still For The Perfect Photo
When it comes to buying a tripod there are a few things that need to be looked at and checked out. All tripods will come with a replaceable head or a fixed head. Some of the tripods on the bit more expensive side will come with a replaceable head that allows the photographer to select the size of the head that will fit your camera. Some of the tripods that are great for amateurs come with a fixed head and in compact style for easier use and carrying ability. Most tripods that have the fixed heads will come with the tilt and pan handles.

Tilt and pan heads have two different handles attached to them from the sides or bottom. One is used to move the camera up and down and the other is used for the side-to-side direction. These types of heads are vital to the movie industry and anyone wanting to take mpegs with a digital camera. The ball and socket heads work well with still photography and it is needed for a firm locking and an easy give for the use of one or more camera that may need to be changed during photo shoots.One of the most popular types of tripods are tabletop or mini tripods.

It is quite simple to mount a camera on to a tripod; all you need to do is screw the camera on it. Yes, it really is that simple! Tripods are used to keep your camera steady and extremely still. In the photography world there is an unwritten rule of thumb on when one should be used, 1/focal length s. For an example if you have a 200 mm lens, the slowest speed that you should use without a tripod is 1/200 s. Anything over that your camera should be mounted on a tripod for a more clear and steady picture.

Albreht Moy has many photographs for sale at his website.