Quickies

Just a couple for today. Sippy cups are the latest security threat to the citizens of the United States.

Hamas has taken over the Gaza strip and effectively ended the possibility of a 2 state solution near Isreal for the foreseeable future. It also puts an Islamist state right at Israel's border. Of course, this plays into the hands of certain Israeli politicians (and, one supposes American politicians) who had no interest in a solution to the problem short of annihilation of all Palestinians in the territories. I'd propose however that this is the result of bungling by both the Israeli government and the Bush administration and that it will become a bigger boondoggle than the Iraq policy. It will mean many more lives lost, much more violence, and no solution for years and possibly decades to come. Sad....and to think that at one time in the 90s I thought we might see a solution in my lifetime.