The Rant

____________________________________ Ask any Cuban who has recently left the island (because they can’t talk freely about this inside of Cuba) about their health care system and they will tell you that it is often a challenge just to get aspirin and they often have to get it on the black market. The run-down, dilapidated and unsanitary conditions in the facilities that the average Cuban must go to for care are a far cry from the hospitals and clinics reserved for high-ranking members of the communist party or the military. There are actually special facilities in Cuba that serve foreigners who can pay in foreign currency. If the lauded Cuban healthcare system is so wonderful, perhaps someone can explain to me the following: Why some patients are taken to the hospital in wheelbarrows instead of ambulances? Why patients must bring their own linens for the hospital bed and often, a fan, to combat the stifling heat and lack of air-conditioning? Why cockroaches and other vermin are prese

Hours before London explosives technicians dismantled a large car bomb in the heart of the British capital's tourist-rich theater district, a message appeared on one of the most widely used jihadist Internet forums, saying: "Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed." CBS News found the posting, which went on for nearly 300 words, on the "al Hesbah" chat room. It was left by a person who goes by the name abu Osama al-Hazeen, who appears regularly on the forum. The comment was posted on the forum, according to time stamp, at 08:09 a.m. British time on June 28 -- about 17 hours before the bomb was found early on June 29. CBS News

____________________________ B ritish police defused a bomb left in an abandoned car in London's theatre district today and launched a counter-terrorism investigation. The bomb was found in a light green Mercedes outside a nightclub in the early hours, an officer quoted witnesses as saying. Police played down media reports that the bomb was "massive". Link

I ranian forces crossed Iraqi border: report Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have been spotted by British troops crossing the border into southern Iraq, The Sun tabloid reported on Tuesday. Britain's defence ministry would not confirm or deny the report, with a spokesman declining to comment on "intelligence matters". An unidentified intelligence source told the tabloid: "It is an extremely alarming development and raises the stakes considerably. In effect, it means we are in a full on war with Iran -- but nobody has officially declared it." __________________________ Oh great. Hopefully, the Sun has it wrong. Bobcat

Der Spiegel posted an interview with Hamas founder Mahmoud Zahar. A few interesting snippets: SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it's not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true? Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people [except those they are killing]. At the moment we can't establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don't have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society. SPIEGEL ONLINE: How would a Hamas-led Islamic state look? Zahar: There would be no difference from how it looks today, because our customs and traditions in Gaza are already Islamic. Marriage, divorce, daily business -- everything is Islamic. As soon as we have a state, then everyone will have their freedom. Christians will remain Christians, parties could be secula