Timbuk3

Obama addressed Israel and Palestine, today. Just as I knew he would, he did not signal a continuance of former policy. And just as I knew he would, he stayed within the confines of US policy just enough to keep attacks at bay, but avoided language that strongly cast Israel as a righteous victim and Palestinians the villians. Expedience required that he speak to Hamas shooting rockets and the natural response of Israel to want to protect itself, first, but then he went on to subtly make the case that the Palestinians have a right to all the things Israel has been denying them -- in essence -- reminding people why Hamas fires those rockets.

At last -- a US president called for an agreement respectful of the Palestinians. At last -- a US president acknowledged that Palestinians have a right to assurances of their security -- too. At last -- a US president made it clear that Palestinians cannot remain repressed and dominated if there is to be peace because as long as they have no hope for the future -- there will be no peace.

Transcript of remarks at the state department

........the contract between the city of Duluth and Bentleyville creator Nathan Bentley requires Bentley to provide an actor or actors dressed as Santa.
But it can’t just be any old guy off the street.
Old Kris Kringle, according to the contract, has to be “an individual whose physical appearance and costuming fully represents the character of Santa Clause (sic) in the traditional form of an elderly, rotund, white haired and white-bearded man, costumed in a red overcoat piped with white fur, black belt with silver buckle, red pants piped with white fur, black boots and red stocking hat piped with white fur.”
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Why so specific? Chalk it up to lawyerly caution. Deputy City Attorney Alison Lutterman said she had no doubts that Bentley would provide a traditional Santa, but she learned long ago to write up contracts free of ambiguity. So Lutterman described what she thought was the ideal Santa.
“If we didn’t specify, we could get a Biker Claus or a Rapper Claus or a Rasta Claus,” Lutterman said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. “The goal in drafting a contract is to be clear.”
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Duluth is supposedly a "liberal area" in a "liberal state".