BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

I had just dropped my children at pre-K. It was early so I decided to drive over to the grocery and pick up a few things for dinner. I was still living in Astoria, New York. My cell phone rang, a friend asked me frantically, "Barbara, where's your husband?" I answered "he's at work." She said "doesn't he work near the Trade Center?" "Yes," I said, "across the street." "My God, Barbara don't you know ?" (PAUSE) "Turn on your radio!" I hung up, turned on my car radio and heard what sounded like an elaborate joke. People talking about terrorists, a plane accident downtown. I froze. My cell rang again. It was my then-husband, "someone just flew into the Trade Center with a plane. Looks like an accident. Just want you to know I am fine." "O.K." I said, "thank goodness." My husband told me later that he literally was putting his phone back in the cradle when ...

Pushed Saudi-funded textbook that wildly fabricates history (excerpt) by Aaron Klein The Obama administration's reported pick Charles Freeman for a top intelligence post once peddled a book to U.S. public schools that falsely claims Muslims inhabited North America far before European explorers. The book, funded by Saudi Arabia, also contains widely inaccurate anti-Israel Arab propaganda. Charles "Chas" Freeman, the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War, is slated to head the National Intelligence Council, according to multiple reports. Yesterday, it came to light Freeman has financial ties to the infamous bin Laden family – including dealings he defended after Sept. 11, 2001. Freeman served as president of the Middle East Policy Council, a Washington-based Saudi backed nonprofit that received tens of thousands of dollars per year from the bin Laden family and other Saudi donors. In 2003, Freeman's council joined with California-based Arab World an...

NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN. I have one child who believes sincerely that one day they will own a pet unicorn and it will come to the house and take them away. There are many things I would like but I know rationally, they aren't going to happen based on genetics and financial feasibility. Now Omar, do you really think anyone's going to take you seriously without you denouncing your father? Bin Laden son wants to be peace activist By PAUL SCHEMM Omar Osama bin Laden bears a striking resemblance to his notorious father — except for the dreadlocks that dangle halfway down his back. Then there's the black leather biker jacket. The 26-year-old does not renounce his father, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, but in an interview with The Associated Press, he said there is better way to defend Islam than militancy: Omar wants to be an "ambassador for peace" between Muslims and the West. Omar — one of bin Laden's 19 children — raised a tabloid storm last year when he married a ...

OSAMA SAYS: "QUIT AFGHAN WAR", BARBARA SAYS: "SCREW YOU, OSAMA!" You know what I would take away from this? That the U.S. and our allies should not only get out of Iraq, but go BACK to Afghanistan and start STRAFING THE PLACE 24/7!! Whine away, Bin Laden. Bush may have forgotten but the people of NYC have NOT! Afghanistan, if you know what's good for you - drive this piece of pond scum out of your country before we do it for you! Europe - help us get rid of this sick **** once and for all. And his 'flying monkeys' too. And make sure there's a big ole' Magen David on the bombs you drop too. (Pardon my very unladylike talk as well. - Barbara) Al-Qaida chief: Nation shouldn't be punished for sheltering me after 9/11 Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden called on the Europeans to stop helping the United States in the war in Afghanistan, according to excerpts of a new audiotape broadcast Thursday on Al-Jazeera television. Bin Laden said it was unj...

IT'S TIME TO STOP ACCEPTING BUSH'S FAILURES It's hard to know what to think these days about U.S. security, what with attempted car bombings at Britain's airports, terrorist threat assessments rising in the United States, nonspecific warnings of a possible terrorist attack this summer and President Bush finally facing a serious policy showdown on Iraq. Americans should be miffed when U.S. counterterrorism officials say al-Qaida is revived and reinvigorated and Iraq has made little to no progress toward its own independence and security - and when Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says he has "a gut feeling" that the U.S. will be attacked this summer. Nothing specific, nothing factual, nothing credible, mind you, Chertoff says. Just his uneasy gut. Attentive Americans have figured out since Sept. 11, 2001, and the Homeland Security Advisory System of colors was introduced that it always seemed the threat level was raised whenever some otherwise unfav...