So some Shinui minister proposes that Israel make it illegal to put people into Cherem (excommunication), considering the real consequences such things can have in the ultra-Orthodox world. And Arutz-7 labels this an "anti-religious" proposal. Please. It's an anti-fanatic law. Why does Arutz-7 try so hard to flatter the crazies? It's not like said crazies care at all about the sentiments of the national-religious community. Eh. I guess this is a worldwide question for the modern Orthodox.

Speaking of which, it's fun to watch Luke Ford asking Tova Mirvis about the Rambam's Ikkarim. He acts like an Ani Ma'amin accurately reflects the Rambam's point of view, and labels it "Yigdal." For her part, Mirvis doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. And Ford doesn't seem to have delved any further than Potok novels for his answers. Talk about the blind leading the blind. Not that doesn't mean that SHA-lit (whoops, Sha-LEET, can't offend those '60's yordim ["Reform" my tuchis] sentiments) isn't completely off base herself.

Hmmm...aren't we lucky to have this President? Inaugural, on the Iraqi election, State of the Union- for the ages, every one.

So the big news of today, the most tragic for me (yes, this should be the worst of my tragedies): Star Trek is no more. Possibly forever. A major part of my life...gone. Alas and alack.

After having had one scratched-up Blockbuster DVD too many, I'm back to ordering some from Amazon (or DeepDiscountDVD, if I can make up my mind). And now I see that new editions of some are yet to be out? This is not good for my already-fragile decision-making process.

Kojo Annan is said to be singing like a canary. Still no picture.

Some more blegs:

What's a "car-park service?" The Times, in all its elitism, mentions it like we all know what it is. (I should also say "in all its anti-Semitism" after this Sunday's Week in Review.)

Can anyone name a real right-wing dictator? I got a bit disgusted when an op-ed piece on Phillip Johnson once again equated "fascist" with "right-wing" (and suggested that dead Communists and Fascists alike don't get breaks in their obits- yeah, right). Remarkably, Huey Long becomes "right-wing" in this equation. OK, I've got Latin American dictators here. I guess they count, somewhat, if you ignore their eventual legacy.

Everyone's upset over this now-pulled Superbowl ad that included a priest lusting over a car and a shot of a girl. (Nothing really to do with each other.) I wonder how many of these scandals actually involved girls (not to minimize them, of course).

Some interesting links:

The entire new edition of the Guide. Thanks to Gil. That Salanter book looks interesting.

Brill's Modern Orthodoxy class, which I'll have to sit down with one day.

Brisk. Hat-tip to Menachem. See ya at the sale, dude.