As a proud member of the Red Sox Nation I congratulate the Red Sox on their 2-0 lead against the Rockies in the World Series.

The above photos show what is believed to be a Syrian nuclear weapons facility before Israel took it out (left side) and now (right side)

New commercial satellite photos show that a Syrian site believed to have been attacked by Israel last month no longer bears any obvious traces of what some analysts said appeared to have been a partly built nuclear reactor.

Two photos, taken Wednesday from space by rival companies, show the site near the Euphrates River to have been wiped clean since August, when imagery showed a tall square building there measuring about 150 feet on a side.

The Syrians reported an attack by Israel in early September; the Israelis have not confirmed that. Senior Syrian officials continue to deny that a nuclear reactor was under construction, insisting that Israel hit a largely empty military warehouse.

But the images, federal and private analysts say, suggest that the Syrian authorities rushed to dismantle the facility after the strike, calling it a tacit admission of guilt.

“It’s a magic act — here today, gone tomorrow,” a senior intelligence official said. “It doesn’t lower suspicions; it raises them. This was not a long-term decommissioning of a building, which can take a year. It was speedy. It’s incredible that they could have gone to that effort to make something go away.”

Good job, Israel! Good job!

The Phelps Gang which claims an affiliation with an evangelical Christian denomination has finally been taken to court by a fallen Marine’s family.

This group gets pleasure from declaring people will go to hell except them.

In this case the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder of Baltimore was disrupted by these thugs.

Reader David has been in the lines with the Patriot Guard, which tries to keep this group from the sight and sound of the mourners.

I don’t know if this group was at this particular funeral or not, but it was supposed to be a private funeral.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Jonathan Katz focused on obituaries and death notices and questioned Snyder on whether they said the funeral services were private. Snyder replied that the notices said friends and family were welcome, but admitted that he did not know all of the 500 or so people who attended.

The case tests the limits of the First Amendment right to free speech.

U.S. District Richard Bennett instructed jurors at the start of testimony Tuesday that the First Amendment protection of free speech has limits, including vulgar, offensive and shocking statements. Bennett said the jurors must decide “whether the defendant’s actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous, and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection.”…

…Katz told jurors Tuesday the protests took place 1,000 feet away from St. John Catholic Church, where the funeral was held, down a hill and out of sight and hearing from participants.

Snyder said American military personnel are in Iraq fighting for freedom of speech “they’re not fighting for hate speech.” One photo showing a child holding a sign at the funeral protest was particularly disturbing, the father said.

“I pray for their children. Their children need help. To be brought up with that kind of hatred,” Snyder said.

“My God is loving God,” Snyder said, adding later “I don’t look for hatred in the Bible.”

The church’s founder and pastor, Fred Phelps, took the stand after Snyder and prompted a strong admonition from Bennett when the pastor said he had not considered whether children would see a sign carried by protesters with the words “Semper Fi Fags” and two stick figures that appear to be engaged in sodomy.

“No, it’s an irrelevancy,” Phelps said.

Bennett then interjected sharply.

“Just answer the question, sir. Don’t determine what’s relevant or not relevant. You just answer the question,” Bennett said.

I hope the jury is just as patient with these thugs as the judge seems to be. When all is said and done, I hope the father owns the building, property and treasury of the Westboro “Baptist” Church.