Natalie,um, what exactly is the reason for this article? Is there, like, some kind of point you're trying to get across? What do we care where you're from of where your parents are from? Are you trying to make us feel guilty or inferior because our ethnicities aren't as diverse as yours?

So you enjoyed a little cultural diversity during your stay here, insofar as Madison could be said to be culturally diverse. Not that I'm necessarily ashamed; that's just the way it is here. What message are you attempting to convey to the readership?

natalie, do us a favor and leave now! we are sick of you! take your poor, poor palestinian suffering and go! we would very much like to enjoy life without being bombarded with stupid articles like this that beg us to give a shit about what's going on halfway around the world. we have enough to worry about here at home. we would like to enjoy a little peace of mind for once without some liberal idiot up in our faces about some cause that liberals themselves have done nothing for except bitch at the rest of us.

Bye bye, Natatlie. I'll miss your hot little bod, which is about the only thing on you that's worthy of anyone's attention.

Natalie, I'm compelled to write to thank you for the many thoughtful and informative articles you have written. Your knowledge, writing ability and, most of all, your objectivity, are to be commended. We will miss you. As for all the negative comments you receive, it does not go unnoticed to intelligent and openminded readers that those attacks are personal and quite childish. Your critics are never able to address the substance of your editorials. As much as I am tempted to say some things back to them, I will do what you have done--take the high road and restrain yourself from firing back. There's an old southern saying which says it all: "Don't wrestle with a pig. The pig enjoys it and you get dirty." Great job and best wishes!

Nice work, Natalie! Good luck with your future endeavors!

Natalie, can I have a kiss before you go? Pretty please?

Southern belle? LOL LOL

It was nice having you on campus, Natalie. Thanks for all the eye-opening, mind-expanding articles, and the nice smile.
Good luck on the rest of your journy.

FS

Natalie, would you please sublet your apartment to me and my girlfriends? We would just love to live in a place that has an illustrious history of journalistic luminaries. Besides, we can't get the place on State Street that ol' Ernie Hemingway once had.

Southern belle LOL again

To sum up what you are saying...college taught you to be a liberal. There is nothing open-minded about college. It closes your mind to points of view that do not have a leftist spin. Good luck Mrs. Belle, and welcome to our barn of SHEEP.

Obviously the University has not taught you what a "thesis" is!

Welcome to the world of journalism that does not know what a tought question or interview is. Where soft-balls are only thrown to idiots so they can look good and knock it out of the park. Where all questions are told before the interview where they can be prepared and edited. A deep profession you chose for that obviously deep (ha ha) intellect of yours. Like the last person said. You will fit in well with the liberal sheep. BAAAAAAA!!!

The comments labelling Natalie a "liberal" and entirely sidestepping what she has to say prove that the criticism and namecalling come from very shallow minds. The tone and substance of the remarks against you, Natalie, clearly indicate that the writers are wasting their time in college, not to mention mommy and daddy's money. Their brains are no doubt "a quart low." One reason why it must not bother you to be the subject of such attacks (because I don't remember your ever responding to them) is because you, like many of us who read your work, ponder what you write even when we disagree with your ideas and expand our knowledge, is that you know that they come from really stupid people. So to all you stupid people out there who never have anything substantive to say about Natalie's work, I say "Cheers!", because you have to be drinking 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, you are probably even more dumb when you're sober.

I don't know why I never noticed this before, but isn't a little weird that Cristina Daglas and Natalie Mikhail look so much alike? I mean, it's almost like they're twins! Has anybody else noticed it?

She's not just a liberal she is an airhead too

Too bad you're just an asshole.

but she is still an ugly liberal airhead

"Too bad you're just an asshole."

Ah, an intelligent and thoughtful comment from an aspiring liberal. Hey, I'd rather be an asshole because assholes don't take shit, they give it.

"but she is still an ugly liberal airhead"

Aw, she's pretty. She is an airhead though.

lol

"Hey, I'd rather be an asshole because assholes don't take shit, they give it."

I'd wager you are actually the kind of asshole who does take it.

"I'd wager you are actually the kind of asshole who does take it."

Take what?

OK time for a poll: vote here for the fall 04 herald staffer you would be most likely to bang....(drunk hook ups included)

I'll go for Cristina Daglas. Natalie's too dense.

If it's between those two I agree with you...

Yeah, definitely Cristina. I'm afraid Natalie might steal my Air Supply CDs.

Natalie, you antisemite. Any decent person judges another by their character and values, not their blood or ancestry. So take that Palestinian brain-washing your father obviously afflicted upon you and throw it out the window in order to save some of your dignity while you still can. If you continue to keep the same mind-set, may I suggest the al-jazerra web site. Man, the President of Harvard was correct in her statement that the university is the center of anti-semitism today. The real world is waiting for you.

"No more excuses for Israel?" More like, no more excuses for Natalie. You are an icon for the American journalistic community today. Left-wing, liberal, blame Israel, lacking depth, blame America, and just out-right sad.

"No more excuses for Israel?" More like, no more excuses for Natalie. You are an icon for the American journalistic community today. Left-wing, liberal, blame Israel, lacking depth, blame America, and just out-right sad."

That's it! I'll bang Cristina over Natalie any day. The only way I'll bang Natalie is over the head with a 9-iron.

yeah, I didn't even consider that...imagine having a palestinian father-in-law and a wife with a southern accent LOL talk about weird.

I think I would go for that Emily chick, she seems attractive and witty.

"...imagine having a palestinian father-in-law and a wife with a southern accent LOL talk about weird."

Salam, y'all. We's all headed up to the ol' mosque fer sum prayers. Don't none o' y'all Hindus, Chriss-chuns er Jews try to give us no big ol' mess o' trouble. We's jes' might start a li'l jihad wit ya. That's a ruckus ya'll be a-hankerin' fer. Ya hear?!

"Salam, y'all. We's all headed up to the ol' mosque ..."

Who said her father was Muslim?

"Who said her father was Muslim?"

Who said he isn't? If he's from Ramallah, then there's a damn good chance he IS Muslim. What's it to ya?

"If he's from Ramallah, then there's a damn good chance he IS Muslim."

This shows how much you know about the history of the region as well as your stereotypes. The original population and founders of Ramallah are Christians. It wasn't until the 1948 war when many Palestinians were driven from their homes in what is now Israel that the city became both Christian and Muslim. Natalie said her father's roots there went back until Ramallah's foundation ... so put 2 and 2 together.

Furthermore, what people like you fail to realize is that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not Jew vs. Muslim, but about the basic right for the Palestinians to achieve self-determination, as well as the right for both sides to live in peace.

Herald staffer who would make the best lay? VerStanding. I bet he is kinky. He can tie by bo anytime.

"This shows how much you know about the history of the region as well as your stereotypes."

Aw, you poor pathetic little politically correct shithead! Hey, you suck-ass liberals make all kinds of assumptions about everyone else. That's why everybody else makes fun of you so much. Anyone still living in the territories could only be Muslim. Christians would be living elsewhere because Muslims were the only ones the Jewish refugees were concerned about. So don't give me a big dissertation about Middle-East history to try to make your point. You don't have one.

Natalie, is that peroxide or bleach?

Dear non-suck-ass conservative,

1)The respondent is not imposing liberal political correctness but stating plain fact. I would advise that you discover this distinction yourself. You could do this by going to the West Bank and seeing with your own eyes how many Christians do in fact reside there or, you could even ask a conservative Hasidic Jew for the truth, which would reveal the same reported facts.

2) "Christians would be living elsewhere because Muslims were the only ones the Jewish refugees were concerned about."

Where is the logic in this sentence???

3) "So don't give me a big dissertation about Middle-East history to try to make your point. You don't have one."

Don't give us all tenuous bullshit to try to create a point.

Finally, to all the respondents who abuse this list, which should be utilized for meaningful dialogue and debate, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Your offensively defensive bantor and nonsensical/illogical statements reveal an utter lack of intelligence and integrity. Really, if you listened to yourselves carefully, you might realize that you sound like fools who are totally inept at holding ground in sophisticated dialogue. I pity you.

As for Natalie, keep workin it girl!

Natalie is an elite class of ass.

AT

"Hey, you suck-ass liberals make all kinds of assumptions about everyone else. That's why everybody else makes fun of you so much."

Thanks for playing the fool and putting yourself out there as an individual overly worthy of ridicule. People don't make enough fun of you.

"1)The respondent is not imposing liberal political correctness but stating plain fact. I would advise that you discover this distinction yourself. You could do this by going to the West Bank and seeing with your own eyes how many Christians do in fact reside there or, you could even ask a conservative Hasidic Jew for the truth, which would reveal the same reported facts."

Wrong! I have been there. Christians who once lived in the Occupied Territories left a long time ago. They had no interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, therefore, The Israelis have no reason to detain them in the territories. Hasidic Jews will certainly refute your statement rather than substantiate it. Now who's the fool?

Do you really count on readers to believe your opinion only because they think you might be telling the truth? Do you honestly hope they'll side with you after hearing so many years' worth of leftist bullshit? The best response you'll get is "Who gives a shit when I gotta pay more in tuition and fees here at home?" Good luck winning people over!

"Finally, to all the respondents who abuse this list, which should be utilized for meaningful dialogue and debate, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Your offensively defensive bantor and nonsensical/illogical statements reveal an utter lack of intelligence and integrity. Really, if you listened to yourselves carefully, you might realize that you sound like fools who are totally inept at holding ground in sophisticated dialogue. I pity you."

Must you be so verbose to illustrate your point? The poster you responded to made much more sense than the crap YOU typed! "Nonsensical/illogical?" Why so redundant? "Offensively defensive?" Well, the best defense is usually a good offense, but even cheese has holes in it, so what's your point?

"Finally, to all the respondents who abuse this list, which should be utilized for meaningful dialogue and debate..."

Gosh, it sounds like you liberals are at a total loss for intelligent things to say all of a sudden! Maybe you should all wait for your aging hippy profs to come back from the holiday break and ask them to write more B.S. for you. Ha-ha-ha-ha!

stupid liberals

redneck conservatives

"redneck conservatives"

Ow! That hurt! I'm gonna cry! Wah!

rednecks? I for one am not from the south LOL palestinian father that must suck lol

redneck conservatives

Yeah, anyone who says anything you liberals disagree with, even if it's another liberal, is automatically a redneck. Maybe you were born brain-damaged because your hippy parents smoked too much pot when you were still in the womb.

is that why liberals look so funny?

"is that why liberals look so funny?"

Yeah, could be. It could also explain why they self-mutilate. God, how many facial piercings and tatoos is enough?!

why don't you take your bible and shotgun and go back to the hillsides of Tennessee...your sister is waiting for you

"why don't you take your bible and shotgun and go back to the hillsides of Tennessee...your sister is waiting for you"

Man oh man! You liberals are just edgy as hell these days. Yeah, I guess I'd probably resort to that kind of bad-mouthing if I were a narrow-minded punk who was at a loss for something intelligent to say. Don't you have a room to clean, kiddo?

piercings must be part of the liberal uniform...along with pot necklaces and an overwhelming stench

Yeah, all that hemp clothing they like to wear starts smelling pretty funky after awhile. Peeeeee-u!

I hear that hemp clogs up the lint screens in dryers a lot faster than any other material. My God, these hippies are a real fire hazard! They should be living in mud huts outside the city limits, where their threat to our safety is greatly minimized. They have neither respect nor concern for their fellow humans.

"Yeah, I guess I'd probably resort to that kind of bad-mouthing if I were a narrow-minded punk who was at a loss for something intelligent to say. Don't you have a room to clean, kiddo?"

Man, oh man, how you conservatives get so riled up! Funny, how for every one bad-mouthed liberal comment there are four or five bad-mouthed conservative comments at a loss for something intelligent to say. Don't you have a bingo game to attend, old man?

"Man, oh man, how you conservatives get so riled up!"

It's not the conservatives who are riled up here. They're just having fun with liberals the way liberals had so much fun with conservatives for so long. Don't you have a worthy cause to work for? And notice I said "worthy."

actually I don't... I just think it's funny to read all of the over-generalized, stereotypical, pointless comments that you and your buddies keep on a-postin'. So I egg you on, it's quite entertaining, and it helps me get through my work day. Thanks, by the way!

Lonely Donut Man is an evil Republican pig!

"Lonely Donut Man is an evil Republican pig!"

Actually, my boyfriend and I are eating Chinese takeout. And we are certainly not Republicans. We're liberals who are tired of left-wing extremists like you giving liberals a bad name. Is your dealer out of town for the holidays? You seem like you could use a fix.

sounds a little like how the madison democratic party (normal, if a bit misguided people) is telling progressive dane (freaky stinky left wing losers) to shove it.

left wing wackos make normal liberals look absurd.

"left wing wackos make normal liberals look absurd."

Absurd? Compared to what?

compared to reasonable, intelligent people

here you go my friend, an example of absurdly wacky liberalism:
http://www.madwarmingcenter.org/index.php

even mayor liberal of madison thinks these kids are wacked.

what will their next demand be? free alcohol for the homeless --- that's right if you are a true liberal you don't help someone to cure a problem, you just perpetuate it

"Furthermore, what people like you fail to realize is that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not Jew vs. Muslim, but about the basic right for the Palestinians to achieve self-determination, as well as the right for both sides to live in peace."

Ah, yes, self-determination. The watchword of all people who prefer to bomb innocent civilians rather than demonstrate commitment to peace.

I'd be afraid to have natalie over to my house, she might blow it up.

Anonymous:

"left wing wackos make normal liberals look absurd."

Absurd? Compared to what?
Anonymous:

compared to reasonable, intelligent people

Are you saying that left-wing wackos are reasonable, intelligent people? If that's the case, then God help us all!

When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Israelis can be counted on to help. So it's no surprise that within hours of the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the following humanitarian missions all departed from the tiny Jewish state:

● The Israeli organization Latet ('To Give') filled a jumbo jet with 18 tons of supplies.

● A medical team headed by four doctors from Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday night (Dec. 27), carrying medicine and baby food. The doctors specialize in rescue operations, trauma and pediatrics.

● An IDF rescue team is now on its way to Sri Lanka with 80 tons of aid material, including 10,000 blankets, tents, nylon sheeting and water containers, all contributed by the IDF.

● A ZAKA rescue-and-recovery team arrived in the disaster areas Monday night, armed with its specialized equipment for identifying bodies.

● A Health Ministry contingent left for Thailand on Monday night to aid in rescue efforts. The group includes doctors, nurses and four members of the IDF.

● Israel has also offered its assistance to India ― a search-and-rescue team from the Home Front Command, as well as consignments of food and medicine.

Yet, with the exception of UPI (as of this writing - Wed. 4pm EST), none of the major news outlets have dedicated an article to this remarkable Israeli humanitarian effort. This, despite the fact that the IDF sent all Israel-based journalists a press release Monday evening (Dec. 27), inviting them to the airport to cover the departure of one IDF group.

This is all the more surprising given the fact that the major news agencies have entire teams of reporters in Israel, who submit at least one 'Israel-article' each day.

So what did the Associated Press send out today to its 15,000 subscribing news agencies? A dreary story about the construction of a new IDF base near Jenin. AP sarcastically remarked in this 'news' story that the base's 'elaborate color scheme and landscaping shows that the army is not planning to pull its forces out of the area anytime soon.'

The lack of media interest in this Israeli humanitarian effort means that Israeli benevolence toward other peoples is not fairly conveyed to the western world. Perhaps if it were conveyed, observers would come to understand something else ― that Israel's response to Palestinian violence is also motivated by the highest ethical concern for all human life, and is not (as the media so often portray it) driven by an oppressive, mean-spirited national ethos.

"When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Israelis can be counted on to help."

So what exactly are all the anti-Israeli liberals doing to help the relief effort? Probably nothing, since they're too busy bitching about Israelis-this, Israelis-that! Hell, they probably don't even know what happened!

Republicans don't complain about frivolous lawsuits. They FILE frivolous lawsuits.

The lawsuits they complain about are mostly from people with legitimate complaints against people or corporations that are significantly more powerful than they are (and who, not coincidentally, donate large sums of money to Republican campaigns).

"When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Israelis can be counted on to help."

And the UN can be counted on to extort, lie, cheat, steal, rape, murder, and generally do anything else to make things even worse.

In the spirit of Christmas Eve, I offer the following verses, courtesy of Weird Al:

Down in the workshop all the elves were making toys
For the good Gentile girls and the good Gentile boys,
When the boss busted in, nearly scared 'em half to death,
Had a rifle in his hand and cheap whisky on his breath.
From his beard to his boots, he was covered with ammo,
Like a big, fat, drunk, disgruntled Yuletide Rambo.
And he smiled as he said, with a twinkle in his eye,
"Merry Christmas to all! Now you're all gonna die!"

The night Santa went crazy,
The night Saint Nick went insane,
Realized he'd been getting a raw deal,
Something finally must have snapped in his brain.

Well, the workshop is gone now.
He decided to bomb it.
Everywhere you'll find pieces of Cupid and Comet.
And he tied up his helpers, and he held the elves hostage,
And he ground up poor Rudolph into reindeer sausage.
He got Dasher and Dancer with an old German Luger,
And he slashed up Prancer just like Freddy Krueger.
And he picked up a flamethrower and he barbecued Blitzen,
And he took a big bite and said, "It tastes just like chicken!"

The night Santa went crazy,
The night Kris Kringle went nuts,
Now you can't hardly walk around the North Pole,
Without stepping in reindeer guts.

There's the National Guard and the FBI.
There's the van from the eyewitness news,
And helicopters circlin' 'round in the sky.
And the bullets are flyin', the body count's risin', and everyone's dyin' to know,
"Oh, Santa, why?"
My, my, my, my, my, my.
You used to be such a jolly guy...

Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doing time,
In a federal prison for his infamous crime.
Hey, little friend, now, don't you cry no more tears!
He'll be out with good behavior in 700 more years.
But now Vixen's in therapy,
And Donner's still nervous,
And the elves all got jobs working for the Postal Service,
And they say Mrs. Claus, she's on the phone every night,
With a lawyer negotiating the movie rights.
They're talkin' 'bout...

The night Santa went crazy,
The night Saint Nicholas flipped,
Broke his back for some milk and cookies,
Sounds to me like he was tired of gettin' gypped.
Whoa...
The night Santa went crazy,
The night Saint Nick went insane,
Realized he'd been gettin' a raw deal,
Something finally must've snapped in his brain.
Tell ya, something finally must've snapped in his brain.
Tell ya, something finally must have snapped...
In his brain.

"And the UN can be counted on to extort, lie, cheat, steal, rape, murder, and generally do anything else to make things even worse."

Yeah, so what's the connection between Israelis and the U.N.? They've hardly been the best of friends over the past 40 years. Is there some kind of conspiracy going on? Pray tell.

"Republicans don't complain about frivolous lawsuits. They FILE frivolous lawsuits."

Gosh, I guess that means the old lady who spilled that hot coffee in her lap was a Republican. Aha! She intentionally spilled it and scalded her, um, self just to win a few million in a lawsuit and give it all to the GOP! Those bastards!

"Gosh, I guess that means the old lady who spilled that hot coffee in her lap was a Republican. Aha! She intentionally spilled it and scalded her, um, self just to win a few million in a lawsuit and give it all to the GOP! Those bastards!"

In point of fact, she was a Republican.

"In point of fact, she was a Republican."

Rot! only a liberal would be so motivated to litigate against a big corporation such as McDonald's!

"Rot! only a liberal would be so motivated to litigate against a big corporation such as McDonald's!"

What a stupid thing to say! Then again, what a typical thing for a conservative to say.

The old woman in question sued because she was badly injured. When she won her case, she donated a hefty sum to the GOP.

"When she won her case, she donated a hefty sum to the GOP."

And just how are we supposed to believe that? Just because a liberal is making the claim?

"And just how are we supposed to believe that? Just because a liberal is making the claim?"

It's a matter of public record.

"It's a matter of public record."

Really? Where can we find it?

Will you two shmucks stop arguing over stupid things like McDonalds coffee lawsuits and get back to the stupid issue at hand?

"Will you two shmucks stop arguing over stupid things like McDonalds coffee lawsuits and get back to the stupid issue at hand?"

Because just like you said, it's a stupid issue. Asshole!

Is there an issue at hand??

"Is there an issue at hand??"

Apparently, two of them are shmucks and the other one is an asshole. Frankly, I think all three are douches.

Calling assholes and shmucks douches? That's like the pot calling the kettle black.

"Calling assholes and shmucks douches? That's like the pot calling the kettle black."

Whatever you say, black kettle.

No more insults from anyone? I guess it's time to get this party started back up...

YOU ALL SUCK!

Discuss...

If we all suck, then this party must suck. This page has been up since December 14. When will they put up the next edition?

Probably not until classes start again, next week.