Lawrence Baron

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-The Israeli Knesset approved a first reading of a law to sanctioning conversions performed by local rabbis instead of keeping them subject only to rabbis and courts requiring conversions meet Orthodox criteria. The Israeli Chief Rabbis condemned the law noting ““Promoting a law of this type without broad agreement is liable […]

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-Ninety-seven percent of the voters in the referendum held in Crimea this weekend voted to join the Russian Federation.  Today the 3 % who voted against joining the Russian Federation were expelled from the province. * The Boston and New York St. Patrick Day parades barred openly gay groups from marching

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-Conservative commentators have chided President Obama for appearing on Zach Galifianakis’ on-line talk show “Between Two Ferns” to plug the Affordable Health Care Act and encourage young adults to apply for it on healthcare.gov.  They charged it was beneath the dignity of his office, but their real reason seems to be

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-The Conservative Political Action Conference is meeting in Washington D.C. though it is unclear whether it is 2014 or the 1980s since the speakers appear to believe Ronald Reagan is still president.  There is so much red meat being served up the conservative base that Omaha Steaks is catering the conference

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — The Tea Party celebrated its fifth anniversary.  It held its commemorative dinner at McDonald’s to demonstrate the Party’s commitment to fiscal conservatism and opposition to the nanny state.    When no one offered to pay the bill, the attendees refused to recognize the authority of the police to force them

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―The demonstrations in the Ukraine have tarnished the image of a state content with being heavily dependent on Russia.  Internal memos reveal that the Ukraine expected to easily quell the protests and initially dismissed it as a “pussy riot.”  Embarrassed that much of Kiev’s Independence Square has been reduced to ash

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―The warm weather at the Sochi Olympics has made the snow too slushy for many of the outside events.  Facing the prospect of global warming affecting future winter games, the International Olympic Committee has voted to give the local organizers permission to switch skiing events into water skiing events if the

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO― The death of Shirley Temple Black reminded Americans of how much the country has changed since her years as a child star in the 1930s.  Would anyone really mourn if Honey Boo Boo passed away? * This week network news broadcasts have spent an average of ten minutes per broadcast

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Spectators were dazzled by the pyrotechnics, luminescent colors, and special effects of the opening ceremony at the Sochi Winter Olympics.  Although Russia claimed it cost a fortune to produce and featured thousands of Russians, conspiracy theorists suspect it was merely a holographic projection of scenes from Avatar and Tron. * Under

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Archeologists have discovered a network of prehistoric limestone dwellings under Miami Beach.  While some of them speculate that the 2,000 year old structures were inhabited by the Tequesta Indians; others believe that they were originally built by one of the lost tribes of Israel because an inscription found in one of

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO-Since Hollywood loves sequels to successful movies and stories “ripped from the headlines,” production has begun on films that mix these genres.  Here are some scripts currently under consideration. American Tussle-An American diplomat futilely tries to convince obstinate Israeli and Palestinian leaders that making peace is better than descending into an

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―Venture capitalist Thomas Perkins apologized for drawing a parallel between the “progressive war on the American one percent, namely the ‘rich” and “Nazi Germany’s war on its ‘one percent,’ namely its Jews.” …This is a very dangerous drift in our American thinking. Kristallnacht was unthinkable in 1930; is its descendant “progressive”

By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―President Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union Address on Tuesday.  Cathy McMorris Rodgers will give the Republican response to the speech.  Mike Lee will follow her with the Tea Party response to the Address.  Finally, Rand Paul will follow him with a speech representing his idiosyncratic perspective.  If