November 08, 2004

• the palestinians insist the israelis have poisoned him.
• Now, that's some sound journalism. FOX could learn a lot from Jerusalem NewsWire.
• I like the "quotes" every time they say "Palestinian". From now on, I'm getting all my "news" from Jerusalem Newswire.
• Rock Hudson gave HIV to Ronald Reagan. And I can prove it.
• I heard liver failure on the radio this morning, which would explain, I think, the blotchy skin, immune system and weight loss. But what caused the liver failure? Maybe it was poison!
• I think I'd look like hell too if people kept asking me if I was dead yet every two minutes.
• Former White House speechwriter David Frum has joined the growing chorus of pundits, medical experts, and intelligence operatives who claim Yasser Arafat is likely suffering from AIDS.
• Yikes, Jerusalem Newswire makes Newsmax look like Harper's.
• shawnj, you owe me a new keyboard.
• Koko, in all fairness, it's a rumour, but Jerusalem NewsWire didn't start it.
• Morbid MoFi Challenge! What disease could Arafat die of that couldn't be blamed on a conspiracy by Palestines enemies, and couldn't be twisted to reflect badly on Arafat's character? Would, in fact, somehow even possibly be inspirational to Palestinians (and not in a 'more suicide bombers!' way)?
• Psoriasis?
• IBD?
• I suppose alcholism-precipitated liver damage wouldn't fly well.
• ennui?
• Come now, you're not even trying.
• gout
• Scurvy!! Arrrrrr.
• Ovarian cancer?
• You know how in the commericals for Levitra they say that if your erection lasts for more than four hours, call the doctor? He didn't call.
• TB?
• My guess would be Hepatitis C </diagnosis-from-3800-miles-away>
• trichinosis?
• dino-peptic germ?
• Dishpan head. Don't smite me!
• I believe I covered this already, several days ago... ;-) Never knowingly beaten to a conspiracy theory.
• You know, he is rather old, and his body has been through a lot, Romanian commie sex orgy theories aside. It could just be old age?
• Hey thomcatspike, a little advice. When you see a link and the comments section starts off with, "Told You This Faggot Has AIDs", perhaps what you are reading is less credible than most "news" sources.
• Gawrsh, flashboy- I thought you were looking for a consiprcay. :-)
• liver cancer? that could explain a lot. but i can't see arafat's impending death as a good thing. ariel sharon's (and in fact the israeli leadership's) reason for their hardline stance has mostly been to do with arafat's past and character. all of a sudden that's going to look pretty hollow. whatever you think of the man, or of any position in this debate/conflict/history/bible story, it's not going to be a good year for Israel or the Palestinian West Bank/Gaza Strip. (Pro-Palestinian autonomy, Anti-Israeli Occupation, Pro-Jewish-State. Best friend Jewish. Clear? Thankyou.)
• Yuck.
• Delusions of grandeur?
• Lupus. Is is it lupus?!
• "When you see a link and the comments section starts off with, "Told You This Faggot Has AIDs", perhaps what you are reading is less credible than most "news" sources." Hey Alex Reynolds The link was another source spitting out the same story, fyi. Maybe I should have linked all links Google will bring up on the subject too. The reason I posted that specific link was because at that specific time, the link was the top 5th link being viewed on the Internet, so I posted it. Honestly thought the thread's subject sucked until I realized how many other folks were reading the same subject.
• This is making my brain hurt, it's so stupid. Let's see. Blotchy skin, immune system problems, weight loss, and cognitive changes? The differential includes *any* causes of liver or renal failure, a whole host of oncological problems (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, myelodysplatic syndrome), and a wide variety of rheumatological disease (yes strictly, that includes lupus, though less likely for a guy his age). Other possibilities include a bad drug reaction, vitamin deficiencies, and yes, poisoning. HIV is also on the list, but I'd put it way behind liver, kidney, and cancer. Given the recent election, I prefer to think that he's just dying of a broken heart. It's an epidemic.
• The link was another source spitting out the same story, fyi. Same talking point from different talking head (White House, no less, from an Israeli site, btw.). Consider the source and its presentation, is all.
• It has struck me as odd though that the various US news outlets haven't really been speculating as to what might be wrong with Arafat.

• ariel sharon's (and in fact the israeli leadership's) reason for their hardline stance has mostly been to do with arafat's past and character.

  Well, it isn't likely to get any better. It's a convenient excuse, but it rings extra hollow from an Israeli PM who was sacked from his previous job in politics by Israelis disgusted with his role in concentration camp massacres in Lebanon. Between the likely rise of Hamas' power following the death of Arafat, and the erosion of support for Sharon for being insufficiently Arab-hating for his allies on the right, though, I think you're spot with "t's not going to be a good year for Israel or the Palestinian West Bank/Gaza Strip."
• rogerd: Hamas scares the bejeezus out of me, in that they are probably the last bastion of Arab Nationalist terrorism (as opposed to the pan-Arabist, ideological terrorism of Al'Qaeda), but have become the core of the pan-Arabist's platform. Their support, no matter what Israel and other 'western' nations (see these two books for a comprehensive - if flawed and slightly outdated - reading of the west vs. east divide) may like to believe, is as widespread and diverse as Islam. Hamas shoud be treated very, very seriously - and not as an enemy but a stakeholder. A serious attempt to create a lasting peace must include Hamas, because the only way the leadership can be broken is to remove the need to fight. ch-ching $0.02
• Cuz he's freakin' old? Last time I checked, old people get liver spots, lose weight, and go senile.
• Arafat: Died of old. Nope, not inspirational. Keep trying.
• He had a bad case of Mossad.
• He got the Spon!
• He got the Jack!
• I heard he'd spent much too much time on MoFi and was suffering from not having consumed food or drink in a while, nor been out in the sun.
• Nostrildamus: He's fallen in the water!
• I read it could be because of gall stones - something he has had before and refused treatment for.
• Can you go into a coma from gall stones? My money would be on hepatitis or some other liver-related disease, except that this thread is morbid as hell and so I wish the man whatever peaceful rest he can find.
• MonkeyFilter: Told You This Faggot Has AIDs
• Alex Reynolds, not from the gall stones themselves but from complications like: gangrene, perforation, pancreatitis (inflamation or infection in the pancreas, empyema (infection of the gall bladder) peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdomen). By the way some news articles have been saying the coma was induced in order to perform a biopsy, so the coma is not necessarily a symptom of the disease(s) he has - that is if you believe the western news sources.