Thursday rainy day briefs

Posted on 04/26/2012 by Meryl Yourish

It’s raining here, anyway.

Wrong on so many levels: A Palestinian man went right past UNIFIL troops with two small children and climbed the fence into Israel–but not before he threw his two small children over the fence. One got caught in the barbed wire. Nice. So very nice. I’m sure he was just looking to escape conditions in Lebanon, but UNIFIL is awesome. They’re such a great barrier between Israel and Lebanon.

The wrong kind of rockets: Terrorists fired rockets into Israel during Independence Day celebrations, at Eilat and Ashkelon. I will link again to Bibi’s speech: We’re still here.

Funny how there aren’t any Goldstone Commissions over things like this: The Syrian death machine keeps rolling along, and yet, no one is calling for a commission to investigate Bashar al-Assad and his army over the death of civilians. I guess it only counts when the civilians are Palestinians. But no, if Assad suddenly turned his army loose on a “refugee” camp of Palestinians inside Syria, killing many, the world would still find a way to blame Israel. Probably for causing the refugee problem in the first place.

Yeah, I don’t care, I’ll still never store my writing in the Cloud: Rumors abound about Google owning the content you store on Google Drive. They won’t, but considering that absolutely nothing you do on Google is private, why would anyone want to store their private photos and documents with Google? My novel is safe and sound out of any cloud, and on various media backups, as well as paper (though I really would not relish retyping 175 pages). 48,000+ words and heading towards official novel-length. It will be done in 5-8 weeks, and I will be posting the blurb so you can finally see what it’s about–after I edit it to death and make sure I like it. Who knew I could write a dust jacket blurb? I sure didn’t.

Posted in Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time, Middle East, Syria, Terrorism, Writing | 1 Comment

Wednesday briefs

Posted on 04/25/2012 by Meryl Yourish

We’re still here: And we’re not going anywhere. On Israel’s Memorial Day, a message to her neighbors.

“They are murderers – we are builders. Historically, the Jewish people has always outlasted its enemies. They have disappeared, and we’re here. I know that the price paid by the bereaved families is unbearable, and I want to express my thanks and the thanks of the entire nation for their strength, their courage.”

“The memory of your loved ones will stay in our hearts forever, may their memories be blessed,” Netanyahu concluded.

Ew, Jew Cooties: Dubai pulls the visas of Israeli cardiologists at the last minute. Because why would they want to advance the cause of medicine if they have to allow Jews to take part while doing so?

Really, the projection is so clear you can see it from Jupiter: Mahmoud Abbas has the nerve to chide Benjamin Netanyahu that if he wants peace, he has to act on it. Like Abbas has been doing all these years, you see. Of course, Abbas’ “actions” are the preconditions that would revert back to the 1949 Armistice lines. Yeah, fat chance.

Oh, sure they are: Iran is thinking of halting its nuclear work. Yeah. Right. It’s known as “cheat and retreat,” and they’ve been doing it successfully for years. And years. And years.

Gee, ya think? So the CIA finally figured out that calling an agent “a Jew-bastard” was anti-Semitic. Brilliant detective work, Sherlock!

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Iran, Israel, Jew Cooties, Middle East, palestinian politics | 2 Comments

Busy, busy, busy

Posted on 04/24/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Up in NorVA yesterday and today, meetings, work, that sort of thing. And now, in my spare time, I will be writing. I’ll be back with a news post tomorrow.

Posted in Life | Comments Off

Monday briefs

Posted on 04/23/2012 by Meryl Yourish

But they swore the Muslim Brotherhood wouldn’t affect Egypt’s relations with Israel: Yeah, sure. Egypt canceled their gas deal with Israel, thus breaking a contract signed years ago. Gee, I wonder what other deal signed years ago they’re ready to break? Camp David, anyone?

Just another case of Israel Derangement Syndrome: Speaking of Egyptian hatred for Israel, the Brotherhood is looking to make a mufti resign because he had the nerve to visit Jerusalem. Even though he says he still hates Israel, and that the “occupation” must end, they want him to resign. Say, remember when Sand Monkey told us not to worry, that Egyptians really don’t hate Israel? Yeah, he was wrong.

In case you forgot, Turkey is still making an enemy of Israel: In spite of the fact that their terrorists caused all of the problems on the Marbled Memento, Turkey is refusing to allow Israel to take part in a NATO conference. Oh, and saying that it isn’t doing so, but Israel still needs to apologize and compensate the “victims” of the Mimbulus Mimbletonia–you know, the ones who attacked IDF soldiers as they were coming down on ropes, beating and shooting them and trying to kill them. (Link goes to a new first-hand story on Ynet that you should read.) Why is Turkey still a part of NATO? It is actively working with our enemies like Iran, working to establish Islamic rule in Egypt and elsewhere, threatening Cyprus and Israel–these are not the actions of an ally. But then, Obama can’t seem to tell the difference between friend and foe, internationally.

Really, it’s rather pathetic in the long run: Vandals sprayed pro-Hitler graffiti on a Colorado synagogue. Hey. Assholes. Hitler’s dead. Nazi Germany is gone. We’re still here, and now we have our ancestral homeland, too. Boy, that must piss you off, doesn’t it?

Good.

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Middle East, Turkey | 1 Comment

I’ll be damned. This blog is 11 years old today.

Posted on 04/22/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Eleven years ago, I wrote my first blog post and put it out there on the internet to finally get a little use out of the Yourish.com domain that I had bought several years prior.

This blog went from personal journal to “warblog” to political blog to a blog about Jewish and Zionist issues (with a healthy dose of cat posts thrown in).

And this is the last year it will be in its current iteration. When I launch my book in August, this blog will have a complete makeover.

It’s always been about the writing. Everything else was pure happenstance.

I know a lot of you don’t want me to stop writing about Jewish and Israeli issues. But there’s an entire JBlogosphere out there, and I am not even in the top ten most-read of those blogs. Elder’s probably the most popular, and deservedly so. Omri writes for Commentary now, and the other early JBloggers are scattered about at various joint blogs or elsewhere.

Blogging has become so far down on my list that I almost forgot today was my eleventh blogiversary. It’s all about the writing now, and I’m closing in on a finished product that I will be selling this summer.

Expect changes. Life is all about change, and so, in fact, is this blog. Here’s what I wrote in my very first blog post:

This site will undergo many style changes in the upcoming months, as I have no real idea what I’d like the end product to look like. What I do know is that I’ve spent several years in the industry and know the difference between a point, a pica, and a pixel. I know that the Internet is a wealth of information and misinformation, and anyone can discover just about anything online if s/he looks long enough. I know that my mindset has undergone many changes in the last few years, and will doubtless undergo more as I get older. Growth is change. Stagnation, to me, is worse than death. If I cannot change, just dig me a hole, throw me in and cover me with dirt.

My life, these days, is changing for the better.

Posted in Bloggers, Life, Site news | 4 Comments

A busy weekend, and a writing report

Posted on 04/22/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Friday night services. Saturday morning services. My niece’s last Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra concert. Then there was the 45,000 Word Challenge, which was to get to 45,000 words before I could start reading The Hunger Games, a deal I made with my friend Sarah, as I knew that every hour spent reading would be an hour not spent writing. I completed it, and wrote over 2,000 words from Wednesday to Friday.

I’m currently on a 50,000 Word Challenge. I’m behind my self-made schedule, so I want to ramp up the effort a bit and am pushing to get to 50,000 words by April 30th. I started the challenge on April 17th and have written over 4,000 words in–wow–five days (haven’t yet written today, as I only just had breakfast half an hour ago and am trying to wake up).

I am negotiating a cover deal with an excellent artist, Julie Dillon. I’m planning on an August book launch. I’ll be needing a professional copy editor and proofreader availabe to start in early July and deliver it to me by the end of the month. Also a typographer to design the cover. If anyone out there reading this blog is one of the above, or knows of one, send me an email. I’ll be wanting to see examples of covers designed for the typographer, and references for the copy editor and proofreader, as well as rates desired and expected time needed.

I am also looking for a good IP attorney in Virginia.

The book is going well. I’m finding myself even more inspired after reading (and seeing) The Hunger Games, which is excellent in both book and movie form.

As for you, my dear readers, well, get ready for your part in the plan sometime in August. I’m developing a marketing plan side-by-side with the novel, and you’re a part of the marketing plan.

I may be posting the first few chapters sometime before the book is launched. I haven’t figured out the whole plan yet, but I will let you know.

Posted in Writing | Comments Off

End of the week briefs

Posted on 04/20/2012 by Meryl Yourish

But–but–but Jimmy Carter said Hamas wants peace! The second ranking Hamas official flatly states that any agreement with Israel would be considered a hudna–in other words, just a trick until Hamas can figure out how to destroy Israel. Compare that with all of the lies Jimmy Carter has said about how Hamas wants peace. Yeah. The peace of the grave, as I like to put it. Gee, you think the AP will pick up this article and put it front and center the way they would if, say, the Foreign Minister of Israel said that the Palestinians weren’t peace partners? Oh, come on. You know they won’t so much as mention it, or if they do, it will be so elided as to be unrecognizable.

Oh, bullshit: I don’t care how many times he claims that he “sharpened his aim” with video games. Shooting a gun is NOTHING like playing a video game. The fact that the media uncritically repeats this lie just proves that no one in the media has ever fired a weapon. Here’s a hint at one tiny little difference: There’s no kickback from a video game weapon.

Yeah, I’m thinking this guy’s never getting back in the IDF: More video footage shows the unprofessional behavior of Lt. Col. Eisner. I don’t care what the provocations might have been–his actions weren’t riot control. Time for the IDF to start training professional riot control teams.

Gee, why don’t they depend on their Muslim brothers for help? A profile of Israel’s new facility for illegal immigrants that never seems to notice that in order to get to Israel, the migrants must first go through Egypt. And they don’t stop there. Funny how that works. Reuters also profiles the illegal immigrant influx as well. Both articles push the “Bad Bibi doesn’t want immigrants” meme. Why isn’t the UN Committee on Refugees helping out? Because they’re not Palestinian refugees?

And get a load of this dose of media bias. Here’s the second paragraph:

Now in Israel, the 26-year-old migrant from Eritrea said she was freed only after a $30,000 ransom was delivered in cash to Israeli accomplices of her Bedouin Arab captors.

What do they leave out? Why, the identifier that would show that the “Israeli accomplices” are Israeli Arab accomplices–an important distinction. Where is that information published? Five paragraphs from the end of this very long piece.

The suspect, an Israeli Arab, has since been charged with extorting tens of thousands of dollars in ransom for Hrity and other Eritrean nationals and transferring the money to their captors in Egypt.

Just another day in the anti-Israel media narrative.

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Israeli Double Standard Time, Media Bias | 1 Comment

Briefly briefs

Posted on 04/19/2012 by Meryl Yourish

This is what genocide looks like: It’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah.

And? The UN has noticed there is no truce in Syria, unlike the media, which never notices when terrorist groups break the truce with Israel.

Awesome. The Secret Service planned the hooker party.

Posted in American Scene, Holocaust, Israel | 2 Comments

Wednesday briefs, starring Bono

Posted on 04/18/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Don’t tell the BDS nutcases, they’re freak: Bono slipped in and out of Israel and apparently enoyed himself. Oh, and he didn’t talk trash about Israel. BDS fail.

Yeah, but it won’t shut up the haters: The IDF officer who was taped bashing a Danish ISM tool for no apparent reason was suspended. I’ve read the articles about it, and I see no reason for him to have smashed the guy with his rifle that way. I thought the IDF was getting better at riot control. Perhaps they need an entire section of the IDF focusing entirely on that.

Ohh, that’s why it isn’t bashing him: I was wondering why this Netanyahu profile in Time was so positive. And then I read the byline: Eric Cantor. Hey, they didn’t even make his picture all scary. Oh, wait. Yeah, they did… all shades of dark and gloomy. Hey, the Ayatollah Khameini got his picture in a nice, bright daylight shot, long distance, which removes his scary face from the camera. Anti-Israel bias? No. None at all. Really, go try to find another leader with a picture similar to Netanyahu’s. Bet you won’t find one.

Posted in Israel, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Media Bias | Comments Off

It’s my Tiggerversary!

Posted on 04/18/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Baby Tig

Four years ago today, I was looking for a Maine Coon mix at Wendy’s Feline Friends, when I found not one, but TWO orange males. That pretty much ended my work for the day; I called my supervisor and told her I was off to find my next Tigger. And find him I did. Tig 3.0 succeeded Tigger 2 after four months of sadness with no Tigger in my house. He far exceeded my expectations. He is the funniest, most affectionate, silliest, happiest cat I’ve ever had. Every morning, he runs down the hall making his mrowr-mrowr-mrowr noise that indicates he’s happy. Every night while I’m brushing my teeth, he runs down the hall making his happy noise because he knows I play with him before going to sleep. And then there are the times when I’m downstairs watching TV and he wakes up and runs down the stairs making his happy noise because he’s happy and wants to let the world know it.

Yesterday, after dinner, we were sitting on the deck, where I am fighting a losing battle in trying to keep him from chasing the birds. Yesterday morning he amused me greatly by doing his left-paw, right-paw routine on his kitty shelf. When he wants to wash his front paws, he lies on his back and washes the left one. Then he turns over to the other side (still on his back) and washes the right one. Then he switches again. He does this for a few minutes, and it always makes me laugh because it seems like an awful lot of work to wash his paws instead of, say, lifting them from a sitting position, like Miss Gracie does. But Tig is my goofball. That’s his job: To make me laugh. He’s very good at it. And here he is, on that shelf, cleaning his paws:

What a happy day!

Posted in Cats | 3 Comments

Tuesday briefs

Posted on 04/17/2012 by Meryl Yourish

But it’s anti-Zionism, not anti-Semitism: One of the European “activists” left a present on the wall of the room where he was held: A Nazi swastika. Drawn correctly. The “activist” was from France or Spain. Or maybe both of them drew it. And may we now stop pretending that they give a shit about anything but the end of Israel?

Now you know Hamas is winning: The PA is telling Iran to back off Palestinian issues. Yeah, Hamas must have the upper hand. They held elections last week, so it will be interesting to see who goes in hiding first the next time Israel goes after their rocket bases in Gaza.

Stop breaking the narrative! Israel is EVIL! Law enforcement officials from around the country went to Israel to learn how they defend against and respond to terrorist attacks. No, Israel doesn’t do anything except take $2b a year in aid. Right. Uh-huh. Sure.

Oh, who cares? Not only are Palestinian prisoners planning on launching a hunger strike, but the “activists” who came into Israel are going along with them. Gee. They’re going without food for, like, half a day. Whoa. How brave they are!

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Hamas, Iran, Israel Derangement Syndrome, palestinian politics | 2 Comments

More Failtilla briefs

Posted on 04/16/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Yeah, definitely Failtilla: When they stoop to calling Israel racists for refusing to let them enter the country, well, epic fail. The widdle kiddies are thwowing a tantwum.

Edited or not, this seems like unlawful force: The ISM idiots who posted this video edited it heavily. The officer says they attacked him and broke his finger. I wouldn’t know, but man–this does not seem like the right thing to do. He’s been suspended and regrets his action. They’re looking into whether or not to press charges. Of course, you can count on the media for utterly unbiased words like these:

The assault was posted on the Internet and broadcast on Israeli TV on Sunday.

It further tarnished Israel’s image the same day the government suppressed a mass fly-in of pro-Palestinian protesters who had hoped to draw world attention to the Israeli occupation.

Way to stay unbiased, AP! As for CNN, they put the officer’s side of the story in paragraph 12 of a 15-paragraph story. That’s totally fair. That’s exactly what they’d do if the reverse occurred, we’re sure. Not.

I know, I know, I’m shocked, too: Wow, Syria isn’t keeping the ceasefire arranged by the UN. Go figure. Who’da thunk it? I’m shocked, shocked. No, really. Okay, no, not really.

Ut-oh: Best Buy is closing 50 stores. Et tu, Best Buy? This can’t be the end of the Big Box store. I like going to Best Buy to get a new APC on the way home from Costco.

I can’t wait to see who’s stupid enough to allow them into their offices: Apparently, American Nazis are trying to become a lobbying force. It’s going to be pretty funny to watch doors slam in their faces from every direction. My prediction: Someone’s staffer isn’t going to know that they’re Nazis and we’ll get a quick news flash out of it.

Posted in American Scene, Israel, Media Bias, Middle East, Syria | 1 Comment

Failtilla and other news briefs

Posted on 04/15/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Failtilla: Really? 40? Only 40 of the Flytidiots made it to Israel?

Police officials said hundreds more activists are expected to arrive in Israel throughout the day.

Oh, so there are going to be hundreds. Wow.

Epic fail.

Sure, Shari’a is totally like feminism, only the opposite of it: Egyptian Islamists are going to stop those uppity women from demanding divorces of their husbands.

The El-Omda’s aim is to rescind legislation dating from 2000 that gives women “khula,” the popular term for the right to turn to the courts to order a divorce in the event the husband refuses to grant one. Before that, Egyptian women did not have the right to divorce their spouses on their own terms.

And check out the doublespeak:

“It is corrupt,” El-Omda told The Media Line. “We want to end the connection to the Mubarak era and this is not Islamic for women. We, as Egyptians, want to make sure our laws and our society are part of Islam, which protects women and gives them rights.”

Got it? They’re taking away rights to show how Islam gives women rights.

Ah, the good old days: If Obama really wanted to channel Reagan (like he keeps saying when he talks lies about taxes, he’d imitate Reagan’s response to Iranian attacks on an American ship.

After that final attack, no more Iranian ships came on the offensive, and the US Navy called it a day. By the end of the day, the US had sunk one Iranian frigate, a gunboat, three speedboats, damaged another frigate and severely damaged the two oil platforms. Over 55 Iranian sailors were killed. On the American side two US Marines were killed, but their deaths were not combat related.

Yeah, that’s the way to show them.

Posted in Feminism, Iran, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Religion | 1 Comment

It’s a Max day

Posted on 04/14/2012 by Meryl Yourish

During the kiddush after services today, Max asked if he could stay over tonight. That’s because last week, Rebecca stayed over after the Seder. So I’ve spent the bulk of the day with Mr. Max. Let’s see, we had snack when we got home, looked for the new Avatar cartoon on TV (I think I DVRed the right one tomorrow), played Bookworm Adventures, went outside for a while and lounged on the deck with Tig, had dinner (he ate plenty of Chicken McMeryl, french fries, and three and a half ears of corn), watched Johnny English 2, since he astutely saw Mr. Bean on the cover at the Redbox at Kroger’s, played Penny Can (cf. Cougar Town), had plenty more snacks during the movie, nebulized him during the movie, and now, he’s downstairs reading, the soundtrack of Inception is in the PS3, and I’m about to sit down and get some writing done.

Busy, busy day. But fun.

Posted in Life | Comments Off

The perfect symbol of Jimmy Carter’s impotence

Posted on 04/13/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Jimmy Carter has yet another anti-Israel op-ed in the New York Times, where he utterly whitewashes Palestinian intransigence, blames Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to help create a Palestinian state, insists that the settlements are the heart of the problem, calls Israel an apartheid state yet again, and even manages to slam a comatose Ariel Sharon.

But there is a perfect example of Jimmy Carter’s irrelevance and impotence on the world stage. Let’s go back to 1994, when Bill Clinton stupidly enlisted Carter to help stop North Korea from becoming a nuclear power.

In 1994, North Korea had expelled investigators from the International Atomic Energy Agency and was threatening to begin processing spent nuclear fuel. In response, then-President Clinton pressured for US sanctions and ordered large amounts of troops and vehicles into the area to brace for war.

Bill Clinton secretly recruited Carter to undertake a peace mission to North Korea,[73] under the guise that it was a private mission of Carter’s. Clinton saw Carter as a way to let North Korean President Kim Il-sung back down without losing face.[74]

Carter negotiated an understanding with Kim Il-sung, but went further and outlined a treaty, which he announced on CNN without the permission of the Clinton White House as a way to force the US into action. The Clinton Administration signed a later version of the Agreed Framework, under which North Korea agreed to freeze and ultimately dismantle its current nuclear program and comply with its nonproliferation obligations in exchange for oil deliveries, the construction of two light water reactors to replace its graphite reactors, and discussions for eventual diplomatic relations.

So how’d that work out for us? Well, Korea is a nuclear power. It has conducted nuclear testing in violation of all agreements made, and just yesterday, launched a missile that was capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. The launch failed.

It’s a perfect example of Carter’s impotence and irrelevance. On the very day Carter’s op-ed went to press, North Korea showed the world what it thinks of agreements brought about by Jimmy Carter.

North Korea launches missiles with impunity, breaks the peace, threatens Japan and South Korea, murders South Koreans, violates international agreements and UN Security Council resolutions, subjugates and starves its own people. But what problem is more important, in Jimmy Carter’s eyes? The Palestinians. What nation is worse then North Korea? Israel.

Israel Derangement Syndrome and Israeli Double Standard Time, all nicely tied into one op-ed.

Posted in Israel Derangement Syndrome, Israeli Double Standard Time | 3 Comments

Friday briefs

Posted on 04/13/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Flytilla, the Sequel: Losers. Lufthansa is not allowing the Flytidiots (Elder’s coinage, I believe) to fly on their airlines, cancelling reservations in Germany. Good for them. Of course they’re accusing Israel of violating international law.

However, in their statement, the fly-in organizers warned that passengers “will arrive, as expected, at airports this weekend,” adding that the move constituted a violation of international law.

Name the law that demands Israel must accept anyone who tries to enter. I believe–now I’m not a lawyer, mind you, but I think I got this one–that it is exactly the opposite, and each nation gets to determine who, how, and when people are allowed entry. As for the fictional state of “Palestine”–well, it doesn’t exist yet, does it? So go ahead, crybabies. We’ll call the wah!mbulance for you.

Once again, the propagandists: Why do major newspapers give op-ed space to lying propaganda from enemy nations and terrorists? (Of course I know it’s for the publicity. That was rhetorical.) There is nothing right about allowing the foreign minister of Iran to act the aggrieved innocent who is only doing what the U.S. suggested 45 years ago. By the way, 45 years ago, Iran was an ally of the U.S., not a nation that chants “Death to America! Death to Israel!” at every big holiday. And there’s the minor issue of constantly calling for the elimination of Israel. Shyeah. Iran doesn’t want nuclear weapons. And I’m going to convert to Islam.

If this were a novel, it would be called “foreshadowing”: Kim Jong Whatever ordered a “satellite” launch. It failed. I love the headline: “N. Korea suffers major blow as rocket crashes.” No, it wasn’t North Korea that lost face. It was Whatever Jong Il Kimmie. Oh, by the way, the launch violated all kinds of deals. Will there be consequences? Of course not. God, I wish someone would go into that country and kill every military and political leader. I feel sorrier for the poor people of Korea than almost any other nation.

Why the IDF keeps winning: Because it is a thinking, changing organization. Read this excellent piece on exactly how the IDF improves its people and techniques.

Posted in Iran, Israel Derangement Syndrome, Media Bias, Middle East, World | Comments Off

Thursday news briefs

Posted on 04/12/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Can’t imagine why they didn’t elect him: A neo-Nazi came in dead last in a three-way Republican primary, and he’s blaming–get this–the reporter who published his Holocaust denial remarks.

After garnering 11% of the vote in the Republican primary, Jones lashed out at Swanson, calling her “deceptive and cowardly”, according to the Times of Israel, before calling her actions treasonous against America.

Jones says he is a National Socialist “philosophically” and to mark the anniversary of the birth of Adolph Hitler, he organizes a party each and every year at a local banquet hall.

Cue the Blues Brothers quote about Illinois Nazis.

Awww. Grass is now comparing Israel to Communists: So the ex-Nazi says Israel is acting like the German Communists by banning him from entering Israel. Here’s a tip for you, jackass: I hope you never come to America, either. But y’know, if you do, I think I’ll show up to wherever you are and boo you. Yeah, that’d be fun.

Peaceful Palestinian Passover terror attack foiled: Yet another Palestinian who only wants peace was stopped at a checkpoint before he could murder Jews. Oh, those horrible, life-saving checkpoints. Israel should totally get rid of them. They “humiliate” the Palestinians.

Wow, a cease-fire that actually ceases fire: An “uneasy truce” with no shooting is reported for Syria–as opposed to the “mostly” followed truces where terrorists lob rockets at Israel and the media declare the truce to be holding.

Mel Gibson says he doesn’t hate Jews: The latest on the Jew-hater who says he’s not. Yeah, drunken, hate-filled rants say you are. In vino veritas, and all that.

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Holocaust, Israel, Syria, Terrorism | 2 Comments

Wednesday, briefly

Posted on 04/11/2012 by Meryl Yourish

You can always count on the AP to fudge the truth: Even though there are videos showing Israeli soldiers being attacked as they rope down onto the deck of the Mavi Marmara, the AP explains it this way in their article about “Flytilla 2″:

Israel has been jittery about large influxes of foreign activists since a naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in May 2010 turned deadly. The Israeli navy and the activists have each accused each other of sparking the bloodshed in which nine Turkish activists were killed.

Sure. Because it’s not like there’s video evidence of the Turks calling for the death of Israelis, or beating up soldiers coming down a rope or anything. Oh. Wait.

Go, Canada: Canada is Israel’s new best friend. That’s great, because Canada is also the home of some pretty nasty pro-Palestinian “activists” that make life awful for Jews on college campuses. Plus, well, they’re going to need all the friends they can get, if Obama wins re-election.

Live by the bomb… Israel is warning Lebanon now that since it has fully integrated Hezbullah into its government, Lebanese government institutions will be fair game in any new war with Israel. Sounds about right to me. There’s also this article about the ground forces preparation Israel is making for the next war with Lebanon. Sounds like the gloves will be off this time.

How’m I doin’? Ed Koch takes on idiot Tom Friedman’s “nonviolent” Palestinian protesters.

Thomas L. Friedman (“A Middle East Twofer,” column, April 4) endorses what he calls “nonviolent resistance by Palestinians” against Israel. He adds that Palestinians need to “accompany every boycott, hunger strike or rock they throw at Israel with a detailed map” delineating their territorial demands.

I was attacked by “nonviolent” Arab rock throwers while touring the old Jewish quarter of Jerusalem in 1991. I needed nine stitches but was fortunate to have suffered only relatively minor injuries. If my attackers’ aim had been a little sharper, I could have lost an eye, or worse.

Friedman is a joke. I can’t believe I ever read anything he wrote with any form of respect. I do so no longer.

Posted in Israel, Lebanon, Media Bias | 1 Comment

The book report

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Meryl Yourish

I just broke 40,000 words tonight, after having a bit of trouble during the month of March. But if I can keep up my current writing habit, I’ll be back on track to be finished the end of May.

I’m sorry I haven’t been more forthright about the plot, but it won’t be much longer. Two or three more months, and my novel will be in shape to be copyedited, proofread, possibly critiqued (I haven’t decided yet, though I have someone lined up for it), and then comes the decision-making process of what to do next. Oh, cover art. I need to make a decision on that, too.

I have no intention of going the traditional publishing route, or as I like to call it, 20th-century publishing. I’m planning an e-book launch, and then we’ll see what happens. If my novel takes off, I will have options. If it doesn’t, well. Then I’ll have to find a good marketer. I’ve been doing a lot of research lately. I know some things for sure: My book will not be for sale at 99 cents. I won’t be giving it away for free, either, although I am concurrently writing some short stories set in the world at the advice of an editor friend. Now those I will probably give away for free.

One way or another, my life is changing this year. Of that I’m certain.

Posted in Writing | 1 Comment

Tuesday, briefly

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Meryl Yourish

Flytilla 2, the sequel: You know, the funniest part of this AP brief about 2,500 pro-Palestinian “protesters” coming into Israel on Sunday is this bit:

Organizers say they want to draw attention to Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Because nobody every pays any attention to them. Ever. Not nobody, not nohow.

Of course Israel is ready for them. Again.

Yeah, he said that about the Rwanda genocide, too: Kofi Annan says it’s too early to say that the Syrian plan has failed. Just ignore the deaths, the cross-border killings, the continuous fighting, Syria’s non-compliance with the UN timeline. None of that means the peace plan isn’t working.

Oh, look. HRW has noticed the Gaza :”collaborator” executions: Color me unimpressed. When they release report after report documenting Hamas’ human rights violations, I’ll start giving them credit. But they’re too busy slamming Israel for that.

Stupid college students don’t understand why non-Mel Brooks Jewish Hitler parodies are offensive: You know, I can see the Jewish columnist’s point of view, and understand why he is so offended. I would be if they’d done that to me in college. But I also know that college humor is stupid, and college student April Fool’s issues are stupid and often offensive. Here is your proof of stupid:

“Even given the subject matter, it’s surprising it’s being taken so seriously,” DiMaria said. “Everyone knows who we are, and we print everything as satire. We’re not out to get anyone or be malicious.”

Translation: “But–but–but we were just KIDDING!”

Stupid.

Make them apologize, print a HUGE front-page retraction, and be done with it. Bias laws are stupid, too.

Shmuley Boteach on Obama and Israel: Whoa. The knives are out.

Posted in Gaza, Israel, Middle East, palestinian politics, Syria, The One | 2 Comments