Any One Life to Live fans out there?

I have figured out who killed Victor, and why, and will reveal all in the comments. I think it’s one of the most clever plotlines I’ve seen since I began watching soaps.

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Thursday, briefly

Treaty? What treaty? Egypt is deliberately breaking its treaty with Israel and flaunting it. Permission? We don’t need no steenking permission to patrol the Sinai? It’s good to know that an Arab nation keeps its written promises after the Islamists take over. Because, like, that’s not going to happen anywhere else in the Middle East. Oh. Wait.

The terrorists are high-fiving: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hezbollah and Hamas are congratulating each other on once more “defeating” the Zionist enemy. And yet, Israel is still there, with that great big army, every time the terrorists get too confident and attack again. Meantime, they’re cancelling speeches over the news that their favorite killers will not be freed. The sound that you do not hear are me making sympathetic noises about that news. They’re going to have to go through with it now, or face rebellion in Gaza. They’ve been out celebrating there for days.

Check the air for flying porkers: What? An unbiased Reuters news article on Israel? My heart… I can’t take the shock… Oy.

No, Copts threw themselves under our trucks: The Egyptian military is denying that any Christian protesters were killed by their forces. Nope. None died of gunshot wounds, none were run over by speeding military vehicles. It’s a surprise as to who killed them. Oh. Wait. Of course, they blame “foreign elements.” Like that Ilan Grappel guy, whatta spy! They’re making up new charges for him as they go along. Watch for a big prisoner exchange for Ilan, too. Say, Israelis? Do yourselves a favor and stay the hell out of Egypt.

Islamist attacking mosques: And no worldwide condemnation. Because it’s not like they were Jews firebombing a mosque or anything.

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Religion, Terrorism | Comments Off on Thursday, briefly

Scratch a liberal…

I lost another liberal friend today.

I put a link on Facebook to this article. He said that even though Dems get millions of dollars from Wall Street, the money doesn’t affect their votes. I told him he was naive. He responded with the typical “Rethuglican” accusations, and then decided to start in on Israel, because he knows it’s my blog topic.

Naive? Meryl, you must be blinded by the Tea. And while I’m in a frisky mood, give the Palestinians a state already! Doing otherwise will just confirm Israel as a fascist state.

At first, I just told him to read MEMRI and come back and tell me the Palestinians wanted a state. Then I told him to stop arguing with me on my FB thread. Then I got annoyed. I explained my background in all things Israel, all the reading and commenting and writing I’ve done these past nine years. I told him there was nothing he could say that I hadn’t heard before. I told him he should back off. And instead of backing off, he doubled down. This was the kicker. This was the friendship-ending statement.

You wonder why there are people who don’t like Israel; perhaps it’s the attitude their people carry around with them – we’re better than everyone else so we deserve more.

And then he tried to qualify it.

There’s plenty of this attitude to go around with Muslims and Christians as well so am not singling anyone out. I’m just not a big proponent of decision-making based on religious dogma, much less an entire nation basing their approach to governing on it.

Oh. Sure. He’s not singling anyone out. That makes it all better.

I told him that I hear that kind of thing from the Jew-haters. Then I called him a bigot. Then he called me a bigot. The Pee-Wee Herman defense, I call it: “I know you are, but what am I?”

Now you’re getting insulting and showing you’re a bigot as well. No, I most certainly am not a bigot in any way, shape, or form. I just prefer to use logic vs. dogma.

And there you have it. I am dogmatic. He is logical. I am a bigot. He is logical. Israel is a theocratic, fascist state. He is logical.

In all those bursts of logic, I have yet to find an answer as to why it’s okay to use the same arguments the Jew-haters have used about Jews for thousand of years. I note he didn’t accuse the Palestinians of having that attitude when he insisted that Israel shoulder all the burden for the lack of a Palestinian state. In fact, the only reason Muslims and Christians were brought into that statement was to disguise the naked Jew-hatred in it that even my ex-friend noticed.

Scratch a lefty, some of my long-time readers have said, and you will find an anti-Semite underneath.

You wonder why there are people who don’t like Israel; perhaps it’s the attitude their people carry around with them – we’re better than everyone else so we deserve more.

You know, that statement sure stinks to high heaven of anti-Semitism. Substitute “Jews” for Israel—oh, wait, the Israelis he was talking about are Jews—well. Then you get my drift.

Thus ends a friendship that began twenty-one years ago. Way to go, Mr. Spock. Your logic is impeccable. And it’s lost you a friend.

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Life, Politics | 2 Comments

Gilad Shalit is going home

I never thought I’d be writing this post, but it looks like Gilad Shalit is going to be home in Israel in a matter of hours. There will be many things written about the deal, both for and against. Barry Rubin and the head of the Shin Bet both think that Israel will be able to handle the murderers being freed in the deal. Benjamin Netanyahu obviously thinks this is the best deal he can make. And as I am not an Israeli, I don’t get to vote on whether or not this is a good deal.

I will say this, though: If it were my brother who had been held captive these five-plus years, I would want him released, even at the risk of letting the murderers among the 1,027 convicts kill again. Oh, I understand the concept of blackmail. I get that Hamas is going to try to kidnap more soldiers to get more prisoners freed. But there’s a good point being made about that: Hamas will not stop trying to kidnap and murder Israelis whether or not Israel frees the prisoners in exchange for Gilad. So why not free them and bring him home?

The world response is typically asinine.

“We have always called for his unconditional release,” Hague said. “We are pleased that this long overdue development is finally taking place. Mr. Schalit’s long captivity has been painful for his family and I hope that he will be reunited with them as soon as possible. The UK supports all such efforts to build confidence and trust between all parties.”

Psst… Mr. Brillaint U.K. Foreign Minister… an exchange of over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for Gilad is not an unconditional release, and you are obviously unable to form a coherent sentence when discussing two disparate issues.

Catherine Ashton is singing the praises of the Egyptian and German negotiators. Really? People who took five years to conclude a deal? That’s a good negotiation? No wonder the EU is falling apart.

And lastly, click this link at Ha’aretz. It’s hard to argue with the happiness in these photos. Of course, it will be extremely easy to argue with them if the released murderers kill again. But one can always hope that they do try, and get killed by the security forces instead.

The debate is going to rage over the Jewish principle of ransoming our captives. For centuries, non-Jews have known that Jews will do almost anything to get back our own when they are held hostage because they are Jews. In modern times, it’s mostly done via the state of Israel. And it will keep being done, even if Israel creates a death penalty for convicted terrorists (with which I agree wholeheartedly).

But when all is said and done, Gilad Shalit is heading home. Soon. May he live a long, healthy, and happy life after the horrors he has endured these past 1,934 days.

Posted in Hamas, Israel, Terrorism | 2 Comments

Cats wearing hats

So where do you think Rahel will see this first? Here or Facebook?

Posted in Cats, Humor | 2 Comments

The long weekend make-up briefs

Name one other religion that has to do things like this: 1,000-year-old Torah scrolls from Syria had to be smuggled out, one by one, in order to preserve our Jewish heritage from those who would deny and destroy it—like the Palestinians who, with UNESCO’s help, will now be claiming ancient Jewish and Christian heritage sites as their own. Of course UNESCO is going to agree with them. Five bucks says they try to claim the Temple Mount as theirs. Or did they do that already?

Yeah, I’m thinking Colombia sticks with the U.S. and Israel on this one: Hm. What a quandary. Who do you vote with? The people who supply you arms against the “revolutionaries” who would destroy your country, or the people who think Hugo Chavez is a stand-up kind of guy (the Palestinians)? Shyeah, it’s not much of a choice.

From apostasy to rape in 60 seconds: The world outcry forced Iran not to charge a Christian pastor who converted from Islam with apostosy. Instead, they’re charging him with rape. Because this is Iran, where they make things up as they go along. So they’re apparently sending the case to Iran’s Supreme Leader. (You know, if I ever get my wish to become dictator of the world, I’m totally going to have a name that is far, far cooler than something stupid like “Supreme Leader.” Really. That’s like, right out of a Scooby Doo cartoon or something. Laa-aaame.)

When even a Ha’aretz columnist is criticizing your Israel position, well, your position sucks: Really. A columnist in Ha’aretz explains to idiots like Leon Panetta why Israel has already taken enough risks for peace, and gotten nothing but rockets and unilateralism at the UN in return.

Taking Nusseibeh apart, lie by lie: Read it in full. And remember, Nussiebeh is considered a “moderate.” He wants the end of Israel, but he apparently is a moderate because he wants it through laws, not guns. Shyeah.

Posted in Iran, Israel, Middle East, palestinian politics, Religion, United Nations | 1 Comment

It’s not the holiday weekend, it’s the writing

I was writing my novel today. That’s part of the reason things are slow around here. My fiction is more important to my future than this blog will ever be. Which is not to say that the blog will go away, just that it’s not my priority these days.

I hit the 20,000-word mark today, something that’s been eluding me for a very long time. Oh, I’ve written more than 20,000 words in each of my first two novels, but they both sucked and will never see the light of day.

This one will be done by spring. That’s my deadline for it. Where it goes from there is up in the air, but I’m pretty stoked about the e-publishing. And then there are all the contacts I’ve made over my years of blogging, writing, and, well, living. I do believe my writing future is bright.

Posted in Life | 3 Comments

The Reason Occupy Wall Street anthem

It is full of teh awesome.

Posted in Juvenile Scorn, Occupy Wall Street | 2 Comments

Lazy Sunday cat post

It’s a three-day weekend for me. The heck with the news. I caught Gracie looking undignified.

Gracie mewing in the sunlight

She is actually mewing, not yawning. She wanted me to pet her. I wanted her to sit in the sun long enough for me to take a picture. Gracie won.

Posted in Cats | 4 Comments

Phew.

That was one unpleasant fast. Maybe by next year, my hot flashes will be gone and I won’t be suffering from dehydration in only, like, four hours after the fast began.

Posted in Holidays, Life | 1 Comment

Why we confess our sins on Yom Kippur

Sabba Hillel sent me another video link. I like it a lot.



I’m not sure exactly why, but this one made me cry.

G’mar hatima tova. Have an easy and meaningful fast.

Posted in Holidays, Jews, Religion | Comments Off on Why we confess our sins on Yom Kippur

Erev Yom Kippur briefs

No good deed goes unpunished: So when the rebels take over Syria, you think they’re going to remember that China and Russia voted against them in the UN Security Council sanctions issue? Oh, sure, they’re griping now. But the jury’s out.

Another day, another AP whitewash of Hamas The UN suspended a teacher for being a member of Hamas. The AP article does its best to prove that Hamas has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the UN schools in Gaza. Hey, those stories you’ve read of Hamas utterly infesting UN groups in Gaza? Pshaw. Just read this:

The Islamic militants, hampered by an Israeli border blockade and shunned by much of the world, often struggle to provide services to the territory’s 1.5 million people and rely on the U.N. agency to fill some of that void. The agency runs schools, clinics and food centers that serve hundreds of thousands of Gazans.

However, some in Hamas view UNRWA as an ideological rival, accusing the agency of promoting a Western way of thinking in its schools and summer camps.

Although Hamas did not organize the one-day teachers’ protest, it made clear that the ruling militant group supported the effort.

The AP: Hamas’ press agents to the world.

The CSM: Toeing the Palestinian line, all the way back to 1947. Get a load of this statement in a story about the falling popularity of Hamas since it won’t support the UN statehood bid:

The statehood bid, if successful, would give Palestinians full membership in the UN – and, Palestinian Authority President Abbas has argued, greater leverage against Israel. But it would also require his people to renounce their claims to land conquered by Israel in its war of independence with Arab neighbors.

That’s right. The Christian Science Monitor is backing Arab claims against Israel’s existence. Nice. The CSM wants Israel to go back to the UN Partition plan? Yeah, that’s gonna happen.

Is that the smell of high-pocrisy coming from Wall Street? The 99%-ers hate corporations and CEOs. Except for Steve Jobs. He’s cool. The fact that he cancelled Apple’s philanthropy program? Doesn’t matter, man, my iPhone and iPad are COOL!

Posted in Gaza, Israel, Media Bias, Middle East, palestinian politics, Syria | 1 Comment

Signs of Wanting Peace

According to a recent New York Times article:

The Palestinian decision to apply for full United Nations membership at the Security Council, announced Friday by President Mahmoud Abbas, was the most viable of the only options possible: surrender, return to violence or appeal to the international community, a senior Palestinian official said Saturday.

I think this sentiment has been grossly misinterpreted in the media. We all understand what a “return to violence” would mean. It would mean another intifada. The last one failed to achieve anything at all for the Palestinians. Intifada is not going to lead to a state.

“Appeal to the international community” obviously means bringing to the United Nations demands that could not be achieved through violence.

The real question is what “surrender” means. I think that many people who support the creation of a Palestinian state believe wrongly that this means give in, not have a state, and continue to be occupied forever. Thus, their gut reaction is to say, “No, we don’t want you to surrender!” However, I do not believe this is what “surrender” means at all.

What is meant by “surrender” is giving up the goal of winning the war of 1948, of eventually eliminating the Jewish state. By not asking the proper question which is “Surrender what exactly?” the supporters of a two-states for two-peoples solution end up preventing exactly that. Instead of telling the Palestinians “Yes, we want you to surrender and to make peace with a Jewish state that will continue to exist for generations to come,” they say, “No, we don’t want you to surrender; fight for your right to self determination.” They say this naive to the fact that the goal is neither statehood nor peace, but a step forward on a path designed to eliminate the Jewish state.

I know there are plenty of supporters of the Palestinians who would advocate for the elimination of the Jewish state. I do not make this argument for their benefit. I write this for those who believe in a two state solution and who wish to help the Palestinians achieve statehood. They need to hear the words, “Yes, you need to surrender. Yes, you need to make peace with the Jewish state.” Nothing other than those words will make a difference.

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Any NJ lawyers out there?

I need a lawyer to get a court order to stop a medical procedure from being done on my elderly mother.

Suggestions for a NJ lawyer–northern NJ–who can help me will be welcome. My email is my first name at my last name dot com.

Posted in Life | Comments Off on Any NJ lawyers out there?

Wednesday Jews won more Nobel briefs

Yes, another Jew won another Nobel prize: And this time, he’s [gasp!] Israeli. Born before the state, actually. Damn those wily Jews and their ZOG conspiracies! They’re gaming the system, again! So we’re up to three so far (that are definitely Jews). We’ll keep you informed. And just for kicks and giggles, here’s the AP version, which does not (for a change) bash Israel. So that’s ten Nobels for the Israelis so far. Not bad for a tiny country only sixty-some years old.

Erdogan ups the ante in demagoguery: Nice to see that Erdogan is taking Panetta’s suggestion to improve relations with Israeli seriously. He’s now accusing Israel of being a nuclear threat. Why? Because Israel has nuclear weapons and no one else in the Middle East does—at least not yet. Yeah, what a great NATO partner. What a perfect addition to the EU Turkey would make. Gee. I wonder why he’s going all Islamist on Israel? Hm. Let’s think… oh, that’s right. Because he is an Islamist. And this is his latest shtick. He gave an interview to Time magazine last week, where he bashed Israel. Then there are the ten questions, where he—you guessed it—bashes Israel. Watch Turkey’s fortunes decline as the Islamists take a stronger hold. Everywhere Islamism rises, civil liberties fall, and brutality occurs.

And now, the new Uzi Mahnaimi journalist: Long-time readers will know that I warn you to ignore everything you read by Uzi Mahnaimi, who first brought us the utter bullshit of the bogus “genetic bomb” that would target only Palestinians and leave Israelis unharmed. He also told us that Israel was imminently attacking Iran about half a dozen times. Nope, still not IAF jets dropping bombs on Iranian nukes. Well, we have the new Uzi Mahnaimi, and his name is Tony Karon. He’s not content with bashing Israel, he’s also passing along bullshit stories about Israel attacking Iran. Thankfully, not many people read newsmagazines anymore.

Posted in Israel Derangement Syndrome, Media Bias, Turkey, World | 9 Comments