Friday, June 25, 2010 - brief pre-Shabbat blog

1. I Got Mail - Someone wrote a piece that appeared on the editorial page of the Halifax Herald in April. I found the piece objectionable. I copied the entire piece from the Herald website, posted it on my blog, and then wrote about it.

Yesterday I received a letter from the guy. In what I would describe as a very officious letter, he solemnly informed me that he was the author of the piece in question, that he had never relinquished copyright nor given me permission to publish it and that I was to remove the piece from my blog and never publish it "...ever again in any form or in any medium, in whole or in part".

Well! I do not have the time nor patience to argue with the guy. I have no idea whether he is correct. I have simply removed the piece - though I stress that my doing so is not any admission of any wrongdoing on my part - I just cannot be bothered.

To the extent that I have thought about it, I guess what surprises me is that he does not mind having the letter published in the Herald, which claims thousands and thousands of daily readers, but he objects to it being published and criticized on my little old blog, where, I assure you, the readership is rather less. Seems to me that if he really believed what he written, he would not mind having it published anywhere. Oh well....


2. Big Story Of The Week - does not involve Jews as such and does not involve Israel. It is the trials and tribulations of General McChrystal - the now former top American commander in Afghanistan who exhibited a complete lack of judgement in making very disparaging remarks about his civilian overseers in the presence of a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine.

Seems to me (as a civilian) that whatever his skills as a commander in the field - and I gather that they are profound - especially in the area of counter-insurgencies - he had to go. And he did, being replaced by the extremely capable General Petraeus.

I am no fan of President Obama, but what I am reading says that he handled this situation - which was not of his own making - very capably. Here are some reflections on the story:

3. Jimmah The Dhimmah - A very large number of people suggest quite strongly that Jimmy Carter was America's worst-ever President. And his allegations of Israeli apartheid while he is in the pocket of the Saudis and having love-ins with terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah suggest to me that he is also America's worst-ever former President and a "dhimmi" - which I understand to mean a non-Muslim who has accepted Muslim rule.




5. Palestinian Bandstand - It's got a good beat, and the kids can blow themselves up to it.....Jewlicious THE Jewish Blog » “When we die as martyrs”. This is what you get from relentless Jew hatred in the Arab educational and entertainment systems. Funny, how you almost never hear about that.


6. Captain Fantastic Is In Trouble - as should be obvious, this is a joke - though it certainly makes the point - Rock'n'Roll Board of Compliance Disciplines Elton John : The Current Truth







10. It's A Dog's Life - I do not even know what to say...



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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

1. One Of My "Favorite" Topics - Liberals! Why some liberals lose perspective










7. Sderot - I have had the pleasure to have visited Sderot in 2007 and 2009. It is a beautiful town within the 1948 boundaries of the State of Israel that has the misfortune to be located hard by Gaza. It suffered thousands of rocket attacks prior to Operation Cast Lead. Hamas apologists and sympathizers say that the rockets were crude items and that hardly anyone in Sderot was killed by them. I am not going to be so presumptuous as to say that I know what it was like to live in Sderot during that time, but you can easily imagine living under the constant threat of attack (with about 15 seconds warning). In any event, rather than wallow in misery as the Palestinian leadership likes to see for its people, and despite a certain amount of indifference from the Israeli Government, the people of Sderot have persevered - Sderot, the Capital of Rockets and Rock – Forward.com. My hat is off to them. That is courage.


8. Attitude Adjustment Required - Celebrating Genocide | FrontPage Magazine
"That “decent” Britons and other Europeans can today embrace Israel’s enemies and be indifferent to their Nazi-like genocidal incitement and aspirations is not an anomaly but all too familiar. We’ve seen it before."

9. Why Can't People See This? MOWBRAY: Hamas reloading - Washington Times






12. Random Seinfeld Link - Seinfeld sports episodes | Guyism


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Monday, June 21, 2010 - Monday night mishmash

1. Self-Hating Jews - People who read my blog regularly know my feelings on this subject - especially when they actively aid Israel's enemies.



Here is an excellent book on the subject that I read some time ago - the link is to the version of the book at Google Books - which allows you to scan through the book - you can also get it at your local library or you can purchase it online.

2. Cartoons - We all remember how the publication of the Mohammed cartoons worked out - incited by radicals Muslims throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East erupted in riots and orgies of destruction. There was no question of freedom of speech - the cartoons were interpreted as an egregious insult to Muslim sensitivities.

So it is a bit ironic, though not at all surprising, that prior to that time (and since) Arab newspapers publish the most vile antisemitic cartoons imaginable. The whole Flotilla affairs has only served to confirm this. Arab cartoons spread hate for Israel | Full Comment | National Post


3. Solid Piece In The Wall Street Journal - Israel and the Surrender of the West - WSJ.com

4. Looking to Chow Down in Gaza? Got just the place - Roots The Club. Oh, and I love the description from the YouTube site:
"A unique blend of contemporary design and urban chic, Roots Club is an icon in the heart of Gaza City. This multi-use complex - which includes an international cuisine fine dining restaurant, an elegant banquet hall and a terrace café - is just minutes from Gazas key attractions, shopping facilities, and business center. It is only 200 meters away from the white sand Gaza beach."
Can the ordinary starving Gazan eat there? I doubt it.


5. Need To Work Out In Gaza? If you eat too much at "Roots The Club", don't fret - you c an work off those excess pounds by working out at the newly-opened Olympic-size swimming pool in Gaza - Maan News Agency: Gaza opens first Olympic-size swimming pool. As as added bonus, it will also keep you in shape for running from those evil Jew "Zionazi" soldiers


6. Canary In The Coal Mine - Maybe people say that when it comes to fighting terrorism, Israel is the canary in the coal mine. I think that there is a lot of truth to this. Here is but the latest example - Israel was the first victim but won’t be the last Full Comment National Post



8. Surely You Jest - Skewed priorities: Gaza receiving 7.5 times more aid than Haiti, per capita. Oh - and don't call me Shirley!



10. Wicked Satire - No one does it like The Onion!


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Brief Blog - Sunday, June 20, 2010

1. A True Advocate - Talk about a fearless person who daily walks into the lion's den and speaks truth to corruption - Hillel Neuer of UN Watch. Support him - go to his site and subscribe to his email updates. If you can, send him a donation. This is the link to his website.

Here is his most recent effort -


2. How Many Other Countries Would Do This? Speaking of the recent violence in Kyrgyzstan - Israel rescues 12 Jewish refugees from war-torn Kyrgyzstan - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News


3. Hypocrite Alert!!! The silence from the self-righteous is absolutely deafening - World silent as 12 Kurds die in Turkish bombings.

(Turkish Troops on Patrol)

4. Rant - Let's be clear. I am not trying to deflect attention away from legitimate criticism of Israel. You have a beef, then discuss it reasonably and intelligently (hint - not starting with, or even mentioning, Israel's legitimacy as a nation would be a great start). Do it the same way that you would criticize South Korea, the Philippines or Belgium.

I am absolutely sick and tired of seeing rampant, rabid and unbridled criticism of Israel that ignores facts, questions Israel's legitimacy and completely ignores similar or worse situations going on right in front of the whole world.

That agonizes over the Palestinian refugees who were supposedly ethnically cleansed from Israel in 1948 (even giving them their own relief agency, the corrupt UNRWA) but totally ignoring a probably equal if not larger number of Jews who at the same time were chased out of Arab countries.

That can freely criticize Israel, but ignore (or even worse, support) Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and the like - do you self-righteous types know how to read - read what these guys freely and proudly write - and if you can't read, then watch the YouTube videos - do you think they are kidding?

That claims Israel is occupying the territory of others, but fails to criticize other occupations - like Turkey in Cyprus, for example.


That can somehow detect apartheid in Israel, but doesn't notice anything untoward about Saudi Arabia and its attitudes toward non-Muslims, women and gays.

(from Saudi Arabia)

That castigates Israel for defending itself, but fails to notice much more heinous acts committed by, for example, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

(Russian troops in Chechnya)

That criticizes Israel for building a separation barrier that has (thankfully) proven to be an enormously effective barrier in preventing suicide attacks against Israeli citizens, but ignores similar barriers around the world.

(barrier in Cyprus)

In my opinion, that is all antisemitism, pure and simple.

And don't give me the "we don't hate Jews, we hate Zionists" response. The late Dr. Martin Luther King, who was so strongly supported by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, spoke very clearly about that - read his "Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend".

5. The Rant Continues - I am especially tired of hearing the type of criticism mentioned above from Jews who somehow fail to realize that to Hamas and their ilk, we are all the same - you are nothing more than a means to an end - and what will you do when (G-d forbid) you have undermined Israel to the extent that it could not come rescue you like the Jews in Kyrgyzstan (or Iraq, or Yemen, or Ethiopia, or Entebbe and so on) - what will you do then, huh? Come crying to be saved? Talk reason with a bunch of racist & genocidal thugs? Good luck. After all, remember this cute little excerpt from the Hamas Covenant:
"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews."
Notice that it says "Jews" - not "Zionists"? Keep digging your own graves - Hamas and their buddies will make sure you will get paid in currency of their realm - hatred and death.


6. Just In Case - I was somehow unclear in my rants, the doubters should read this story - Zahar: 'The solution is resistance'

7. Just In Case #2 - Women are the 'secret weapon' - notice "buddy" channeling his inner Helen Thomas:
"Meanwhile, Yasser Kashlak, a Syrian businessman of Palestinian descent who heads the “Free Palestine Organization” and is funding this boat, as well as another that is to carry journalists and parliamentarians, said over the weekend on Hizbullah’s al-Manar television station that he was more and more optimistic that one day these same boats would take “Europe’s refuse [the Jews] that came to my homeland back to their homelands.

“Gilad Schalit should go back to Paris and those murderers go back to Poland, and after that we will chase them until the ends of the earth to bring them to justice for their acts of slaughter from Deir Yassin until today.” Kashlak, a fervent Hizbullah supporter, called Israel a “rabid dog sent to the region to frighten the Arabs. He said he had a message for Israelis: ‘Get on the ships we are sending you and go back to your lands. Don’t let the moderate Arab leaders delude you, [you] cannot make peace with us. Our children will return to Palestine, you have no reason for coexistence. Even if our leaders will sign a peace agreement, we will not sign.’” He said the boat carrying journalists and parliamentarians will carry 12 former American diplomats as well."

8. Father's Day Special - a very interesting read - Op-Ed Contributor - The Man Who Left, the Father Who Came Back - NYTimes.com.


9. Israeli PR Problems - Many people ask me why Israel is so bad at its own PR. I think that it is a complicated answer that sometimes involves stupidity or arrogance on the part of the Israelis, a biased media, and an unwillingness (for reasons ranging from indifference to hatred) for many to listen to what Israel has to say. But I am no expert - read this critique from someone who knows a lot more than me - and see what you think - Why Israel Cannot Solve Its PR Challenge.


10. Bring On Wimbledon - The NBA Finals are over (my Celtics lost), the US Open is over, and the World Cup is underway - Wimbledon will soon be upon us. Here is English (or should I say Scottish?) tennis star Andy Murray

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June 19, 2010 - brief motzei Shabbat blog

1. A New High In Low - Today's Halifax Herald contained one of the most inflammatory letters to the editor that I have read anywhere - it is offensive on any number of levels, but apart from the ridiculous recitation of history, what I found the most offensive was the way he appropriated his grandfather's murder in the Shoah (since his grandfather died at least 65 years ago, what are the odds that he ever knew his grandfather?), but especially that of thousands of other Jews, as a vehicle to defend NDP Deputy Leader (and apparently Head Moron) Libby Davies (here is a brief review of the story for those who are unfamiliar - Libby Davies' Helen Thomas moment). In any event, here is the letter:
"Speech not so free

When I read of an NDP member of Parliament being forced to apologize for saying Israel has occupied Palestine since 1948, I cannot help wondering how my grandfather, Bela Szego, who died in Mauthausen concentration camp along with thousands of other Jews, would have reacted to the story. I like to think Bela, who was a journalist, would have been as outraged as I was that in a country that supposedly allows free speech, political correctness counts for more than historical fact.

Palestine has been an occupied country since 1948, when the state of Israel was unilaterally declared by a small group of Jewish settlers in defiance of the tenets of the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The declaration proposed a Jewish homeland in Palestine, but with the proviso that the people already living there should not be displaced.

In the years following that arguably illegal act, Israel has expanded its borders, displaced thousands, built up a nuclear arsenal and sent paid assassins across the world to murder those it considers its enemies. It defies UN decisions, public outrage and common humanity.

But we must not say such things!

Eric Hamblin, Halifax"

I wonder if he would evoke the memory of his grandfather so readily to defend, for example, Mark Steyn or Ezra Levant. I entirely doubt it. Or, what would Mr. Self-Righteous Indignation say about this - Pajamas Media » In an England Suburb, Teaching the Kids Jihad and Jew Hatred

2. New School Peace Activists - Here is a video of the "briefing" being given to the "peace activists" on the Mavi Murmura before it set sail for Gaza. I guess these guys are members of the new school of peace activists - peace and humanitarian concerns have nothing to do with it.



By the way, watching these automatons react to their briefers makes me think of this scene from the movie "Stripes" - if only they were as harmless.


3. Good Riddance - José Saramago, Nobel Prize-Winning Portuguese Writer, Dies at 87 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com and David Frum: Death of a Jew-hater | Full Comment | National Post. As far as I am concerned, I hope he died an agonizing painful and lengthy death. I am just sorry that he did not take some of his friends with him to hell. I think I've made myself clear on this one.


4. More UN Hypocrisy - this is a big help - U.S. taxpayer money sent to pay UNRWA salaries in Gaza ends up going to Hamas - Jihad Watch - do not get me started on UNRWA.


5. Ab-so-lutely Correct - Hamas is the elephant in the room - Pajamas Media » The Distorted Gaza Debate: It’s About Hamas, Stupid.




7. John Robson - I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Robson, a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen, on two occasions in Ottawa - A cancer on the political left « Canadian Jewish Congress.

8. It Ain't Easy Speaking Up For Israel These Days - but this former Spanish Prime Minister had the courage to do so - CIC Scene » Former PM of Spain: Support Israel – If It Goes Down, We All Go Down - unfortunately, the people who really need to hear this are deaf and stupid.






11. Sir Elton John - kudos for not knuckling under to the boycott pressure - Elton's human jukebox.


12. Great Clip - in item 2 above, I included a clip from the 1981 movie "Stripes". Here is another great scene from that movie - by the way - here is a trivia question - who is the guy at the 2:36 point of the video clip - not his name but the role for which he was most "famous"?



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