July 03, 2005
Philosophy and pomegranates
There is no denying it: I am a bad blogger. Last night I did, however, write a long and (of course) extremely articulate post. But just as I was writing the last sentence, my darling laptop was kind enough to crash, and I simply could not be bothered to re-write the whole thing. And besides, writing on impulse is sort of my thing.
Well last night I had a bit of an epiphany. Okay that might be a slight exaggeration, but after spending days contemplating why I have been (and am) suffering from "writer's block" in every sense possible, I believe I have finally realised what is causing it. Lately, I have been unable to post, to answer e-mails, even to leave my co workers notes with instructions (I normally leave letter sized notes to make sure everything goes according to plan).
What makes the matter even stranger is the fact that I have had a lot on my mind lately, and therefore have an awful lot that I could have written or talked about. But instead, I have just been doing a lot of reading and thinking. What I realised was, that the reason why I have been unable to write, is because I simply have too much to say. I have made several attempts to write posts and mails, but everything has turned out sounding too serious, philosophical or personal.
Along with working very hard, I have been paying close attention to everything currently taking place in Israel, which is a lot.. And I daresay that my heart is more in Israel now than probably ever before. I know this is hard to understand for those who have always been in Israel, such as the highly intelligent Orly! But this is probably why I experience a feeling of sadness and helplessness practically every day, when reading new stories of "soldiers beating settlers". There is not much to say, or do. At least not from where I am sitting.
So what do I do then? Yesterday I had a day off work, so I went to the shopping mall and searched for the only thing that I know for a fact Icelandic grocery stores import from Israel: Pomegranates. I bought a bunch of them, despite their ridiculously high price. I noticed how the store had removed the little stickers with the country of origin (Israel) from the pomegranates, and instead they had put a sign saying "pomegranates - from Asia", while all the other fruits were marked with the country of origin. I suppose it was done to get people to still buy them.
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Comment:Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it.
"Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were performed by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think it's time you realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
As for conscientious objection: Generally I think it's a disaster if soldiers start to do whatever they want. However, I admit that I have much more respect for soldiers refusing to do a specific operation (against Jews/Palestinians) than for those who refuse to serve in the army altogether (whom I *despise*, and so far I've only heard of leftists in this context).
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 03:52 PM Permalink
Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it.
"Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were performed by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
As for conscientious objection: Generally I think it's a disaster if soldiers start to do whatever they want. However, I admit that I have much more respect for soldiers refusing to do a specific operation (against Jews/Palestinians) than for those who refuse to serve in the army altogether (whom I *despise*, and so far I've only heard of leftists in this context).
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 03:58 PM Permalink
Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it.
"Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were carried out by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
As for conscientious objection: Generally I think it's a disaster if soldiers start to do whatever they want. However, I admit that I have much more respect for soldiers refusing to do a specific operation (against Jews/Palestinians) than for those who refuse to serve in the army altogether (whom I *despise*, and so far I've only heard of leftists in this context).
Anyway, this is going to be a hard summer for ALL of us. Hugs, Orly
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 04:13 PM Permalink
Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it.
"Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were carried out by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
As for conscientious objection: Generally I think it's a disaster if soldiers start to do whatever they want. However, I admit that I have much more respect for soldiers refusing to do a specific operation (against Jews/Palestinians) than for those who refuse to serve in the army altogether (whom I *despise*, and so far I've only heard of leftists in this context).
Anyway, this is going to be a hard summer for ALL of us who care about Israel. Hugs, Orly
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 04:15 PM Permalink
Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it."Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were carried out by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
This is going to be a difficult summer for all of us who care about Israel.
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 04:26 PM Permalink
Pomegrants from Asia?? :-D It's very funny because some people believe that we are actually in Europe. I guess it depends on the context.
Anyway, I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it.
"Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland? I usually saw "soldiers clash with settlers", mainly in the BBC of course. Anyway here the feelings were quite opposite this week. This week belonged to the extreme disengagemnt oponents. In Gush Katif some of them have been filmed lynching a random Palestinians boy - and I believe you condemn that. Others were attacking and cursing soldiers. Throughout Israeli highways teenagers were pouring oil and scattering nails, which was risking people's life.
I know that these actions were carried out by the most extremist disengagement opponents, but it's hard not to be affected by them. So now if I see soldiers clash with settlers I mostly feel for the soldiers. Actually this week I began seeing many blue ribbons as oposed to the orange ribbons. Personally I don't wear any ribbon and if I had a car I wouldn't put any ribbon on it.
I still have my fears from the disengagement, and MUCH criticism on the way it was decided and performed. I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen.
This is going to be a difficult summer for all of us who care about Israel.
Posted by: Orly at July 3, 2005 05:09 PM Permalink
So I was finally able to read your comments, thanks!
Okay to begin with..
"I guess many people don't understand your feeings for Israel. I personally have stopped wondering about it".
Good :-)A lot of people here think Israel is part of Europe. A few months ago I asked a woman at a phone company about prices for calling to Israel, and we got into a lengthy debate about it. She refused to believe that Israel was in Asia.
""Soldiers beating settlers" - Is this the way things are covered in Iceland?"
Actually I am not following Icelandic media very well, but as far as I know, it is mostly settlers that are being demonized in Icelandic media.
"I do understand your fears, but I think you should realize that the disengagement WILL happen."
I know.
"This is going to be a difficult summer for all of us who care about Israel."
Indeed.
Posted by: Maria at July 4, 2005 11:43 PM Permalink
Hiya!
I'm just back from a week in Greece with my family. Now I have a lot of work to do before I head for 'eretz zavat chalav udevash' on July 29th.I just want to ask...are you perfectly sure the pomegranates are from Israel? Here in Sweden we get them from Israel *or* India. I usually look at the cardboard box to find out the origin, since the stores are too busy/unwilling/lazy to get their signs right regarding origins.
Posted by: Torbjörn Karfunkel at July 10, 2005 11:25 PM Permalink
The right attitude
I wish...
Everyone thought this way: Soldier says 'no' to pullout drill
TEL AVIV - A military hand-to-hand combat instructor has refused to teach soldiers how to defend themselves against potential violence from Jewish settlers they are slated to evacuate from Gaza this summer.
“Idan was asked a few days ago to train a large group of soldiers in self-defense, aggressiveness, dominance, dealing with a knife-wielding assailant, things like that,” the soldier’s friends told Ynet. “He was very cautious, and asked to make sure it was not preparation for the withdrawal. The officers calmed him down.”
While he prepared to teach the course, an officer described what he would have to include in his training, giving examples such as dealing with “a settler with a knife” and “evacuating an outpost.”
Idan’s friends said he immediately realized the exercise was for the withdrawal, and said he was “not prepared to train troops against Jews” and that he “was taught to train (to fight) against an enemy only.”
"Conscientiously immoral"
Idan's father, Yitzhak, said it was conscientiously immoral for a soldier to train troops against other Jews.
“My son has a Jewish soul,” he said. “He is not able to train soldiers (to combat) Jews. I understand him and support him completely. I am against refusing (orders)..but my son is not refusing an order - this is a conscientious problem.”
Idan had said he would be willing to train the soldiers only if they sign documents or notify their commanders that they would not use violence against Jews, and would serve jail time if forced to do so. The army rejected his proposal.
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I undestand that he refuses to take part in the disengagement. I don't understand why "refusing to train troops (self-defence!) against Jews" sounds better to him or to you, because to me it sounds much worse. Also the slogan "A Jew does not expell a Jew" makes me sick, esp since it clearly refers to the deportations and persecutions Jews have suffered through history. This is an abuse of Jewish suffering, because whatever you may say about the disengagement, it doesn't compare with those wrongdoings. Such exaggerations lead to banalization of Jewish tragedies.
Posted by: Orly at July 4, 2005 04:34 PM Permalink
"Also the slogan "A Jew does not expell a Jew" makes me sick, esp since it clearly refers to the deportations and persecutions Jews have suffered through history. This is an abuse of Jewish suffering"
I couldn't disagree more. I find the saying understandable exactly *because* of historical events. How can you say that it is 'abuse', when there are still people alive today who remember the last attempt that was made to wipe out all Jews? With that in mind, such sayings are hardly a case of paranoia, but more like.. understandable.
Posted by: Maria at July 4, 2005 11:49 PM Permalink
So you basically say that it is reasonable to compare evacuating people to another place within their country to exterminating them??? And you don't see it as deep offence and abuse???
I don't believe such references to Jewish tragedies show of paranoia, unless for a few cases. It seems to me more like ignorance, unbelievable insensitivity and total loss of reason - all the things that you don't like. Or maybe it's just a response of hysteric people and we shouldn't judge them. Anyway, these wild exaggerations are certainly unconvincing and often offensive and infuriating.
Posted by: Orly at July 7, 2005 08:39 AM Permalink
July 05, 2005
Don't read this if you're allergic to nonsense :-)
"Surreal" is the correct term to describe the way this day has felt. No unusual events have taken place though, except perhaps in my mind.
At around 19:30 during the evening I was feeling very tired at work. I was standing by the counter quietly, watching how three Chinese people placed three stuffed puffins on the table in front of me. They talked excitedly in a loud tone of voice in Chinese, while gently stroking the birds and turning them back and forth. I did not understand a single word, and they didn't speak any English, let alone Icelandic. They tried speaking to me in Chinese, without much luck. I had had several other customers from China that same day, the day before, and many other day, so that's hardly newsworthy. But as they stood there for about 15 minutes discussing (I assume) the puffins, it occured to me how surreal this whole situation was. While they communicated with each other so easily, none of their sounds made any sense to me, not one bit. And yet there they were, right in front of me, all the way from the land of noodles and little feet.
I contemplated this as I walked towards the busstop. At the busstop I saw a beautiful little blond girl with bright gray/blue eyes. She looked just like most other little girls in Iceland. Her daddy told her to let "them" (French tourists) with backpacks enter the bus first, because that would be the polite thing to do. An elderly Arab looked at the little girl and smiled, and sat next to what was probably his blond wife. A Chinese girl stood around reading a book about Iceland in Chinese. She wore a "North Face" jacket like the Americans do.
When I was a child I once had the following conversation with my mother:
-Mom, am I weird?
-No you're not. Nothing under the sun is weird.
I guess she was right. But sometimes, things just feel.. so surreal.
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July 07, 2005
It takes strength to be the world's most hated man
I have always been pro-Bush. I support him, I admire him, I trust him. I also feel sad, bitter and disappointed over the way the intense hatred so many are expressing towards him.
The other day when I was at the mall, I saw at least 4-5 people wearing anti-Bush t-shirts. Hating the man has become a trend.
I saw an interesting article that I would like to point out, and I recommend reading:
Disengagement is opposed to George Bush's values, writes Yoram Ettinger
In a recent speech, U.S. President George W. Bush presented his country with a worldview in the tradition of late President Ronald Reagan: no retreat in the face of terrorism, yes to pre-emptive strikes – including assassinations – against terrorist breeding grounds.
Rest of article: Here
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i think it's sad the way people are so quick to jump on the anti-bush bandwagon when things don't go their way. do they honestly think they can do a better job leading 300,000,000 people who complain about everything? most of his loudest critics didn't even vote in the first place. what do they know about being responsible for an entire nation during wartime? i can understand it coming from europeans, but not from people who live here in the u.s. because, thanks to the president's leadership after 9/11, they are free to hate him in relative safety.
Posted by: yiddishe-kop at July 7, 2005 07:46 AM Permalink
So I guess you are going to buy a Bush necklace, Maria? :-D I just don't feel like discussing the serious aspects of Bush. It seems that he is admired by many like a pop star. I saw that there are websited selling T-shirts and teacups with his photo. Is that something special about Bush or was it the case with other American presidents? I can't imagine such a phenomena in Israel.
Posted by: Orly at July 7, 2005 08:57 AM Permalink
Orly: I'm obviously not going to buy a Bush necklace. My support for Bush is mostly due to the fact that he supports Israel.
Posted by: Maria at July 7, 2005 09:52 AM Permalink
Also, I am surprised that you should ask "is there something special about Bush". The reason why people who support him are often willing to advertise it is not because he is special. It is because people who are against him are so greatly advertisiting their hatred/anger.
So no Bush necklace. But since you mention it, maybe I'll get myself a t-shirt!
I prefer that personalities be seperated from policies. This is not easy. My objections to Bush stems from a number of changes his government made in the first few months of his first term. There is some indication that his advisors regret the way this was done.
Most people, including I think you, forget that the vast majority of the West were firmly behind Bush when it came to Afghanistan. There are German troops there now and shortly Britain will be sending , yet again, 2,000 soldiers. Iraq was one step too far.
Posted by: Expategghead at July 10, 2005 11:55 AM Permalink
I am pro-Israeli and deeply anti-Bush. If you care about the US as an partner of Israel, you should hate this inbred monkey faced moron.
Prior to 2000 he could not find Israel on a map. He preached backing away from world conflict, and it was only the oil connected people in his administration that had envisioned this take over of Iraq. That was 4-5 years before Bush was elected.
He is IMHO the worst president in the history of the United States. Where does one start when talking about how repulsive he is. He is now deliberatly working to defund US blue states that voted against him, and then we have him lieing to the American people to involve us in an ill-prepared war. We also could discuss the fear campaign that he ran to frighten the more uneducated American voters into voting for him. (to the rest of us it was obvious what he was doing) One could go on and on.
Posted by: Derek at July 26, 2005 04:28 AM Permalink
It is hard to say his name without spiting, he is truely scum. My anger reflects the deep love I have for the United States. I do not like seeing someone drag my country down the drain.
Can't be real
London today
Al Qaeda are truly the pest of contemporary mankind.
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July 10, 2005
Reconnected to planet earth!
At last I am able to write down a few words in my beloved weblog!
I have just gotten through an unbelievable work marathon, and I daresay I've sacrificed my time entirely for work lately. All my spare time has been spent on sleeping, in order to have energy for the hours I've been putting in. But now I shall finally get to enjoy a couple of days off. A couple of days that will be packed with a million little things that I need to do.. But days off, nevertheless!
Since all I've done is worked, most of the things I have to say will inevitably be work related.. As I have previously mentioned, I work in a tourist shop. I sell souvenirs, and I assist tourists (foreigners) by giving them directions, and helping them with all kinds of incredibly strange problems and questions that they come up with.
Working in a tourist shop is not like working in a regular shop. In order to work with tourists one will be expected to do all kinds of strange things. Here are some examples:
-Be multilingual. Preferably speak all the world's languages. Except Dutch, since everyone in Holland (including young children and old people) speak English fluently, for some reason.
-If you don't speak a language, learn basics, body language, to speak with your hands, and be extremely resourceful when it comes to communication.
-Have figured out all the exchange rates of all the major currencies
-Have figured out the European, American and British clothing and shoe sizes.
-Not get nervous about how to reply when Americans greet you with "how are you?" (even though it's completely inapproriate, since they're complete strangers and couldn't care less about my health).
-Have learned to convert celcius into fahrenheit, centimeters into inches, and kilos into pounds.
-Have learned never to give a discount to anyone from China (then they will turn out to have 40 Chinese friends who will all demand a discount as well).
-Not to tell a joke to a German. They won't appreciate hearing anything that isn't of use to them. After spending much time observing German behavior, I have noticed that they do occasionally tell each other jokes and laugh, but their jokes seem to always be about money. And they're never very funny..
-Not, under any circumstances to shout at, insult or physically injure dumb Americans, no matter what they say. Even if they point at a Tommy Hilfiger t-shirt and ask if that is the Icelandic flag, or ask you what it feels like 'to be colonized by the United States'.
-By God, don't tell a Canadian that "Canadians and Americans are just the same" (although lets be realistic, it's true).
-Show an immense amount of patience when dealing with the Japanese, who speak virtually no English, and appear to mostly be like overgrown children with a mad laughter and a strange obsession with 'Hello Kitty' (which, sadly, seems to be becoming quite a trend here as well).
-Not try to understand how a French person thinks, or what a French person says. Just try to understand that God put the French on earth to TEST MY PATIENCE AND MAKE ME A STRONGER PERSON, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL!! Okay I'm calm now...
But don't get me wrong, there are some nationalities that are absolutely delightful. The British, for instance, hardly ever make any trouble at all, and say the cutest things like "I beg your pardon", and "oh thank you ever so much".
Due to my attachment to Israel, my favorite tourists are the Israelis. It is quite interesting how many Israelis are visiting Iceland. I run into many each day, and they almost always like to talk. There was a quite amusing incident that occurred today while I was (once again) playing one of my Israeli cd's at work. A young religious Israeli couple came into my shop, and simultaneously began singing their heart out. Then they walked around the whole shop singing. They talked with me for a while, and then they photographed the huge viking troll that stands outside the shop, like everyone else does.
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Hehehe...
"-By God, don't tell a Canadian that "Canadians and Americans are just the same" (although lets be realistic, it's true)."
Here's a quote by Robin Williams (the actor) taken from Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com):
"Canada is like a loft apartment over a really great party."
And I have to tell you about whom we encountered earlier today...actually yesterday I see now...on the airport in Athens. We were just checking in Leons (my youngest sons) perambulator. When that is done we turn around...and there is the entire Twisted Sister!!! :)
Posted by: Torbjörn Karfunkel at July 10, 2005 11:59 PM Permalink
The singer, Dee Snyder, is half jewish, I think.
I won't be baited into the American/Canadian debate... I WILL NOT be baited, damnit..... I will not.
Posted by: celestial blue at July 11, 2005 04:42 PM Permalink
What sacrilege! You don't like Hello Kitty? LOL, actually I quite prefer Choco Cat myself.
CB Canadians and Americans are really about to be the same dahling because when the new Supreme Court gets composed there may well be more Americans in Canada than Canadians. Though they'll be the good sort of Americans so maybe it'll be alright.
Posted by: katie-yael at July 11, 2005 05:15 PM Permalink
Americans use Phillips or slot screws, Canadians use Robertson heads. Ask any one who used all three types, and the over whelming preference is Robertson heads as a first choice.
If anywhere in the world you come across construction with Robertson heads, it is Canadian in origin.
So there!
Posted by: Harry at July 11, 2005 09:50 PM Permalink
Hey M, great post! I also met two Israeli kids today here in Amsterdam and although My Ivrit is limited I was informed I have a perfect Israeli acccent so I was quite pleased with myself. Also as far as the whole America/Canada thing goes you shouldn't even discuss it in the presence of Canadians, it's just too delicate of a subject and did you know our friend celestial blue is canadian? I just don't like confronting anyone these days that I like with exception to people that have any sort of opinion on Israel, in which case they had better have their facts straight or they will regret ever having met me. ;-)
Posted by: HasidicG at July 11, 2005 10:54 PM Permalink
You write English better than many an American or Canadian. Does that make you an American?
If your quite high standard is typical of Iceland, does that make Iceland a Canadian province or an American state?
There are Indians (the Asian variety) here whose command of English is so high that they feature among the leading Canadian authors. Does that make India part of the US? (more paranthesis - India has a very high opinion of the US and close ties to Israel).
We have close ties to the US, but we are not the same beast.
Harry
Posted by: Harry at July 12, 2005 02:50 AM Permalink
Dear Harry,
to begin with.. my native language is not English. I still remember my father teaching me to say 'yes' and 'no' when I was 6. Canadians on the other hand, are raised (with those who have French as their native language excluded) to speak English, and it sounds pretty much like 'American English'. (There is no way for me to tell apart an American and a Canadian tourist, except for a slight different in their pronounciation, and the fact that Canadians seems to constantly wish to stress the fact that they are NOT Americans. Wearing clothes with pictures of the Canadian flag is a huge trend, for one).
Posted by: Maria at July 12, 2005 01:00 PM Permalink
Also, USA and Canada live side by side, and have (or so it seems), a culture that is pretty much identical. They also look the same. Indians, and even Icelanders, look different.
I suppose I've never fully understood the purpose of the Canadian/American borders. But perhaps my ignorance is to blame. I'm sure I would if I were a Canadian..
Orly come on! Icelanders live in a remote island, and speak a language incomprehensible to the rest of Scandinavia. It is absurd to say that it's the same country as Finland, for instance.
Posted by: Maria at July 12, 2005 01:55 PM Permalink
But seriously, I am sure there is a difference between Canadians and Americans, eventhough I fail to see it.
"Icelanders live in a remote island, and speak a language incomprehensible to the rest of Scandinavia."
So if you speak superb English and don't understand Finnish, your culture is closer to American than to Finnish?
But seriously, I'm sure you know that there are differences between Americans and Canadians. You probably deliberately rased this issue because you wanted to provoke a debate.
Posted by: Orly at July 12, 2005 02:11 PM Permalink
I will not get sucked in... I WILL NOT GET SUCKED IN!!!
Posted by: celestial blue at July 12, 2005 03:17 PM Permalink
bah!
A little on terrorism
Here is an interesting and thought provoking post.
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July 12, 2005
A dark day in Netanya
A bloody homicide attack in Netanya has killed 3 and injured 90
Three killed in Netanya suicide attack; Islamic Jihad claims responsibility
A suicide bomber blew himself up at the Hasharon mall, at the entrance to the coastal town of Netanya, on Tuesday evening killing three women and wounding 24 others. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Six people were seriously wounded in the attack, and 18 others sustained light injuries. The wounded were taken to Laniado Hospital in Netanya, Meir Hospital in Kfar Sava and Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera.
-----------
This unspeakable tragedy makes me sad, and what makes me sick to my stomach is to see respected news sources such as BBC News belittling the incident:
A suicide bomber has killed two people and himself and injured about 30 at the entrance to a shopping centre in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya.
The same was written in Iceland's biggest newspaper. How horrifying that such ways should be uses to encourage anti-Israel thoughts.
As always, my thoughts and prayers go out to victims and their families.
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Disgusting as always. Whatever shall poor Abu Mazen do?
But, as this survey illustrates, America stands strongly with Israel. Even if, for reason totally unbeknowest to me, the Euros don't.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=50198
Posted by: selfindulgence at July 13, 2005 01:07 AM Permalink
i'm just waiting for the international community to blame israel (indirectly or otherwise) for what happened instead of placing the blame where it really belongs. and i can't even imagine the concessions the palestinians are going to get from the u.n. after this. they always walk away with something,
Posted by: yiddishe-kop at July 13, 2005 05:44 AM Permalink
In the wake of the London bombings the BBC abandoned its long-standing editorial policy of not using the term 'terrorist'. They had maintained that the term was prejudicial and they didn't want to take sides... preferring to use words like 'militant', 'insurgent' or even 'freedom fighter'. Except now when the people laying dead in the street are British citizens... well then, now the perpetrators are obviously 'terrorists'!
It is reassuring to see that they BBC has regained its senses and is once again using less prejudicial language to describe the people who planned and carried out the attack in Natanya.
I grieve for the British people who were injured or killed... but the journalists and editorial staff of the BBC deserve to be driven to the heart of Ramallah and dropped off in their underwear. I'd like to see them stammering, "No, we're not Israelis... we are the good guys! Here let me tell you about some of the nice things I've written about you people", as the mob advanced on them with guns and knives.
Posted by: David at July 13, 2005 08:46 AM Permalink
Sadly, the number of dead victims has now risen to 4 and there are some severly injured. The total number of injured people is always hard to measure. There are also traumatised people who are not necessarily physically injured.
The BBC and CNN definitely didn't pay much attention to the pigua in Netanya because at the time they were continuously discussing the discovery that the London bombers were British citizens who killed themselves. This most likely scenario has shocked the Britons for some reason. Apparently they forgot that British suicide bombers have already attacked Mike's place bar in Tel Aviv.
I haven't seen anything unusual about the media reaction, but it still made me shiver that, when the number of victims was 2, the BBC reported "3 people killed", including the terrorist himself.
If it need to be said, this behaviour of the media and some politicians does not change my empathy for the British people, and their reaction can surely serve as a model for others.
Posted by: Orly at July 13, 2005 09:53 AM Permalink
David:
"but the journalists and editorial staff of the BBC deserve to be driven to the heart of Ramallah and dropped off in their underwear. I'd like to see them stammering, "No, we're not Israelis... we are the good guys! Here let me tell you about some of the nice things I've written about you people"Good point. This doesn't go for the BBC only..
Orly: It is ALWAYS a tragedy when an innocent person is killed. Isn't that so?
Posted by: Maria at July 13, 2005 11:32 AM Permalink
Yes of course, but too many times, the dominant voices from Europe are so not empathic for Israel's tragedies, that it is impossible not to feel deep anger, which sometimes leads to lack of empathy for the general population in European countries. Sad but true, and if you ask me, natural, up to a certain extent.
Posted by: Orly at July 13, 2005 03:11 PM Permalink
July 14, 2005
At war with the mailman
I am now at war with the mailman.
You see.. I don't like to get newspapers to my house. I don't like junk mail, advertisements, etc. Infact, I don't even particularly care for handwritten letters much.
When I moved into the apartment where I currently live (last September), I immediately began receiving the newspaper "Frettabladid", against my will. To my disgust, the newspaper boy would for some reason stuff my mailbox with not one, but with two or three copies of the paper. I honestly have no idea why he thought I would need several copies of the same paper.
I placed a note on my mailbox saying "No 'Frettabladid' and no junkmail please". It worked. Until a few weeks ago.. You see, there is a new 'free paper' in town, simply called 'Bladid', meaning 'The Paper'. This pitiful excuse for a newspaper is certainly not something I would like to waste my time reading, even if I were into anything other than online news. The fact that I mostly boycott Icelandic news, and don't like to have them rubbed up against my face, are another issue.
So anyway, 'Bladid' is apparently delivered by the mailman himself, and my note asking for 'no Frettablad and no junkmail' did not seem to be enough. After a few weeks of taking 'Bladid' straight from the mailbox to the trashbin outside the house where I live, I decided to place a new note on my mailbox:
"No papers at all, and no junkmail please".
My neighbor saw me attaching the new note to the mailbox and asked what I was doing, and told me I could be sure to get 'Bladid' again the next day. And what do you know? When I got home from work at around 22:30 pm, I saw that annoying waste of paper sticking out of my mailbox once again. I wrote a new note, in my favorite color, red. I placed it on the mailbox, in the way that the mailman will need to remove it to put mail in, so he can't possibly miss it:
"DEAR MAILMAN
I DON'T WANT 'THE PAPER'.
IS THIS FINALLY CLEAR???"
This means war...
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Simple
Gather them up, along with other junk mail and recycle all of it into a suitable receptical, say a convenient mailbox. Get enough people to do it and the costs will exceed the PO's income.
Just remeber to remove any address labels pointing to you.Also if there is any junk mail with a stamped return envelope, return it, empty, or overloaded, as you wish.
Have some malicious fun.
Posted by: Harry at July 14, 2005 12:58 AM Permalink
Harry
LOL! What an incompetant boob that mailman is!
You should just get a dog to bark at him if all else fails. That should do the trick! ;)
-Tigress
Posted by: RedTigress at July 14, 2005 07:41 PM Permalink
July 15, 2005
Just wasn't meant to be?
I don't get hit on a lot. Infact, sometimes I wonder if men think I look frightening. Like I might bark at them or physically injure them. I don't count the times when I get hit on by someone who is not my type (I admit that there is almost nobody in Iceland who fits into the category of "my type"). Not that those guys hit on me a lot either.
Today I felt like a complete shit.
The manifestation of "my type" walked into my shop. A tall (not a requirement though), dark, French (but still really charming and good looking) guy with dark brown curly hair (my biggest weakness). After hanging out there for ages (with me trying not to stare at him), he started flirting. He wasn't one of those tacky French men. He was shy and sweet, and his face even got red when I looked at him. After this had gone on for a while, I could very easily have asked him what he was doing that evening. But what did ingenious Maria instead choose to say? "Well it was nice talking to you, bye". His face got red again. He smiled and left.
And as if there weren't enough for one day..
Later that evening a really cute, dark guy came, and we started talking. When I realised that he was also flirting. I thought to myself "hmm Maria, you're popular today". I also had that case made, but what did I do?? I ended that conversation with "okay, so you're buying this, well okay thank you!".
I took a quick look at this credit card. The cute, dark guy was an Israeli. He smiled as he walked out.
I stood there for about 10 minutes thinking about how I will most certainly die alone.
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Poor...
I have felt like that yesterday in the Underground: Close to me a gorgeus blonde was reading a book on astronomy. I did´t want to look as a psycho, and she didn´t show any interest, so I said nothing.
But for me, there is an small point of poetic justice: We, men, feel the same lots of times, so when you see a woman having the same feeling...
...well, it is symmetric.That preference for Mediterraneans is a mistake: at 40 we all look like Saul Mofaz.
Posted by: Kantor at July 16, 2005 12:31 AM Permalink
Kantor: "That preference for Mediterraneans is a mistake: at 40 we all look like Saul Mofaz"
LOL so true, sooo true! I won't deny the fact that I have almost never seen a good looking Israeli man older than 40! But here there are tons..
Posted by: Maria at July 16, 2005 01:25 AM Permalink
But I can't help it. And besides, I can always get some fresh meat when I'm 40, since I'LL still look good! :-)
He, I failed to see logic myself a half an hour later of writing it.
I think I meant that normally there should always be a couple of people around that are both your type (even if you don't quite know) and willing to correspond (even if not right away...); but one doesn't always manages their own signals correctly or even notices. The world is large and, I want to think, kind of well ballanced. Then, if you noticed and "activated" two on a day, then what you need to do is to see what you did right and start doing it more often; the first couple times it's supposed to be a bit of a surprise and is supposed to fail anyway.
Or probably I was meaning something completely different and forgot, but this makes a bit of sense.
Posted by: jsoffer at July 16, 2005 02:20 AM Permalink
Hey, you were not supposed to agree!
But the main issue is that we don´t take care of ourselves. On top of that, the losening of hair is more prevalent, and, instead of solving it getting rid of all the hair, my fellow Spaniards don´t give up, and never cut it totally.
Posted by: Kantor at July 16, 2005 01:12 PM Permalink
jsoffer: "what I did right"? Heh I could write an essay about how it isn't customary to flirt in Iceland while sober. But I won't! I sometimes get hit on by American tourists though. Trust me I do nothing to encourage it. I just exist.
Kantor: I'm sorry, but it's common knowledge that the darker the skin, the worse you age. But don't worry. Just find yourself a gorgeous Scandinavian while you're still young and good looking. But remember that the clock is ticking ;)
Posted by: Maria at July 16, 2005 01:49 PM Permalink
Btw, when will you start blogging in English?
Hello,
Blogging in English? Well, I am thinking about it. My style in English is not bad,but in Spanish I am far better.There is a trade-off, between the number of readers and the quality of the text.
Anyway, Spanish-speakers are one third of the West...
And my "Disengagement posts" in English were not very apreciated...specially by you :-)
Posted by: Kantor at July 16, 2005 05:33 PM Permalink
IAF strikes
Well, the IAF has hit Gaza.
Palestinian terrorists kill 22-year-old woman in artillery barrage on Israeli communities in and outside Gaza Strip; IDF says that it attacked Hamas targets in response and will cut Gaza into three pieces
I found comments from the readers quite interesting, as I often do. Most people were saying what I am saying, that disengagement won't bring peace.
I can't believe they're hitting Gaza tonight, and yet going through with this plan. And I can't believe I'm still hoping.
UPDATE: Taking on Hamas
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A mail order bride?
Appalling!
Every few months or so, perhaps about twice a year, I like to google my own name to see if anything new has come up. Normally there isn't anything unusual. But this time I was horrified to find out that somebody appears to be using my face & name for a Russian mail order bride advertisement! In shock, I found myself forced to look through the hundreds of photos of the gorgeous Russian brides-to-be, who are for some reason willing to give up their sanity for a life with an old, ugly, crippled and/or mentally disturbed Western European man. (Not that I want to sound judgmental here. I've heard it works out sometimes..).
To my disgust I saw that the women on the website had been divided into the following categories: The free gallery, the silver and the gold. The free gallery contained mostly photos of unattractive women, the silver had photos of normal/attractive women, and the gold had photos of pretty/beautiful women. This classification of human beings made me sick to my stomach.
For the record, I didn't find my own picture in any of the galleries, but my name is definitely listed there, somewhere. And possibly, my picture/pictures.
So if any of you men out there are looking to get a mail order bride, and you come accross a profile with my photos, here's what you should do: Dream on ;)
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To kill or not to kill?
"Handsome bastard". Well ok, at least he's a bastard
An interesting article in today's Ynet discusses what I like to call 'Muslim views on killing the innocent'.
The survey by the Pew Research Center examined public opinion in six predominantly Muslim nations: Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Jordan and Lebanon. It also examined views in nine North American and European countries as well as in India and China.
In all, more than 17,000 people were questioned either by telephone of face-to-face.
The article provides the readers with some interesting statistics, such as:
In Morocco, 26 percent of the public now say they have a lot or some confidence in bin Laden, down from 49 percent in a similar poll two years ago. In Lebanon, where both Muslims and Christians took part in the survey, only 2 percent expressed some confidence in the Saudi-born al-Qaeda leader, down from 14 percent in 2003.
In Turkey, bin Laden's support has fallen to 7 percent from from 15 percent in the past two years. In Indonesia, it has dropped to 35 percent from 58 percent.
However, in Jordan, confidence in bin Laden, who took responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and many other attacks, rose to 60 percent from 55 percent. In Pakistan, it went to 51 percent from 45 percent.
A similar picture emerged when respondents were asked whether suicide bombings were justifiable. In Morocco, 13 percent said they often or sometimes could be justified, down from 40 percent in 2004.
However...
More Jordanians support suicide bombings
In Indonesia, 15 percent expressed that view, down from 27 percent in the summer of 2002. Support for suicide bombings also fell in Pakistan and dropped dramatically in Lebanon. However, support rose in Jordan, to 57 percent from 43 percent in 2002.
The poll was taken well before last week's bombings in London.
When asked what caused Islamic extremism, 40 percent in Lebanon and 38 percent in Jordan blamed U.S. policies and influence; in Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey, respondents were more likely to blame poverty, unemployment or poor education.
The Christian view of Muslims and the Muslim view of Jews
Despite terrorism fears, majorities in Britain, the United States, France, Canada and Russia and pluralities in Spain and Poland expressed favorable views about Muslims.
But in Germany and the Netherlands, opinion swung to an unfavorable view. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed in the Netherlands expressed an unfavorable view of Muslims. In Germany, 47 percent were unfavorable, compared with 40 percent who expressed favorable views.
Anti-Jewish sentiment was overwhelming in the Muslim countries. In Lebanon, 100 percent of Muslims and 99 percent of Christians said they had a very unfavorable view of Jews, while 99 percent of Jordanians also viewed Jews very unfavorably.
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You might find this comentary interesting. Here is the thesis of it:
Ever since I first heard of the "Jews as canaries" idea, I rather liked it. It states that the way a place treats Jews is a good indicator of how other groups will be treated down the line, and when things start getting bad for the Jews, it's gonna start going downhill for a lot of other people in fairly short order.Posted by: the Pirate at July 15, 2005 11:50 PM Permalink
July 19, 2005
Democracy - And orange is its color
I worked until around 22:15 today. After that I spent the evening with my mother. We talked the disengagement, and particularly about the demonstrations that are going on now. My beautiful, lovely and wise mother just shook her head and said that she couldn't believe Israel was making a mistake like the disengagement.
Anti-pullout activist
There isn't much to say that hasn't been said already from where I'm standing where this is all concerned. I'm just waiting to see what happens. Waiting, hoping and praying.
An interesting photo gallery can be viewed here: Disengagement
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July 20, 2005
Stupid spoke..
"A Jerk"
I am beginning to suspect this man really is a living stone. Once again he has decided to let what comes out of his mouth reflect his prejudiced, anti-Israel thoughts.
Today I received a mail to sign a petition against terror. It was encouraged by the recent London as well as Netanya terror bombings. So what I find particularly interesting is the fact that Livingstone should dare make such comments justifying palestinian terror right after most Londoners themselves have just gotten a piece of what acts of terror really is about. Not to mention that his statement about palestinians not being in possession of any weapons is a sheer lie.
But anyway, here is some of what London's mayor had to say:
London mayor stands up for terror
Ken Livingstone tells reporters, 'Palestinians don't have jets and bombs; they only have their bodies to use as weapons'
LONDON - London's mayor Ken Livingstone held a press conference Monday in which he justified Palestinian terrorism against Israelis, saying, “The Palestinians don’t have jets and bombs, they only have their bodies to use as weapons."
Livingstone also compared Hamas to the ruling Likud party and laid into Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who as defense minister managed Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon to destroy PLO bases there.
“I don't expect to agree with them, whether it is a suicide bomber or an Israeli Minister of Defense who authorized an illegal invasion of a neighboring state,” the mayor of London said.
Addressing the possible visit of Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, who has justified suicide terrorism against Israelis and has been previously hosted by the London mayor, Livingstone defended the Muslim Brotherhood cleric.
Livingstone told journalists that the cleric condemned suicide bombings “in the strongest possible terms, except in the Middle East, and we can’t have a double standard on this.”
Israeli Response
Responding to the press conference, Israeli's ambassador in London Zvi Heifetz said, "It is outrageous that the same mayor who rightfully condemned the suicide bombing in London as 'perverted faith,' defends those who, under the same extremist banner, kill Israelis."
Heifitz added, "Differentiating between the victims based on their nationalities is nothing short of shameful. Terror is terror - and nothing the Mayor can say will change that."
------------------------
So what can conclusion can one draw from a mayor of one of Europe's largest cities, when it is clear as a day that he:
*Feels that the life of an Israeli is worth less
*Lies when it serves his purpose
*Compares the Likud party to Hamas
*Has a nice cup of tea with Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, and invites him another 30 times more.
*Condemns and criticises whatever Israel does (and has done), but calls any criticism of Muslims 'islamophobia'.
*Much more...
So I'd say, that perhaps... Mayor Livingstone is a raving anti-semite, who might want to seek employment in a less international field. In order to be helpful, I decided to give Livingstone my: Top 3 choices for Mayor Livingstone's new job!
Nr. 1: The Royal English Mail! Don't ya think he's look dashing in red?
Nr. 2: Delivering Goats Milk. Like their slogan says: "Thanks goodness for goats!"
Nr. 3: A Parking Inspector. Well, the complete loss of power might come as a shock to Livinstone. So the joy of giving out tickets might turn out to be an excellent new career.
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The Mayor is a turd! Once you justifyh tgerrorism in one place, it becomes acceptable for others in other places...terror is terror and there are no exceptions.
Posted by: fred lapides at July 21, 2005 02:54 PM Permalink
Separated at birth?
Mayor Livingston and the wicked Chancellor Palpatine
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Well spotted, he is also from The Dark Side of the force and has ambitions of being "Emperor".
Posted by: The Gray Monk at July 26, 2005 03:26 PM Permalink
July 21, 2005
A fat liar - literally
Check this out: 59 lies in the film Fahrenheit 911
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yeah, I would if I could open the link.
Posted by: celestial blue at July 22, 2005 05:14 PM Permalink
Nice Blog!
Posted by: Ami at July 22, 2005 05:50 PM Permalink
Personaly, I don't like George W. Bush, but I think that Fahrenheit 911 is a bad film.
Michael Moore's treatment of Bush in the film is paranoid, dishonest and too personal to my taste.
However bad you think George W. Bush is, there are worse leaders, doing more damage. Far worse, far more. China is still one giant dictatorship, nobody knows what Putin is up to, only that his track record is disastrous, the Arab world is full of hate, fanaticism and tyranny, Africa is unstable, conflict ridden and poor. And you worry about Bush? It's just very superficial!
I think that such a comprehensive and superficial view of things can be very dangerous. It is both ironic and sad.
An eligible bachelorette?
All right, lets have it... WHO the **** signed me up for 'The Bachelor'??!
Today someone left a message on my answering machine:
Hello Maria. I am calling from the television company Saga Film about your application for the reality tv show "The Bachelor". Please call me back.
I was confused. I listened to the message again. There was no mistake. So I called the woman, and had a conversation that went something like this:
Maria: Hello, there was a message on my answering machine that said something about an application for the Bachelor..
Woman: Yes, what is your name?
Maria: Maria Susanna
Woman: Ahh yes, your application is just perfect, we'd love to have your for an interview!
Maria: No you don't understand. Signing up for 'the Bachelor' is just about the last thing I would ever do.
Woman: Oh is that so?
Maria: I'm afraid so. So you're going to have to delete the application.
Woman: Yes of course
Maria: Do you know who did it? And what did they write about me, anyway?
Woman: It's just a really great and interesting application, that's why we really want you for an interview.
Maria: Well it's a hoax so please erase it.
Woman: Are you absolutely sure you're not interested, not even a little?
Maria: Absolutely.
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Yes, you're already on a reality show. It's called Hatshepsut.
Posted by: David Boxenhorn at July 21, 2005 09:00 PM Permalink
Coward! ;)
No, seriously. It'd be really interesting to hear that fake application together with your comments. Can't you get a copy? Please!
Posted by: Torbjörn Karfunkel at July 22, 2005 07:45 AM Permalink
ROFL!!! that's brilliant!! why have I not thought to do that to one of MY friends??
Posted by: celestial blue at July 22, 2005 05:12 PM Permalink
Maybe they wanted you on the show because you are from such an "exotic" location
July 23, 2005
WW3?
I feel like all life has just been sucked out of me.
Right now I have no words for this. Just thoughts, and tears.
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Yes, it's getting quite scary and sad, even for us Israelis with all our bitter experience and cynicism. However, I think that if the sane world can unite around this cause, it can beat terrorism - not totally but greatly. But it requires many people to change their way of thinking. It's so sad that so many bad things happen until people change their way of thinking.
Posted by: Orly at July 23, 2005 08:04 AM Permalink
We are from a relatively fortunate genration. We have not Gengis Khan, we have not Adolf Hitler. Our barabarians can only kill people for dozens.
There is only one sacary issue: what if they get nukes? Iran should be invaded. We are running out of time. Where is George Bush looking to?
Posted by: Kantor at July 23, 2005 05:20 PM Permalink
Tomorrow it's finally time. I'm going to Israel for the first time since 1982!
Yeehaw!
Posted by: Torbjörn Karfunkel at July 28, 2005 08:08 AM Permalink
Kantor: You are very right. My thoughts 100%. Infact it's exactly what I've been thinking and discussing with people lately.
Una: Yes I've a regular already! But you know that...
David: I'm all right, just busy these days. Thanks for asking :)
Orly: Thanks for the concern, I appreciate it.
Torbjörn Karfunkel!:
Posted by: Maria at July 30, 2005 04:45 PM Permalink
I hope you are having an unbelievable time! And I am quite sure you are. I actually had a dream about you last night. I dreamed that I was in Gothenburg with my mom (where she is right now), and that you had missed your flight, so you just decided to hang out with me and my family instead, cause you were too embarrassed to tell your girlfriend :-)
July 30, 2005
Yes I'm alive!
7 days of no blogging! Preposterous I say...
Thank you to those of you who have expressed concern. Also thanks to all those who are still visiting!
And no, nothing has happened to me. I am doing very well. I have been, however, and still am, busy - busy - busy. Not only is my job at the tourist shop (where I've been doing some overtime) been sucking most of my energy out of me (especially since it's THE busy season right now), but I have been spending all my freetime on studying for a summer exam I am taking in 2 weeks from now. The whole matter is quite stressful. Basically, the course is mathematical (obligatory). I am useless when it comes to calculations. I had to hire a tutor. Finding a suitable tutor took a substantial amount of time, and now everything is at the last minute. So during the busiest time ever at work, I have very little time to study a subject I find practically incomprehensible...
And so.. That's my excuse! (And yeah I know, I always have an excuse...).
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Glad to see you back on the air. As for the mathematics, as a retired engineer, I would have been happy to help you out. Tutoring is what I did to help get through university. Unfortunately, there is a small matter of distance.
As for your previous remark about Germans having no sense of humour, that is a bad error.
Have you ever seen a German with a beer belly on the beach in a thong bathing suit and refrained from laughing?
Harry
Posted by: Harry at July 30, 2005 07:40 PM Permalink
Hi Maria, good luck from me too.
I hate to bring it up, but you'll finish your exam just in time for the disengagement. Probably not the best summer in your life.
I recently watched the CNN and they said: "Next, in August: Pope Benedictus' first international tour. Then - Israel's controversial pullout from Gaza." I swear, it sounded like movie trailers.
Posted by: Orly at July 31, 2005 10:18 AM Permalink
Blogs are shaping contemporary culture
I just read this article about blogging. None of it came as a surprise, but it somehow gives you a feeling a satisfaction to see what you've already known for a long time published by other people.
But what this article also discusses, is that blogs are giving people a new way of receiving information. This is exactly why pro-Israel blogs are needed.
Everyone's Blogging
CEOs have them. Struggling artists have them. They're Web logs and they're changing the way people get information. Do you have one?
When CBS News went public last year with what it thought was evidence that President Bush had shirked his National Guard duty, it seemed that no amount of White House spin could hold off the scandal dogs. But a group of largely nameless, faceless so-called bloggers took up the defense and quickly began posting online dispatches questioning the authenticity of documents CBS used for its story. The rest, of course, is history. Bush was reelected; several CBS employees were shown the door.
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July 31, 2005
Giving land for nothing
In a nutshell, this is why giving land for "peace" (try to see the sarcasm in that word) will never be of use to Israelis. And yes I know I'm a European girl expressing my opinions, but lets face it.. It's not very complicated. So wake up and smell the coffee, leftists!
Part of article:
What is the definition of ‘all of Palestine’ for which the struggle will be continued?
“That means all the area occupied according to law, and we will continue to fight over it. And it means that we won’t give the IDF and the settlers who are escaping from Gaza to the West Bank to abuse our people there. Palestinian blood is one and therefore we are ready to continue the struggle. For this reasons we have already set up the units who work to smuggle the necessary knowledge for fighting techniques, especially to do with the missiles, from Gaza to the West Bank.
Hold on, missiles in the West Bank is a very dangerous thing. Would an (IDF) operation in Qalqilia cause missiles to fall on the Sharon area (central Israel) or on Tel Aviv?
“In principle, yes. But I am not saying that we will fire these missiles left right and center. These missiles will be activated in proportion to Israeli activity. A small Israeli operation here and there will not tempt us to use the missiles, but a major assassination, or big infiltration into a city like Jenin, would force us to act. But as always, we won’t initiate, we will only respond to Israeli activities.”
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Well, its true that we are going to suffer more
after the Hitnatkut, but it dose not mean we need to stay there.tacticly, its easier to to protect Israel with a well defined border like we have with the rest of our neigbours, and I dont want to see more soldiers go to these shithole places in gaza strip and die for nothing.
After the Hitnatkut every terror attack from one place could give the army the chance to work from outside, and go in if needed, into a short
Posted by: Assaf at July 31, 2005 05:34 PM Permalink
oporation, and not stay in gaza for a month for nothing.
believe me, the hitnatkut might be bad,
but with no hitnatkut is going to be worse.
OK, but why does your title offend all Arabs? The intreviewer, Ali Waked, for example, is an Arab too. Perhaps a better title would be "To persuade a leftist".
By leftists I refer to people who support any "X for Y" deal no matter what. I believe all leftists know of the existence of Abu Abir and his such. They just think that giving the PA enough money and power will somehow eliminate this problem.
Assaf, I have to say that I don't understand your logic.
"After the Hitnatkut every terror attack from one place could give the army the chance to work from outside, and go in if needed, into a short oporation, and not stay in gaza for a month for nothing."
Well, the army is now able to work from inside or outside, for a long operation or a short operation. What tactical adventage will the disengagement bring? You are saying that the army will only be able to act AFTER a terror attack!! You call terror attack "a chance"!!
Of course I don't want to see soldiers dying in Gaza, but I don't understand why dying now is "for nothing", whether dying after the disengagement is not for nothing.
Posted by: Orly at July 31, 2005 06:15 PM Permalink
No sorry, I need to explain my self better,
The thing with the Qassam rockets for example, is not the issue in the Hitnatkut, since they would try to move the rockets to a location which they can later attack TLV anywyas.
So hitnatkut or not Qassam rockets yes anywyas.Now to the army point of view.
In Gaza there are one of our four you know who Infantry units in any given time, they must stay
there in order to protect the setlers, and trust me, when you dont sleep so much and do reptetive tasks you loose your self in a dengarous state of mind.
The problem is that Gaza is not just Gaza,
our army is way over it's head with things to do
and it is colapsing under it's own duties.Palestinian terror would exist eithr way I think we both know that, the best tactical thing is
(and naturally not wait for a terror attack and then operate, but operate all the time)
When the army can direct all its man power against terror, instad of protect some 100 people in the middle of nowhere.I was in kfar darom 4 monthes (not just there)
we were more soldiers than setleres,
(that is the case in most of the places)
for what orly? tell me please why do the soldiers have to go there, make the fronline over there? I dont buy that excuse!
I heard enough paople say that if we go, the front line would be TLV and Jerusalm,
Yes, BUT it would be so anyways, they would do
thier worst anyways, if we have more soldiers to act against terroirts and let infantrey do the job they are trained and WANT to do
it is not waiting for an attack it is operating
in a clean way like our army should.I can go on orly and tell you many more tactical
things that our army use now and will use from out side. but not now.Just think about it, as we speak
Nachal Golany Tsanchanim and Givaty, are all,
or some staying some where in the territories
protecting settlers you know how many soldiers is that? ALLOT
Hevron, about a 1000 soldiers for 100 setllers,
plus tanks, artilary, airforce, enginering sepourt, for what? 100 people? this is way to much.When there is a fance you have patrols and so on,
Posted by: Assaf at July 31, 2005 06:49 PM Permalink
and our infantry soldiers can have the time to train for spesific operations and do them with out later go back to Kfar Darom and not sleep for another 2 weeks!!!
They can train them selfs and do the operations with out going imidiatlly after the opertaion back to the checkpoint for another 8 hours
and be tired and make mistakes!!!
For some reason I dont think many Israelis know
what are our soldiers really go throuh over there
no one deserve it, poor them come back home peacfully and do your job like pro's.
Oh, by the way orly, I am no leftie or right winger, these terms are long dead in our country,
I dont want to talk with the palestinians,
nither I want to talk with people that have hate
in their hearts no matter for whom.So I hope that just because I am pro the fance and Hitnatkut you see no reason in listen to what I have to say, because, the way our army
is working now from inside is a waste of human life and time, even if you are hard core settler,
and to all you "jews" out therereal jews dont put land over human life.
Posted by: assaf at July 31, 2005 06:59 PM Permalink
BASTA.
maria,
no body made made me a Bet-Din,
I am wondering more, who made a Bet-din of all the jews (especialy in the diaspora)
who say all the time:
"a jew don't evacuate a jew"
willing that they risk the lives of kids,
man, women and soldiers just for an aker
of land for their chip vegtables plantaions,
no taxes, housing benafits...If somebody want to live there, be my guest,
dont do it on the expance of a whole country.
and later on COMPLAIN that IDF is not protecting
you?!?!?!?I am sorry Maria but most (not all) of the settlers have nothing to do with idology,
and that is a fact,
as hard as it may be for you to hear.and for me, it is not being jewish, even if I am no Bet-Din and I am just a stupid israeli boy.
Beside I remeber a girl who once told me,
Posted by: Assaf at July 31, 2005 08:43 PM Permalink
"I have a right for my own opinions"
Assaf, did you just call me a hardcore settler? LOL :-D I'm neither hardcore nor a settler. And I support the security fence. And I have many friends who do miluim. And yes, I support removal of illegal outposts and isolated settlements. But this is NOT what the Disengagement is about.
In the Disengagement, ALL army presence and ALL settlements are removed. And last time I heard, it will include handing the Philadelphi road to the Egyptians!!! How is it got to do with a tactic way to save soldiers life??
The Disengagement is a much larger move than this and it is done under international eye. It is allegedly supposed to remove international pressure from Israel to the PA, but will it really do so?? We all seem to agree that the PA won't solve terror. How do you think will the international community react if the IDF operates in Gaza after the Disengagement? Israel will probably be accused of derailing the peace process.
So I'm REALLY AFRAID we'll be left with nothing - No tactical advantage, No international support, and NO peace!!! But, hey, the stock markets are rising!!!
Let me just remind you that the Disengagment was conceived when Arafat was alive, and the idea was that he wasn't a partner for peace. Now if Abu Mazen is a partner for peace, why don't we negosiate with him so as to reach an agreement, instead of do what is perceived by every Palestinian as a victory of the terrorists?
On the other hand, if Abu Mazen is not a partner for peace, then surely we can't trust him to control the terrorists after the Disengagement. But look what is happenning: Condoleezza Rice now asks to give the PA more weapons "to secure a peaceful Disengagement." Such things happen and will continue to happen because Sharon displayed the Disengagement to the world as a major step coinciding with the Road Map, NOT as a tactical move as he displayed it in Israel (though he hardly displayed it in Israel).
Posted by: Orly at August 1, 2005 10:37 AM Permalink
Maria, I'm just curious, it's a COMPLETELY HYPOTHETICAL question: Could there be a situation in which you will support giving land? Is there a religious factor in your point of view?
By "religious" I mean something like: God has promised the Land of Israel to the People of Israel and thus it is forbidden to give it away. Saying that the Land of Israel is the birthplace of the Jewish People and a crucial thing in Jewish life is not a religious argument.
Posted by: Orly at August 1, 2005 10:42 AM Permalink
Well orly you are right, more or less.
but as long as the army
is doing the job of police they are wasting money
and manpower for nothing.Soldiers dont have to be in checkpoints inside
the territories, nither they have to gurd houses of settelers in settelments.When a soldier is doing 8 hours checkpoint then go back to the base next to settelment then sleep for 4 hours in avarage, then gurd a post in the settelments for another 8 hours then sleep again the avarage time that he have
and then he have to go to a raid to catch a terrorist some where next to sttelment because
he is in the "kitat konenut".
That is to much to do for our soldiers, not mention that allot of them loose the moral of doing the job they should after doing this for a month in row with out seeing home.The palestinians on the other hand have a very high moral because it is in their homes,
imagen Haifa with houndreds of palestinians
"soldiers" and tanks and so on...
you would have much more moral do defand your place, and unfourtunat as it is, our soldiers
in the territories allot of the time fail to see the conection between security and checkpoint or
a settelment, as did I faild to see whene I served in the army, it is no secret that most
sadir soldiers that did combat service start to think twice if what we are doing is the right thing security wise, both left and right wingers.Look around the borders of your country,
Fances with roads, mind fields, patrols...
It should be no diefferent here.
where the army is dealing with 100% security issues and not drive with settlers in and out of
the gaza strip and so on.How can I know it will be better? well no body can orly, but tell me honestlly, do you really want to keep the territories?
Hey I know who are the palestinians historicly, and that they have no claim over this land,
But is it matter by now? they have no place to go
we have no plave to go, our bigest mistakes was in 67 when we took those territories and made them "part of israel" we fucked up,
and if you ask me it's better late then never.We will continue to operate from out side with out caring less about international (because we never realy did care) presure and we would go out of the parts of the territories according to what is best for our security, and not so we would make america happy.
about Philadelphi road,
you have Lebanon in the north where Hizballa is siting, they allso want to demolish our country,
they allso want to give the palestinians weapons
they get from Iran, and yet there is a fence that we patrol, electric sensors, Shvil tistush,
Army posts along the fence, emergency troops,
air force in stand by, artilary seppourt, tanks,
and they do their job well done.
Shin beit and mosad go in from time to time
to get info and catch terrorists,
So Philadelphi would be the same.But, no settlers to diturb in the job,
Posted by: Assaf at August 1, 2005 01:55 PM Permalink
no aditional jobs made possible by settlers,
no stupid checkpints that acomplish nothig!
Oh last thing about arafat and a peace partner,
Posted by: assaf at August 1, 2005 02:02 PM Permalink
Why you think Abu mazen is a partner?
He have the power of a cat in heat, nada.
So I dont care about this eithr, all I care about
is to secure our borders the way all our borders are for the past 60 years.
and international preasure and peace partners
dont fall into my thinking methods since october
2000.
Dear Assaf, I'm afraid I'll have to cut this dialogue with you. I feel for you for the things that bother you, but I feel this dialogue is not going anywhere. I say things, you ignore them and move to other issues, and on top of all, you keep raising baseless assumptions on who I am and what I think.
Perhaps you should consider creating your own blog as you seem to have very much to write about.
Best,
Posted by: Orly at August 1, 2005 02:30 PM Permalink
Orly
I am sorry Orly last thing really.
you worte:
"Assaf, did you just call me a hardcore settler? LOL :-D I'm neither hardcore nor a settler. And I support the security fence. And I have many friends who do miluim. And yes, I support removal of illegal outposts and isolated settlements. But this is NOT what the Disengagement is about."
First I did not call you a stttler, it was generaly speaking, so dont worry.
Second, I must understand, you are pro the fence
Posted by: assaf at August 1, 2005 04:17 PM Permalink
yet you dont want to take all the army and settelments out?
so what, you want them to be behind the fence and they would pass through gates and so on?
so what have you done by that?
I wonder if what the US government supports (I'm an American) is designed to appeal to a population in this country that is largely ignorant of the details of the entire "Israeli-Palestinian Crisis". Most people I know, and I used to be one of them, really don't understand it at all and feel frightened to even try because they see it as so complex and so many people are so passionate about it coming from both sides.
To complicate matters, although I'm no historian, it seems to me that US liberals in this country used to have a distinct pro-Jew agenda (which is great with me) and somehow Jews/Israelis lost that status with liberals. I fear this is a simple case of choosing what liberals see as an even more oppressed minority (which is totally loopy) over a somewhat oppressed minority. Plus your average liberal has a difficult time with what is perceived of as a Hawkish approach taken by the Israeli govt. (I don't.)
So, my point is this: somehow compelling Israel to give up land to seem like we are really not such Jew-lovers to Muslim Arabs in the ME and to make it simple for a lazy American public who isn't so concerned about one tiny country in the ME called Israel (even though we should be) doesn't make it a smart move for the Israelis AT ALL.
I don't for one minute think it will appease anyone. I don't think Israel will be safer, in fact maybe even less so. I don't think life will improve one iota for your average "Palestinian". So why the hell give it to them? Condi Rice doesn't have to live in Israel and worry about a rocket landing in her living room. Are anti-Semitic Muslim Arabs actually going to see Israel/Jews any differently now? Pa-leez. Israelis should not let the US govt. USE THEM when it's not to the advantage of the Israelis themselves.
Posted by: Alice at August 1, 2005 10:16 PM Permalink
Assaf: I wasn't "worried" because you called me a settler. I don't consider it so be an offence. I didn't like the fact that you tried to guess my views on several things and then responded to what you guessed. However perhaps of these cases were misunderstandings.
Anyway, as I said, this discussion is getting longer and longer and I don't wish to continue it.
Have a nice day.
Posted by: Orly at August 2, 2005 10:25 AM Permalink
I agree that Alice's comment was interesting (like so often before). And Alice, mail me!
Orly, I find it amusing to see time and time again that despite how cosmopolitan and educated you clearly are, you have the same direct and honest attitude that Israelis share. (Not that there is a contradiction there, everyone is influenced by their culture).
Posted by: Maria at August 2, 2005 11:31 PM Permalink
Tell me, if you were a shop keeper, would you be likely to tell customers things such as "you need a bigger size, here's extra-large for you" (if it were true)? :-)
:-)) Thank you! I think it's a bit exaggerated to call me "cosmopolitan". Yes, I tend to have a direct attitude like most Israelis, perhaps even more direct than most Israelis. However, when I communicate with non-Israelis I try to be careful, because I'm not sure what their reaction would be. It often turns out I've been extra careful.
Anyway, here I don't feel that I have to be very careful, for some reason. Maybe something about the readers or the AUTHOR of the blog?? ;-)
About your shop keeper question, I have to say it's very difficult, because, actually, I HATE shop keepers in clothes shops!! (Was that direct?) Really I have nothing against shop keepers in general, but when buying clothes they are really pests. Usually they try to convince me to take a SMALLER size than I want. In fact, buying clothes in most shops in Israel is such a SAD issue that I better not get deep into it.
Now, when I try to think of the situation of being a shop keeper, I'm not sure I would be that direct in such situations. It depends. If the customer asks me what size he/she needs, I will tell the truth, but if they insist on buying something which is too small for them... I don't think it's my business. ANYWAY, there are ways of telling someone such things. I think it's not offending when it's done with enough tact (and quietly!!). But, definitely, in Israel it's not always done with tact...
Posted by: Orly at August 3, 2005 10:11 AM Permalink
You're right, there is no need to be careful here!
As far the Israeli shop owners (if you don't mind me saying so), I am quite certain that if they tell you to get a smaller size, it is simply because you like to buy clothes that are too big! I am not saying that they tell everyone they're fat. I am saying that they are very honest & direct. They don't tell me I'm fat, because I'm not. But they'd tell me if I needed a bigger size (without being asked) without hesitating. Here a store worker would never ever do that. They'd allow me to live in denial :)It is true when you say that Israel is not always done with tact. It is the mentality of straightforwardness & expressing emotions. It can be tough to handle, but in many ways it is actually much better. One can compare it to a mentality that is the exact opposite where this is concerned - the Finnish. It's a pain in the butt to keep up a conversation with a Finn sometimes because they're always so afraid of saying something wrong. I could write an entire essay about this, but I've gotta go :-)
Posted by: Maria at August 4, 2005 11:04 AM Permalink
No, they don't tell me to get a small size because I like big clothes. They tell me to get a small size because they somehow have to get rid of the stock of anorectic/slutty clothes they have. Believe me, when I was shopping in the US all the clothes were so big for me that I had to buy children's clothes!! In Israel it's often the case that if I don't want to look like an old/religious lady, my only choice is clothes for an anorectic 16 years old. I can say that the situation now is much better than used to be a few years ago, but still it's not easy.
On top of that, the clothes sizes are often meaningless, the place where you try your clothes on usually have neither a mirror nor a lock.
As for the shopkeepers, now when I think of it, MOST of them are OK, but those who are not OK stay in the memory much longer. It's true that Israelis are in general straightforward and don't value privacy and personal space as much as Europeans do, but many shopkeepers take these characters to the extreme.
Alright, I think I'm done with my essay.
Tomorrow I'm meeting Torbjorn, aka Yehoshua. I'll tell him you dreamed of him!
Posted by: Orly at August 4, 2005 12:08 PM Permalink
B"H
I was googling for content to put on my new
site (www.SaveIsraelNow.us -under construction),
and google showed me your blog. I just came
from the rally at the UN.Here's something you have to add...
(I have not heard from trusted sources yet today)Seth
http://www.saveisraelnow.us/gazaupdate.txt
From: R. K.
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 6:37 PM
Subject: Fw: Report From Gush Katif
This news is as of 11:30 this morning, Israel Summer Time. The
situation in Neve Dekalim may have changed since then.
----- Original Message -----
From: jg
To: Y E
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 5:31 PM
Subject: FW: Report From Gush Katif
FYI, Yassam is the name of the SWAT teams. This is too great! I am so
proud of our people.
J G
-----Original Message-----
From: A Y
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 3:19 PM
To: Dvar Emet
Subject: Report From Gush Katif
Importance: High
Shalom everyone - and Baruch Hashem! In Neve Dekalim, at least, the spirits of the Gush Katif residents are running high as they are witnessing Hashem melt the hearts of IDF soldiers and Yassam police units.
Shortly before 10am this morning, my friend Chaya called me to allow me to share in what was happening. Through the receiver of the phone
I heard voices in song, "Am Yisrael Chai". Chaya described what was taking place. The residents had broken through the fence and had managed to surround the IDF soldiers with circles of singing and dancing people, a Sefer Torah leading the procession, the men garbed in Tefillin and Talliot. As they danced and sang, they locked eyes with the soldiers, some of the residents speaking to them in low tones, "You don't have to do this". What they soon witnessed were the faces of IDF soldiers wet with tears. Grouped in buddy teams, the partner of each teary eyed soldier would grab them and demand that they look their partner squarely in the eyes, but the defensive
routine they had practiced seem to be failing this morning - to the jubilant cries, prayers and praises of the Neve Dekalim residents.
Half an hour ago, I called my friend Miriam, also in Neve Dekalim. "What's going on?", I asked. Miriam was on a spiritual high that I could discern clear through the phone. A massage
therapist, she had been returning home from treating one of the community women, when the loud speaker in the community came to life and requested all residents to go to a certain location in the village. A passenger in a resident's car, Miriam was delighted when
they obeyed the call. Arriving at the location, their eyes were greeted with a sea of black-garbed Yassam policemen - an unearthly
spectacle. The Neve Dekalim residents linked arms, trying, as Miriam put it, to muster some show of "force". They formed a line inside the security fence which had by then been cut open in several places. They locked eyes with the policemen on the other side and prayed. To their utter astonishment, tears began to glisten on the
rock solid faces of the hardened Yassam policemen. One after another, Hashem began to melt the hearts of the Pharaohs. Soon, the residents began to make their way through the openings in the security and began to mingle amongst the human sea of black uniforms, bands of orange weaving their way like foam atop shore
bound waves - a tide of emunah and bitachon making its way towards the shore. Suddenly, the Yassam police unit did an about face and headed for their buses, leaving the area.Baruch Hashem. Am Yisrael Chai.
Posted by: Seth at August 16, 2005 09:53 PM Permalink