Law and disorder

Looking at the latest tragic events in Dallas and other major cities across the US, seems like sanity and common sense have finally given up on this stubborn, selfish, violent human race. But life beats even the best soap operas. Relief and a glimmer of hope came from the least likely place and the least likely people.

Yes, this is real.

A Texas jailer who suddenly stopped breathing is now alive and well — thanks to a group of inmates who busted out of a holding cell to save him. 

Weatherford, Texas.

Dallas. Texas.

Quo vadis, Texas?


Obama whitewashing the killing of white cops - calling it an "attack on law enforcement" was dishonest after Micah Johnson himself confessed he wanted to kill white people -  came as no surprise, of course, but his mentioning "failures of the criminal justice system" in relation to  black-on-white revenge was rather hilarious. O. J. Simpson, anyone?

Thank you, Sir Nicholas and RIP

Nicholas Winton with one of the children he rescued in 1939

A British man who saved hundreds of Jewish children from Czechoslovakia from the Nazi concentration camps in the Holocaust, has been nominated for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.

Winton had kept his heroic deed to himself for half a century. His pivotal role in the rescue operation was revealed in the late 1980s after his wife found a scrapbook documenting his work in their attic.

There are debts that could never be paid.

Update: and it is impossible to overlook this emotionally loaded episode:

Speculations over Kim Jong Il's health

Fox News got a whiff of a rumor here:

North Korea will make an "important announcement" on Monday amid speculation over the health of its leader Kim Jong Il, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday.

Whatever it means, one could hope that it would be good tidings. Hopefully, the creepy little man that resembles a toad in a toupee has gone to join his creepy dad in that mausoleum in the sky. Or, rather, down there.

Quoting unidentified sources at Japan's defense ministry, the Sankei said Tokyo had information that "there will be an important announcement on (Oct.) 20th."

Still, there could be a bit of a problem: even down there the folks who manage the hell's business may be reluctant to receive one of the biggest murderers of the century. So the stiff stinks up the surface, while the soul shuttles back and forth between the hell's bureaucrats.

Anyhow, this is not our problem, as long as we could be sure there is a stiff. Out of sheer curiosity I have looked up the Korean New site, but there was nothing worth noticing. Aside of this maybe:

The Songun politics pursued by leader Kim Jong Il is a new political mode for firmly defending the destiny of the country and the nation and socialism and successfully realizing the human cause of independence in the world in which the high-handed policy of the U.S. imperialists prevails, he said, adding that the Korean people are dynamically advancing along the road of socialism and independence holding aloft the banner of Juche, the banner of Songun true to the leadership of Kim Jong Il.

I don't have a slightest inkling of a direction to look at for an idea about what the heck the above quote means. Which gives me as good a reason to hope that it means the creep has croaked as that it means something entirely different.

Still, I pity the poor worms who'll have to... 'nuf said.

9/11 - seven years later

It still grips your heart.

Have we all learned something from this tragedy? Was the jolt strong enough to make us open our eyes?

If not, we have more, much more coming.

North Korea's Kim Jong Il may have had a stroke

Should I be ashamed to be pleased to hear this?

Nah...

Update: and CNN says Missing Kim Jong Il raises health questions.

It's a bit of a misnomer. I bet he raises death questions rather than health ones.

Werner Theodore Barazetti - another hero of Kindertransporte

A retiring hero of the struggle against Nazism, whose story came to light only ten years ago, Bill Barazetti helped thousands of victims of discrimination to get out of prewar Germany. In a Schindler-style operation carried out in conjunction with a British stockbroker, Nicholas Winton, he also played a major part in organising the escape of children from German-occupied Prague in the spring and summer months of 1939 before war broke out. Between May and July that year three trainloads of mainly Jewish children — the Kindertransporte — left the city and, thanks to a complicated system of false identity papers engineered by Barazetti, succeeded in reaching London via Holland.

More in the Times obituary.

Via Jams.

Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism: Cosmopolitan Reflections

This post is a tribute to an exceptional work, the title of which I have stolen for the post headline. It is written by an exceptional person, who is humbly describing himself in the following words:

David Hirsh is a lecturer in sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has been centrally involved in the anti-boycott campaign within the British academic trade unions and he is the founding editor of the Engage website (www.EngageOnline.org.uk), an anti-boycott campaign and an antiracist campaign against antisemitism. This positioning facilitates participant observation and action research by a key actor in these debates.

What can I say about this work? When we, the bloggers, get into a fight with some other bloggers or some authors whose work we despise, we can be voluble, we can be insulting, we can even be right - but it hardly moves the other side. When a person of David Hirsh's caliber and intellect gets into the fray, it is not for a cheap retort of for a derisive comment or two. Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism: Cosmopolitan Reflections is a seminal work that will be much quoted, studied and, of course, much criticized by a certain segment of scientific (oh well...) community.

We can only applaud from the sidelines and give this work a bit of a hand here and there.

A word of caution, though, re the term Cosmopolitan. If the intended meaning is as in dictionary: "A sophisticated person who has travelled in many countries", it's fine and dandy. Unfortunately, this word in its Russian version of "космополит" ("kosmopolit") had quite a different meaning during some very difficult times: a person without a nation, without roots and without loyalty. Of course, the person usually (but not always) happened to be a Jew. If the tyrant hadn't croaked in 1953, a repeat of the Holocaust in its less organized Soviet version would have been close...

But it is surely immaterial now, right? So just go and read this work, it is worth all of your time!

Update: for the impatient - to hear more about the work, listen to this interview with David Hirsh.

Jewish Reconnection Project

You all obviously don't remember that old post about the Jewish Reconnection Project.

So to remind you - this is a place for a lively dialog between youngsters of New York and Jerusalem. You can find more about it here. And this project is alive and kicking.

And if there are bloggers between you (happens, you know, although bloggers do not read other people's blogs normally), you can give this project a hand too. No sweat, I can assure you.

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The Jewish Reconnection Project

The Jewish Reconnection Project showcases diverse Jewish perspectives and encourages further conversations.

This is what it says on the front page of this site. We, the Elders, are all for free and unfettered conversation (as long as it is controlled by our mind control team, of course).



So take a look at all these nice youngsters. Being youngsters, they ask a lot of questions, and you are welcome to leave your remarks there. Feel free (uh, well, see above).

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Rhain Davis The Whiz Kid

Hey, not all is lost yet for England - who could have thought it will happen?

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Do we live in fictitious times?

No, it is rather that we choose what kind of fiction we prefer to live in, when we decide what is "our" newspaper, what is "our" TV channel, who is "our" guru of the day. Of course, the moment we make each of these decisions, we make another one - what will be the newspaper, the TV channel, the guru we'll dismiss offhand.

Still, there is some hope. Like, for example, here:

In a world like that, there's little use for proper journalism. In a world like that, documentaries have little value except to entrench pre-ordained narratives and affirm political identities. Advocacy journalism becomes the work of telling your side what it wants to hear instead of what it might actually need to know.

It's all perfectly democratic, of course, and tailor-made for the marketplace. You get to pick the propaganda you want. You'll find demagogues like Anne Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly down one aisle, and the equally fatuous and shrill Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell down the other aisle. Take your pick.

More in Terry Glavin's article here.

One just cannot fight lies by lies, period.

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Farewell, Kurt

Rest in peace, snake charmer of our youth. And you are right: no karass is without a wampeter.

Be seeing you later.

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Zahra Kamalfar - free in a free world!

Good news via shlemazl:

An Iranian woman who had been living with her two children at Moscow's international airport for nine months is free in Canada.

Zahra Kamalfar arrived at Vancouver International Airport on Thursday, after a flight from Europe. Surrounded by reporters and supporters, she burst out sobbing, then fainted, after being reunited with her brother, Nader Kamalfar, whom she hadn't seen in nearly 14 years.

I am happy that her suffering is over. We all should be happy that she has escaped the talons of Iranian "security" apparatus. Hopefully, she will be able to recover and lead a normal life after the tragic years in one of the most oppressive regimes in existence.

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Why are we here?

This eternal question was brought upon my head by another piece by Seth Friedman, a member of that turbulent troika of False Dichotomies. Of course, it immediately brought up a memory of that undying Jewish joke that goes approximately like this:

A Soviet Jew got a permission to emigrate to Israel. After a year in Israel he asked for, and received, a permission to return back to USSR. After half an year he asked for, and received, a permission to emigrate to Israel. And so forth, with increasing frequency. Till a Soviet official that was dealing with these endless requests lost his patience and asked why does the man shuttle between the two places. "I feel good only in transit", was the answer.

Well, everyone and his own reasons for Aliyah (that's that special Zionist nickname for immigration to Israel, if you have to know). Apparently, Seth's chief reason is that "London life seems flat, the edginess here more real."

Now, I cannot say that there is nothing to this argument. And Seth, obviously, is looking for some excitement. At least, judging by that fierce look in his mug shot from CiF (already commented upon over there by one of the more irascible readers). What with being an Arsenal fan, there is a good chance that IDF will be able to make him over into a local version of a Tonton Macoute yet:

Sans that strange cap and with a modern ammo belt, of course...

On a more serious note, reading the article, I got a strong wave of deja vu. All the impressions of the new immigrant came back:

• The lesson from a taxi driver: "You can't trust any Arab. They're all out to kill us - believe me, I know". Check.
• These people live, breathe, and take up arms for, the cause... Check. (I left out the second part of the sentence, to come back to it later).
• ...I find myself wondering if that guy's coat is bulging because of the wind, or because there's gelignite strapped to his midriff. Check, with a reservation - I knew even then that gelignite is not what you would use for the purpose mentioned. Besides, gelignite stinks to high heaven.
• There is almost no street crime... Check (but B&E flourishes nevertheless).
• And the feelings of insecurity that nag at passengers on the bus... Check. I had a difficulty initially in distinguishing Arabs, and there indeed was that feeling.
• But, ultimately, the "situation" is on everyone's mind at all times, if not on everyone's lips. No one walks past a Palestinian on the street without automatically checking them for signs of a threat. Check.
• No one can walk more than 100 yards without seeing a soldier, and being reminded... Check.
• And so it goes on. Israelis always ask, "Why on earth are you here? Why would you want to live like this, all day, every day?" Check.
• It's a challenge, it's high-octane, and it's more mentally stimulating than a lifetime of trading equities in some City ivory tower ever could be. Check.

It could be continued, but the list above will suffice for now. Because, while all of it is (was) true, it was true for a fairly short period of starry-eyed wonderment. It wears out, for some of us quicker, for some of us slower, but none of this stays. Dangers - real and perceived, soldiers every 100 meters, checking out your fellow passengers on a bus, and even (or especially) the high octane. And of course, this fallacy:

These people live, breathe, and take up arms for, the cause - and now, as an Israeli myself, they think it's incumbent on me to do the same.

First of all, "these people" live here for many reasons - but definitely not for the cause. "The cause" is a pretty murky business anyhow, and let's leave it to those in ideology sphere.
Secondly, "these people" is a clear indication that the starry- eye period is being far from over. Long as the new oleh (immigrant) uses "they" and "me", he/she is still only partly here.

You just pass through all this and look back with a slight smile. And the only question that remains unsolved is: why are we here?

After all, half a million or more of our brethren are out there, apparently being unable to feel here at home. Or to just be here. And some of the people here are dreaming about getting out, and many eventually do. And some of the people over there (like Seth and his mates) dream about getting here, and many eventually do. And we, the Israelis, ask them "Why on earth are you here? Why would you want to live like this, all day, every day?" But this habit is just a standard exercise, like an army drill, to check you out and far from being what it sounds like. And we will stop asking you in a year. Or two, or three years - or never, but it will mean that something in you still shows the "unabsorbed" oleh, and you better start figuring out what it is (a hint - it is not the accent). Because it may so happen that slowly and imperceptibly you will recognise that here is not the place you were actually looking for.

And no, I do not have a good answer to The Question. I know that I am here because. And the more I am here, the less of an answer I have, and the less I care about the answer and the question. As you shall too, if your journey is successful. And that is what I sincerely want to happen to you all.

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IAI: two out of three - way to go!

JP reports on three projects going on in Israeli Air Industries:

A solar powered spy plane, Sun Sailor that could, at least theoretically, stay in the air indefinitely and weighs 4 kg, which is already sufficient to carry a digital camera for military surveillance missions. The article does not make clear whether the plane will have to return back to base to offload the pictures or, instead, this "digital camera" is in reality a videocam with uplink to the base. But it is Yaakov Katz of JP, remember? So this detail will be missing for now.


Judging by this picture, this high tech gear requires a well-muscled low-tech assistance with take off, but some exercise will do a lot of good to the IAF pukes.

The next project is dealing with Enfica-FC - Environmentally Friendly Inter-City Aircraft powered by Fuel Cells.

The first flight test will be held in a year and a half; IAI has put up €700,000 of the project's €4.2 million cost. The 10-seater aircraft's fuel cells will reduce noise and damage to the environment.

Being transported by a plane propelled by electric engines instead of whining turbojets or revving combustion engines sounds heavenly to me.

The third project, however, is kinda... Well, it stinks to me.

Innovative Future Air Transport System, an unmanned cargo plane with a 30-meter wingspan that can transplant up to 30 tons. The technology already exists to build unmanned passenger jets, but "the world is not yet ready to be flown without a pilot at the stick," Tsach says. "A psychological obstacle needs to be overcome before people are willing to fly in unmanned planes," adds Tsach, a world-renowned expert on UAVs.

First of all, there is a bit of a contradiction between the article that is being quoted and the IAI site that says loud and clear:

UNMANNED PASSENGER AIRCRAFT- IAI is taking part in a European consortium program under the auspices of the European R&D Commission. The goal of the program is to enhance flight safety by using autonomous flight technology and to lower manpower costs.

So, as usual, our intrepid military expert of JP, was a bit hasty (well, he had to have his "The aircraft, revealed in The Jerusalem Post for the first time, are:..." scoop). In any case, being transported in an aluminium tube (very thin at that) at an insane speed and height, driven by a computer, most probably powered by a Windows (Vista, argh...) is a bit of a problem for me. I don't mind the computer as such: they make less mistakes than humans in general, and after a hundred or so of initial system crashes (no pun intended... er...) when the kinks in the system are ironed out, I wouldn't mind trying it out. However, the thought that there is no man/woman in the cockpit whose interest is that the coffee is not spilled on his/her trousers/skirt because of excessive turbulence, makes me queasy somewhat...

But all in all, more power to IAI!

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Abdel Karim Suleiman - 4 years for blogging

Abdel Karim Suleiman, a 22-year-old former law student who has been in custody since November, was the first blogger to stand trial in Egypt for his Internet writings. He was convicted in connection with eight articles he wrote since 2004.

An Alexandria court convicted an Egyptian blogger on Thursday for insulting both Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced him to four years in jail over his writings on the Internet.

This is another case when an oppressive regime takes a petty revenge on a blogger. This is another case when all bloggers, no matter of what race, age, gender or political affiliation must spread the word of protest.

Today it is Abdel Karim - tomorrow it could be you!

Spread the word around - before it is too late.

Watch Sandmonkey's place for updates.

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Robert Adler, 93 - his memory be blessed

Hit the mute button for a moment of silence: The co-inventor of the TV remote, Robert Adler, has died.

Millions of men* will die with a smile hovering over their lips blessing you and your invention, Mr. Adler.

"People ask me all the time, 'Don't you feel guilty for it?' And I say, 'That's ridiculous,' " he said.

It is people who ask that question that are ridiculous.

"It seems reasonable and rational to control the TV from where you normally sit and watch television."

It is very rarely that truer words were said. RIP, our savior and patron.

(*) The author does not feel authorized to talk in the name of the other gender. The true nature of female attitude to the remote control device is unclear to him.

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Aim for a bush

This is not an anti-American subversive article that could get someone like me in hot water with that B1/B2 thingy. It is about something entirely different - falling from a high place. Someone, I believe it was Soccer Dad, posted something like a survival manual for such an occasion.

Here is an article that (probably) corroborates some of the ideas in that manual:

A video of a New Zealand skydiver spiralling 3,600 metres (11,800ft) with a tangled parachute to the ground - where he was saved by bushes - was shown on television yesterday.
...
Mr Holmes estimated that he reached 120mph during free fall but the parachute had reduced his speed on impact to about 80mph. He missed the airport car park by less than 30 metres. He was in hospital for 11 days, and hopes to resume skydiving in April.

So, since I could not find that post on Soccer Dad's, "aim for a bush" could be a useful corollary to that post of his.

And, if you are an indestructible Kiwi or Aussie, there is another corollary: if that fall does not kill you - keep trying!

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Honour for German Leica manufacturer who sent prewar apprentices to US

He was responsible for bringing to the world a high-quality compact camera that changed the face of 35mm photography. But after dogged research by a British rabbi it has emerged that Ernest Leitz II had a secret but possibly greater claim to fame - saving Jews from Nazi persecution in prewar Germany.

Always admired Leica lenses. Always will now.

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So, Google - we are watching

Via Andrew Ian Dodge: a stand-off between a lone blogger and the government of New Zealand.

Now Google is requested to pull a blog (CYFSWATCH) because it pissed off a government bozo or two.

The decision Google is to make will be an important precedent for freedom of speech as it applies to bloggers.

Let's keep an eye on this story.

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