Three Pillars

Olmert's Hypocrisy

2006-05-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke before a joint session of Congress. During his speech he spoke about the terror attacks his country faced (and continues to face). He spoke about his memories of Galila, a twelve year old Ethiopian immigrant, who was killed in a suicide bombing while he was mayor of Jerusalem. He also spoke of the murder of Daniel Wultz, a 16 year old from Florida who succumbed to the wounds inflicted from the last suicide bombing in Israel.

He tried implying that their lives are important to him and that he will do everything in his power to bring the terrorists to justice. But his actions speak louder than his words. He must understand that the Ahmadinejad didn't become what he is today overnight. It took time for him to build his way up. When Olmert allows the Palestinian terrorists to do as they wish he is only emboldening them. His rewards to the terrorists - the Gaza expulsion this summer and the expulsion of Amona - speak louder than the words he told the members of Congress.

The blood of innocent Israelis and Palestinians who were killed as a result of the continued violence rests on his shoulders. Yet he has the nerve to use people who have died for something which he himself doesn't believe in only so that he can broaden his political power. Shame on you Olmert!

English 101

2006-05-24T03:49:00.000-04:00

A big problem we face with illegal aliens is their inability to master the English language. However, it doesn't need to be this way. The reason that they don't learn English is because we allow them to get around using their native language. If we were to speak only English then they would be forced to either learn the language or not be able to survive in this country.

This isn't a theoretical plan, it is based on facts. A friend of mine went to Russia for a year. When he left he wasn't able to read or write Russian, and could barely speak a few words. He assumed that since English is the international language, that he would be able to get around just fine with English. He was in for a surprise. Whether or not the locals actually understood English and pretended that they didn't, or if they truly didn't understand, is unknown. But this caused my friend to come to the realization that you can't live in a foreign country and not know the language. By the time he left he spoke a fluent Russian (with an American accent), because he realized that without it he wouldn't be able to survive there.

Perhaps if we were so accommodating to illegal aliens (legal visitors not included) a big part of the problem would be solved. Many would learn to speak the language and assimilate somewhat into our culture or leave. Sounds like a plan to me, now we need to convince the politicians (yeah, right).

The Rolling Memorial

2006-05-22T16:13:00.000-04:00

I got this email which I think deserves to be posted. John Holmgren is a trucker from Shafer, MN. The trucker has been pulled over numerous times by officers who simply wanted to have their picture taken with his truck. His truck is a 9/11 memorial; the names of all the people who lost their lives on 9/11 are painted on his truck.

Child Safety

2006-05-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

I saw a report about a 3 year old Mexican child who died in the desert. He was trying to enter the country illegaly with his mother, who abandoned his dead body. She was caught by the Border Patrol and arrested, at which time she told them about her dead child.

Don't we frown upon endangering the welfare of a child? Isn't it illegal to leave a child unattended? We don't look too highly upon people who use children in armies because they are placing them in a dangerous situation. So why should this be any different? Perhaps this is yet another difference between our culture and that of Mexico. Maybe after they change the official language of the United States to Spanish they will allow parents to endanger the welfare of their children. Who knows what will be next?

Where is the Problem?

2006-05-18T10:30:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt in anybody's mind that there is some serious problems going on in the Middle East. I'm referring to the Israeli-Arab conflict. After decades of violence, the Oslo peace accords were supposed to bring peace and calm to the region. It never happened. As a matter of fact, the violence only intensified after Oslo. Why?

Every day the Israeli intelligence receives numerous terror threats and they evaluate each one. They then decide which course of action, if any, needs to be taken. In the past couple of hours, the Israeli police were put on high alert in Jerusalem, lowered, put back on high again, and once again lowered. The tiring cycle of going from high to low is based on intelligence gathered from various sources. The Karni crossing was closed as a result of the terror threats. When the crossing is closed the Palestinians aren't able to come into Israel, which ruins their economy. The crossing was closed not long after it was opened for humanitarian reasons. Who is responsible for the closing of the crossing and therefore the economic problems the Palestinians are suffering? If it weren't for the security issues it would be open all the time, therefore the Palestinians themselves are responsible for their troubles. The Palestinians are known for coming through checkpoints and attempting to blow themselves up.

Then there was this interesting article I read which describes the violence going on in the Palestinian cities among the various militant groups. I ask you: If these creatures aren't capable of living in harmony with their own brothers, are they capable of living peacefully with their cousins, the Jews? I have my doubts in their determination for true peace, I wonder why that is.

Bilingual Home Improvement

2006-05-16T13:20:00.000-04:00

After my horrifying ordeal with repairmen, I decided to do the job myself. So I went to a Lowe's near my house to buy some things I would need. As I was cruising through the aisles I heard something a little disturbing. They were asking for assistance over the PA system, in both English and Spanish. Everytime that they would speak over the PA system, I would hear a chime. I felt like I was in an international airport.

The truth is that I have nothing against the Spanish language. However, a time like this, when people are demonstrating that we allow illegal aliens to come and get citizenship, it feels a bit awkward that everything needs to be repeated in both English and Spanish in a home improvement store. This isn't a souvenir shop where tourists are regularly found, in which case I would understand the need for everything to be bilingual. This is happening because we are being overrun by another culture. If this is how it is before they are legal, what will be when they become legal? Will they decide to learn English? I doubt it.

BBC

2006-05-15T14:59:00.000-04:00

No one ever accused the English of being too bright, but this is special. I just had to post this because I find it funny how clueless some people are. This is the video of the BBC interview. They thought they were interviewing Guy Kewney, instead they interviewed a taxi driver. The picture at right shows Mr. Kewney at left and his replacement at right. They don't even slightly resemble each other! Yet somehow the English have managed to confuse the two of them.

Here is a video clip of the interview. His facial expression when he realizes what's about to happen is priceless. Got to give him credit, though, he played his part pretty well. He answered the questions he was asked without actually answering them. He can become a spokesman if he wants to.

What Was Patrick Kennedy Thinking?

2006-05-08T12:57:00.000-04:00

Patrick Joseph Kennedy, Rhode Island congressman and son of Ted Kennedy, was involved in a car accident last week in the wee hours of the morning. Witnesses said he was travelling very quickly and was unable to keep his car in one lane. At 2:45am he drove his car into a security barrier near the Capitol. When he exited the vehicle he seemed drunk and was unable to stand steady. His eyes were red and watery, and his speech was slurred.

Pat Kennedy's parking spot at the Capitol

Kennedy claimed to have been on the way to take a vote. He later addmitted having gone home and taken Phenergan and Ambien. He denied any consumption of alcohol, although there are people who claim they saw him drinking earlier on. Police were instructed by higher-ups not to take a sobriety test, and to drive him home (what happened to the vote?). In his statement, Kennedy said the drugs had caused him to believe that he was supposed to be at a vote at 3:00am. Why was he up at 3:00am, isn't the Ambien supposed to keep him asleep? Especially since he was also taking Phenergan, which increases the potentcy of Ambien.

Kennedy has a history he should be aware of. He comes from a clan which has been struck by many catastrophies. Ordinary people shouldn't drive vehicles or operate machinary while they are impaired - regardless of the cause of their impairment (i.e. alcohol or drugs). Pat Kennedy should be more cautious than the rest of us, just as someone with a family history of heart disease needs to take precautions to avoid a heart attack. Or perhaps he was just trying to emulate his father's actions?

When Bush Meets Bush

2006-05-07T15:19:00.000-04:00

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

2006-05-01T13:06:00.000-04:00

The story and Jekyll and Hyde is a famous one, known to all. I don't know why it became so famous, but I think I figured out why people have that special feeling for it. The story of Jekyll and Hyde, although a novel, is actually a true story. Although the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, wrote it as a novel and probably didn't base it on anything in particular, I nevertheless believe that it is a story we are all too well familiar with.

All people have split personality to some degree. On some people it is so obvious that it entirely disrupts their lives and they need to seek medical treatment for it. Most people, however, aren't split all that much and can do a good job at containing their other personalities. We all have those times when we're not sure if we should do something or not, I don't mean indecision - I mean conscience. This doesn't mean that only people who are criminals and break laws have this split personality, we all live with it on a daily basis.

That might explain why the story of Jekyll and Hyde has a soft spot in many people's heart. However, if this is true then what did the story introduce if Jekyll and Hyde are living inside of us?

Dr. Jekyll was a dangerous man. Although he was very well respected and did many good things for people, he nevertheless had a tendency to experiment with the forbidden part of himself. He changed himself into a "different person" as was then able to commit crimes. This helped as a great disguise so that the authorities wouldn't catch him, but he went even further than that. He used that as an excuse to justify his actions in his own eyes. For he, Dr. Jekyll, didn't do anything wrong, it was someone else - Mr. Hyde.

This story teaches us, or at least it should, that there is a very fine line that we must be careful not to cross. There are many temptations that we have as humans, which is natural, and at times we give in to those temptations, which is also natural. However, we shouldn't convince ourselves that it is not really wrong, or that it is not really us who are doing wrong. For if we make that fatal mistake we will learn the hard way, as Dr. Jekyll has, that they potion we used wasn't pure - and now it's too late to find the pure potion.

Last night I couldn't sleep and my mind started drifting and the above post entered my mind. Weird, no? I think that the next time I can't sleep at night I will count sheep.

A Roman Perversion of the Truth

2006-04-24T13:15:00.000-04:00

I found this Menorah in the background of a picture (where's Waldo?) in last week's Time magazine. The picture shows a Menorah with seven branches, unlike the Menorah Jews use during the holiday of Chanukah. The seven branch Menorah was used in the Temple in Jerusalem. However, there is a little problem with this depiction of the Menorah.

The Menorah which was lit by the High Priest every day in the Temple had straight branches, not rounded ones as this picture shows. The confusion began after the death of Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor 79-81. The Arch of Titus was built in his honor and portrayed many of his accomplishments. One of his great military successes was when he put down the Jewish rebellion (where were the Palestinians?) in the Holy Land and brought many of the utensils of the Temple back to Rome. Among those was the Menorah. However, the Menorah on the Arch of Titus has round branches, unlike the actual Menorah.

The Menorah in Temple, as explained by Rashi and Maimonides, had straight branches. Their version of the Menorah is based on biblical text. However, many people have chosen instead to rely on the Arch of Titus. Of the many inscriptions on the Arch there is one which reads, "Judea is captured." This was inscribed with the intent to humiliate Jews; many times Jews were brought to the Arch for the sole purpose of being shown that they are captives of the Roman Empire. It is therefore quite shameful that we base our depictions of the Temple's Menorah on the Arch which humiliates Jews, and not on the text of Rashi and Maimonides.

Election Results

2006-04-17T16:35:00.000-04:00

Everyone knew what the results of the Israeli and Palestinian elections would cause, but not many people expected it so soon. This morning a Palestinian homicide bomber from Jenin, Sami Salim Mohammed Hammed (whose age ranges between 16 to 21 depending on the news agency), pictured at left, detonated himself in Tel Aviv in front of a fast food falafel joint called Rosh HaIr. Witnesses said he blew himself up after a guard at the door asked to inspect the bag he was carrying. 9 were killed, more than 60 injured. Injured doesn't mean that they go to the hospital for an x-ray and go home that night. Many are in critical condition and may yet die. Those who survive have a long road to recovery, and no one can guarantee how they will be once they recover. They may not be able to return to work again. Many people lost limbs and their lives will never be the same again.

Responsibility for the blast was claimed by both Hamas, which made a ceasefire with Israel a year ago, and the Islamic Jihad, which is a part of the "peaceful" Fatah movement which already "recognized Israel's right to exist." Most Palestinians support what happened today in Tel Aviv, regardless of the loss of innocent life. As Palestinian government officials termed it: an "act of self defense."

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel would react "as necessary." In his speech today at the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, he sent "condolences to the families of those who were sacrificed." Doesn't he realize he is partially to blame for the loss of lives today? His plan of surrendering to the terrorists, by forcing Jews out of Gush Katif and Amona he emboldens the terrorists.

In fact, this past January terrorists bombed the exact same place as today. Obviously the Israeli plan of appeasement hasn't helped a bit. It is time that he is taken to account for his actions. More innocent lives depend on it. Because on his own, Olmert will not do a thing about the bombing. And that is the worst part of this sad story.

What Does The Future Hold?

2006-04-04T19:41:00.000-04:00

When Israelis elected Ehud Olmert last week, they knew what was coming to them. At least, they should've known. Last night a Kassam rocket landed near Zikim Beach. There was a shooting attack near Psagot. 5 Kassam rockets were fired towards the western Negev, one of which landed near a "sensitive security structure" in Ashkelon. There were rock throwing incidents in Gush Etzion, in nearby Beit Omar, and Beitar. There were firebomb attacks near the Hevron Hills and near Nahalim.

Nevertheless, Olmert announced today that he will be continuing the unilateral expulsions. This comes at the same time that the "peaceful" Fatah movement, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, "threatened multiple, shocking attacks on Jewish targets."

I think it is time to sit down, and just think about where we came from, where we are, and in which direction we are heading. This is presentation I got via email. It may be hard to look at, but I think it is necessary so that we know exactly with whom we are dealing.

Home Improvement

2006-04-03T19:13:00.000-04:00

I called a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none handyman and asked him if he can do some work for me. I told him what I wanted done and he gave me an estimate of how much it'll cost. He told me that he would be able to start working today (Monday) and hoped to finish in a few days. Sounds fine to me.

This morning he arrives to start working and he asks me for the tools he would need. Well, I told him that I don't have all the tools he needs, I have only the basic household tools. So he asks me, "How do you expect me to work if you don't have the tools I need?" I was under the impression that the handyman would/should bring this own tools and I told that to him. His response was, "When someone comes to your house to clean do they bring their own broom and mop?"

Well, that got me thinking and from now on, I will only hire cleaners who have their own brooms and mops. Afterall, isn't it logical that if a handyman comes to do repairs he brings his own tools (or he is supposed to, at least), so should a cleaner?

Dr. Wafaa Sultan

2006-03-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

It's been almost a month since I posted the interview which aired on Al-Jazeera with Dr. Wafaa Sultan. At the time I did not have any information as to who she was, but I became smarter since then.

Wafaa Sultan, born in Syria, was taught as a child to hate Jews. "Up to the very first day that I immigrated to America, I used to believe that Jewish people were not human creatures, that they had different features, different voices than the human race. Unfortunately this is the way I was raised," Sultan said in an interview Arutz-7. But her views have changed since then. "I have discovered how wrong we were. The more I work with them the more I find out we are all human beings. The first experience I had in the medical field was with a Jewish doctor. We were four Muslim women in his program, and he treated us very well. My experience is great, so I have to break this taboo and tell my people the truth."

She now lives in Los Angeles, where she is a psychiatrist. While she was in university in Syria she began to question the way she was brought up. "At that time, the Brotherhood of Islam committed very bloody and ugly crimes against innocent Syrian people in the name of their God. I witnessed the killing of my professor, a great human being who had nothing to do with the government. They filled his body with hundreds of bullets before my eyes while screaming Allah is great. At that moment I was traumatized. I had just lost trust in their God and started to question his teachings."

But her bravery comes with a price. Dr. Sultan is now in hiding, fearful of what might happen to her and/or her family as a result of the interview on Al-Jazeera. Perhaps she fears that the Brotherhood of Islam might try to get her. For the sake of humanity let's hope she isn't harmed.

Did You Thank Al Gore Today?

2006-03-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Listen to this clip of Al Gore, who joined Congress in the late 1970's. Nevertheless, during his "service in the United States congress [he] took the initiative in creating the internet." This is something which really amazes me.

Here is a little bit about the history of the internet. The ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency), a project of the United States Department of Defense, wanted to create a network for scientists who are in different locations to be able to communicate and share information. In addition, they wished to create a network which would be able to survive a nuclear attack (remember the cold war?). The network they came up with was called ARPANET, which at first consisted of four computers, and started working in the summer of 1969. Nearly a decade before Al Gore joined the United States congress. Yet he still "took the initiative in creating the internet." Amazing!

I think we should all be very thankful to him for this. It is only because of him that we have this post (and all other posts, too); indeed it is only because of him that we have the internet. So if you feel thankful to Al Gore, please be kind and tell him so. Contact him and tell him how appreciative you are of his efforts in creating the internet. It'll put a smile on his face, I'm sure of it.

Al Gore
2100 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 327-2227
Fax: (615) 327-1323

The Not-So-Secret Service

2006-03-20T01:06:00.000-05:00

The Washington Post had an article about the naughty behavior of some Secret Service workers. They were in Mississippi before President Bush visited on March 8. They came to size up the scene from a security point of view, so that when the President arrives they will be able to protect him. At one of the houses they surveyed, they introduced themselves as Fox journalists. Later they told the couple that they were actually from the Secret Service.

Many people were not pleased by the actions of these Secret Service agents (or surveyors, whatever their title is). As a result they will be "reprimanded" for their actions. The government will "discipline (those) who masqueraded as journalists this month." It seems as though the problem here is the fact that they used a disguise - that of Fox journalists. What do people expect the Secret Service to do if not disguise themselves? Is it not called secret service for a reason? Are they supposed to wear signs which clearly identify them as Secret Service agents?

Perhaps people would have preferred if they would have originally introduced themselves as Secret Service agents. But wouldn't that blow their cover? Does the name Valerie Plame ring a bell? What will become of undercover agents if they need to be identified as such to everyone, thereby undermining the fact that they're undercover? You can never win, if you keep it a secret you'll get in trouble for impersonation, and if you reveal an agent's identity, well, we know what will happen. You'll lose your job!

Giuliani vs. Clinton

2006-03-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

I remember in 1997 listening to the then Mayor Rudy Giuliani on the radio during his monthly ask the Mayor show on WCBS880. It was his first show since he won reelection as New York City's Mayor and most callers were only calling to congratulate him, while others called to wish him success and also ask him questions. I remember the jubilant feeling I had at the time when he won the election and the mixed feelings I had. On the one hand I wanted his term to last forever so that he can continue to help us New Yorkers. On the other hand, I wanted his term to end so that he will run for President.

One of the callers who called in expressed the second view to him, and he responded, "You sound like my mother." Although he didn't say clearly that he wouldn't run for higher office, he didn't sound too promising either. However, I still hoped and prayed that he would one day be our man in the oval office.

I remember the adrenaline rushes we had when he was running against the then First Lady, Hillary Clinton, for the Senate. At first she was ahead in the polls, but I was sure that her lead was only because people felt bad for her after the Monica scandal. I was sure that as time passed and we would get closer to the election her lead would disappear. Sure enough, Giuliani started closing the gap between them, but he never made it to the elections. Unfortunately he had to drop out of the race for personal reasons, and Hillary won. But I was always hoping that a day would come when there would finally be a showdown between the two of them, and all the world will see that contrary to what many people believe, Giuliani's popularity and sense of leadership is greater than that of Hillary. 9/11 proved what a leader he is (as pictured above).

Now as we approach the 2008 Presidential elections, many people are suggesting that Hillary will run. Perhaps this is my dream come true. Giuliani against Clinton again, but this time the stakes are higher. As reported recently, Rudy Giuliani is the most popular politician in the US today. Hillary is number 8 on that list. Perhaps this election will be the one that almost happened in New York, where Rudy Giuliani will win against Hillary Clinton in the polls and finally make it to the White House.

Secular Islam

2006-03-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

After seeing this clip I think that secular Muslims know better than religious Muslims as to what is beneficial to Islam and Muslims, and what is detrimental. All I know is that her name is Wafaa Sultan. She might have an organization of some sort to promote her message, but I don't know for sure. The last minute and a half is, I think, the best part of the clip.

Purim in Nazareth

2006-03-03T14:08:00.000-05:00

As reported by the Israeli paper Haaretz, a mentally deranged Jew from Jerusalem, together with his Christian wifre and daughter attempted to celebrate Purim today in Nazareth. They hid firecrackers in a baby stroller and detonated the firecrackers during prayers on Friday. Police were called in to restrain the crowd outside who wanted to attack the firecrackerers. Israeli EMS (Magen David Adom) was unable to reach him after he was injured in the head; crowds had attacked an ambulance forcing it to leave.

The deranged extremist came to Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah, and told Arafat that the Israelis wanted to take away his daughter from him. Therefore he wanted to remain in PA-controlled areas. Arabs leaders are blaming the Israeli government for not being firm enough against such extremists. The Israeli attitude encourages Jewish extremists to perform such acts of violence and terror, they said.

As if they care about the holiness of churches. Last week they were bombing mosques, and this week they're busy defending attacks against churches. Attacks that caused no direct damage to the church. Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz said, "Any attempt to damage holy sites destroys the delicate relations between different faiths in Israel." Where was he when, after the Israeli expulsion of Jews from Gaza this summer, the synagogues in Gaza were being burned and destroyed by Palestinians? Does that not matter to anyone?! Only if someone throws a firecracker in a church in Nazareth or blows off the dome of a mosque in Iraq will people feel outraged. We live in a sad world, where equality is a word in the dictionary, but means nothing in actuality.

Stuck in a Time Capsule

2006-02-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

Today's Washington Times has a piece on Israel, entitled Palestinians name terms for recognition. The terms are to give Palestinians refugees full rights and a state in lands including, but not limited to, the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. After Israel will accede to their demands they will "consider talks with Israel." My question is what has been going on there for the past 13 years? In 1993 Israel and the PLO signed a peace accord, in which the Palestinians recognized Israel's right to exist, and promised to end terror. In return, Israel agreed to give the Palestinians some land. Israel kept their part of the deal the Palestinians haven't kept theirs. The biggest proof is that today we are back to where we started with a few "minor" differences.

Those minor differences are the fact that they still have the land Israel gave them. Perhaps they should return all the land Israel gave them since they are forcing us back to a time where Israel made painful concessions are received nothing but a piece of paper. Just as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain reached an agreement with Nazi Germany on paper. That "piece of paper," was supposed to "guarantee peace in our time." History has shown us how foolish his appeasement was. The same holds true of the Oslo peace accords.

People try to say that this is a new government and therefore they are going back to where we were 13 years ago. That doesn't make any sense at all. Imagine the outcry there would have been if in 2000, right after becoming president, George Bush would have overturned Roe v. Wade on the basis that this is a new government. Yet for some reason nobody has a problem when the Palestinians do that. The Palestinians, as a whole, agreed to recognize Israel - unless the entire peace accord was a sham (which it was). In which case, why should the Israelis now want to go through the same process with a government that is worse than the one the Palestinians had before? Will Hamas keep their word when the PLO hasn't? Of course not! They are trying to steal as much land as they can. They know they stand no chance against Israel if they were to try and take the land by force, so they're trying to trick Israel. And the worst part is that the Israeli government is falling for it.

Cartoon Fury

2006-02-12T13:18:00.000-05:00

The violence over the Mohammad cartoons is already old news. Muslims all over have been rioting over the publication of cartoons of their prophet Mohammad. Perhaps the cartoons were in bad taste by portraying Islam as a religion that preaches violence. After all, Islam is a religion of peace. Or is it?

There are "extremists" who kill innocent people in the name of Islam, in the name of Allah and Mohammad. If Islam is a religion of peace then these radicals are distorting the religion and the impression the world gets of the religion. Yet, I can't recall demonstrations where Muslims are rioting that the killings be stopped. If that is the case, then these Muslims who are now demonstrating and rioting must approve of the actions of "a few extremists." Which leads me to think that perhaps those cartoons are pretty accurate.

Kinda gets you thinking.

Amona Pogrom

2006-02-02T23:21:00.000-05:00

Here is a clip of Amona. Watch it and tell me if this doesn't look like a pogrom to you.

What Happened to Massada?

2006-02-02T15:29:00.000-05:00

Massada is a mountain fortress in Israel most famous for the valiant struggle the Jews put up against the Romans. Although they knew that the Romans would eventually overcome them, they nevertheless fought like lions to protect their land so that it remains in Jewish hands. All the defenders of Massada died there; they committed suicide as the Romans were breaking through their last defenses. For them captivity wasn't even an option, they fought till they could fight no more.

The lesson of Massada, although I only mentioned it very briefly here, is very important in Judaism. It is a lesson that former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried explaining to former US President Bill Clinton when they visited Massada together during the festival of Chanukah. It is a lesson all soldiers in the IDF learn, as well. At the end of their training they climb to the top of Massada via the snake path. Once there they pledge that Massada will never fall again! (Shniya Metzada lo tipol!) Have they forgotten the lesson and their pledge so soon?

Yesterday I watched in horror at the expulsion and demolition of Amona. The Israeli soldiers and police acted brutally and ruthlessly as they viciously beat and attacked protestors, some of whom are still in critical condition today. Where does a Jew get the hatred within him to beat other Jews who are unarmed and aren't doing anything wrong, other than demonstrating in a "democratic" country? Instead of fighting terrorists, they are fighting Jews. On one of the walls in Amona someone wrote, "Who needs Hamas? We have Olmert!"

These innocent Jews did the same thing their ancestors did in defending Jerusalem, Massada and all the other cities in Israel from the Romans and other invaders. Had Olmert and his henchmen been around those days, no doubt they would have collaborated with the Romans and would have helped their enemies conquer all the cities of Israel. Is this what we fought for in 1948? Was there ever a war in history that the Jews fought for the cause that the Israeli government now stands for? The videos that I saw were so horrific, they could have been from sixty years ago, when Nazis beat Jews with their clubs and chased them out of their homes forcing them to live behind walls. Unfortunately, I can't show you the videos that I saw, but if you search for them online I'm sure you'll be able to find them. However, here is a small clip of what happened there. If this is not atrocity, what is?

Email me if you want the link to download this video.

Freedom of Speech

2006-01-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

This is something which has been bothering me, and I wanted to post about it last week. However, I was trying to find an audio clip to go with this post, but I can't find it, sorry. The audio clip was of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) literally screaming how she's fed up with being called unpatriotic for opposing the administration. She said that people have the right to protest against the administration when they feel the need.

It's very comforting to see that our senators are out there protecting our rights, in this case the right of free speech. However, if this is something that all liberals believe in (such as bashing the Bush administration), then why don't they allow others the freedom of speech? No, I don't mean in Iraq, I mean here in the United States of America.

I read this blog which promoted abortion based on the equation that freedom=choice. To me that isn't a valid reason to abort a pregnancy. Because if freedom=choice and murder=choice, does that mean that freedom=murder? Afterall, if A=B and B=C, then A=C. Whether or not this equation is true, as I'm sure many people will say that it isn't for various reasons, is a discussion in itself. It is a discussion that I will mention some day, but not now. My question for today is why am I not allowed to express my views? When I posted a comment on this person's blog with my opinion it was deleted. The delete button is there so that if someone posts an offensive remark, one which is racially biased, for instance, then the blogger can delete it. The delete button was not meant to restrict people's freedom of speech.

There isn't much I can do about what happened because it wasn't my blog and I have no control over it. I will not repost my comment because there is no need to - the message was seen. I have no intention of forcing people to keep comments on their blogs, every blogger can do as they wish on their blog. They can delete whatever they want whenever they want, that's part of freedom. However, I just find it a bit hypocritical that someone who is so concerned about freedom would not allow another person to express their views. I just can't figure it out.

The People Have Chosen

2006-01-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

The people of any given area can be defined by the way they vote. For instance, New York City is a liberal city because the tendency here is to vote for liberal candidates. This does not mean that every person in New York is a liberal, but if more than 50% of the voters are voting liberal then that area is considered a liberal area. The same logic applies to every area in the world.

I raise this point today because of the way the Palestinians voted. The Hamas terror organization has won the most seats in the parliament, about twice as much as the Fatah organization (who are also terrorists). The difference between these two groups is not so much in their actions, but mostly in their words. They both terrorize the Israeli population, openly or discreetly. However, Fatah says they want peace and that Israel has the right to exist in certain areas, etc. On the other hand, Hamas wants Israel to be destroyed and all its citizens killed.

It is very disturbing to know that a majority of the Palestinian population agrees with them. Is this who Israel has as a "partner for peace?" They are hoodlums who are only interested in the destruction of Israel! What's worse is that most Israelis don't seem to realize what's going on. They said that if they can't speak with Hamas then they'll just have to do unilateral actions - such as the disengagement/expulsion of Jews from their homeland. But these actions strengthen Hamas, according to political leaders on both sides of the Israeli political spectrum.

When the Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu said that the victory Hamas had in the polls was a direct result of the disengagement/expulsion of Jews from Gaza this summer, one might have thought that he has finally realized the truth. But unfortunately he hasn't. Another Jewish community was supposed to be demolished today and when many cabinet ministers signed a petition for acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to hold off on the destruction, Netanyahu refused to sign! To me that sounds like hypocrisy, and as long as the Israelis don't get rid of that hypocrisy Hamas will continue to be successful, because Israel is being destroyed by the Israeli government.

The Pinch at the Pump

2006-01-24T17:01:00.000-05:00

Enjoy this clip about the current price of gas. Perhaps it's about time we do something?

Email me if you want the link to download this video.

The Missing Link

2006-01-20T12:56:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's bombing in Tel Aviv, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that he has concrete evidence as to who is responsible for the bombing. Although local terror groups claimed responsibility for the attack, he accused Iran and Syria, as well. He said that Iran provides the money, Syria provides the orders, Shechem provides the suicide bombers, and Israel provides the victims.

Although what he said is true, he forgot to mention another detail. In addition to Israel providing the victims, Israel also aids the terrorists. I know that sounds a bit weird, sort of like America helping the Iraqi insurgency. However, that is exactly what is happening. When Israel expells Jews from their homes in the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria, it boosts the confidence of the terrorists, and their determination is strengthened. They see these expulsions as an Israeli defeat, a reward for terrorism.

Earlier in the week, in anticipation of yet another expulsion of eleven Jewish families living in Hebron, the IDF declared Hebron a closed military zone. No one was allowed to enter the city. They did this perhaps because they were afraid what some "extremist settlers" might do. What I don't understand is what did these people do wrong in the first place to be expelled from their homes? Have they killed anybody? Have they helped terrorists commit crimes against humanity? These people have always been the victims of crimes committed by terrorists. Were the terrorists ever treated the same way these people are now being treated? Why isn't Gaza city turned into a closed military zone? Perhaps then the flow of ammunition and explosives into Gaza will decrease and thereby terrorist acts will decrease.

I think it is about time the Israeli government should stop using the army to attack and molest Jews, and start using the army for what it is intended: to protect Jews.

Forward At A Standstill

2006-01-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon didn't feel all that comfortable with the lack of enthusiastic support for his actions in his political party, Likud. He went ahead and left that party to start his own - the Kadima (Forward) party. He collected members of various parties from all sides of the political spectrum to join his party. According to polls he is to win the upcoming election in March. But two days ago, Wednesday, he suffered a massive stroke.

It is no secret that the force behind Kadima is Ariel Sharon and no one else. Although some people in his party are also popular politicians, they do not have the same personality as Sharon. So where is the party headed now? With no real leader to lead the party to elections, afterall, Sharon never set guidelines for the new party nor what it would support and/or oppose. Has Kadima ground to a halt as a result of Sharon's stroke?

Kadima is still quite popular in the polls. If Shimon Peres were to lead the party in March they would win 42 seats in the parliament; 40 if it was lead by Ehud Olmert; and only 26 for Shaul Mofaz. But is this poll based on sympathetic people who might themselves not be so symathetic in March? If that is the case then Kadima doesn't have much of a chance of survival; the party itself suffered a stroke, its brain isn't functioning properly and that affects the entire party.

Sharon will probably never again be able to involve himself in politics the way he has before, supposing he survives the current crisis. However, that doesn't neccessarily spell doom for Kadima. If he survives and his speech and mind can still function, that might be enough to get the party moving forward again. And although he won't actually be there running the show, he will definitely be behind the scenes controlling the party and leading it where he wants it to go. But the chances of that happening aren't that high. I just wonder if all the other political parties will be willing to reaccept the Kadima politicians after they backstabbed their original parties, and tried to undermine them.

Clarification

2005-12-27T16:48:00.000-05:00

I read this comment on one of my posts, and I must say that I agree with most of the things Tamara wrote. Perhaps my post wasn't clear enough in saying what it was meant to say and therefore it "disgusts" people. As a teacher, I'm sure you understand that when someone asks a question it means that others have the same question, but didn't ask it. Therefore I want to clarify this issue for anyone that had, or will have, the questions you had.

First, I will briefly describe the purpose that my original post was meant to serve. Michael Goodwin of the New York Daily News wrote a column in which he thought the courts should make gay marriages permissible by law. He wrote that there were many problems with traditional marriages. Perhaps the solution for those problems would be through allowing gay marriages. My post was geared towards that thought. Gay marriages will not be able to fix those problems because those problems weren't caused by the fact that a man and woman got married. Domestic violence affect gay couples, too. I have nothing against gay people, they are human just like all other people, and deserve the same respect that every person deserves. However, I don't think it is correct for the courts to allow gay marriages.

As a teacher, I am sure that in order to explain things to your students, at times you will use examples which seem a bit far out and having nothing to do with the subject at hand. After a little clarification, however, the students can understand the connection between these two seemingly opposite things, and the original point you were trying to bring across to them. That is the background to the comparison of "freeing serial killers to gay marriage." It was never intended to be a real comparison, to honestly compare the two is just wrong.

There was another point you made in the comment, that influencing others to become gay is not on anyone's agenda. It is a valid point, a point which isn't even mentioned in my post, which is why I am not sure how you decided that I thought it was on anyone's agenda. What I wrote is that we, as role models, need to be self-conscious about the message we give to our children. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a single gay person adopting a child, just as there is nothing wrong with any single person adopting a child. But to legalize gay marriages just because it will better the situation of the children in the country is wrong.

I hope that this clarifies my original post. You don't have to agree with my opinion, but you can rest assured that the day that I "realize that murderers and gays are NOT equal" has long ago arrived.

PS The question I posted in the comment on your blog was rhetorical, but thanks for the answer. Happy Chanukah!

First Night of Chanukah

2005-12-25T18:35:00.000-05:00

Well, tonight is the first night of Chanukah and I just lit my Menorah (not pictured above). Which makes me think about Chanukah and what it symbolizes. The Greek Empire wanted to rule the world and spread their hellenistic ways of life to all of mankind. Nearly all adapted to the Greeks or were killed, except the Jews. The Jews carried on learning the Jewish bible and doing the commandments God commanded, despite the threat of life if they were to be caught.

When the Greeks erected statues of their gods in Jewish cities and forced Jews to bow to them, the Jews realized that the only way for Judaism to survive would be to show the mighty Greeks the door. The Macabees started with an old man in the city of Modi'in, and his five sons. Their ranks grew by the day as did their strength and weapon cache. They started out with small raids on Greek soldiers, ambushes and hit-and-run attacks. But as their experience grew they started attacking bigger Greek installations. After many miraculously victorious battles, in which they were heavily outnumbered, they were able to drive the Greeks out of the capital, Jerusalem.

When they entered the Temple they found it in terrible shape. After cleaning it and removing the impurities the Greeks had placed there, they were ready to continue the services of the Temple. However, one of the services was to light a Menorah with pure olive oil but they were not able to find any olive oil. The Greeks had broken all the seals to the oil jugs, rendering them impure for use in the Temple. But after a long search they were able to find a small jug with enough oil to burn for one day. The only problem was that it took eight days to make new oil. But God performed a miracle and the oil burned for eight days and nights until new oil was made.

To commemorate this great miracle we light the Menorah every year for eight nights.

What to Do?

2005-12-23T14:04:00.000-05:00

After numerous mortar attacks on Israeli cities, people are starting to get concerned. Rockets are landing very near to sites which contain vital things, such as fuel and power. This, however, hasn't stopped the Palestinians from bombing those sites. Earlier this week the Israelis said that they would cut power to Palestinian villages in response to the attacks, but refrained from doing so when they realized that Palestinian hospitals don't have their own generators (which is a question in itself, but not for now). Why are the Israelis so concerned about that? Are their enemies concerned with the Israeli infrastructure?

"Now that Israeli settlements have been removed from northern Gaza, militants can bring their rockets closer to the border fence, bringing the Ashkelon area into range." Duh! Isn't that what people have been saying all along? Wasn't that one of the many reasons people opposed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan? He said the disengagement would bring peace while others rightfully claimed that it would bring more terror by showing that Israel acquiesced to the terrorists and it will be a dangerous border closer to more Israeli cities, such as Ashkelon.

But now will be different according to the Israeli government. "'Certainly if the rocket fire on Ashkelon does not stop, there will be a very fierce response, and no option can be ruled out, including a ground operation,' said Vice Premier Ehud Olmert in an interview with Israel TV." Can we trust the Israeli government that this time they really mean what they're saying? How do we know that they won't decide to expel the Israelis living in Ashkelon and give the city over the terrorists, just as they have done in the Gaza strip? Not too long ago they said a ground operation was out of the question, they would not put Israeli soldiers back into Gaza. What happened now that they are saying that perhaps a ground operation may be needed? Can it be that their plans didn't work out the way they wanted it to? Did they honestly believe that it would?

"In an initial response to the rocket fire. Israel fired artillery at the empty fields used as rocket launching sites, and a Palestinian died in disputed circumstances. The family of Abraham Naana, 21, said he was killed by shrapnel from the shelling. The army said the area was empty during the artillery barrage." Is this the "fierce response" Olmert had in mind? How is bombing empty fields going to stop the rocket attacks? Did the ground launch rockets or were there terrorists there that launched the rockets? Even if their launching sites were to be totally demolished by bombings, it wouldn't be too hard to find a new site to bomb from. The only way to put an end to these shellings is by eliminating the power behind those rockets - the terrorists themselves. Mr. Olmert, that is a response, but you have promised a "fierce response." Let's see it now before innocent lives are lost.

Transit Strike

2005-12-19T12:40:00.000-05:00

The city has been on edge since last week about the impending strike. The TWU and the MTA can't seem to agree on terms which are suitable for everyone, so they are preparing to go on strike. But why isn't the city preparing for that, too?

If there are people who don't want to work, that is fine. This isn't a communist regime, people can make their own decisions, and if they prefer to be unemployed, that's fine. However, they should not demand from the MTA that they should be paid more than before and have to work less than before, get better benefits and not receive any disciplinary actions. That's crazy! The city should have started preparing a long time ago.

The preparations for a strike aren't that complicated. All it requires is getting new workers and training them. If there are workers who want to strike then they should be fired. In a city where unemployment is holding at about 8% it shouldn't be too hard to find people willing to work for the MTA under these conditions which the TWU isn't accepting.

This isn't a chain store where a strike means an inconvenience for consumers. A NYC transit strike means the lives of the entire city's population will be altered in some way during the strike. During peak hours cars will only be allowed in Manhattan if there are four or more people in the car, for instance. This isn't a public inconvenience, this is trying to put a stop to the largest city in the country to gain public support.

Why should the public support the TWU anyway? Is the public is willing to start paying $2.50 a ride? That's what might happen if the MTA needs more money to cover the outrageous demands of the TWU. Therefore, the city should react to the strike by firing the workers who are striking. The workers of the bus companies currently striking should not be hired by the MTA when their companies join the city. If there is a citywide strike, then those workers striking should immediately lose their jobs, and hopefully their benefits, too.

Parenthood

2005-12-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

There was this column in the New York Daily News yesterday in which the columnist, Michael Goodwin, described the advantages of gay marriage over the traditional marriage. Although he raised some valid points, that wedlock is all too common and many babies are born to single moms, they do not, however, validate gay marriage.

He mentioned the fact that many traditional marriages "are often a disaster for kids." Whatever problems there are that are causing these disasters will not disappear through gay marriage. The problems that are being faced regarding single moms and wedlock needs to be addressed and sorted out. Allowing gay marriage is not the solution. These single moms didn't become pregnant as a result of their homosexuality. The only thing gay marriage will accomplish is to destroy the meaning of a marriage with a husband and wife, which are by definition male and female respectively, as is father and mother.

Perhaps a perfect world will be when there is only gay marriage. Perhaps the traditional marriage should be banned in order to avoid "disaster for kids." What would result would be a new depiction of marriage. There would be two men or two women who adopt a child, who no doubt was born out of wedlock. Homosexuality is immoral, and should not be approved by law. If people have problems they should try to find help to correct it. Changing the law is not an option. Perhaps we should free serial killers who kill for fun, and change the law to actually allow it. These people are, after all, sick and they are therefore hurting others. If we allow these immoral acts to become law we will be laying the foundation of the destruction of humanity as we know it today.

Everyone will agree that it is beneficial for children to grow up in a home with parents, rather than only one. However, two fathers or two mothers instead of one parent may not be the solution. This is because the message that we should be giving over to our children and to future generations (if not for their sake, at least for ours) is that immoality is unaccaptable no matter the situation a person finds themsleves in.

Food for Thought

2005-12-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

The views expressed in a comment on yesterdays post, are no doubt shared by many people aside from Joe. There are, however, a few misunderstandings which I wish to clarify. Perhaps then the post will be understood.

I think there are two main points that need clarification. The first one is that Joe obviously has mistaken my identity. He calls me a fundie, which implies that I am a Christian. That will also explain his last sentence, "Geez, way to make my side look bad." Because in his view we are on two different "sides," meaning two different religions. If the reader will read some of my previous posts it will be quite obvious that I am a Jew. Therefore, your "side" is my "side," too. We are both on the same team.

Second, even if I were to be a Christian, does that not mean that I don't know what God wants? "Such hubris, to think YOU of all people know God's will!" If the Bible says something explicitly, then regardless of your religion, that is God's will, and will forever remain God's will no matter what anyone does, or tried to do about it. It is a fact that will not change, just as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West always and will never rise in the West and set in the East. That's the way God created the world, and that's the way it's going to be for everyone.

In addition, although the comment doesn't say this clearly, I nevertheless get the feeling that when Joe writes that he's "a Jew who supports Israel," he actually means to say that he supports the Israeli government. Which brings me to this question: If in a few years the Palestinians have a majority population in Israel, and a Palestinian is elected Israeli Prime Minister, will you continue to support the Israeli government in all their decisions? If you would not support that government, why should you support everything the current government is doing if it is harming Jews and harming our sovereignty in our land?!

Just a little something to think about over the weekend. Shabbat Shalom to all.

A True "Genius"

2005-12-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

Today the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Israel should move to Europe. If you read the article you will see that his reasoning is that since Germany and Austria killed millions of Jews, they should now accomodate them. However, his argument has so flaws to it, that it is amazing to see a leader of a country make such foolish comments.

Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said in Tel Aviv that Ahmadinejad was voicing "the consensus that exists in many circles in the Arab world that the Jewish people ... do not have the right to establish a Jewish, democratic state in their ancestral homeland."

"Just to remind Mr. Ahmadinejad, we've been here long before his ancestors were here," Gissin said. "Therefore, we have a birthright to be here in the land of our forefathers and to live here. Thank God we have the capability to deter and to prevent such a statement from becoming a reality."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "It just further underscores our concerns about the regime in Iran and it's all the more reason why it's so important that the regime not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons."

The Bible clearly states that the land was promised to Abraham, his son Isaac, and his son Jacob. Genesis Chapter 17 God promises Abraham a son with Sarah. Verse 18-19: "And Abraham said to God, 'O that Ishmael might live before you!' God said, 'Nonetheless, your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will fulfill my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.'"

What is that covenant? Genesis 17:8: "and I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourns - the whole of the land of Canaan - as an everlasting possesion; and I shall be a God to them."

That is all the reasoning needed, there is nothing more what to say or argue about. The land of Israel belongs to the Jews not because of the holocaust or any other persecution. It is Jewish land because God wants it to belong to the Jews. Besides for the fact that the Muslims themselves have persecuted Jews throughout the generations so that if persecution is a valid reason to give someone land, the Jews deserve it for that as well.

The problem is, however, that many people believe that Israel was made a safe haven, so to speak. It came as a result of the holocaust, when Jews had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn to, no one to help them, they were left alone without anything to defend themselves with. Israel was supposed to change that. It obviously hasn't, just look at all the bombings and terror attacks on Israelis and Jews in general worldwide. If the only reason for Israel's existence is to guarantee safety to world Jewry, then it has failed its mission. But that isn't the reason for Israel, despite what other people might think, or claim to know. Israel is Jewish land because God deemed it to be, it always belonged to Jews, and forever will. Just because for a while it was stolen and others held it, that does not take away the ownership of the land from its rightful owners.

A Doctor's Responsibilities

2005-12-07T14:02:00.000-05:00

In yesterdays post I explained that the Palestinian psychiatrist, Dr. Iyad Zaqout is wrong for what he is doing. Today I want to show you a little bit of my reasoning why he is wrong. There are many moral and ethical violations he commits when he supports terrorism. There are those that will say, however, that his cause is justified. It is to such people that this post is dedicated. Below I bring you the Physician's Oath, by the Islamic Code of Medical Ethics, which was adopted in January 1981:

-I swear by God, The Great;

-To regard God in carrying out my profession;

-To protect human life in all stages and under all circumstances, doing my utmost to rescue it from death, malady, pain, and anxiety;

-To keep people's dignity, cover their privacies and lock up their secrets;

-To be, all the way, an instrument of God's mercy, extending my medical care to near and far, virtuous and sinner and friend and enemy;

-To strive in the pursuit of knowledge and harnessing it for the benefit but not the harm of mankind;

-To revere my teacher, teach my junior, and be brother to members of the medical profession joined in piety and charity;

-To live my Faith in private and in public, avoiding whatever blemishes me in the eyes of God, His apostle and my fellow Faithful;

-And may God be witness to this Oath.

Nowhere in this oath does it mention the fact that during an "intifada going on [and] incidents are escalating" is it permitted to kill others. This "doctor's" actions not only run contrary to most normal, humane societies, it is also contrary to Islamic medical ethics.

This is Ridiculous!

2005-12-06T12:41:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't forgotten about you, my loyal readers (what readers?), my schedule has been a bit hectic lately so I wasn't able to post. However, after hearing about yesterdays suicide bombing in a shopping mall in Netanya, Israel, I decided that I need to publish this post with a video that someone emailed me. Here's the video for you to see. After you watch it, think about what you saw, and then continue.

The barbarians committing these atrocious acts of cowardice are no doubt mentally unstable. Many mentally unstable beings go to a doctor commonly knows as a psychiatrist, who helps them get better so that they can live in a normal society with normal people and interact appropriately. However, in this video we see that a Palestinian psychiatrist, Dr. Iyad Zaqout justifies what these animals are doing! Is that the role of a doctor??!

These are the exact words (minus the accent) that the "doctor" says, "As long as the intifada is going on, as long as the incidents are escalating, we will have children who are ready to become martyrs, who are ready to become suicide bombers." Why doesn't he try to heal these slumbags who are willing to die and kill others for $23? He shouldn't be justifying their crimes! Is it a wonder why the terror activities are continuing? The responsibility for yesterdays bombing and the deaths and injuries that resulted from that bombing, equally belong to those that preach terror and justify terror, and the suicide bombers themselves. These murderous "doctors" have innocent human blood on their hands, and should be punished severely for their criminal acts!

No Mercy!!

2005-11-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

Someone sent me this clip and I want you to see it. Click here to see it, and then continue reading.

Quite freaky, isn't it? They say that we make terrorist, by the United States liberating Iraq they created the insurgency, when the Israeli army defends their citizens they, too, create terrorists. At least that's what people would like you to believe. The truth, however, is otherwise.

Why did Wafa try to kill Israelis? Did they ever harm her or anyone on her family? The excuse Latifa gives us is because, "she had terrible parents, her fiance left her, she felt abandoned and ugly. She cried and said, 'I want to die.' She said, 'Someone give me a bomb.'" Were her parents Israeli? Was her fiance Israeli? She felt "abandoned and ugly" as a result of the actions of her fellow Palestinians. Why not blow herself up amongst those that made her feel this way? Why kill innocent Israelis who never even met her?!

Now that she's in jail and at the mercy of the Israeli justice system she starts crying crocodile tears. "I wanted to be a martyr, but now I want to live, please forgive me. Don't put me in jail for life. I didn't kill anyone." History has shown us that when terrorists are freed from jail they tend to continue their terrorist activities. Who says she won't try it again if she's released? If she is released will that make her not feel "abandoned and ugly" anymore? Not in the slightest, so what guarantees she won't do this again? She says she "didn't kill anyone" as though she were a righteous woman who saved peoples' lives. She didn't kill anyone because, with the help of G-d, she was caught by Israeli soldiers before she crossed the border crossing. Even then she tried to detonate herself not once, but twice! The bomb didn't blow up and it's no thanks to her that it didn't, she did everything in her power to detonate it. Of course now she wants to live and not be put in jail for life, so that she can try this stunt again! She is a terrorist who must be punished to fullest extent allowed by law, and perhaps even further.

The Problem

2005-11-10T13:37:00.000-05:00

Like I reported in an earlier post about France's troubles, the same holds true for Belgium. Although it's not definite why cars were set ablaze in Belgium, I am quite sure the reasons are the same as in France. Although the Belgian Muslims don't have the excuse of the headscarf ban, they are causing trouble in any case. This is something that I knew for awhile already, that European countries cannot stand up to terrorists, at least they pretend that they can't.

I was in Belgium about a year and a half ago; I was in the central train station in Brussels, the capital. It was early morning when I was traveling, and by the time I'd reach my destination, in Holland, it would be afternoon. Therefore I decided to pray the morning prayers before I got on the train. So I went and found a quiet corner were there were no people and hardly anyone walking by, and figured that this would be a nice place for me to pray without being disturbed. As I was praying two Muslims came up behind me, and were speaking rather loudly and quickly in Arabic. I didn't understand everything they were saying being that my Arabic is a bit rusty. I did, however, understand a word that they repeated a few time: Yahud (Jew).

I turned around to face them and saw that they were looking right at me and walking straight towards me. I assumed they were looking for a fight, so I stood up and looked them straight in the eye. I gave them "the look," the one which says that I mean business. If they wanted a fight, that was fine, but it would be a fight to the end. They were apparently not looking for a fight that goes to the end and decided to walk away instead. Perhaps they didn't think a Jew would stand up to them and not be afraid of their threats.

As soon as they left I went back to my prayers. Before long I was again disturbed, this time by Belgian security. They asked me to please leave and not to pray in the station. There was no law against praying there, there was no law banning me from being in the station. However, for my safety, they urged me to listen to them. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Instead of protecting an innnocent person who has never done anything wrong, never broke any laws or vandalized property, they chose to side with the aggressors. This is because they are afraid to stand up, look terrorism square in the eye, and put their foot down.

I have an amazing idea for these countries. Why not put all innocent, law abiding, tax paying citizens behind bars with electric fences and barbed wire. No one will be able to get in or out, so their safety will be guaranteed. Let the killers and rapists run loose in the streets and perhaps they might just kill themselves out. The job of security forces worldwide is to ensure to safety of its citizens and visitors. Part of that means arresting people who are disturbing the peace and trying to instigate violence on any level.

Nobody is born a serial killer, they build up. First they start off stealing candy from a store, then they start mugging people until they reach a point where human life is valueless. To prevent big crimes from happening, you have to crack down on the new guys trying to work their way up the ladder of crime. As long as a government can't realize its responsibilities, its future is in question. Like those of France and Belgium, and, sad to say, many others.

Election Day

2005-11-07T14:53:00.000-05:00

So tomorrow is election day and we are voting for mayor in NYC. Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems like the winner against former Bronx Borough president Fernando Ferrer. He spent millions of dollars on his campaign, even when the polls showed him at 60% to Ferrer's 30%. This is obviously the mind of a businessman, he spends millions of dollars to get his message across. It is no wonder that he is a billionaire, he definitely knows how to market himself (and other things, too).

Ferrer, who is running as a democrat, is having difficulties with Bloomberg, who is running as a republican, even though NYC is a city dominated by democrats. People, however, seem to forget that Bloomberg wasn't always a republican. In fact, he only became a republican right before the previous mayoral elections, when he realized that he couldn't run as a democrat. Up until that time he was a democrat. His actions, too, are moderate if not left leaning. Similar to NYS Governor George Pataki, who is a republican, yet is liberal on many issues. That perhaps is the only way for a republican to win an election in this part of the country. The same goes for former mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Don't get me wrong, I support both Pataki and Giuliani, voted for them in elections, and I support Mike Bloomberg as well. Tomorrow I will vote for Mike, definitely because I don't want Ferrer, and also because he has done a good job. Granted he isn't Rudy, and I'm sure that there are many people out there who could do a better job than him. However, he has done a lot of good things for the city, even though there were some things that he did which weren't so good. Therefore (and because of some other reasons, too), I support Mike.

A Lonely Person

2005-11-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

When the US invaded Iraq, French president Jacques Chirac opposed the move. He was against the idea of imposing our beliefs on other people. That caused alot of friction between France and the USA. Americans started despising the French and their products, just as much as the French despised Americans and their products. But now they stand alone, without the Americans and without the Muslims.

The French first rubbed shoulders with their friends, the Muslims, when they banned them from wearing religious garb to public schools. The ban wasn't directed at Muslims exclusively, however they threatened to attack France if the law was passed. Apparently they were waiting for an excuse to attck France. They found an excuse ten days ago.

French police came to investigate a crime scene and three youths thought the police were coming for them, the police deny it. Believing the police were after them they started to run. They found a place to hide in a power substation where they were accidentaly electrocuted. I've seen police many times, I never ran from them, I'm not afraid of police. That's because I'm a law abiding citizen. Only criminals have reason to run from law enforcement officials. So why were these youths "running from police?" What crime did they do? What were they trying to hide? But that doesn't matter, what matters is that the Muslims found an excuse to declare war on France.

Since then violent riots have been spreading throughout the country. Every day in seems to grow to other cities, and the damage done is climbing steadily. Last night about 1,300 cars were torched, up from about 900 the night before. Police and firefighters were attacked with baseball bats and pickaxes. Last week, paramedics were stoned when they attempted to treat a patient who was ill; their ambulance was set ablaze. Schools were torched, businesses looted, cars destroyed. The picture at left shows a nursery that was burned, and the roof collapsed. Burned toys were scattered on the ground beneath some pictures of school children which remained hanging on the wall.

The French demanded the army be broght in or they be allowed to take up arms to defend themselves. The French government, however, is not allowing militias. What are these people supposed to do? The government isn't putting a stop to the violence and doesn't allow them to put a stop to it. Does this mean that the end of France is near? How many more nights will it take for these hoodlums to burn down the entire country?

In cities where unemployment is above 20%, a family car can mean a lot to them. Imagine what they are going through now when they wake up in them orning and find their car torched? Imagine yourself, as someone who makes a nice living and has a nice house. What would your reaction be to finding your car torched in the morning? Why is this happening? Because Muslims are being allowed to vent their rage and humanity. It must be stopped if we wish to perserve democracy.

Zuma

2005-11-05T21:55:00.000-05:00

Well, what I can say? I'm a bit of an addict. To computer games, that is, and there are quite a few games out there that can be addictive. Today I want to discuss a game called Zuma, pictured above.

The truth is that I don't even know why this game is addictive, I can go a few days without playing it, so I don't think it can really be called an addiction. However, I enjoy playing this game immensely. I play it very often and I try to convince myself that it has some good things to it. That if I play this game it'll sharpen some of my senses.

But in order to understand how, let me explain how the game goes in short. There are different color balls on the screen, as you can see (unless your screen is black and white). The balls keep moving along their tracks until they reach the skull(s) where they get swallowed up, in which case you lose the game (or a life in the game). Your objective is to clear the screen of balls by shooting same colored balls at groups of balls. There need to be at least two balls (plus the one you shoot) to get the balls off the screen.

There are many tricks to the game of how you can get more points, and how you can cause the balls to go back on the track. But this isn't the time or place for any of that. Some hints are posted on the website and others you just pick up after playing for some time.

The site offers a free online version of the game which has four levels; each level has four sublevels, so to say. As you advance in the levels, the balls move along quicker, and there are more colors. This obviously makes the goal harder with each level. You only get three lives to play the entire sixteen levels (in the picture above I am in the last level available online, and I'm on my second life). In other words, with eacj passing level you have to get quicker and more decisive. You don't have time to start debating where it is better to shoot a ball. If you do procrastinate that way, you will find it very difficult to finish the game. It is this that I have convinced myself which is beneficial for me (and you). By being put into these "situations" where you have to make quick decisions which can mean winning or losing a game, you are sharpening your leadership abilities, without endangering anyone, or anything.

This could be all a bunch of baloney, or it could be not. One thing is certain, though, if you are bored and have nothing to do, this game won't harm you any more than doing nothing will. It may not be advisable to waste precious time from doing something else which is constructive (like posting a blog), but for those times you just want to relax, this is great.

You are welcome to try the game and see how you like it, and how you do. In the picture you can see that my score is holding at 112780, at the end of this game, however, I had a score over 125000 (if I remember correctly). So try it out, and try to beat my score, and perhaps you might make it to the Zuma highscores. What do you think?

"Europe Died With Auschwitz"

2005-11-03T13:32:00.000-05:00

After the original post of Mark Twain and the response that I received and posted, I got another e-mail along the same lines. The following is an article which was written by a Spanish journalist, Sebastian Villar Rodriguez, in September 2005.

Europe Died With Auschwitz

I was walking along Raval (Barcelona) when all of a sudden I understood that Europe died with Auschwitz. We assassinated 6 million Jews in order to end up bringing in 20 million Muslims!

We burned in Auschwitz the culture, intelligence and power to create. We burned the people of the world, the one who is proclaimed the chosen people of God. Because it is the people who gave to humanity the symbolic figures who were capable of changing history (Marx, Einstein, Freud...) and who is the origin of progress and wellbeing.

We must admit that Europe, by relaxing its borders and giving in under the pretext of tolerance to the values of a fallacious cultural relativism, opened its doors to 20 million Muslims, often illiterates and fanatics that we could meet, at best, in places such as Raval, the poorest of the nations and of the ghettos, and who are preparing the worst, such as the 9/11 and the Madrid bombing and who are lodged in apartment blocs provided by the social welfare.

We have also exchanged culture with fanaticism, the capacity to create with the will to destroy, the wisdom with the superstition. We have exchanged the transcendental instinct of the Jews, who even under the worst possible conditions have always looked for a better peaceful world, for the suicide bomber. We have exchanged the pride of life for the fanatic obsession of death.

Our death and that of our children. What a grave mistake that we made!!!

Here is a person who lives in Europe and is experiencing our worst nightmares on a daily basis. Let's hope it is an experience we will never have to witness, nor one that our children will have to witness. We need to unite to end the terror.

Who needs insurance?

2005-11-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

Some guy is walking down the street and falls in front of your house. He decides that since it is easy to sue in this country, he will. However, the case never actually goes to court because you settle out of court, yet your insurance premiums still go up. Isn't that weird?

The reason that your premium goes up is because you had a case brought against you, regardless of the outcome. The case could have been dropped, or a judge could have thrown it out of court, your premiums will still go up. The reason is because something is wrong, something happened and the insurance company is afraid it might happen again. So they raise your premiums. Does that make sense to you?

The only reason why people take out insurance is in the event they get sued they will not have to declare bankruptcy. The insurance companies know quite well why people get insurance policies, they weren't conned into covering anyone. The reason why people pay them is so that if/when they're sued they'll be covered, and here the insurance company comes along and starts charging them more. Is that not the exact reason why this person got insurance in the first place?!

If the insurance companies are afraid that he is reckless or negligent with his property and this caused someone to fall on his property, then what will it help by raising his premium? Someone else will fall and sue and the insurance company will have to pay for it, does the extra couple of dollars they're making off someone by raising their premiums really gonna make a difference when he's sued for a few million dollars? Or perhaps they're giving him a fine for being irresponsible/negligent with his property. But what authority do they have to do that?

Here's the catch. Being that people need insurance because they are afraid of being sued, the insurance company can do whatever they like, and people will pay out of fear of losing their coverage. Sort of like blackmail, no? What do you think?

"Jews go home"

2005-10-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've last updated. My schedule was a bit hectic lately, and now there are cobwebs on my screen. Well, not anymore, I brushed it off already. I hope that in the future this won't happen and I'll be able to update the blog more often.

I would like to share with you some feedback that I received about one of my earlier posts. You are welcome to read the comments left there, but I want to post something I got from a friend of mine. It is an editorial from the Colorado Gazatte Telegraph from June 1, 1973, by William Atken. Mr. Atken is not a Jew, just as the Telegraph is not a Jewish journal. Mr . Atken was commenting on the slogan which appeared during a flurry of Nazi scrawlings on synagogues and other public buildings.

JEWS GO HOME

"Jews go home" - Well, now this is nothing new. Never in the past have you taken this gentle suggestion to move on. But Heaven forbid, suppose just this once, you thought that expression of a few sick people actually expressed the conviction of all the people in this wonderful land of ours and all of you started to pack your bags and leave for parts unknown.

Just before you leave would you do me a favor?

Would you leave the formula for the Salk Vaccine with me before you leave? You wouldn't be so heartless as to let my children contact polio.

And would you please leave your knack for government and politics and persuasion and literature and good food, and fun and love, and all those things, and would you please leave me with the secret of your desire to succeed?

And please have pity on us, please show us the secret of how to develop such geniuses as Einstein and Steinmetz and oh, so many others who have helped us all. After all, we owe you most of the A bomb, most of our rocket research and perhaps the fact that we are alive today.

On your way out, Jews, will you do me a favor?

Will you please drop by my house and pick me up too? I'm not sure I could live too well in a land you weren't around to give us as much as you have given us. If you ever have to leave, love goes with you, democracy goes with you, everything I and my buddies fought for in World War Two goes with you; G-d goes with you.

Just pull up in front of my house, slow down and honk because so help me, I'm going with you too.

Here we have another article similar to the other one, although they were written 75 years apart.

"Concerning the Jew"

2005-10-06T16:10:00.000-04:00

Someone gave me an interesting article I would like to share with all of you. It was written in 1898 by the famed author, Mark Twain. At the end of the essay he leaves off with a question, let's try to answer it for him.

Concerning the Jew

If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but ONE PERCENT of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the milky Way. Properly the Jew ought to be hardy heard of; but he is heard of always has been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also way out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world, in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be in vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, the Persian rose filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in the twilight now or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no showing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret to his immortality?

So there you have it, indeed an interesting thing to read. More interesting, however, would be the answer to his question. If anyone thinks they can answer it, go ahead.

The Airlines and Fuel

2005-10-01T21:18:00.000-04:00

American Airlines announced that it will cancel some flights because of fuel costs. Also within the last month, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Among many issues facing the airlines was the price of fuel. Of course, the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina didn't help their woes, it actually fueled (no pun intended) the problem.

How did we get to such a state where huge corporations are being forced to cut back on their services, lest they go out of business? More importantly, is there anything that we can do help the situation?

Everyone knows that the main issue is the fuel, something for which we depend greatly on other countries. But do we really have to? If we can somehow get around OPEC, and pay alot less for fuel than we are currently, we just might be able to help these crippling companies. Since 9/11 the airlines were struggling because more people are afraid to fly. The industry had to invest alot of money into security at all our airports, to ensure the safety of travellers. The war on terror caused the price of oil to go up, all this at a time when less people are flying, less money is coming in, yet more money needs to be spent.

Virgin Atlantic is planning to acquire their own oil refineries to bring down the price for jet fuel. If we started drilling for crude oil, will that not bring down the price of oil? Why is it that when a natural disaster like Katrina upsets the price of oil people try to do whatever they can to bring the price down, but when the price of oil is in the hands of OPEC nobody decides that it's enough and we should begin drilling for oil?!

Do We Have To Live With Jihad?

2005-09-28T20:50:00.000-04:00

I was reading an article by time which I would like to comment on. The article is available for everyone to read, however, for those of you that don't want to go there, I will sum it up for you. The article is about "Generation Jihad," and you probably can guess what it's referring to without me explaining it to you.

The reporters are trying to understand the latest terrorist trend, of using home grown terrorists. These terrorists are attacking the countries they once called home, even killing their neighbors for Allah. The reporters spoke with many people, mainly from Europe, about the situation there. They all seem to be saying the same thing, that Muslim youth are turning to extremism. The reasons many give for this is because they are frustrated and upset that Muslims are being mistreated around the world, and the West isn't helping them. Therefore the Muslim youth become jihadists so that their voices should be heard. The article ends off saying, "If the world hopes to understand - let alone overcome - the anger that roils Europe's young Muslims, it had better start to listen."

It is interesting to note that in the article, the last sentence isn't in quotations, rather it is the view of the reporters. I'm not sure if they are just trying to scare the nation, or perhaps threaten the free world on behalf of the terrorists. Either way, it's not very comforting, knowing that these people, who try to shape the opinions of many Americans, believe that the only way to win is by listening to terrorists. History has shown us countless times that appeasement doesn't work, it never did, doesn't today, and never will. Terrorists will forever terrorize people whenever they have the chance.

It is a popular belief, in this country and abroad, that our counterterrorist activities are causing the rise in terror attacks. Did these people forget that the war on terror began as a result of terrorists (repeatedly) attacking us, and the free world, for no reason? Do they really believe that if we were to ease up on the terrorists and allow them to operate unhindered that they would let us live in peace?

I don't think anyone can find a fire chief anywhere in the world that would tell you that his department doesn't fight fires aggressively. That they believe that the fire won't consume anything if you allow it to do whatever it wants to without bothering it. Every child knows that the only way to put out a fire is with water, lots of water. The terrorists will not relent because we give them space to operate freely, on the contrary. The only way to stop it is by making sure they don't have the opportunity to recruit, train and carry out acts of terror. That cannot be done by listening to them, because they only speak of hate. It is hard to comprehend how people would be willing to allow terrorists to prosper, falsely believing that it is in our best interest. At least we are lucky that these people aren't charged with the defense of our country.

Welcome to 3Pillars

2005-09-27T00:27:00.000-04:00

First I would like to welcome you all to our world. I say our world because this isn't only my space on the web, this is a place for everyone to interact and give their own comments and opinions. By doing this we will be forming our world, based on the three pillars. It is together that we have strength, and it is together that our world will prosper. I don't want to bore you just yet, there will be a lot of time for that later.

Our world isn't limited to any one subject, rather it is all-encompassing; indeed, it is a world. I hope to make additions very often. More specifically, to update the posts and add interesting links to our world. Hopefully we will be able to arrange events where we can all participate together, like a family. Our world is the place to be when your bored (obviously), and when you're not bored, too (don't let your boss catch you)!