A friends cat. They could not longer care for her. Her names Chammomile and she is a grey tabby cat, thin and wiry, very sweet and friendly; loves to cuddle. I had to make a temporary litter box from an old-dishpan and dirt, and till we get food for her, hopefully today, and bowls, she is eating doggie food. Caesar is such a dear, he just wants to be friends, but she isn't sure about him yet, though I think she realizes he isn't dangerous; when he is sleeping she'll slip past him.
We need to get her all her shots, and I'm praying she isn't pregnant. They let her go out; we plan to make her an inside cat.
Oh, but she is adorable! Cammie for short.
Catch-22
And regretting that this isn't my second time around.
I got it this morning, am half-way through and plan on finishing it tonight so I can present it to my son, the Wit on Shabbat or Rosh Hashanah, which ever.
Now why didn't someone tell me to read this years ago?
My sincerest apologies. This should have been posted last week. I asked for permission to post this here, but didn't see it when it arrived.
Eleven more dissident children jailed in Israel
You remember the last crop of teenaged disengagement opponents who were thrown into jail, a few weeks ago. You're about to hear about a fresh crop of arrested preteen political dissidents here in Israel, but first let's backtrack:A few of the girls arrested for several WEEKS (not days), last month, were as young as 13 and 14. They were locked into real jails, intended for adults -- really and truly. But eventually they were released, due to an outcry throughout the world about the way Sharon's Israel is treating such young dissidents. Other countries do not even treat very young criminals this way. Please help us create the same outcry today -- see below.
By the way, perhaps you don't believe that young children aged 15 or 12 or 9 can think, feel and act like real, fiery dissidents. "Their parents are to blame -- they must be putting them up to it!", I can hear you thinking. But no. These dissident children's bitter opposition is definitely their own and not their parents'. Many of them come from small communities which have suffered multiple catastrophes at the hands of the Palestinians who Premier Sharon is trying to appease yet again. Take the community of Itamar, for example. In a community of about 90 families -- less than one small city street here in my town -- three fathers were shot to death by Palestinians in three separate incidents only months apart, a few years back. Next, Palestinian gunmen slipped into the community and succeeded in shooting three teenagers to death. Finally, in yet another attack on the 90 families of Itamar, some time later, more terrorists succeeded in penetrating a house. The father and some older sons were not home. By the time the terrorists were overcome, the mother and three of her younger children were dead. An incredibly brave and selfless neighbor immediately realized what had happened, and tried his best to rescue them, but he was shot to death too. Leaving yet another family of orphans in Itamar.
I will never forget the newspaper picture of a neighbor lugging one of the remaining children, with difficulty, through the gun-sprayed house. The terrorists had left this child, who looked about 8 or 10 years old, with only one leg. No mother - three dead siblings - and only one leg. If this is the lasting impression that one newspaper picture of this kid left on me -- I cannot imagine, even after my two academic degrees in psychology, the effect that these events must have on the children of Itamar and other, similar communities. After all, the classmates of this crippled child see him every single day.
Back to the present. This week, 11 dissident girls, aged 12 to 15, managed to visit the ruins of the erstwhile Jewish village of Sa-Nur. Last month Sharon gave orders for Sa-Nur's peaceful Jewish inhabitants to be dragged out and their homes razed, to make more room -- even more room -- for the Arab nation. Of course, the Israeli police -- too understaffed to adequately control traffic accidents, drug abuse and organized crime -- promptly arrested these girls for making this visit.
Just for comparison, a delinquent boy here in Rehovot, home of the Weizmann Institute of Science, where I live, was recently NOT arrested by the police although the police caught him red-handed, performing a robbery and armed with a knife. He was drunk, and high on drugs, but the police released him. They did not even dream of releasing those (politically) dangerous girls who walked into Sa-Nur, but him they released right away. This released drunk delinquent boy drug-addict found a 15 year old girl to prey on, right here in Rehovot, only a couple of hours after he was released. He killed her. Not long ago I asked our Rehovot police force about that case, because I was shocked that dissidents were being arrested whereas criminals caught red-handed were not being arrested. The Rehovot policemen furiously retorted that their handling of the case had been excellent. "As soon as we heard that a girl was dead -- we came to the scene," they told me with pride.
So, we need to protest the jailing of these very young dissident girls. But the story is not over. These girls were brought in a paddy wagon (wagon for transporting arrested criminals) to the court and ordered to descend and enter the courthouse. The girls refused. Obviously!! They are dissidents, so not surprisingly they do not choose to recognize any court's authority to judge a Jew for merely walking around in the Land of Israel. These 12 to 15 year old girls barred the door of the arrest wagon so that the police would not drag them out violently.
The police could have asked the judge to conduct the girls' hearing in absentia. Instead they did something disgraceful, illegal and dangerous: They tried to squelch these girls by turning off the ventilator in the sealed paddy wagon -- leaving 11 girls to roast in a tiny, sealed, unventilated area in the heat of the Israeli summer.
Is it necessary to explain how dangerous that is? It is unnecessary to explain it to any Israeli, policeman or otherwise. All of us Israelis remember, and certainly any Israeli policeman must remember, the headlines not long ago when a 6 year old girl from Rishon LeZion was left (accidentally) in a locked bus and rapidly suffocated to death. The policemen could easily have killed those girls. The girls could have suffocated to death or suffered brain damage. The police must have known this.
And one more thing. The above incident occurred in the late afternoon. One of the things the hostile judge did manage to find out, was that the 11 girls had been given nothing -- nothing -- to eat, all that day. No lunch, no snack, no breakfast -- absolutely nothing, was given to this group of eleven girls aged 12 to 15. Can you imagine what would have happened if -- Heaven forfend -- a Palestinian had been mistreated in this way? Every "humanitarian" (sic) organization in this country would have beaten a path to the door of the High Court of Justice. But for these girls, not a single "humanitarian" organization has taken action.
"What can I do?" I can hear you saying. You can do a great deal, to help us protest:
* the incarceration of these young girls,
* their being starved for an entire day and
* the suffocation incident.Your protest could be as drafted as you please, or you could simply write:
"Re: Complaint about the State of Israel's treatment of the eleven preteen girls"
"I hereby protest the jailing of 11 preteen girls who did nothing except walk peacefully through their own land -- the Land of Israel. I also protest the criminal suffocation of these young girls in the "zinzana" (paddy wagon) and ask that the responsible policeman be criminally indicted for intentionally endangering the lives of 11 minors. Finally I protest the inhumane starvation of these girls for an entire day. I DEMAND THAT THE PERSONNEL WHO PERPETRATED THESE ACTS AND THEIR COMMANDING OFFICERS BE RELIEVED OF THEIR DUTIES IMMEDIATELY AND INDICTED SUBSEQUENTLY. I ASK THAT YOU RESPOND TO THIS LETTER BY PROVIDING ME ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED AND WHAT YOU PERSONALLY INTEND TO DO ABOUT IT. WHEN WILL THESE GIRLS BE RELEASED??? (Signed:)* Please call, or send the above letter or one of your own to your local Israeli embassy, if you live abroad. Build consciousness in your community by writing a letter to your local Jewish newspaper explaining what you wrote to the embassy and publicly urging the embassy to respond.
* Please write to Dr. Yizhak Kadman, ncc@children.org.il, who runs Israel's children's rights organization. Urge him to take immediate action on behalf of these girls! Dr. Kadman does not share your political opinions and mine which is why he needs to be reminded -- by you -- to take action.
* Please contact the Minister of Justice Zippy Livni (sar@moia.gov.il and the Minister of Police Gidon Ezra (sar@mops.gov.il) and ask them what is going on. Send reminders until you get answers. These two ministers are about to stand for re-election, so you may find them more responsive than usual.
* And please -- keep us posted. Keep all your friends and relatives posted as well.Thank you so much for your assistance.
Susie Dym, spokeperson
Mattot Arim
sddym@bezeqint.net
an Israeli grassroots organization working toward peace for peace since 1992PS Some of you have asked in the past why official complaints are not being filed for this type of event. The answer is that complaints are definitely filed, by the legal aid fund Honenu and its close associate Zchuyot Adam beYesha, but only to the extent that Honenu's fantastically dedicated volunteers and few paid attorneys can handle the torrent of events. Please therefore promote the efforts of Honenu (http://www.honenu.org.il) to expand their tiny legal staff, in any way you can. Thank you.
Update: Four of the girls have been released from jail, mostly because they are very young -- sixth graders. Those aged 13 and up are still in jail and will be there for at least another week. In direct contradiction to regulations and to a court order dated last week, they are not being permitted to call their parents, read, study schoolwork, or even wash their clothing. YOU can create the public outcry that will help these girls by sending YOUR protest letters NOW. Thank you so much.
Jerusalem, September 23, 2005 Ruth and Nadia Matar
=============================================
Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Tel: 972-2-624-9887 Fax: 972-2-624-5380
mailto:michael@womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.orgTo make a contribution via our secure server or through Paypal, go to: https://host5.apollohosting.com/womeningreen/funds/donation/donation.html
To subscribe to the Women in Green list,
please send a blank email message to:
list4-subscribe@womeningreen.orgTo unsubscribe from the Women in Green list,
please send a blank email message to:
list4-unsubscribe@womeningreen.org
Found all over probably, it is in several of my google alerts. This one is from the San Diego Union Tribune. Emphasis mine. Really, do I need to add anything?
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israeli aircraft unleashed a barrage of missiles early Wednesday and fired artillery into the Gaza Strip for the first time, pushing forward with an offensive despite a pledge by Islamic militants to halt their recent rocket attacks against Israel.Doesn't an offensive imply you go forth first? Unprovoked?
1. I bought an organizer. To organize myself. (duh). Being among those who sort of floats from one thing to another and remembers things about two minutes before they happen I thought this a good idea. As the Artist has not fallen too far from the tree, I plan to incoporate her homework due and tests dates in the book as well. This is because despite having asked her
a)every day when she gets home from school
b)every evening before dinner
c)every night before bedtime
If she has any homework to do for the next day, and having each time last night received a
NO
she had to look up and define a list of spelling words this morning.
Not only that but she misplaced her English notebook.
2) via an e-mail: go to google, enter failure, press "feeling lucky" and have a laugh...oh come on, you know who it will be and it is a joke, regardless of who you voted for.
3)I went into town with a friend for a breakfast date. The Monkey, who is home sick (her father was with her!) called half-way through to say "I miss you! When are you coming home?"
4)According to Tickle my karoke song is "We Got the Beat" by Go-Go's. I suggest that I only be asked to sing if one wnats to torture another.
5)Todays word of the day, according to Wordsmith is FUSCOUS which means dusky or of a brownish-grey color. Now come up with ten sentences using fuscous. Try them out on your friends. Annoy people, it is fun!
I think I need more coffee.
You know, it is so damn hard to control those rockets. Really, a few rockets and no one was killed, so what's the fuss?
Just typical of Israel to break the peace by defending herself.
(yeah, dripping with sarcasm.)
Oh dear, it is starting. That lovely, I would rather walk through fire than go through that stage again, time when young girls are very concerned with what their friends have on.
The utter gal of someone to have the wrong outfit! Why, it is a sin just short of murder!
Now The Artist doesn't really care all that much about what someone else is wearing, though she is getting interested in what she puts on, it hasn't reached the "What will I do stage! I can't wear this with that! Are you crazy!!!" turning her nose up at what seems to me as a perfectly acceptable pairing because the blues aren't right. So I tried to explain to her; you don't care, and you don't make your friends based on dress style that is fine. BUT it is a good idea to become more fashionably inclined. NOT because that is what is important, but because it does make it easier to live. That she can make friends with those who dress "right" and those who dress "wrong" by taking an interest in what she puts on, but not worrying about what someone else wears.
No, this is not the talk I want to have with her. I'd like to tell her clothes don't matter, as long as one is being respectable in terms of how one is dress (jeans aren't appropriate to formal weddings etc.) But reality strikes; and I've decided I don't want her going through this period unprepared. I'm teaching her, or hopefully teaching her, how to walk that fine line between living up one's ideals and living in reality.
I hope I'm doing it right. But that is the pain of parenting; one never really can know how well one is doing, if one is doing it right.
First I would like to thank everyone who took part of my survey. I enjoyed reading your answers and hearing your thoughts on the matter.
This survey was begun because of an e-mail debate on a list I belong to.
Like many people answering here and on their own blogs, my visceral reaction to PETA is negative. Too often their tactics have been so over the top and, in my eyes contemptible, that I haven't even bothered to listen to their messages even when the ads do not show what I feel is contempt for my fellow human being.
Animals are not equivalent to human beings. Neither is their suffering. That doesn't mean of course that their suffering should go unnoticed. But human beings must come first. The needs of a human outweigh those of an animal.
This would, in my eyes, allow almost anything to be done to an animal if the intent was to improve the human condition (of one or more individuals), under the following qualifications.
1)the use of the animal is necessary for the purpose; it can not be done sufficiently well any other way.
2)the animal is treated as humanely as possible.
Obviously one can haggle here: what do I mean by "improve the human condition", "necessary for the purpose" and what do I mean by "humanely as possible" ? These arguments can go on ad nauseum. In my mind that means eating meat, using animals for experimentation to find cures for illnesses and using animals as companions and aides.
Vegetarianism, especially vegean form of eating, is a higher level of morality in terms of eating, than a omniovorious style, just as someone who devotes most of their hours to charitable work, or who spends all their free time learning Torah, or who gives up their lunch hour to spend time with a friend in need are also acting on a higher level of morality. The ultimate Judge is G-d and how these actions play together is dependent upon many a thing.
PETA undercuts its own good intentions toward animals by not recognizing or not admitting to a difference in the treatment of animals versus treatment of people.
The essence of the Holocaust and the enslavement of Africans and others is that people are reduced to the level of animals. To once again reduce humans to that level, by equating an animal being slaughtered to the Holocaust or depicting a pig on the head of a lynched man, demonstrates to me that, at the very least, those in charge of PETA have no real concept of the depravity of the above two events in human history (and similar actions.)
PETA would do itself a favor if it reexamined itself; its goals and its ideals.
If they truly believe that the difference between animals and people in terms of value is equal then they can never represent me, even if I should come to agree with them in terms of the basic issues.
People are not animals. We were given this world to use; not abuse, but to use, for the betterment of ourselves as a whole.
I do believe a good goal of the human race would be to eliminate the use of animals as much as possible. But with that attempt must come the understanding that people are first, and the needs of the human outweigh the needs of animals.
The Artist called me crying from school; she had gotten stung by a bee.
The Monkey came home crying with a sore throat.
The dog peed on the floor in the middle of the day.
Those were the highlights.
Is it any wonder the dishes never got done?
Deeper meanings delved into at your own risk.
That I still cry when I hear Puff the Magic Dragon?
I'm going to post my thoughts on the Peta thing Sunday. Please keep giving me your thoughts. I want to hear everyone's thoughts and ideas on the matter. Feel free to spread the word.
If the governor and those in charge tell you Rita is coming, please leave, no matter how hard it is on you? Please.
I pray it blows over with nary a tree down, but there has been so much destruction this year.
And if you are in the path, let us know you are safe.
Via arutz7: Arabs Establish Outpost on Hevron's Ancient Jewish Cemetery
Hevron’s Jewish community awoke Wednesday morning to discover that two caravan trailer homes had been placed on an ancient Jewish Ashkenazi cemetery frequented by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement due to the fact that Menucha Rochel, the grand daughter of the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, is buried there.
ON an ancient Jewish cemetary.
But that is okay with the world, It is only Jewish dead.
Yeah, yeah, I'm bitter.
Take it away Esther!
Talk about lighting a fire! A very much needed fire at that. You go girl! WOW!!!
And your reaction is?
I really want to know. This is a kind of survey: could you all just copy the survey, fill it out and post it in the comments.
1.PETA--what is the first image that comes to your mind hearing the name?
2.How do you react emotionally?
3.Do you agree or disagree with PETA's overall message?
4.Do you agree or disagree with how PETA presents that message?
5.Are (or were) you a vegetarian?
6.Do you own any pets?
7.What rights over animals do you think humans should have?
8.Is experimentation on animals always wrong? Sometimes wrong? And if permissable when, what types of experiments, and how should they be conducted?
9. To what uses can we put animals? (Pets only, aide animals etc.)
10. Including PETA, what animal rights groups (if any) do you support?
thank you
(first seen on all4Israel on livejournal)Riot in Taybeh: It started with forbidden love, and ended with murder and mayhem.
And the IDF should have intervened. Pronto.
BY THE WAY: There will be those who would argue that if the IDF did interfere the world would have raised a hue and cry, regardless of the outcome.
I agree. Furthermore, there are those who would argue that the Palestinians, confronted by the IDF may have acted even more violently, deliberatly trying to provoke a death or causing a death and then blaming it on Israel. That is also a possiblity, and could be one reason the IDF held off.
However, I don't believe in caring about what the world thinks. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't so lets just do the right thing, which, in this case would be interfering.
As for predicting a worse outcome; as I said, it could have happened. But then again it may not, and we must, not being seers, act on the information we have at hand. It could very well be that there was additional information that I don't know and that is why the IDF stayed out; I don't know, and I apologize if that is the case.
But as it stands now, it seems they should have interfered. No matter what the world would have said later.
It does make it harder to intervene however, knowing you'll get flack no matter what you do.
As far as what the Palestinian Muslims did:`
This stuff disgust me, it really does.
Tell me the truth, are these people you'd like living next door to you?
Because the dh said I should blog on this.
I think this proves once and for all that you can find anything on the internet.
So which is your favorite? I liked the double sink view, and also the one where it looks like little kitty is trying to turn on the water.
Now that would be one surprised kitty!
Three sick mice from a research facility at the University of Medicine and Dentistry can't be found. Escaped? Stolen? Eaten?
I seem to remember a movie that went along the lines of escaped animal with bubonic plauge, but that ended rather badly. True to the nature of made for t.v. movies lots and lots of people die in yucky ways.
Luckily the authorities in this case have rated the danger as minimal at most, so I don't think N.J. will end up with hospitals filled with the Black Death.''
And it is treatable if caught in time. I'm fairly certain the hospitals are aware and prepared for the small but unlikely possiblity of someone showing these symptoms. (from the CDC site on the plague)
Q. What are the signs and symptoms of plague?
A. The typical sign of the most common form of human plague is a swollen and very tender lymph gland, accompanied by pain. The swollen gland is called a "bubo" (hence the term "bubonic plague"). Bubonic plague should be suspected when a person develops a swollen gland, fever, chills, headache, and extreme exhaustion, and has a history of possible exposure to infected rodents, rabbits, or fleas.
So I really wouldn't get too worked up about it, though I'd be more vigilant than normal if I were living in NJ near the area where said mice may have escaped, and I or a family member developed flu like symptoms.
I'd also be more vigilant about ridding myself of mice.
Sharon just keeps sinking into the depths of stupidy, greed and humilation; toadying up to the world, like a scorned lover accepting even a kick as a statement of love.
And he has the gall to equate himself with G-d!
"Relinquishing any part of our forefathers' legacy is heartbreaking, as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea. Every inch of land, every hill and valley, every stream and rock, is saturated with Jewish history, replete with memories."Fool! He walks backward; if he keeps going in the direction he is going he'll hand us over to the Egyptians as slaves.
But of course this isn't good enough for the Arabs who left the building(in the midst of the above article.), or the Palestinians who are disappointed he didn't offer Israel up to them on a silver platter.
Fool, fool, fool, fool!!!
Although coming from an Owl I'd expect a whoooot! Although maybe that's what happens when Owl is in a good mood.
Get to my blog, and I can get to "best of the rest" I can get to munuvians. What's going on? Can you see me? Cause if your munu I can't see you!
I am doing a great job at avoiding working on my resume. I've done nearly zilch work on it. I've found a resume form place and added a few things, like my name, age, etc. but that is about as far as I got. I just can't seem to write it! I come up to the computer like a dutiful woman, and ARGGGGGGGHHHH....
I don't know. I'm despondent really. Whatever I put down will sound more like the movie version, which is what is wanted, then Rachel Ann.
What have I done? Really? That will get me somewhere without bus fare?
I have a hard time selling myself. I have a hard time entering all those nifty little resume phrases that are really like a good breast job. Everyone knows their fake but they go on pretending anyway.
The place I went to the other day gave me a bit of advice on how to write a resume, sent me some links to which I might apply for jobs, and the recommened
1)I wear black and white
2) get a brimmed black hat
3)wear flats (which I do anyway)
And then she told me the name of a street where there were a lot of job agencies.
Argggggggh...
I'm not looking for this big deal job, just one that will help with the bills I want to do something Rachel Ann not, not this fake woman who wears a black hat and smiles in a sophisticated manner.
I'm not coporate material!!!!
Okay. Next Sunday, I'm setting a time, and a date and writing the @$%#@ thing and sending it to wherever and hope whoever hires me likes me and not the paper version.
So I was cleaning the upstairs yesterday (everyone applaud) and I found a rubber ducky that had been hanging around the bathroom for quite sometime without a thing to do. It's the type that has a little device on the bottom that tells you if your about to scorch you buddle of joy. Haven't needed that part in about five years.
But as I picked it up I realized it had been used since anyone had floated Mrs. Duck in the water. At one time we had a whole flock of ducks; yellow, blue, big and little. Mama would take her familiy out for a swim, courtesy of baby's and mommy's hands. Bathtime was fun time, the end of the day, followed by cuddles and nursing and sleep. I thought it would be forever till they grew quiet enough for me to do something on my own. I imagined a time when they weren't as needy, when I could read without having to change a diaper or comfort a crying child just as it got to the good part.
What a fool. How could I keep wishing for what would be? I wish I had known how precious those moment were and would have treasured them, instead of getting through them. I know that is always the way, I wish it wasn't so.
I want just one more, just one more baby to take through the beginning steps of life, to snuggle, to nurse, to smell that sweet scent of new life. Just one more.
This time I won't watch the hours, I'll invest in them.
(crossposted at A Walk Into My Life
I posted an e-mail about Katrina to a particular e-mail list that I belong to, which is filled, predominantely with liberal minded people. I got some flack, mild, about my use of the word "refugee".
Well, I didn't know what else to call them. Evacuee, the word someone suggested would have been better, would have been fine if I had thought of it, and I've no real objection except it doesn't have the same sort of emotional pull that the word "refugee" has to me.
Refugee conjures up an image of someone who has had to flee with little or no possessions. It stirs up compassion and concern in me.
Someone posted a definition of the word from some dictionary, in which the implication was someone fleeing to another country.
So I did a dictionary search for the word, and found that its basic meaning was someone who flees. Then I googled it in case I was missing something that was going on in the USA and apparently I was. Because I found
this article, which discussed the reactions of many people to the world.
Apparently both Bush and Jesse Jackson are up in arms about it; Bush because he felt the word meant the victims of Katrina weren't as deserving of help, and Jesse Jackson because he saw it as a racist slur.
Other bloggers are talking about this (hey I had to find out).One blogger, Jen of Princesstoots , posted this letter, written by a woman named Miss Gordy, and I urge people to read it. It is an eyeopener.
It is, imho, the final word on the subject.
So, whatever word you use, as long as you are using it with love, what is most important is that these souls receive our prayers, and our support.
As Miss Gordy says:
On behalf of everyone affected by this storm, to the rest of our wonderful country, please stop laying blame and making issues where there are none just to have something to talk about. If you want to help, pray for us. Donate something. Smile at someone who is causing you more traffic than you are used to on your way to work tomorrow, because they don't know their way around your city.
Good advice in general, don't you think?
I don't know how many people have been following this story: Charlottte Wyatt, the little girl the hospital wanted to give up on is doing so much better now, she might soon come home!!! Just take a look at the cutie.
Isn't she worth fighting for?
Susan Anne Catherine Torres little baby born to the brain-dead woman in Virgina died of heart failure yesterday. I was so happy when the child was born. My condolences to the family, especially the father. My heart breaks for him.
Thank you Esther!!! Thank you!!! Please take a bow! The lady did the work herself.
(I'm also inordinately proud of myself for finally figuring out how to embed an image WITH a URL. Slapping myself on the forhead for taking THIS LONG to figure it out.)
Of course this is what most of the thinking world knew would happen. The Palestinians display, again and again, their true character. Of course Sean McCormack, state department spokesman, blames Israel stating
"puts the Palestinian Authority into a situation where it may be criticized for whatever it does."
No sir. They were not damned if they do or damned if they didn't. They were given a gift. They were given a beautiful land that they could have enetered with dignity and honor, showing the world that they were moral, upstanding, honorable, strong citizens of the world, ready and able to take their place among all the great nations.
They could have left the buildings in tact. These were religious sites and they should have been preserved the way millions of religious sites around the world are preserved. If they truly respected places of worship there would have been no problem protecting them.
But they have for years fed their populace on hate.
Instead of a dignified entry into a land they have called their own, filled with speeches and a hand reaching out to Israel, they chose to burn and to loot and destroy.
They had a gift handed to them, not only land that had been cleared and made to blossom, but a gift of demonstrating a new self, a dignified self, a self that was proud and wise and humble and respectful.
But they showed us wildness and lawlessness and hate instead.
They walked into beautiful surroundings; one young student, Muhammad al-Najar, 21, when asked what surprised him most replied "The clean streets and all the trees." (NYTimes article.) These are things this young man coud have had all along. They weren't denied him by the Israelis, they were denied by his leaders.
And at the rate the Palestinians are going he won't have these items for long.
The Palesetinians were handed a gift, and they squandered it. How long before Gush Katif is in ruins? How long before Gush Katif returns to the dead lands they once were? How long will it take them to completely destroy what they were given?
Not long I'm afraid, not long at all.
And of course, somehow, despite the money that will be poured into their coffers, no matter what Israel does, it will be our fault.
But the blame is not ours.
The Palestinians were handed a gift. They sicken themselves and their future generations, and the will reap the havoc and evil that they have sown.
And I pity them.
Everyone has that spark in them, that creative side they might hide. Something they do or make, that comes from deep within them.
If you have something you do, quilting, ATCs, painting, writing..anything really-- either give me a link or download the pics and send me what you got. Maybe it isn't a talent that you can "show". So tell! Tell about the award you won, or how you taught a class and they "got the message" or a case you won by a brilliant summary. I want to blog about you.
I'll post the pics of those without blogs, put a link into those with blogs.
The talent can be anything you do; and don't worry about how well. If you are happy with it, show me, show all! If you want to be annoymous that is fine as well. However you want me to handle it.
But I want the post to be about you--all of you, all my friends and readers out there in the cyber-world.
The post will be about you. A show and tell for grownups.
I've deleted the first two entries. They are now on my prayers and cares section. Eventually the posts for Gush Katif and Katrina will be deleted, hopefully not replaced by any new disasters or horrors. The url infomation will then be added to the "everyday care section". other information saved in some other as yet to be decided form.
The posts are still on this blog however, but just way way down in January.
One of my blog friends gave me some lovely buttons to replace the boring text. And I will attempt to add later today.
Right now I have to procrastinate writing my resume.
I can't get myself into it. I can get myself into writing a "real me" one which I will do and post later, but the one which can help me get a job is just not cooperating.
That's the day I first took on the role of mother. That is the day I opened my arms to be for another wholey and completely. That is the first time someone smaller and weaker than I completely ruled my heart.
I know the day has a sadder connotation to most of the world, but this is the day knew joy as I had never known joy before.
I am so proud of this child grown woman; she has come far in life. She is planning a wedding, working and in law school all at once. She is a marvel, beautiful inside and out.
Happy Birthday beautiful. We love you.
I've linked to the Prayers and Cares blog on the sidebar. I hope that is what people meant. I do hope people make use of the site. I will try and transfer the information tomorrow. Right now I have to get myself and child up the hill to get ONE MORE BOOK that wasn't bought for school.
(sigh)
I don't mind buying the books, but when the people who are selling them are only open for a small part of the day it makes things difficult.
Advisors appointed by Blair after the London bombing are recommending he cancel Holocaust day because IT OFFENDS MUSLIMS!!!!
Yeah, commemerating 6 million Jewish people murdered by a tyranical group of misanthropes is an offensive idea alright: TO MURDERERS. To anyone with a bit of heart and soul it is a right thing to do.
Those advisors should get booted, pronto. Idiots shouldn't be advising anyone, let alone heads of government. And if Blair doesn't kick the little behinds to the curb, what is he telling us fills the space between his ears?
If someone can clue me in to where same-sex marriage is legal I could come in for a lot of money. Just read the e-mail I received via a online penpal service. I mean, WOW!!!! Money AND marriage.
What will scammers think of next?
Hello My lOVEI know that this proposal might be a surprise toyou
but do consider it as an emmergency.In nutshell,I am
Miss Grace John 23 years old from the public
of cote d'ivoire in west Africa,now seeking for refuge
in Dakar Senegal under the(UNHCR).
My (late) father Dr. John Kewrell,was the managing
director of Rainbow Gold and Diamond Mine company in
(cote d'ivoire.But he was killed along side with
my mother during the longing civil war and all his
properties was totally destroyed.
However, after their death I managed to escape
with a very important document (DEPOSIT
CERTIFICATE(US$5.9m)Five million nine hundred thousand
U.S Dollars deposited by my late father in in a
foriegn bank.which i am the next of kin.Meanwhile,i am
saddled with the problem of securing a trust worthy
foriegn personality to helpme transfer the money over
to his country and into hispossession pending my
arrival to meet with him.Furthermore,you can contactthe company forconfirmation and i will issue a letter
ofauthorisation on your name,that will enable
thesecurity company to deal with you on my behalf.I
amgiving you this offers as mentioned with every
confidence on your acceptance to assist me or take me
as your wife and manage the money.Conclusively,i wish
you send me a replyimmediately as soon as you recieve
this proposal.Until then,i remain with the best
regards miss grace
Do you ever feel as if you are not quite in step with the rest of the world? As if you are just a few momments different in time or place? Almost like a film with poor dubbing.
What moves and inspires me doesn't seem to interest others. Often what other's find intriguing leaves me cold. For a long time I thought it was a fault in me; like poor eyesight or hearing, it required some sort of amelioration to fix, but I could never figure out what that aide would be. How do you come to love what bores you? Care about other's feel driven about? I don't mean that I lack sympathy or empathy for another's feelings, nor am I cold-hearted and disdainful of what someone else hopes to achieve. I am supportive of other's goals and needs. But I often seem to be on the outside of most lives, looking in. I cannot connect to the world the way most people seem to....
Or is this just a percception on my part? When we peer deep within our lives are we all aware of the divide that exists between us? Are we all just a bit confused about life?
As I get older I become more comfortable with who I am, and less concerned with how other's perceiving me. I ignore the false goals that come from without me, trying to be what one is suppose to be instead of the best of who I really am. It takes to damn much energy to pursue someone else's dream and the payoff is nothing more than ash in the end.
I suppose if there were one lesson I would give my children before I die that would be it. You, the essence of you, is unique, and that uniqueness has a reason for being in this world. Seek perfection in that, and you will find happiness. Even if no one else seems to understand.
That insomnia is NOT fun. Especially when you no longer have cable and so there isn't a blessed thing to watch on the idiot box. (We can't get any real channels here.)
Well I get to update you on my oh so exciting life.
School is still an "I don't know" factor. Today the kids are suppose to, if the parents want, go on a 'hafganah' to protest their being out of school and the school board not finding an acceptable solution. We however, seeing as my dh's family is still here are doing more tourning. I wouldn't mind the Artist going on the hafganah, however, I really don't like the idea of the Monkey's first day of first grade being one of protest. Somehow that doesn't seem the right tone to start off "real" learning. Hey, I"m an unschooler at heart, real learning goes on all the time, but I think you all get my drift.
The news from the USA is truly horrifying. I couldn't even read the this article till today; the title just threw me emotionally. Dead and dying? I couldn't accept in my mind the idea that people were left to die. But it seems they were. I am also a bit freaked that Wikipedia already has a "Katrina" entry into it. It just seems so odd that something could be written in past tense when it iis, in reality, still happening. I read a line like
On September 4th, Mayor Nagin informed CNN reporter Nic Robertson that the death toll could rise in the thousands after the clean-up is completed.and feel a bit as if I were a time traveler viewing an event from a long time ago., there is a distancing factor to to such archiving of yesterdays events, as if events of just yesterday could be put in a box and set on the shelf. Am I the only one who feels this way?
My prayers are with everyone in the USA.
I love my prayers section, but I have often felt it awkward. People entering my site who are not familiar with my blog yet may not realize there are more posts below. Similarly, when something big happens, like the hurricane, or what happened in the Gush, I want to keep the information ready and avaiallable, but I also want to continue to blog, continue to speak about the other bits and parts of my life. Life does go on, as boring as it may sometimes be.
Sooooooooooooo, I have considered making a second blog, called, at this point, Prayer and Care. It will basically always have two entries; Prayers, a section for people to ask for prayers, and Care where, when there is a major or even minor occurence, I can provide links to sources of help.
Here's the bare bones of the place. What is your opinion? Should there be any other sections? Perhaps a list of organizations that are always there to help? Magden David Ami for exampel. I want to keep this quite simple, and apparently I can't have secondary links, just those imbeded in the entry, which is okay with me at this point.
So nu? Opinions wanted!!!!!
I received this article in my e-mail. I am so throughly and completely disgusted by the Israeli government now. What is with our government? They let terrorist go home, why not this woman?
Reprinted below for your convience.(via Voice of Judea)
Please consider signing the pettition and helping if you can.
Meet Israel's youngest inmate - 9-month-old Miriamby Moshe Ben Israel
The Youngest Israeli prisoner – 9 month old Miriam Medad
Etti Medad of Hebron, mother of nine and grandmother of two was arrested last month with three of her children, nine-month-old Miriam, two year-old David, and five-year-old Yehuda, after she refused to appear in court for her second retrial on charges of participating in an illegal protest against the destruction of Livnat Ozeri's house on Hill 26 in Hebron, two years ago. Etti and her nine-month-old baby remain in prison together for the duration of the trial - something that may take many months.
The fact that Etti was tried and found not guilty of these very same charges in the past, as well as the fact that the case was again closed after it had been reopened a second time has not discouraged the Israeli prosecution from re-opening the case a third time. All of this coupled with the fact that the charges leveled against her are merely misdemeanors have not hampered the prosecution's ability to have Etti and her baby Miriam arrested and detained for the duration of the new trial.
Mishalot Yisrael, the Israeli referendum organization, in conjunction with the group Honenu have embarked upon a national campaign to free Etti and Miriam. Those who wish either to contribute funds to help defray the cost of printing posters and advertising or to help collect signatures demanding their release can contact Mishalot Yisrael at 0544876709 or send a donation to Mishalot Yisrael – POBOX 6592 Jerusalem, Israel 91060
To protest online, please visit http://www.petitiononline.com/emeidad/petition.html .
All signatures will be printed out, faxed and delivered to the President and to the Attorney General of Israel. Please distribute and forward this article anywhere you can.
Katrina did horrible damage. Anyone who is partly awake knows that. How can you help?
I found this on the web. A whole bunch of different places you can donate to. Here's another place.
If you know of others post them in the comments.
Praying for those who have survived this disaster, that they can swiftly rebuild their lives.
My condolences to all who have lost loved ones.
Not here.
We are having a parents strike, voicing our objections to certain decisions that the Department of Education made despite agreements made otherwise.
This could be a good thing if it continues for one more week, as one more week is the duration of my in-laws visit.
This could be a really not so good thing if it continues more than a week. THEY WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL.
Do not ask why they can't be in school anyway, if it is a PARENTS strike. The school is locked. Students who came but did not know they were not suppose to come ended up facing a closed door. What happened to the principle? The teachers?
Don't ask me I just live here.
I just hope the school's starts deferment does not affect the end of school.
(sigh) Oh well. There goes the time alone. At least for a couple of weeks.