Harlem Ghetto

I fetched another batch of surplus books from the University Library. "The Making of the Harlem Ghetto" by Gilbert Osofsky contains some interesting information; for example, New York's African community was founded by West Africans and not by native American Blacks. They were much sought after as household servants, replacing the less valued Irish and German. The gender imbalance was large: more females who had steady, relatively well paid jobs. There started the degradation of the Black male, who could not adapt to city life, and the disintegration of the family structure.

The massive immigration from the South was slow. Southern economy was based on African farmers - owners, shareholders, salaried laborers. Blacks grown up in slavery were appreciated, with their dignified humility and habits of steady work. All Southern States enacted laws against Blacks moving North and part of "racism" was, simply, resentment of their peasants leaving them behind. They tried to replace them with Italians, Portuguese, with total failure.

Harlem served for long time as New York's source of docile labor, but from 1930 the violence started with the introduction of drugs and political power (sale of votes). According to the book, till then Blacks worked very hard and earned their keep. One concludes that the current situation of the Afro-American population, where many live off the Government and enjoy special privileges, is something temporary and results from Blacks getting more organized than the general population (I think American Jews had a part in it) and exercising focused political power. But already Plato in "The Republic" said that total democracy cannot last and tends to evolve into an authoritarian regime. Maybe it is happening?

(Another question is what do I care? I am an old-old Jew in the Middle East, wasting time while lying to my desperate clients that I am working on their projects.)

Building Europe

Europe is going through a prolongued crisis that is destroying wealth by the trillions. People is losing their investments, their pensions, their jobs. It's almost like a war. Since the old European Union stopped working and people lost confidence in the Euro, something new will surely emerge. Maybe a closer and stronger union.

Satisfaction

Today, at the end of the class, a student came to ask me detail about my rainwater infiltration sinkhole (see detail). He is a working engineer (without title yet) at a large building site in Tel Aviv, and the Municipality is demanding from them to solve the surface runoff disposal problem. In Tel Aviv, built on sand dunes, the freatic water table is very near the surface, causing severe damages to the the foundations. I didnt know but apparently Tel Aviv is considering to impose my solution as standard requirement. Most of the students are already working in construction and I had the satisfaction to show them that I am not a text book teacher but someone who does things in the real world. I like to imagine that my prestige rocketed sky high.

America is Winning

The dollar is reaching almost 4 shekels, which is a third more than it was worth two years ago. That was a time when everybody was talking about dollar hyperinflation caused by Obama's deficit spending. Everybody was wrong. How did it happen?

Simply, the Euro as a rival reserve currency is dead, because the Greek sovereign debt problem has not been solved but left festering all these long months. There seems to be no master plan to resolve the Euro crisis and no financial leadership to think out one. So everybody is leaving the Euro and buying U.S. government debt and investing in American companies, which for all defeatist talk of decadence, continue to be the most innovative and dynamic of all.

This last year I have tried to read non-American press using Google translator, and found an intellectual desert out there. Only in America there is an active debate on issues that interest me. I feel that Australia comes second as a focus of serious internet debate. That surprises me because I had a picture of Australia as the most boring suburban country of all, as described by Arthur Koestler, only enlivened by wife-swapping. In the end of this century, it may become a second America. What is to buy in Australia? Mining shares?

From Gauteng

This lady Jade Wepener by name arrived to Tel Aviv from Gauteng SA and is organizing a biodance on Netanya Beach. She sent me a personal invitation via Facebook with the comment "You are going". I've never met her (my loss) and dont know what is biodance (also my loss). I'm not going but I'm looking for a replacement. Anyone...?

(I say she came from Gauteng because I'm unsure of her hometown's current name. I could't find my way to the airport as the names of all the streets and the airport itself have been changed.)

Even More Water Bureaucracy

Incredibly, or rather previsibly, bureaucratic regulation has added a new set of legislation and a new regulating/permitting body to the already complicated water sector. Up to now, the main water regulating body was the Ministry of Environment, but now an amendment was added to the Water Law which will allow the Water Authority to impose increased fines of up to 100,000 $ on bodies violating their regulation. Obviously, the Water Authority needs a permits approval organization and of course, numerous inspectors with cars and instrumentation. This creates a window of opportunity for permitting experts to produce the presentations to the Water Authority, that surely will require large colorful drawings, field measurements, computer programs and detailed technical reports. I could conquer this new commercial niche, as I did with the air pollution (odors) legislation, but I am not trying to expand but to contract my workload.

Bank Run in Europe

This is a note to myself: I have to think something till Sunday morning since there is an ongoing bank run in Europe that will reach soon Tel Aviv. Stanley Fischer is already preparing local banks to that event. From MoneyWatch:

It used to be that you knew a bank run was under way when you saw crowds outside a bank trying to get in and get their money. This is another thing that online banking seems to have gotten rid of. Despite the lack of crowds, many analysts believe what had been a "jog" by big European investors (with the exception of Germany) is now a sprint. In Greece, Ireland, and Portugal, foreign deposits have fallen by an average of 52 percent, and foreign government bond holdings by an average of 33 percent, from their peaks. The same move in Spain and Italy, taking into account the fall that has taken place already, would imply a further $272.17 billion and $270.9 billion in capital flight respectively.

What to do?

The Knighthood

The Military Order of the Valiant or the Knighthood of the Heroes (Vitézi Rend in Hungarian) has resuscitated. The original idea of the Order was to grant 10 Hectares of land to the soldiers who fought in WWI and were awarded medals for courage and heroism (about 100,000 among them my paternal Grandfather) and to create a landed military nobility.  The old-new Order is planning to re-enact Admiral-General Horthy's entrance to Budapest on a white horse and are working to erect a memorial in every town. The whole thing reminds me of the Norvegian terrorist who claimed to be member of some knighthood and took pics dressed up in a operetta uniform. The man is definitely a forerunner of a deep European movement.

Bunga Bunga: Innocent Fun

A young women who attended Silvio Berlusconi's bunga bunga parties told the court that it was just innocent birthday party with some burlesque and great fun. She had dressed up as President Obama and judge Ilda Boccassini to entertain the former Italian prime minister. Boccassini, known as "Ilda the Red" for her red hair, is a prosecutor in the ongoing trial.

Summer in Tahrir Square

The Spring Revolution of Egypt is leading to a happy end (for Israel). In yesterday elections, two contenders emerged: the radical Islamist party, and a general of Mubarrak regime. Since Christians will surely side with Law and Order, probably the Mubarrak regime will recover the government by free elections. What the Western media said last spring?  "This is a leaderless movement organized by the people. A genuine popular revolt." So much for TV journalists who confuse political power with video clips of excitement on the street.

The competition for Jews

My mind is branded with the picture of Jews trying desperately to leave Europe and no one giving them visas. The image of the 1938 Evian Conference (pic.) that decided that Jews are unwanted everywhere, is the fire that powers me. Not even the shittiest banana republic like Nicaragua and Honduras, not even empty British colonies in Africa, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, not even the Black hellholes like Liberia and Sierra Leon. Only  Trujillo agreed to take in Jews, on the condition that they be farmers.


Today is different. In the last twenty years I am increasingly aware of the special programs many countries are offering to attract Jews to settle among them. The American Jewish community is doing everything possible to turn Jews leaving Russia to America. America offers special refugee status to Russian Jews, and generous absorption assistance, partly financed by the Government and partly by Jewish donors. A full third of the Russian emigration choose America instead of Israel. Those Russians are making a spectacular contribution to American economy, just look at the founder of Yahoo. America is silently targeting Israelis and it started to offer "golden visas" to Israelis: no long waiting list, no need to invest, just open a business and you are in.

The other country that is aggressively courting Jews is Germany. Germany's target is to rebuild the Jewish community as it was before the Nazis, about 400,000 persons. Germany offers super-extra-generous assistance to Jews leaving Russia and many of them - overcoming their fear of Germans - choose to accept the offer. Today there are about 250000 Jews in Germany and they are gradually assuming the mantle of the old German Jewy. Israelis are also welcome in Germany, and it is the State of Israel that actively discourages  people leaving to the new Jerusalem.

Another country that is very open to Jews is China. When I was there I was considered an overseas Chinese (Jews are an officially recognized nationality in China) and offered very attractive situations just to make me move to China. (That was one of my many lost opportunities to become a very rich Jew). There are several Jewish communities already organized in China.

How much of this competition for Jews is to overcome an historical guilt feeling and how much it is because they recognize that Jews are specially beneficial in modern economy, I dont know. But times change and we are in demand.

We Aspire to Rule the World

Israeli swimmers are the new European champions (in 50 m) and we deserve it. I think we are on the way of dominating this sport as we are (hopefully) dominating chess.

Race Riots in London, Amsterdam, Chicago and Los Angeles

Yesterday evening there was a riot in Tel Aviv against illegal infiltrators. Till now all the demonstrations had been AGAINST their deportation back to South Sudan. Something broke, the people lost its fear of PC terror. This event signals to the people of London, Amsterdam, etc. that they are not condemned to live in fear in their homes. Next, so I imagine, the title of this post will be on the front pages of the NYT.

Oedippos at Colonos

Having had my fill of Mankiw, Dornbusch and Fischer, I took home a number of rejected Classics to lift my spirit. Sophocles translated by Lewis Campbell.

Far best were ne'er to be;
but having seen the day,
Next best by far as each to flee
As swiftly as each may,
Yonder from whence he came...


Despised, dim, friendless old age!

Change At The Top

The world's real political business is being done by a new coalition -  the “5+1 group” (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany). Being co-opted in the world's governing body is a big step for Germany, recognizing the political power it has achieved. The West may be decaying, but time being is ruling the world. Pic. Karl. 

Falkenwit

Two of the most important financial regulators in the country have a message for Congress: We need more money.

And my 4-year old daughter wants a pony. 

City of Angels (II)

As happened with his predecessor, the Major of the City of Angeles (Kyriat Malachi) is sinking fast. The police interviewed all female employees and succeeded in extracting two more confessions, that is, two new rape accusations. Moshe Katzav got seven years for a highly debatable rape, so Eli Malca will probably spend the next twenty in intimate company of sex deviates. The investigation has netted also his vice major, who liked to fondle asses. He is under house arrest.

Rythm

Temptations.

Must be one of the best black songs ever.

Of my generation, at least.

The Redskins are Coming

Elizabeth Warren trying to pass as a Cherokee means that she feels that her WASPness is a social burden. Nietzsche's reversion of values in action: The new aristocracy is African slave descendants and Plains Indians. My mother was also a blue eyed blonde with high cheekbones - are we Cherokee too? If it means a full scholarship at Harvard. then my daughter sure is. I have documents from Hungary proving it. Old J family lore.

Table Meditations

Today is the third day in a raw that I am eating THIS. What it is? I think it is boiled wheat, but it could be some other exotic Gramineae. It tastes of nothing.

My wife bought a 400 gram packet for 12 dollars. The paper says that today's price of wheat, No.1 Hard Red Winter, ordinary protein, FOB Gulf of Mexico, is 290 US$ per metric ton. One ton could feed me three years. Dont tell her!

Investing in Real Estate

We Israelis think globally. Let's quote one international real-estate speculator (his day job is plumber of sprinkler systems): "In the US they are begging you to buy a large house for 43 thousand dollars that you can rent for 6000 dollars per year; in Tel Aviv you need a million to buy a three-room apartment that produces 3% with 400,000 rockets pointed at you."

Wish List

If I had time, I'd drive to Acco port very early in the morning and buy all the small and reject fish that the fishermen cannot sell. I'd put all in an iron cauldron with 1/3 seawater and the rest tap water. I'let it boil on a campfire for a long time, till the soup becomes thick. Then I'd add fresh water and enjoy my basic bouillabuise. But no time for nothing.

Hope is Not Yet Lost

The Jewish birthrate in Jerusalem is higher than the Arab birthrate, putting an end to reports of an Arab demographic threat in the united capital. The birthrate in the expected life of mothers is 4.2 children for Jewish mothers compared with 3.9 children for Arab mothers, according to the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies (JIIS). Reflecting the trend in the rest of Israel, the birthrate for Jews represents a dramatic reversal and is on the increase while the Arab birthrate is declining. Yasser Arafat put his hope in the Arab "kuss" (vagina) (not personally, because he was gay). We put our hope in God. We say the Shehiyanu prayer (thanking God that we have lived to see this day).

Seigniorage

One learns reading Dornbush and Fischer. The dollar is strengthening against the Euro and all other currencies, and now I know that it means that America is able to tax the rest of the world and extracts a rent from us foreigners. That is called seigniorage. Till now I thought that seigniorage meant the Droit du seigneur (the feudal lord's  jus prima nocta). Well, in a way it is the same thing. The painting illustrates the practice.

Macroeconomics by Dornbusch and Fischer

I'm reading the new batch of books thrown out by the University Library. I have finished Greg Mankiw's Economics textbook, and now Macroeconomics (fifth edition, 1990).

22 years and the book is obsolete, passé? "Only yesterday" I purchased my Dornbusch text and it was a difficult decision because it cost me 10% of my salary then. But it couldnt be obtained from the library and the course I was doing required it. This edition is much clearer than the original, probably thanks to Fischer, or because I learned things in the meanwhile or because the perplexing J effect (IQ increases exponentially along the time axis).

The book is big in reducing population growth, which is the main cause (for the authors, not for me) of slow GNP growth. Twenty years ago no one imagined that population growth could be reduced to current levels and negative population growth should cause GNP collapse, like in Russia, Japan, etc. Today, Stanley Fischer is our central banker and keeps making exasperating declarations against the religious sector for having too many children. I think the time has come to send him to retirement, and replace him with someone of the new generation. Old and wrong ideas cannot be changed except after the old generation retires or dies.

Another observation is that the book suffers from the Good Soldier Schweik (see statue) cognitive distorsion (I just made that up). In the Schweik book, a soldier is missing and they shanghay a man at random in the street, and the military machine never notices the difference. People, according that 1920 book, are interchangeable. The Dornbusch&Fischer book uses the production equation where manpower is just a variable, and never even suggests that age composition, educational levels and let say it, the racial composition are of supreme importance. This is typical of the hippy era of the seventies but Fischer is a Rhodesian and should know that Zimbabwe's GNP is less a function of 3 or 4 million Africans than those missing 200,000 English settlers.

 In general, the science of economics exists in an imaginary, stable, homogeneous country peopled by Europeans, but that world does not reflect Earth Anno 2012. Applying economic ideas that may have worked in America 1970 will cause crisis in 2012. I am expecting a new generation of theoreticians that "didnt knew Joseph" aka never knew the seventies, and will be able to develope the macroeconomic management tools for today. More explicitly, instruments suitable to the behaviour of societies composed by diverse, antithetical, competing ethnic groups. Unfortunately, the new generation is being inculcated the PC doctrine of human equality and interchangeability so my hope may never come true.

The War Solution

Turkey warned Greece (after warning Israel) not to drill for gas and oil near Cyprus, since it considers the area belonging to its territorial waters. Now we have another conflict in the area. Turkey is bitter by Europe's rejection and very aggressive. Greece is being squeezed by Europe and desperate. The EU is in a dead end for the last two years, with increasingly frequent panic attacks and runs on the banks. A good war solves everything.

High Tech Fab

Yesterday I worked in a factory producing for the Israeli space industry. Its reverse osmosis water purification system does not look like those of in the textbooks. I didnt see any geniuses in white lab coats, just garden variety Israeli working class. Corollarium: Impressive, shiny, chrome and glass architectural monsters indicate doomed enterprises. Factories making money look "unkempt" and are operated by pretenseless but competent proles.

Bulgalian Sludge Rats

The Bulgalian Sludge Rat is an alien animal mentioned in Star Wars "Coming of Age" episode. Students preparing for the Starfleet Academy entrance psych exam used to bring up images of Bulgalian rats in their holodeck, order it in the canteen, or rent one for a night. Getting used to those terrifying beasts, one was immunized against fear/disgust of alien races. Some even acquired a lifelong taste for Bulgalian cuisine. The Feminist Underground was campaigning to abolish the alien races psych test as biased against female candidates.

Trayvon, the Legend.

I keep finding new angles to the Trayvon affair. Steve Sailer says that "the media wanted to ride the Trayvon Martin story to help Obama win re-election." So it was all about politics: the story of a White killing a Black favors the Democrats and gets votes for Obama. I am not American and dont pretend to understand why this is so.

As I now see the affair, there was a middle class neighborhood with a crime problem. The police called for auxiliary volunteer patrols (as it does everywhere, including Israel. I used to patrol paired with an old English immigrant). One of the volunteers on duty suspected an outsider and called the police. The police said ignore him. But it was too late, the athletic suspect confronted the small bald man and attacked him. The small man called for help but terrified onlookers did nothing. There was a shot and the attacker was dead. Later became clear that the suspect had been on drugs and was a burglar. The media, instead of praising the volunteer risking his life to get rid his neighborhood of crime, roused the masses to lynch him. Even Obama took part in this ugly campaign.

 There are political situations where a Robin Hood type criminal is popular and acquires political power. But this is not one of those situations. Here we have a violent drugged burglar attacking a pathetic neighborhood volunteer watchman. I cant see how this Trayvon could become a hero, a legend, a political banner. Well, I dont understand American politics. Steve is probably right.

Nigeria: God Sewage Services

From Nigeria: Around 11 am at No. 15 Umuaniabor Street in Enugu metropolis three workers of the God Sewage Service company died (pic). The incident has thrown residents of the area into panic, with many wondering what could have caused such sudden deaths. While it is the suspicion of many that the deceased may have inhaled a toxic waste emitting from the underground soak-away tank, others feared that they may have been killed by an “evil spirit” inside the tank.

City of Angels

Eli Malca, the Major of the City of the Angels (Kyriat Malachi in Hebrew) has been jailed for sex with a secretary. The police says the act was filmed and the tape is in their posession. The previous Major and later President of Israel, Moshe Katzav, is serving seven years for the same crime. Kyriat Malachi's Municipality must be full of irresistible (but treacherous) female employees. Knowing my weak character, I would not put my foot in that building for a million dollars.
Update: Eli Malca's office had a handle-less accustically-isolated door that could be opened only by a secret button under his desk.  

Greece owes $541 billion

Greece is in chaos. They understand that no amount of austerity will allow them to pay back the money owed to foreign creditors. There is no other way out but repudiate (renegotiate) the debt, reject the euro, devaluate the new drachma and start it all again. European banks will have to delete 541 billion dollars from their balances, and that hurts.
Update: "Greek depositors withdrew $898 million from the country's banks on Monday, fueling fears of a bank run amid the growing political disarray." J: What is a bank run if this is not one?

Feminism Infects the Settlements

Prof. Rina Shahar from Ariel U. of Samaria studied male settler courting and discovered that "many" girls are hurt each year. Violence, she writes, is linked to stereotypical thinking. I never heard of  religious Ashkenazi boys hitting girls while trying to seduce them, but what do I know? Her research smells like typical of American academic gender studies bullshit. In Hebrew:

בכל שנה נפגעות נערות רבות כתוצאה מחיזור אלים של בני
זוגם, במחקר שהתבצע ע"י חוקרת 

 אוניברסיטאי נמצא כי קיים קשר מובהק בין הורים אלימים לבין נערים המפעילים אלימות בתהליך החיזור לבין חשיבה סטריאוטיפית

Going Gagá

From:

El Diccionario de la Real Academia Española:

Gagá: adj. col. Que chochea a causa de la edad:


el abuelo está gagá, mira cómo se le cae la baba.

KOOR

Today I bought more KOOR shares on TASE. KOOR is a Nochi Dankner holding company that owns about 3% of Credit Suisse and 40% of Makhteshim. The stock is very cheap and falling yet I guess it must have about a billion dollars cash and is about to receive two large dividends. KOOR has a policy of paying out large dividends. (BTW, as expected, Bezeq announced a dividend of about 10% net of the market value of the stock. I am not disappointed.). KOOR is suffering from Credit Suisse that lost 30% of its market worth this year and all European banks are being devalued, there is slow motion run on European banks. Yet CS has strong fundamentals and a valuation that is oversold. CS is very profitable and will pay a large dividend. And Makhteshim, as said below, is prospering under Chinese hands (pic) and will pay a large dividend to Koor. I dont see any reason for the panic that seized TASE today. Greece may disappear from the map and make no difference because it generates less than 3% of EU's GNP. The Germans are dreaming it would already.

I for one welcome our Chinese overlords

Makhteshim was sold to the Chinese a year ago and the results are fantastic: its inevitable collapse (caused by Chinese dumping competition) was avoided, sales grew 8% and it posted a 90 million dollar profit. Koor still owns 40% and I own 1 X 10 ^ -1000000 of Koor. Pic:CEO.

Jewish Mudheads

HaAretz April 27, 2012 commemorates the 40th anniversary of Kibbutz Metzer's "Bridging Action". The collective built a bridge of books between the Metzer and the Arab village of Messer (pic) as an act aimed at creating a bridge of culture between two not-so-friendly neighbors.

Those were the days of the Oslo Agreement with Yasser Arafat, soon followed by a murderous Intifada. Reciprocating the gesture, the Arabs visited one night  Metzer, killing a family with their kitchen knives.

What our leftists were thinking, we know. They dreamt that by offering their most precious posessions, books, their neighbors would have to admit the sincerity of their good will and love. I can only imagine what the amazement of the fellahin of Messer: What are these Jews doing now? Only yesterday they were begging  goat milk! By some magic they created that large plastics factory that is making them unimaginably wealthy. Why are they spreading books near our fields? The Jews are not stupid! They must be casting a secret spell on us, or it must be another of their clever tricks, we cannot know but surely they are up to no good.

Forty years later, Jewish leftist mudheads are continuing with their suicidal bridgebuilding acts towards our neighbors. They have learnt nothing. We are lucky that - time being - they are powerless in the opposition.

Nazintern

The Comintern is dead, short life to the Neo-Nazintern. The only political movement that is showing true international organizational capabilities are the various neo nazi groups, mostly of Europe. They are achieving growing co-ordination and co-operation capabilities. In a way, the movement is a creation of the hated European Union,  with its suffocating social democratic policy, its liberal refugee and immigration legislation, its increasingly dictatorial government. Europe will be united because that is its destiny, but it could well be united under a neonazi logo and not under the red socialist banner. Pic: Greece.

Cheerleaders

Only in America.

Growing Up without Grandfather

I left home at age 16 to study in La Plata, a university town 60 km from Buenos Aires. After graduation, I accepted a job in a faraway province and then left for a well-paid job in oil-rich Nigeria. There were no old people in my family, they were killed by the Nazis. I never shared a household with old (say forty plus) people, and I never had friends or relations of the age I am now. Thus, having reached my advanced age,  I have no models how I should be or behave. In my daily life, in the university and in the water consulting business, I never meet people of my age. It is accepted that boys need to have a role male model to grow up and develope a healthy personality, but what about old men? What about an old man like me who never had an old role model in his life? We are made to live in multigenerational extended families, like the schtetl old Jews sitting on the shul bench debating the fine points of Rambam (Tevye's song "If I was a Rich Man") but the Nazis and Western modernity stole that from my life and I am missing it.

Kardan's Free Fall

Kardan's five year long fall continues. Its TAHAL unit - water planning and enterprising group - is growing while consistently losing money. What good is to corner China's wastewater treatment business if it is unprofitable?

Mass Panic hits me Again

Nochi Dankner's IDB conglomerate shares and bonds were cheap a month ago so I bought more. From then the group's worth has been falling and its bonds have reached absurd levels. IDB Holdings short-term Series 3 bonds now have a yield of 70.2%, junk territory.

Nochi Dankner’s companies have the cash to meet the next years payments, and the group is healthy, but investors are selling in panic. The group owns 3% of Credit Suisse - European Banks are as good as dead. I am holding out, but uncomfortable. 

Light of the Manosphere

Today is Lag BaOmer, the harvest festivity of the early corn. The people camp on the Meron Mountain for quasi-religious ceremonies like first hair cut for boys. The government built an access bridge to the site for "safety reasons". The rabbis declared that it was a bridge for men only, women had to walk on the ground. Israel is a veritable light of the manosphere, where men's exalted status is emphatised. On the other hand, to our shame, our President is rotting in jail because his secretary accused him of sexual advances when meeting him in a hotel room.

HaAretz Sick with Nausea

Senior Haaretz analyst Yossi Verter says that, after getting over initial feelings of disgust and nausea, you have to admit that Netanyahu has once again taught us all a lesson. He's Israel's number one politician, no doubt - by a mile.


More: "Mofaz may have been playing the role of the leader of the opposition but taking orders from Netanyahu and Barak is second nature to him."

Tax and the French President

There won't be enough French millionaires to tax at his proposed 75% rate to finance a government that already controls 56% of French GDP. Some will move to Netanya in Israel, other French tax migrants will move to London.

Sex and the French President

The French have long been tolerant of mistresses and lovers. Hollande left his lover of 30 years and mother of his 4 children for a another woman. He comes to the Presidency as a man with a "companion". France is very secular and doesnt care. 

A 40 kg Scrawny Weakling

German view of France's new President: "... he seemed tired, weak and overwhelmed by the size of his task. François Hollande has little time to master the transition. He faces important tests, including finding a way to get along with Angela Merkel." From Der Spiegel.


I could not put it more arrogantly. Insultingly. Maybe Charles Atlas (pic) could teach him how to deal with dance-floor hogs. 

Daughter

European Views

Angela Merkel: “You can’t spend more than you take in. You can’t live your whole life this way. Everybody knows this.”


Everybody? Not in Europe. Bloomberg: As Europe’s economy stagnates and unemployment climbs, an opposing view is gaining momentum. 

France's new President promised to take the side of Southern European countries whose economies are being strangled by Germany's austerity prescription.

Exams

In the Neighborhood

History insists in happening. Our closest neighbours are undergoing a silent demographic and political earthquake. From the 5 million people who escaped Iraq, about one million refugees are living in Jordan (half of them registered) unsettling the older Palestinian and Bedouin population. The King has changed Prime Ministers three times and some say he lacks the tribal charisma of his late father. In Syria, having learnt the lesson in Lybia, Europeans are staying out, allowing Assad Jr to reduce the rebellion. Egypt is in turmoil, barely governed.

The Sacrifice of the Samaritans

Early morning I drove to Har Bracha to one of my projects, The road was full of policemen and soldiers. Today is the Samaritan's Pessach and the ceremony of sacrifice. Many tourist autobuses. I had no time to stay and watch the ceremony. The Samaritans are our doppelganger and their temple on Har Abal once disputed the legitimacy of our Jerusalem Temple. The Samaritan High Priest claims direct descendance from Aaron and genetics seem to validate that claim. We Jews have no High Priest but there is movement to rebuild the Temple and re-institute Temple sacrifices as described in the Bible The Shomron is beautiful, full of wild flowers and the air perfumed. Far away one could see a column of smoke raising from the mountain, it may be the Samaritan priests preparing the sacrifice. Below the twin minarets of Hawara village's mosque.

Race in Turkey

Dienekes Pontikos has developed a computer program that identifies the racial origins of mixed populations, such as Turkey. Although they are Muslim and speak Turkish, the people are overwhelmingly Europeans and the racial intrusion of Asian Turkish genes is under 10%. Well, I dont believe it. 

The Turkish government has initiated a program of milk distribution in schools and the result is that hundreds of students around Turkey have been poisoned by the milk. 300 students in the southeastern province of Diyarbakırand more than 500 students in Sivas province were poisoned by the milk and subsequently taken to hospitals. A number of students were also affected by milk poisoning in the Kırıkkale, Sakarya, Antalya, Adana, Edirne and Samsun provinces. Paramedics were immediately dispatched to the schools where students were reportedly suffering from stomach ache after drinking distributed milk.

(Official reaction: "Education Minister Ömer Dinçer denied the alleged links between distrubuted milk and sickness of students.")

Obviously, large numbers of children lack the lactase enzime and are unable to digest fresh milk. That proves that a sizeable proportion of the population is of Asian and not European origin. Contra-Dienekes, the Ionian Greeks that populated the area have been reduced to a mixed minority. It doesnt make me happy but we should not live in an phantasy movie of Olympic heroes.