Blog/April 2018/Apr 27th

Apr 27th

Unsurprisingly, we were busy this week. Among other things, Esther and I were occupied with work (nothing unusual there). But after several months of hearing Mom insist that we need another car (despite the abundance of taxis/buses/other public transport) — we finally did get a second car. A second-hand Honda.

It happens that the car came at an opportune moment, since I now have clients who want me on-site at least once a week; and Esther’s out of the house at least twice a week. So it does make it more convenient. Still, it’s a bit strange to be a two-car family again. Thanks, Mom! And if you want to get a car here in Israel, I can heartily recommend the services of Ezra Benjamin (especially if your Hebrew is lacking). Incredibly, we found the “used-car salesman” we dealt with at Auto Center in Nes Tsiona to be honest and helpful; and we got a very fair price to boot. Miracles still happen, folks!

We also made arrangements for Sarah to travel to visit Daniela, soon. So now both Esther and Sarah have itineraries; it remains for my mom and I to make ours. But we await further developments…

My assumption is that most of you haven’t been following the fight over “free speech” in the UK, so I’ll give you a short synopsis. A Scottish comedian who goes by the stage-name of “Count Dankula” posted a video on YouTube to irritate his girlfriend, in which he trained her pug to give a Nazi salute when he heard the phrase “gas the Jews”. Admittedly, not particularly funny, in bad taste, and maybe offensive; but that’s not the point. The point is that the Scottish police arrested him for “hate speech”, and he’s spent the past two years in the legal system. It should be noted that: (1) the guy was posting a joke, (2) he’s not an anti-Semite, (3) nobody actually complained about the video, and (4) free speech.

Most of my readers are in the USA (or are originally from there), and so take for granted the right to say whatever you want without getting arrested. Well, mates, you’ve got a Constitution which guarantees your right to “free speech” — although it’s been under attack for some time. But British subjects have no such protection, as exemplified by the case above. Nor, for that matter, do we Israelis have any such protection. Free speech is a remarkably unpopular “right”, world-wide. Don’t let that right get weakened!

The idea that a joke should land a person in jail — in what used to be the most free of the European nations — should chill even the most apathetic soul. The man was sentenced this week and received a fine of ₤800, which he plans to contest. I sincerely hope he’s able to reverse the decision and the chilling precedent it sets, for the good of all.

Other stuff:

• Starbucks is racist.
• Facebook finally releases their content-moderation rules. So now you know how and why you’re being censored.
• Not satisfied with just gunpowder, paper, and tasty vittles, the Chinese apparently also invented yeast.
• Debunking 25 left-wing and Arab myths from a left-wing Arab perspective.

We had quite dramatic weather this week: a very strong thunderstorm on Thursday, which dumped a lot of water and some hail in the center of the country (even here!). The drama’s over, now; we should have pleasant weather for shabbat.

And, we plan on having another quiet shabbat! Au menu:
home-made ḥalla, meatballs with potatoes, Lancashire hot-pot, garlicky green beans, zucchini kugel, various salatim, and banana-chocolate-chip cake.

Until next time,
shabbat shalom!

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