Free Hugs in Sondrio, Italy

WHAT IF...

I love aliens. I love everything about them. E-T phoned home. Richard Dreyfuss almost lost his mind making mashed potato mountains in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Princess Leah invented a hair style with two cinnamon buns over her ears. And the bad guys! They were either the C.I.A. or local villains like Darth Vader. Can you hear him breathing?

I even took my two little kids to see Rocky Horror. They were maybe eight and ten. My oldest, who became religious when he was twelve, loved Rocky Horror. You should have seen the look on my Father's face A'H the day my kid belted out 'I'm just a sweet transvestite!' I think his exact words were, 'Voss hot ehr gezogt?' (what did he say???)

It all started when I was in the eighth grade. Windsor, Ontario, Canada...Hugh Beaton School. Mrs. Millar, the Librarian (oh God I think that was her name) handed me two books. One was about a little American girl my age who had a spot on her leg and after many tests was diagnosed with leprosy. LEPROSY??? I thought that went out with the Bible. Guess not. Sigh.

The second book was about travelling in outer space. This was in the days of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, and I loved the idea of a sky with no end--a universe with unbelievable possibilities.

The first book made me a hypochondriac...the second book started me on the road to being an astrologer.

I know people who have really seen space ships. Not crazy druggies...family and close friends. People with goosebump stories. People I trust.

Well, I thought. I can do that. All I have to do is look up into the sky and wait.

I looked. I waited. I scared myself with 'what ifs'. Nothing.

Yesterday I was sitting in a coffee shop with a dear friend and his wife. We were talking about 'the situation'...you know...THEM against US...POTUS and the Jews...the end of days...stuff.

And he said something that shut my mouth, and for one of the few times in my life, I was speechless. He said, 'Well, if there are aliens out there, God is keeping them far away from us!'

'Get out of here!' I quickly jumped in. 'Why?'

'Because they are the ones who didn't eat the apple.'

 Delicious, no?

Have a great day, stay safe, and thanks for dropping in.

THREE WISE MONKEYS... AND A DUCK

In my family we all have collections. I collect owls.

My daughter collects turtles.

My oldest son collects religious books...well he doesn't but because he became religious at the age of twelve and has a bookshelf full of religious books I decided that was his collection.

My Dad A'H collected the three wise monkeys and when he passed away they came to Israel with my youngest MSTL (my son the lawyer).

You know the three wise monkeys--hear no evil/see no evil/speak no evil.

Here is an article I received in my email today:

Exclusive: UNIFIL chief says situation in Lebanon far more stable now.
www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=178140

UNIFIL has not found any evidence of Hizbullah military activity and
smuggling or the presence of guerilla fighters in its area of operations in
Southern Lebanon, the commander of the multinational peacekeeping force,
Maj.-Gen. Alberto Asarta Cuevas, has told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive
first interview to the Israeli press.

He said the situation in Lebanon today was far more stable than it was
before war broke out in July 2006 and that, contrary to some predictions in
Israel, there was no reason to be concerned that war would break out between
Israel and Hizbullah this summer.

And if you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you. Be'emet! Honestly!

I have been trying to get back to the states for a year, and every time I think 'this is it' something pops up to postpone my trip.

About three or four months ago I called my brother, my Tanti Helen, Maeshey, and Sharon to tell them all that I'm not leaving Israel this summer. Why they all asked. And, I answered them, because I think there is going to be a war here and I don't want to be out of the country.

Get out of here! A war???

Maybe. But too many people were talking Yom HaAtzmaut about how strong we are and how well we can defend ourselves. The first one was the President...no...not POTUS our guy Peres. Then our Prime Minister...Bibi. Then the head of the IDF... Gabi Ashkenazi. And, finally our Foreign Minister our Barak.

If Bubbie Channah were alive...oy I miss her...she would have said, 'Shtinkt'...smells fishy.

To tell you the truth, once I had said it I felt a rush of relief. Then I began to wonder if I had jumped the gun/put the horse before the cart/given us all an ein hora/ayin ha'rah/Evil Eye? Tfu tfu tfu!!!

All I know is that when my pupik talks the rest of me listens. Okay here are a couple of other articles I recieved this week:

The first one is from Judy Laish Balint and I have her permission to pass this on:

Do you Know U.S Firefighters?

Special Message about Firefighters For Israel!

Shalom from Jerusalem,

With the fast developing Iranian threat and the military buildup of the Hezbollah and Hamas, your brothers and sisters in Israeli's Fire and Rescue Services need your help!

Israel has only 1,200 firefighters to protect its 7.5 million people, when the crunch comes – they will need our help to save lives.

The leadership of "Firefighters for Israel  " are traveling the United States right now recruiting firefighters who are willing to put their lives on hold, and on the line, to deploy to Israel in times of emergency. We are also looking for concerned individuals and communities who care for Israel and have the will and the means to provide support for these true American heroes who are risking their lives for all of us each day, and volunteering to do so for Israel when they get the call.

You can see the "Firefighters for Israel" video here: http://www.youtube.com/pundit02

  

You can read more about "Firefighters for Israel" here: http://www.evp.org.il

On behalf of Israel's Fire & Rescue Services, we thank you in advance!

Dr. Mike Cohen

Lecturer, Bar-Ilan University

Senior Analyst, Galilee Institute

Director, Homeland Security, Firefighters for Israel

Here is the second one I found in my email this morning:

New plan: Soldiers not playing a crucial role during an emergency will leave
the military base to help the home front. The new tasks for those serving in
the headquarters: Helping the elderly, substitute teachers and assisting in
hospitals

Yarden Winter, BaMahane 09 June 2010 , 11:25
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/06/0901.htm


A new program created by the IDF Operations Directorate and the Home Front
Command is examining the possibility to assign soldiers who do not play a
crucial role in emergency-related tasks to actually help citizens, such as
substituting teachers who are called into reserve duty in schools and
helping the elderly.
"This project is utilizing to the fullest the IDF's personnel in an
emergency," the Operations Directorate explains. "We want to assist the home
front with the treatment of civilians, and one way to do so is through these
soldiers who aren’t needed in their units during emergencies, and can help
in other missions."

Add to that the fact that I am getting at least three phone calls a day...a day...telling me to get my gas mask kit or whatever erkat ha magen means is not making me feel jaunty, jolly, peppy and optimistic.

Add to that the wrath of the WHOLE WORLD...and for a little spice drop in Ahmadinadoodle.

See, my Dad A'H always said...'If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck...chances are...'

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

FREE WILLIE

Okay. I have decided to take a day off of politics...well maybe...I still haven't heard any news this morning.

Instead I will tell you about Free Willie. Not a pretty tale.

A few months ago I was having pains in my legs and knees...of course I was. When you are over twelve you get a few pains. But, you know me, I went to the doctor.

He sent me for X-Rays. All quiet on the western front.

So, he then sent me to an orthopedic doctor. Nice man. We talked about Colorado...his wife is a guest lecturer in the University of Denver. I talked about how the deer and antelope play in front of my brother's house in the foothills of the Rockies.

Then he sent me for a bone scan. I drank the stuff. Then the lady said I had to walk for an hour so the stuff would spread all over. I said, "Lady if I could walk for an hour, I wouldn't be here!"

I walked.

Thank God the bone scan came back okay. Nu a little stuff showed in one knee and the shoulders--all those years of shlepping heavy purses and groceries.

Then we did two Cat Scans. Thank God, okay. A little stress here...a little degeneration there.

Then he said it. "Marallyn, I want you to go swimming."

I said, "Free Willie???" trying to play down the horror in my voice.

Well my friends...twice a week I go to the pool. Just up the street. Lovely place. I go at 8:15...that's when the men leave and the ladies swim. I love my ladies. They are older and some are chubbier than I am and we have a hell of a time as we pass each other up and down the lanes. 

Some of the ladies just stand and discuss recipes while moving their arms and wait for the lady to come at 9:30 for exercises in the water.

Swimming is the easy part. The hard part is pulling yourself out of the pool as gravity grabs hold and then the hot showers and getting dressed. That isn't fun. They do have hair dryers. Two of them. They are like the hand blowers in the bathrooms. Make noise but not worth much. In the winter it wasn't fun walking out with a semi-wet head of hair under my hat. But I survived.

One day as I walked back into the dressing room there was a little old lady sitting on a towel. Except for her green ankle socks she was stark naked holding a hand mirror putting on her lipstick! I love that lady. She knows what is important.

Naked old ladies are not sexy. I thought I would share that with you in case some of you were thinking of boring holes in the partition between the men's and ladies' dressing rooms. Don't bother. In fact, the sight might damage your eyes.

So I swim. I decided to try two lengths and then run in place for a count of 100.

The good news is that in a half hour I now swim 20 lengths and run for a count of 1, 000.

And I've lost 12 kilo!. That is thanks to the swimming and Judy the dietitian.

Hell, I figured if my knees and legs ache and I'm freeing Willie, I better get some fat off my tuchess. So I did!!

Okay off I go to the pool. Sundays and Thursdays are pool days as those are the days I run to the university to teach Mordechai. He's in a wheelchair and can't make it up to my place because of the steps to get into the building. Stupid architect put int two elevators inside and twenty-two steps to get to the lobby. His mother told him he was an architect!!! But, the good news is that after 23 years our building has decided to add a one-floor, outside elevator which will connect to the lobby and they started working on it last week. Yahoooo.

Shavuah tov!!!

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

WHERE IS DADDY?GRANDPA KILLED HIM

There is a whole brouhaha in the Knesset that almost led to violence.
And who started it? And why?

On Wednesday, Israeli Arab MK Hanin Zoabi and MK Miri Regev of the Likkud party indulged in a verbal clash during a Knesset plenum...

Zoabi boarded a ship that was part of the flotilla carrying humanitarian goods as well as lethal weapons before the bloody raid broke out on Monday.

In a discussion of Israel’s raid on a Turkish-flagged ship attempting to board the borders of Gaza, Zoabi accused the Israeli government of participating in what she called a “pirate military operation.” She continued to press Israeli ministers on why soldiers were ordered to confiscate media cameras and restrict coverage on the nine people killed on the ship.  

As Regev and Zoabi quarrelled in a heated debate, Regev accused Zoabi of being "responsible for a double crime: Joining terrorists, and a moral crime against the state of Israel", according toHa’aretz reports.

Regev continued by mentioning other times when tensions rose between the two MKs, saying: "She sat here over a year ago and pledged allegiance to the state of Israel and its laws." She continued by saying: "I have no intention of stifling free speech, but in the case of MK Zoabi - it is not freedom of speech. The Gaza flotilla was a terrorist flotilla and MK Zoabi needs to be punished. We don't need Trojan horses in the Knesset."

MK Nachman Shai (Kadima) addressed Zoabi in disappointment of the Arab’s participation in what Knesset members have called a sail of terror. He intervened with, "I respect democracy, but an MK cannot participate in such a journey, which is against the law and deifies the country that is mine just as much as it is yours.”

He continued by saying, "I respect your opinions, but it was wrong of you to stand on that ship's deck. It's unacceptable," he added.

Why am I bringing this up now? I watched the whole mess and thought about this woman. What other country would even allow her to be a member of Parliament? What other country would allow her the freedom to feel safe enough to not only do what she did but stand up in the Knesset and voice her poison and not feel any fear of reprisals?

Stupid us. I think she should be tried as a traitor. But, of course she won't and she won't be barred from showing up to work next week and from speaking to the press about how she feared for her life. Bull!

You wanna know who should have feared for their lives? Sadaam's sons-in-law. You remember them? They ran away and spoke to the press. Then, in a moment of insanity decided to believe Sadaam that all was forgiven and that they should come home.

Where'd Daddy, Mama?

Grandpa killed him.

And the world went on.

I guess when you have debts to the Arabs up to here...and you have a President who...never mind.

Ms. Zoabi...you go to your mosque and thank your God that you live here.

Stupid wonderful us.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

LAND FOR PEACE

Okay...I get it.

I am oh so ready to give them Gaza and they should leave me in peace.

Of course, that means I don't want to hear about them any more...I don't want to give them jobs any more...they can't come into Israel any more...I won't send in over 10,000 tons of aid every week any more.

You win! You're on your own!!!

But...if you so much as send one missile my way I have the right to blow you all to smithereens.

You keep the damn Strip...I get peace.

What is wrong with that picture? Only one word. Peace is spelled wrong.
They want piece after piece until they have all the pieces and Israel is no more.

America voted against Israel!!!!!!

POTUS...when the dust settles nothing you do will ever clear your name.

God loves me...my Christian friends tell me that Jesus loves me...Allah??? don't get me started on him!!! I know...I know...Allah hu Akbar!!! Just ask any of the gazillion Muslims in the world. Of course, he didn't bring the word from Sinai...he didn't walk on water...but I guess when you have a gazillion believers you don't have to.

Shabbat shalom.

Have a good day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

Flotilla Choir presents: We Con the World

ANOTHER MIRACLE IN THE HOLY LAND

Yesterday, the blogs/twitters.( or is it twits?) and emails were flying as we all dropped everything and vented over the internet.

And miracle of miracles, the bastards have accomplished a monumental feat---the Israelis are united! ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL...

And we are furious!!!

I received interesting comments to my blog yesterday...some were 'you rock girl' 'israel forever' and others were ' you are way off base lady and don't know what you are talking about'.

Interesting.

FYI: Israel delivers up to 15,000 TONS OF AID TO GAZA EVERY WEEK!!! I said EVERY WEEK!!!

We wouldn't have had to check the damn boats, but hey is there anyone out there who really believes they were filled with grain and chocolate bars???

Admit it...you think there was bad stuff in there too.

Now, I may piss you off again, but this is my blog and I can say what I feel, right?
The Republicans are with Israel...the Christians are with Israel...Fox News is with Israel...hmmm now who does that leave???

One brave lad in Los Angeles...a high school kid was amazing yesterday.
Daniel in the Lion's Den http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wOaulsPGBI

Well, it is now 10:45 in the morning. I've finished my stint in the pool...don't ask that is another blog...free Willie! and I'm now in the university Givat Ram campus waiting for my student. He is in a wheelchair and can't come to my place because of the steps so twice a week I swim and twice a week I come to the campus to get him ready for his English matriculation. He's one hell of a great kid.

Finally...POTUS you sided with our enemies...brings to mind the old adage: he who sleeps with dogs should not complain about fleas.

And, Turkey. What a short memory you have. Wasn't it not too long ago that Israel set up hospital tents and cared for all your wounded after pulling out as many as we could from the rubble of your earthquake?
Turkey...you may have forgotten BUT GOD HASN'T.


Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

TROUBLED WATERS

---it is very scary waking up in the morning knowing that you are right...that no one cares...and that you are alone... 

---how come there is one rule for israel and another one for the rest of the world...how come i'm talking till i'm blue in the face and everyone thinks i'm nuts...how come the jews abandoned israel...up front i want to apologize to all my family and friends if i am stepping on your toes...BUT BE'EMET!!! REALLY...MASPIK...ENOUGH!!!

---now there arose a new king over Egypt who knew not joseph...

---the stronger POTUS makes the muslims the more dangerous it is for me and mine and for you and yours...TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!

---the longer you take to wake up is the less time you will have when you finally see the light...i promise you

---and if GOD FORBID israel falls...what then???

---personally i do not believe that israel will fall...i'm not sure who will be left standing...but we'll know soon...

---i know you care...so where are you...how come no one is out there screaming GEVALT!!!

---your guy and his lady sidekick are too busy standing next to our enemies and condemning us...and why not??? who needs a few million jews when you can have all the arabs in the world???

---i wonder when you are going to wake up...i wonder what kind of a war will it take before you realize your mistake...i wonder who will be left standing...have you checked the numbers???

---scary...

---and that brings me back to how i woke up this morning...

   ---have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in

   ---ps as the mother of three soldiers and the aunt of TEN more...and the neighbour and friend of hundreds of more brave marvelous children...to me these kids are HEROES