Everybody appears to be so ill mannered today, and I am not entirely certain why. It all began as I was taking my usual walk from school to town. I never take the bus between school and town, since I thorougly enjoy walking, and always try to walk as much as I can when weather allows it (and also sometimes when it doesn't). So today I was dressed, as I sometimes am, in these super cool "boy London" pants that I bought at this amazing store in Israel called "Ain ha'shlishit". Big, bright red. Very hip, indeed. In addition to that I was wearing my red coat (my red winter coat that is, not my red summer coat) and red shoes. But this is normal for me, I usually wear all red, or mostly red. But anyway, so as I was walking somewhere near the parliament, just minding my own business, an unknown elderly lady walks past me and says in a loud and offensive tone of voice: "Pretty pants you've got!"
I was so shocked to be harassed by a stranger on the street, criticising my appearance "just for the heck of it", that I stopped for a few seconds, and looked in her direction. She stopped as well, waiting for a response. Then I just continued.
After this terrifying encounter with the elderly lady outside the parliament, I stopped by at Iceland Giftstore (where I work), to complain to my co workers about my experience. Everybody agreed I look fab in these pants, even the middle aged people. But just in case there's a doubt, a negative comment from an old lady dressed like a scarecrow does not give me second thoughts on how to dress!
Here's the conversation I had with my boss today:
Boss: Achallah challah challah! (My boss says this every time he sees me. It's his attempt to speak Hebrew).
Maria: Tells the story about the old lady.
Boss: Oh well you won't be upset my such things, now will you, sweetheart?
Maria: No I just like to tell the story. And besides, I'm used to criticism.
Boss: Well you should be, it can't be easy in Iceland when you're practically in the Israeli army!!
Maria: No. But I find that I generally disagree with the common opinion.
Boss: Oh well then you must agree with me on ... Icelandic politics Icelandic politics etc etc...
Maria: I have no idea what you're talking about.
Boss: Ok
A conversation between two Scandinavians about weather
Msn conversation today with ex-boyfriend (yeah I know, I'm addicted to msn messenger and you needn't rub it up against my face!):
Maria: I am feeling so much better here (in Iceland) these days now that the weather is getting warmer. Finn (That's not his name but I call him that cause he's from Finland): Here it's the exact opposite, I hate February. It's -20°c during the morning here. Maria: Hmm, I think it's around 10°c here. Finn: Huh? Maria: Well it never gets that cold here, just really windy. Finn: 10°c! You guys should start growing oranges or something!
What I love about Al Jazeera is how they always tell the truth no matter what
Ohhh Al Jazeera is sooooo full of shit. Infact, I'd say that Al Jazeera is sort of like a newspaper for... "special people".
Now they'll have readers believe that Iraqi women were better off under Saddam's rule because they live under constant threat of being sexually abused by American soldiers. Okay I am certain that a few women have been raped, but c'mon.
I'm also wondering about another thing. How come every time you see a photo of Arab women they're crying their eyes out, beating their hands against their chest? I mean, don't tell me they behave like that 24/7. Something tells me that's a "camera set up". Why is it that when we see photos of women from Sweden, or Australia, that they never behave like that, regardless of what they've been going through?
Also, why are people still listening to Amnesty International???
The other day I overheard a conversation between fellow students at university, whose opinions are completely different from mine. Their conversation was about how "Amnesty really isn't a reliable source anymore, because everybody knows they're political". Even leftists are beginning to doubt Amnesty.
This just fills me with compassion. Yet another Arab drama queen.
"The human rights group Amnesty International said that Iraqi women are living under the threat of extreme violence and sexual abuse and that their conditions are worse than under the rule of the toppled leader Saddam Hussein."
It's true I occasionally find him a tiny little offensive, for nobody does he spare! But he is (yes it's true, I'm saying it, I am!) the best Israel blogger. I very much recommend his recent post on disengagement. We're talking about Israellycool here, in case there's a doubt (everybody who reads me knows how I dig this dude, eventhough I tend to leave offensive comments on his blog, ehrm).
Am I acting inappropriately if I also name what I believe to be the most "overrated" blog? (You can guess what I mean by that). Infact, I think it's the only Israel blog I don't like. Or maybe it's just the fact that the subject of "Jewish porn stars, Jewish Playboy bunnies, Jewish cheerleaders and vodka & rap" doesn't fascinate me that much. But that's just me. I shouldn't be so negative.
On the university web I saw that a "Jacob Brenner" was holding a lecture tomorrow. Figuring that this sounded like an Israeli name, it caught my eye, and I checked it out, and apparently an Israeli biologist is speaking here in Iceland tomorrow: Jacob Brenner, Department of Immunology (Virology), Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan Israel give the lecture "Ruminant congenital malformations with special referenco to Arboviral infection of pregnant dams "
Jacob Brenner will talk about his research “Neonatal ruminant diseases and desease prevention in Israel”
It's a pity I have no interest what so ever in biology so I certainly won't be attending, but am an glad we're enjoying such fine weather these days. Had he come a week ago it might have seriously depressed him.
I wish they'd send some Israeli anthropologists over here instead!
I don't really feel like writing anything sensible today. I am feeling a little ill, and I am just relaxing, trying to recuperate. I have been laughing like crazy over these "Stewie quotes" from my favorite tv show "Family Guy". Anyone out there watch Family Guy? Stewie is this evil, and yet irresistible baby, who speaks with a British accent, and plans to take over the world. Check these out:
Stewie: Am I to spend the entire day wallowing around in my own feces? A little service here.
Stewie: Am I to spend the entire day wallowing around in my own feces? A little service here.
[The Griffins have inherited a mansion. Stewie is being waited on.]
Stewie: You. Cut my eggs.
[waiter cuts his eggs]
Stewie: So, what do you think of this "Music Television?"
Stewie: I say mother, this hotdog has been on my plate a full minute and it hasn't yet cut itself.
Guy in Chicken Suit: Enjoy your chicken sandwich.
Stewie: Enjoy your studio apartment.
[Lois is washing Stewie's hair in the sink]
Stewie: Careful. It's 'gently rub the scalp', not 'scrub like you're trying to get the vomit out of a Christmas dress', you stupid holiday drunk.
Meg: Can I be in the play, Mom?
Stewie: Oh yes, you can be the dumpy teenage girl who cries backstage because no one finds her attractive.
Homicide bomber film airs in the land of nazis (yeah I'm annoyed)
I can't believe I waste my breath disliking France for their anti-semitic/anti-Israel biases (as well as for generlally being annoying) when Germany is still in existence, and has clearly not changed one bit. So Germany congratulations, because I hereby declare you to be the world's alltime nr 1 Western Jew haters.
BERLIN - A portrayal of Palestinian suicide bombers as complex and conflicted people driven to their deadly deed by the Israeli occupation premiered in an unflinching film at the Berlinale .
"Paradise Now," shot almost entirely in the West Bank town of Nablus, follows two longtime friends, Kais Nashef as Said and Ali Suliman as Khaled, as they prepare and set out for their attack in Tel Aviv.
But, gradually, the young men change their minds.
Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman, and Hany Abu-Assad (aka 3 monkeys)
Photo: Reuters
"They are human; whether you like it or not, (So why don't they act like it?) even the suicide bombers are human. They make extreme decisions in an extreme situation," Palestinian-born director Hany Abu-Assad told AFP in an interview.
The Berlin audience warmly applauded the controversial movie (Yeah like they once applauded a guy with a moustache crying out "Deutchland, siege heil!), which is screening at the festival in competition for the Golden and Silver Bear awards. Six days before the honors are scheduled to be handed out, there is no clear favorite.
"This is reality, this is what life is like under occupation. We didn't need to do much acting," Ashraf Barhoum, who portrays Abu-Karem, the mastermind behind the planned attack on Israeli soldiers, said.
The movie includes the filming of the traditional video in which the would-be "martyrs" explain why they are sacrificing themselves (themselves???) in the armed struggle against occupation, and a scene in which the men are wired up as human bombs.
Barhoum said everyone felt the film hit very close to home.
"People were crying when Khaled was reading his last will and testament to the video camera,” he said. That really touches me. Or no it doesn't!
Abu-Assad based his tale on interrogation transcripts of failed suicide bombers, along with friends and families of attackers who died.
The 55th Berlinale, second only to Cannes and equal to Venice on the global film festival circuit, runs through the 20th of February.
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I eventually learned to avoid discussing the Israel-Arab conflict with anti-Israel individuals. But back when I still used to (and it occurs from time to time), I would constantly get comments like "well I'm not saying that suicide bombing is the right thing to do, I'm just saying it's understandable".
In other words, people might say they don't condone them, but in a way they do. With filth like this coming out, where do you expect it will end?
The decision has been made. July 20th 8000 people will be forced to leave their homes, forced to leave everything behind, so that Israel can give more of their land to homicide bombers, and settlers will have to live with the fact that because of the decisions of what is the only Jewish state in the world, their homes will be given to killers.
My heart truly does go out to the settlers, and the people of Israel, who are losing their land. As I have said before, I hope for better times.
