Like most of you I read that our ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair, made some unusual financial arrangements during his time as our leader. He managed to arrange a mortgage for twice the value of the house he purchased. This, if you or I tried to do it, would probably get you in very big trouble. Apparently not, if you are a very important person.
Then there's our current Prime Minister. Also keen to lead us prudently in all things economic he managed to arrange expenses for himself and his family which included the movie and sports package on his pay satellite TV service. Glad we could be of service Gordon! He certainly is prudent isn't he. I would add that he appears to be cheap and like his ex boss, another liberty taker.
Of course, neither of these paragons of virtue would do anything at all illegal, and would be very careful not to do so. But just because it's not illegal doesn't mean it's moral or the right thing to do.
These are just two more examples of shoddy behavior by those who are supposed to lead the rest of us. The recently released accounts of our Members of Parliament demonstrate a multitude of similarly awful examples by many of our elected representatives. Those that behave in this manner need to be shown up for what they are, crooks and charlatans. How dare these villains judge the rest of us, and how much longer can they continue to get away with such rank hypocracy?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sydney J. Pollack - A Tribute
Sydney Pollack, the Academy Award-winning director of "Out of Africa" who achieved acclaim making popular, mainstream movies with A-list stars, including "The Way We Were" and "Tootsie," died Monday. He was 73.Pollack, who also was a producer and actor, died of cancer at his home in Pacific Palisades.
I only sat down to talk with him at length once, and that was quite some time ago. He was a dignified, humorous and helpful man, and I was astounded he took the time to be helpful to me, then just a young man trying to make his way. He treated me with old world courtesy and grace, and I shall always treasure that afternoon and his wisdom and kindness.
I also want to pay tribute to him as a filmmaker. Sydney could direct, act or produce with equal dexterity, and always with wit, taste and excellence. If you glance at the wonderful list of his films you will see why he shall be sadly missed.
Sydney Pollack was an Academy Award-winning director who collaborated with a long list of elite actors on films such as "Out of Africa," "Tootsie," "The Way We Were" and "Absence of Malice."
Unlike many other top directors of his era, Pollack was also a film and television actor himself, and he used this unique position to forge a relationship with Hollywood's elite stars and create some of the most successful films of the 1970s and '80s.
In 1970, "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" about Great Depression marathon dancers, received nine Oscar nominations, including one for Pollack's direction. He was nominated again for best director for 1982's "Tootsie," starring Dustin Hoffman as a cross-dressing actor and Pollack as his exasperated agent. As director and producer, he won Academy Awards for the 1986 romantic epic "Out of Africa," starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, which captured seven Oscars in all.
Last autumn, Pollack played law firm boss Marty Bach opposite George Clooney in "Michael Clayton," which he also co-produced and received seven Oscar nominations.
Sydney, farewell, you were an immense talent but above all, you were a mensch.
I only sat down to talk with him at length once, and that was quite some time ago. He was a dignified, humorous and helpful man, and I was astounded he took the time to be helpful to me, then just a young man trying to make his way. He treated me with old world courtesy and grace, and I shall always treasure that afternoon and his wisdom and kindness.
I also want to pay tribute to him as a filmmaker. Sydney could direct, act or produce with equal dexterity, and always with wit, taste and excellence. If you glance at the wonderful list of his films you will see why he shall be sadly missed.
Sydney Pollack was an Academy Award-winning director who collaborated with a long list of elite actors on films such as "Out of Africa," "Tootsie," "The Way We Were" and "Absence of Malice."
Unlike many other top directors of his era, Pollack was also a film and television actor himself, and he used this unique position to forge a relationship with Hollywood's elite stars and create some of the most successful films of the 1970s and '80s.
In 1970, "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" about Great Depression marathon dancers, received nine Oscar nominations, including one for Pollack's direction. He was nominated again for best director for 1982's "Tootsie," starring Dustin Hoffman as a cross-dressing actor and Pollack as his exasperated agent. As director and producer, he won Academy Awards for the 1986 romantic epic "Out of Africa," starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, which captured seven Oscars in all.
Last autumn, Pollack played law firm boss Marty Bach opposite George Clooney in "Michael Clayton," which he also co-produced and received seven Oscar nominations.
Sydney, farewell, you were an immense talent but above all, you were a mensch.
Service With A Smile - Please
Today I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. I call it a movie because that’s what the big American studios make, we, the Brits, make films, and in mainland Europe, they make cinema. One day, when we’re all in the mood I shall explain the subtle differences to the uninitiated.
First things first, the movie is a terrific fun. Old time B movie escapism. As a small kid said as he was coming out of the film and his mum asked him what he thought about the film, he responded, “It was terrific!” For those of you who have heard wise-ass critics scoring easy points against this film let me say they have no idea what they’re talking about. This is, of course, escapist nonsense, but it is supposed to be escapism writ large. Harrison Ford is still well able to swash his buckle and the action is smashing. No doubt the big time games designers and ride manufacturers are hard at work readying these for an expectant world.
The place chosen for the cinema visit was the Enfield Cineworld, the nearest movie theatre to Klinger Towers. The most important thing to think of here is that there was a probability that there would be a big audience for this particular movie. There were, after all, seven screens at this complex showing this film simultaneously which would appear to indicate that the cinema management were expecting a crowd.
It was therefore more than a little surprising that the door from the car park to the cinema complex was locked and the only means of entrance to remaining was the elevator. This was more than a little crowded as a consequence. Arriving in the lobby it was further surprising to discover a Disneyland type line waiting impatiently for someone to sell tickets. There was a single guy at one machine and the other four were unmanned. People were soon becoming very agitated. Being impatient myself I went to locate the manager who was having a chat with another member of staff at the far end of the very large foyer.
“Did you notice there are a couple of hundred people waiting and only one person selling tickets?” I asked him, “Yes,” he responded, “We have more people coming along very soon.” I suggested that he took some staff and himself away from where there were no customers and put them all on selling tickets, but by then his attention was elsewhere.
I rejoined the line, which hadn’t moved forward. Rather than trying to achieve this obvious ambition the manager sent another member of staff onto the ticket sales counter and he asked for anyone collecting advance booking or credit card transactions. Some of the crowd surged forward and others in the line quickly and volubly demonstrated their resentment. It was all getting worse. Just as it seemed there would be a much worse problem if the manager didn’t take action several new staff arrived at the ticket area.
Most of these staff were painfully slow but for one young lady who was about five times quicker than her colleagues. Within a couple of minutes this young lady had basically cleared the backlog of customers and I found myself purchasing my tickets from her, I told her that she was terrific, and not only that, unlike her surly colleagues she was friendly, smiling and accurate in her work. Her name is Sara, and no doubt she is going to be a very valuable employee.
I don’t understand why it would be so hard for this cinema to hire and manage their staff, but clearly it is. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult for this cinema to keep their lift working between their car park and their foyer, but it is usually inoperative. I don’t know why this cinema should find it difficult to keep the door between their car park and their cinema unlocked but clearly they do. It should not be very hard to place staff at ticket machines for one of the busiest days of the year but they clearly do. I still don’t understand why it should cost more than £11 ($20) for two small (kids) popcorns and two drinks, but it does, but I understand why, its because the cinema wants to rip their customers off.
For the record I have an annual ticket to this cinema chain because I like to go to the cinema, but it would be great if they had any clue how to run their cinemas. They have a total management failure. They should beg that young woman, Sara, to take over. They are the Fawlty Towers of movie theatre management.
In the UK we are generally pretty bad at service, although this is still a radical improvement since I was a boy. Then the service was more or less non-existent. I remember being in the Midlands town of Derby when I was a boy and I couldn’t find a decent meal during a whole week’s stay, now you would probably find something edible every day. The service improved with the immigration of people who want to live in this country, mainly from Eastern Europe. Clearly the lesson is that you can have better service if you are prepared to increase your population by a few million people. Unless you visit the Cineworld in Enfield, where they still manage to provide the lousiest, rudest and most inefficient old-fashioned lack of service possible. It reminds me of the good old days!
First things first, the movie is a terrific fun. Old time B movie escapism. As a small kid said as he was coming out of the film and his mum asked him what he thought about the film, he responded, “It was terrific!” For those of you who have heard wise-ass critics scoring easy points against this film let me say they have no idea what they’re talking about. This is, of course, escapist nonsense, but it is supposed to be escapism writ large. Harrison Ford is still well able to swash his buckle and the action is smashing. No doubt the big time games designers and ride manufacturers are hard at work readying these for an expectant world.
The place chosen for the cinema visit was the Enfield Cineworld, the nearest movie theatre to Klinger Towers. The most important thing to think of here is that there was a probability that there would be a big audience for this particular movie. There were, after all, seven screens at this complex showing this film simultaneously which would appear to indicate that the cinema management were expecting a crowd.
It was therefore more than a little surprising that the door from the car park to the cinema complex was locked and the only means of entrance to remaining was the elevator. This was more than a little crowded as a consequence. Arriving in the lobby it was further surprising to discover a Disneyland type line waiting impatiently for someone to sell tickets. There was a single guy at one machine and the other four were unmanned. People were soon becoming very agitated. Being impatient myself I went to locate the manager who was having a chat with another member of staff at the far end of the very large foyer.
“Did you notice there are a couple of hundred people waiting and only one person selling tickets?” I asked him, “Yes,” he responded, “We have more people coming along very soon.” I suggested that he took some staff and himself away from where there were no customers and put them all on selling tickets, but by then his attention was elsewhere.
I rejoined the line, which hadn’t moved forward. Rather than trying to achieve this obvious ambition the manager sent another member of staff onto the ticket sales counter and he asked for anyone collecting advance booking or credit card transactions. Some of the crowd surged forward and others in the line quickly and volubly demonstrated their resentment. It was all getting worse. Just as it seemed there would be a much worse problem if the manager didn’t take action several new staff arrived at the ticket area.
Most of these staff were painfully slow but for one young lady who was about five times quicker than her colleagues. Within a couple of minutes this young lady had basically cleared the backlog of customers and I found myself purchasing my tickets from her, I told her that she was terrific, and not only that, unlike her surly colleagues she was friendly, smiling and accurate in her work. Her name is Sara, and no doubt she is going to be a very valuable employee.
I don’t understand why it would be so hard for this cinema to hire and manage their staff, but clearly it is. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult for this cinema to keep their lift working between their car park and their foyer, but it is usually inoperative. I don’t know why this cinema should find it difficult to keep the door between their car park and their cinema unlocked but clearly they do. It should not be very hard to place staff at ticket machines for one of the busiest days of the year but they clearly do. I still don’t understand why it should cost more than £11 ($20) for two small (kids) popcorns and two drinks, but it does, but I understand why, its because the cinema wants to rip their customers off.
For the record I have an annual ticket to this cinema chain because I like to go to the cinema, but it would be great if they had any clue how to run their cinemas. They have a total management failure. They should beg that young woman, Sara, to take over. They are the Fawlty Towers of movie theatre management.
In the UK we are generally pretty bad at service, although this is still a radical improvement since I was a boy. Then the service was more or less non-existent. I remember being in the Midlands town of Derby when I was a boy and I couldn’t find a decent meal during a whole week’s stay, now you would probably find something edible every day. The service improved with the immigration of people who want to live in this country, mainly from Eastern Europe. Clearly the lesson is that you can have better service if you are prepared to increase your population by a few million people. Unless you visit the Cineworld in Enfield, where they still manage to provide the lousiest, rudest and most inefficient old-fashioned lack of service possible. It reminds me of the good old days!
Monday, May 26, 2008
British Insanity
You couldn’t make up madness on the level of the current British Government. This is a group of losers on a heroic scale. Led by the hapless and hopeless George Brown, the once feared Chancellor of the Exchequer has proved to be one of the most inept and unlucky Prime Minister’s this country has experienced in the modern era. This is exacerbated by some of the most ridiculous legislative ideas we have ever seen.
The latest manifestation of this ineptitude is the serious proposal whereby the Government will electronically collect every phone call, e-mail and Internet visit made in the country. They will then use any of this information subject to an individual coming under investigation.
Remember this is the same Government that has lost and mislaid most of our Health and Tax information during the last year. On the bright side they did apologize, so that’s OK then.
Why does the Government think they might need this mountain of information? No one could answer that question logically because if they really did need this why not collect every single snail mail letter, what about recording every meeting while we’re at it? Perhaps because the whole idea is totally mad.
Before the counter argument is produced like a tired fig leaf, let me state that you don’t necessarily have anything to hide because you want to protect a citizen’s right to privacy. It should be an inalienable right. Remember also that the Draconian counter terrorism laws we already have in place have not proven effective. The enormous weight of counter terrorism economic compliance legislation has been in force for quite a while in this country, and is a very good example for us to look at. These rules, including having to prove your identity for almost every financial transaction, producing your passport even for opening a bank account, have so far not resulted in a single arrest.
What it all does mean is that our security services have almost limitless access to all of our information and that there’s nothing we can do about it. Even in an avuncular, moderate and paternalistic democracy such as our own, I am very worried by these powers. Imagine, once these laws were in place and our Government, or the situation in which we found ourselves, more extreme, how these laws could be used against any of us.
If you don’t like these proposals let your friends know. Each of us is responsible for informing our media outlets and Members of Parliament.
The latest manifestation of this ineptitude is the serious proposal whereby the Government will electronically collect every phone call, e-mail and Internet visit made in the country. They will then use any of this information subject to an individual coming under investigation.
Remember this is the same Government that has lost and mislaid most of our Health and Tax information during the last year. On the bright side they did apologize, so that’s OK then.
Why does the Government think they might need this mountain of information? No one could answer that question logically because if they really did need this why not collect every single snail mail letter, what about recording every meeting while we’re at it? Perhaps because the whole idea is totally mad.
Before the counter argument is produced like a tired fig leaf, let me state that you don’t necessarily have anything to hide because you want to protect a citizen’s right to privacy. It should be an inalienable right. Remember also that the Draconian counter terrorism laws we already have in place have not proven effective. The enormous weight of counter terrorism economic compliance legislation has been in force for quite a while in this country, and is a very good example for us to look at. These rules, including having to prove your identity for almost every financial transaction, producing your passport even for opening a bank account, have so far not resulted in a single arrest.
What it all does mean is that our security services have almost limitless access to all of our information and that there’s nothing we can do about it. Even in an avuncular, moderate and paternalistic democracy such as our own, I am very worried by these powers. Imagine, once these laws were in place and our Government, or the situation in which we found ourselves, more extreme, how these laws could be used against any of us.
If you don’t like these proposals let your friends know. Each of us is responsible for informing our media outlets and Members of Parliament.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
American Elections - Help Anyone?
American friends, help please. I have been closely observing the Democrat primary selection process and I am hopelessly confused. I had thought that the candidates would stand against one another in all the States and the winner of the most states won, and would be selected as the Democrat Presidential candidate.
OK, then it was explained to me that each of the States had a different size and importance so, for example, if you won California it was worth a whole lot more than West Virginia. The way this works is that you evaluate each State by its electoral importance and gain delegates proportionate to this.
By this measurement Barak Obama is just about crossing the finishing line, sufficiently ahead of Hillary Clinton to mean that she cannot win. Aha, I thought, then that’s it, he’s won and she has lost, it’s all over! But no, it is still possible for her to win because of the Super Delegates. Who are the bloody Super Delegates, where did they come from and who selected them and why are they there in the first place? Answers anyone? By the way, it is distinctly possible that Hillary will win the popular vote, and win a greater number of States yet still lose the race to be selected as the Democrat Presidential candidate.
Apparently Hillary was ahead in the Super Delegate count at one stage but not now. Even these Delegates with apparently super powers, are now edging towards Barak. Don’t ask me how or why, I don’t even know where they came from or what special powers they possess.
I was recently in America and some of the Super Delegates appeared on TV. There was an impossibly powerful and glamorous black woman who explained why she wasn’t for Barak and a geeky little blonde guy who, with equal conviction told the audience why he loved him and hated Hillary, although, of course, being a Super Delegate, also telling us why he loved and respected her.
What no one explained was what were these Super Delegates and how did you go about being selected to be one and for how long, and do you get paid, and if so, by who and how much? Or are the Super Delegates like Mayflies just appearing for a few mysterious days for reasons only other Mayflies would understand?
Another American anachronism is the Washington political lobbyists. In this week’s Time magazine, Joel Stein quotes the Presidential candidates who state that the lobbyists are so powerful they are ruining democracy. You can make matters even more confusing if you add the layers to this democratic cake. There are also consultants, who are paid to advise the lobbyists, who guide them how to lobby. Then there are the registered lobbyists who are what all lobbyists should be, if they want to be a kosher lobbyist, because if you’re not a registered lobbyist you are just an advocate. The other difference is that a lobbyist gets paid, whereas an advocate doesn’t.
Add to this the continuing American mystery regarding their spooky Electoral College. This shadowy body is a hangover from the country’s post-colonial genesis, I think. These people seem to come into play after the general electorate have voted and can, if they so desire, turn over the result. Apparently, there are circumstances where this unelected and unknown group can become the most important voters in the world, without anyone knowing much about them or what they stand for, or even, how they were selected. Please, American friends, can you explain all of this to me and how you can reconcile any of it with your being the most powerful democracy on the planet.
I guess I need a beginner’s class on American politics, anyone care to join me, or do you all understand their system? I was stupid enough to think all you had to do was vote, someone would count the votes up, and whoever got more was the winner. How dumb could I get?
OK, then it was explained to me that each of the States had a different size and importance so, for example, if you won California it was worth a whole lot more than West Virginia. The way this works is that you evaluate each State by its electoral importance and gain delegates proportionate to this.
By this measurement Barak Obama is just about crossing the finishing line, sufficiently ahead of Hillary Clinton to mean that she cannot win. Aha, I thought, then that’s it, he’s won and she has lost, it’s all over! But no, it is still possible for her to win because of the Super Delegates. Who are the bloody Super Delegates, where did they come from and who selected them and why are they there in the first place? Answers anyone? By the way, it is distinctly possible that Hillary will win the popular vote, and win a greater number of States yet still lose the race to be selected as the Democrat Presidential candidate.
Apparently Hillary was ahead in the Super Delegate count at one stage but not now. Even these Delegates with apparently super powers, are now edging towards Barak. Don’t ask me how or why, I don’t even know where they came from or what special powers they possess.
I was recently in America and some of the Super Delegates appeared on TV. There was an impossibly powerful and glamorous black woman who explained why she wasn’t for Barak and a geeky little blonde guy who, with equal conviction told the audience why he loved him and hated Hillary, although, of course, being a Super Delegate, also telling us why he loved and respected her.
What no one explained was what were these Super Delegates and how did you go about being selected to be one and for how long, and do you get paid, and if so, by who and how much? Or are the Super Delegates like Mayflies just appearing for a few mysterious days for reasons only other Mayflies would understand?
Another American anachronism is the Washington political lobbyists. In this week’s Time magazine, Joel Stein quotes the Presidential candidates who state that the lobbyists are so powerful they are ruining democracy. You can make matters even more confusing if you add the layers to this democratic cake. There are also consultants, who are paid to advise the lobbyists, who guide them how to lobby. Then there are the registered lobbyists who are what all lobbyists should be, if they want to be a kosher lobbyist, because if you’re not a registered lobbyist you are just an advocate. The other difference is that a lobbyist gets paid, whereas an advocate doesn’t.
Add to this the continuing American mystery regarding their spooky Electoral College. This shadowy body is a hangover from the country’s post-colonial genesis, I think. These people seem to come into play after the general electorate have voted and can, if they so desire, turn over the result. Apparently, there are circumstances where this unelected and unknown group can become the most important voters in the world, without anyone knowing much about them or what they stand for, or even, how they were selected. Please, American friends, can you explain all of this to me and how you can reconcile any of it with your being the most powerful democracy on the planet.
I guess I need a beginner’s class on American politics, anyone care to join me, or do you all understand their system? I was stupid enough to think all you had to do was vote, someone would count the votes up, and whoever got more was the winner. How dumb could I get?
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Honesty
There is a concept I shall call keeping your word. Making a commitment to someone and keeping it, come what may. This doesn’t seem to apply in many aspects of our lives and this dishonesty is becoming progressively more acceptable to society.
One glaring example is in football. Soccer stars, like other sports super stars, sign contracts that tie them to a club for an agreed period of time, usually about five years, in return for which they receive a great deal of money. This is no longer the case. Now, if a player does well, or another club comes sniffing after their services, their agent will seek increased terms or they will make noise until they force a rupture with their original club. Imagine if the situation were reversed, and the player had a bad spell, and the club tried to get rid of them or reduce their terms. There would be righteous indignation.
Agents and players take ruthless advantage of this situation. It used to be the case that the clubs exploited the players, who had little or no power. Now the situation is reversed, and it is just as dishonest when the players and their representatives behave appallingly. Why sign a contract you have no obligation or wish to maintain? What makes this situation even more unappealing is the cod loyalty players publicly express when they literally bang their fists on their hearts where their club insignia is to be found on their shirts when they do something positive in a match. They do this to demonstrate to their fellow players, the fans and their TV viewers, that they adore their club. What dishonesty, the only thing they want to be a part of is that club’s money.
What makes this situation even sadder is that no one seems to be surprised by this lack of morality. Kids growing up, who love their clubs, learn to live with this lack of scruples. What are the implications for their behavior when they grow up if these examples are seen as the norm?
One glaring example is in football. Soccer stars, like other sports super stars, sign contracts that tie them to a club for an agreed period of time, usually about five years, in return for which they receive a great deal of money. This is no longer the case. Now, if a player does well, or another club comes sniffing after their services, their agent will seek increased terms or they will make noise until they force a rupture with their original club. Imagine if the situation were reversed, and the player had a bad spell, and the club tried to get rid of them or reduce their terms. There would be righteous indignation.
Agents and players take ruthless advantage of this situation. It used to be the case that the clubs exploited the players, who had little or no power. Now the situation is reversed, and it is just as dishonest when the players and their representatives behave appallingly. Why sign a contract you have no obligation or wish to maintain? What makes this situation even more unappealing is the cod loyalty players publicly express when they literally bang their fists on their hearts where their club insignia is to be found on their shirts when they do something positive in a match. They do this to demonstrate to their fellow players, the fans and their TV viewers, that they adore their club. What dishonesty, the only thing they want to be a part of is that club’s money.
What makes this situation even sadder is that no one seems to be surprised by this lack of morality. Kids growing up, who love their clubs, learn to live with this lack of scruples. What are the implications for their behavior when they grow up if these examples are seen as the norm?
Friday, May 23, 2008
Happy Birthday Israel!
This month Israel celebrated its 60th. birthday. This remarkable little country has achieved much in that short piece of time. Its population has gone from just over a million Arabs and Jews to more than seven million in that time. Although officially a Jewish state its population includes about 20% Arab Israelis.
We know that many people, rich and poor, educated or not, from every class in every country, hate Israel with unreasoning passion. As a Jewish person, I have learned how to live with this. But I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to accept it either. I was at a dinner party overseas a couple of years back with a low level British diplomat and his family. Clearly the man didn’t know I was Jewish, and this was a private function, so he felt free to voice the often concealed opinion that all the problems in the Middle East would cease if only shitty little Israel simply ceased to exist. I told him of my heritage and why he was wrong, and, to give the devil his due, he listened carefully and then gave me a fulsome and well meant apology. His original contentions were clearly not true, and demonstrated a total lack of understanding and knowledge of the region. Notwithstanding a million such calumnies, Israel does exist, and grows, despite all its enemies.
One of the latest, fashionable canards thrown in Israel’s direction is that it is an apartheid state although its Arab citizens willingly tell anyone interested that this is not true. Is there any truth in the counter accusation that the Israel haters are closet anti-Semites? Obviously not everyone who hates Israel is anti-Semitic, but there is a depressing correlation. Enough of their number give such unreasoning and unreasonable views on Israel that such conclusions become inevitable. In their publicly aired opinions Israel has become the bully and the entire Arab word the oppressed. This is such a distortion it would be funny if it were not so ridiculous. Just look at a map, and check out the numbers. Israel is a tiny country, the size of Wales, and is surrounded by enemies on all sides, occupying many countries, and more like the size of Europe. Israel’s population faces enemies numbering about fifty times their number.
Israel is still the only democratic state in the Middle East and this means that anyone can vote, without threat or pressure, for anyone they like. This has resulted in some volatility, but despite the wishful thinking of Israel’s enemies, it has survived and prospered.
This prosperity is evidence of Israel’s ingenuity, hard work and innovation. The country has virtually no raw materials, gas, oil or resources given to them by the grace of fate. Everything the country prospers from is derived from brains and brawn employed with unflagging energy.
When the country’s independence was voted for by the United Nations in 1948 all its neighboring Arab countries refused to accept the decision. Instead of welcoming the new state they instantly declared war and attempted to invade it from every direction. Israel, after tremendous losses, despite huge odds, managed to be victorious. This pattern of Arab denial, Israeli victory and continued, sometimes escalating intransigence, became the norm.
There were major wars following the War of Independence known as The Suez War, The Six Day War, The Yom Kippur War and The War of Attrition. To which you could add two Intifada’s and two Lebanon Wars and unending terrorist incursions and attacks.
Israel can never seem to do right since they started winning these wars. When it appeared inevitable that the fledgling state was going to be extinguished there were many admirers to be found around the world. They applauded its then socialist moral compass. The image of its people was miraculously transformed from downtrodden victims of the world’s ghettos to straight backed, handsome warriors.
Like every country on the planet Israel has made mistakes, but not noticeably more than others, and somewhat less than its many enemy neighbors. The difference is that every mistake Israel makes is magnified and those of others, particularly its enemies, are always excused as the result of Israel’s actions. It is this twisted logic that turned Israel’s building of a defensive wall to keep terrorists out into an act of aggression. This constant attack on this construction is despite the fact that it did succeed in reducing the number of terrorist bombings in Israel by more than 97%. By the way we didn’t hear similar criticism of the building of a similar defensive wall in Belfast by the British to keep the warring Catholics and Protestants apart. That wall still exists and has apparently been maintained in good order.
The aspirations from the world of Israel are far greater than for any other new country. Israel is achieving continuing breakthroughs in technology, agriculture, design, medicine and all the other elements of a modern society and has done so despite constant attacks and embargoes.
People in other countries have such a distorted view of Israel that their perception is of an ugly country, with war on every corner, populated by lying, ugly bigots who arbitrarily attack their downtrodden neighbors. The country and its people are extremely attractive at its best, and like everywhere else at its worst. The average is average. What’s exceptional is that everyone, friends and enemies alike expect and demand more from her than any other country. Perhaps it’s this unrealistic expectation that cannot to be met, that means Israel is bound to disappoint. But in reaching for the stars Israel can, and I hope and believe, will achieve greatness. Happy birthday Israel.
We know that many people, rich and poor, educated or not, from every class in every country, hate Israel with unreasoning passion. As a Jewish person, I have learned how to live with this. But I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to accept it either. I was at a dinner party overseas a couple of years back with a low level British diplomat and his family. Clearly the man didn’t know I was Jewish, and this was a private function, so he felt free to voice the often concealed opinion that all the problems in the Middle East would cease if only shitty little Israel simply ceased to exist. I told him of my heritage and why he was wrong, and, to give the devil his due, he listened carefully and then gave me a fulsome and well meant apology. His original contentions were clearly not true, and demonstrated a total lack of understanding and knowledge of the region. Notwithstanding a million such calumnies, Israel does exist, and grows, despite all its enemies.
One of the latest, fashionable canards thrown in Israel’s direction is that it is an apartheid state although its Arab citizens willingly tell anyone interested that this is not true. Is there any truth in the counter accusation that the Israel haters are closet anti-Semites? Obviously not everyone who hates Israel is anti-Semitic, but there is a depressing correlation. Enough of their number give such unreasoning and unreasonable views on Israel that such conclusions become inevitable. In their publicly aired opinions Israel has become the bully and the entire Arab word the oppressed. This is such a distortion it would be funny if it were not so ridiculous. Just look at a map, and check out the numbers. Israel is a tiny country, the size of Wales, and is surrounded by enemies on all sides, occupying many countries, and more like the size of Europe. Israel’s population faces enemies numbering about fifty times their number.
Israel is still the only democratic state in the Middle East and this means that anyone can vote, without threat or pressure, for anyone they like. This has resulted in some volatility, but despite the wishful thinking of Israel’s enemies, it has survived and prospered.
This prosperity is evidence of Israel’s ingenuity, hard work and innovation. The country has virtually no raw materials, gas, oil or resources given to them by the grace of fate. Everything the country prospers from is derived from brains and brawn employed with unflagging energy.
When the country’s independence was voted for by the United Nations in 1948 all its neighboring Arab countries refused to accept the decision. Instead of welcoming the new state they instantly declared war and attempted to invade it from every direction. Israel, after tremendous losses, despite huge odds, managed to be victorious. This pattern of Arab denial, Israeli victory and continued, sometimes escalating intransigence, became the norm.
There were major wars following the War of Independence known as The Suez War, The Six Day War, The Yom Kippur War and The War of Attrition. To which you could add two Intifada’s and two Lebanon Wars and unending terrorist incursions and attacks.
Israel can never seem to do right since they started winning these wars. When it appeared inevitable that the fledgling state was going to be extinguished there were many admirers to be found around the world. They applauded its then socialist moral compass. The image of its people was miraculously transformed from downtrodden victims of the world’s ghettos to straight backed, handsome warriors.
Like every country on the planet Israel has made mistakes, but not noticeably more than others, and somewhat less than its many enemy neighbors. The difference is that every mistake Israel makes is magnified and those of others, particularly its enemies, are always excused as the result of Israel’s actions. It is this twisted logic that turned Israel’s building of a defensive wall to keep terrorists out into an act of aggression. This constant attack on this construction is despite the fact that it did succeed in reducing the number of terrorist bombings in Israel by more than 97%. By the way we didn’t hear similar criticism of the building of a similar defensive wall in Belfast by the British to keep the warring Catholics and Protestants apart. That wall still exists and has apparently been maintained in good order.
The aspirations from the world of Israel are far greater than for any other new country. Israel is achieving continuing breakthroughs in technology, agriculture, design, medicine and all the other elements of a modern society and has done so despite constant attacks and embargoes.
People in other countries have such a distorted view of Israel that their perception is of an ugly country, with war on every corner, populated by lying, ugly bigots who arbitrarily attack their downtrodden neighbors. The country and its people are extremely attractive at its best, and like everywhere else at its worst. The average is average. What’s exceptional is that everyone, friends and enemies alike expect and demand more from her than any other country. Perhaps it’s this unrealistic expectation that cannot to be met, that means Israel is bound to disappoint. But in reaching for the stars Israel can, and I hope and believe, will achieve greatness. Happy birthday Israel.
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