Difficult days ahead

This is the second day of the difficult weeks ahead. Once again, I have to collect and organize documents to submit to the Authorities. Once again, my thoughts revert to the existential, I seek strength in my personal and family history. My parents courageously left everything and passed illegally the Hungarian - Austrian frontier, and we arrived at Vienna with absolutely nothing. They were not slaves to real estate mother language and culture, promising jobs. They were ready to throw it all away and start from nothing. Penniless refugees, yet we survived without much pain. What is the worst that can happen to me? Nothing. At my age, I am done and all I strive for the future is to help my grandchildren. They have good parents so my contribution is inessential. Let's get down to the work on the table and keep going.

The Shofar Sheep

The spotted sheep breed was created in England in the 17th Century (pic). They are called Jacob's breed because they are like those described in the Bible (Jacob was an expert in animal husbandry.and no one succeeded yet to repeat his results). Each animal may have up to six horns, each one of them can be used to manufacture the horn blown during the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement. A shofar with good sound sells for several thousands dollars.

Can Israel Expel Homosexual Refugees to Uganda?

Israel is gradually expelling the African refugees to peaceful and prosperous African countries like Uganda. Yet the process is not advancing smoothly as the refugees have found protectors in Israel. Mothers and children were excepted from the beginning. Now a second category are becoming un-expellable: homosexuals. The Israeli homosexual organization has organized mass protests and mobilized influential international "human rights" movements. The argument is that in Uganda, like everywhere in Africa, homosexuality is punishable with death, so sending them to Africa means a death sentence for them. It appears that the refugees are well integrated in the local gay scene and are loved. The government's limp wrist is powerless against them, so they will stay and keep enriching the country's diversity.

Former Argentine President to be Tried

Argentina's former president Cristina Kirchner and other senior members of her government have been referred for public trial over the cover-up of Iranian involvement in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish charity in Buenos Aires, the judiciary announced on Monday, according to AFP.

Argentine Prosecutor Nisman (pic) had claimed that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran was a maneuver to cover up for the involvement of Iran and Hezbollah in the attack to AMIA.

Nisman had drafted arrest warrants for Kirchner and Timerman in connection with the cover-up, but was found dead before he could file them. A judge recently ruled that Nisman was murdered and did not commit suicide.

This case is really exceptional. 

Is Your Dog A Mensch?

Teaching dogs Yiddish

Is your dog a mensch? The Workmen's Circle is here to help you teach your dog Yiddish!  Yiddish for Dogs event in Dog People.  As one participant said: Kind of ridiculous...

Penis Whitening

The Chinese are mocking South East Asians (Indians, mainly). The Hong Kong English paper writes:

In Thai popular memory, as well as in much of Southeast Asia, America and the West in general thus occupy an aspirational plane, not just of financial muscle but also of libidinal power. Little surprise then that hospitals in Thailand are offering penis whitening services. Apart from Thailand, many of the clients for the service are reportedly coming from other parts of Asia. That is how deeply ingrained the binary of power and white phallus has become in the region after centuries of colonial and neo-colonial experience.

My impression is that many Northern Chinese, Koreans (pic) and Japanese are white skinned, and could pass for Ashkenazi Jews. Cantonese are olive colored, and the girls have black nipples and dark outer labia and anus. I know nothing about penises. 

Was Opening Up China a Big Mistake?

In 1972 the USA decided to change its policy of isolating Communist China and to open up the world markets  so China could make a living and develop. Few remember the incredible chaos and poverty of China in those times. Billion Chinese were starving. That is no exaggeration. After visiting China, I - like the FAO - published an article pondering if China would  be able to feed its growing population.

The Economist was then unsure if the coming, unavoidable Chinese competition would benefit or ruin British industry. After forty years, we can conclude that the integration of China in global economy brought us much prosperity (although traditional Western industries disappeared). Now, March 2018, The Economist arrives at the conclusion that Nixon's China policy was a big mistake. China industrialized and prospered, but did not became a democracy and an ally of the free world, as it was called then. At this point, it is too late to be sorry. The West will have to live with a large, rich and powerful Chinese empire and its smiling Emperor.