The Van Lake Migrant Trail

This night seven people drawned and 64 were rescued when a boat carrying migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan sank in Turkey’s Lake Van. The winter weather is harsh in those parts, they must have been desperate to intend to reach Germany by that route. Europe will have to build a wall too. 

Star Wars Over Israel

"Red alert" air raid sirens sounded Wednesday night in Gaza border towns, interrupting a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The alerts sounded while Netanyahu gave a speech at a Likud primaries conference in Ashkelon. The Prime Minister was escorted off the stage and taken immediately to a bomb shelter.

"The person who fired at us last time is not with us," Netanyahu said afterwards, adding that, "the one who fired now should start packing his belongings."

Halil Battanney (pic) appears to be the person in reference. It may be fake news, who knows why his pic appears on the internet? I do not know. We shall have to wait only a few days to know.

Kever Benjamin City (Kfar Saba, where I live) has been ranked number two among Israel wealthiest cities (Tel Aviv is number one). Apparently, we are well off. This morning I drove to Kalansuwa, a large Arab city 30 km north of Kfar Saba, and was shocked to see that the industrial area has no sewage system and the workshops have large plastic reservoirs for water, because there is no pressure in the pipes. The city is ruled by the largest and best armed clan. Elected by democratic vote, of course. Most people pay no municipal taxes (the arnona) nor water bills.  The Arabs I work with are very competent, buy as a collective they are unable to organize themselves effectively.  

Simmering Confrontation with Turkey

Turkey and Turkey dominated Lybia signed a maritime accord declaring the East Mediterranean their property (Map left below). We condemned the declaration as “illegal”, but  that doesn’t mean we are sending battleships to confront Turkey. Greece, which is a close ally of Israel and is at odds with Turkey over a host of issues, called the accord absurd because it ignored the presence of the Greek island of Crete between the coasts of Turkey and Libya. Greece's claims in the map right. Many countries are dividing the seas among themselves. China did it with the South Sea. Without an hegemonic power, as was the US, the world is sliding towards a catch-as-you-can-catch situation. Bad. 

People Wants to Stop Development

Because of mass protests against the new gas development ten kilometers away from the coast, the Ministry of Environment stopped the launch of production at Israel’s Leviathan natural gas field. Phantom fears of unknown contamination and global catastrophe have paralyzed a very important project. It could not happen in China. 

醉翁谈录

Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee

Just around the corner

There's a rainbow in the sky

So let's have another cup o' coffee

And let's have another piece o' pie!

Trouble's just a bubble

And the clouds will soon roll by

So let's have another cup o' coffee

And let's have another piece o' pie

Let a smile be your umbrella

For it's just an April show'r

Even John D. Rockefeller

Is looking for the silver lining

Mister Herbert Hoover

Says that now's the time to buy

So let's have another cup o' coffee

And let's have another piece o' pie!

China Assimilates Uighur Females

From an Australian paper:

Han Chinese men had been assigned to monitor the homes of Uighur women whose husbands had been detained in prison camps. The reports came out after an anonymous Chinese official gave an interview with Radio Free Asia, confirming the program but denying there was anything sinister about it.

As part of the “Pair Up and Become Family” program, Han Chinese men stay with and sleep in the same beds as Uighur women. According to the Chinese Government, the program is designed to “promote ethnic unity”.

J reflects: Does the Pair Up program take into account what will happen when the Uyghur husbands complete their education and return home and find a Chinese man in the bed with their wives? Or that scenario will never happen?