We are Famous

The Economist has a half page note dated in Kfar Sava about a house meeting in a penthouse. This town always votes for the left and it may be the most liberal in Israel. The speaker was the leader of the Arab United List, and he was received politely, which the Anglo journalist present interpreted as the Jews are joining Arab parties. I blindly believe everything the British press writes, except when they report about things I happen to know personally. I never imagined that the neighbor's house party is important to figure in The Economist. Their home made cakes are vomitable.

I am spending this rainy day writing the Bill of Quantities of the Munier project. No rocket science but requires much concentration. Not a pleasure.  

The Unexpurgated Case Against Woman Suffrage

The news are so bad that I shall distract myself with writing about the most prominent discoverer of vaccines, A. Wright (pic). In those Victorian times, men were not afraid of professional and social defenestration if they expressed their ideas, so there was free discussion of racial and gender issues, something inimaginable in our advanced times. Their ideas have been forgotten, repressed, criminalized.

Almroth Wright (pic) discussed, in a 1919 letter to The Times, why women should not be given the vote. He attributes the furious feminism to the million excess women in post WWI Britain. This excess was consequence, I think, of the massacre of the recent war, but Wright attributes it to the emigration of men to the colonies. Nothing has changed, today we also have a large excess of single women who are unable to form families. The cause, in Israel at least, is the draconic legislation against men that converts marriage into a lifelong servitude. Aspiring starlets that opened their legs hoping to get into the movies, and hating themselves for it, sent Harvey Weinstein - twenty years later - to jail.  

Purim in Shushan

The news in the bourse and the coronavirus front are very bad. I just watched on twitter a Persian on the paviment dragging himself toward  the hospital entrance - which was closed and full. No one came to his help. It is still cold in Iran.

So let's celebrate Purim and the Jews salvation from the evil Ahashwerosh in Shushan, with Shkeddy, the pink unicorn!

Be well!

Harsh developments

The political scene of Israel is showing stress never seen before. The left coalition is talking to Muslim extremist parties like Balad, which is causing a revolt in its right wing. Already three representatives have deserted. On the right side, Netaniyahu is preparing the fourth election in a year, and even if he becomes Prime Minister, the crazy Judiciary is moving ahead with three trials against him. We may have a situation where the ruling Prime Minister is fighting a trial, causing the self-destruction of the legal structure of Israel.

Israel is closed because many of the incoming travellers carry the virus. The police has been activated to implement the quarantine. Soon a hundred thousand persons may be in closure - and not in their homes. Soon people will be arrested for coughing in public.

China is the key

The hit to the oil price was no surprise as China is the largest energy consumer in the world. A similar fate for other commodities like copper & iron ore or services (like hospitality,education in the USA). On the supply side too their are issues. China produces around 1 million TV's a month. Last month due to the shutdown it was only 100,000. The markets are pricing in the risks associated with the pandemic.

When will China recover?

Are shares cheap enough?

Collectors of shares like me should exploit the corona-panic and continue buying. After the production of a vaccine everything will return to normal and shares will be sold for they are worth. I have to take courage and keep buying.  I do not believe that the end is near and anyway, my personal end cannot be very far. Airlines will be very cheap, they will return to their prices after the panic. Hotels and tourism sector. People will not give up living. Tomorrow!

Life goes on (or not)

Yesterday I was the only teacher in the exam, the others did not show up. The students - one step before graduating as civil engineers - displayed shocking ignorance. The university employs elderly "celadores" (guardians?) to prevent copying, they too were surprised by the elementary level of the questions. It depressed me and left after two hours.

I am not interested in politics, but the situation here is worrying. The Jewish electorate is divided equally and the 400,000 Israeli Arab voters are kingmakers. Their program is to dismantle Israel. In case of war, their loyalty is in no doubt: they are enemy. And for the first time they will be an important part of the govening coalition.

Went down to the corner shop for eggs. The woman before me was buying foodstuff enough for a month, she said they have to stay at home. Corona virus! Instinctively touched my nose, then ran home to wash my hands for a minute.