Jackson, Boil the Water

 

Chokwe A. Lumumba, Mayor of Jackson Mississippi warns the population to boil the water (left). He sends out two or three notices per day. It is based on turbidity, an easily measured parameter. Jackson is now 90% African and its infrastructure has collapsed.  They can’t even maintain a fully intact city, like Jackson, they are handed to them basically gift-wrapped with an invisible card attached. The capital of the State has 150,000 inhabitants, constantly dwindling because of "white flight". My estimate of the city's total worth is four billion US$ at 80,000 per dwelling. However, in its present dubious water supply, it must be 50% less. Real estate in American cities (Chicago, Detroit, Flint, Brownsville) is becoming worthless. My father used to mention a rich uncle in Mississippi, who had left Hungary around 1910 and owned a supermarket chain. I looked it up and found their supermarket chain carrying our name. I wonder how much they are worth today. 

Incorruptible Economic Journalists

 I used to read with respect the economic writings of Merav Arlozorov, from HaAretz.  (I have worked with his late Father, Shaul, a  water engineer who helped the Chinese with their "national carrier" project). 

Lately, she has moved to the "Left" ie she quotes statistics that prove the malevolence/incompetence of the "Right". She can look up the number of  "good teachers" in Arab vs Jewish cities and point out the gap between the achievements of the two populations. These are typical accusations used in the USA to explain the Black vs White gap. 

She likes to compare Israel's standing vis-a-vis Luxemburg, Norway, Switzerland.  She quotes indices where we are at a disadvantage and blames the Netaniyahu government. She is extremely unfair. Those countries are the top of the world, homogenous, long-established countries, with no enemies. Israel - with all its handicaps - has surpassed Europe in wealth and just to quote another index, in public health (COVID-19). She knows all that but NEEDS to condemn her country. 

My problem with Merav is that SHE KNOWS and her hypocrisy is conscious. Why? For one, she is employed by HaAretz (need I say more?), a paper where to condemn Israel, is de rigueur. Second, the moment she suggests that Israel is not rabidly racist, that the government and the industry are not out to poison the people, she is labeled "corrupt".  In 2017 she studied the data on air pollution in Haifa and found that the heavy industry had improved and was less polluting. It was said that she was defending the bete noir of the greens, fixated on destroying that vital industry. BTW, the platform of Merav Michaeli (Labour) of the recent coalition promises, as the first thing, to send bulldozers and level the industrial park. Arlozorov was blamed for using official data, that is, the Ministry of Environment (the regulator) measurements. Government data, per definition, must be unreliable and if good, paid for by the blood-sucking Capital.

Why an excellent, intelligent, Zionist economic journalist has been forced to hypocrisy? My answer, because of humanity's natural envy of the successful, of the powerful, and the consequent psychological desire to destroy it. People are evil by nature, it is written in the Tora. 

P.S.: Today she wrote: "the new government, should it arise". She knows something? 

Doing my Time

Which is the best nation-state?

 The death of the nation-state has been announced innumerable times. Everything will be still functioning after its demise. Senates will legislate, the Treasuries will print money, etc. The State will die when cannot protect property, provide personal security, create a stable environment for breeding. According to those parameters, Israel is working better than most. It has shown that defends its sovereignty, protects its citizens and it is one of the best places for safe capital. Therefore we are getting more investments and more first-class people are trying to move here. 

China is another contemporary State that offers similarly stable conditions. Yet only 150 years ago it was thoroughly looted by foreigners (Pic. the ruins of the Summer Palace). Life is not guaranteed. 

For me, this is irrelevant. I am at the end of my long life and too old and weak to change anything. 

Sentiment Change in TASE

Oh what a beautiful morning,
Oh what a beautiful day,
I've got a wonderful feeling,
Everything's going my way.

TASE is getting used fast to the Bennet government. It is rising! The Haredim have been given the chance of joining the coalition. Every politician is seeking a niche in the coming coalition. 

 

The Weekly Horror Story

This week we learn that while the escaped Hebrew slaves were transiting in the wilderness, they caught a Hebrew man gathering firewood. It was Saturday. The mob brought him to their leaders, Moshe and Aharon. “The man must surely be put to death. The whole congregation is to stone him outside the camp.”

Other peoples punish illegal sex or stealing, blasphemy. Roman legions beat to death soldiers caught sleeping on guard because they endangered their comrades. Victorians were killed for stealing. But for collecting firewood in the wilderness? 

The Hebrews took themselves with dreadful seriousness. Not an easygoing, open-minded, happy folk. 

Wait! Netanyahu is not gone yet

On June 2nd Netanyahu's opponents, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, agreed to form a coalition with the monomaniacal goal of getting rid of him.  The only move left is for the Knesset to hold a confidence vote. The ever sober British - The Economist - remind us that Bibi still rules and he is far from gone. He has developed Israel into a flourishing high-tech economy and the world’s best covid-19 vaccination campaign. He has made peace with several Arab states and kept Israel safe, his policies are now generally accepted, even by the politicians pushing him out.

Till the political situation stabilizes, the bourse will be unable to rise above the NASDAQ index. Porca miseria! I have no time, have to sell under duress! 

Translation: Holy Shit! What a shame it will be when the extra-terrestrials invade us and demand to meet our leaders!