That's the way it is with these high rollers

Easy come, easy go!

Easier than shooting fish in a barrel...

...is finding anti-Israel bias at the New York Times.

But seriously, folks, just be thankful it's not the BBC!

Let the campaigns begin

With elections approaching, I'd like to offer each of the parties a winning slogan or theme. No need to thank me, just make out your checks to cash.

Without further ado:

Kadima
Rockets on Ashkelon. Bombs in Netanya. Weapons smuggling in Gaza. A terror state in the making, right on our doorstep. With the success of disengagement echoing through Sderot, Israel needs a strong leader who will never give in to terrorism: Ariel Sharon.

Likud
Netanyahu: Not as bad as Sharon. Not as bad as Peretz. Not as bad as you remember him.

Labor
Vote for us or Amir's friends will shut off your electricity.

Meretz
We have no choice; Israel must negotiate with Arafat.

Shinui
Will somebody please vote for us? Mom?

National Religious Party
You don't have to be nationalist or religious, you just have to love to party!

National Union
Seven Knesset members, eight factions.

Agudath Yisrael
Best beards on the ballot!

Hadash
We're a communist party, not an Arab party, insh'allah

United Arab List
The only Arab party except for all the others


Update: How could I have forgotten about...
Shas
Let Rav Ovadiah do your thinking for you.

Following in the old man's footsteps?

Sharon is often compared to Ben Gurion, Israel's founder and first prime minister, and he has been known to make the comparison himself. It is somewhat exaggerated, to be sure, but there are a number of points of similarity.

For Sharon's own thinking, see the speech he gave this morning at the annual state memorial ceremony for Ben Gurion. (Unfortunately, the translation's a bit sloppy.)

He recalls Ben Gurion's strengths - indeed greatness - while implying that he sees himself following the "old man"'s path. At the same time, if you read between the lines, you'll also find Ben Gurion's faults - which Sharon indicates he also admires and aims to emulate. Try this paragraph:

David Ben-Gurion understood that the public's trust is given to a leader in order to lead, determine clear goals and make difficult decisions. The fate of the people and the good of the State guided him, not polls, media treatment or measures of prestige. "I do not know what the people want," he once said, "I know what is good for the people." That was the secret of his power. That was his great virtue.

To paraphrase a questionable saying, I guess one man's vanity is another man's virtue.

Gammon Chick will double your cube

How would you like to get paid to play backgammon all day? Meet Jewish blogger Gammon Chick, who seems to want us to think that she does just that.

Keep reading, though; it's not quite that simple. She's actually developing websites. I think.

DovBear LIED!!!!!

In a clever (though self-admittedly pathetic) attempt to avoid paying for his own wife's birthday present, DovBear has invited his generous readers to chip in for a gift by buying a BlogAd on his site. He's so desperate he'll "even tolerate Republican slogans". (Here's one: Down with the Queen!)

But why should his fan club be so indulgent to Mrs. DovBear? For putting up with DB's intensive blogging, of course. After all, writes the smarter-than-average Bear:

As you've no doubt noticed, this blog takes up quite a bit of my time.

Does it, now? Less than two months ago, in response to readers badgering him to explain how one man could possibly blog so much, DovBear protested vehemently:

Why do you think it takes me a long time to do this? It really doesn't.

Moved by the civic spirit of MoveOn.org, inspired by the subtle wit of Daily Kos, I hereby proclaim: DovBear LIED!!!!


Of the two most obvious explanations, I'm not sure which is more disturbing. Either DovBear lied in September, denying how long he spends blogging in an attempt to exaggerate his writing abilities and enhance his image, or else he lied yesterday, in a pathetic ploy to earn more sympathy for his wife and get those dollars rolling.

The third explanation is less plausible: That over the last two months blogging has become significantly more time-consuming for Dubie. The fourth explanation may be more likely: That over the last two months, Mrs. DB has grown increasingly fed up with his time wasting, and he feels a need to placate her.


With a record like this, it's no wonder public support has collapsed for DovBear's war on Cross Currents.

Too many topics, too little time

Every day there's something I want to write about, but there are always more pressing responsibilities.

So blogging's on hold for a while. At least I'm getting more work done!