"Jews are news", again turned out to be so true this week as the Israeli Knesset approved a bill which would requirs a two-thirds majority to cede land in east Jerusalem to the Palestinians or in the Golan Heights to Syria. Failing that, either withdrawal would become subject to a referendum.
I'm all for our politicians making decisions that properly reflect people's aspirations. It would be awful to think that any Israeli government would run rough-shod over the views of the public. I therefore see nothing wrong with the principle of a referendum, or even a parliamentary vote.
My problem is that this new measure from the Netanyahu administration could appear to the world as the Israeli goverment building yet another obstacle to the possibility of peace the Palestinians or Syria. I would now like to see the Israeli Prime Minister putting extra effort into conveying his heartfelt hope that peace can be achieved.
My dear Yael: every time I write something about Israel's security and the continuing tensions with some of its neighbours, I cannot help but wish that this will all read as some kind of a history lesson to a young woman who has never know anything but peace. I remain confident that this is the last chapter in the story of modern Israel's struggle for universal recognition.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Friday, 26 November 2010
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Desk work
Your grandfather spent a reasonably productive but not particularly stimulating day at his desk working on his computer. Alas, sometimes I have to do what most normal people do.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Joseph Dunbar
Joseph Dunbar celebrated his 17th birthday last Thursday. The following day he proudly started his new job at the River Pike coal mine, located 46 km east of the small town of Greymouth in the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island.
Shortly after excitedly entering the tunnel, a massive explosion ripped through the mine, trapping the teenager together with 28 workmates some two and a half kilometers from the entrance. In spite of the ferocity of the explosion, but encouraged by the dramatic rescue of miners trapped in Chile just a couple of weeks ago, relatives remained hopeful that a similar miracle would happen this time in New Zealand.
But I awoke this morning to news that another massive explosion occured at the River Pike mine overnight. Even had these miners survived last week's blast, experts were now sure that they would all now have perished.
Orphan is the word for someone who loses a parent, and widow for someone who loses their wife. But there is no word in the English language to describe a parent who loses a child. Today, the parents of Joseph Dunbar will be mourning the loss of their teenage son, as will the nearest and dearest of all of the other lost miners. The pain of losing a child is absolutely unimaginable to me.
It is awful that anyone has to make a living by working in an underground pit. And it is particularly shocking that young men like Joseph, not yet having become a legal adult, are sent down into the bowels of the earth. What is a civilised country like New Zealand doing sending people of such a tender age down into these ugly and dangerous pits?
As a parent, my thoughts today are with Dean and Philippa Dunbar.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Shortly after excitedly entering the tunnel, a massive explosion ripped through the mine, trapping the teenager together with 28 workmates some two and a half kilometers from the entrance. In spite of the ferocity of the explosion, but encouraged by the dramatic rescue of miners trapped in Chile just a couple of weeks ago, relatives remained hopeful that a similar miracle would happen this time in New Zealand.
But I awoke this morning to news that another massive explosion occured at the River Pike mine overnight. Even had these miners survived last week's blast, experts were now sure that they would all now have perished.
Orphan is the word for someone who loses a parent, and widow for someone who loses their wife. But there is no word in the English language to describe a parent who loses a child. Today, the parents of Joseph Dunbar will be mourning the loss of their teenage son, as will the nearest and dearest of all of the other lost miners. The pain of losing a child is absolutely unimaginable to me.
It is awful that anyone has to make a living by working in an underground pit. And it is particularly shocking that young men like Joseph, not yet having become a legal adult, are sent down into the bowels of the earth. What is a civilised country like New Zealand doing sending people of such a tender age down into these ugly and dangerous pits?
As a parent, my thoughts today are with Dean and Philippa Dunbar.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Conflict in Korea
I could have woken this morning to better news that that of North Korea having unleashed a missile attack on it southern neighbour overnight. The totalitarian power in paradoxically named Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has effectivley been at war with the truly democratic Republic of Korea since 1950.
The infamous Korean War actually began in 1950 and ended with an armistice two years later. South Korea was supported by the United States, while its enemy was bolstered by China and the USSR. It was a bloody conflict, with its pathos brilliantly depicted in the American television black comedy series, MASH. I really like this show, particulary becuase of the way it so cleverly highlights the awful futility of war. Alas, the conflict continues this day, as exemplified by today's skirmish in Asia.
It's worth adding that North Korea is an isolated dicatorship, governeed with an iron fist. It's people have no access to any independent information with their radios and televisions manufactured so they can only receive State channels. Quite a contrast to South Korea, which is an open, free and bustling 'Western' society. I last briefly visited the capital, Seoul, in 2007.
My dear Yael, you unfortanately live in another part of the world where conflict sadly endures. The tensions in the Middle East are by no means unique. In fact, at the time of writing this, there are more than 70 unresolved military conflicts in the world.
But it wasn't all gloom and doom today. This afternoon came official word that the date of Williiam and Kate's wedding has been set for 29th April 2011, and the Royal wedding will herald a public holiday. No soon as this news broke, it seemed that the media's attention shifted from the crisis on the Korean Peninsula to British nuptial fever.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
The infamous Korean War actually began in 1950 and ended with an armistice two years later. South Korea was supported by the United States, while its enemy was bolstered by China and the USSR. It was a bloody conflict, with its pathos brilliantly depicted in the American television black comedy series, MASH. I really like this show, particulary becuase of the way it so cleverly highlights the awful futility of war. Alas, the conflict continues this day, as exemplified by today's skirmish in Asia.
It's worth adding that North Korea is an isolated dicatorship, governeed with an iron fist. It's people have no access to any independent information with their radios and televisions manufactured so they can only receive State channels. Quite a contrast to South Korea, which is an open, free and bustling 'Western' society. I last briefly visited the capital, Seoul, in 2007.
My dear Yael, you unfortanately live in another part of the world where conflict sadly endures. The tensions in the Middle East are by no means unique. In fact, at the time of writing this, there are more than 70 unresolved military conflicts in the world.
But it wasn't all gloom and doom today. This afternoon came official word that the date of Williiam and Kate's wedding has been set for 29th April 2011, and the Royal wedding will herald a public holiday. No soon as this news broke, it seemed that the media's attention shifted from the crisis on the Korean Peninsula to British nuptial fever.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Monday, 22 November 2010
Austerity
Austertiy seems to be the word of the moment with today's acceptance by the Irish government of a financial bail out package from the Eureopean Union and International Monetary Fund. If it is to meet the lending requirements, Britain's closest neighbour is going to have to seriously tighten its belt and introduce massive austertiy measures. Without the loan, the nation could go bankcrupt.
The British Conservative-Liberal coalition government has been rolling out a long and agonising series of so-called austerity measures over the past few weeks with a focus on reducing public services. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne has been justifying what amounts to a savage attack on welfare, health and education, by saying this is the only way to avoid the fate of Ireland. Ironically, in spite of its apparent urgent need to reduce its deficit, Britain has pledged around seven billion euros towards the rescue fund, arguing that it is in the 'national interest' to save Ireland's economy given its impoortance as a significant trading partner.
Many governments are introducing austerity measures as they struggle to recover from the financial collapse of the past two years, triggered by the irresponsible lending practices of the banks. As the general public begin to feel the pain of what will inevitably appear to be draconian cuts, they will increasingly wonder why banks profits are on the rise once again. Inevitably it will be the financially needy who will suffer during this times, and not the well-paid banking executives who steered the capitalist world into this road wreck in the first place.
We've yet to see the details of the Irish government's austerity budget, but there can be little doubt that it will adversly impact on services to the most needy. The more butcheryof public services that I am following in Britian, the more I beleive that this provides a perfect excuse for the Conservatives to do what they have historically done best, which is to reward the rich and punish the poor. Or am I just a socialisit cynic?
I have long beleived that economics is similar to the weather. In spite of an over-abundance of highly qualified economists, no one ever seems to predict the bad times. In my adult life, I have witnessed no less of three cyles of boom and bust. It seems to me that when the sun is shining the rich get richer, and when the cloud cover comes, the poor get poorer.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
The British Conservative-Liberal coalition government has been rolling out a long and agonising series of so-called austerity measures over the past few weeks with a focus on reducing public services. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne has been justifying what amounts to a savage attack on welfare, health and education, by saying this is the only way to avoid the fate of Ireland. Ironically, in spite of its apparent urgent need to reduce its deficit, Britain has pledged around seven billion euros towards the rescue fund, arguing that it is in the 'national interest' to save Ireland's economy given its impoortance as a significant trading partner.
Many governments are introducing austerity measures as they struggle to recover from the financial collapse of the past two years, triggered by the irresponsible lending practices of the banks. As the general public begin to feel the pain of what will inevitably appear to be draconian cuts, they will increasingly wonder why banks profits are on the rise once again. Inevitably it will be the financially needy who will suffer during this times, and not the well-paid banking executives who steered the capitalist world into this road wreck in the first place.
We've yet to see the details of the Irish government's austerity budget, but there can be little doubt that it will adversly impact on services to the most needy. The more butcheryof public services that I am following in Britian, the more I beleive that this provides a perfect excuse for the Conservatives to do what they have historically done best, which is to reward the rich and punish the poor. Or am I just a socialisit cynic?
I have long beleived that economics is similar to the weather. In spite of an over-abundance of highly qualified economists, no one ever seems to predict the bad times. In my adult life, I have witnessed no less of three cyles of boom and bust. It seems to me that when the sun is shining the rich get richer, and when the cloud cover comes, the poor get poorer.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Condom breakthrough
Today's reports of remarks by Pope Benedict that the use of condoms might not always be wrong could herald a major breakthrough.
The Catholic church's public opposition to birth control has caused unbridled population growth in many of the poorest parts of the world where people can least afford large families. And its condemnation of the use of condoms has helped to spread HIV and AIDS, particularly in Africa.
The Pope commands considerable power to influence people's behaviour and this apparent liberalisation in the Vatican's position on condums is long overdue.
His explanation is somewhat bizaare, as he suggests that the use of condoms might be justified on a case by case basis to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, enabling him to retain his opposition to artificial birth control. But I see no reason to look this gift horse in the mouth.
I cetainly support the notion that religious leaders should serve as a positive influence on the way people behave in society, and I welcome many of their inspiring comments about the need to strive for peace in the world, respect for people of differant races, the elimination of poverty and the like. But I do not beleive that the Pope or any other religious leader has any rightful place in people's bedrooms, particularly when this leads to the widespread practice of unsafe sex.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
The Catholic church's public opposition to birth control has caused unbridled population growth in many of the poorest parts of the world where people can least afford large families. And its condemnation of the use of condoms has helped to spread HIV and AIDS, particularly in Africa.
The Pope commands considerable power to influence people's behaviour and this apparent liberalisation in the Vatican's position on condums is long overdue.
His explanation is somewhat bizaare, as he suggests that the use of condoms might be justified on a case by case basis to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, enabling him to retain his opposition to artificial birth control. But I see no reason to look this gift horse in the mouth.
I cetainly support the notion that religious leaders should serve as a positive influence on the way people behave in society, and I welcome many of their inspiring comments about the need to strive for peace in the world, respect for people of differant races, the elimination of poverty and the like. But I do not beleive that the Pope or any other religious leader has any rightful place in people's bedrooms, particularly when this leads to the widespread practice of unsafe sex.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
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