Israel vs. Palestine - War of the 2 year olds.

Mood: Calm

Listening to: Wind of Change - Scorpions

The republicans have won. No doubt you noticed from all the little happy dances that have been performed ever since on every news channel out there.  I’m going to leave this alone for today, but I’ll be back. This means you Boehner, I’m nowhere near done with you. 

So. Israel and Palestine. According to Yahoo news, Israel is defending its choice to continue construction in Eastern Jerusalem. It seems to me that Israel is amazingly callous and uncaring of any world opinions or criticism on how they are conducting themselves with the Palestine, a situation that would seem to benefit from a little something called diplomacy. In a recent Time article with Condoleeza Rice, she stated that there was only one workable solution was two separate nations working to respect each other. I’m not a huge fan of Dr. Rice, but I totally agree with her on this. Why in the world can these two countries not behave like adults on this? Perhaps I don’t know ALL the facts on this, but Israel does seem to be the aggressor in most of these situations. All of the land grabbing and refusal to budge on anything.  Eh Israel, meet me at camera 3. You guys got your own country. Take a look back in history and notice how rare a solution this is. Seriously. Not sure how you pulled it off, but you have your own space. It’s a decent sized space that came at the expense of the countries around you. Why be assholes about taking further space from your neighbor?  Prime Minister Netanyahu, your statement is either naiveté, or simple belligerence. Just because you don’t agree that you shouldn’t develop in eastern Jerusalem doesn’t mean it isn’t affecting the peace in the region. Good grief.  Contrary to your belief, you can respect the border. Let it go. Redirect your attention, persistence and efforts into developing your country in other ways. Really, 1300 apartments in that exact neighborhood isn’t really all that important. Good lord, I feel like I’m talking to my own children. Don’t make me tape a line down the middle of your room and make you have a time out until you agree to play nice. Palestine, you meet me at camera 4.  Israel, you stay right where you are at camera 3. No poaching in on camera 4.  Palestine, if you continue to take the high road, you will come out ahead in this conflict. Keeping your stance on not giving in is a good idea. You don’t have to be a wimp in the process, but let’s keep that crazy Hamas under wraps, ok? Try and keep the suicide bombers to a minimum. The world will eventually place enough pressure on Israel that they will have to cave in and stop building. Patience is the key here.

Becky

The Slimy Time of Year

Mood: Rather Lost. I missed an entire week somewhere.

Listening to: Sheryl Crow

It’s that time of year, kids. The time when you can turn on the tv and get all the dirt on your local politicians and those who wanted to wade into the fray and challenge them. The nerve of those amateurs. Thinking that they can get into democratic politics. The very idea. Ludicrous. The joyous time of year when campaign signs litter the street corners and curbs of headquarters trying to sucker the innocent into thinking they have chosen a candidate that will actually change Albany. Ah, the innocent – they are so cute you just want to pinch their cheeks to make them wake up! It’s the time of year when they create advertisements about themselves and how they will create change in Albany and the other guy will without a doubt contribute to the shamefulness and mockery of democracy that is Albany.  Yep, local elections folks, just in case you had your head in the sand.  If you live in New York, you have a bit of an idea of how local politics runs. 

The word that keeps popping up here is Albany – our capital and where all of the political machinations occur.  What those of you not from New York may not understand is that Albany is historically and currently notoriously corrupt. To the point where corruption is almost a birthright of any politician involved in any level at all. The fun thing about all of these sound bite advertisements is that none of these local fools can change Albany at all. Kind of like Obama not being able to single handedly change everything we hated about the white house the minute he landed up there. It just ain’t happening. Even if we wiped the slate clean and started over again with all new politicians, or even average folks, Albany’s reputation and nefarious nature would suck the newbies in and create more of what was there. It’s just the nature of the game. You may not like it, but let’s be realistic. 

I’ve always hated the absolute reek of sleaze that accompanies local politics. The first whiff of an election a few months away and you can sit back and let the mud pies fly back and forth.  Even if they aren’t slinging mud, they’re promising people the moon, a Mazarati, and everlasting Change. Can we please let this idea go? It didn’t work for Obama, gifted speaker that he is; it’s not going to work for you either. 

My husband has encouraged me to enter local politics just for the giggles he would get -he’s a bit sadistic that way. I told him I wouldn’t touch that nonsense with a 20 foot stick. Kind of like my watching the “Situation” on MTV. I like watching him, but I would not touch that fool with a 20 foot stick. Ew. God knows where that’s been.    

So we can divide the candidates into 2 basic categories – the innocent and the players. The innocent think they can honestly change things. Or are really, really good at selling that idea. The players have been there, seen it, and done it twice with 2 girls, a dog, and possibly a reindeer. These guys are the professional mud slingers that have written down every real or perceived transgression of absolutely everyone else, and they’re not afraid to use it. This would include the slaughtering of the innocent because they can’t possibly do things right. It’s pretty easy to tell them apart.   

It makes you want to throw your hands up at the whole system, but that’s what they want because then they can carry on as they have been for so long.

Becky