December 3, 2018
Hello Avner
Time goes by very quickly.
I wish first to wish you and your family a happy Hanukka, and all the best
for the coming year.
I wonder how are you doing, and what is new? I have started to watch the news for Israel from
time to time, and it is quite interesting. Your friend Netanyahu is going to have
a lot to do in the coming days. How do you feel about what is going to happen, and
what do you expect to happen? How is your
job going? I suppose that most of the electronics to day is digital, but probably
there are not many analog circuits designers, so you are in a good situation. By
the way I am still getting swamped by Linked In with bogus invitations, when your
names comes up from time to time. I am repeatedly surprised for there ability to
spy after people. I wonder how they can do this.
As I can see, there is a lot of construction in Israel, and the country
is looking more modern. I just wonder that there is so much money for construction
while there is not enough for the lower income, older people and the very young.
The situation at the border fence with Gaza is quite strange, and I wonder how it
could be ended. I can not avoid seeing some resemblance between Trump and Netanyahu.
Trump is also facing growing problems, and he will be soon be deeply involved in
the fight for his political future. I think that for Israel it will be better if
he stays. So it is going to be a hot time for Israel and the US. My feeling is that
Israel enemies like the Hesbolla will be reluctant to attack Israel as long as Trump
is in power. What do you think?
So I look forward to hear some interesting news from you, and wish you again
a happy Hanukka.
Abshalon
December 23, 2018
Hi Abshalon,
The general feeling in the Israeli media is becoming more and more, that
Netanyahu is going to face charges in court. If he wants to avoid that (and loosing
his job disgracefully, due to losing support from his fellow criminals in the coalition)
- he will have to agree to lose his job voluntarily.
I still don't share this prediction, since I give him a lot of credit (not
for being a great leader - he is the Worst Israeli PM ever; and it's hard to win
this title - competition for the worst is very tough...) - but for being a Genius
politician and master of media and demagogy.
My job is great. Fortunately, I didn't become a teacher in the failing Israeli
education system. The poor way that Math is being taught in Israel, and the stupidity
of the department of education - were the reasons, among others. So I am very happy
with my current job.
I have to disagree with you about Trump being good for the security of Israel.
I think that he is Terrible for the well being of the US, as well as for Israel.
I do agree, that Netanyahu has a lot in common with him - with one big difference:
Netanyahu is smart, while Trump is a stupid red-neck. His latest decisions, which
shoo-off his best and very few sane personnel, out of their positions - will prove.
So, in general, I think that both countries are on the way down, under these
"leaders". The main difference is, that the US is bigger and more stable,
and will survive even the worst of leadership. While Israel is more fragile.
As usual, I truly hope that I am wrong...
Best regards to you.
Cheers,
Avner E.
January 5, 2019
Hello Avner
I found your message interesting and
glad to learn that you found a good job. As I understand in some schools you need
to have a black belt to feel sate. Are you ready? I wonder if you may consider the
option of tutoring? I think it can be very rewording, and I like the personal contact.
The students may also come with interesting
questions that may surprise you, so you will be also learning while teaching.
May be very rewarding.
Question: I have heard some time ago
that Toyota started selling diesel cars in Israel. I have read that one of them
was a commercial van. But since all the issue went quiet. Do you know anything about
that?
Question: While watching the news from
Israel some time ago, it was said that people In the town of Sderot near Gaza have
been hearing a sound of digging in their houses, and were wondering. Do you know
what was the conclusion of this?
As I can see, this time is quite hectic
in Israel as well as in America. In the US it is mainly about building the wall
around the south border to stop the illegal (few versions) to the US. The problem
is really very bad, and as you may have heard it became a personal affair between
the president to the democratic party leaders. The last “caravan” (the third) had
swelled to about 5000+, and the rumors are that the forth, of about 15000 is going
to start moving towards the us at the end of January. This is going to grow to a
catastrophic proportions, because the border patrol guys are not able to control
a 1900 mile border. and some barrier must be erected, preferably few years ago,
but none of the former presidents would touch this “hot potato”. Now, that the democrats
are ruling the House, they are blocking Trump from making any progress, and in my
mind that is only for revenge. Trump is ready to go for a shutdown, and he is right
in my mind. So it shows to what extent the US government has deteriorated. As I
can see there are also some serious problems in the election process in Israel,
and I hope it will end soon. I would be worried especially that Hamas in Gaza may
think that this would be a good time for them to attack, since Israel may soon be
with no prime minister and defense minister.
Changing subject:
Do you like Irish jokes? I hope you do,
so here as an example: (I heard a lot of those when I was in the UK: there the Irish
people are considered as excelling in physical strength but not very bright-not
like in the US, where they are a very well respected minority).
An Irishman looking for a job. He sees
a building site on his way, so he goes to talk to the manager. The manager is not
very interested, since the job situation is bad. “there
is not much work here” he tells the Irishman.
The Irishman does not give up: ‘”don’t worry” he says, “I would not do much”.
So here is another one which came to
my mind when listening to the president explaining why he is going to take the US
army out of Syria: It is a rainy and stormy
day at the beach, nobody dares to try the water. Suddenly a cry for help is heard-a
person is drowning and calling for help. Here comes the Irishman, and he jumps into
the waves with no fear, and soon comes out with the poor guy, both very wet. The
person is very thankful and both depart to go home. The next day, the weather is
very nice, and many people come down. However, suddenly, something is wrong: a crime
had been committed, and the police are looking for clues. Here comes our man, and
the policeman tells him that a dead person had been found hanging, and the police
has determined a foul play. He shows a picture, and the Irishman is surprised: “don’t
worry” he tells the policeman. “I met him yesterday and pulled him out of the water,
and as we went home, I noticed that he was very wet, so I took him to one of the
shacks on the beach, and hanged him so he would dry faster”.
So, to conclude, I think that president
trump is not always doing the right things, but I also feel that he is facing now
a total and irresponsible attacks, even when he is doing a right thing for a change,
like the border wall, and this is not good for the country.
I feel like I need to go to sleep.
I wish you all the best.
Abshalon
Jan
10 2019
Hi Abshalon,
I am totally
ready for the energy and challenges of young students. What I'm not quite ready, is the
opacity and stupidity of the Israeli Department of Education. They are the ones
who took the whole energy and motivation out of me, therefore I abandoned the dream
to be a teacher (at least in Israel).
I don't do
tutoring. I totally agree with you about the personal contact, and especially about
the learning from students. But I'm not willing to take a deal, where the parent
pays me money, and I need to get the kid pass the exam. That's basically tutoring,
at least in Israel, and that's not what I do.
I don't know
about Toyota. I know that residents have been complaining for a long time about
knocking and digging - they were probably right.
Regarding
Trump and the Wall - I think that the illegal immigrants are the least of the US
problems. In general, the USA is an immigration country, and it would never have
become a superpower had it not for the vast immigration (both legal and illegal,
mind you). As published recently, many of the residents in the South object the
wall. It's just another spin, from a President who has nothing in his world but
spins.
Take care.
Cheers,
Avner E.
February 11, 2019
Hello Avner
Good to hear from you, and the main thing is that you are happy with your job, which is much better than being a teacher.
I do not think that this is that important. An important reason that I like tutoring is that you can do it “on the side”.
As I can read, it is a hectic time in Israel: the new parties and contestants, and it looks like the new government will be quite different than the last one. So the time around April and May there may be two shows: Netanyaho fight to survive and the Eurovision. So what do you think about the new contestants? It looks to me that Gantz ambition cooled off and he is now more realistic about how high he could go.
In the US, as you might have heard, the government is in a mess, and another shutdown looms. In particular, I think that on this one, Trump is right, and the wall is important. And here is why: first of all, the wall should have been build many years ago, when the illegal emigration from Mexico started. While it is true that there work was useful, it is important that they will come legally. It will be better also for them-and many people seem to forget this. With a wall in place it could be done, and it would be much more fair and humane. Many do not think about what happens to them when they can’t work any more, and can not have any benefits and health insurance. But the main emergency is coming now, when many is going to come from all the failed states in south-central America. Pelosi has a soft soothing voice that makes here sound very nice and caring, but in fact her drive is just vengeance. I can understand her, but I feel that the interest of the country comes first. I think that you know, that is nothing better than a wall to stop crossing, and all the surveillance systems only report, and a large force is necessary to do the work. I think that the main problem of trump is his style, and he could easily put a good set of arguments, while she has none. Again, the important thing is to do it legally, so the government can manage it properly. Those people are so desperate, that they think only on the immediate future. A lot of children are involved which makes m it much worse. The real thing has not started yet, and it will be much worse than the emigration from Mexico, I suspect and this is going to be a mess, and a cruel one, worse than from Mexico.
So I hope I am wrong, and will not be so bad.
So I think I have written enough for one time, and I look forward to hearing from you what is really going now in Israel.
Wish you all the best.
Abshalon
March 6, 2019
Hi Abshalon,
so, you are saying that Mr. Trump has good arguments?... this is interesting. I have never heard this stupid red-neck racist make one argument, ever. But it's OK to disagree.
I don't think that the illegal immigration is the US' no. one problem. On the contrary, in a way, immigration is one of this country's great merits. Your country was built on the innovation of immigrants.
You want to make it legal - go ahead, let them in legally. But I think that Trump is not interested at all in solving this problem (and any problem, for that matter). He just wants to be in power, and needs some dramatic and sexy issue to draw the public attention and emotions towards it.
He is very much like Netanyahu in this sense. Only much less smart.
Good luck with living under this shaky government.
Take care,
Cheers,
Avner E.
April 15, 2019
Hello Avner
So what is new with you? As I know, you are happy with your job, which is very important and I hope that the same is true for the last developments in Israel .
So, what is new for me?
Well, not too much. As you know the Mueller report has come out. A lot of lightnings, thunder, and
no rain! President Trump is happy, but Democrats are not, and a 2nd investigation, to investigate the first one will probably start. On the immigration status, not much surprise: the situation is becoming really bad, as I wrote you last time: the flood is now going to start, and the president is fuming. The situation can not be fixed any more: especially the eastern part of the border is wide open. Some numbers: the number of registered for court hearing is now more than 855,000 already, about 100,000 recorded last month, and clearly the number of unrecorded is much larger than all of these! The real flood will now start, as the rumors of more caravans are coming. In addition, there are many who arrive in small groups, impatient to wait, many of them not recorded. The president is threatening to direct many of them to cities managed by the Democrats, like LA and SF, but he could not do this since he cannot control the border! After all of this, he is accused, as expected, to be guilty again of all of this! The logic is so convoluted, that I can’t even remember how. I just can not believe that Pelosy, the Democrats majority leader does not feel bad about the damage that she has done!
So, it will be interesting. In addition, the is a lot of bad weather, but not much where I live, so far.
So what is new in Israel? I do not know too much because you are not telling. I need more news. I have seen that the election have ended and I can not understand. Netanyahoo again?! He was so intensely badmouthed by many, and still the winner? I can not avoid feeling that indeed, there are no good options. Many of the possible candidates for government positions do not look to me very exciting. So I look forward to get some explanations from you.
I think I have written enough for one letter, and I look forward to some interesting news.
Regards
Abshalon
April 18, 2019
Hi,
Yes, Netanyahu again, as I expected... the public has spoken.
Explanations? Here are mine (which are as bad as any other):
1. He is a Genius, in PR and campaigning that is. The can manipulate almost anyone, to do anything. He is a magician.
2. Almost all the poor people, those who suffer the most from his policy on foreign, security and economical matters - voted for him. This could be explained by either of, or a combination thereof, of the following: (1) they are sheer stupid (I'm not very fond of this one, but my wife is certain that it's true - together with thousands of people in the Left; (2) they (or at least some of them) are not stupid, but are willing to suffer for the benefit of being safe from the "real" threats - Iran, aliens from Mars, whatever; or (3) they are not stupid, nor they think that Netanyahu is good in security - but they have other interests than us, the "normal people": they want to feel the pride of being patriots. And they are willing to suffer for THAT.
OK, suffer it is. and will be. But I'm not part if this. I am no longer an Israeli, I don't belong here, I am an alien, a foreign worker; this is not my government nor my country, I am just a guest here.
It is more sane like this. Actually, when taken this way, life in Israel is not so bad (if you belong to the upper 10%, as we are...)
Cheers,
Avner E.
Hi Abshalon,
Just a thought...
Cheers,
Avner E.
