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No Info

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I really hate that one can’t find information on anything anymore. It’s all propaganda. You have to develop a secondary career in whatever field covers the subject you want to understand, or you’ll just be lied to and bamboozled.

Take the current situation in Israel. I’d love to know what happened. But all I get from any source is partisan sloganeering. I don’t care who’s “the real Nazi.” I simply want facts. I don’t have time or energy to become a specialist in Middle Eastern affairs. It’s enough that I spent a year reading about spike proteins, furin cleaves, and gain of function research just to know what activities to do with my kid. I just want to get information. But there’s no information anymore. It’s dead.

I kind of got addicted to fitness sites because everything is so simple and non-ideological. I can’t tell a bench press from a dumbbell press but the non-partisan simplicity of the whole thing is mesmerizing.

20 responses to “No Info”

  1. el Avatar
    el

    Good morning from Israel.
    Towards the end of the year,I’ve had so much work that lost all energy to leave comments.
    Now the situation is improving and plan to return… but only if posts aren’t covid related since have nothing to say on this topic already. 🙂

    Just yesterday thought to share this Israeli lj user with you (in Russian):

    https://nomen-nescio.livejournal.com/

    I live in Israel myself, yet am not a political expert and found his posts both concise and informative.
    His interpretation may not be full, but it’s not propaganda.

    To find out information (not interpretations) what’s going in Israel, I use ynet website:

    https://www.ynetnews.com/category/3083

    Yesterday my family had the ‘fun’ of experiencing “Tel Aviv area hit by massive wave of rockets from Gaza… sirens wail across central Israel,” including at 3 am.

    Among other places, I work in Lod city this year, a mixed Arab-Jewish city, and the situation there is only escalating.
    Thought to go to work tomorrow for the last time this year, yet because of the situation education is closed and even if it opens tomorrow, I won’t go. It is simply frightening.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      I’ve been thinking about you, el. It’s really good to hear from you. Stay safe, please.

      I’ve been a boring blogger recently so you haven’t missed much. Four rounds of revisions within two months on one article have left me happy but with nothing to say. But the article is in, and I’m ready to go back to being my usual intellectually curious self.

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  2. el Avatar
    el

    Without pretending to understand the full Israel-Hamas situation, I do have inner info on Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel in the city of Lod, ” a city of 77,000 people, including 47,000 Jewish Israelis and 23,000 Arab Israelis”.

    Since I work there and am in whapsapp groups, I can share things not found in every news article. It is important imo since it demonstrates how Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens live together in practice. When some talk of ‘the Right of Return for Palestinians’ or one country for 2 peoples, just look at this case. 😦

    To give some basic intro to let not Israelis understand what I am talking about, lets begin with this very short article at ynet which describes the Lod situation thusly:

    https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HyFWegt00O

    What I know from my place of work – people from religious Jewish community in Lod say that:

    Jews sit in their homes without electricity, light or battery in the cell phone, after Arabs set fire to electric panels/distribution boards (whatever the word). They endlessly call police, but police doesn’t help them.

    When one family I work with didn’t have neither electricity nor battery in the cell phone, volunteers from one of settlements (see more below) brought them a cell phone charger from another teacher so that the family would be able to communicate in case of need.

    Cars and synagogues are burned into the ground.
    After some Jewish families moved out of their homes out of fear, Arabs entered the homes and trashed them (photos were included).
    When some Jews try to take protection into their own hands to stop attacks on their property and synagogues, police arrest / bring them to court.
    Around 30 Jews from one of Israeli settlements decided to help and came to Lod. Arabs started throwing stones at them, but quickly retreated when stones started returning. This repeated itself at every street they passed through. They stopped Arabs from torching 2 cars and a synagogue.

    The most shocking to me thing was this description from one of those 30 people:

    “But what was really delusional was that cops were just standing there, afraid to move from the positions.
    Believe it or not, we escorted police vehicles along streets because they were afraid.
    They were literally waiting near their positions and only when we arrived did they dare to travel with the vehicles next to us. The only thing cops can do is throw stun grenades that doesn’t really scare any Arab.”

    He calls others to follow their example and help Jewish Lod’s citizens, while stressing the need to follow laws.

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      ““But what was really delusional was that cops were just standing there, afraid to move from the positions.
      Believe it or not, we escorted police vehicles along streets because they were afraid.
      They were literally waiting near their positions and only when we arrived did they dare to travel with the vehicles next to us. ”

      Sounds eerily familiar to anybody who watched the footage from the most recent “BLM protest” in the US.

      Like

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  3. el Avatar
    el

    Israel cannot catch a break this year:

    covid

    “2021 Meron crowd crush
    On 30 April 2021, at about 00:50 IDT (UTC+3), a deadly crowd crush occurred in Meron, Israel, during the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, at which it was estimated that 100,000 people were in attendance. Forty-five men and boys at the sex-segregated event were killed, and about 150 were injured, dozens of them critically, making it the deadliest civil disaster in the history of the State of Israel.”

    current security events

    looming 5th elections

    Liked this article (another not black/white site from an American Jew):

    Israel’s Real Crisis Is Not About Politics

    Israel’s Real Crisis Is Not About Politics

    Btw, the option of forming “a right-wing government with the support of Arab parties” is dead now for obvious reasons. Arab politicians do not say a word against the behavior of Arab citizens of Israel in Lod or elsewhere.

    And just a few days ago there were optimistic articles on Arab citizens becoming “more integrated into wider Israeli politics and society”, so integrated that the next Israeli government would rely on them.

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      “2021 Meron crowd crush
      On 30 April 2021, at about 00:50 IDT (UTC+3), a deadly crowd crush occurred in Meron, Israel, during the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, at which it was estimated that 100,000 people were in attendance. Forty-five men and boys at the sex-segregated event were killed, and about 150 were injured, dozens of them critically, making it the deadliest civil disaster in the history of the State of Israel.”

      What a tragedy. It’s beyond sad.

      Like

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  4. el Avatar
    el

    This article provides the background explanation:

    How Jerusalem tensions sparked heaviest Israel-Gaza fighting in years
    Explainer: The heaviest round of hostilities in years between Palestinians and Israelis comes after weeks of tensions in the capital, which Hamas exploited in order to present itself as the protector of the Al-Aqsa Mosque

    https://www.ynetnews.com/article/BJvkMdY00d

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  5. Stringer Bell Avatar
    Stringer Bell

    I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now. Our politics are more aligned in terms of Trump, wokeness, and cancel culture, among other things. I still don’t see any discussion of cancel culture from you about the Original Cancelled people, who were cancelled before cancellation became a thing. Like, there’s this big story right now about how the university of Toronto rescinded their offer to Valentina Azarova for the position of director of their International Rights Program because of her outspoken views on Israel. There’s no way you couldn’t have known about this, but somehow stories like this apparently don’t merit your attention. You’re thorough otherwise. The moment I hear about some random story on twitter about some cancellation happening at an elementary school in Lubbock, Texas, it’s right here featured on your blog!

    That’s my general problem with the free-speech warriors in the IDW (Bari Weiss being the worst example of this). They rant about speech that they like being suppressed, but turn a blind eye about speech they don’t like being censored. This is hackery.

    https://twitter.com/Heidi__Matthews/status/1391894650567413765?s=20

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Never heard of Azarova before. I started investigating and unfortunately came over a really stupid New Yorker article by Masha Gessen. This is an issue that suffers from its defenders’ rhetoric and history. No wonder I never heard of it before.

      As for Israel, my rage and disgust against their human rights abuses is currently through the roof. My interest in defending them on any issue is nil. One lifetime isn’t enough to get over how upset I am.

      To the larger issue, it’s definitely a problem that once one stops following the “other side’s” narratives, one doesn’t even find out about this kind of thing.

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      1. el Avatar
        el

        // my rage and disgust against their human rights abuses is currently through the roof.

        Because of the new operation in Gaza?

        As long as there is no peace agreement, there will be mini wars every few years. Hamas was interested in this escalation, as is Israel interested in not stopping till the bank of military targets is emptied.

        Israel has already killed “16 high-ranking members of the Hamas terror group, including a senior commander and weapons developers.” Those are the ones developing advanced rockets to kill more Israeli civilians with. This very evening “a six-year-old boy was killed in the southern city of Sderot … when a rocket fired from nearby Gaza slammed into his apartment. Five other people were wounded in the strike, one seriously.”

        Iron Dome intercepts around 90% of rockets. The remaining 10% can create a site of massive murder.

        After Israel did great damage to Hamas’s ‘brain center,’ they do want to stop. Why would it be better for me to let weapons developers survive and shoot better rockets at me sooner than in the case of Israel making sure Hamas suffers massive long term damage? Isn’t it the goal of war?

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          Because I don’t know if it’s a joke that access to bomb shelters requires the vaccine passport.

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          1. el Avatar
            el

            // Because I don’t know if it’s a joke that access to bomb shelters requires the vaccine passport.

            Obviously, it is a joke. I thought it was a good, funny one too, so shared with you.

            Another similar joke that I loved goes:

            // Hello to the occupants of the building!
            Those who have not paid a building committee, please do not enter the shelter !!!
            Missiles or no missiles, money is money !!!
            Thank you, committee.

            Like

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        2. Dreidel Avatar
          Dreidel

          “Isn’t it the goal of war?”

          The intelligent goal of war is to end it as quickly as possible consistent with the objective of PERMANENTLY eliminating the enemy’s capability to be a future threat. That’s what the U.S. did with the Germans and Japanese.

          Israel has never learned this lesson — which is why for 73 years it has allowed the savages gnawing at its heels to regroup and start a new war every few years.

          The cumulative result is more destruction and death than if Israel had finished the job in 1948 or 1967.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
      2. Stringer Bell Avatar
        Stringer Bell

        I asked you about cancel culture for people who are critical of Israel. You answered with your personal feelings about Israel, but you didn’t really answer my question.

        Like

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          What happened to Azarova isn’t cancel culture. It’s a minor inconvenience. Cancelled people don’t have fancy jobs, articles in the New Yorker defending them, a major scholarly organization arguing their case and 300 academics unanimously speaking out in support. Azarova has been inconvenienced, which is a shame. But she hasn’t been cancelled. Her publications haven’t been erased from public record, she hasn’t been prevented from making a living, and I don’t imagine that her friends are refusing to talk to her over this.

          Cancel culture is a very serious thing and the term shouldn’t be used indiscriminately.

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  6. methylethyl Avatar
    methylethyl

    I stopped reading news over Lent. It’s been good for my outlook.

    Like

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  7. el Avatar
    el

    Some fun for a change:

    На 6 утра армия сообщила о 650-ти ракетах выпущенных со стороны Газы на территорию Израиля. Но мы не можем быть постоянно серьезными. Мы любим шутить. Шутки дня:

    Снимаем маски – надеваем каски

    Скажите, а если у меня есть справка о прививках, я могу не спускаться в бомбоубежище?
    Друзья, срочно, я лежу на земле в Тель Авиве, оплату за парковку включать?
    Весь мир страдает от короны, а мы, слава Богу, вернулись к рутине.
    Ничто так не сближает соседей, как Хамас
    Познакомилась с соседями. Устроили показ мод в пижамах. Я победила
    2019 – выборы
    2020 – корона и выборы
    2021 – война, корона и выборы
    2022, нам уже начинать волноваться?
    Надпись на бомбоубежище: “Вход только по предьявлению зеленого паспорта”
    ХАМАС доказал, что женщина таки может одеться и накраситься меньше чем за минуту.
    Хамасовская ракета взорвалась в Тель-Авиве, первыми на место падения прибыли строительные подрядчики.
    Из-за обстрелов Сдерота ОБСЕ не может попасть в Сдерот, чтобы зафиксировать, есть обстрелы или их нет.
    Из родительского чата:
    Завтра будет школа?
    Учеба или само здание?
    Выбежала на лестничную клетку. Девочки, у меня оказывается такооооой сосед… После обстрела пошла сразу в его квартиру. Пусть защищает.
    2% израильтян боятся сирены тревоги, 3% израильтян боятся ракет, 95% боятся, что сигнал тревоги застанет их в душе.
    Звонок в службу тыла: “А если сирена застанет меня на унитазе…. ”
    Звонок из России: Корона, хамсин, обстрелы … Вы как там вообще 4500 лет живете?

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Is it a joke about having to show the COVID passport to access the bomb shelter? I honestly don’t know any more.

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  8. el Avatar
    el

    nomen-nescio wrote about it:

    10th May
    Сегодня ХАМАС выдвинул Израилю ультиматум: освободить таких-то и вывести оттуда-то до 18:00. Поскольку этим ультиматумом не захотели даже подтереться, ровно в 18:00 ХАМАС выпустил семь ракет в сторону Иерусалима на кого Бог пошлёт, и они попали в белый свет как в копеечку. Уважаю точность!

    11th May
    Друзья-израильтяне, не беспокойтесь
    Мы всего лишь убьём несколько десятков человек, из Газы всего лишь запустят по нам несколько сотен ракет, главное – то, что двадцать восемь дней Лапида тикают и капают. Нынешняя суматоха уже получила своё собственное название как военная операция, а кто же меняет опытное правительство во время военной операции, верно?

    …А зачем нынешний конфликт ХАМАСу, зачем ему десятки убитых и разрушение его инфраструктуры – тоже понятно. Весь ХАМАС живёт на “стипендии”, которые ему платят разные богатые исламские страны за “борьбу с сионистским врагом”. Эти “гранты” надо отрабатывать, показывать “результаты проекта, так сказать. В том числе убитых.

    Армия и Шабак (это важно) сделали совместное заявление: убит начальник всего ракетного проекта “Исламского джихада”, причём убит в секретном убежище, где собрались также другие руководители ИД.
    Это намёк: все ваши “секреты”, друзья, для нас – как на ладони. Куда бы вы ни прятались, мы каждого из вас видим с точностью до полуметра.

    Итак, “Исламский джихад” запускал ракеты – мы убили руководителя “ракетного проекта” ИД. Из Газы выстрелили противотанковой ракетой по автомобилю у границы – мы убили руководителя проекта противотанковых ракет ИД. Раньше мы не работали так точно и так быстро, спасибо разведке.

    12th May
    Мы наконец начали вести огонь по штабам. Убили главу отдела безопасности в военной разведке и главу контрразведки ХАМАСа. Это после вчерашних руководителей обоих ракетных проектов. А по комбригу Газы, комбригу Хан Юнеса и главе военной разведки “отметились” – взорвали их дома.
    Хания, видимо, что-то понял, так как заявил, что “в битве за Иерусалим одержана победа”. Возможно, собирается заканчивать.

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  9. el Avatar
    el

    There is an interactive math website in Hebrew, English and Arabic.

    Really loved this video why studying math is of the utmost importance. The music and math explanations are cool, and quite a few students seem to enjoy it too. 🙂

    https://www.blossom-kc.com/platform/imat/Launcher?assignment=1388&anonymous=1

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A conservative literary critic and college professor

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