Mr Bean to the Rescue

Hello again and welcome back to yet another batch of Laura's Links.

As I put together the various bits and pieces of this week's column, I tried really hard to think of a blockbuster glass-half-full intro. I focused my energy on trying to bring something to really make your spirits soar – to bring hope and peace and love and all that other good stuff right from my computer to yours.

Unfortunately, the first and only thing that came into my mind was "well, at least people aren't hoarding toilet paper anymore". SORRY GUYS! I promise to keep trying to think of the "fluffy bunny" (Mark's term, not mine) stuff and maybe we will return to full and total normalization next week so I'll have lots to be chipper about (snort – ya, like that's gonna happen).

I actually have had other optimistic-ish thoughts over the week, but every time I see a little bit of progress toward normal, or feel a little bit of that sunshiny normalish sunbeam hopeful kind of thing, the freaks come out at night. With sincere apologies to Whodini though and for real and not for joking they are out all the time now. Everywhere. They are everywhere nowadays. Expect more of this. Gird yer loins, people. It's still going to be a rough ride for us normals for a long while.

Over the past week, my totally-so-completely-peachy, normal, honourable and gracious host Mark Steyn also kept up his usual proclivity for productivity and shared new episodes of The Mark Steyn show like From Covid to Canceled, Terrors and Triumphs and Looting the Loop. But wait, there's more! Make sure you don't miss a whole whack of new Steynian thoughts about the upcoming American elections in his Elections 2020 Notebook dispatch Who Needs the Plague? And if the politics get you down, you can take a musical break with the Song of the Week: Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. Don't miss the song! Read about the song! As Mark Steyn Club member Robeekay pointed out in the comments, Mark's lovely essay is "full of hidden Easter eggs as usual". So true!

Now let's take a look back at the week that was as we try to keep our chins up.

~

North America:

Our children are suffering. Nobody seems to care.

The new-old Obama.

Apparently, black-owned businesses don't matter.

Flatten the curve, save the health system, just a few weeks, suck it up, wear a mask, you're under arrest.

Finally, something Canada did right.

The Canadian Human Rights Museum (or as my buddy "scaramouche" used to call it, Mausoleum) is raaaaaaaacist. This is the funniest thing. Laughed so hard.

Two enterprising Princeton grads hope to cash in on the remote university scam.

Virginia: A rape suspect is freed from prison due to coronavirus fears (why and on what planet does this make sense?). He promptly murders his accuser then commits suicide.

The legendary Thomas Sowell on race, poverty and culture.

Good luck to you, NYC.

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The Formerly Great Britain:

Rowan Atkinson valiantly attempts to save free speech in Britain.

Modern relationships.

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Europe:

Some charming information about the colonization of France.

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Down Under:

What the actual hell? Not crazy. Nope. Carry on. Nothing to see here.

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Jews and Israel:

"We must confront Muslim anti-Semitism." Good luck!

Oh the humanity!

What is a Jew? What is a Jewish country? A Jewish country is one where a terrorist who murdered two soldiers is allowed to first donate bone marrow to his sick brother and then be arrested. For better or for worse, this is Israel. This is the Jewish people. Read about Miriam Peretz here.

Curses and blessings. Some Jewish ideas to ponder.

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Asia:

Not crazy or anything.

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Humourless and Kook Left, Wokestapo and Trans:

Educators: Your moral and indoctrination superiors. This is not unsurprising, but revolting just the same. More here.

Ricky Gervais keeps blasting cancel culture.

"Diversity means holiness."

Jewish meteorologist fired for describing riots as Nazi-like.

Orthodox Jewish professor under fire for refusing to go to Indoctrination Gulag.

~

Human and Canine Grace:

Walking up stairs.

Celebrating "alive day".

Good dog!

Have a great week and I'll see you in the comments!

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