Links and Latkes

Hello once again and welcome to your SteynOnline In-House Jewish Mother's mid-Chanukah batch of Laura's Links. They're fresh and assorted, but certainly not as delicious as Laura's Latkes, which were devoured at Chez Cohen over the week.

Mercifully, the execrable year 2020 is creeping towards its end. But it's a stubborn bugger of a year and it is still throwing fitful punches at us. This is another one of those times in my life when I have felt like those weighted inflatable kids' clowns that spring right up after you punch them. You punch it again, it goes down for another few seconds, and then up again. This week has been up and down, up and down.

One thing I have been thinking about a lot is how social media should generally be used with great caution, because Big Tech is quite sinister. As I may have mentioned before, one of my social media axioms is that there is a direct correlation between an individual's number of selfies and their crazy factor. It's a very strange phenomenon to observe people taking pictures of themselves as they wish to be seen. It's a narcissistic cocktail. But there's a genre of social media that is equally strange and narcissistic and appropriate for our cultural zeitgeist; healthcare worker scolding posts. Everywhere you look, health care workers strangely have time to publicize their exhaustion, post photos of their mask-pocked faces, warn us that "it's real", and even to disclose details about their patients. There's a strange, complimentary and cultish worship of the NHS in the UK. I find it quite troubling and I'm keeping an eye on it. This is one explanation for it, but feel free to share your thoughts as well in the comments.

I would comment on the American elections but I don't have much to say other than I'm completely revolted by the GOP, Conservative Inc. and all the masses of slug-like, gutless, pathetic, embarrassing, pea-brained, popularity-seeking, opportunistic, slobbering, elite wanker, godless, repulsive, faux conservative eunuchs all over the Western world. That's all I can say politely.

And now, a look back at the Great Prophet Steyn's week. He examined the Quantum of Swalwell with an additional complementary Topical Take throwback to Monsieur Butterfly. There was much food for thought in a new episode of The Mark Steyn Show called Safe Harbors and Pious Ears, a relevant re-post of another episode discussing The "Leader" of the "Free" World. Mark also kindly covered this week for our dear Kathy on the cinema beat, and looked at Passing Pleasures. His Song of the Week was Do You Hear What I Hear? . Lastly, do check out the Monday edition of The Rush Limbaugh Show. Mark guest-hosted for Rush and if you didn't catch it live, you can catch the replay right here. Don't miss it.

Wishing you all a healthy and good week, and I'll see you in the comments.

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North America:

The heroism of the lockdown resistance.

I don't want to believe this but...

Big Social is evil. You can thank all the butch, beltway Republicans and Conservative Inc. for all their helpful inertia on this file.

Covid cult.

This is not normal. We should not be normalizing this. It is evil to do this to children. Woe unto us for allowing it.

CUNY profs plotted to exclude Jew from meeting.

Related: noted NY anti-Semite vows to shut down those uppity dang Jews for good.

This is stupid. So much for the biggest, baddest army in the world. Sigh. How about "winning wars" as a strategic goal for an army?

Follow the lockdown money. There's a lot of money changing hands now between bailouts and testing. I guess I'm in the wrong line of work.

"I can't keep doing this."

"It's not a reset, it's a counterrevolution."

So. Much. Unity.

A look back at the putrid media.

Laying the groundwork for the Kamala Coronation.

I thought this was America!?!

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Land of the Rising Sun:

Japan doubles down on Steynian demographic predictions. Pretty sad.

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Israel and Jews:

A Catholic tribute to Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks.

A look at Israel's secret ties with Morocco.

What's next?

Why the cultural elites truly despise Chanukah.

Chanukah history geek out! More here.

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New Middle East:

Let's meet each other first.

Get a load of this. It is truly incredible. I follow a bunch of Emerati folks on Twitter and I am completely delighted watching this warm peace unfold in front of my eyes in real time.

Israeli PM Netanyahu notes the amazing sights of Dubai.

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China:

Look at a new delight that the murderous Chinese have wrought. Every day, a new cruddy thing, courtesy of China.

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The Formerly Great Britain:

Nothing to see here.

Follow the lockdown money.

This is not normal. Stop pretending it's normal, or acceptable.

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Today in Satan:

The tweet in question has been deleted or just that the individual in question locked down their Twitter account. However, I did see the tweet and it was a celebration of that person's favourite Christmas ornament, placed on a tree. It was a pair of gold abortion scissors.

Ho hum.

~

Humourless and Kook Left, Wokestapo and Trans:

"Women's" football.

JK Rowling calls for an end to the climate of fear on debating trans issues (good luck with that).

Some good news.

Ice cream so woke!

I'm in the wrong line of work.

~

Human Grace:

Beloved bakery saved by the Friendship Circle.

"My white privilege didn't save me but god did."

Dogs are amazing.

Good people are everywhere.

It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from week that was or the election results that never will be. Commenting privileges are among the many perks of membership in The Mark Steyn Club. While going off topic is permitted on Laura's Links, do stick to the other rules as you engage: no URLs, no profanity, and no ad hominem attacks. Meet your fellow Club members, including Laura, in person by joining us on our rescheduled Mediterranean cruise alongside Tal Bachmann, Michele Bachmann, and Conrad Black among Mark's other special guests.