Hello again and welcome back to another fresh batch of Laura's Links.
How's your New Year been so far?
I was barely finished digesting the Venezuela situation when I started to have to chew on the Iran situation. While I realize that it's definitely premature to start planning a trip to Iran, I do think that the tenure and pace of the revolt against the mullahs may bear fruit. I also think that a number of things have changed since the last round of demonstrations. For one thing, President Trump is in office and obviously no fan of the Islamic Republic. Also, there are reports of security forces standing with the demonstrators and refusing to shoot them or act otherwise against them. Of course there are also reports of foreign mercenaries being brought in by the regime, and many people have been murdered in cold blood by regime forces, so we really will have to wait and see.
With respect to Venezuela, I'm currently leaning toward being impressed by the precision and the execution of the American plan. So far, it seems to me that the Venezuelans are happy (good) and the political left is unhappy (also good). Is it all about oil? I don't know. I don't think we can say that yet with certainty. So far, it seems like President Trump et al plucked out a very bad narco-dictator like a thick gross hair on a hirsute chinny chin chin. It does not seem to me at this point that this operation will be like previous American forays into the Middle East. I think we will be smarter about all of this in the coming weeks.
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In other news, I came across this little clip on Instagram and I thought that it was a really compact and excellent analysis of the Mamdani, Obambi, Trudeauani archetype, how and why they all sound the same and what they are actually doing. There's lots of wisdom in this very short clip. Let me know what you think.
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I don't know about you but I am certainly getting even more sentimental as I get older. I think it's pretty common for many reasons. Generally, I feel really lucky even to be getting older. I've already lost several high school girlfriends to various forms of cancer and am still not 'over' the loss of my dear friend Kathy Shaidle - also to cancer. So even though some of the things I deal with as a special needs parent are particularly tiring and challenging, I do feel blessed and lucky to be here and putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes it's a generalized feeling of blessing, and sometimes there's an acute trigger.
Last Friday, after all the cleaning and cooking was done, I had a few quiet minutes in the late afternoon before lighting the Sabbath candles to sit on the couch with my feet up and just quietly look around. My kids were all buzzing about, doing various last minute preparations; laying the white tablecloth on the table and setting the table, putting the candles in the candleholders, putting the wine on the table, getting the hot water and hot plate ready, cutting up various mezze salads in utterly glorious colours: purple beets, grilled peppers with basil, hummus, eggplant and Israeli salad among others.
I looked at my kids and my eyes filled with tears. Grateful tears. I felt overwhelmed looking at the very best thing I have done in my life, creating incredible kids with Mr. C and being a mom. That's my number one accomplishment and blessing no matter what else I do or accomplish in this world.
Sometimes I look at my to-do list, and think of all the things I still want to learn, see, do and write and feel overwhelmed. Will I get to any of them? Most? Some? I'm not sure. But the most important things I do are being a mother, wife, daughter and sister and friend. Everything else is gravy (but I cannot wait to be a Bubbie!!!!!!!) .
Have a great weekend and see you in the comments.
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North America:
Trump, Maduro and What's Next.
"Almost six years ago, Democrats published the world's longest political suicide note — their 2020 election platform on immigration."
VDH: "Where does it all end?"
On Venezuela: "OPEN LETTER TO LIBERALS, DEMOCRATS, LIBTARDS AND THE GENERAL WOKE MOB".
As the great Katie Hopkins calls it: the trade in human flesh.
This should work out just fine.
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Jews and Israel:
"Of course they infiltrate everything."
"The Return of the Jewish Question."
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The Great Walkbackening, Reckoning and Accounting:
This makes a lot of sense. The coinciding of the woke explosion with covid control.
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The Formerly Great Britain:
"This hospital is administering older people with antipsychotic drugs and sedatives such as Haloperidal and Midazolam. Many of these patients are very vulnerable men and women, elderly people, perhaps living alone before they came to hospital, with few relatives to sit at the bedside. Antipsychotic drugs do not treat the patient's medical issue. They simply knock out the patient and keep them "quiet".
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Europe:
"In Sweden, nearly two-thirds of rapes are committed by first- and second-generation immigrants. The authors of this study were previously investigated by Sweden's Ministry of Education for failing to sufficiently evaluate how their research on immigrant rape would "reduce exclusion and improve integration" of immigrants."
Or as this guy puts it: "Mass migration from the third world is a pro-rape policy."
Today in Satan. Pity the children. The sale of babies has to stop.
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Kooks 'N' Trans:
"She would love to sue, so if any lawyers are willing to take this on pro bono, please reach out to me. This abuse doesn't stop until we make it stop."
"Transgenderism" is the rebranding of male sexual fetishes as an identity. Gender identity policies enable sexual predation, exhibitionism, and voyeurism."
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Human Grace:
A note from Laura: Initially, I included a link to a story that discussed an individual and suicidal thoughts, how he rejected suicide and went on to live well. It turns out this story was fake so I've removed it. I encourage you instead to listen our very own Andrew Lawton, MP giving a speech in Parliament describing his own attempted suicide and his opposition to Canada's "Medical Assistance in Dying" program. Andrew's speech shows much human grace and wisdom. Please do watch the whole thing.
It's open thread time! Log into SteynOnline and let Laura know what you think of these stories or other happenings from the week that was. 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.