Hello to one and all!
I'm doing some serious multitasking as I prepare to file this week's column!
These are the days leading up to the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and it's pretty busy. In addition to the shopping, and cooking and baking there is a rather large repentance component to the holiday and I literally just got an e-mail from our synagogue's Rabbi inviting me to a special lecture on how to really prepare spiritually for the New Year before Judgement Day (Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement)! I immediately wrote back and said "Thanks, Rabbi – great sales pitch, no pressure there!" WELP! At least it wasn't solely directed to me, I am somewhat moderately confident it was a group e-mail to all of the congregants....
Therefore, as you read this, I'll be unable to chime into the comment section until some time after sundown Tuesday, North American east coast time. I hope you've also had fun over the week reading and listening to some of the other great stuff here at SteynOnline, like the wonderful interview that Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer conducted with Mark live on the Alaska cruise. It's hysterical!
There's also Mark's latest Mailbox offering: Elites in Robes. It contains very important food for thought. But perhaps most importantly, it contains the man himself in a lovely ensemble! Thumbs up for the navy suit and the pink accents, Mr. Steyn. So spiffy! Definitely watch the great prophet Mark Steyn PBUH (Pocket squares Be Upon Him) in the flesh in this video.
Without getting too Jewy here, if you'd like to read any bits and pieces about these Jewish holidays, you can find lots of nice stuff at my go-tos, Aish Hatorah or Chabad.
Shanah Tova to all of Mark's Jewish readers around the world. And thanks again to Mark Steyn for graciously creating the bestest, most awesome times eleventy gazillion billion safe space on the internet that an In-House Jewish Mother could ever dream of!
And if you really want a chance to see the man, the mensch, the Most Unwoke Bloke In Bespoke in person, do consider the upcoming Steyn At Sea 2020 Mediterranean Cruise!
See ya next year (next Jew year that is)!
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North America:
A beauty of an essay from the brave Chadwick Moore, "Dear Journalism Students".
Florida officer fired after arresting two 6-year old children.
Big Tech getting you down? Here's a precedent or ending its monopoly.
Oh. Mah. Gawd. Where the hell were the parents? You gotta click it to believe it.
Rooting for these parents.
Emergency camel-ball biting? Yeah, I totally hate when this happens.
Here in Canada, the Liberal tour bus is an epic fail. In case you hadn't heard, the federal Liberals banned our very own Andrew Lawton from covering them! Then apologized but not really because he's still banned. But regarding this episode, first of all HOW DARE YOU! Liberals are assuming that men are the stronger gender! HOW DARE YOU? Second, that's a big bus! Plenty of room down there for all the Liberal women that have been thrown under by the "feminist" PM himself. Yes, I went there.
I want to feel touched and inspired by this, but I'm still just angry about 9/11. Their parents were murdered and nobody really cares anymore. So they are honouring their parents who are no longer honoured.
And via Mark Steyn Club member Michael Seth, a great tip about a "Yiddish For Dogs" class in NYC because of course. Andrew Lawton asked me if they were Shisksa Tzu's or Goy Poodles, and I said I thought they might be Joodles or LabraJewdles.
And here is an excellent analysis, as always, from Rush Limbaugh: The Elites Can't Believe They Haven't Been Able to Take Out Trump (really good, read the whole thing).
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Israel and The Jews:
Some good news (hey, I live in hope): NY Jews hate crazy commie kook Uncle Bernie and love Trump.
My Idiot People. I just can't. Nutcases. You are nutcases, ADL OK?? OK????
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Europe:
The enemies of the people in the UK are sabotaging Brexit.
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The Humourless Kook Left Plus Trans and Woke:
Big Trans goes after Dr. Ben Carson. What's that you say about transwomen and prisons? Nevermind, nothing to see here.
Matel goes woke (and will they go broke?)
Excellent essay from the great VDH: privileged wokescolds should lead by example (ha ha yah, as if that will ever happen).
Major woke dumbness from the Ontario Provincial Police.
And, even more spectacular woke dumbness in the formerly Great Britain.
And voila! "Gender studies" academic admits he basically just made the whole thing up. Gee, thanks for coming out. Also, picture my surprised face! Also-still a professor!!
As per the old adage, once you can fake sincerity, you've got it made.
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Human Grace:
She's not heavy, she's my student.
General manager of college football team is an essential part of the team.
And, via the great Kathy Shaidle, a tortoise gets a new set of wheels after losing its legs in a rat attack.
Enjoy! Now away you go to frolic about in the comment section. See you there soon!
For those not partaking in Rosh Hashanah or those who are but are reading this after sundown Tuesday, comment away! Remember commenting is one of the perks reserved for Mark Steyn Club members, so if you aren't yet joined up, you can do that here. Remember that Laura Rosen Cohen's weekly link extravaganza is also our weekly open thread, so feel free to chime in about these stories or even others that tickle your fancy from last week.
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29 Member Comments
It really pumped me up to see that brave little turtle sporting a new pair of tires to get back to motoring around after having her two limbs eaten away. The agony some animals suffer is over the top. I'll never look at another low rider cruising down Main St. without thinking of what Mrs. T endured. Thank you?
Two Laura's Links shoutouts? I'm honored! Or as my dog would now say, "Woof, verklempt."
Canine ahora!
"These tech monopolies were allowed to come into existence because of gray areas and advantages created in law and tax regulations," Ned Ryun says. In the Nineties, one large bank merger after another sailed through the express line of the Treasury Department's approval process and in 2008-2009 contributed to a worldwide financial crisis. Tech acquisitions dwarf financial ones in significance, but had an even easier time in Treasury. The string of anti-competitive acquisitions can be unwound in the reverse process.
Re: VDH & liberal hypocrites -- all of my woke liberal fb "friends" posted praise for "so brave! so bold!" Greta Thunburg, emphasizing "Act NOW!!!" -- so I asked each of them "have you sold your car yet?". Not one of them understood my point. On the football team manager article: what a beautiful story! When one has a child with DS, it doesn't take long to change one's perspective from "others are kind only out of charity" to "our child is a blessing to others". While I know it's not true, Laura, I feel you share the DS stories just for me! Thank you.
Hi Kim, the DS stories really touch my heart and of course they are especially for you but also for all the special needs parents out there like us, and for everyone who sees and feels the humanity and meaning in these precious lives.
I love the stories, too, Kim! Your "Up Syndrome" child Is a blessing to others. These children epitomize sheer joy to me and illustrate where I need to improve myself in my relationship to other people.
Thank you for sharing your Rosh Hashana pondering with us Mark. I have been a grafted Jew all my life, Christian, but until this year did not realize the nine days between the New Year and Atonement. Many of our pratices Echo those of our older brethren, Novena for nine, days of preparation and prayer for an extraordinary event, example Repentence and shedding guilt from the previous years "escapades". May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you My Lord and My Redeemer. Praying Chuck is practicing his Faith more faithfully this year. God Bless you.
I was going to comment on the gender studies academic who admits he made it all up, but it would take me until the year 5781 (in any calendar) to finish his article. I was ready to concede every point, just to make him stop.
But the Green Party lady with the photoshopped drink cup--such shallow fraudulence is more my style. What's a committed Leftist (eventually, one hopes) to do when presented with the Sophie's Choice of reusable plastic or compostable paper? Me, I carry a small hose with me wherever I go, and just hook up with any random spigot I come across. No fuss, no muss- except when I try to drink from a fire hydrant. For which I also carry a towel made of organic cotton grown in Burkina Faso. ¿Quien es mas verde?
Ebullient as always Laura , doesn't one love Vdh with his concise brilliant comments like Petronius's Satyricon would do: "You see a small louse on someone else, but not the tick on yourself"
Ah dahhh, is it possible to teach overwrought awkwardly unashamed lefties some mirror education - just dreaming
Kathy always comes up with some weird stuff ! You're soulmates
Thanks, Greg. And yes, I'm very lucky and honoured to call Kathy my friend.
Being the lowbrow, hillbilly of the group, I keep an eye on lowbrow things so you don't have to. Like TV. Oh my goodness is the new TV season woke. Make that WOKE! Just for example, I happened upon this preview for a new CBS show called "All Rise":
"When an ICE agent pursues a defendant in Lola's courtroom, she must fend him off while determining the appropriate sentence for the offender, an undocumented immigrant, whose crime was warning people of a grocery store selling spoiled goods."
BTW, Lola is a black, female judge. Anyway, does anybody other than me see anything wrong here?
Having seen the trailer, Steve, I feel the need to point out (as the unibrow of the group) that Judge Lola is hot. (Are any Lolas not hot?) Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets! My particular favorite new series is "Bob [Hearts] Abishola", in which a heart attack survivor (the eponymous Bob) falls for his Nigerian nurse (you guessed it), Abishola. Hilarity doesn't actually ensue, but eludes. But maybe the younger readers of this site don't understand what this TV is of which we write. It is that great glowing box in your parents' living rooms around which are gathered all the old people (35+) watching Ed Sullivan, Lawrence Welk, and Mark Steyn on Tucker. Put it this way, boys and girls, if Netflix had a crotchety grandpa, it would be TV.
Steven - I'm not sure what a lowbrow hillbilly is but I liked your comment. I have asked many times of many people what exactly being woke is - and finally figured out by my slow moving self that it's the ungrammatical tense of to be woken - though I'm still not sure why it's suddenly become so all consuming in everyone's life. Anyway, all that aside my answer to this particular entry to the new TV season is it'll never fly - unless at some time later in the season it's revealed that this judge is also a lesbian martian - wow, how woke would that be?
Yes. It's very un-inclusive.She needs to be a triple amputee and a convert to Islam, and transgendered. And she must be married to a Rabbi.
Ha. Pauline I just saw your comment after I added something similar to the discussion. LOL.
I'm not sure what a lowbrow hillbilly is either, but I've certainly described myself as a redneck Jew on more than one occasion.
I will look forward to your reviews of Bluff City Law, Bless the Harts, hell, all the new shows and the returning shows that have decided to go full woke so I won't have to throw an object through my picture window into paradise. If you find any good ones let me know so I can supplement watching Tucker, Lou Dobbs and old movies like Porkchop Hill.
I fall into the "older" demographic and have to say that I watch almost no TV. I have no idea what the new line up is and am better off for it.
We do watch TV while eating dinner, usually DW News out of Berlin or BBC World News America. My mother used to call it "checking out the enemy". A good case in point; a few days ago it was reported that the Trump "whistle blower" was under Federal protection. This was first broken by CBS news here in the US. Two nights ago it was featured on DW news. Just one problem, it wasn't true and you know who refuted it? The "whistle blower's" attorney! So that little lie made it all the way to Berlin!
You might imagine that our dinner time is a lively affair with my interjecting commentary at an elevated volume... My husband puts up with it (for now).
What're you saying, Walt, that you think I should have my own column on TV here on the Steyn Club? Well, gee, I don't know. What's that, you say you speak for all the Club members? Well, I was thinking that Steyn couldn't afford me, but if everybody wants it, I guess I could give a discount. But what would I write about....
First column: "Baby, You're The Greatest" -- How sitcoms have been destroying masculinity since the beginning. You know, something like that, maybe?
You know Babs, I have a friend who says about politics what you say about TV -- he pays no attention to them and is better off for it. He says that spares him a lot of stress and aggravation. You're probably both right, too. There is that saying about something being bliss. Now what was that something?
A savvy friend of mine who must socialize more than me in actual face to face encounters (and not so much online forums where you never meet those who you share comments through one's preferred sites) checked in with me the other day to say the world must have some serious sickness because she hears from more people lately (nothing like a 99% consensus or anything that ludicrous) that they can't seem to calm down and settle down at night. Everyone's on edge like never before. They listen to the news and every minute there seems to be a "breaking news alert" and it's usually not a world shattering bit that's screaming out to demand our attention but made to seem like that.
You might be onto something here by laying off all the incoming telly fare and 24/7 news frenzy. Just for peace of mind alone, we don't really have to be up on everything just out every minute of the day. In real estate they call it fear of loss that drives the buyer. In news and pop entertainment and social media, maybe it's fear of being left out of the 24/7 news loop. Finding a balance, it's a challenge. I remember there was an older woman that surfaced from the Ozarks backwoods and she didn't know JFK was assassinated, in fact, maybe didn't know who he was nor did she know we landed men in the moon. That's an extreme case, though.
If you are implying that ignorance is bliss then charge me guilty. I have no interest in the "new line up" of half hour American sitcoms. None at all.
So, are you in a state of bliss, Babs? I would only note that my comment was about an hour-long drama, not a sitcom.
In that article about the woke OPP no longer identifying the genders of either suspects or victims, I see the CTV reporter in the original linked piece identifies Sgt. Carolle Dionne as an "OPP spokeswoman." Since the OPP claims to be doing this in part "out of caution," that seems rather incautious of the reporter.
I wonder if the OPP maintains a sex crimes unit. The very sound of that seems problematic in more ways than one but maybe that's just my own lack of wokeness.
L'shana tova Laura! I remain gratified that there are NYC canines keeping the mother tongue alive. Any chance that Mark will take Feline Groovy to the next level with a Yiddish follow up?! Talk about a Chanukah stocking stuffer...All the best to you and yours in the new year.
Thanks, Michael.
I don't have any inside scoop about future albums, though I have nagged-errr...make that....helpfully suggested a Chanukah tune over the years.
Looks like another great complication, Laura. Shana Tovah!
PS. The ensemble on TCT yesterday was also very sharp.
Thanks, Kate!
On a more sober note, I think the Yiddish dog training is a fabulous idea. What a great way for people to come together in a happy and productive atmosphere. Gosh, if I lived in the area I would be tempted to attend!